Arulmigu Subrahmanya Swami Temple, Neendoor, is an ancient Murugan temple, which is situated in Neendoor, Kottayam district of Kerala. The Neendoor Subrahmanya Swami Temple gives good name and fame to the place Neendoor. It is also to be stated that the Pandavas along with sage VedaVyasa worshipped Sri Muthukumaraswamy at this temple. This Temple hosts a famous festival event, which would be grandly celebrated in April–May every year. Thaipooyam is another important festival celebrated at the temple.
In the temple, Lord Murugan can be seen in furious form. Lord Murugan is worshipped here in the form of Devasenapathi, the supreme commander of the Devas (The Demi gods). Lord Muruga is said to be in an angry and furious mood, since after he had fought with Demon Tharakasuran, he appears in this form at the present place of the temple. Along with our Near and Dear Lord Muruga, we can also see shrines for the deities like Mahaganapathi, Dhakshinamoorthi (Lord Shiva), Thooninmel Bhagavathi (Bhadrakali), Shathavu, Durga and Nagaraja. Tuesday is considered to be an important day for worshipping Lord Murugan, since the planet Mars (Angaraka), who is the god for Tuesday is believed to be an aspect of Lord Muruga.
Lots and Lots of people come here to pray to Lord Muruga. The pooja are usually performed only by the Brahmin priests. Murugan’s other names are Mayil Vahanan, AruMurugan, Senthil, Velan, Kandan, Kadamban, Omkaranathan, Devasenapathi and Shanmugam. We can also find lot of newly wedded people at this temple, who prays to Lord Muruga for attaining a blessed married life.
SKANDA SHASTI KAVACHAM
He
who fulfils the wishes of his devotees,
Whose twinkling anklets
produce melodious sounds
He who approaches me in slow and graceful
steps,
The Rider of the peacock
Come and protect me with your
Vel
Welcome to Thee, Lord of the Vel
Welcome to Thee, O Rider
of the peacock
Beginning with Inthiran, the Devas of all the eight
directions pay their obeisance to You
Wielder of the mighty
Vel,
Son-in-law of Thevendran,
Welcome You, who are in the mind
of the loving tribal maiden, Valli,
Welcome Lord, You who are
six-faced,
Welcome Lord, whose forehead is adorned with sacred
ash,
Come every day, Lord of Sira Malai, Lord Velayuthan,
Come
quickly, Lord of Saravanabava, come now!
The
six letters of Lord Muruga's name (sa, ra, va, na, ba, va) are
interchanged and their interplay gives rise to these rhythms of
melody that accompany the graceful approach of the Lord on His
peacock.
Lord Muruga embodies the form of these six letters. Thus,
He is also refered to as 'Lord Saravanabava'.
Salutations are
offered to the brave Lord of Saravana Poykai, who is approaching on
His vahana, the peacock.
Salutations are offered to the brave War
Lord of the Devas in their battle against the Asuras.
You
who assumed Lordship over me, in your twelve hands
You hold twelve
weapons, the twelve 'paasa' and the 'ankusamum.'
With your twelve
wide-opened, shiny eyes, throw your protecting glance on me,
O
Lord, and grant me the grace of your protection.
O Lord of the Kundalini Sakthi, son of Sivan, and Indweller of the heart, come daily to protect me.
O
Lord, You are six-faced, with your six bejewelled crowns, your
vibhuti-adorned foreheads and long eye-brows, twelve eyes and ruddy
lips, you wear various pearled jewels!
With dainty ear-rings on
your twelve ears, various flower garlands and diadems, pearled
ornaments and nine-gemmed chains,
You wear the sacred investiture
thread across your bejewelled chest and beautiful abdomen.
Your
silken sash and girdle encircle your full waist, with a nine-gemmed
diadem adorning your silken robes.
Your beautiful legs and
ankletted feet produce a harmonious blend of melodious notes most
pleasing to the ear.
O
Lord who resides in Swamimalai and grants Darshan from therein, grant
me, your child, your favour.
I turn to You for salvation and
prostrate before Your Holy Feet in submission, protect me, O Lord,
for my life is but Your own.
With
your twleve eyes, protect your child!
Protect the face - O
beautiful Vel
Protect the vibuthi adorned forehead - O pure
Vel!
Protect the two eyes - O shining Vel!
Protect the two ears
- O Lord of the Vel!
Protect the two nostrils - O good
Vel!
Protect the thirty-two teeth - O piercing Vel!
Protect the
tongue - O perfect Vel!
Protect the two cheeks - O brilliant
Vel!
Protect the neck - O sweet Vel!
Protect the chest - O
bejewelled Vel!
Protect the shoulders - O sharp Vel!
Protect
the nape - O great Vel!
Protect the back - O Vel of grace!
Protect
the sixteen rib bones - O youthful Vel!
Protect the stomach - O
ever victorious Vel!
Protect
the umbilicus - O benevolent Vel!
Protect the organs of
reproduction and excretion - O good and beautiful Vel!
