1. "Aruvamum uruvamaaki anaadiyai palavai onrai Brahmanai ninra jotip pizhampador meniyaaki Karunai koor mugangal aarum karamadu Pannirandum konde Oru tiru Murugan vandu aanku vudittanan vulakamuyya"
2. Also known as Subrahmanya, Karttikeya, Visakha, Shanmukha,Kumara, Skanda, Guha and Saravanabhava.
3. Arunagirinatha recalls this happening in his Tiruppukazh hymn "Ayilappu" sung at Kanchipuram.
4. "Skandasya kiirtimatulaam Kalikalmasha naashiniim"(Skanda's sacred story removes all sins and bestows fame and name). Skanda Purana
5. Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kaanda, Sarga 25, stanzas 1112.
6. Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10 (Vibhuti Vistara Yoga), stanza 24.
7. A Vedic intonation on Muruga ends thus: "Subrahmanyoham,Subrahmanyoham, Subramanyoham." The repetition of Muruga's name thrice implies the reigning supremacy of the Lord.
8. Arunagirinatha says in one of his Chidambaram Tiruppukazh hymns Yezzhu kadal manalai ("Number of distressful life forms have I assumed over several births would exceed the sands of seven seas.").
9. "Births and deaths by turn do I face, In mother's womb lie I again and again. Ocean of life this, impassable and boundless is. Oh Murari, have mercy and protect me! Adi Shankara in Bhaja Govindam
10. Stanza 12 of Kandar Anubhuti declares this truth in unequivocal terms.
11. Note the title of Kalidasa's masterly literary piece on Muruga. He calls it Kumara Sambhavam ('The appearance of Kumara') and not Kumara Jananam("The birth of Kumara").
12. The credit for translating this magnum opus into Tamil, and that at the command of Muruga, goes to Kachiyappa Sivachariar, who lived in Kanchipuram and was the priest in the temple of Kumarakottam. It is believed that his sacred book has the stamp of approval of the Lord.
13. "Piqued at his ignorance (of the substance of Pranava) Once did Thou dishevel the tuft of the Fourfaced Brahma in the twink of an eye; The Threesome beseeching Thee at Thy twin feet Did Thou set free Brahma from captivity..." Tiru Ezhukkootrirukkai (Arunagirinatha)
14. Gurunatha Who preached upadesa mantra into the two ears of Siva to His heart's content" (Sivanaar Manam Kulira) from Tiruvavinankudi (Palani) Tiruppukazh.
15. A different version the author happened to hear is that she was the daughter of Upendra, younger brother of Indra. However, the Ashtothara Satha Namavali dedicated to Davayanai refers to her among other names as Vajri Sutaa (daughter of Vajrapani [Indra] which contradicts this version. That Devayanai was the daughter of Indra is confirmed by Arunagirinatha when he refers to Devayanai as Vajrapanikkumari in his Bhuta Vetala Vakuppu and to Muruga's wedding to "Indra's daughter" in Tiruchendur Tiruppukazh 'Padar Buviyin'.
16. Asurar Kulantaka (Yama to the Asura race), so eulogizes Arunagirinatha in one of his compositions.
17. Sage Sivamuni and the deer were none other than Lord Visnu and Sri Lakshmi; sage Kanva had cursed them to take these births.
18. A thick, sweet and edible tuberous root.
19. It is seen from the Tiruppukazh song Talai Mayi Kokkukku...(Pazhamutircolai) that Muruga proceeded to wed Valli without the knowledge of Devayanai.
20. "Lord who came as elephant and blessed young Muruga to marry that hunter girl (Valli) that very moment" runs a Tiruppukazh song in praise of Vinayaka (Kaitala Niraikani)
21. Devotees call Muruga as Kundrutor Aadum Kumaran, 'Kumara who resides on every hill'.
22. Muruga Himself is said to have told Narada, "Those who have sought refuge in Me have no fear, they won't be left with any wants; those who are devoted to Me have no enemies, they have no diseases..."
23. Arunagirinatha in the concluding verse of his Kandar Alankaram says: Never shall I fear Yama who follows (me) holding soola and whipping his rope. Hath I the true help of Vel and the holy Hands of the Sixfaced God, The offspring of the Lord Who consumed the venom that gushed out of the ocean.
Courtesy: Courtesy
