Murugan and Nyaana-Sambanthar
By Sri Skanda’s Warrior of Light
Darshan - Temple: Murugan and Nyaana-Sambanthar
By Sri Skanda’s Warrior of Light
May 6, 2001
Today was Chithra Powrnami and is considered to be the most auspicious of all the full moon days of the year. My family and I conducted a Skanda-Jyoti puja (yagna) on this day. Everything went well with Swaminatha’s Grace. We all chanted Sri Skanda and Goddess Jyoti’s mantra 32-times each, as instructed in Hilda Charlton’s Book, Skanda.
AUM JAYA JAYA MAHAVIRA BHAGAVAN SRI SKANDA NAMO NAMAHA!
AUM JAYA JAYA MAHA-JYOTI SAKTHI SARAVANABHAVAYAI NAMO NAMAHA!
In fact, the priest said that all the yagna mantras for Lord Murugan just came to him as he conducted the yagna. He did not have to refer to a book like he normally does. My mami (aunty) also came to this auspicious event.
When the priest asked a devotee to sing Pancha Puranam – my cousin and I volunteered. Hence, my cousin first sang,”Sotrunai veythian” (Namasivaaya pathigam) for Thevaaram. I sang Thiruvaasagam, Thiruvisaippa, Thirupallandu, Thirupuraanam, and “Natha vinthu kalaathee namo namah…” for Thiruppugal. An elderly lady devotee who attended the yagna, heard us sing and loved our singing. She especially loved the Thiruppugal song. So much that she came and blessed me by putting vibhuthi on my forehead and placing her hands on my head. She said to my mother,”God gave you gifted children.” Mind you, I have never seen this lady before, nor have I ever seen this lady after that day in this temple. Another devotee also commented on the Thiruppugal song that was sung by saying that his “heart was melting” when he heard it.
Inspite of all these kind and flattering remarks, I humbly asked my Lord,”If You, above everyone else, accepted our devotion then only will I be content. Could you also show me some sign and I’ll be happy knowing you accepted our puja today?”
Darshan - Temple: Murugan and Nyaana-Sambanthar (continued...)
May 8, 2001
Two days later after the temple puja, I had the following dream. I dreamt that I was in a temple, which I have never before seen. It was very beautiful as it was decorated with marble floors and garlands on the ceiling. As I stood in the temple watching in awe, two people walked by me. It was my two uncles, Sri Skanda (whom I call Sri Mama) and Mahendra (whom I call Periyamama). Lord Murugan sometimes uses these two people’s forms to give me his darshans as I can readily identify Murugan with them. For example, my Sri Mama has Lord Murugan’s name. Moreover, in my dreams, my uncles always act much differently than they do in real life, which is how I know that they are not my uncles rather instruments or forms used by Lord Skanda to communicate with me.
So, my two uncles walked by me (completely ignoring me) and headed straight towards the moolasthaanam (where the main deity of the temple resides). As they got closer to the moolasthaanam, they disappeared into thin air. Surprised and speechless, I walked closer to see the deity to which they were walking towards. To my surprise again, was a wonderful statue of Thiru-Nyaana-Sambanthar Swaamigal. He was standing in a dancing pose and holding symbols in his hands. As I went closer to the statue, a priest appeared and instructed me to go, touch, and pray to the statue. I put some vibhuthi on Nyaana-Sambanthar’s forehead and touched his feet with my hands. I then touched my eyes. When I reopened my eyes, there no longer was a statue of Sambanthar. In its place was a vikgraham of Lord Murugan standing with Valli and Devayanai! I again applied vibhuthi on Lord Murugan, Valli and Devayanai’s forehead along with kum kum on their feet. I touched their feet and prayed. I searched for my uncles but they were never to be found. Nor could I find any other statues of deities in the temple — only the Sambanthar statue (which disappeared) and the statue of Lord Murugan with Valli and Devayanai were present. I then awoke from my dream.
This dream revealed some truths to me about divinity. The following is what I interpret and believe to be the truths from my dream.
- Firstly, Lord Skanda gave me the sign I had asked two days ago.
- Murugan also showed that he accepted the Thiruppugal song that I sang the day of the yagna.
- Lastly, Lord Muruga showed me that His divinity is present in the child prodigy Thiru-Nyaana-Sambanthar, whose birthplace was in Seerkali, Tamil Nadu. This is in agreement with Sri Arunagirinathar’s Thiruppugal song, “Karuvin uruvaagi…” where the Saint sings:
From Thiruppugal (karuvinuru vaagi):
Transliteration:
ubayakula dheepa thunga virudhukavi raaja singa
uRaipugali yoori landru …… varuvOnE
Meaning:
On both sides of Your dynasty (Mother’s and Father’s side), You are bright and pure! As the Great Poet like a Royal Lion (Nyaana-sambanthar);
You were born once in PugaliyUr (also known as Seerkaali)!
