108 Names of Lord Muruga

108 Names of Lord Murugan, Shri Subrahmanya Ashtottara Shatanaamavali

Om Skandaya namaha
Om Guhaya namaha
Om Shanmugaya namaha
Om Phalanetrasutaya namaha
Om Prabhave namaha
Om Pingalaya namaha
Om Kritikasunave namaha
Om Sikivahaya namaha
Om Dvisadbhujaya namaha
Om Dvisannetraya namaha
Om Saktidharaya namaha
Om Pisitasaprabhamjanaya namaha
Om Tarakasurasamharine namaha
Om Raksobalavimardhanaya namaha
Om Mattaya namaha
Om Pramattaya namaha
Om Unmattaya namaha
Om Surasainyasuraksakaya namaha
Om Devasenapataye namaha
Om Prajnaya namaha
Om Krpalave namaha
Om Bhaktavatsalaya namaha
Om Umasutaya namaha
Om Saktidharaya namaha
Om Kumaraya namaha
Om Kraunchadharanaya namaha
Om Senanyai namaha
Om Agnijanmane namaha
Om Visakhaya namaha
Om Sankaratmajaya namaha
Om Sivasvamine namaha
Om Svaminathaya namaha
Om Sarvasvamine namaha
Om Sanatanaya namaha
Om Anantasaktaye namaha
Om Aksobhyaya namaha
Om Parvatipriyanandanaya namaha
Om Gangasutaya namaha
Om Sarodbhutaya namaha
Om Pavakatmajaya namaha
Om Ganasvamine namaha
Om Atmabhuve namaha
Om Jrmbhaya namaha
Om Prajrmbhaya namaha
Om Ujjrmbhaya namaha
Om Kamalasanasamstutaya namaha
Om Ekavarnaya namaha
Om Dvivarnaya namaha
Om Trivarnaya namaha
Om Sumanoharaya namaha
Om Chaturvarnaya namaha
Om Panchavarnaya namaha
Om Prajapataye namaha
Om Aharpataye namaha
Om Agnigarbhaya namaha
Om Samigarbhaya namaha
Om Visvaretase namaha
Om Surarighnaya namaha
Om Harodvarnaya namaha
Om Subhakarayanamah
Om Vasavaya namaha
Om Vatuvesabhrte namaha
Om Pusne namaha
Om Gabhastine namaha
Om Gahanaya namaha
Om Chandravarnaya namaha
Om Kaladharaya namaha
Om Mayadharaya namaha
Om Mahamayine namaha
Om Kaivalyaya namaha
Om Sakalatmakaya namaha
Om Visvayonaye namaha
Om Ameyatmane namaha
Om Tejonidhaye namaha
Om Anamayaya namaha
Om Paramesthine namaha
Om Parabrahmane namaha
Om Vedagharbayanamah
Om Viradvapusenamah
Om Pulindakanyabharte namaha
Om Mahasarasvatavrtaya namaha
Om Asritakhiladatre namaha
Om Choraghnaya namaha
Om Roganasanaya namaha
Om Anantamurtaye namaha
Om Anandaya namaha
Om Sikhandikrtaketanaya namaha
Om Dhambhaya namaha
Om Paramadhambhaya namaha
Om Mahadhambaya namaha
Om Vrsakapaye namaha
Om Karanopattadehaya namaha
Om Karanatitavigrahaya namaha
Om Anisvaraya namaha
Om Amrtaya namaha
Om Pranaya namaha
Om Pranayamaparayanaya namaha
Om Viruddhahantre namaha
Om Viraghnaya namaha
Om Raktasyamagalaya namaha
Om Mahate namaha
Om Subrahmanyaya namaha
Om Guhaya namaha
Om Brahmanyaya namaha
Om Vamsavrddhikaraya namaha
Om Brahmanapriyaya namaha
Om Aksayaphalapradaya namaha
Om Vedavedhyaya namaha
Iti Shree Subrahmanya ashtottara shatanaamavali Samaptam

Soolamangalam Sisters Skanda Sasti Kavacham Part 1

Lord Muruga

Lord Murugan is more popular in South India compared to other parts of India. Like most Hindu deities, He is known by many other names, including Senthil, Saravana, Karttikeya, Arumugam, Kumara, Guha, Skanda. He is the God of war and the patron deity of the Tamil Nadu. According to the Tamil devotional work, Thiruppugazh, "Murugan never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon in piety or distress".
'Murugu' means 'beauty'; hence 'Murugan' means 'Beautiful one'. Where there is beauty, love shines; where there is love, truth sparkles. When we seek the Truth, we get liberated.
It is said that Lord Muruga taught the Indian language Tamil to Saint Agasthiar. Lord Muruga Himself sat as the leader for the academy of poets (Tamil Sangam) in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) and the language flourished as a result.
As Muruga is worshipped predominantly in South India, many of his names are of Tamil origin. These include Senthil, the red or formidable one; Arumuga, the six-faced one; Guha and Maal-Marugan, the nephew of Vishnu.
It is written in Kanda Puranam that Saint Vasistha has said that if one worships Lord Muruga on Friday and fasts on that day, all his wishes will get fulfilled. Lord Muruga was brought up by Karthigai maids. By worshipping Him on the Karthigai star day and observing a fast, one's problems will be removed and one will be liberated. This was a wish granted by Lord Shiva Himself to the Karthigai maids.
History of Lord Muruga's birth
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's marriage is said to be knowledge and grace joined together to give Bliss, i.e., Lord Muruga. All the deities went to Lord Shiva and pleaded Him to do something as they could not tolerate the demon Soorapadman's cruelty. Lord Shiva took a form along with six faces (i.e.,Sathyojatham, Vamadevam, Thathpurusham, Eesanam, Aghoram and Atho).
From the third eye of each face, a fire spark came out. Lord Shiva asked Vayudevan (God of wind) and Agnidevan (God of fire) to take the six fire sparks to the Ganges River. Later Ganga (the Name of the Ganges River deity) took them to Sarvana pond. The six fire sparks became six beautiful babies on six red lotus flowers. When Goddess Parvati hugged them together, they joined to become one form with six faces, twelve hands and was named Skandan.
He performed several divine acts (leelas) when He was young. When Soorapadman's cruelty went to an extreme, Lord Shiva thought it was time for his destruction. He gave the eleven Rudras eleven weapons, and Parvathi gave the Vel weapon to Lord Muruga for the war.This symbolizes penetrating spiritual knowledge.
Lord Muruga stayed in Thiruchendur with His army fought and destroyed Soorapadman and his brothers.Soorapdman took the form of a big mango tree. Lord Muruga's spear split the tree and one part became a peacock and the other became a cock. Lord Muruga took the peacock as His vehicle and the cock as His flag. Soorpadman was so cruel, yet he still reached such a good state -- to always be beside the Lord. Imagine what kind of state Lord Muruga's devotees would get!

http://kundrakudimurugan.blogspot.com

J. Vijayendra Swamigal

Thaipusam Festival

Thaipusam is an important festival observed by the Hindus of southern India during the Tamil month of Thai (January - February). Outside of India, it is celebrated mainly by the Tamil speaking community settled in Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka and elsewhere around the world.
Dedicated to Lord Murugan or Kartikeya
Thaipusam is dedicated to the Hindu god Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati. Murugan is also known as Kartikeya, Subramaniam, Sanmukha, Shadanana, Skanda and Guha. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati presented a lance to Lord Murgan to vanquish the demon army of Tarakasura and combat their evil deeds. Therefore, Thaipusam is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Read more about Murugan or Kartikeya
How to Celebrate Thaipusam
On the Thaipusam day, most devotees of Lord Murugan offer him fruits and flowers of yellow or orange color - his favorite colors and also adorn dresses of the same color. Many devotees bear milk, water, fruits and floral tributes on pails hung from a yoke and carry them on their shoulders to various Murugan temples, far and near. This wooden or bamboo structure called 'Kavadi' is covered with cloth and decorated with feathers of peacock - the vehicle of Lord Murugan.
Thaipusam in Southeast Asia
Thaipusam celebrations in Malaysia and Singapore are known for their festive fervor. The most famous Kavadi pilgrimage on the Thaipusam day takes place at the Batu Caves in Malaysia, where a large number of devotees head towards the Murugan temple in procession carrying the 'Kavadi'. This festival attracts over a million people each year at the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lampur, which houses several Hindu shrines and the 42.7 meter high statue of Lord Murugan that was unveiled in January 2006. Pilgrims need to climb 272 steps to access the temple on the hilltop. Many foreigners also take part in this Kavadi pilgrimage. Notable among them are Australian Carl Vedivella Belle, who has been taking part in the pilgrimage for more than a decade, and German Rainer Krieg, who went on his first Kavadi in the 1970s.
Body Piercing on Thaipusam
Many fanatical devotees go to such extent as to torture their bodies to appease the Lord. So, a major feature of Thaipusam celebrations is body piercing with hooks, skewers and small lances called 'vel'. Many of these devotees even pull chariots and heavy objects with hooks attached to their bodies. Many others pierce their tongue and cheek to impede speech and thereby attain full concentration on the Lord. Most devotees enter into a trance during such piercing due to the incessant drumming and chanting of "vel vel shakti vel."

Malaysia - Thaipusam Festival

Meaning

Meaning and Significance
    ‘Murugu’ means ‘beauty’; hence ‘Murugan’ means ‘Beautiful one’. Where there is beauty, love shines; where there is love, truth sparkles. When we seek the Truth, we get liberated.
    It is said that Lord Muruga taught the Indian language Tamil to Saint Agasthiar. Lord Muruga Himself sat as the leader for the academy of poets (Tamil Sangam) in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) and the language flourished as a result. Accordingly, He is called the God of Tamil.
    It is written in Kanda Puranam that Saint Vasistha has said that if one worships Lord Muruga on Friday and fasts on that day, all his wishes will get fulfilled. Lord Muruga was brought up by Karthigai maids. By worshipping Him on the Karthigai star day and observing a fast, one’s problems will be removed and one will be liberated. This was a wish granted by Lord Shiva Himself to the Karthigai maids.
History of Lord Muruga’s birth
    God, Who does not have a beginning or an end, takes an incarnation (avatar) to destroy the evildoers and to save His devotees. The following is about the avatar of Lord Muruga.
    Goddess Parvati did penance and married Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati’s marriage is said to be knowledge and grace joined together to give Bliss, i.e., Lord Muruga. All the deities went to Lord Shiva and pleaded Him to do something as they could not tolerate the demon Soorapadman’s cruelty. Lord Shiva took a form along with six faces (i.e., Sathyojatham, Vamadevam, Thathpurusham, Eesanam, Aghoram and Atho).
    From the third eye of each face, a fire spark came out. Lord Shiva asked Vayudevan (God of wind) and Agnidevan (God of fire) to take the six fire sparks to the Ganges River. Later Ganga (the Name of the Ganges River deity) took them to Sarvana pond. The six fire sparks became six beautiful babies on six red lotus flowers. When Goddess Parvati hugged them together, they joined to become one form with six faces, twelve hands and was named Skandan (another name for Lord Muruga). Six ladies called Karthigai maids took care of Him. Hence, He was also called Karthigeyan. His other names include Kumaran, Mayilvaganan, Kaangeyan, Velayuthan, Gugan, Swaminathan, Subramanian, Saravanabavan, Vishagan, Devasenapathy, Vallimanallan, Soorasankaran, etc.
    He performed several divine acts (leelas) when He was young. When Soorapadman’s cruelty went to an extreme, Lord Shiva thought it was time for his destruction. He gave the eleven Rudras eleven weapons, and Parvathi gave the Vel weapon to Lord Muruga for the war. The Vel, or sacred spear, is the most powerful weapon in Lord Muruga's armory.
    Lord Muruga stayed in Thiruchendur with His army. He fought for ten days and destroyed Soorapadman and his brothers. Soorapadman had such a big ego that he did not want to surrender to the Lord. He took the form of a big mango tree. Lord Muruga’s spear split the tree and one part became a peacock and the other became a cock. Lord Muruga took the peacock as His vehicle and the cock as His flag. Soorpadman was so cruel and had such a big ego, yet he still reached such a good state -- to always be beside the Lord. Imagine what kind of state Lord Muruga's devotees would get!
About Lord Muruga (in brief)

Name :	Murugan
Birth Place :	Saravana pond
Date of birth	Vaishaka month, Vishaga star
Father :	Lord Shiva
Mother :	Goddess Parvati
Brothers :	Lord Ganapati and Lord Ayyappan
Wives :	Valli, Devayani
Weapon :	Shakti vel (spear)
Vehicle :	Peacock
Flag :	Cock
Aim of Incarnation :	Destroying evil and saving Devotees
Place he resides :	Devotees heart