Tag Archives: kumAra

Two simple stotra-s, sectarian competition, and the Varāha episode from the archaic Skandapurāṇa

The Ur-Skandapurāṇa (SkP) or the “archaic” Skandapurāṇa ( the Bhaṭṭārāi edition known as the Ambikā-khaṇḍa) is a Śaiva text with affinities to the Pāśupata branch of that tradition. Though it is aware of the mantra-mārga traditions like the Mātṛ-tantra-s and … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Kaumāra cycle in the Skandapurāṇa’s Śaṃkara-saṃhitā

Many khaṇḍa-s, māhātmya-s and saṃhitā-s attach themselves to the sprawling “Mega-Skandapurāṇa”. We use this term to distinguish it from the “Ur-Skandapurāṇa”, which was first published by Bhaṭṭārāi in the late 1980s and is now known to survive as three related … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On the rise of the mātṛkā-s and the goddess Cāmuṇḍā

The roots of the mātṛkā-s in the śruti and the Kaumāra tradition The standard list of 7/8 goddesses known as the mātṛkā-s is a hallmark feature of the classical religion: Brāhmī, Māheśvarī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Indrāṇī, Cāmuṇḍā, sometimes with the … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Matters of religion-4

Pinakasena was visiting Somakhya and Lootika. He was seeking instruction on the Sadyojāta-mantra from his hosts: “O Ātharvaṇa and Śāradvatī, I wish to learn the rahasya-s pertaining to the deployment of the Sadyojāta-mantra to the great god Kumāra, the patron … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

kumAra chakra with the twelve dreadful goddesses

The account of the mantra practice of these kaumAra goddesses was originally intended as part of the great skanda vrata. Given that that might take a while to complete, and that these goddess might be worshiped in other rites in … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

kumAra gAthA

jaya atula-shakti dIdhiti pi~njara | bhuja-daNDa-chaNDa-raNa-rabhasa | sura-vadana kumuda-kAnana-vikAsanendo kumAra | jaya ditija-kula-mahodadhi-vaDavAnala | ShaNmukha madhura-rava-mayUra-ratha | sura-mukuTa-koTi-ghaTTita-charaNa-nakhA~Nkura mahAsana | jaya lalita-chUDa kalApa-nava-vimala-dala-kamala-kAnta | daitya-vaMsha-duHsaha-dAvAnala | jaya vishAkha vibho | jaya sakala-loka-tAraka | jaya devasenA-nAyaka skanda | jaya gaurI-nandana ghaNTApriya … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The skanda-vrata

We had earlier presented a few details pertaining to the great kumAra chakra, which lay at the root of the kumArashAsana the pinnacle of its glory – a time when mahAsena was invoked from bAhlika in the north to dramiDa … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A narrative on the kAlAmukha-s: implications for the bhairava-srotas

We had earlier briefly considered the kAlAmukha-s on these pages. While once prominent in both the north and south of the country, their last occurrences are recorded only in the south (though they clearly acknowledge their connections to the northern … Continue reading

Posted in Heathen thought | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment