SaravaNabhava Subrahmanyam

The birth history of Lord Subrahmanya is unique and mysterious involving a number of yogic, upasana
and tAtvik secrets. The scriptures have to be studied and analyzed in cohesion to recognize the
choreographic orchestration of Lord Subrahmanya Swamys birth story and His glory. The main sources
of this information are scAnda purana (mahEswara ghattam, tArakAsura charitra), Siva puranam,
Ramayanam, MahAbhAratam and several Samhita books.
After the Sati Devi submitted her life in Daksha yagna and Lord Siva disappeared into deep penance,
there is raise in adharma and imbalance all over. Tarakasura with his brothers Surapadmudu,
Simhamukha and sister ajAmukhi demonized entire land after Tarakasura secured a boon from
Brahma. As per the boon, except a child born with Sivas energy, the daemon can not be killed by any
one nor by a weapon. The demon knew that Siva, after losing his wife, was immersed in meditation and
by no means a child would be born to Siva. After the boon from Lord Brahma, Tarakasura occupied
Indraloka and enforced his asura laws in all the three lokas.
In order re-establish the balance in the universe, mother reborn as Himavan's child, Parvati. Parvati was
called by her father Himavan. Both Parvati and Siva performed an extreme and complicated tracks of
penance to obtain one another. Subrahmanya's story begins with the auspicious episode of the marriage
of his parents, Siva and Parvati.
As per Chandogyopanishad, Brahma manasa putra, Sanatkumar wanted to born as a child to Lord Siva in
order to burn his samskaras of tendency to preoccupation with thoughts of battle. But he did not want
to enter a womb and pass through the pains. Parvati agrees to it. Sanatkumar when explains the story
how Bhasmasura attempted to make Lord Siva into ashes, Parvati Devi trembles with fear and melted
down and flowed becoming a Saravanas, blades of holy darbha grass. He told her that in his next birth,
he would be nurtured by Saravanas and thus fullfilled her wish to be his mother. Thus Lord
SubrahmanyaSwamy is Sanatkumar prior to coming as Lord Siva's son.
As Tarakasura's atrocities grew to an unbearable level, at the instance of Lord Vishnu, devatas attempts
to disturb the prolonged yoga sam-yogam of Lord Siva and Parvati, with their prayers. The energy
emanated from Siva was first captured by Agni and then carried over to Ganga and eventually secured in
Saravanas at Gowri Kund. The tejas assumed a form but split into six parts give Subrahmanya the name
"Shanmukha, before reaching to Saravana. The Krittikas arrived, sent by Indra, to look after the six forms
of Subrahmanya and to take him to Badarika ashram. He hence got the name, KArtikeya . Parvati hugged
the boys and made them a single boy, thus receiving the name Skanda. During the sacred month of
Margashirsha, before full moon on the sixth day of the moon phase, Subrahmanya was born. The
Krittika mothers named the boy Subrahmanya. Since the boy born in the garden of saravanas, he
received the name Sha-ra-va-na-bha-va, the six syllable mantra. Siva himself has declared that this
mantra is even more potent than the panchakshari, the five syllable mantra of Siva. Thereafter,
Subrahmanya acquired many names, Guha for remaining hidden in a cave, Guruguha for giving
upadesha to his own father, Valleesa for marrying Valli, Devasenapati, Mahasena and so forth.
Heeding to the prayers of celestials (devatas), Lord Siva crowned Lord Subrahmanya as "Deva Senapati"
or commander-in-chief at Kushasthali, when Lord Vishnu and others brought holy water for abhishekam.
Siva gave his Trisula converted to Shakti Aayudha, while Sri Hari gave him leadership of the universe,
Brahma gave him the Brahma astra, Indra gave Vajrayudha. Parvati very lovingly gave him the peacock
vehicle. Subrahmanya began his Jaitra Yatra, his march towards victory and killed the demon Tarakasura,
freeing up the world.
Lord Subrahmanya eliminates the daemon Baanaasura who was tormenting all the sages in the
Krauncha mountains, upon their request. He also destroys Pralambasura from Nagaloka who had been
persecuting serpents, when Adi Sheshas son Kumuda approached for help. Subrahmanya asked Adi
Shesha, to bless His devotees who would worship on Shravana Naga Panchami or Shashti day.
As per Kanda or Periyar Purana of Tamil Nadu (not in Skanda Purana) Lord Siva taught his Child
Subrahmanya Guru Gita and gave him praNava Omkara mantra. Thus we hear the chanting "Gurunatha"
in the famous shrine at Swami Malai.
Indra offers his precious gem of a daughter DevaSena to Subrahmanya who agreed happily to marry her.
Sage Narada was taught by Sage Vasishta the vrata or ritual to be performed on the sixth or Shashti day
during Krittika star, to propitiate Mother Devasena. Goddess Lakshmi was in the form of a deer when
Sundaravalli as Valli was born to her on account of a curse. Lakshmi was Mouni Swamis wife.
Lakshmi abandoned the child amidst creepers. Nambi Raja who was an incarnation of Vishnu picked up
the child and raised her. She grew up among tribals who lived in the mountains. She was named Srivalli.
Narada reminded Subrahmanya that he was supposed to find and marry Valli. Devasena recognized the
presence of her sister amidst the tribals and encouraged Subrahmanya to go and marry her.
Subrahmanya eventually marries Velli.

nama shaNmukhAya namaSSAmbhavAya | namah pAvakAya namO nAyakAya
vallIvallabha mA pAhi | sEnAnAyaka mAm pAhi