Kaumaram

Kaumaram
	Entrance to Batu Caves, Malaysia, with the Lord Murugan statue
Founder
	none
Regions with significant populations
	South India • Sri Lanka • Singapore • Malaysia
Religions
	Hinduism (Shaivism)
Scriptures
	Skanda Purana
Languages
	Old Tamil • Sanskrit • others
Related ethnic groups
	Tamils • Kannada • Vedda
Website
	kaumaram.com; murugan.org

Kaumaram is a Hindu denomination that focuses on the deity of love and war Kumara, also known as Murugan (in South India), Kandan, or Kadamban, or Kartikeya. Most devotees of Kumara also revere members of his family: Parvati, Shiva, and Ganesha. The important theological texts relating to Kumara are a part of the Shaiva agama canon. This sub-tradition is found among the Tamils, Kannada, Vedda in South India, Sri Lanka, and among the Tamil diaspora worldwide.^[1] The love story of Kumara/Murugan and his wife Valli, a girl from a local tribe, is immensely popular in Tamil Nadu, where Kumara acquired the status of a national God.^[2]^{[note 1]}

Thiruppugazh is one of the important Tamil literary work on Kaumaram.^[5]

Association with Tamil language

According to local legends and Tamil folklore, Kartikeya is regarded as a veteran and a guardian of the language^[6] that is believed to have been founded by the sage Agastya,^[7]^[8] with the blessings of Kartikeya. He is considered the patron of the Tamils, due to his worship being widespread among those of Tamil descent.^[9]^[10]

Legend of Kartikeya

See also: Bhagavata Purana, Devi Mahatmya, Shiva Purana, and KumārasambhavaAccording to the Skanda Purana, Kartikeya Muruga was the second son of Shiva and Parvati younger brother to Ganesha. According to the Puranic sources, he incarnated as six sparks emanating from the Third eye of Lord Shiva.^[11] According to the Skanda Purana, Muruga imprisoned Brahma, protected Vishnu from the asuras and taught the Pranava Mantram to Shiva. Thus Muruga is considered superior to the Trimurti. The worshippers of Lord Muruga are called Kaumaras.

Worship traditions

Lord Murugan with Deivaanai (on right of image) and Valli (on left of image).

Tamil Nadu has six primary temples for Kartikeya that are known by the name Aru Padai Veedu, which that translates roughly as "the Six Stations".

Modes of worship include Kavadi that is a form of dance, Alagu which is a sharp piece of metal that one pierces on the body, carrying milk and water on the heads to offer to the deity and involves a Satvic diet.

Thaipusam is an occasion that is celebrated in Kaumaram. This is much more prevalent in the Murugan Temple in Malaysia. Another chief period of worship is the Shashti. This is a period of six days when villages in South India with primary Kartikeya deities come together for a celebration. The people involved take a vow on following a vegetarian diet for the period. The six days portray events from the life of Kartikeya. The chief parts covered are the ceremonies in which he is awarded the Spear Shakti Vel by his mother Shakthi, the killing of the demon Surapadman, and his marriage.

Other than this, Karnataka, that is another prominent place for Kaumaras, would have its own mode of worship. Trekking the Kumara Parvatha where he is believed to have attained Mukthi giving up his life is popular although not essentially in a very traditional manner.^[12]

Literature and arts

The primary works in Sanskrit related to Kaumaram are Skanda Puranam detailing the history of Kartikeya and Kumārasambhava, a poem by the Sanskrit scholar Kalidas that literally translates as "The Creation of Kumara" or "the Creation of the Son/Boy".

Adi Shankara wrote a piece on Kartikeya called Subramanya Bhujangam .

In Tamil, abundant literature is to be found both in the classical texts and in the folklore. The Skanda Puranam was translated into Tamil. Chief contributors to the classical Tamil texts include Arunagirinathar who wrote hymns of praise with complicated grammar patterns and alliteration and onomatopoeia.

Tamil folk music have hymns written praising the beauty and bravery of Kartikeya. Another chiefly written topic is the way he fell in love and converted his bride Valli. There is a dedicated tune called "Kavadi Sindhu" that is usually used to sing such hymns. This tune became associated with celebrations and dances.^[13]

Paramparai and Sampradayam

Lord Muruga in his great mercy and compassion responds to his devotees without the need for a mortal guru. He is the Supreme Guru of the Universe and responds to his devotees in ways that suit their consciousness best. There only is one Sampradaya in the Kaumara faith, that which begins from Lord Muruga Himself. Unfortunately, today the Kaumara faith has lost the glory and majesty it once possessed. It has merged largely into Shaivism. However, ancient texts such as the Kumara Tantra and the Skanda Sadbhava Tantra does give significant insight on the Kaumara faith in its original sense.

