Speech of HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – nakshatra shanti homa for Aslesha nakshatra – August 11, 2018 – Chennai
Compiled by Jaya Akkanapragada
This nakshatra is very dear to Subrahmanya Swami and is also a sarpa (snake) nakshatra. Today is Ashada (Aadi) masa amavasya, and Tirupugazh composed by the revered Saint Sri Arunagirinathar were sung for over 3 hours! Tiru in Tamil means Sri and pugazh means Keerti or praise. Sri Arunagirinathar never tired of singing Sri Subrahmanya svami’s praises!
Subrahanya is also known as Shanmatura because He is the only God with 6 mothers! Subrahmanya Swami came in this avatara to give anugraha to his 6 mothers. To confuse maya (illusion), he came as 6 small children. And later when Gauri devi called him and said “Skanda va”, all the 6 forms went running and merged as one form.
Ganesha is known as dvaimatura because He has 2 mothers – Gauri and Parvati devi.
Dandayudhapani in Nadupalani was consecrated by Pujya Sri Appaji on March 7, 2018. Here, Subrahmanya Swami holds a vel in his left hand and Abhaya mudra in His right hand. The vel in the left hand signifies that He is ready for battle if we are. Our everyday life is a battle – we constantly have to fight laziness, to study well, and to complete our tasks. So to win these battles with ourselves, all of us should pray to Subrahmanya svami.
In Tamil Nadu, they pray to Subrahmanya for karya Siddhi. Gayantiyam karya siddhye bhaje shanmatura. In Tamil, the letter Om represents Subrahmanya.
The vel is like the trishulam and comprises of 3 parts.
1. The broad leaf like part represents our heart, and tells us to be broad-minded and open hearted (vishala hrudayam)
2. The pointed tip of the vel represents sukshma buddhi. Sukshma buddhi is what enables us to experience paramatma. He seems so far away, yet He is so near. He is in us and is us. Sukshma buddhi helps us realise this.
3. The third part is the straight stick. This represents our body. We must keep our body fit, so that we can undertake tasks.
Worshiping the vel is equivalent to worshiping Subrahmanya svami. In Palamudir Chozhai, they have a tradition of performing Abhisheka to the vel.
Vela means time, so SubrahmaNya is the One who holds time as a weapon. vela in Sanskrit also means shore. Just like the shore does not allow the ocean to cross the beach, if we trust and pray to SubrahmaNya svami, He won’t allow difficulties to cross the threshold and enter our homes.
Those born under Aslesha nakshatra should do sarpadevata smarana. Doing so will remove sarpadosha’s and improve ties with everyone at home.
All of us have sarpadosha’s. This is because the earth originally belonged to the snakes. When we took it from them, we caused untold violence upon them. We should never hurt or kill snakes.
Today, at the Chennai Velachery ashrama, the laksha Datta homa count has reached 23 lakhs! Varuna deva (rain God) has also been blessing the city of Chennai with abundant rains. In the Bhagavad Gita, it is mentioned that where yaga’s and homa’s are performed, it will rain.
Sri Guru Datta.