Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Sudalai Madan

Sudalai Madan or Madan, is a regional Tamil male deity who is popular in South India, particularly Tamil Nadu. He is considered to be the son of Shiva and Parvati. He seems to have originated in some ancestral guardian spirit of the villages or communities in Tamil Nadu, in a similar manner as Ayyanar.

He is considered to be the son of Sivan and Parvati.

The story about Mada Samy tells of his birth on Kailasa, the mountain home of Siva and Parvathi. It is said that Devi Parvathi wanted a child, but Lord Siva had sworn celibacy. He had promised to be chaste at the request of the gods, since they had feared that his union with Parvathy would be so powerful it would shatter the universe. Siva suggests another way to have a child. He tells Parvathy to go to Patala Loka, the watery underworld, and to gather a spark from the sacred lamp that burns there. Parvathi did so, carrying the spark in the hem of her skirt.

When Parvathi Devi returned to Kailasa, she opened the folds of her skirt, and found that the spark had become a shapeless mass of tissue. she was really worried and pleaded shiva to give her a solution. Thus sudalai madan is often called as Mundan which means a person without head and other body parts. Siva asked Brahma to give the baby a shape. shiva gave life to the baby . He named him as sudalai madan because, he came to the world because of a lamp(sudar)and he was shapeless. The boy was blessed by everyone and he was brought up as their son.

Parvathi initially feeds the child on Amrita (the nectar of immortality), instead of on breast milk. So it is said that the child became immortal. However, the child also became desirous for solid food. He went to the cremation grounds ("sudalai") on Kailasa, and began to eat the bodies that were burning there. When he finished those, he began to eat everything around him, the other spirits, the animals, the trees, the ground itself etc. He feasted with a heavy appetite.

Because he ate so much, and since he had such a fondness for meat, it was decided that he ought not remain in Heaven. Siva instructed him to go to Earth, and to care for its people. Siva proclaimed that Mada Samy's protection and kindness would be re-paid with offerings of cooked food and drink, and thus he would always have a meal, as well as people who would pray to him. So Mada Samy came to earth, accompanied by a number of singers and dancers who were sent by Siva to see to his worship. Many of the Paraiyar and Kanniyar drummers who play during the rituals to Mada Samy claim descent from these divine musicians.

Madan is also popular amongst certain segments of the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, RĂ©union and the French overseas territories in the Caribbean sea.
(courtesy: Wikipedia.org)

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Amirtavalli & Sundaravalli

Lakshmi and Maha Visnu's daughters were Sundaravalli and Amirtavalli born out of the tears of joy of Narayana during his incarnation as Trivikrama (Lakshmi was in Heart of Lord). They both wanted to have a husband who will never get angry with them. Sundaravalli and Amirtavalli pray to their father Vishnu for the boon and Vishnu directed them to do penance in order to marry Lord Murugan.
 


When Lord Subrahmanya was staying at Kanda Verpu, the two daughters of Lord Maha Vishnu, Amritavalli and Sundaravalli, who cherished the desire of becoming the consorts of Subrahmanya, went to Sanavana Poigai and commenced austere penance to fulfil their desires. Pleased with their prayer and worship, Lord Subrahmanya appeared before them and told -He said that Amirtavalli would be born as Tevayanai the daughter of Indra and Sundaravalli would be born to Veddas as Valli and then he would marry them both in next life.

Amritavalli: "You will be brought up by Indra as his daughter and I shall marry you in due course.
 
Amritavalli took the form of a female child and went to Mount Meru the abode of Indra, and told him: "I am the daughter of Mahavishnu and the responsibility of looking after me has been entrusted to you.' On hearing this, Indra became very happy and directed Airavatam, his white elephant, to take care of the child.

The elephant with all love brought her up and affection and she attained the age of marriage in course of time. Hence she came to be known as Devayanai, one who was brought up by the heavenly elephant of Indra (yanai means elephant). The marriage took place at Tirupparankunram, after the victory of Subrahmanya over Surapadma.  

"Her younger sister Sundaravalli was also graced with a similar blessing. She was born to Sage Sivamuni and brought up by Nambi, the headman of hunters. Later Lord Murugan wooed and wedded the hunter's daughter Valli Amma (Sundara Valli).
 
 Then all three went to live happily at Tiruttani where they remain to this day.

Also Murugan's two consorts are the daughter of a humble chieftain and the other daughter of Indra, the King of the Gods. He loves both of them equally. This is just to show that god does not make any distinction between the humble folk and the elite.

Source: Murugan Bhakti, Courtesy: