Skandha Sashti Festival is a special festival dedicated to Lord Murugan who is otherwise called with different names like Karthikeyan, Kandhan, Kumaran, Subramaniyan, BalaMurugan etc. Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and was born out of sparks that came out of Lord Shiva’s third eye. Kanda Sashti is celebrated with great devotion to worship Lord Skanda during the Tamil month of Aippasi. Skanda Sashti celebrates the victory of Lord Skanda over the evil demons.
Sashti falls on the
sixth day of the bright half of the lunar month in the Hindu calendar, which is
observed in the Tamil month of Aippasi [October -November]. Although Sashti falls
every month, but the skanda sashti festival celebrated during the month of Aipaasi
is special and six days of fasting is observed, and the sixth day is when Lord
Murugan killed Surapadman [Soorasamharam].
Please click on the link for Skanda Sashti 2023 dates
Originof Skandha Sashti Festival/Sashti Viratham
How to Observe SkandaSashti Vratham/fasting?
How to do the Sashti Pooja at home
image source: Google images
Story behind Skandha Sashti/Sashti Vrat Katha
Once there was a
demon named Surapadman, who along with brothers Simhamukhan and Tarakasuran was
violent and cruel. They defeated the Devas and took over the Earth. They found
immense pleasure in torturing the Devas and humans. They destroyed anything and
everything that was in there way that belonged to the Devas.
All the gods and goddesses in heavenly abodes approached
Lord Brahma and asked him for a way to put an end to this atrocious behavior of
Soorapadman and his clan. Surapadman had got the boon that only a son of Shiva
will kill him. The demon had thought that Shiva who had gone into deep
meditation after death of Goddess Sati will never return to earthly life.
Lord Brahma told them
that only supreme god, Lord Shiva has the power to kill the demons and bring
back peace to all the devas and every living being in all the lokhas. So,
everyone ran towards Mt. Kailash where Lord Shiva was in deep meditation.
All the Rishis and
Devas convinced Manmathan [Kamadeva – God of Love] to wake up Lord Shiva from deep
meditation which resulted in his death by turning into ashes when Shiva opened
his Third eye. Furious Shiva dropped six sparks from his eyes which was carried
by Agni to Saravan lake. There the six flames got the form of six beautiful and
charming babies. The children were under the care of six karthika stars [Karthigai
pengal]. Later goddess Parvathi embraced all the six children together and they
became one with six faces called with different names like Shanmugam, Murugan,
Subramanyam, Karthikeyen etc.
The demons continued their rampage and Soorapadman held son of Lord Indra and many other saints and devas as captives. Lord Subramaniyan soon adorned the role of general of Devas and decided to annihilate the demons.
The whole war scene is enacted in all the Murugan temples, the above images are that of Thiruchendur Murugan temple Where Soorasamharam takes place in great galore and devotion. Lakhs and lakhs of people visit the Thiruchendur Murugan temple during Soorasamharam. All the people chanting together "Vetrivel Muruganukku Arogara, Veeravel Muruganukku Arogara" will bring goosebumps to each and every one.
Lord Murugan is
considered the God of war, valor and wisdom and is highly revered in South
India, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
Celebration of Skanda
Sashti
This special day signifies the victory of good over bad and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the people. During the Sashti Festival the battle between Lord Murugan and demon Soorapadman called the "SooranPor" is enacted in all the Murugan temples. The courtyard or the whole place is setup like a battle field where Lord Murugan kills Soorapadman, Singamugan and Thaarakasoooran.
In some places, processions are
held, and devotees carry “Kavadis” which are elaborate and decorative wooden or
metal structures, decorated with flowers and peacocok feathers, as an act of
penance and devotion to Lord Murugan. They offer prayers to Lord Murugan while
carrying the Kavadi, which symbolizes the burden of sins that they carry.
This festival holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for devotees of Lord Murugan and it is observed with great enthusiasm and devotion across various temples in South India. Sashti festival holds great significance for devotees who seek the blessing of Lord Murugan ot overcome obstacles, attain success and gain spiritual enlightenment. Observing Sashti vrat and performing the rituals with devotion can bring peace, prosperity and happiness into one’s life.
How to Observe SkandaSashti Vratham/fasting?
How to perform SkandaSashti Pooja at home?
Skanda Sashti Viratham Dates - 2023
Thank you all for visiting my space, please come back again for more interesting articles about Indian Festivals and Poojas here. Meanwhile check out interesting articles about Navarathri, Golu, Pongal and other Indian Festivals here.
If you find this post really interesting, it will really be nice if you can share it with your facebook friends or twitter friends or pin it today. I will be very happy if you like, share and subscribe to Priya’s Virundhu youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTsVaemF70ifZPLfgtEvMjg. All of this means a lot to me and a great encouragement as well.
Have a great day and enjoy.
Until then I am signing off...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hello everybody,
Thank you very much for stopping by my blog. Your comments are very precious and I treasure them a lot. Please leave your valuable comments and suggestions here. All our content & photos are copyright protected. a lot of time and effort is spent in researching, developing, testing and photographing recipes. please do not copy. as a blogger, if you you want to adapt this recipe or make a youtube video, then please write the recipe in your own words and give a clickable link back to the recipe on this url.
Priya Anandakumar