THIRUVERAGAM

Thiruveragam or Swamimalai : Easurudan gnana mozhi pesum mugam ondre

Salutations to the face that talks of true knowledge with the Supreme Lord

Swamimalai is a small sleepy town near the temple city of Kumbakonam. The principal deity is Lord Subrahmanya who stands atop a small man made mound which gives the appearance of a small hill. Like Pazhani, the Lord’s form is that of a small boy, a brahmachari, in standing posture with a danda and the Vel on His right hand and the left hand deftly placed on His hip.

After the annihilation of all the asuras tormenting the devas like Taraka, Soorapadma, Simha muka and the rest, the playful boy Muruga once went to Brahmaloka and was received with due honours by Lord Brahma. Skanda innocently asked Brahmadeva to explain to him about the source of all creation which Brahma replied was the Omkara or Pranava and also explained its meaning. Karthikeya was not satisfied, but Lord Brahma felt that being a little boy, He was probably not able to comprehend the meaning of his explanation of the intrinsic truth most difficult to understand even by the most advanced divine beings.

Sensing the vanity in Lord Brahma, little Murugan decreed that Brahma was unfit to carry on with his ordained duty of creation and put him behind bars.  The news reached Lord Shiva the supreme Lord who summoned Karthikeya and asked Him what happened. The boy sweetly replied that He did not get a satisfactory explanation from Lord Brahma on the meaning of Pranava. Lord Shiva asked His son whether He knew the meaning as it would not be possible to judge someone or something without first having knowledge of the subject. Lord Subrahmanya replied in the affirmative. Lord Shiva asked Kumara to explain to Him and those assembled the meaning of the ultimate truth Omkara, but Skanda declined saying that the meaning of Pranava can be explained only by a guru to his sishya and if Lord Parameswara wished to know the meaning of Omkara, He should approach him as a guru and seek the explanation.  The Supreme Lord immediately came down on His knees and lifting the small boy Skanda to His right shoulder, He reverentially requested Skanda to explain the meaning of the Pranava.  Muruga explained the meaning of the absolute truth to the one who was absolute truth Himself. Skanda released Brahmadeva from the prison and a chastened Lord of creation resumed His office.

The Vedas are believed to have originated from the single syllable Omkara. This is called as the ‘word’ and ‘lagos’ by ancient religions. The Bible says that ‘First there was the word and word was with God’. Lord Brahma creates with the help of Vedas which have their origin in the Pranava. Pranava is called the Nada Brahmam or Shabda Brahmam and this primordial sound together with Light called Bindu is the source of all creation.  This is also postulated by the scientists of today in their ‘big bang theory’ on the creation of the universe. Brahmadev had become a bit complacent and although He was aware of the valour of Skanda, He was skeptical about the knowledge of the little boy who dared to question Him, the Lord of creation on the basis of creation!!

Subrahmanya, who is none other Lord Shiva Himself as He had come out as sparks from the five faces of the Lord representing the five syllables called Panchakshara, together with the Pranava which came from Lord Shiva’s mind, is Pranava Himself and Brahmadeva should have known this fact and with this mistake landed Himself in the prison. What is a prison? It is a place of seclusion and is meant for self contemplation. Skanda bade Brahmadeva to contemplate and find the true meaning all by Himself.  The prison itself was the primordial sound Omkara from which emanated Sriman Narayana floating on a ashwatha leaf from whose navel had sprung Brahmadeva. The supreme Shakti had only manifested Herself as the primordial sound and light and sheathed in the same She created the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara.  As She is sheathed in Pranava, She is called the parrot in the cage of Omkara. As Taitireeya Upanishad states, it is the supreme brahma shakti which created this universe and entered the same as its life force. This supports the statement ‘Omkara Panchara Suki’ as it is the divine Shakti that is imprisoned in all Her creations of Her own volition.  Thus Lord Brahma returned back to His origin when He was imprisoned by Karthikeya in Omkara and came out to resume His work with more vigour.

It is decreed that no Mantra may be learnt or explained unless through a guru. Lord Shiva was no exception and Muruga made the Supreme Lord Himself as an example to establish this.  When approaching a guru, there shall be no ego in the mind of the student. Even if the student had some glimpse of what the Guru would explain or even if he had full knowledge of the subject, he should never show off and approach the guru with a clean mind. Lord Parameshwara, who is none other than Pranava took the mantle of the disciple and reverentially requested His own son to explain the meaning of the Pranava. Subrahmanaya Himself being a part of Shiva-Shakti and hence Pranava, gave the upadesha to His own father and hence earned the sobriquet ‘Swaminatha’, one who is the god to the Supreme. Swami means that which master and Natha means Lord or Protector and the term Swaminatha means one who is the master (guru) to the supreme Lord (Shiva).  There is another meaning when we consider the term Swami Nada. Nada means sound and Swami Nada means the Master of Sound. As all sound emanates from the Omkara, Swaminada means Omkara itself. The difference is only in Samskrit and in Tamizh the two words are written in the same way.

Lord Dhashinamurthy taught the absolute truth to His four disciples, Sanaka, Sanaadi, Sanandana and Sanathkumara for eons and ultimately fell silent with the chinmudra in His hand allowing the disciples to learn by themselves the meaning of Omkara.  As seen earlier, it was Sanathkumara who had come as Skanda and perhaps He wanted an affirmation from Lord Shiva (Dhakshinamurthy) on His understanding of the Pranava as contemplated and understood by Him in His advent as Sanathkumara !!!

Swami Malai is the Swadishtana kshetra which is the second chakra situated a little above the Mooladara and is associated with Lord Brahma.  Swa means own and Adishtana means resting place. The fiery serpent Kundalini sleeps in the Mooladara chakra coiling herself three times and a half and resting her head on the second chakra Swadishtana. When she awakens, she releases her grip on the chakra and proceeds to pierce the Brahma granthi the first knot, to travel upwards to the next chakra.

Worshiping the Lord in His form as Swaminath(d)a bestows knowledge of the absolute truth depicted by the Pranava mantra. He is the Guru of all Gurus and hence is Parama Guru. When we supplicate to Him, He is always beside us to guide us in our endeavours.