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From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • December 24, 1995 


Dear Sri Ramadas: The material assembled by the 
Encyclpopedia Brittanica is unfortunately Incorrect 
in many areas . I compiled a series of articles few
years ago as a part of my study of the Six ways of
approaching Godhead (ShaN Mathas developed by Adi
Sankara).I was also interested in  
understanding the  40 Sanskritic compositions of a great
Musical composer by the name of Mutthuswami Dikshithar of 
South India.His Guru Ashtakam or octet of songs on his
Personal God/Teacher Murugan
are gems of Musical Compositions in Karnatic Music. 
He was a great Sri Vidya Worshipper (Upaasaka). 
Sri Vidya  is the Mother of Murughan or Subrahmanyan.
There are Vedic References to Subrahmanya in the Vedic
rituals.He is one of the officiators in Yagas and Yajnaas.
(Rtviks).


I will  be happy to summarize the highlights 
of Muruga Worship in India, Ceylon, Singapore, 
Malaysia and refer to source literature
most of which is in Tamil . Arunagiri Nathar, the descendant
of a Bengali Family settled in the 15th century in Tamilnadu
has composed very many moving Poems in tribute to Murugan.
Those poems are set in exquisite and rare Taalas or 
rhythmic patterns of time.

The Six Famous temples for Murugan in the South (ThiruttaNi, 
Thirupparankunram near Mathurai, Swamimalai, Pazhani,
Thirucchendur and Pazhamudir Solai ) are great pilgrim centers
for Muruga Bhakthas. Arunagiri Nathar has composed hundreds 
of Poems on these six $and has assembled them  all in 
a beautiful Tamil work known
as Thiruppughazh or the Auspicious Praise of Muruga.
It is wonderful to listen to these songs sung by 
experts on Thiruppugazh as they ascend the steps
of the hill in Thirutthani to reach 
the temple. They sing one Poem at each of the steps
of this smaal hill. Muruga temples are often
found on the top of hills.
In earlier centuries,
Muruga worship protocols  moved onto Sri Lanka.
 The famous Kadirgamam 
temple there is having just a Source of light, which is
worshipped as  Murugha . During the Pandyan kings reign,
the temples for Siva and the Icons in the sanctum had 
the Somaaskanda figure, which included the young 
Skanda or Muruga seated between the Parents , Siva and
Parvati. I will send offline additional particular information
of interest to you and your daughter on source literature of
special interet to you. The lore about Murugha as a Tamil
God is steeped deep in time and legend and is vast.The whole
of Skanda Puranam is about Murughan or Skanda. It is a huge 
puraanam.

I think the Hawaiian Hindu Temple focusses on the worship 
of Subrahmanya.There is a tremendous amount of literature
in English coming out of there under the leadership of the
founder of that temple.You can access it thru internet.
That may be a simpler solution to access of literature on Murughan
in English.Other knowledgable members of the group following the
Hawaii Temple can provide the exact Internet  address. I have it
in my other office and can not access it until January 2.
Regards,  
Sadagopan