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{{Kaumaram}}'''Kanda Shashti Kavacham''' or '''Skanda Sashti Kavasam''' ({{lang-ta|கந்த சஷ்டி கவசம்}}) is a [[Hindu]] devotional song composed in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] by [[Devaraya Swamigal]] (born c. 1820),{{cn|date=May 2020}} a student of [[Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai]], on [[Lord Muruga]], the son of [[Lord Shiva]], in [[Chennimalai]] near [[Erode]]. Tamil contains many ancient hymns in praise of deities. Kanda Sashti Kavasam was composed in the 19th century.<ref name="Nightingale_SSK">{{cite book
| last = Alagesan
| first = Serndanur Ramanathan
| title = Skanda Shasti Kavacham
| publisher = Nightingale
| edition = 4th
| date = 2013
| location = Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu
| pages = 136
| language = ta, en
| isbn = 978-93-80541-08-2
}}</ref>

==History==
The hymn was composed in the 19th century by Balan Dhevaraya Swami.<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.vikatan.com/spiritual/temples/71000-the-story-of-shasti-kavasam---valayappettai-rkrishnan
| title = சஷ்டி கவசம் பிறந்த கதையை தெரிஞ்சுக்கோங்க! [Know the story of Kanda Shasti Kavasam]
| last = Krishnan
| first = Valaiyappetai R.
| date = 31 October 2016
| website = Vikatan.com
| publisher = Vikatan Publications
| access-date = 6 August 2020
}}</ref> The place where Balan Dhevaraya Swami staged the hymn is the [[Chennimalai]] Subramania Swamy Temple near [[Erode]] in [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Federal_YouTubeToBlockChannel">{{cite news
| title = Kanda Sashti Kavacham controversy: TN police tells YouTube to block channel
| newspaper = The Federal
| location = Chennai
| publisher = TheFederal.com
| date = 20 July 2020
| url = https://thefederal.com/states/south/tamil-nadu/kanda-sashti-kavacham-controversy-tn-police-tells-youtube-to-block-channel/
| access-date = 23 July 2020}}</ref> The lines 'Chiragiri Velavan' in the hymn refers to the Lord of Chennimalai.<ref>{{Citation
| title = சென்னிமலையின் திகட்டாத தேனமுதன் கட்டுரை [The uncloying essay of Chennaimalai]
| newspaper = Kumudham Jodhidam
| year = 2008
| date = 28 March 2008
}}</ref>

==Plan of the song==
The song consists of a total of 244 lines, including four introductory lines known as "Kaappu," followed by a couple of meditational lines and the main song portion consisting of 238 lines known as the "Kavacham." The grammar employed in the introductory part is the ''Naerisai venba'' and that of the meditational part is the ''[[Kural|Kural venba]]'', widely known to the [[Western world]] for its exclusive usage in the [[Tirukkural]]. The "Kavacham" part follows the grammar of ''Nilai Mandila Aasiriyappaa''. The plan of the song is as follows:<ref name="Nightingale_SSK"/>

