Thus Spake the Divine - Erstwhile Avatara of Lord Muruga

Thus Spake the Divine

Erstwhile Avatara of Lord Muruga

Here is the story unknown to many of us about Sanat Kumara, who was the erstwhile Subrahmanya, before the birth of Subrahmanya. Listen to the story of Sanat Kumara in the most captivating words of Maha Periyava.

I have narrated the stories of Jnyana Sambandhar and Kumarila Bhatta, the incarnations of Lord Subrahmanya. Now, I am going to speak about an avatara of Lord Subrahmanya, about which many of you may not know. If I am right, I should not call this as the avatara of Subrahmanya. This is about who Subrahmanya was before He was born as Subrahmanya. How I came to know of it is itself a story!

While discussing the Bhashyam on Brahma Sutra composed by Vyasa, Acharya quoted in Part II, 32 nd Chapter, which read that “Brahma’s son Sanat Kumara conferred a boon to Rudra. To fulfil that boon, He Himself was born as Skanda”. I was surprised about Sanat Kumara’s boon to Parameshvara and being born as Skanda! I was not aware in which of the Puranas this context appeared. I enquired with many scholars.

One of them, Anjaneya Swami, after an extensive research, gave this task to Somadeva Sharma, who had presented a Bhashyam of the 18 Puranas. It was Somadeva Sharma who identified the source as “Tripura Rahasyam”. The story has been dealt at length in its 37 th Chapter. Let me summarise the story now!

Sanat Kumara was born from the mind of Brahma. He was a Brahma Jnyani like Shukacharya, Son of Vyasa Muni. Sanat Kumara remained with absolute consciousness forever, both inwardly and outwardly. He one day had a dream. In the dream, he visualised a war between the Devas and Asuras in which he (Sanat Kumara) was the Lieutenant for Devas and he killed Asuras. When he got up, he was surprised about the dream. He went to Brahma, his father, and told him about the dream. He asked him the significance of the dream.

Brahma said, “Oh, Child! In your last janma, you have done Veda Adyayanam. Hence, your sub-conscious mind is strongly clouded with Deva-Asura War depicted in the Veda. When Asuras were destroying Yajnyas performed for worship of Devas, you were vehement and wished you could destroy the Asuras yourself! That sub-conscious thought has manifested as a dream in this birth!” Brahma continued, “You are possessed with the power of materialising every of your thought into an action. Therefore, you are going to become the Lieutenant of Devas and destroy Asuras.

In this birth, since you are neutral with regard to Devas and Asuras and look at everything as Brahmam, you are going to take one more birth to accomplish this task”. If one’s words, mind and body absorb the absolute truth, he spontaneously becomes immensely powerful. This means he need not necessarily speak the truth; whatever he says will turn true.

Even when he says something, which is contrary to truth, either erroneously or ignorantly, the same would occur in reality. Thus, Sanat Kumara, being the absolute truth himself, whatever he thought even in his dream would turn true! Knowing the significance of this dream, Sanat Kumara chose to remain Brahmam as usual. To him, the entire world was a dream and, hence, he hardly bothered to recall his own dream.

However, Parameshvara’s concern was that the thought that had emerged in the dream of Sanat Kumara should not become untrue. Hence, He goes to the Ashram of Sanat Kumara along with Parvati, even though Sanat Kumara was really not keen on having the darshan of Lord Parameshvar!

As we have already seen, everything appeared to Sanat Kumara as the same Brahmam, from a wooden plank to everything else. In the Brahmam, is there anything superior or inferior? Therefore, even when Parameshvara appeared as Brahmam to him, he did not attempt to welcome Parameshvara or host him with pooja. He remained immersed in his own thoughts of Brahmam.

Parameshvara, though pleased to see an epitome of supreme wisdom in Sanat Kumara, posed as though he was angry at his indifference. He told Sanat Kumara, “You are egoistic of your supreme wisdom and thus have insulted the Universal Mother and Father standing in front of you. What if we curse you right now?” Sanat Kumara, least impacted by Lord Parameshvara’s anger replied, “You be the most furious Rudra and curse me, but still it will have the least impact on the Atman”. Parameshvara was really happy about the status of Sanat Kumara, but wanted to further test his supreme wisdom. He said, “Hey! I am very pleased with your highest level of wisdom. You ask for any boon, which I shall bestow!”

Sanat Kumara grinned a little and sternly replied, “Let the boon be with you! I am in a state, where I have absolutely no desires to be fulfilled and, therefore, your boon has no use for me!” He went one step further and said, “Hey Ishvar! Only to you the boon or curse makes some meaning! Therefore, if you want, please ask for a boon from me!” Since Parameshvara was keen on making the vow of Sanat Kumara in his dream a reality, he said, “Your father Brahma is really honoured to have you, the Supreme Jnyani, as His son! Will you be born to me as my son in another birth?”

Instantly, Sanat Kumara agreed to the wish of Lord Parameshvara and replied, “Yes. I will be born as your son subject to one condition! It is only You who have asked for a boon and not Parvati. Shastras proclaim that nothing should be given if not asked for. Hence, I will be born to you alone and it is for you to produce me as your son!” Parvati was displeased by this reply and she insisted that he be born to both Parameshvara and Parvati. It was quite natural that she also wanted the epitome of supreme wisdom to be born as her son! Yet Sanat Kumara justified his stand saying that he felt disgust in being born from a woman’s womb in the usual process of man-woman physical union. Hence, he pleaded to Goddess to let him be born only to Parameshvara. After a long exchange of views, they came to a compromise.

Let us deviate from here to another small narrative. Once, Basmasura was conferred a boon by Lord Parameshvara that on whoever’s head Basmasura lays his hand, the person would turn into ashes. When Basmasura wanted to test the boon on Parameshvara’s head itself, Parameshvara disappeared. At that moment, Parvati was shocked not to see Parameshvara by Her side. With the pain of separation from Her other half, she melted into a pool of water. This pool is called the Saravana Poygai. (Poygai means Pool in Tamil).

Now, while talking to Sanat Kumara, Parvati was reminded of the incident of Saravana Poygai being Her own body. So, they decided that Sanat Kumara be born as the flame of Lord Parameshvara and the same will be borne by the Saravana, which is Parvati’s body.

Accordingly, Lord Parameshvara emitted sparks from his Third Eye. The spark was so intense in heat that nobody could survive the heat. Ganga (River Ganga who is seated on the jatamudi of Parameshvar) came forward to absorb the heat but she could not. At that time, Brahma came and advised that the flame be merged with the Saravana Poygai, as Saravana is Parvati’s own body and other half of Parameshvara, and only She could withstand the heat.

Thus, Sanat Kumara was incarnated as Subrahmanya, Muruga or Saravana Bhava. This Saravana Bhava fulfilled the dream of destroying Asuras by heading the Devas army and protecting the entire world. Irrespective of the different names with which Lord Subrahmanya is addressed, the six-syllable supreme mantra (in Tamil) happens to be Saravana Bhava. This exhibits the glory of Parvati!

It has been clearly stated in Chandogya Upanishad (one of the oldest Upanishads) that Sanat Kumara has taken the form of Skanda and he is the supreme epitome of wisdom. The great Narada Muni himself, who is claimed to be the greatest scholar, approaches Sanat Kumara for attaining wisdom. The supreme fire of wisdom is only Subrahmanya, which is strongly substantiated by Chandogyam.

Zend Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism containing the teachings of the Prophet Zoroaster (Zarathushtra), is actually from Chandogya Upanishad and comprises cosmogony, law, and liturgy. It is Sowrashtra that morphed into Zarathushtra and subsequently to Zarathushtra. “Souram” pertains to Lord Surya. In Tiruvannamalai, Lord Shiva is in the form of fire (Agni). Thus, Murugan is none other than the Agni of Shiva (Shivagni). The study of Vedas is associated with worship of Agni. Vedas start with the word Agni. The term Aupasanam in Sanskrit refers to any offerings given in fire.

In the current era, worship associated with fire (homam etc) has greatly diminished and people are more engaged in idol worship. There are holy temples of Muruga in Palani, Tiruchendur and Tiruthani, which a large number of people visit to seek the blessings of Lord Muruga.

Subrahmanya is the prime Devata for any rituals involving fire. But Panchayadana Pooja, which includes Ganesha, Surya, Maha Vishnu, Ambal and Ishvara, ignores Subrahmanya. Our Acharya thus founded the Shan Mata in which Kaumaram, worship of Lord Muruga has been incorporated.

I am recounting this only to insist that Lord Subrahmanya’s worship must not be ignored under the pretext that Subrahmanya is only the God of Tamil region and has not originated from Vedas. Acharya has also composed the Shloka titled Subrahmanya Bhujangam in which he has sung heart-rending verses, wherein he says, “I don’t see any other God other than Guha!”

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.