Pranava Mantram

There's an anecdote where Shiva pretends to forget the significance of the mantra Om and asks little Kartikeya. The young boy astounds everyone by showing Shiva that it is the source of all creation. This earns him the name Thagappan Swami or Swami Naadha meaning he outdid his father.

Notes

↑ The term Kaumaram also means "childhood, youth" in Hindu texts, as in verse 2.13 of the Bhagavad Gita.^[3] It is sometimes a substitute for Brahmacharya stage of life.^[4]

References

↑ Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. New Delhi: Penguin Books India. pp. 417–418, 137, 198–199, 241, 425. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA417.
↑ Kamil V. Zvelebil (1981). "Murugan and Valli". Tiru Murugan. Madras: Ulakat Tamilaraycci Niruvanam. pp. 40–46. http://www.murugan.org/research/zvelebil.htm.
↑ Winthrop Sargeant; Christopher Key Chapple (1984). The Bhagavad Gita: Revised Edition. State University of New York Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-87395-831-8. https://archive.org/details/bhagavadgitasuny00chri.
↑ Suresh Chandra (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. p. 63. ISBN 978-81-7625-039-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&pg=PA63.
↑ "திருப்புகழ் - எண் வரிசைப் பட்டியல் திரு அருணகிரிநாதர் அருளியது - Sri AruNagirinAthar's Thiruppugazh numerical list for songs - Songs of Praises and Glory of Lord Murugan - Experience the Magic of Muruga". https://www.kaumaram.com/thiru/.
↑ Kartikeya#Sangam Tamil literature
↑ Agastya - Agastya and The Tamil Language | Global Oneness
↑ Agastya
↑ Santhanam, Kausalya (2010-07-20). "Documenting the folk tales of Tamil Nadu" (in en-IN). The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. https://www.thehindu.com/books/Documenting-the-folk-tales-of-Tamil-Nadu/article16203856.ece.
↑ "முருகன் Murugan Devotees Lord Muruga அடியார்கள் முருகபக்தர்". https://www.kaumaram.com/.
↑ Skanda Purana or Kartika Purana
↑ " OUR HERITAGE KAUMARAM It has already been". https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/our%20heritage%205.html.
↑ Karthikeyan, N. V. (1972) (in en). Kandar Anubhuti (God-experience) of Saint Arunagirinathar. Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, Divine Life Society. ISBN 978-81-7052-075-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=rIgnAAAAMAAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=kaumaram&q=kaumaram&hl=en.

External links

Murugan devotion (in English)(in Tamil)
Murugan devotion, Temples, Songs, Festivals (in Tamil)
ST Temple, Dedicated to Murugan, Singapore

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[term-5] The term Kaumaram also means "childhood, youth" in Hindu texts, as in verse 2.13 of the Bhagavad Gita.^[3] It is sometimes a substitute for Brahmacharya stage of life.^[4]

[Dalal-1] Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. New Delhi: Penguin Books India. pp. 417–418, 137, 198–199, 241, 425. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA417.

[Zvelebil-2] Kamil V. Zvelebil (1981). "Murugan and Valli". Tiru Murugan. Madras: Ulakat Tamilaraycci Niruvanam. pp. 40–46. http://www.murugan.org/research/zvelebil.htm.

[3] Winthrop Sargeant; Christopher Key Chapple (1984). The Bhagavad Gita: Revised Edition. State University of New York Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-87395-831-8. https://archive.org/details/bhagavadgitasuny00chri.

[4] Suresh Chandra (1998). Encyclopaedia of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sarup & Sons. p. 63. ISBN 978-81-7625-039-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=mfTE6kpz6XEC&pg=PA63.

[6] "திருப்புகழ் - எண் வரிசைப் பட்டியல் திரு அருணகிரிநாதர் அருளியது - Sri AruNagirinAthar's Thiruppugazh numerical list for songs - Songs of Praises and Glory of Lord Murugan - Experience the Magic of Muruga". https://www.kaumaram.com/thiru/.

[7] Kartikeya#Sangam Tamil literature

[8] Agastya - Agastya and The Tamil Language | Global Oneness

[9] Agastya

[10] Santhanam, Kausalya (2010-07-20). "Documenting the folk tales of Tamil Nadu" (in en-IN). The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. https://www.thehindu.com/books/Documenting-the-folk-tales-of-Tamil-Nadu/article16203856.ece.

[11] "முருகன் Murugan Devotees Lord Muruga அடியார்கள் முருகபக்தர்". https://www.kaumaram.com/.

[12] Skanda Purana or Kartika Purana

[13] " OUR HERITAGE KAUMARAM It has already been". https://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/our%20heritage%205.html.

[14] Karthikeyan, N. V. (1972) (in en). Kandar Anubhuti (God-experience) of Saint Arunagirinathar. Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, Divine Life Society. ISBN 978-81-7052-075-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=rIgnAAAAMAAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=kaumaram&q=kaumaram&hl=en.

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