Let us begin every day calling the elder brother

 

When we say lord vigneswarar we remember immediately that he was the son of the lord Siva and goddess mother. When we finish the 16 names, we say that he is the elder brother of the lord subramanyar and remember him, and thus the entire family is congregated. Therefore, that name comes in the last to end in an auspicious manner.

 

We are all the children of the goddess and lord Siva. The eldest son, before all of us, is the lord vigneswarar. Mentioning the name of lord subramanyar, the most popular among his younger brothers, means we are all covered in that list. Feeing that the lord vigneswarar is the elder brother to all of us, let us upon waking up, before starting any work, chant these 16 names, and as per "sarva karyesu vignastasya na jayate" let us complete all tasks without any obstacles and get all righteous benefits.

 

Sumukach-chaikadantascha-kapilo gajakarnaka:|

Lambodarascha vikato vignarajo vinayaka: ||

Doomaketur ganatyaksha: palachandro gajanana:

Vakratunda: soorpakarno heramba: skandapoorvajaha:||

Shodasaitani namani ya: pateth: srunuyatapi|

Vidyarambe vivahe cha pravese nirgame tata||

Sangrame sarvakaryeshu vignas tasya na jayate||

 

May everyone say these 16 names and get the 16 boons in life.

The lord subramanyar who got all the benefits mentioned in the finale lines

The lord subramanyar who got all the benefits mentioned in the finale lines

 

I can think of the essence of the names:

 

Those who say the 16 names, will when beginning to study, during wedding, while going to a place, while leaving a place, during disputes, and in all activities –not face any obstacles. This is the benefit of chanting these names. For each of these, we can see that there is a proof in the story of lord subramanyar.

 

Beginning to study (vidyarambe). For the lord who emerged from the knowledge eye of the lord Siva, there is no need to begin any education from the alphabets. He himself posed as the embodiment of the one letter, and preached it to his father. Therefore, in his case, the initiation to the knowledge of the self, by becoming a renunciant is the beginning to study. The lord vigneswarar was the cause for him to become a renunciant, where he won the competition for the fruit.

 

Vivahe: the matter regarding wedding with valli. In this we saw already that the elder brother played a key role.

 

Thus, he was key for both the wedding and renunciation of his younger brother. He made his brother a renunciation when he was a child and later made him a householder when he was a youth. He made his great devotee, auvaiyar in to a old lady when she was young as an woman eligible for wedding. The miracles of the lord subramanyar, who we normally pray to as a young renunciant, are indeed funny.

 

Pravese: for the ascent of the lord subramanyar in the world the reason was that the lord vigneswarar was disqualified to kill the demon surapadma as per his boon. That is he was the negative reason for the birth of lord subramanyar.

 

Nirgame: pravesam means to enter into a place. Nirgame means to leave a place. After the lord vigneswarar helped conduct the wedding with valli, the lord subramanyar left from the world he was living in and went to his daily abode, the skanda loka. He left with both his consorts. Before the story of valli, the wedding with devasena was over.

 

There are two reasons for his incarnation on earth. One to kill the sura, and another to marry the two daughters of his uncle lord Vishnu, of which one was brought up as the daughter of the king of the angels and another as the daughter of the hunter king.

 

First he went beyond thiruchendur to the ocean and killed the sura. Afterwards he went to the thiruparankundram and got married to devasena. When he was living there with her, sage narada came and narrated to him how in chittur the girl valli is always longing in love for him. Therefore, in the temple in thiruparankundram the lord is not posing together with valli and devasena but devasena on one side and instead of valli, sage narada on the other side, who came as the messenger. In order to shower the blessing of the supreme lord on the human form, the sage narada directed the lord subramanyar towards valli. Therefore, the lord who was the teacher to even lord Siva, has given a place to sage narada in his temple.

 

Upon the message of narada, he went tried to entice valli in various forms (such as a hunter, singer, and a big tree), and finally with the blessings of his elder brother he married valli. After that to bestow the divine auspicious of his form with both consorts, representing knowledge and liberation on earth, he spent a few days like a honey moon at thiruttani. After that he went to his skanda loka. That is nirgamam. The valli wedding laid the first steps for that. With that the second purpose of the incarnation was also fulfilled.

 

The person who laid the step for valli's wedding was the lord vigneswarar who came as the elephant. Therefore, he has helped the lord subramanyar to move from our world to his skanda loka.

 

Sangrame: sangramam means fight, war. "sankrama sikavala" comes in the kandaranuputi. The commander-in-chief lord Subramanyar showed his valor during the war with the sura. He would have definited performed the prayer to the lord vigneswarar. Why I say so, is because the father who did not perform prayer to the vigneswarar while leaving for the burning of the three worlds, and the mother who did not also perform when leaving for the elimination of the bandasura, all face obstacles, and they overcame these only after performing the prayer to the lord vigneswarar. So the younger brother would have in anticipation performed the prayer to the lord vigneswarar and only left for the war? Not just that. Before leaving for the elimination of the sura, he had just lost in the competition for the fruit. He became a renunciant because of the dejection from the loss. Did he win in that renunciant life? i.e. did it stay for some time. Mother and father came and requested and he was reminded about his main reason for the incarnation, which was to eliminate the sura. He had to relinquish the renunciation and go to war. Therfore, realizing that he can succeed only with his elder brother's blessing, he would have definitely prayed to the lord vigneswarar and then only left.

 

Sarva karyeshu: it was not successful when he left for the competition with the elder brother for the fruit. He was not successful when he became a renunciant without praying to him. Therefore, though he prayed to the lord vigneswarar before going to war, he forgot about it when he tried to woe valli. To show world how spoiling the desire can be it happened in this way. Many obstacles also came. Afterwards, after praying to lord vigneswarar, the lord subramanyar got victory in his attempt. Therefore, after that, for any act, before beginning that act, he would have performed prayer to the lord vigneswarar. There is no doubt about it.

 

Therefore, when we complete the 16 names of the lord vigneswarar, he is mentioned as the elder brother of the lord subramanyar who received all the blessings from the lord as mentioned the closing sentence.

The speciality of the name skanda

The speciality of the name skanda

 

Skanda mean the one who "emerged jumping". The power of the lord Siva emerged from his eyes as a light with a jump, an enthusiasm to bless the world, which led to the formation of the lord subramanyar. Because of this significance, though he has many names such as subramanyar, karthikeyar, kumara, saravanabhavar, the epics about him are called skanda puranam, skandam. The world he lives is also called skanda loka. The penance observed in his name is called skanda sashti. The lord Siva who is with the goddess and lord subramanyar is called soma skandar. Even in Tamil, in which we have given him a nice name murugar, his prayers are called, kandar anubuti, kandar alangaram, and kandar kalivenba. There is a kanda kottam as a speciality in Chennai.

 

When some thing appears in the Vedas, it has as special significance, and respect. Such significance exists for the name skanda. In the epic skandam, it comes that sage narada was teacher to the human being valli. In the sandogya Upanishad in the Vedas, it comes that sanatkumarar who is the previous incarnation of the lord subramanyar, taught sage narada. Sanath is the name of brahma. At the beginning of creation itself, sanath kumar was born the mental child of brahma. He is important among the four: sanaka, sanandana, sanathana, and sanathkumarar. They are the evidence for the monk hood describing the path of renunciation as they were born as a realized soul at birth itself. They are ever youthful without any lust. The sandogya records that the son of brahma (sanath kumarar) only reincarnated as the son of Siva (subramanyar). Though he was a great commander-in-chief and had two wives during this incarnation, because of the link to sanathkumarar, I think, he stood in a loin briefly in palani, and took to monkhood. While here the lord is in his loins, the sanathkumar is not even in loins. While the son of Siva is young, the sanathkumarar is still a child. Let us leave that. When the Veda's sandogya mentions that the sanathkumarar is only subramanyar, it says in not one place, but twice, "skanda, skanda".

 

Skanda is a popular name around the world. Like how school became "ischool", the skandar is called in other places, iskander. Al is a definite article in the Semitic languages, to refer to a particular item, similar to "the" in English. They also add al before a word to show respect during speech. This "al iskander" only went all the way to Greece and became Alexander!

 

Sikkander is also a modification of the skander only. Therefore, in the secundarabad (in Andhra Pradesh), is the sikkandirabad, there is a skanda giri temple, which is only appropriate.

 

Sweden, Norway and Denmark are all together called Scandinavia. The name to refer to the place, which is scandia. Like Hindu- India – skanda – skandia.

The elder’s role in the renunciation of the lord subramanyar

The elder's role in the renunciation of the lord subramanyar

 

The wedding is in the story of lord subramanyar. In the same story is the renunciation. But strangely, the lord subramanyar became a renunciant before he got married! He embraced this renunciation prior to becoming a householder. First, renunciation, then he fought and killed the enemy with displaying his valour, after that only with the blessing of his elder brother he got married – indeed the story of the lord subramanyar is quite unusual.

 

The form he took upon renunciation is the 'dandaayutha pani'. I do not think there is any one who does not know the "story of fruit and palani'. Actually the dandam is not any weapon, but the bamboo stick that all renunciants keep. The weapon called danaayutha was that used by the spear he used as the c-i-c of the angels. The c-i-c of the goddess lalithambal is called dandini. In order to use such a power spear, he first held to the peace staff (santhi danda) that is used to control the mind, and stood on top of the hill as dandapani. Perhaps this bamboo staff may be weapon in the great war for us, to control the mind. For him, this is merely another decoration. He keeps it only to serve as a reminder for us.

 

He has the form of a supreme knowledge in a renunciant which no other deity has. Like this is there any other deity, who has in such a young age, shaved his head, and posed wearing a small loin cloth and holding a bamboo staff? He has none equal to him, in beauty, power, and position. Such a commander-in-chief of the angels in just 6 days when played these childlish pranks, became an renunciant, and got the title "gnana pandita swami" (the lord who is the embodiment of knowledge). Who is responsible for him to take such a form which got these praises – the lord vigneswarar only!

 

Because the lord vigneswarar went around the parents and got the fruit as the prize, the younger lord subramanyar who lost took renunciation.

 

The credit goes to the lord vigneswarar for turning lord subramanyar as the deity for supreme peace and knowledge in the world.

 

Afterwards, the mother and father went to console the lord subramanyar. All this is nothing but just drama, isn't it? Though with a mere loin cloth, he ceremoniously wore the armor and uniform and started as commander-in-chief. Nevertheless, to ensure that the form he took as an renunciant he left after charging the lifelike idol to always vibrate his hurry with which he sought mental peace, control of the senses, and knowledge.

 

The three event such as: lord subramanyar being born with the appointment as the c-i-c of the angels; he getting married to valli and posing as a couple bestowing auspiciousness, the lord becoming father for our sake, with the goddess mother; and the lord posing as the eternal embodiment of knowledge and detachment in palani—all have strong relationship with the lord vigneswarar.

 

Therefore, in order to announce that he is the elder brother to that lord subramanyar, a special name has been included in the 16 names, "skanda poorvajan".

 

Poorvajar means the one who was born first. But this name comes at the end of the 16 names. This also shows the fullness by combining the beginning and the end.

The elder’s share in the wedding of lord vigneswarar

The elder's share in the wedding of lord vigneswarar

 

Next, the wedding of the younger brother lord subramanyar. It is the wedding with goddess valli which we perform as a festival. This wedding story gives space for describing it in an exciting manner with story telling, lectures, drama, cinema, and dance drama.

 

Most people generally know the story – that because the lord vigneswarar sped as an elephant in musth chasing the girl valli, she fell in the hands of the lord subramanyar. In this episode, the elder brother lord demonstrated that the elder is not "dull" but greater than the bull, a musth elephant. In fact, it was the younger brother who was motionless, worrying why he could not woe the girl valli to join him. Afterwards, the great c-i-c of the angel army, realized that only if he prayed to his elder brother his obstacle will go away. He mentally called the lord vigneswarar for help. The lord immediately came forward to help his younger brother and came in the form of a musth elephant and chased girl valli, and united her with his brother. The lines in "kaithala niraikani" song in praise of lord vigneswarar end narrating this. In this, the ending is "small subramanyar". Before this when he was even smaller subramanyar, he had vanquished sura and became so famous, to be later quoted by lord Krishna in the bhagavat Geeta as "I am the lord subramanyar among commander-in-chiefs" [senaninam aham skanda:]. Such a person when he was a youth, was motionless unable to attract an ordinary hunter girl valli. The small in arunagiri nathar's song "siru" - was used, indicating this despondent situation and not his age. The big person who helped with success at that time was none other than lord vigneswarar.

 

That is why, the title 'big person" used in the end of the thiru pukazh, the songs in praise of lord subramanyar is used in this verse to refer to the lord vigneswarar. It is special that the poet arunagirinadhar who had the lord subramanyar as his favourite deity, chose to call him "small" and refered to the lord vigneswarar as the big person.

 

Therefore, the lord vigneswarar had a direct part in the wedding of the lord subramanyar. We may even say that he played a key role.

The significance of elder brother of subramanyar

The significance of elder brother of subramanyar

 

In the 16 names that we are analyzing now, there is no name saying that he is son of lord Siva or parvati. That is it does not say that he is the son of so and so. There is also no name saying that he is the consort of so and so. There are several forms of lord vigneswarar with consorts as there are several in his bachelor form. When he is with vallabai, he is called vallaba ganapathi. You may have heard that he is the husband of siddhi and buddhi. He has sons born to siddhi and buddhi. But there are no names saying that he is the father of these children. However, when completing the name list, in the finale the name 'elder brother of skanda' comes saying only one relationship. Why so?

Normally, we introduce a younger person by referring to an elder person saying that he is related to the latter as – son, nephew, son-in-law, younger brother -- this the norm. However, here on the contrary the younger brother's name is said first and the lord vigneswarar is called the elder brother. Why so?

 

The reason is there is a close connection between the stories of the lord subramanyar and the lord vigneswarar. The birth of the younger brother, his wedding, and his becoming an renunciant – in all these three important events in his life the elder brother has played an important part. – This is the reason.

The elder brother's share in the birth of lord subramanyar

 

When we take of birth, in the name of "kumara sambhavam", the birth of lord subramanyar has a lot of praise attached to it. In the Ramayana, valmiki has put the words "kumar sambhavam" when he completes the narration by of the story as told by sage vishwamitra to Rama and lakshmana. Using the words of the great epic poet valmiki another renowned poet, kalidasa used the title "kumara sambhavam" to write his famous composition.

 

What is so special about that "event" i.e. the birth?

 

Others come to a position, after their birth, and upon growing up and qualifying in studies and tests. However, a great post – the leader of all the troops of the angels – was waiting for the birth of lord subramanyar! The lord subramanyar, who became at the time of birth itself, the leader of the troops of the angels, is verily the "kumaraswami" i.e. child lord! As the angels were being beaten up by the demons, and suffering immensely, they were desperately waiting for the birth of the lord subramanyar, as they knew that he was their only savior. Therefore, his birth was the event that took place when the angels were anxiously waiting for his appearance!

 

Surapadmasuran, and tarakasuran got special boons from lord Siva himself, that only some one who is equivalent to the lord can kill destroy them. Who else can be equal to the lord Siva? he is equal to only himself! It would not be fair for the lord who gave the boon himself kill them. That is why, after smartly getting such a boon, without any fear for opponents, the demons were torturing the angels.

 

After thinking about it, the angels found a way out for this situation. As per the Vedic aphorism, "atma vai putra namasi" one's son is equal to himself. Because, both he and the son born out of his potency are one, according to one Vedic rule. Therefore, the angels decided that in order to protect themselves from the demons, the solution can be obtained if the lord Siva creates a son and makes him the leader of the angels' troops. So they prayed sincerely to the lord Siva for this son. The lord Siva was also in meditative prayer as the lord dakshinamoorthy at that time. The goddess mother who came there to serve him was also in a meditative prayer. The kumara sambavam took place in this highly meditative mood. This is its greatness.

 

Because he was born as a child, the lord subramanyar did many child-like pranks and miracles for 6 days – just 6 days only. For him everything is six. Six faces. There are six letters in his mantra. He was born on the six phase of the moon, sashti. The krithika deities who fed him milk were six in number. Some say in a funny manner that the six deities also emerged from the Ganges which is an "aaru" – river in Tamil. Though he had a child like name "kumarar", his childlish games were all for only six days. He did so many awesome miracles in six days. After that immediately he became the leader of the troops of the angels, killed the beastly demons, and protected the angels and the entire world.

 

Instead of submitting an application and getting an "appointment", he was born with great appointment as the commander-in-chief, who protected the entire family of the angels. This is very special about the kumara sambhavam.

 

Okay, swamiji, if you ask me, what is the part of the lord vigneswarar in all these?

