god of Dharma

Ganesha-Karttikeyau

In whose one limb all the Gods, three and thirty in number, are affixed, tell me of that Support -- who may He be?

Atharva Veda 10.7.13. VE, 64

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Do Other Gods Exist Apart from Siva?

SLOKA 21

Supreme God Siva has created all the Gods and given them distinct existence and powers, and yet He pervades them wholly. They are separate but inseparable. At the deepest level, nothing exists apart from Him. Aum.

Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, Devi, Murugan and other Deities have gathered to offer hymns of praise to Siva, the Supreme God, Lord and Creator, represented only by His hand. Their mounts, Indra's elephant, Durga's lion and others, wait nearby.

God Siva is the Supreme Being, the Lord of lords. He alone prevails everywhere. Not an atom moves except by His will. Ganesha, Karttikeya, Indra, Agni and all the 330 million Gods of Hinduism are beings just as we are, created by Lord Siva and destined to enjoy union with Him. The Gods are souls of high evolution. They are very old and mature souls, mighty beings who live in the Sivaloka. Though neither male nor female, they may be popularly depicted as Gods and Goddesses. The devas are benevolent beings of light abiding in the higher Antarloka. They help guide evolution from their world between births. The asuras are demonic beings of darkness, immature souls who temporarily inhabit Naraka, the lower Antarloka. Devas and asuras are usually subject to rebirth. We worship Siva and the Gods. We neither worship the devas nor invoke the asuras. Karttikeya, Ganesha and all the Gods, devas and asuras worship Siva. The Vedas explain, "From Him, also, are born the Gods, in manifold ways, the celestials, men, cattle, birds, the in-breath and the out-breath, rice and barley, austerity, faith, truth, chastity and the law." Aum Namah Sivaya.

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What Is the Nature of Lord Ganesha?

SLOKA 22

Lord Ganesha is the elephant-faced Patron of Art and Science, the Lord of Obstacles and Guardian of Dharma. His will prevails as the force of righteousness, the embodiment of Siva's karmic law in all three worlds. Aum.

Lord of Karma, Ganesha removes obstacles with the goad. He also places obstacles in our path, using the noose. The broken tusk is sacrifice, and the ripe mango is spiritual attainment. This red form is Vijaya Ganapati, victorious bestower of success.

Lord Siva, the Almighty Power, created Heaven and Earth and the God Lord Ganesha to oversee the intricate karmas and dharmas within the heavens and all the earths. Lord Ganesha was created as a governor and interplanetary, intergalactic Lord. His knowledge is infinite, His judgment is just. It is none other than Lord Ganesha and His mighty band of ganas who gently help souls out of the Naraka abyss and adjust them into higher consciousness after due penance has been paid, guiding them on the right path toward dharmic destiny. He is intricate of mind, loving pomp, delighting in all things sweet and enjoying adulation. Lord Siva proclaimed that this son be worshiped first, even before Himself. Verily, He is the Lord of Karma. All Mahadevas, minor Gods, devas and sentient beings must worship Ganesha before any responsible act could hope to be successful. Those who do not are subject to their own barriers. Yea, worship of Him sets the pattern of one's destiny. TheTirumantiram says, "Five-armed is He, elephant-faced with tusks protruding, crescent-shaped, son of Siva, wisdom's flower, in heart enshrined, His feet I praise." Aum Namah Sivaya.

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What Is Lord Ganesha's Special Duty?

SLOKA 23

As Lord of Obstacles, Ganesha wields the noose and the goad, icons of His benevolent power of preventing or permitting events to happen in our life. Thus, we invoke His grace and wisdom before any worship or task. Aum.

Bow at the ready, hurling His sharp tusk, Lord Ganesha protects devotees by warding away an elephant asura, who drops all weapons and turns into a mouse which Ganesha takes as His mount. This story shows how Ganesha safeguards us always.

Lord Ganesha, the God of time and memory, strategically seated on themuladhara chakra, poised between the higher and lower chakras, stabilizes all sentient beings. He holds the architect's plans of the divine masterpiece of universal past and future. Only good comes from Lord Ganesha, who by taking the form of an elephant distinguishes Himself from other Gods. Thecharya pada begins with His worship. He staves off misfortune for those who perform penance in His name. He guides our karma from within us through the timing of events. Before any important undertaking, we supplicate Him to clear obstacles from the path, if it be His will. This Lord of Obstacles prevents us from hurting ourselves through living under an incomplete concept or making a request unneeded or beginning an endeavor not well thought out. Before we petition Him, He expects us to use all of our faculties to arrive at the decision He would have made. The Agamas declare, "These Lords who, it is said, on the pure path, attend to the various duties deriving from a higher realm of maya are at the prow of the effects of the higher realm of maya." Aum Namah Sivaya.

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What Is the Nature of Lord Karttikeya?

SLOKA 24

Lord Karttikeya, Murugan, first guru and Pleiadean master of kundalini yoga, was born of God Siva's mind. His dynamic power awakens spiritual cognition to propel souls onward in their evolution to Siva's feet. Aum.

Lord Arumugam, the six-faced, six-armed son of Siva, wields many weapons, as He battles the forces of darkness to end wars, large and small. He rides the noble peacock, Mayil, which represents effulgent beauty and religion in its fullest glory.

Lord Karttikeya flies through the mind's vast substance from planet to planet. He could well be called the Emancipator, ever available to the call of those in distress. Lord Karttikeya, God of will, direct cognition and the purest, child-like divine love, propels us onward on the righteous way through religion, His Father's law. Majestically seated on the manipura chakra, this scarlet-hued God blesses mankind and strengthens our will when we lift to the inner sky through sadhana and yoga. The yoga pada begins with the worship of Him. The yogi, locked in meditation, venerates Karttikeya, Skanda, as his mind becomes as calm as Saravana, the lake of Divine Essence. The kundalini force within everyone is held and controlled by this powerful God, first among renunciates, dear to all sannyasins. Revered as Murugan in the South, He is commander in chief of the great devonic army, a fine, dynamic soldier of the within, a fearless defender of righteousness. He is Divinity emulated in form. The Vedas say, "To such a one who has his stains wiped away, the venerable Sanatkumara shows the further shore of darkness. Him they call Skanda." Aum Namah Sivaya.

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What Does Lord Karttikeya's Vel Signify?

SLOKA 25

The lancelike vel wielded by Lord Karttikeya, or Skanda, embodies discrimination and spiritual insight. Its blade is wide, long and keen, just as our knowledge must be broad, deep and penetrating. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Skanda's vel is the potent lance, scepter of His authority as Lord of Yoga and Commander-in-Chief of the devonic armies. An asura threatens three devotees with suffering and loss during their forest worship, and Skanda intervenes to protect them.

The shakti power of the vel, the eminent, intricate power of righteousness over wrongdoing, conquers confusion within the realms below. The holy vel, that when thrown always hits its mark and of itself returns to Karttikeya's mighty hand, rewards us when righteousness prevails and becomes the kundaliniserpent's unleashed power thwarting our every effort with punishing remorse when we transgress dharma's law. Thus, the holy vel is our release from ignorance into knowledge, our release from vanity into modesty, our release from sinfulness into purity through tapas. When we perform penance and beseech His blessing, this merciful God hurls His vel into the astral plane, piercing discordant sounds, colors and shapes, removing the mind's darkness. He is the King of kings, the power in their scepters. Standing behind the temporal majesty, He advises and authorizes. His vel empowering the ruler, justice prevails, wisdom enriches the minds of citizens, rain is abundant, crops flourish and plenty fills the larders. The Tirumurai says, "In the gloom of fear, His six-fold face gleams. In perils unbounded, His vel betokens, 'Fear not.'" Aum Namah Sivaya.

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Verses from Scripture on Lords of Dharma

As the God evoked faith from the mighty asuras, so may my prayer for the generous worshiper be accepted!

Rig Veda 10.151.3. VE, 180

He who is source and origin of the Gods, the Lord of all, Rudra, the Mighty Sage who produced in ancient days the Golden Germ -- may He endow us with purity of mind!

Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.4. VE, 156

Great are the Gods who were born from Nonbeing. Yet men aver this Nonbeing to be the single limb of the Support, the great Beyond.

Atharva Veda 10.7.23-25. VE, 65

A mighty wonder in the midst of creation moves, thanks to Fervor, on the waters' surface. To Him whatever Gods there are adhere like branches of a tree around the trunk. To whom the Gods always with hands and feet, with speech, ear, and eye, bring tribute unmeasured in a well-measured place of sacrifice, tell me of that Support -- who may He be?

Atharva Veda 10.7.38-39. VE, 66

"Agni, Vayu, Aditya who is the time (Prajapati), prana, food, Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu. From among these, some, meditating, adore one, others another. Please tell us: who among them is adored most, who is He?" Then he said to them: "These, indeed, are the foremost appeared forms of the highest, immortal, incorporeal Brahman."

Krishna Yajur Veda, Maitri Upanishad 4.5-6. UPB, 343

In Him exists neither action nor organ of action; no one is found His equal or superior to Him. His supreme power is revealed in manifold forms; inherent to His nature is the working of His strength and wisdom.

Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.8. VE, 156

I'll not sell you, not for a thousand or ten thousand pieces! O Indra, you are more to me than a father. I count a brother naught compared to you. You and a mother, O Bountiful, vie with each other in generous giving and in bestowal of joy.

Rig Veda 8.1.5-6. VE, 202

Let us know that Supreme Being and meditate upon Him, the Supreme General of the great deva army. May He enlighten us and lead us to be one with Him, Lord Skanda.

Krishna Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka 10.6.2-3 (Shanmukha Gayatri). LW, 112

In the heart of those who recount His name, He reveals His gracious feet. Thus He appears to those who chant the hallowed name Murugan. He stands immanent in all.

Tirumurai 11, Nakkirar. KD, 224

The moon, sun and fire are in unison radiating their resplendent effulgence. Radiating the luminous sparks is Murugan, who lights up the world by His peerless light.

Kathirgama Purana. KD, 220

If you worship the elephant-faced Vinayaka, your life will expand bountifully. If you worship the white-tusked Vinayaka, your desires and doubts will flee. Therefore, worship Him with love-offerings of jack, hoppers, plantain and mango fruits and thus mitigate the burden of deeds.

Saint Auvaiyar. AG, 127

He has one tusk and four arms. Two of His hands hold a noose and a hook, while the other hands show the gestures of removing fear and granting boons. A mouse is seen on His flag. Red, obese, He has ears like winnowing baskets. He is dressed in red, with limbs painted with red sandalpaste.

Ganapati Upanishad 11-12. HP, 295

Murugan, Kumaran, Guhan -- to utter and melt and have divine experience -- when shall Thou grant this, O guru supreme, worshiped by the devas devout and mortals alike, O abode of virtues eight!

Kandar Anubhuti 15. KA, 116

The God with the elephantine visage I shall never forget -- Shankara's son, with massive belly and the thodu in His ear, the Lord who gave His grace to Indra, of whom mantra is His very form.

Natchintanai, "Adoration..." NT, 222

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