By Sri Skanda's Warrior of Light
November 3, 2006
For a long time now I have been wondering to myself when I will be getting married. I always knew that Lord Muruga already has selected that special someone for me but I never really knew who it was. I was so adamant that I remember telling my parents,"I will not marry anyone unless Murugan comes in my dream and tells me who to marry and gives His blessings. I will remain a bachelor for the remainder of my life until then. I do not want to end up with someone who may be greedy, materialistic, doesn't believe in God (especially Murugan) and who may jeopardize my character and bring bad name to me and my family by committing adultery after I get married. I don't want that nor do I want a divorce. With Murugan's blessings, I want a beautiful wife who has a good character and I want to have a happy family life or if my karma doesn't allow it, then I don't want a family life at all."
So strong was my conviction, that I even made my mother make a promise (sathyam) to Lord Murugan not to pray for a wife for me but instead leave everything to Him. As unhappy as my mother was with this request of mine, she agreed and made the promise. [How all this is relevant, will make sense as I describe the following experience that occurred over the course of the last days of Kanthar Sashti. Read on...]
Recently, I had an encounter with one of my good close friends — Sivakumaran Anna — he is a staunch Murugan devotee. Lord Murugan frequently goes in my friend's dream and gives him special messages and unique divine experiences. Some of those messages are for me, such as Murugan instructing me to do abishekam on a certain special day, etc.
During the last day of Kantha Sashti (October 29 — the day of anna-dhaanam or food giving to the devotees who fasted the entire previous night), Siva Kumaran Anna and I were discussing our future plans of family life. Being in my late-20s I was worried that I may not find someone. Sivakumaran Anna reassured me that Lord Murugan had found someone for me and that in due time, I will come to know. We discussed all this in front of the Aarumuga swaami statue before I went home.
Before I left for home that day, however, Sivakumaran anna gave me a special gift — it was vibhuthi from the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple in India. Sivakumaran anna obtained it when he went to India in 2003 for his engagement. It was wrapped inside a beatel leaf (see picture below). [You will see why this incident is important later.]
The next day was Thiru-kalyaanam of Sri Murugan and Selvi Deivayani — it was celebrated in grand style at the temple. On this day, Sivakumaran Anna runs up to me as if he was very eager to deliver some important news. He said, "Last night I had a dream. I was present at a wedding in this Thiruchendur Murugan Temple."
I replied,"Oh, was it yours?"
The reason I said this was because Sivakumaran Anna expressed to me earlier that he wanted to celebrate his forthcoming wedding in January 2007 in this Murugan temple.
Sivakumaran anna replied,"No. It was yours!"
"What! Really?" I immediately inquired in disbelief.
"Yes! It was yours. You were all dressed up in traditional indian attire and you were seated along with your family and the bride's family in front of the main Murugan statue." Sivakumaran anna explained.
"Don't joke around! Are you sure? Promise? On Murugan?" I pressured him, as I couldn't believe my ears.
"Yes! Promise. On Murugan!" Sivakumaran anna replied.
"Did you see who the bride was? Did you get a good look at her face?" I anxiously asked, eager to know more about this mysterious person whom Murugan has chosen for me.
Sivakumaran anna nodded his head.
"So tell me, who is it?" I pressed on.
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"I will tell you at the proper time. But let me finish telling you the dream...as the wedding progressed between you and your future bride, a bright light (velicham) entered the temple. And from that light, came a figure of a young boy around the age of 7 or 8 yrs. He was wearing a shining gold colored veshti worn brahmin-style and had sparkling jewelry and was very fair and handsome looking. He was so radiant and bright that when I looked at his face it was as if I was looking into the morning sun. My eyes started to tickle (kan-kusum). He (?Murugan) then walked up to you and your bride and raised his right hand in blessings. He then disappeared and I woke up." said Sivakumaran Anna. |
Sivakumaran Anna didn't tell me anything further but I was so happy to hear this dream but at the same time so curious to know who the mystery girl was that Lord Murugan had selected for me!
