Speech by HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji on Subrahmanya Shashti – November 27, 2014 – SDVT, Mysore
Jaya Guru Datta
Vetrivel Muruganukku Harom Hara
Markata Subrahmanyanukku Harom Hara
Sachchidananda Muruganukku Harom Hara
Om Saravanabhava Om Saravanabhava Om Saravanabhava
Harom Hara Harom Hara Harom Hara Harom Hara Harom Hara
Today is a very auspicious day in Karnataka, Subrahmany a Shashti or Subbaraya Shasthi, Suddha Shashti (6th lunar phase during the waxing fortnight of Margasira month) is the day of incarnation of Lord Subrahmanya. It is also said that He left to kill Tarakasura on this day. There are variant reports in the scriptures.
Worship to Lord Subrahmanya on the 6th lunar phase day every month is very beneficial. With that all diseases are gone. Those who have trouble getting married will get married. Those without children are blessed with children. And even those who are declared to remain childless, will have Lord Subrahmanya Himself as their son.
We are very fortunate and lucky that Sri Swamiji has returned to the ashram from His overseas trip right in time, and He gave darshan to us also this morning at the commencement of the Kavadi ritual.
Subha raaya – the lord of everything auspicious, became Subbaraya. Today is celebrated as Subrahmanya’s Birthday.
ajam nirvikalpam – how can one who has no birth (who is ever existing as a formless entity) have a birthday? To protect the worlds, as Vishnu’s nephew, Lord Siva himself took the form as His own son, in a most auspicious time in every way – subha muhrutham in all five ways as per the almanac. He thus incarnated.
This month of Margasira is very auspicious. Datta Jayanti and Gita Jayanti occur during this month. For Lord Venkateswara, this month is very special. Margasira month is praised by Goda Devi in the Tiruppavai, as being supremely auspicous.
We are offering our wholehearted prayers to the Lord today in the presence of Sri Marakata Subrahmanya Swami. Today’s prayers will help and protect us all year round. This Swami protected all the celestials by killing the demon Tarakasura.
He has no happy birthday like human beings. One day in the time scale of the deities is one year for us. Every shashti, 6th lunar day, we should worship him. Once a year if we offer Him worship, it is as if we are worshiping him daily. Every day is His birthday. Sri Swamiji is Datta in human form. Still, May 26th is very special for us.
Lord Subrahmanya has incarnated to protect us and grant us health, prosperity, and spiritual wisdom. Any ear problem, eye problem, speech problems, are all removed by Him. Prana sakti (our life energy) He improves. Headaches, skin problems, and nervous disorders, he cures. As representing the planet Mars or Mangala, and Rahu, the shadow planet, He cures bone diseases. What else is left? He takes care of all our Aadhi vyaadhis – All the diseases of the body are cured by Him.
We did a very elaborate abhishekam today. Yes, no doubt the substances are brought from the market. But we carried them to Him personally, reverentially in a Kavadi, the shoulder carrier. Like bathing a new born infant, we offered Him lovingly a tender bath with panchamritas (the five nectars – milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, and sugar), rasayanas (special substances), fruit juices, and special materials brought to us from Palani, and also we applied a full mudpack on Him. It is because he is of Sarpa Roopa, the form of a snake (representing Yoga Shakti).
All of us have sarpa dosha (the sin of having troubled or tormented a serpent at one time or another, directly or indirectly). Serpents are everywhere. They are there under the ground, on earth, and in the sky. NASA photos have shown serpents in the sky. It is very surprising. Again and again it was seen by the scientist. They could not understand. It was very puzzling. They called some experts in Tamil Nadu for any explanation.
The priests from Tamil Nadu quoted our scriptures: ye antarikshe ..ye divi.. sarpebhyo namaha – the Veda says. Serpents are here, above, and below. We have always known that serpents exist everywhere and we offer them reverential worship. NASA accepted their explanation. During breathing, eating, drinking water, building a home or a temple, we hurt and disturb different types of snakes, knowingly or unknowingly.
in Bengaluru, during the ma construction time, daily a snake would come there. I was young then. Sri Bhagavat, Tahasildar Krishnamurthy, Krishna Swamy and other trustees and members were very frightened. They sent word to Sri Swamiji: We are afraid. Sri Swamiji went there and did Shanti (offered prayers for appeasement and peace). He rolled a lemon and prayed to the snake not to come there anymore. I give you a new place, he said. It all appeared very strange. Since that day the huge snake stopped coming.
The sins committed against our forefathers against snakes will affect us. Their Sarpa dosha comes to us. We did mud abhishekam to Swami today. We covered Him completely in some sacred mud. He gave us darshan as sarpa swaroopa (a snake – inside a mud pit). You will be given the mud as prasadam. Mix the mud prasada with some water and apply it behind the ear, on the spine where it hurts, and apply also on your chest. Do this on Tuesday, full moon, and new moon, etc. Sapta mrittikas – I will explain later – 7 special different types of mud from specific sources are brought and mixed for this special ritual.
We have the very unique Marakata Swami here. Marakata mayil – an emerald peacock we have heard about. Sri Arunagiri Nathar, a great saint from the past sang about it. No one has ever heard about Marakata Subrahmanya Swami before. Only here is such a Marakata Murugan. It is a blessing to us granted by Sri Swamiji.
Mara means – death. Kata means – to destroy. Marakata eliminates death. With the touch of Marakata (the emerald stone), the mud gets more energized. Every substance in nature has a specific power. We should not touch materials and substances without discretion or combine different substances without proper knowledge. Gold, silver, bronze, copper, all have different properties alone and in combinations. Iron is considered bad. Stainless Steel is harmless and so we use it. Plastic is terrible. Do not use plastic. It causes cancer, they say now.
I pray to God to remove all diseases. Vibhooti prasadam also will be given. flower abhisheka. was also given to the Lord. All this is not play. This is not frivolous. If it were meaningless, Sri Swamiji would not be doing these rituals. I would not be doing them. The full science behind all this is unknown to us. Swami will protect us with health, prosperity, and Jnana.
Subrahmanya was the last god to take birth. No more births of gods after Murugan, for celestials or amongst celestials. No deity was born afterwards. Thereafter, after Subrahmanya’s birth, only incarnations have taken place.
Praying to Lord Subrahmanya equals praying to all the deities. He is the Kshetrapalaka (Guardian) to SDVT- Sri Datta Venkateswara Temple. Installed on the northeast, He protects the temple with His Velayudha (the divine spear). For the entire ashrama, the Kshetrapalaka is Lord Hanuman.
I pray that everyone should be blessed with health, prosperity, and Jnana, and that everyone should develop Guru Bhakti (devotion towards Guru).
In the evening there will be Deepotsavam here. Please have darshan. Pray wholeheartedly. Lord Subrahmanya will remove all sins, problems, sorrows, and will bestow all good things.
The Sri Chakra puja will be performed here today.
After the decoration of Sri Marakata Subrahmanya, Sri Swamiji will come here to give harati.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta