Skanda Sashti 2011

Skanda Sashti 2011 is the time to get rid of your self-limiting beliefs and to expand and elevate your life. Skanda Sashti (October 26th to October 31st) is the time when Lord Muruga's Highest Power emerges on the earth plane. It is the time for Muruga's devotees to absorb that power and get ready for the Golden Age.

Beginning on the day after the New Moon and continuing through to the 6th day of the Waxing Moon, you can readily connect and utilize the energy from the Pleiades. The Pleiades is a cluster of stars in the constellation of Taurus. Skanda Sashti is the name given to the annual astronomical positioning of these 6 Stars that brings in to Earth plane, the Power of 6.

Skanda Sashti in Vedic mythology commemorates the destruction of evil by Lord Muruga, the Commander of the Army of Devas. In your life, this means that the cosmic positioning is allowing us to absorb a specific high energy on Skanda Sashti 2011 that will not only prepare our bodies, minds and souls for the Golden Age of higher consciousness but will also provide us with the 6 essential traits that are necessary to live a life of success and fulfillment.

Skanda Sashti - The Legend

The story of the birth of Lord Muruga, who is also known as Subramaniya, Karthikeya, Skanda, Shanmuga dates back to the legend of defeating the demon or anti God, Surapadma. To mark an end to the demon, the celestial beings with Indra Dev as the leader, sought the help of Lord Brahma. Brahma who proclaimed that only the spark of Shiva can produce the hero, who will defeat the powers of the evil, sought the help of Parvati and Kama (the God of Love). Parvati agreed to help, and engaged herself in a severe penance to attract Lord Shiva's attention, while Kama engaged himself in the "suicidal mission" of arousing Shiva from His Samadhi.

The penance of Parvati and the sacrifice of Kama paid off finally- Lord Shiva was awakened from his deep state of meditation. He opened his forehead eye and created Six Great Fire Sparks that dropped into the holy Ganges. It was then that, Lord Shiva approved six beautiful maidens called 'Karthigai Pengal' (Women of Karthiga) to look after the babies. When the babies attained a certain age Lord Shiva blessed them and made them as one person-Lord Muruga; the divine warrior.

Fondly denoted as Subramanya, Shanmuga, Skanda & Karthikeya, Lord Muruga is declared to be the pleiadean deity of the Golden Age in 2012.

Gain the Pleiadian Power of 6 on Skanda Sashti 2011

Lord Muruga is a vital force who is called upon by his ardent devotees in their hour of need & distress and it is strongly believed that the warrior God does not let them get trapped in any of the pitfalls of life.

There are 6 particular vortexes or temples of Murugan energy that become especially activated during Skanda Sashti. These are known as the 'Arupadai Veedu' or the 6 Battle Stations of Lord Muruga. By offering your sincere prayers and offerings on Skanda Sashti 2011, you will be blessed with these pleiadian Power of 6:

• Higher Wisdom and Intelligence
• Power and Courage
• Self Realization
• External and Internal Control for Right Actions and Thoughts
• Attraction and Charisma
• Soul Serenity and Mental Peace

So gain the energy of pleiadean deity of the Golden Age on Skanda Sashti 2011 that will provide us with the 6 essential traits that are necessary to live a life of success and fulfillment.

Six Battles of Lord Muruga

Skanda Sashti Celebrations

There is a world of knowledge behind the mythology of the 6 abodes of Lord Muruga. Although there are numerous temples for Lord Muruga across the globe; yet the 6 Battle Houses (Arupadai Veedu), holds a special emphasis among the group of shrines:

Palani

Significance:The Dhandayudhapani Temple at Palani is dedicated to Lord Muruga, and regarded one of his Arupadai Veedu (Six Battle Camps). The temple is situated atop the Sivagiri hills and the architecture of the temple dates back to Pandya dynasty. The temple is famous for its golden temple tower, most admirably worked. Steps are hewn into the rock and in addition, a funicular railway with three tracks and a rope-car have been provided more recently for the comfort of the pilgrims.

To keep up with the traditions of all the temples of the God Subramanian, another temple is dedicated to his worship near the foot of the Sivagiri mound. It goes by the name of "Thiru Avinankudi", and is remarkable for the exquisite appearance of the chief deity besides the other sculptures.

Pazhamudircholai

Significance:Located near Azhagar Kovil near Madurai, is a simple shrine on the Pazhamudircholai hill with dense forests, enshrining Lord Muruga. One of the six important abodes Arupadaiveedu of Lord Muruga, it is very close to the Vishnu temple of Azhagar Kovil.

At the entrance of Pazhamudircholai there is a temple called Azhagar Kovil; the deity being Lord Vishnu in the form of a protector, safeguarding Lord Muruga. Pazhamudircholai is a dense forest where "Valli, the gypsy damsel" is supposed to have lived. It is a small temple with Valli, Devayanai, and Lord Muruga in a separate shrine.

The great Tamil poetess and saint Avvaiyar had been tested for her knowledge by Lord Muruga and was blessed with bountiful knowledge in this divine spot.

Swamimalai

Significance:Swamimalai Murugan Temple is one of the six main abodes of Muruga. According to Legends, Swamimalai is where Muruga preached; what is called as "Pranava mantra" to his own father, Shiva, after arresting 'Brahma' for not answering his question about Pranava Mantra.

In Swamimalai Lord Muruga is called as "Balamurugan" and "Swaminatha Swami". The Chola Kingdom enshrined Swaminathan (one of the names of Lord Muruga), in a temple built on an artificial mound, accessed through a flight of 60 steps symbolizing the 60 years that constitute the cycle of years as per the Indian almanac.

Tiruthani

Significance: Located near Tirupathi and Chennai, enshrines Lord Subramanian in a hill temple accessed through a flight of 365 steps. It represents the site of Muruga's wedding with Valli.

Apart from its historical greatness, Saint Arunagirinathar has praised this hill as the chosen place for worship by the celestial beings and the favorite abode of saints to perform prolonged tapas (meditating on God for years together at a stretch). Sri Muttuswami Deekshitar, who lived 200 years ago (one of the trinity of the "Carnatic music"- the Traditional music of south India) had his inspiration in Tiruthani when Lord Muruga (in the disguise of an old man) met him on the steps of the temple and sweetened his tongue with the prasad of this temple, which provoked him to sing his first song on Lord Muruga of Tanikai.

Thiruparamkundram

Significance: Located near Madurai, this power vortex enshrines Lord Subramanian celebrating his marriage with Devayanai, the daughter of Lord Indra.

One of the inquisitive things about this temple is that, Lord Shiva and Vishnu face each other in the main shrine (never found in this posture in any other temple). This is because Hinduism was always apprehended into two distinct worshipping groups - the Shaivites (worshippers of Lord Shiva) and the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Lord Vishnu). The chief deity's statue is also sculptured from a rock. Abhishekams for the presiding deity is done to Muruga's Vel/ lance only. There are five "Theerthams"/divine water sources, in and around the temple.

Thiruchendur

Significance:This power spot enshrines Lord Muruga in a vast temple with a lofty "gopuram" (temple tower) visible for miles, on the shores of the ocean in the Southern Tamil Nadu.

Thiruchendur is the place which Lord Muruga used as the base camp, before invading the demon king of Suran from Sri Lanka. Each "Arupadaiveedu" has an event mentioned in the "Puranas" (legends).