 

If the son of the lord Siva is equal to the lord, isn't the lord vigneswarar a son? If it is so, and if the angels prayed for the birth of lord subramanyar, was the lord vigneswarar not born at that time? If you think that the lord vigneswarar was born after the lord subramnyar, that is not true. In order to underline that fact, he has been given a name "skanda poorvajar".

 

Okay, if the lord vigneswarar was already there before the birth of the lord subramanyar, then why should the angles pray for another son? Does it mean that the lord vigneswara, notwithstanding that he was the lord's son, is not equal to lord Siva?

 

It is not so. The lord vigneswarar is equal to his father. At the time destroying the tripurar, the lord vigneswarar has demonstrated that his father also can get victory in his activity only after praying to the lord vigneswarar!

Then why the angels thought another son of the lord Siva should be born?

 

One of the conditions in the boon asked by surapadma was the reason. All demons smartly seek a boon from the lord that no body living at the time they receive the boon can kill them. He also asked such a boon. He put a condition that the son of Siva (equivalent of Siva) who could kill him should be born without the relationship with a woman. He smartly put such a condition to debar the all powerful lord vigneswarar from killing him (the acharya laughed when saying this.)

 

The lord vigneswarar has performed many valorous acts in many ways. As I mentioned in one of the episode of his acts, he was actually born totally without any relationship with a man, from the turmeric power on the body of the goddess mother, which she scrapped out herself to create him. There are other stories of his incarnations as well. One story says that the lord Siva and goddess mother were both looking at the same time the primodal sounds written decoratively in the museum in mount kailasa. At that time, their sights converged on one letter (the letter Aum). From that letter immediately the lord vigneswarar's form emerged leading to his incarnation. Once, the goddess reincarnated as a female elephant. At that time lord Siva was also in the form of a male elephant. The elephant calf born to both these elephants is the lord vigneswarar, goes another story. The saint poet gnanasambandar, who sang a tevaram verse in the sacred place called valivalam near thiruvarur, has refered to this.

 

Pidiyathan uruumai kolamiku kariyatu

Vadikodu tanatati vazhipatum avaritam

Katakana pativara arulinan

 

Here "pidi" means female elephant. Kaliru means male elephant. The saint poet had a vision that the lord and goddess came as an elephant couple and sang thus.

 

Kathan madipidi yotung kaliru varuvana kanten

Kanten avarthiru padam kandari yathan kanten

 

When the goddess lalithambal invaded against the bandasuran, the demon threw a vigna yantra that did not allow her to move forward against him, and made her struggle. At that time, she looked at the lord of lord Siva, who had then incarnated in the form similar to her, with bow-arrow-rope-and mace- with the name kameswara. At that time, the lord vigneswarar incarnation, goes another story.

 

Like this in many such stories, the lord vigneswarar was born with the goddess playing a role. Therefore, the condition put by surapadman to the lord Siva ensured that it will not be possible for the lord vigneswarar to kill him.

 

For the lord Siva, though the lord vigneswarar was more valorous than any one else, because of the relationship with the goddess, he could not use him to kill the demon. Therefore, the angels prayed to the lord for another son of Siva. And in response, the lord created the lord subramanyar from the fire sparks from his eyes, without any relationship with the goddess mother.

 

If we were to say this in another way, because the lord vigneswarar gave some space in this manner, the birth of lord subramanyar could happen! Notwithstanding that the lord vigneswararar possessed all the strengths, in order to fulfill the boon granted by his father, he did not invade against the demon. Since he did not go, the lord subramanyar could be born as the commander-in-chief of the army of the angels. Though he was all capable, as if to set a precedent for a proverb, "the elder is dull, and the younger is bull" he kept away on the sidelines, and ensured praise for the younger brother child, lord subramanyar, who won over the demons and got fame, "victory to the spear, the valorous spear", and applause.

 

The lord vigneswarar has the power to manifest himself in various forms. Had he thought, he could have manifested from his father, without any relationship with his mother, in another form. He could have incarnated as the c-i-c of the angel army and eliminated the demons and got great fame. Because he did not do so, the world was fortunate to have the divine form of lord subramanyar.

Skanda poorvajar

 

We have come to the last name. Skanda poorvajam comes last in the 16 names. It means that he is elder brother of subramanya. He is elder to him. More than that, it is nice to call him, the one ahead of subramanya.

 

Poorvajar means the one born earlier. We also call Agrajar.

 

Like the Tamil word "udan pirappu" in Sanskrit we call "sahodarar"- to mention siblings -- saha means "together" when we say sahodarar or udan pirappu we cannot find whether elder or younger brother. Elder brother is known by the word agrajar. Similar the young brother is known by the word anujar. Ramanujar means the younger brother of Rama, or lakshmana. In the amara, subramanyar has a name gajamuka anujar. Subramanya has a name as the younger brother of lord vigneswarar. So the lord vigneswarar is also called as the elder brother of subramanyar. Such a brotherly feeling.

The elephant worshipped by the lion

The elephant worshipped by the lion

 

The form of heramba is special. He has five faces. All five are elephant faces. One poet has sung "pancha mathanga muka". In the various statues of lord Ganesha in thiruvarur, the poet dikshitar has sung about the five faced lord.

 

Lord Siva has five faces. In the Siva prayer (Siva panchakshari) it is described so. The sankaracharya has also made fun using this five faces.

 

Because he has five faces, the lord Siva is called panchasyan. The lion has the name panchasyam. In this pancha means widely spread. The prapancham means that which is widely spread. Here pancha means five, and so prapancha can also means that which is made of the five elements. Let us leave that now. Lion and Siva both have the name panchasyam. The elephant is afraid of the lion. We call it "simha swapnam" (lion in a dream). An elephant will die even if it sees the lion in its dream! The lion is always furiously waiting for a chance to kill the elephant that is bigger than him. When it sees an elephant the lion will collect all its strength and rush to pounce to smash the head of the elephant. If such a lion (panchasyam) prayed to an elephant, would it not be a surprise? The sankarcharya has described that surprising event.

 

Mahatanti vaktrapi panchasya manya

 

This comes in the beginning prayer to the lord vigneswarar in the subrahmanya bhujangam that he composed at thiruchendur.

 

Sada bala roopapi vignatri hantri

Mahatanti vaktrapi panchasya manya

 

Vigneswarar is always child like – he is called sada bala roopar – however (api) means: sada bala roopa abi: while he is a child always, he is also the destroyer of all obstacles that are like a mountain – vignatri – the mountain of obstacles; hantri – destroyer.

 

After that only notwithstanding he being an elephant, he is worshipped by an elephant comes.

 

Mahatanti vaktrapi panchasya manya

 

Danti (tusk) means elephant. Because it has a tusk it is called danti. In the ganapathi gayatri we meditate on the tusk to induce in us good knowledge. The lord vigneswarar is Mahatanti vaktrapi – with the face of a large elephant – nevertheless he is panchasya manya – worshipped by a lion.

 

The sankaracharya has sung with poetic genius as if the lord vigneswarar is endowed with many usual matters. First he says that the small child breaks the mountain of obstacles, then he says something that would not happen normally is happening, by saying that the lion is worshipping the elephant. When people listen to this, they think panchasyam means lion. How can a lion worship an elephant – when we wonder this way, we can notice that the sankaracharya has made a pun here with the word panchasyam. Here panchasyam does not mean lion, but Siva. The lord Siva worshipped the lord vigneswara before going to the destruction of Tripura -- we will understand that is only referred to here as panchasya manya.

The lord with five faces and riding on a lion

 

Not just panchasya manyar, the herambar is the form with five faces – panchasyar (broad face). He has five elephant faces, 10 hands, and his vehicle is a lion. The vehicle of the five face vigneswarar is a lion. The elephant is not only not afraid of the lion, but also riding on the lion. As if reminding the divine father of the five faces, he reminds the divine mother by lion as vehicle. The divine mother is the one who rides the lion! The mahaganapathi also has 10 hands, but not five faces, or lion as vehicle. The herambar is only in that form. In nagapatnam, in the nilayatakshi temple the heramba idol is with a copper color body. Four faces are in the four directions, and the fifth face is on top of all these like a crown. When we see these five elephant faces we will be very happy.

Herambar

 

The next name is herambar. To my knowledge no one has given a convincing meaning for this name by splitting the word to its root words. Perhaps, I have not understood properly? There is a great scholar by the name bhaskara rayar who should be respectfully listed as one among several celebrities. His annotation for the lalita sahasranam is considered very insightful. Such a person has also written annotation for the ganesh sahasranam. I checked what the explanation he has given for heramba is. Herambar is given the meanings "the person who established the saivaite tradition" and "the one with extraordinary valor" in that annotation. While the scholar is a highly respected one, unfortunately when I read it I some how could not find the link between those two names and him, perhaps because of my inabilities. Researchers say that the buffalo in Tamil (which is erumai), became heramba!

