Siva Lilas – 3
Kama Dahanam
We have experienced Tripura Samharam and Daksha Yagna Vinashanam through Thiruppugazh, in the previous parts of this section. We now move on to how Kama Dahanam is described by Arunagirinathar in Thiruppugazh.
Kama also known as Manmatha is born out of Lord Vishnu’s mind (manas). He is also known as Chitthajan, Maaran. Kama is known for his beauty and we compare anyone’s beauty with his name – Kamakoti Sundara, Maarakoti Sundari etc.
After Sati fell into the sacrificial fire of Daksha’s yagna, Lord Shiva destroyed the entire sacrificial place and went to Kailash and did penance. In the meantime, Asuras Soorapadma and his brothers Singamukha and Taaraka did severe penance and got boon from Lord Shiva that none other than Shiva’s own form can kill them. The Asuras became so powerful and troubled everyone in the Universe. The Devas went to Kailash to meet Lord Shiva and request him to alleviate their sorrows. But since Shiva was in tapas, they didn’t want to disturb him and were indeed very much afraid of the consequences in doing so. Thus, the Devas came back and sat down for a discussion.
The King of Devas, Indra said, “We need a Son born to Lord Shiva who can fight against Soorapadma and win over him. We will be saved only then. If Lord Shiva is in tapas like an ascetic, how will we get a son through him? One of us should go and disturb him, so that he stops doing penance, get married and gives us a son to fight against the Asuras. Let Manmatha, who instills pleasure in the minds of living beings and enable them to get progeny, release his five flowered arrows on Lord Shiva, thereby awakening him from tapas.”
Everyone agreed except Manmatha. He was not ready to fall as a prey in this play. But the Devas persuaded and threatened him that he will die if he didn’t obey the order. Manmatha thought for a while, that instead of facing death in the hands of someone else, it is better to die in the hands of Lord Shiva, he agreed to go and disturb Shiva.
Manmatha reached Kailash. It was deserted. Shiva was doing penance alone. Manmatha held his bow made up of sugar cane in one hand and his five flowered arrow (Fowers of Red Lotus, Mango, Asoka, Jasmin, Blue Lotus) in the other hand and aimed at Lord Shiva. No sooner did the arrow fell on Lord Shiva than he opened his three eyes and glanced Manmatha with his third eye on the forehead, which is Agni (Fire). In no time, Manmatha was burnt to ashes. Devas felt helpless and sorry for his fate. Manmatha’s wife Rati Devi, who was an ardent devotee of Goddess Shakti, pleaded to Lord Shiva to forgive her husband as he obeyed the orders of Indra and other Devas. Lord Shiva assured her that soon his wedding with Shakti, who was already born as the daughter of Himavaan by the name of Hymavathi is going to happen and then Manmatha will rise up from the ashes and he will be visible only to her eyes. Since Manmatha is formless for others, he came to be known as Ananga (One without form or body).
The celestial wedding between Shiva and Parvati (daughter of parvat or mountain) took place and the Devas waited for a son to be born from the powers of Shiva and Parvati.
Shiva created six sparks from the third eye in each of his five faces (satyojatam, tatpurusham, aghoram, vamadevam and eesaanam) and the sixth inward looking face (adho mukham) and thus was born Kumaara. Kumaara overpowered Maara in beauty! (Muzhuthum azhagiya kumara – Completely handsome Kumara – says Arunagirinathar in one of the Thiruppugazh). Kumaara was given the vel (spear) by Parvati, with which he fought against Soorapadma and his brothers and won them, there by relieving Devas from their pain.
Let us now see the episode of Kama Dahanam as narrated in Thiruppugazh.
In “iruppaval thiruppugazh” sung at Tiruttani, Arunagirinathar sings as below:
கருப்புவில் வளைத்தணி மலர்க்கணை தொடுத்தியல்
களிப்புடன் ஒளித்தெய்த …… மதவேளைக்
கருத்தினில் நினைத்தவன் நெருப்பெழ நுதற்படு
கனற்கணில் எரித்தவர் …… கயிலாயப்
பொருப்பினில் இருப்பவர் பருப்பத உமைக்கொரு
புறத்தினை அளித்தவர் …… தருசேயே
karuppu vil vaLaithaNi malarkkaNai thoduththiyal
kaLippudan oLiththeydha …… madha vELai
karuththinil ninaiththava neruppezha nudhaRpadu
kanaRkaNil eriththavar …… kayilAya
poruppinil iruppavar paruppadha umaikkoru
puRaththinai aLiththavar …… tharusEyE
Oh Muruga! You are the son given by (tharu sEyE) Lord Shiva, who
- once burnt (neruppezha) Manmatha (madhavELai) with the fire that came out of the third eye on His forehead (nudhaRpadu kanaRkaNil eriththavar). Manmatha came with the thought of disturbing Shiva’s penance (karuththinil ninaiththavan), bent the bow of sugar cane (karuppu vil vaLaitthu) and sent out arrows of flowers (aNi malarkkaNai thodutthu) aimed at Him (eydha), proudly hiding himself (iyal kaLippudan oLiththu),
- resides at Mount Kailash (kayilaya poruppinil iruppavar) and
- gave His left side to Uma, Himavan’s daughter (paruppadha umaikkoru puRaththinai aLiththavar).
In another Tiruttani Song, “enakkena yaavum”, Arunagirinathar has sung –
வினைத்திறமோ(டு) அன்(று) எதிர்த்திடும் வீரன்
விழக்கொடு வேள் கொன்றவன், “நீயே
விளப்பு என மேல்” என்று இடக்கு அயனாரும்
விருப்புற வேதம் புகல்வோனே
vinaiththiRamOd(u) anR(u) ethirththidum veeran
vizhakkodu vEL konRavan “neeyE
viLappu” ena mEl enR(u) idakk(u) ayanArum
viruppuRa vEdam pugalvOnE
In this Arunagirinathar addresses Lord Muruga as the one who told the meaning of vEda (vEdam pugalvOnE), when Lord Shiva, who burnt Manmatha (vEL konRavan) and brought him down (vizhakkodu), when the latter who is an expert in archery (vinaiththiRamOdu), shot an arrow aiming at the latter (anRu ethirththidum veeran), asked ‘you please tell the meaning of vEdA (praNavam)’ (neeyE viaLappu ena mEl enRu), which was listened by Brahma who was contradicting with Muruga earlier (idakku ayanArum), but afterwards with a great pleasure (viruppuRa).
In “VeRRi jeya” another song sung at Tiruttani, this episode is experienced as
நெற்றிவிழி பட்டெரிய நட்டமிடும் உத்தமர் (netri vizhi patteriya nattam idum uththamar) – Shiva, the great Lord who performs the cosmic dance, burnt down Manmathan by the fiery eye in His forehead.
In the song, “viragaRa nOkkiyum”, sung at Ezhukarainaadu, refers Manmatha as Sambaraari and Lord Shiva (Pasupathi) as the one who burnt down Sambarari to ashes (sambarAri pada) by a mere glance (vizhiyaal poru)”
“சம்பராரி பட விழியால் பொரு பசுபதி” (sambarAri pada vizhiyaal poru Pasupathi)
[Why is Manmatha known as Sambarari is found in Mahabharata. Manmatha was born as Pradyumna to Lord Krishna and Rukmini. When he was a child, an asura named Sambara kidnapped him and threw into the sea. A fish ate the child. When a fisherman caught that fish, he was amazed to see such a huge sized fish and immediately gifted that to the King who was none other than Sambara. He sent the fish to be cooked in his kitchen. The head cook was Mayavati. She cut the fish and found a baby. She was surprised and took the child with her without others noticing it. She brought up the child and later the child understood that it was Sambara who threw him into the sea. He then fought with Sambara and killed him. So Manmatha was known as Sambaraari or the one who killed Sambara].
In the thiruppugazh, “paattil urugilai” sung at Theertthamalai, Arunagirinathar would have narrated this episode in a single line – “மதனுடல் திருநீறாய் ஆக்கி” (madhan udal thiruneeRaai aakki) – burnt the body of Manmathan to ashes.
