Muruga

Muruga is a popular Hindu God and the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. ‘Murugu’ means beauty hence ‘Murugan’ means ‘Beautiful one’. Lord Muruga is also known by the names Kartikeya, Skanda, Guha and Subramanya. He is worshipped particularly among the South Indians both India and abroad. Lord Muruga is the God of War and the patron deity of the Tamil land. According to them Murugan never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon in piety or distress. The Hindu God of Beginnings and God of Obstacles, Lord Ganesha is the brother of Murugan.

Muruga is always seen with his Vel, the divine spear or Lance that he carries and His mount on the peacock. He is also depicted with weapons including sword, javelin, mace, discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding a sakti or spear. The javelin Lord Muruga holds is used to symbolize His far reaching protection, His bow shows His ability to defeat all ills, His mace represents His strength, and His discus symbolizes His knowledge of truth. The vahana of Lord Murugan is Peacock, which represents the destruction of ego. Murugan is represented as Shanmukha with Six Heads, which signifies the Six Siddhis corresponding to the role of the bestower of siddhis over the course of their spiritual development. Valli and Deivayanai are the consorts of Murugan.

Subramanya Ashtakam

हे स्वामिनाथ करुणाकर दीनबन्धो,
श्रीपार्वतीशमुखपङ्कज पद्मबन्धो ।
श्रीशादिदेवगणपूजितपादपद्म,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 1 ॥

Hey Swaminatha karunakara deena bandho,
Sree Paravatheesa mukha pankaja padma bandho,
Sreesadhi deva gana poojitha pada padma,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 1

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who is the chief of gods, who is merciful,
Who is friend of the oppressed,
Who is the son of the lotus faced lord of goddess Parvathi,
And whose lotus feet is worshipped
By all gods and also by Lord of Goddess Lakshmi.

देवादिदेवनुत देवगणाधिनाथ,
देवेन्द्रवन्द्य मृदुपङ्कजमञ्जुपाद ।
देवर्षिनारदमुनीन्द्रसुगीतकीर्ते,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 2 ॥

Devadhi deva sutha, deva ganadhi nadha,
Devendra vandhya mrudu pankaja manju pada,
Devarshi narada muneendra sugeetha keerthe,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 2

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who is the son of God of gods, who is the chief of all gods,
Whose soft lotus like feet is worshipped by Devendra,
And whose fame is sung by deva sage Narada and others.

नित्यान्नदान निरताखिल रोगहारिन्,
तस्मात्प्रदान परिपूरितभक्तकाम ।
शृत्यागमप्रणववाच्यनिजस्वरूप,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 3 ॥

Nithyanna dana nirathakhila roga harin,
Bhagya pradhana paripooritha bhaktha kama,
Sruthyagama pranava vachya nija swaroopa,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 3

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who gives food daily in charity, which cures all prevalent diseases,
Who bestows luck, which fulfills all wishes of devotees,
And whose real form is the pranava given in Vedas.

क्रौञ्चासुरेन्द्र परिखण्डन शक्तिशूल,
पाशादिशस्त्रपरिमण्डितदिव्यपाणे ।
श्रीकुण्डलीश धृततुण्ड शिखीन्द्रवाह,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 4 ॥

Krouncha surendra parigandana sakthi soola,
Chapa thi sasthra parimanditha divya panai,
Sree kundaleesa drutha thunda sikheendra vaha,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 4

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who is the Lord of mountains, who holds,
Shakthi, Soola, bow and arrows in his holy hands,
Who wears ear rings and who rides the fast moving peacock.

देवादिदेव रथमण्डल मध्य वेद्य,
देवेन्द्र पीठनगरं दृढचापहस्तम् ।
शूरं निहत्य सुरकोटिभिरीड्यमान,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 5 ॥

Devadhi deva radha mandala Madhya methya,
Devendra peeda nagaram druda chapa hastha,
Sooram nihathya sura kotibhiradyamana,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 5

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who is the god o gods,
Who rides the central Chariot among a group of chariots,
Who prevents problems for Devendra,
Who can send arrows very fast,
And who by killing Sura became,
The object of adulation of billions of devas.

हारादिरत्नमणियुक्तकिरीटहार,
केयूरकुण्डललसत्कवचाभिराम ।
हे वीर तारक जयाज़्मरबृन्दवन्द्य,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 6 ॥

Heeradhi rathna vara yuktha kireeda hara,
Keyura kundala lasath kavachabhirama,
Hey Veera tharaka jayaa amara brunda vandhya,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 6

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who wears crowns and chains with diamonds and gems,
Who wears armlet, ear rings and strong armour,
And who is the valorous one who killed Tharaka,
And was saluted by the groups of devas.

पञ्चाक्षरादिमनुमन्त्रित गाङ्गतोयैः,
पञ्चामृतैः प्रमुदितेन्द्रमुखैर्मुनीन्द्रैः ।
पट्टाभिषिक्त हरियुक्त परासनाथ,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 7 ॥

Panchaksharadhi manu manthritha ganga thoyai,
Panchamruthai praudhithendra mukhair muneendryai,
Pattabhishiktha maghavatha nayasa nadha,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 7

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who was crowned as their leader by Indra,
With the chanting of the holy five letters,
With the bathing of the holy water of Ganga,
After strengthening it further by holy chants,
And who was anointed with the five holy nectars,
By very learned and holy sages.

श्रीकार्तिकेय करुणामृतपूर्णदृष्ट्या,
कामादिरोगकलुषीकृतदुष्टचित्तम् ।
भक्त्वा तु मामवकलाधर कान्तिकान्त्या,
वल्लीसनाथ मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥ 8 ॥

Sree karthikeya karunamrutha poorna drushtya,
Kamadhi roga kalushi krutha drushta chitham,
Sikthwa thu mamava kala nidhi koti kantha,
Valleesa nadha mama dehi karavalambham. 8

Extend a hand of support, Oh Lord of Valli,
Who is known as Karthikeya, who with his,
Fully nectar like looks of mercy cures,
Passion, diseases and mind which has made been dirty
Who is the treasure house of arts and
Who shines like billions of suns.

सुब्रह्मण्य करावलम्बं पुण्यं ये पठन्ति द्विजोत्तमाः ।
ते सर्वे मुक्ति मायान्ति सुब्रह्मण्य प्रसादतः ।
सुब्रह्मण्य करावलम्बमिदं प्रातरुत्थाय यः पठेत् ।
कोटिजन्मकृतं पापं तत्‍क्षणादेव नश्यति ॥

Subrahmanyashtakam punyam yeh padanthi dwijothama,
They sarve mukthimayanthi subrahmanya prasadatha,
Subrahmanyashtakamidham prathar uthaya ya padeth,
Kodi janma krutham papam thath kshanad thasya nasyathi.

The twice born who reads this octet on Subrahmanya,
Would attain salvation by the grace of Lord Subrahmanya,
And for him who reads this octet on Subrahmanya, as soon as,
He gets up in the morning, the sins committed in billons,
Of previous births will vanish in a second.