 

While Sanskrit is famous for being able to split the letters in words to its roots to derive the meanings, there are several exceptions to that. The names which came because of a meaning are called "yaukikam". What can be etymologically derived is called yaukikam. However words which do not have a reason, but are just names for name sake are called "ruti". The word heramba comes in this ruti category.

 

When pandavas were ruling in the indraprasta before going to the forest, dharma raja wished to perform the raja suya yagna, and prior to that he sent his four brothers to win in all four directions. At that time the one who went to the south and won kingdoms was sahadevan. The bharatham mentions that one of the kingdoms that he won is called herambam. May be that only is the Mysore in latter days? Mysore is a variation mahisur – mahisa oor -- a place with mahishu. Mahisham means buffalo. Some say there is link between herambam and buffalo! People of that kingdom lost to sahadevan. However, we come to know that they were always boasting about themselves. Therefore, those who boast are called "herambar". That form of lord vigneswarar that was mostly worshipped there could have been called 'heramba ganapathi".

 

This is merely my guess. It could even be wrong. What I think finally the lord vigneswarar chose to keep this name for himself telling us, "do not worry about the meaing, is the sound in heramba pleasing to the ears, is it not majestic like me, is it not suitable to call me with that name, they just call me so—do not look at the dictionary."

 

Though he may not been living in heramba kingdom, the lord herambar is popular all over India. Beginning with the bala ganapathi, the heramba ganapathi also appears in the 16 ganapathi statues. The name also comes in the 16 names that are looking at.

 

Soorpa karnakar

Vakra tunda: soorpakarno heramba skanda poorvaja:

 

Soorpa karnakar is the next name. After that there are only 2 more names.

 

Soorpa karnakar means the one with ears like bamboo sieve. Soorpam means sieve. Soorpanakai means the one with nails like a sieve. Soorpa – naka according to Sanskrit grammar rules becomes 'soorpaNaka'. If the nail is the size of the sieve one can imagine how big her form would have been.

 

Why there is already one name "gaja karnakar" – why another name as "soorpa karnakar" – saying some thing again is normally a fault – it is not so in this case.

 

While he has a large unfolded ear like an elephant, which he spreads and listens to all our prayers, he is called gaja karnakar. However, is he only listening to our prayers? The lord who is present at all times and everywhere is also listening to other things that we talk. Three fourths of these are useless talks. They may be unwanted matters. Why many of our prayers are silly ones! If he sincerely listens to each and grants them what will happen? Therefore, while he hears them all, while hearing he discards those that not to be considered, and only listens to those that are worthy of his attention. Only to demonstrate that he is called soorpakarnar and the one with the ears of sieve.

 

Why? What does a sieve do? It separates the grains from the husks and stones? In his form also, the lord swings the large ear (looking how the bamboo sieve is swung), and discards the unwanted matters in us – and listens to only the useful matters that we pray to him. I mean that he listens to only the useful matters in our prayers. He ensures that he keeps in his ears only those good matters.

 

I also explained that he swings his ears to bring breeze on his ears which are oozing with his musth water, to sway away the bees that come to drink the musth and play with them. When we compare that swaying to the bamboo sieve, we understand that discards unwanted matters and takes in useful matters.

 

Unlike other animals, he does not have closed ears, but has open ears—we should not think that we can therefore make any prayer to him and he will fulfill them. He hears all for a fact. But while hearing, he assesses which one is proper and which one is not, and takes in only the proper ones. To signify this, he is called by a specific name, soorpakarnar.

Vakratundar

The next name is vakratundar.

 

When the amaram listed the names for face we also found the name tundam. Normally tundam means face, but in the case of animals such as pig and elephant which have a special nose, the tundam means nose. What is special the pig's nose? In the case of cow, goat, and horse the nose tapers small when it ends. But for the pig though the nose tapers a bit in the beginning, it finally becomes very large and flat when it ends. For the elephant the nose hangs like a trunk. This trunk is only called tundam. For birds the nose ends as a sharp dot. It is called "alahu" in Tamil. In Sanskrit that is also called tundam only.

 

While the head is the most important in the body, the nose is the most important in the face. While the mouth is the most important by its function, the nose is the most important for the form. We describe the good or bad look of a person as sharp nose and flat nose, by pointing to the shape of his nose only. In this nose also the trunk, i.e. nose of the elephant which has special shape, is called trunk.

 

Vakram means curve.

 

We say "he is very vakram" about the person who does cunning things. We derogatorily call that character in a person as "vakra character. Why do we call good character as "straight"? righteousness is straight. The straight line is the shortest path connecting two points. The curved line goes around here and there and does not reach the destination point quickly. In the same way, without any distraction reaching the desired goal is the straight forward character. In English also it is called straight forwardness. In Sanskrit the word for straight i.e. "arjavam" is also used to mean the straight forward character. It comes from the root word "ruju".

 

What is not straight is twisted, and in the same way we call a person who is not straight forward as "twisted personality". That is also called "vakra buddhi" (cunning character).

 

In the vakra tundam the vakra is not used to imply any bad meaning. It only means curved trunk. Because the lord vigneswarar has curved his trunk to the side, he is called vakra tundra.

 

While an elephant can bend its trunk without taking it to any side, the lord vigneswarar is always bending with his trunk on one side -- mostly having the form with his trunk on the left side, and rarely with the trunk on the right side. Therefore, he is given the specific name "vakra tundra".

 

We have a stotram, "Vakratunda mahakaya".

The poet dhishitar sang "pranava swaroopa vakratudam". When the trunk is twisted in the right side it takes the shape of the letter Om. Then only the shape of letter Om appears. Finally, because he twists his trunk without leaving it straight down, we get to see the shape of the letter Om. The special meaning of the name vakratundar given to him is because of that.

 

If we mentally repeat the various thefts done by the lord Krishna we will not imbibe any stealthy thoughts. If we mentally repeat the various lustful acts that he did, people say that we will be able to destroy lust in us. Like that, if we mentally repeat the curved trunk of the lord vigneswarar we will destroy cunning feelings in us.

 

In the gayatri mantra for lord vigneswarar, only this name is used, when we say that "we meditate on this form with a curved trunk". This mantra has been created to direct our minds in the proper direction. In such a mantra "vakram" comes to only remove the vakram in us.

The embodiment of the primordial entity

The embodiment of the primordial entity

Over and above all these, there is one more factor which is the peak. The lord decided to take a particular form to show to people that He is the source of everything and the first one in the creation, and receive all the prayers in that form. He wanted that his form should also indicate to people his source. What is the source of all creation? Which is first? First does not mean beginning of first, second and third. It is also the beginning itself. In addition, when we start a business, we put the "first equity". Like this for the creation to begin, it is the initial capital that the lord. It is the primordial sound (om) which is the source, and the first among creation. The elephant's face (with the trunk curved on the right side) is the only one among all creation which portrays the Om letter. For this peak among the important qualities, he took the form of gajanana with an elephant face.

Face and mouth

 

In the "gajanana," anana means face. The amara gives several synonyms for face such as "vaktrasyam vadanam tundam ananam lapanam mukam". Vaktram, aasyam, vadanam, tundam, ananam, lapanam, mukam, all these mean face.

 

While explaining this, I wish to tell you that in Sanskrit there is no separate word for mouth. However, I do not think it is correct to say that we use the same words that mean the face to talk about mouth. For example, vak and vachanam are used to mean speech. Therefore, vakta means the speaker, and vaktavyam is another word for speech. Therefore, vaktram should mean the mouth which is the instrument for speech. Vadanam also means the mouth which is the limb for speech -- Vada means speak. Lapanam also means according to its root mouth. Lap means to speak. It is the root word for words like Alapam, sallapam, alapanai. Therefore it is not totally true that the name for the face are used for the mouth. The names of the mouth, such as vaktram, vadanam have also been used to mean the face! Man is the only talking animal! Therefore, the mouth has a special importance as the tool for speech. The mouth is on the face, which is the most precious among all the limbs. Though several sensory instruments such as eyes to see, ears to hear, nose to smell and cheeks to feel the warmth of caress are all in the face, because the mouth which is the most special instrument for human beings in on the face, the same words are used to call the face and mouth. In addition, only the mouth has two functions. It is one among the five sensory organs (pancha gnanendriyas), such as eyes and ears, and is responsible for taste in the food. At that time, it senses the taste that is outside – like how eyes see the forms outside, ears listen to the sounds outside, nose smells the odors outside, and the skin feels the roughness and softness outside. Because they sense things, all these are called sensory organs (gnanendriyas). As one of five limbs (pancha karmendriyas) such as hand and leg which does action by itself, the mouth in addition to sensing things outside, also acts independently and produces speech. Another one. In addition to tasting the food, the mouth is also responsible to chew and eat food. The mouth has so much important. In Sanskrit importance is mukyam, which earns the quality of the muka (face). Therefore, the same names are used without distinction for face and mouth.

