Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Lord Murugan

Shri Kartikeya (detail).















This is not a typical Indian miniature painting, but appears to be a print made from a Raja Ravi Varma painting, with applique work added.

Shri Murugan (also known as Kartikeya, Skanda or Subhramanya), is the son of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. He is usually considered to be a celibate deity, or a child-god, and the two female figures sometimes depicted with him are powers, or shaktis, emanating from him. In some traditions they are considered to be his wives, but the shakti principle is not really the same thing as a 'wife' in the human sense, and should be understood in a spiritual rather than a physical sense. In Hindu spirituality, every being - whether a child, a celibate, or a married adult - has subtle shakti powers within.
Goddess Valli, on Shri Kartikeya's left side, represents the "Ichha Shakti" (the power of desire/aspiration), and Goddess Deivayanai, on his right, is the "Kriya Shakti" (the power of action), and Lord Murugan himself is "Gnana Shakti" (the power of knowledge).

3 comments:

karma yeshe said...

i love your exquisite site! its a source of constant inspiration. many thanks!

jeronimus said...

Thanks Karma. Glad you are enjoying the paintings. Wishing you all the Blessings of Shri Saraswati Devi.

karma yeshe said...

Namaste!
thanks for your replies, and the link. i will link your blog to mine as well. sarva mangalam