As the Thiru-Kalyaanam was celebrated in the temple, I prayed to Murugan, "Murugaa! Today (symbolically) is your wedding day and I am present standing in front of you sending my well-wishes to you and your bride. May you, on my wedding day, be present and grant me and my bride your blessings on our special day — which has yet to come. I know you have selected a very nice girl for me. I don't know who yet but you have shown Sivakumaran Anna. I hope I will be deserving of such a wonderful person you have graciously chosen for me." I said this prayer all internally, without uttering a word.
Before I left the temple, an unknown devotee comes to me and speaks the following words which completely took me by surprise [in Tamil], "Today was Murugan's Thiru-kalyaanam (wedding). On the day of your Thiru-Kalyaanam, please invite us because we would like to be at your wedding. May Lord Murugan's blessings always be with you." With those words, the devotee left the temple.
I was speechless with all the events that were unfolding during this evening beginning with Sivakumaran Anna's dream, then my prayer to Murugan, and now this unknown devotee speaking such important and relevant words to me. These preceding events all led me to ask Lord Murugan if all this was His leela.
That night as I sat on my bed I prayed,"Dear Lord Muruga. Can you please show me who you showed was my bride in Sivakumaran anna's dream? Can you show me also — your child? Please. I don't want to get my hopes up and get disappointed. Please show your child whom you have chosen. Muruhaiya, please...ennakum en pomblae-enda muham paaka asai-irukuthu aiya...ennakum katringalaa? [I really would like to see the face of my future bride...can you please show me?]" I said this prayer while I was sitting on my bed, with my head bowed in humility.
After saying this short prayer, I retired for the night.
That night, I had the following dream.
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I was in the Thiruchendur Murugan temple standing beside the palipeedum next to (to the left of) the mayil vahana statue. Beside me was a young woman wearing a blue sari. She was Tamil but was rather tall for a Tamil girl. At least 5' 6". I didn't look at her face though. Instead, my attention was drawn to the Ganapathi mulasthaanam where a young priest in his late 20s was. He stood before Ganesha and had a flower tray (poo-thatu) in his hand. He looked quite handsome for a priest. The priest (?murugan) was wearing a nice red veshti worn brahmin style, vibhuthi adorned-forehead, and I saw lots of jewelry and a sacred poo-nool (thread) adorning his chest. His hands were busy doing something with the flower tray. I peered closer from a distance. I couldn't believe my eyes. In the tray, was the vibhuthi that Sivakumaran anna gave me on the annadhaanam day of Kantha Sashti! I thought to myself,"How did He (the priest) get that? Sivakumaran anna gave it to me!"
[In real life, I kept the vibhuthi that Sivakumaran anna gave me yesterday in my prayer room. The vibhuthi was actually wrapped up inside a beatle leaf. I didn't open it but instead left the prasadam at the altar in my prayer room in front of the Skanda picture...see below]
However, in my dream the priest (?Murugan) had the same vibhuthi that was wrapped in the beatel leaf on His flower tray! Then Murugan did one thing I didn't expect. He opened the beatel leaf and spread it flat on the flower tray. When he did that, I saw the white vibhuthi contained inside. He then walked my way but very slowly! His gaze met mine and He smiled at me. I, too, smiled back at Him. He then turned His gaze to the person standing beside me, as if telling me (non-verbally) to look at who was standing beside me. I turned my head to my right and I saw the face of the woman I was standing beside. I recognized her from previous visits to the Murugan temple. She was much younger than me in age. But nonetheless, I recognized who this beautiful being was — my future bride. Murugan, too, smiled at her and she smiled back at Him and me. After I had the pleasure of seeing the face of my future bride, Murugan then came over to both of us. He held out the flower tray (containing the vibhuthi) to us. I and my bride-to-be each took the vibhuthi prasadam and smeared it on our foreheads. Murugan then put the flower tray down and took a pancha aarathi and walked over to the kodi-maram (flag post). He stood behind the altar, waved his fingers over the pancha aarathi and it miraculously lit up. He then began waving the camphor-lit pancha aarathi very slowly. He did it in an oval-shape manner from holding the aarathi very high and then bent down very low (?probably to do aarathi also to the little Ganesha seated at the base of the kOdi maram). My bride and I didn't even look at the main mulasthaanam instead our gaze was permanently fixed on Murugan. He, however, had a neutral expressionless face that was focussed on the main mulasthaanam statue of Lord Murugan. The priest (?Murugan) continued unabated with His aarathi. He did it about 5 or 6 times. After He finished, He placed the pancha aarathi on the kOdi maram and disappeared into thin air, while the camphor-lit pancha aarathi continued to burn. Both myself and my future wife could not believe our eyes as we both saw the priest disappear. It was then when I awoke. |
I was soooooooo ecstatic when I awoke because of the love Lord Murugan showed me. How quickly He answered my prayer! How He showed me the beautiful child that He has chosen for me to marry! How kind you are my loving Lord! How can I ever thank you for the unconditional love you continue to show me? You truly do treat me like your child! How blessed am I to receive your grace! Thank you sooooooooo much Muruga! Words will never ever capture how much you mean to me. May I always continue to think of your feet, sing to your feet, serve your feet, and one day attain your fragrant divine lotus feet.
