THE STORIES OF LORD KATHIKEYA - I Birth of Lord Karthikeya As his power grew the Asura/Demon King Tarakasura went

about challenging the order of the three worlds causing chaos and untold suffering with his atrocities. Lord Vishnu the protector of the worlds, Lord Brahma the creator, Narada-Brahmas son, Vishnus devotee, and a divine instigator/meddler-and the king of the demi-gods/DevasIndra himself, approached the merciful Lord Shiva the destroyer for a solution. Aware that the time was nearing when Tarakasuras sins (paap) would overtake the grace (punya) he gained from hard penance, thus facilitating his destruction, the great god opened his third eye and out came six bright sparks that left the three petitioning deities awestruck. The power of the sparks was such that only the arms of Gangathe river goddess and nurturer of the Indian civilization--could contain them. As Ganga held the six sparks, leading to Muruga also being called Gangasutaya (the son of Ganga), Lord Shiva instructed Indra to transport the sparks to the divine Saravan forest pond (koigai) only saying that these sparks would ensure the destruction of the demon king. The only devas/demi-gods with the power to bear the six sparks safely Agni the fire god and Vayu the wind god were summoned and entrusted with the responsibility of transporting three sparks each to the pond by their king Indra the god of thunder. When Agni and Vayu trusting in the power (mahima) and magic (maya) of the great and powerful Lord Shiva took the six sparks to the pond. There they found the six divine nymphs and celestial beings (stars of the Karthigai/Pleisades constellation) the Kirthigais frolicking in the forest pond. The demi-gods as instructed dropped the six sparks into the pond and lo and behold--as laid out by Lord Shivas divine drama (thiruvilaiyadal)--out sprang six lotuses buds. Even as they watched the unfolding miracle the six buds bloomed and the six Kirthigais and the two deities Agni and Vayu beheld six bright baby boys--one in the midst of each lotus. That is why the Lord Subramanya also acquired the names Agnijanmanya and Balanetrasutaya born of sparks and young son of the Lords third eye. They had just witnessed the miracle of the Lord Murugas birth. Overcome with maternal feeling, as intended all along by the all-knowing Lord Shiva, the Karthik Kanyas or Kirthigais adopted a baby each. There in the protective paradise of the Saravan forest the young gods (Kumara or Saravana Kumara the young boy of the Saravan forests) grew to be six rambunctious toddlers under indulgent care of the divine nymphs. It was at this point that the Lord Shiva and his consort the mother goddess Parvati arrived at the forest. The six toddlers ran into the arms of the Goddess Parvati the instant fondness between the young god and the divine mother led to him also being known as Parvatipriyanandana (i.e., Parvatis beloved son) also Umasutaya (Umas son) and through her grace and power became a six-headed toddlerthus gaining the name Shanmuga or Arumuga.

Thanking the nymphs for their fostering of his first-born the Lord Shiva he bestowed the boon that henceforth his son the powerful young god will also be known as Karthikeya or Karthik in honour and gratitude to his six foster mothers. Shiva and Parvati and Murugas other foster mother Ganga resident in Lord Shivas tangled locks then took their six-headed son with them to their abode in Mount Kailash. In Mount Kailash more divine drama was to occur to showcase the power and the prominence of Lord Shanmuga. But those are tales for another Karthigai day. This Thai Kirthigai (Day of the Kirthigai star in the Lunar cycle of the Tamil Month of Thai-the month of the harvest festival) is just for the tale of Kumaras birth. February 7, 2014, Friday