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.