“கருத்தார் மருத்தூர் மதனாரைக் கரிக்கோலமிட்டார்” – (karuththaar maruththoor madhanaaraik karikkOlamittaar) says “saratthe udhiththai” – Kathirgama thiruppugazh. [When Manmatha (madhanaar) sent by Devas, came on the chariot of southerly breeze (maruththoor) with an intention to shoot arrows (karuththaar) at Lord Shiva, He reduced Manmatha into ashes (madhanaaraik karikkolamittaar)]
Shiva is addressed as “kAmAri” in a Thiruppugazh – karipurAri, sung at viraalimalai, “madhanAndhagar” in “Kuthipaaindhu” thiruppugazh sung at Madurantakam.
In “Naalum aindhu” Thiruchendur thiruppugazh, we see these lines, narrating Kama Dahanam.
காமன் ஐந்து பாணமோடு வேமின் என்று காணு மோனர்
kAman aindhu bANamOdu vEmin enRu kaaNu mOnar
Lord Shiva was doing penance by sitting in silence (mOnar). When Manmatha (kAman) came to attack Lord Shiva with his five flowery arrows (aindhu bANamOdu), he cursed Manmatha to get burnt (vEmin enRu) by glancing (kANu) with his third eye on the forehead.
In another Thiruchendur Thiruppugazh, “avanipeRum”, we see the beautiful lines as below:
தவநெறி குன்றாப் பண்பில்
துறவினரும் தோற்று அஞ்சத்
தனிமலர் அஞ்சார்ப் புங்கத்து அமராடி
தமிழினி தென்கால் கன்றில்
திரிதரு கஞ்சாக் கன்றைத்
தழலெழ வென்றார்
thavaneRi kundrA paNbil
thuRavinarum thORRanjath
thanimalar anjAr pungaththu amarAdi
thamizhini thenkAl kandRil
thiritharu kanjAk kandRaith
thazhalezha vendRAr
Manmatha is referred to as the son of Lakshmi (kanjAkkanRu) in this song.
Meaning of the lines –
Even the ascetics (thuRavinarum), who never deviate from the righteous path of penance (thavaneRi kundrA paNbil), were defeated and frightened (thORRanja), when Manmatha intrudes by shooting (amarAdi) arrows made up of five different flowers (thanimalar anjAr pungaththu). He rides through the southerly breeze (thenkAl kandRil) which is very pleasant like Tamil language (thamizhini). He is the son of Lakshmi (kanjAkkanRai) who is ever roaming (thiritharu). He was conquered and burnt down by the fiery eye of Lord Shiva (thazhalezha vendRAr).
In Pazhani Thiruppugazh, “Oruvarai Oruvar theRi”, both Tripura Samharam and Kama Dahanam were sung in one line.
திரிபுரம் எரிய, வேழ சிலை மதன் எரிய மூரல்
திருவிழி அருள்மெய்ஞ் ஞான குருநாதன்
Tiripuram eriya vEzha silai madhan eriya mooral
Thiruvizhi aruL meignAna gurunAthan
Lord Shiva is the ultimate source of knowledge (meignaana) and he is the supreme teacher (gurunAthan). To burn Tripura (tiripuram eriya), he just smiled at it (mooral) and to burn Manmatha (madhan eriya) who holds a sugarcane bow in his hand (vEzha silai), he just glanced with his eye (thiru vizhi aruL).
In Swamimalai thiruppugazh, “Oruvaraiyum oruvar”, Shiva is referred as (tiripuramum madhanudalum neeRu kaNdavan – திரிபுரமும் மதனுடலும் நீறு கண்டவன்) – The one who saw Tripura and Kama burnt to ashes.
In Vazhuvoor Thiruppugazh, that starts with, “ari ayan”, Shiva is referred as “மதன் ஆகமும் விழ விழி ஏவியநாதர்” (madhan aagamum vizha vizhi yEviya naathar) – The Master who shot his glance as arrow on Manmathan to make him fall down.