Protect
the two thighs - O great Vel!
Protect the knees and calves - O
bright Vel!
Protect the toes and feet - O Vel of grace!
Protect
the two hands - O Vel of mercy!
Protect the two forearms - O
strong Vel!
May
Vachiravel protect me each day and night, everyday!
May He protect
me in the early hours of the night, mid hours of the night, and
predawn hours,
During dawn and dusk, protect me, O ever-vigilant
Vel!
Without
any delay, come O golden Vel to grant protective assistance!
Throw
your merciful glance towards me and may your look destroy all my
sins!
May
You, O Lord, protect one from ghosts, spirits, and demons!
Reference
is made to the different kinds of devils and spirits such as spirits
that swallow infants, spirits and devils that follow maidens, the
guardians of cemeteries and spirits of the forests.
May
my love for You, keep them in chains!
May they shiver in fear,
roll in agony, scream in terror, and flee in utter fear of
me!
Protect me, O Lord, from the attacks of tigers, foxes, wolves,
rats, and bears!
May these flee in fear on sight of me!
May I
be relieved from the poisons from centipedes, snakes, and
scorpions
If these deem to bite me!
May ailments such as sprains, strains, migrane, rheumatism, diseases due to excessive bile, fits, stomach ailments, lethargy, skin diseases, aches and pains, toothaches, and various other ailments of undefinable source, cease by Your Grace!
Grant
me, O Lord, good relationship with all the fourteen worlds!
May
both men and women be pleased with me!
May the ruling Soverign be
pleased with me, I who adore thy great name!
You
who originated from the waters of Saravana!
O Lord of the Vel, who
is enshrined in brightness, whose holy feet are adorned with the
melodious 'Silambu' (anklets)!
Muruha, you sever the cords of
Samsaric birth!
Nephew of Vishnu and Lakshmi, who helped the Devas
to protect the city of Amarapathi!
Lord Kantha, Lord Guha, O Lord
of the brilliant Vel, who was nurtured by the Karthigai maidens!
Lord
Skanda, who wears the garland of Kadamba flowers!
O Lord, you with
your sweet Vel destroyed Kadamba and Idumban!
O Lord of
Thiruthani, Son of Siva!
O Lord of Kathirgamam, weilder of the
brilliant Vel!
O
youthful Lord who abodes in Palani!
O Lord of Thiruvavinangkudi,
dweller of the lovely Vel!
O Lord of Thiruchendur, who is adored
as Sengalvaraya!
O Lord of Samarapuri, also known as Shanmuga!
For
as long as the beautiful Saraswati, who has dark tresses, guards my
tongue, I shall sing thy name.
O Lord and Father, I sang and
danced, I danced and I sang in ecstasy.
I searched and longed for
You from Tiruvavinankudi, that I might, with love, use this vibuthi
which is your prasadam.
That I might, with your grace, break off
from the bonds of Maya and attachment and attain bliss at thy lotus
feet.
Bless me, O Lord Velayuthan, with love, that I might be
showered with plenty and live graciously!
Hallowed be the Rider of
the peacock!
Hallowed be the sharp Vel in His hands!
Hallowed
be He who dwells in hilly abodes!
Hallowed be He with
Valli!
Hallowed be He who has the cockrel as emblem on his flag!
O
Lord, whatever my shortcomings or failures, You as my Father and
Guru, forgive me for them and bear with me!
Valli is but Mother,
thus as parents, look upon me as your child, be pleased with me and
shower me with Your love and blessings!
O Lord of the Vel, You whose loving form has entered my heart and blessed me, praise be to Thee!
You
who have understood my heart, of all the Lakshmis, You have given new
vigour to Veera Lakshmi.
With the hands that killed Soorapathman,
you have graced the twenty-seven Devas by granting them the gift of
Divine Honey.
You Lord, have the ability to grant moksha
(liberation from rebirth) and who as Guru Paran gave upadesha to Lord
Swami Himself.
You, who resides in the Temple of Palani Hills as a
child, at your lttle holy feet I prostrate.
O Warlord of the
Devas, praise be to Thee!
O Lord who captivated Valli, praise be
to Thee!
He whose form is strong and dazzling, praise be to
Thee!
He who conquered Idumba and Kadamba, praise be to Thee!
O
Lord of the Vel, who is garlanded with vedchi flowers, praise be to
Thee!
O King of the Golden Council in Kandagiri (a hill abode of
Murugan), praise be to Thee!
I surrender at thy lotus feet!
I
surrender to thee, Lord Saravanabava!
I surrender to thee, Lord
Shanmuga!
He who mediates on this kavasam daily, both morning and evening after cleansing, and with concentration and devotion on the kavasam and its meaning, reciting thirty-six times daily and who uses the vibuthi of the Lord would surely attain all sorts of prosperity in his life.
“OM SRI NEENDOORMURUGA NAMO NAMAHA”
Seny By
R. HARISHANKAR
