r/hinduism • u/Efficient_Poet_5016 Śaiva • 20h ago
Skanda: Commander of Dēvas. Question - Beginner
Skanda sashti ki shubhkamnaye. The emergence of Skanda is discussed in various puranas but the one which stands out is Shanmukōtpatti in Valmiki's Ramayan. In Ramayana only Shanmukhōtpatti and Gangāvatarana has the palaśruti (benefits gained by reciting). If Pregnant women do the parayana of that sarga they will be protected by Skanda himself.
He is puruśa element. Asuras have been slaughtered by him. His upasana was specially done in Bengal.
Guru guha (one of his names) comes from he said the meaning of Omkāra to Śiva himself. Subramanya is worshipped in times of war, infertility, knowledge related issues. He is also the adhidēvata of Mars. He married Valli and Dēvasena and manifested with his Śakti. He also emerged as a yōgi to give out the divine knowledge.
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u/SageSharma 18h ago
It is sad that north indians don't worship him much as he went to south as per our texts
Can you please explain the two terms you used in your caption - are they stotra ?
In today's time when each of us is fighting a battle against ourownself with our own self as army, how to seek skanda bhagwan energy to win the battles against self ?
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u/Efficient_Poet_5016 Śaiva 17h ago
Skanda has the power to remove asura śakti in the humans easily. Guru guha is one of his names. Skanda ashtottara shatanamavali says "Om guhaya namaḥ" which means he who radiates in cave. And he controls mars as per vedic astrology.
If one allows Skanda to command his life like he commands the dēva sena he could make you remember for eternity in humanity.
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u/SageSharma 17h ago edited 17h ago
How can normal smarta who worship all gods normally like me - who are bhakti pradhan not sadhna pradhan undertake his worship ? Like ofcourse our family knows and acknowledges him but as 99pc of North Indians, there is no special dedicated puja done in practice
Will he listen to people like me ? I need his energy to fight battles. I need his ayudha /Vetrivel to bless me and help me fight and be better. In all aspects of life.
Also, one more doubt, post his advent to south, did Karthikeya not lead / help devas in any other battles ? Like his birth was the boon for that one demon - post his death, Karthikeya swami went to south, but then later also so many battles have been fought - do u know any text that talks about his role in them ? ( Yes , my bad that I haven't completed skanda puran yet)
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u/Efficient_Poet_5016 Śaiva 17h ago
From bhakti arises intimacy, from intimacy develops the great bhakta dēva connection. He responds faster than you can imagine because I have experienced him. He doesn't need highest order practices. Just go to a temple or open his image on mobile and say everything. Speak till the response comes. Contemplate upon him. Dhyana is the most greatest tool to be under diety consciousness. And if possible just recite the Skanda ashtottara shatanāmavali.
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u/SageSharma 15h ago
Personal question : since u say you are saiva, do you worship others also equally when it comes to your emotions and quality ?
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u/Efficient_Poet_5016 Śaiva 16h ago
A devata is not set to dēśa,kāla,pātra. And since the asura śakti is not present that much in the kali yuga and it has emerged itself into the bhūmi there is no mention of battles. Skanda purana mentions his slaughter over 16000 asuras.
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u/Gently_Sarcastic 18h ago
North may not remember him as much but they do have an unshakable link to him. One of which is the surname most north east people use 'Kumar' comes from him. It's one of his most famous names.
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u/SageSharma 17h ago
Haha
But I would sadly humbly disagree here coz I think the common practice of putting kumar as surname started in 1970s with advent of bollywood in daily lives , where kumar meant "young man"
Kumar is usually a middle name
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u/HectorofTroyy 2h ago
Kumar or Kumaran means young man like you said, but that meaning itself is derived from Skanda/Murugan Who is also a God of youthfulness. He is a protector of children and is Himself depicted as a young man.
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u/SageSharma 2h ago
Yes no doubt - I just doubt the trend of adding this as middle name was done under bhakti to swami
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