Kanda Sasdi (கந்த சஷ்டி), Lord Muruga’s 6 power days to shower his universal power will start on this Saturday, 6th November 2010.
Soora Samharam will be celebrated in temple on the sixth day, that is 11th November 2010. Tirukalyanam will be on 12th November.Lord Muruga the Archetype is a vital force who is called upon by his ardent devotees in their hour of need & distress. It is strongly believed that Lord Muruga, the warrior God does not let them get trapped in any of the pitfalls of life.
Kanda Sasdi is the time when Muruga’s highest power emerges on the earth planet. It is a time for Muruga’s devotees to absorb that power and get ready for the Golden Age.
Kanda Sasdi is observed for six days, preceding and including the Sasdi day. Devotees of Lord Subramanya fast all six days, some take milk and fruits at night, and do rigorous Sadhanai. They get up early during Brahmamuhurtham and meditate on the Lord.
On each of the six days, devotees sing hymns praising the Lord and do Japam of the Mantra, Om Saravanabhavaya Namaha, as much as possible. They even greet one another with this Manthram.
கந்த சஷ்டி கவசம்
They worship the Lord and take Kavadi. They go on pilgrimage to the various Subramanya shrines.
An elaborate ceremonial worship is performed daily to the sacred image of Lord Subramanya. On the last day a grand havan is performed.
In Vedic mythology, Kanda Sasdi denotes the destruction of evil by the Commander of the Army of Devas, Lord Muruga; another victory of light over dark.
The demon Surapadma had the boon that he couldn't be defeated by any current god or human so of course he set out to torment the gods and demi gods.
Brahma, the creator god, said that only the spark or seed of Shiva can produce the hero who could defeat these powers of the evil. The loop hole in the boon granted to the demon was that a newly created god was not bound by the boon. Unfortunately Shiva was lost in a deep state of meditation. None of the gods or Devas dared to disturb him let alone to convince him to create a progeny.
Parvati, Shiva's consort and Kama, the god of love agreed to help. She engaged herself in severe penance to attract Shiva's attention and Kama agreed to sacrificing himself in the suicide mission of arousing Shiva.
Kama shot his arrows of love at Shiva who was eventually disturbed. The fire of anger from Shiva's third eye burnt Kama into ashes.
The penance of Parvati and the sacrifice of Kama paid off as Shiva was aroused from his deep meditation. However, no being could take the intensity of the fiery seed from Him. It fell into the mouth of Agni, the fire god, who spit it out into the Ganges, who in turn threw it into a forest of arrow like grass.
A progeny was born! The baby divided himself into 6 to be nursed by 6 mothers of the divine constellation the Pleiades. When Parvati came and gathered all the 6 beings, he became one with 6 faces and one body.
Eventually he was made the Commander of the Deva's army and engaged in battle with the armies of the demon Surapadma. The demon was annihilated on the 6th day and the Devas were liberated.
The kingdom of heaven was restored to Indra, the king in heaven. He gave his daughter Devasena in marriage in gratitude to Lord Muruga. Not wanting to discriminate between the rich and the poor, Muruga also married Valli the gypsy damsel.
On Lord Muruga's war flag is a rooster symbolizing the victory or dominance over evil, negativity, demons and ego.
The six heads of Lord Muruga represent the six rays or attributes, namely, wisdom, dispassion, strength, fame, wealth and divine powers.
May Lord Subramanya shower His Grace upon you! May His blessings grant you peace, bliss and prosperity!