In Vayalur thiruppugazh, “thaamaraiyin mattu”, Shiva’s forehead is described as காமனை எரித்த தீ நயன நெற்றி (kAmanai erittha thee nayana neRRi) – The forehead which holds the fire laden eye that burnt kAma or Manmatha.
In a few common thiruppugazh (not sung for a specific sthalam), this episode of kAma dahanam is described. Let us see them:
In “adiyAr manam salikka” song, glance of Lord Shiva is sung as – “வந்தெதிர்த்த மதன் ஆகமும் சிதைத்த தழல்பார்வை” (vandhedhirththa madhan aagamum sidhaittha thazhal paarvai) – The fiery glance that destroyed Manmathan’s body, when he came to attack Shiva.
“SarakkERiththa” – thiruppugazh sung at Kalahasthi, Lord Shiva (pugalOr) is referred to as the one who burnt (unga) the handsome Manmatha (aich chadalaan), holding Sugarcane bow (kazhaich chaabaththu), with the fire from the third eye and made smoke to raise from the place (pugai thee paRRa).
கழைச்சாபத்து ஐச் சடலான் உங்கப் புகைத் தீ பற்றப் புகலோர்
Kazhaich chaabaththu aich chadalaan ungap pugaith thee paRRa pugalOr
In Kandhar Alankaram, verse 58, Kama Dahanam episode is narrated as below:
இக்கு முல்லையுடன் பற்றாக்கையும் வெந்து சங்க்ராம வேளும் பட, விழியால் செற்றார்க்கு இனியான்
ikku mullaiyudan paRRAkkaiyum vendhu sankrAma vELum pada, vizhiyAl seRRARkku iniyaan
Muruga is so dear (iniyaan) to Lord Shiva who with his fiery third eye (vizhiyAl seRRArku), burnt Manmatha (vendhu sankrAma vELum pada) and his belongings namely, sugarcane bow (ikku), arrows made up of jasmine (mullaiyudan) and other flowers and the quiver to keep the arrows (paRRAkkaiyum).
In Kandhar Andhadhi – Verse 94, Arunagirinathar addresses Lord Muruga as the son (selva) of Lord Shiva who burnt down with a fiery glance (thugaLathAkkum nOkkinan) Manmatha holding red coloured (sEthu) Sugarcane (ikkanai) as the bow. (சேது இக்கனைத் துகளதாக்கும் நோக்கினன் செல்வ! – sEthu ikkanaith thugaLathAkkum nOkkinan selva!)
Mayil Vahuppu has an interesting reference to the episode of Kama Dahanam.
“கோதகலும் ஐந்து மலர் வாளி மதனன் பொருவில் கோல உடலம் கருகி வெந்து விழவே கோபமொடு கண்ட விழி நாதர்”
“kOthagalum aindhu malar vaaLi madhanan poruvil kOla udalam karugi vendhu vizhavE kopamodu kaNda vizhi nAthar”
Lord Shiva when he looked with his eye filled up with rage (kOpamodu kaNda vizhi nAthar) upon Manmatha (madhanan) who is very handsome (kOla udalam), holding the arrows made up of five flowers that are fresh and pure (kOthagalum aindhu malar vALi) and a bow capable of fighting (poru vil), everything was burnt down to ashes (karugi vendhu vizhavE).
Kama Dahanam is one of the eight heroic acts of Lord Shiva. The temple associated with this veerattam is Gnanambika Sametha Veeratteswarar temple, Thirukkorukkai in Mayiladuthurai District. The place is located about 10 km to the North of Mayiladuthurai.
Kama or Maara dahanam is one of the important incidents that lead to Kumaara Sambhavam. We say that if we did tapas or penance, we will get a good child. Lord Shiva did penance to get an unmatchable child Kumara and when it was disturbed by Kama, he was burnt and Shiva overcame the disturbance and continued his tapas. He taught us not only about the power of penance but also about how to be determined in our goal even if we face some difficulties in the middle way. These are few lessons to be understood from kAma dahanam. Also it is quite amazing to see the way Arunagirinathar brings in various puranic information in a crisp way in his works.
