The story of SkandaSashti

The story of SkandaSashti

By

Elango Kadhirvel

The Story of Skanda Shashti is the story of the birth of Sri Skanda/Kumara/Subramanya and the fulfillment of the purpose of HIS divine incarnation

"Tormented by the asura Tarakasura, the devas with Indra went to the Creator Brahma" (Kumara Sambhava 2.1)

Lord Brahma the Creator said “only the spark of Shiva can produce the HERO who will defeat the powers of the evil"

Then, Lord Shiva was lost in a deep state of meditation/samadhi

Upon Brahma's suggestion, they sought the help of Goddess Parvathi, Parvathi agreed to help and engaged herself in severe penance to attract Shiva's attention

The penance of Parvathi paid off

Lord Shiva was aroused from HIS Samadhi

Six sparks emerged from HIS Third eye, They fell into the mouth of Agni, and afterwards received by Ganges, who in turn placed them into Sara Vana (forest filled with an arrow like grass); Saravana Poikai is the name of the mythical pool in the Himalayas, from whose waters the divine child, Sri Subramanya (as six babies) is believed to have emerged from the sparks

The six babies were raised by the six mothers of the divine constellation of Krithikai

When Parvathi came and gathered all the six babies, HE became Shanmukha - the one with the six faces and one body

HE was also Skanda - Shiva's power of chastity preserved through penance

Shanmukha became Kumara - the powerful virile adolescent who was the most handsome (Muruka)

He was made the General (Deva Senapathi) of the God's army

"....Of the army generals I am Skanda."(The Gita)

Skanda received from his mother Parasakthi /Goddess Parvathi an all powerful VEL (Lance)

He engaged the armies of Simhamukha, Surapadma and Tarakasura on a six day battle and vanquished all of them on the sixth day

The Asuras were annihilated and the Devas were liberated

The sixth day (Shashti) of the waxing moon is celebrated as Skanda Shashti – Symbolizing divine victory over all evil