kaangEya : meaning?

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 27 Mar 2002, D.V.N.Sarma wrote:

> Devas were eagerly waiting for the birth of kumaran who
> is supposed to kill the demon taaraka.

This is how I heard it to.  By doing intense tapa, one can ask for ones'
hearts' desire from Brahmaji but the one wish that cannot be granted is
immortality.  So Tarakasura asked that he could only die at the hands of
Shiva Bhagawans' son.  As it is well known that Shiva Bhagawan is an
eternal Brahmachari, Tarakasura thought he had discovered a loophole!

> Some how they
> managed to arrange to get uma and siva married. But siva
> went on sporting with paarvati without discharge and there
> was no chance for conception and the birth of kaartikeya.
> Devas sent agni to try to interrupt their sport hoping that
> may produce discharge and conception. When agni did that
> siva got angry and discharged on agni. agni unable to bear
> the tejas threw it in gagaa. gangaa also was unable to bear it
> and threw it in saravana grass on its banks. The six krittikaas
> came and shaped shanmukha and thus became his mothers.
>

The Krittikas are the wives of the Saptarshis.  They went to bathe in the
Ganga.  Arundhati, the wife of Maharshi Vasishtha was the wisest of them
and she warned them not to go in.  They foolishly ignored her and when
they went in, they instantly became pregnant.  They gave birth to six
boys.  Then Gauri Mata came and lay them down on the Saravana grass and
they became one boy with six heads.  (That's why He is Gauritaneya too.)

This story also explains two particular rituals of the Shuklayajurveda.
The Saptarshis are identified with the constellation known in English as
Ursa Major or the Big Dipper or the Plough.  It has 7 bright stars but if
you have keen eyesight and look at the middle one in the "handle" there
are actually two stars there.  The other one is Arundhati.  The other
Krittikas were exiled to the other end of the sky where they form the
constellation known in English as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters.  But only
six of the stars are readily visible.  According to the Paraskara
Grhyasutra, on the wedding night, the couple should look at the Saptarshis
and try and spot Arundhati to ensure good luck in their married life.
Also during the upakarman, during the Rshi puja, the name of Arundhati
should be given a place of honor alongside the Saptarshis (and Yajnavalkya
who is the founder of the shakha.)

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/