;Invocation
*Lines 1-4 Introduction: Written in Nerisai Venpa ([[:ta:%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%88 %E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE|நேரிசை வெண்பா]])
*Lines 5-6 Meditation: Written in [[Kural|Kural venba]] ([[:ta:%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D %E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE|குறள் வெண்பா]])
;Main Song
*Lines 1-16 Author invites the Lord to the devotee
*Lines 17-27 Mantras are used to invite the Lord presented to the devotee
*Lines 28-32 Upon using mantras, the divine light and the presence of the Lord is felt
*Lines 33-45 Author describes the way the Lord looks at the devotee
*Lines 46-54 Author strings the sounds of the Lord's footsteps and anklets into mantras
*Lines 55-56 Depicts the swiftness of the Lord in coming to the rescue of His devotee
*Lines 57-58 Surrendering of the devotee to the Lord and the devotee's prayers unto Him
*Lines 59-95 Praising the Lord, these lines concern with the protection of individual parts of the body
*Lines 96-102 Concerns with the Lord's saving of His devotee in all times of the day
*Lines 103-129 Concerns with eradication of vicious effects of demons and devils
*Lines 130-140 Concerns with prayer to the God's Messenger to release the devotee from the vicious cycle of birth and death
*Lines 141-148 Concerns with the protection from wild and venomous animals
*Lines 149-157 Concerns with freedom from diseases
*Lines 158-159 Prayer to maintain a cordial relationship with others
*Lines 160-175 Praises the Lord by His various names and His divine deeds
*Lines 176-177 Worshiping Goddess [[Saraswathi]], the goddess of knowledge
*Lines 178-186 Describes the divine power of the Sacred Ash (''Vibuthi'') and its effects
*Lines 187-192 Praises the Lord
*Lines 193-199 Seeks asylum in the Lord
*Lines 200-208 Describes the procedures for reciting the song
*Lines 209-214 Describes the divine effects of the song
*Lines 215-219 Describes the effects of the song on evil elements
*Lines 220-234 Praises the divine deeds of the Lord
*Lines 235-238 Salutation and complete surrender of the self unto the Lord

The author's name is mentioned twice in the song, first in Line 64 and then in Line 201.<ref name="Nightingale_SSK"/>

==Grammar employed in the song==
The song employs ''Nilaimandila aasiriyappa'', one of the poetic forms in the Tamil language. The armour and meditation parts of the Introduction section employ the [[Venpa]] metre and [[Kural venba]] metre, respectively.<ref name="Nightingale_SSK"/>

==Nerisai Venpa (Prayer)==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Tamil Version<ref name=r1>[http://murugan.org/texts/ksk_tamil&english.htm Shashti Kavasam in English.] murugan.org</ref>
! English Translation
|-
| <poem>Thuthiporkku val vinai pom, Thunpam pom,
Nenjil pathiporkku selvam palithu kadithongum
Nishtayum kaikoodum
Nimalar Arul kanthar sashti kavacham thanai</poem>
| <poem>The sufferings great and sorrow will vanish for those who pray,
The riches will increase for those who remember it in their mind,
All penance will surely bear fruit
By this Sashti Kavacham written by the grace of God.</poem>
|}

==Kural Venpa (Protection)==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Tamil Version<ref name=r1/>
! English Translation
|-
| அமர ரிடர்தீர அமரம் புரிந்த<br/>
குமரனடி நெஞ்சே குறி.<poem>Amarar idartheera amaram purintha
Kumaranadi nenjeh kuri.</poem>
| <poem>Mind, oh mine, meditate
On the feet of that Young God,
Who waged the war,
To end the problems of devas, great.</poem>
|}

==Music==
The Kavasam has been set in music by various musicians over the years. The most notable of them all is that sung by the duo Rajalakshmi and Jayalakshmi, popularly known as the [[Soolamangalam Sisters]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Music: Profiles of Artistes, Composers, Musicologists|url=http://www.saigan.com/heritage/music/garlands.htm|website=saigan.com|accessdate=18 March 2016}}</ref> It is sung in ragamalika (a song composed in multiple ragas), including the ragas of [[Abheri]], [[Shubhapantuvarali]], [[Kalyani (raga)|Kalyani]], [[Hanumatodi|Thodi]], and [[Madhyamavathi]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Music: Profiles of Artistes, Composers, Musicologists|url=http://www.saigan.com/heritage/music/garlands.htm|website=saigan.com|access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref>

==Significance==
Sashti is the day that Lord Muruga defeated the demon [[Soorapadman]]. When the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] could not tolerate the evil doings of this demon, they approached the younger son of Lord Shiva and [[Parvati]] for his assistance. He fought Soorapadman for six days, at the end of which the Lord vanquished the [[asura]]. He threw his weapon at him and split Soorapadman into two halves. One half became a [[peacock]], which he took as his [[Vahana]]. The other became a rooster and was transformed into his banner.