 

Gaja ananar – means the lord vigneswarar with the face of the elephant.

 

For the 8 palm long body of a person the head is given the first priority. A person is called beautiful or ugly only by the face. The face of the lord vigneswarar that is so beautiful with a peaceful eye, fan like ear, trunk, nose – is the face of an elephant.

The one who comprises all the living beings

The one who comprises all the living beings

 

How is it that all the living beings are included in him? We do not need to reiterate that he is a deity. Is he not the foremost that we pray to among all the deities? The important quality of a deity is to compassionate bless the devotees without draining out the power to grant boons. This quality is fully present in lord vigneswarar.

 

He is also represents the ghosts. How? He has a big belly, short limbs which are normally qualities of ghosts.

 

How can we say that he represents human beings? Human beings only cook and eat food, i.e. boil and cook the food and eat. Animals eat raw plants or meat directly. The demons and beasts eat raw meat. They are called "kravyaatar". Kravyam means raw meat.

 

The deities take the only the essence (spirit) of the food that we offer, though we may offer nice food items, as offerings or oblations. Only human beings eat cooked food. Lord vigneswarar is the only one who takes the modak (rice stuffed pudding) which is cooked twice, not once. First, the rice flour is steamed and it is mixed and made into small cups, and inside these cups the sweet coconut is stuffed, and the pudding (modak) is steamed again--therefore modak is a twice cooked food. Some people consider this modak as not freshly cooked (because it is cooked twice), and so they fry the modak in ghee, and make it like a puff (a food item called somasi) for offering. When he is offered in the fire oblations like other gods, usually the fried modak is offered to him. What ever item we offer in the fire, the deities only take the spirit (essence) of the item. However, because the food we offer should not be cooked twice, the tradition is to offer the fried modaks. Instead of the homam (with fire), when the lord vigneswarar is worshipped as an idol, we offer only the normal steamed modak. The lord is the only one who, befitting the name he earned as "modaka hasta", is literally carrying a modak in his hand. The lord Krishna who has a form with butter in his hands and embracing the pots full of butter, has incarnated among us in human form. Moreover, the butter is not a cooked item. In the same way, the lord subramaniar is not carrying his favorite, honey and corn powder. Nor is the goddess annapoorna carrying the sweet porridge (payasam) in her hands for her own food; she is carrying it for serving us. Lord vigneswarar is the only one who also eats while giving us.

 

Like this, he wanted to show that he represents the deities, the ghosts, human beings, as well as the animals. For human beings, the basic form is the same for all. In the case of deities, and ghosts also the basic form is similar. Only in the case of animals, in one group itself there are various forms of animals with different characteristics. For example, how many varieties of animals such as the gentle cow and sheep, to the fearful tiger and lion? While there are so many, the Lord selected the elephant form because of the various special qualities in the elephant.

The animals related to the divine forms

The animals related to the divine forms

 

In the mutt we perform prayers for two animals. The prayer for cow and prayer for the elephant. Of these, we call the cow, the cow mother, not including it among animals. If we count like that the only animal being worshipped is the elephant. This prayer is not significant for any other animal. We perform the prayer to the "go pooja", when day begins. At the go pooja the prayer is performed for the cow. When the day ends – at twilight – gaja pooja is performed. At the gaja pooja the elephant is offered with respect fruits and in turn the elephant swings a fan for the lotus feet of the sankaracharya and performs pooja. At that time the daily accounts are presented to the acharya in front of the elephant. When we prostrate to the acharya at the end of this prayer, the elephant also salutes making a jubilant noise with its trunk. This pooja is also called "deeviti salam".

 

In the go pooja it is merely a prayer for the cow. In the gaja pooja there is prayer for the elephant and the elephant also perform prayer.

 

All big temples keep an elephant. In temples in Kerala, especially places like trichur, the elephant is more prominent that the lord of the temple.

 

It is so special an animal with a divine relationship, and an embodiment of divinity. Did it not cry aloud "the primodal principle" and make the lord Vishnu come down from vaikunda to rescue him?

 

In addition to being the largest among animals, because the elephant has all these countless special qualities, the lord vigneswara decided to take the form for his reincarnation to represent all the living beings, he selected the elephant.

Gajananar

The specialties of the elephant

Dhoomaketur: ganatyaksha: phaalachandro gajanana:

 

Gajananar is the next name. It means the one with the elephant face. The poet auvaiyar sang, "kolanj chei tunga karimukattu toomaniye" calling the lord as karimukar.

 

The elephant has several positive attributes. Body strength; intelligence; particularly sharp memory; knowledge; though it has great power to just stamp human being with its massive body (like how clothes are smashed against stones), it is so gentle and obedient and according to the training given by the mahout, it brings large logs of wood for social activities, fighting against the enemy in the war, not showing destructive qualities but displaying the nature to work very hard, eat satvic vegetarian food; won the title that "worth a 1000 gold even after it is dead" because of the ivory which is priceless even after the elephant is dead – like this we cannot count the several positive attributes of the elephant.

 

Among the animals, it is the only one which as the trunk representing the hand. Can any other animal sway the fan to the lord as an elephant does? Can any other animal lift its trunk like an elephant and salute?

 

Other animals can only push another person; they cannot lift the person and put on their back. Only the elephant can lovingly cuddle the person with its trunk and lift to a position above itself and keep him on its back. It is very special that the elephant who has immense strength and large body is like this. When it encounters a person on its way, it is only the elephant that has an option other than merely just colliding with that person. It will lift that person gently by curving its trunk and leave the person aside and then move on.

 

It has a name "dvipam". Dvi-pam means to drink twice, or eat twice. How is the elephant "dvipam"? It first takes the food or water with the tip of its trunk. Later it puts it in its mouth. Unlike other animals instead of directly devouring the food with the mouth, the elephant takes it with its hands (trunk) like human beings and eats it – so it is dvipam. But when spitting, it will spit from the mouth only if it is a solid. If it is a liquid it will squirt like a fountain from its trunk. There is a big principle behind this behavior. When we take something in, we should inspect it more than once and then only take it. But what should be eschewed should be discarded in one breath without any wavering. The elephant demonstrates this principle by its dvipam.

 

Surprisingly a person has left a note on the elephant. There are several types of machines today. However, there is no single instrument which can at the same time take a small needle and other hand also curve around a large log of wood and lift it. It is only the elephant's trunk in god's creation that is capable of doing these both! The person wrote in his note that the lord vigneswarar is adorning an elephant face because he is capable of administering both the small and large matters.

 

The entire universe is held by eight elephants in the eight directions. They are called ashta-dik-gajas (eight-direction –elephants). This is physical strength. There are also eight-direction-elephants for the intelligence. There are eight statesmen in the administration of the kingdom, called "en perayam", who are 8 noble persons skilled in the arts of national policy and administration. Similar to this, some kings form a council of wisdom, comprising 8 wise men. The king krishna devarayar had such as council. These 8 wise men we called ashta-dik-gajas.

 

The elephant has superior beauty, the beauty which has majesty with it. The speciality it its gait is called "gaja gati". The gaja gati is a combination of male and female aspects in the gait. That is why the gait of majestic men as compared to the "gaja gati", as well as the beauty of the gait of a chaste woman is also compared to that, and they are called, "gajakamini".

 

The elephant is not just beautiful and majestic by itself. Its majestic charm is its ability impart on the person who is sitting on top of him, a new look and charm. That is why a person is mounted on an elephant and sent on a procession. The ministers and citizens who wanted to make a king out of sri ramachandra, naturally with a majestic beauty, told dasaratha particularly, "gajena mahata yantham" – i.e. we wish to see the beauty of his parading on top of an elephant, in the ramayanam. The Ramayana says that a beautiful white umbrella should be above the head of Rama who is parading on top of the elephant. "Gajena mahata yantham ramam charavruthananam". For our lord vigneswarar also the "umbrella" (chatram) ritual is very important. When we buy the statue of lord vigneswarar for prayer, we also buy the umbrella together with it.

 

How nice it looks when we smear white vibhuti (ash) or white sand paste ("thiruman") on the wide forehead of the blank elephant? Or how it is if we put the face mask? Is there any other animal which can boast these?

 

Another fact, we think that pearls are formed from shells. But pearls are also formed rarely in other places. Pearls are formed in bamboos. The finest pearls are formed on the "gaja kumbam" i.e. cups on fore head of the elephant. The elephant has these cups bulging out of its forehead, as if to further elevate its majestic look. These cups are called "gaja kumbam".

 

Another specialty, which is a divine specialty, is that the elephants head is one of the abodes of the goddess lakshmi. The goddess dwells daily in five places – inside a lotus flower, on the back side of the bilva leaf, on the partition in the head of a noble married woman, at the back of a cow, and on the head of an elephant – these places are considered highly auspicious places.

 

While the head of an elephant has this specialty, the hair at the end of its tail also is not without a specialty. This hair is a talisman against the trouble caused by ghosts and spirits. It also bestows good health. So people cut it and wear it like a gem stone in a ring. It is a jewel and at the same time a talisman. Normally the hair and nails are considered inauspicious. Using these only people practice witchcraft. They do not have any negativity only if they are in the body of a person. Once the hair falls from the body or nail is cut they both should be thrown far away. An exception to this is the elephant's hair that is used as a talisman against evil witchcraft. Similarly, the tiger's nail. There is a chain with tiger's nail adoring the lord Krishna in the famous tanjore paintings.

 

Vigneswarar and the moon

Vigneswarar and the moon

 

There is much relationship between the lord vigneswarar and the moon. With arrogance that he is the most beautiful one, the moon made fun of the lord. The lord cursed the moon, "no one will see you from now on, and if they see you they will face unnecessary blames." After that people started blaming the moon a lot. People scolded the moon, "if we look at him even by mistake we have to face unnecessary blame! Why not he go away from the eyes of us!" because of shame, the moon also went and hid himself under the ocean. Only when the moon is above the ocean, the ocean will rise during the new moon and full moon and bring rain for the good of the world. There was damage to that! The herbs all grow only in moon light- these vanished and diseases started to spread every where. Therefore, the angels and sages advised to the moon, "There is no need for your to hide away and live like this. The world need not suffer without you. Please go and apologize and seek the pardon of the lord vigneswarar. The lord who is the embodiment of compassion will definitely remove you from the curse he gave." The moon also realized his mistake and did as advised. However, to teach the world that no one should have pride and make fun of others, the lord declared that no one should see the moon on the day of his birth, the fourth day of phases of the moon, and can see the moon on other days – in granting his blessings for the curse. Because the lord is merciful, he relaxed the rule further, and blessed that even those who saw the moon on the chaturti day [will after having seen the moon, would have faced unnecessary blames, and get rid of them like the lord Krishna] can read the syamantaka mani story and rid themselves of all the curse. In addition to these, to show that his compassion is overflowing, he decided that people should pray to the moon, who derided him, during the sankatahara chaturti day. As the crescendo to that compassion, he crowned his head with the moon, and became the phaala chandran.

 

We can stress the baa and call it Bhaa and call the name bhaala chandran. Bhaalam means the place above the fore head. That is forehead. The lord who is wearing the moon at that part of the head.

 

The name phaala chandran displays the compassion of lord vigneswarar [and the patience and forbearance qualities]. The one who should have been kicked by the foot, when he sought pardon, the lord mercifully kept him on his head – the name phaalachandran demonstrates this compassionate name.

Phala chandrar

Phala chandrar

 

The next name is phalachandrar. We must watch the pronunciation: phaalachandra. The first letter is phaa or baa. Nowadays, many keep the name balachandran. I wonder what they think is the meaning when they keep this name. May be they think this means the young moon? Like bala krishnan, and bala subramanian, they may be thinking of bala chandran. Because the two deities have done many miracles during their childhood, they called by those names (bala krishnana, and bala subramanian). In the valmiki Ramayana, there is no description of rama's childhood miracles. When the incarnation is introduced in the first chapter, already dasaratha started to think of the marriage of his four sons. Then he runs fast to say that sage viswamitra came. That is why like bala krishna we do not have bala rama. There are no child time miracles for the moon. We call the crescent moon as bala chandran. But that is a disfigured and waned form. Therefore keeping that name is not auspicious.

 

Until the fashionable names became in vogue, it was not the practice in the south to use the name chandran, by itself. However, there is practice here and there, where ramachandran is shortened and used as R. chandran. Also the people with original names of ramachandran, and chandramouli are often called chandru, and chander.

 

Overall, not just the moon, except the Sun, there no practice in the south to use the names of the 9 planets for people's names. There is no wise practice of using these names. The names relating to the balachandran that indicates waning, or the poornachadran (representing the full moon) are not used. Do we keep names such as Ankarakan (mars), bhudan (mercury)? Only to tease some one we call him (jupitor), "brhaspathi". We do not keep the name sukran (venus). [The acharya laughed loudly] sani (Saturn) is used only for scolding someone! Because rahu and ketu are inauspicious planets their names are also not used. So among the 9 planets we only use the name of surya (sun). Even that we add the name of lord Vishnu as surya narayanan. In the south only bhaskaran, which is one of the names of lord surya is popularly used. In the north, they use names such as, ravi, diwakar, prabhakar, aditya, and marthanda. Nowadays, several north Indian names are used in the south. Let us leave it aside. I came to tell you that other than lord surya, other planets' names are not used for people's names. In the panchayathana deities only surya appears. One of the six religions established by the sankaracharya is sauram (which considers the lord surya as the predominant deity). Therefore, only he is the exception not the moon. Therefore, though pala chandran is in vogue for some time, it has no relationship to the moon at all.

 

You may find it funny; the name palachandran is not the name of the moon at all. At the name should not be pronounced as bala chandran.

 

It is phaala chandran – the paa is the (second) phaa in Sanskrit. That is the correct name. Phaalam refers to the front part of the hair. Phaala chandran means the one who keeps the moon in the front part of the hair.

 

The meaning of phaala chandran is the same as the meanings of chandrasekaran, and Chandra mouli.

 

The one keeps the moon in his head is the lord Siva. However, two more people have that praise. The goddess parvati, kalidasa [in syamala tandakam] praises her as "Chandra kalavadamse". Sankaracharya also praises her that she does not just look as though she took the left part of the husband, but when he makes fun that it appears that she indeed took his entire form, he praises her wearing the moon on her crown, as "sasi soodala makutam". In the [lalita] sahasaranam, the name 'charu chandra kaladhara' comes.

 

Not just the wife of lord Siva, his elder son also wears the moon on his crown.

Ganatyakshar

 

Dhoomaketur-ganatyaksha: in the 16 names after dhoomaketu comes ganatyakshar. Gana-atyakshar. Atyakshar means the person who supervises, or leader or head (with the head only even the westerners call head of government, head-priest and so on!). Until recent times, vice chancellors were called upa-atyakshar.

 

What we mean by Gana-pathy, ganesar (gana-esar), ganatipathy (gana-atipathy) gana-nathar is the nothing else but the meaning for ganatyakshar.

 

Lord Siva appointed lord vigneswarar as the head of his ghost-like servants and the younger son lord subramanian as the head of his angel-like servants. We say "gajananam bhutaganathi sevitham". We call the younger son, deva senathipathy. He is so in two ways: he is the lord of the servants of the angels; he is also the husband of the daughter of indra, devasena. It is more difficult of course to supervise and manage the ghosts, than boss over the angels. The elder son is delivering this difficult responsibility with ease and happiness.

 

The angels and human beings all know his great powers, and his kind heart, and therefore perform prayers to him in obeisance. Therefore, when he is called ganatyakshar we can say that he is indeed the supervisor for all the beings.

Dhoomaketu

 

Dhoomaketu is the next name. Dhoomam means smoke. Normal smoke from firewood, coal is to be called dhoomam, while the nice smelling insense, and herb smoke is to be called dhupam. In the five protocol rituals (panchoupachara) we show dhupam. Dhoomam is smoke, ketu means flag. The one who has the smoke as his flag is dhoomaketu. The lord of fire is also called dhoomaketu, because the smoke coming out of the fire sways like a flag in the wind. However, normally people do not take a good meaning for dhoomaketu, but only an inauspicious meaning (or something that will cause inauspiciousness). The reason is "dhoomaketu" also means a meteor. The meteor always causes destruction in the world. Then how come the lord vigneswarar who grants auspiciousness can have that name – I could not decipher.

 

I read the vinayaka puranam (epic on lord vigneswarar). There two epics on lord vigneswarar. One told by sage brugu. Therefore it is called bhargava puranam. Things related to "raghu" are called "raghava", in the same way "brugu" related one is called "bhargava". There is another epic of lord vigneswarar called mutkala puranam, because it was taught by sage mutkala. Like brugu – bhargava – mutkala related is not called "mautkalya" but just as "mutkala" puranam. I would like to point to bhargava puranam with regard to our discussion on dhoomaketu.

 

In that epic there are two chapters called upasana kandam (chapter) and leela kandam. In the leela kandam surprisingly, there are 12 reincarnations of lord vigneswarar mentioned, and each is given a name. Accordingly one reincarnation is called Ganeshar; other names for his incarnations are vakratundar, palachandrar, gajananar, which come in the 16 names. In these there is a story about the incarnation with the name dhoomaketu. After reading this only I understood how this name was attributed to the lord vigneswarar.

 

The story was --- I had read this many years ago and therefore I will try to narrate briefly to the extent I can remember. [The acharya laughed] only when I tell briefly, I can escape without making mistakes.

 

There was a demon named dhoomasuran. Like the asuras (demons) who come in bhagavatam, such as vrudasuran, mahabali, some demons also have good qualities, and devotion. However, the demonic qualities will also be showing up dominantly in their behavior. One such demon is dhoomasuran. At that time there was a king. Dhoomasuran came to know that he will be killed by the lord Vishnu will be born as the son to the pregnant wife of the king. Therefore, he ordered his general to go at night time to the bedroom of the king and kill the queen. However, when the general went there, he had no heart to kill a noble woman, that too a pregnant woman. He did not also have the heart to separate the couple. So he picked them both a couple along with their cot and threw then in the thick of the forest. The couple who were devotees of lord vignewarar prayed to him constantly, seeking his grace to remove all obstacles and difficulties for a safe delivery of the child and to return to the kingdom.

 

Dhoomasuran came to know that the king and queen were hiding invisibly the forest. Immediately he went there armed with all his weapons. What do you think the weapon that he had specialized in? What is his name? Dhoomasuran? Dhooma means smoke? He was skilled in using a weapon which will create toxic smoke.

 

Even in these days, don't we have weapons such as the "tear gas" which are not so harmful, to gas shells which contain life threatening toxic gases? What is created using chemicals now was created using the power mantra in those days.

 

With the intention of killing the pregnant queen with the child in the womb, and the king next to her, when he went to them, he found that there was already a child in her lap! The lord vigneswarar had manifested there, listening to the prayers of the king and queen, in the form of the son, representing the incarnation lord Vishnu. He also showed by this miracle, that he is the embodiment of all deities. The fact that son of lord Siva was born as the incarnation of Vishnu, also highlights the unity between saivism and vaishavism. This is acknowledged in the first sloka "suklambaradaram vishnum."

As Dhoomasuran kept throwing his smoke weapon, a large cloud of toxic smoke sped towards to the royal couple. The child lord vigneswarar swallowed all the smoke cloud in his body. The demon became tired unable to throw any more weapon. At that time, the lord vigneswarar decided to kill the demon. He decided not to use any new weapon for that purpose. He decided to kill him using the same smoke that he had swallowed. He ejected from his mouth the cloud of smoke vigorously. That smoke killed the demon. The lord, who used the smoke as a weapon and raised the flag of victory, got the name dhoomaketu.

 

Dhoomam is also called as dhoomram. Therefore, dhoomaketu is also called dhoomraketu.

The names of vigneswarar in the “amara” (Sanskrit dictionary)

The names of vigneswarar in the "amara" (Sanskrit dictionary)

 

In the amara (kosa) when the names of vigneswarar are mentioned, the list begins with vinayaka. [The acharya recites the names silently, counting them with his fingers] in our sastras we have 16 names. However, in the kosa written by the Jain author amarasimhan there are only 8 names – half the 16 –

 

Vinayako vignaraja dwaimathura ganathipaa:|

Ap-yekadanta heramba lambodhara gajananaa:||

 

In these, vinayaka, vignaraja, ekadanta, heramba, lambodhara, and gajanana are six names which come in our 16 names as well. Ganathipa comes as ganathyaksha in the 16 names. The one name that is not in the 16 but in the "amara" is "dwaimathura". It means the one who has two mothers. Goddess mother is one. Ganga is another. The spark of fire from the third eye of lord Siva fell in to the saravana water fall in Ganga, and gave birth to the lord subramanian, and therefore ganga is indirectly the mother of the lord subramanian. Therefore, the lord is also called "kangeyan". For lord vigneswarar though there is no direct relationship with ganga, because she is on the head of his father, lord Siva, in the position of a wife, she is called by protocol as a mother.

 

I told that vinayaka comes as the first name in the amara. In a chapter (nikandu) when one name of a deity comes first in the list of name, that name is considered more important.

The adjective “vi”

The adjective "vi"

In the name vinayakar, there is a vi before the nayakar. We can notice that the Lord Vigneswarar, the head of the Siva's troops, is very much suited to the title nayakar. What is the meaning of putting "vi" ahead of the title?

 

In Sanskrit "vi" is one of the several prefixes used before words. The speciality of vi is that it can change the meaning of the words that come after that in two ways. The two ways are totally different from each other! Malam means dirt. Adding vi, vimalam means clean. In this case, vi, changed the meaning of the word coming afterwards to become its opposite. However, adding vi to shuddam, we have a word "vishuddam". We are wrong if we take the meaning of this word as "unclean", i.e. the opposite of shuddam. In this case, the vi does not create opposite of the word following it. it gives it more strength and superiority. Vishuddam means highly clean. We have a word viparidam. Paridam means to go around following the rules. Viparidam means to swerve from the rules and behave badly. Here vi gave the opposite meaning. Jayam means victory. Vijayam does not ofcourse means the opposite, i.e. loss! Special victory, with a cause for celebration, is called vijayam.

 

We can take the word "visesham". Sesham – visesham. Sesham means left over. That is correct. There is also another superior meaning. Sesham means that which is distinctly superior to the rest of the things and so stays away from them. We call learned scholars as sishtars. Sishta came from sesha. The people who are distinct from the normal society and the average citizen are called sishtars. Because sesham commonly refers to left over, than to that which is distinctly superior, the word visesham is used to stress the superiority.

 

vi-nayaka in both meanings

 

When we put vi plus nayakar, does vi give the opposite meaning or special superiority to nayakar?

 

Both. You may wonder how that can be. I will tell you.

 

Tavan means husband. Madavan means the husband of 'ma' the mahalakshmi. Vidava means the one who does not have a husband. Like that vinayakar means the one who does not have a leader or head above him. He is the head of everyone. There is no leader above him. Therefore, the one with no leader is "vi-nayakar".

 

One devotee went to the lord. He told "If I am an orphan (anatha), you are also like that!" The lord asked him, "Do you say that I am an orphan?" "Yes. I am (an anatha) struggling without a lord (natha) to rescue me, while you do not have any lord above you (so you are a-natha)" told the devotee.

 

The lord who does not have a leader greater than him is vinayakar. Here vi gives that meaning.

 

The vi also gives a superior meaning, as opposed to the above. In that way also vigneswarar is vinayakar. He is not an ordinary leader (head). He is a special, celebrated head. Therefore he is vinayakar.

 

Because he does not have a leader above him – he is vinayakar. And because he is a leader par excellence, he is vinayakar. He is deserving of both the meanings.

Popular name

Popular name

 

Sumukach-chaikatanta kapilo gajakarnaka:

Lambodharascha vikato vignarajo vinayaka:

 

"Vinayakar" is the next name. Among the names of vigneswarar, vinayaka is a popular one. More than in northern India, in the south the name is even more popular. "pillaiyar chaturti" in colloquial form is formally referred to as "vinayaka chaturti". In the north they call it, "ganesh chaturti". In several of the names such as Siddhi vinayakar, varasiddhi vinayakar, selva vinayakar, sweta vinayakar, used in the south Indian temples, the vinayakar is appended to his name. The popular composition of auvaiyar is called "vinayakar akaval."

 

Vi-nayakar. Nayakar means head (leader). He is above several persons controlling them.

Elevating thoughts for people from all castes

 

There is a caste by the name nayakar.

 

Nowadays there is an opinion that some people are oppressed based on their caste, and the people who oppress them have also rooted themselves with this practice. Many call themselves as oppressed because of the various subsidies and privileges granted to those from oppressed castes! But it was not so in the early days. People in each caste felt that they were in a respected position in the human society, with their own merits. When we look at the name of the caste, this will be evident. One of the group of people from the fourth caste is called mudaliyar. Those who have the first place in the society are called mudaliyar. Similarly in the north we have agarwal. Agra stanam means first place. Like that the people who are the first (i.e. agra stanam) place in the society are called "agarwal". Pillai also means the person deserving respect. We call a high quality variety of coconut as "pillai coconut." If we see the vaishnavait heritage, we can notice that Brahmins also had names with pillai and mudali. In the saivait heritage also we can see: sambandar was a Vedic Brahmin, sundarar was an adi saivait, and appar was a velalar – there is a tradition to call these three persons jointly as "mudali moovar" (first trinity). The title Raja only became raya and rao. In Tamil nadu we think of madhva Brahmins when we hear the title rao. However, in Karnataka which has several madhvas, and in andra Pradesh the title rao is used by the fourth caste people. There are titles such as rai and ray in north India. We call the vaisyas as chettiar. Shresti only became chettiar. Shresti means the person who is in a high position. Shresti only became seth. In Karnataka it became shetty. Instead of comparing who is higher and lower in the caste, and having any competition or fight, whoever it is, that person carried out the traditional task (inherited in the generations of their families) making a distinct contribution to the functioning of the society. In this way, all the tasks in the society were performed by people from various castes without any feeling of competition or jealousy, and with a pride that each one belonged to a caste which was superior in its own way – these are evident from the names for the castes. We can also notice the comradeship among the various castes. We can notice that the people of one caste did not object to the names used by another caste (which implied that they were superior), and used those names to call them, accepting that each caste should keep their pride.

 

The "nayaka" word which means leader or head has been used by all the castes. It demonstrates very well the equality that prevailed in those days among people – not in the work done as argued nowadays – in their feelings. In Maharashtra we have Brahmins who have the title nayak. In the nayak dynasties that lived in tanjore and Madurai, the nayaks belonged to royal castes. The nayakkars who came from Karnataka and the naidus (the root word for this title came from the nayak) from andra belong to the fourth caste.

 

Instead of nayaka we can only say "naya". This is similar to balan called as balakan some times. Often in Sanskrit "ka" is added to several words. Nayan also means leader or head. In Kerala they call nayar. They also belong to the fourth caste. In Tamil nadu the saintly devotees are called "nayanar". One person is nayar, and many nayanars are called nayanmaar. There is no caste missing in the 63 nayanmaars! The priests in the temple in which sundra moorthy swami sang about the 63 nayanmaars are called "nayinar".

Vinayakar: the twin lord vigneswarar

 

Vignarajo vinayaka: -- after the name vignara comes vinayaka.

 

We often install two idols of lord vigneswarar as twin. In many towns there will a street with the name "twin vigneswarar" street. In those streets, there will be two vigneswarar statues in the same altar, sitting next to each other. Instead of a separate temple, such twin vigneswarar are also found in Siva temples.

 

No other deity has such twin idols being worshipped. Only lord vigneswarar has this practice. He is called often twin vigneswarar.

 

Why it is so is because he is the only lord who himself does two acts which appear to be opposed to one another. I did not say "opposed" – only appear to be opposed. I will come to this explanation later. Overall, the two acts of his appear confronted with each other. The twin vigneswarar signify the lord for each of the acts.

 

In these twin vigneswarar one is vignaraja and another is vinayaka. Like how the statues are next to each other, their names are also next to each other in the 16 names. "vignarajo vinayaka:"

 

What are the two acts: one is to create obstacles; another is to remove obstacles. Both are opposed to one another.

 

When we say vigneswarar and vignaraja we should not take the meaning that the lord is the king of making obstacles. I had told you that we should take the meaning that the lord got the name vigneswarar because like how kings have the power to vanquish enemies and avert bad events, the lord has the power to erase the bad thing called obstacle. Normally, when we pray to him calling him vigneswarar we should relate to him with this feeling only.

 

However, when we call as first one among the twin vigneswarar, as vignaraja, we should take the meaning that he creates obstacles. According to the literal meaning, as how the (he laughed) one who is good is stealing is called "king of stealing", in the same way we should take the meaning that the lord who is an expert in causing obstacles is called the lord of obstacles, i.e. vignaraja.

 

Afterwards, when we consider him as the lord who removes obstacles, he is called "vinayaka".

 

Just because he causes obstacles, is he a fearful deity? Not at all.

 

That is why, instead of calling the creation and removal of obstacles as opposed to each other, I told that they "appear" to be opposed to each other. The inner motive of these two jobs is only one, i.e. blessing. That has split into two forms, creation and removal of obstacles. Therefore, fundamentally they are not opposed to each other.

 

Is creating obstacles a blessing? How? I will tell you why..

 

We have done several mistakes in our past lives and have carried them with us in this life. Nonetheless, with the blessing of the lord we now have developed some devotion to the lord vigneswarar, and we pray to him – all the activities that we start should be successful without obstacles – and begin our activities.

 

Okay, just because we pray like this, will it be correct that he overlook our past karma and simply grant success in our endeavors. Though he may forgive because of compassion, can he simply cancel all the previous karmas? Would it be correct? If it were so, how will people have fear of sin? Then, righteousness and justice will not prevail, is n't it? Will it not become that "we could have committed and can commit any sin; now if we worship a little bit to vigneswarar, all the mistakes will be fully forgiven"?

 

To avoid this type of situation only, he creates obstacles as vignaraja. "create" does not mean that he intentionally unjustly creates obstacles to trouble us. Based on our past karma, there will be a balance sheet of our good and bad deeds, deciding on our success on endeavors. Therefore, the root cause of what appears to be obstacle created by him is in fact a mistake committed by us in the past. That mistake will definitely pose obstacles to most of our efforts and trouble us by eluding success. Therefore, if we make efforts just on our own we will be unsuccessful. We will consistently fail because the obstacles will be enormous. Otherwise, it may allow us to get some easy wins in trivial activities, and pay us back on a major matter - as if bang on our heads – with a serious defeat! To avoid such an eventuality, like how a dam is created to let the water out down stream slowly in small quantities, instead of a flood that will wash away everything devastating the things around, the vignaraja ensures that the obstacles that we need to face in order to wash away our sins are channelized in small counts and intervals. In addition, the lord ensures that the water is not only channelized but also allowed to dry up. That is, he pull with his trunk that great obstacle which would otherwise harm us immensely, and because of his compassion he dissects its into smaller pieces, let us experience it in smaller counts, and does not let the remaining also harm us in one go, but come in smaller counts each time, so that we can bear each piece of the obstacle. Is it not good so long the past karmas are erased sooner? Only when the past karma is erased there is chance for liberation? If the past karma is postponed, how much more will we be loading to the baggage? To avoid this, he brings the obstacles forward, and lets us experience it—though it appears painful indeed the vignaraja is the lord who is doing us good in this manner.

 

Therefore, the one who brings forward our obstacles (due to our past karma) is vignaraja. Afterward, vinayaka is the one who reduces them into pieces and erases them after we have experienced a bit. Have you not heard about healing after creating an illness? In the same way, the one erupts obstacles is vignaraja and the one who heals is vinayaka.

 

In the 108 names, the two names vigna kartha (to one who creates obstacles) and vigna hartha (the one who removes obstacles) come one after the other—they correspond to vignaraja and vinayaka, respectively.

 

Vinayaka means the lord who is special – that is he is a king with a special quality – all deities are kings in their own way. Each one of them would have vanquished a demon or monster who would have committed crimes, and brought peace and happiness. Because they do so, and "lead us towards goodness" they are called "nayakas" i.e. "lords". But, the lord vigneswara is a special "vi" nayaka because he did not just vanquish the demons – but also removes the obstacles that he himself created (due to our past sins). Therefore, he is a special lord who "excels" himself – so he is verily the "vinayaka".

 

Like vignaraja we also use vigna vinayaka – in "vigna vinayaka pada namaste"

 

We can also take this to mean that he is superior to the lord who creates obstacles.

 

The vigna vinayaka is also vigna vinasaka i.e. the super remover of all obstacles! i.e he uproots all the obstacles and eradicates them. Sa in Sanskrit will become ya in Tamil – akasa – becomes akayam (sky). On the contrary, the vigna vinayaka in Sanskrit becomes in Tamil vigna vinasaka.