Thinking of you always,
Your child.
The following week, I asked Sivakumaran anna to describe the person I was to marry — the one whom Murugan showed him in his dream.
He replied,"She comes to this temple with her mother. She has an uncle and aunt who have one very young son. She also has two older brothers." Sivakumaran anna continued.
And as he was describing all this to me, he paused, as he looked behind me. I turned around to see what he was looking at and I saw the person whom Sivakumaran anna was just describing enter the temple! The same person I saw in my dream! I couldn't believe the impeccable timing of this incident. So the identities of the two people whom I saw and Sivakumaran anna saw were confirmed — it was her — my future bride, a gift from my beloved Lord Murugaa.
November 4, 2006
The following night, I had another dream as if Lord Murugan wanted to dispel any doubts I may have had from the previous night's experience.
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In this dream, I was in the Thiruchendur Murugan temple and I was carrying the eluntha-aruli vigraham situated in the vasantha-mandapam along with three other male devotees. I was situated at the front right carrying Lord Murugan on my shoulders. In front of us, was an individual I recognized immediately. It was my future-bride whom I saw in my previous night's experience. She was waving the saamarai and proceeding in front of us. I was happy to see her. We proceeded to carry Lord Murugan around the mulasthaanam and stopped in front of the Aarumuga swaami statue — where Sivakumaran anna and I originally had our discussion regarding marriage on the anna-dhaanam day of Kanthar Sashti! |
What a great experience and blessing my beloved Lord Skanda had shown! I am eternally grateful and humbled by His show of love and concern with my life's affairs! Thank you my dear dear Bhagavan Sri Skanda.
November 9, 2006
Yesterday following Ganesh Chathurthi, I was concerned about my career (which had yet to start) and my marriage to this special person whom Murugan had shown to me in my dreams the previous few nights [Read experience above]. With this worry, I went home and slept. That night, I had a very short dream with Murugan (in Sivakumaran anna's form).
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In my dream, Sivakumaran anna (?Murugan) was standing beside the myol vahana — where I was standing in my earlier dream with my future bride. He was with His poo-nool, vibhuthi streaks on His upper trunk and forehead, and was wearing a white veshti with a blue-purple shalvey around His waist. He was smiling at me. I smiled back at Him as I was standing in front of the myol vahana statue. He then spoke to me the following words... "Nee ondum kavalai pada vendaam...naan ellaam pathikkren. (You don't worry about anything, I'm watching over everything in your life.)" |
Later that day, I spoke with (literally) "the girl of my dreams." She comes to temple and she told me about a dream that she also had last night involving me! Naturally, I was very interested and asked her to retell her experience to me. In the dream, she says:
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"I was in Nalloor Murugan temple in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. There was a Thiru-Villa in progress. I saw you and my uncle carrying my Murugan while I was standing in front of you with a thiru-villaku (lamp) in my hand. I was wearing a kun-kumum pottu on my forehead [indicative of a married person]! We carried Murugan around the temple and after the temple festivities finished, the Iyer came and gave me and you vibhuthi. You were standing right beside me and prostrated at the Iyer's feet to do paathanamaskaram. He then gave us both vibhuthi and said, [in Tamil] "Neengal irandum ennakum en adiyaargalkum thondar seya pirappu eduthu-ningal...appOthu neegal irandum eppOvum nalla iruppingal. [You both have taken birth to serve me and my devotees. And because of that you two will always live well.]" He then tapped me on my head with his hand in blessing. As we were leaving, my mother said, "Mathuri...let's go...tell Pranavan to hurry up." |
"Why did my mother say that? Does that mean you are going to live with us in future? Why was I wearing the kunkumapottu on my forehead? Does that mean we are to be married? What was I doing in the dream with you by my side? Why was my mother calling your name? She doesn't even know your name in real life! Was Murugan talking through that priest?"
I was in disbelief upon hearing this dream from this beautiful girl who stood before me. I was overwhelmed with emotion and was so thankful to Lord Murugan for orchestrating all this during the days following Kanthar Sashti.
How can this be a coincidence? Lord Murugan going into three unrelated people's dreams and telling them the same thing — His will and desire to see His children — Pranavan and Mathuri — married. In Sivakumaran Anna's dream, He came and gave His full blessings at the wedding in progress. In my dream, He came and gave us vibhuthi blessings. In Mathuri's dream, He came and told us what He wanted us to do after we were married. What three wonderful experiences Lord Murugan has allowed us to recount and experience! I am truly speechless at His gracious and kind act of love He has shown to me, my Mathuri, and my future in-laws! Thank you my dear Bhagavan Sri Skanda. May you always continue to guide and bless us so that one day we attain your fragrant divine lotus feet.
November 17, 2006
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Last night, I dreamt that I was seated at the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple with Mathuri beside me on my right. We were seated in front of the kodi-maram (flag post) directly facing the main Murugan mulasthaanam. The priest was seated on my left while chanting mantras. I remember feeling the heat and seeing the large orange flame of the yagna in progress. Then the priest asked me to extend my right hand as did Mathuri. He then tied a yellow-brown color thread around my wrist and that of Mathuri's. That is all I could remember before I awoke. |
I later told this dream to my mother who explained that the procedure that took place is what occurs during a marriage ceremony.
"So, Murugan was blessing you both through the priest and officially declaring the two of you as one couple." explained my mother
I was so happy to hear this and know that everything will happen as per Lord Murugan's will in the near future. I still can't believe all of this happening during these last few days of Kanthar Sashti! Thank you my beloved Bhagavan Sri Skanda for all these blessings. I am truly fortunate to receive your grace!
January, 2007
Mathuri's mother (being from Jaffna, Sri Lanka) — like most people from Jaffna — are horoscope crazy. They have to look at 'saathakam' (astrological matching) for every aspect of their life. So, not fully trusting the will of Lord Murugan, she took Mathuri's and Pranavan's horoscope to an astrologer. The astrologer spoke the following words which completely left Mathuri's mother speechless [He said the following in Tamil, the English translation is given below]:
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"Before I even look at these two horoscopes, I can already see there is a divine calling of these two people together...This boy will always be attached to God...She is the embodiment of Lakshmi and She will give Him a lot of happiness...they will both be very happy together...Amma...in all my years as an astrologer, I have never seen such good 'poruththam' (compatibility) between two unknown people's horoscopes...how did you orchestrate these two people to come together like this? These two people are truly blessed...there is something divine about this pairing...I can feel/sense it." |
Mathuri's mother could not utter a single word except show a smile of gratitude to Lord Murugan.
I initially was disappointed that Mathuri's mother didn't show her trust in Lord Murugan's leela, but couldn't help but be amused by what the astrologer told her. Of course there is good compatibility between Mathuri and Pranavan — Lord Murugan willed for the two of us to be together without looking at any horoscope!!! God doesn't need to do that. Whatever He wills, happens and always is for our benefit & ultimate good.
Aum Jaya Jaya Mahavira Bhagavan Sri Skanda Namo Namaha!
Aum Jaya Jaya Mahavira Bhagavan Sri Skanda Namo Namaha!
Aum Jaya Jaya Mahavira Bhagavan Sri Skanda Namo Namaha!