The devas rejoiced—they praised the Lord and prayed to him for six days. Devotees usually narrate the Kanda Sashti Kavacham during this period. Whoever fasts and prays to [[Lord Muruga]] for the six days of Kanda Sashti is believed to receive Muruga's blessings. Those who are unable to fast all day can eat once a day or twice a day during this period depending on their health, age and will.

Devotees believe that regular chanting of this song causes the predicaments of life to be resolved and that chanting the full song 36 times a day brings wealth.

==In popular culture==
The hymn is highly popular in the Tamil-speaking diaspora across the globe that the phrases from the hymn, its music, and others are often imitated by people from all walks of life. The titles of the Tamil movie ''[[Kaakha Kaakha]]'' and the Indian [[soap opera]] ''[[Kakka Kakka]]'' are taken from the Kanda Shasti Kavasam. The Tamil film song “Padhinettu vayadhu ilamottu manadhu” from the movie ''[[Surieyan]]'' imitates the tune of the hymn.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 July 2020 |title=How Kandha Sashti Kavasam helped Suriya, Vikram, Ajith & Arun Vijay! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/how-kandha-sashti-kavasam-helped-suriya-vikram-ajith-arun-vijay/articleshow/77041215.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719142205/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/how-kandha-sashti-kavasam-helped-suriya-vikram-ajith-arun-vijay/articleshow/77041215.cms |archive-date=19 July 2020 |access-date=25 August 2020 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramanujam |first=Srinivasa |date=18 May 2020 |title=Deva interview: 'Kushi' proved that I could do more than just 'gaana' |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/20-years-of-kushi-how-deva-used-the-vijay-film-to-prove-that-he-was-more-than-a-gaana-composer/article31615468.ece |url-status=live |access-date=25 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622212043/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/20-years-of-kushi-how-deva-used-the-vijay-film-to-prove-that-he-was-more-than-a-gaana-composer/article31615468.ece |archive-date=22 June 2020}}</ref>

== Controversy ==
In July 2020, ''Karuppar Kootam'', a [[Dravidian parties|Periyarist-Dravidian group]], posted a [[YouTube]] video with an interpretation of the hymn that many Hindus around the world considered to be vulgar and offensive.<ref name="Federal_YouTubeToBlockChannel"/> Soon after the incident, following a complaint filed by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] Tamil Nadu with the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai City, the [[Tamil Nadu Police]] arrested two members of the YouTube channel.<ref name="NewsBricks_SurendranSurrenders">{{cite news
| last = Soundararaj
| first = Sivaranjani
| title = Kanda Sashti Kavasam controversy Surendran surrenders in Pondicherry police Station
| newspaper = News Bricks
| location = Puducherry
| publisher = NewsBricks.com
| date = 17 July 2020
| url = https://www.newsbricks.com/tamil-nadu/kanda-sashti-kavasam-controversy/73160
| access-date = 23 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="DTNext_SurendranSurrenders">{{cite news
| title = Kandha Shashti Kavasam controversy: Surendran surrenders at Puducherry police station
| newspaper = DT Next
| location = Puducherry
| publisher = Daily Thanthi
| date = 16 July 2020
| url = https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2020/07/16155938/1241620/Kandha-Shashti-Kavasam-controversy-Surendran-surrenders-.vpf
| access-date = 23 July 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Skanda (Buddhism)]]
* [[Skanda Purana]]
* [[Murugan]]
* [[Soolamangalam Sisters]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikisource | ta:கந்த சஷ்டி கவசம்}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100220154137/http://www.kandamangalam.com/new/Slogam/Murugan/KandhaSashtiKavacham/tabid/285/Default.aspx Kandha sahsti kavasam reading]
* [http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/religions/skanda.htm Skanda sashti]
* [https://www.scribd.com/doc/21548488/Kanda-Sashti-Kavacham-Lyrics-Tamil] in Tamil
* [http://skandagurunatha.org/works/kanthar-sashti-kavasam/]

[[Category:Kaumaram]]

Kanda Shasti Kavasam - Revision history

UpdateBot at 18:56, 16 September 2021