Traditions and Legends of Kataragama

Pages 2 - 5 fromKataragama the Holiest Place in Ceylon by Paul Wirz, originally published in German in 1954, English translation 1966 by Doris Pralle

Many strange traditions are connected with Kataragama. Hinduism and Buddhism both take part in it; and even Islam isassociated with the holy place. However, it is difficult to decide today, which of all the traditions are based on historical facts and which are free inventions and poetic license. So hazy and sometimes contradictory are the records about the origin of the sanctuary, that today it is hardly possible anymore to separate historical facts from legendary stories.

Buddhism found its way into Ceylon towards the end of the 4th century BC. This was very much later than Vijaya, who, coming fromWestern India, landed in Ceylon with a 600-man retinue and thus laid the foundations of Sinhalese rule. At that time the sanctuary of Kataragama musthave already existed though not in its present form. It can therefore, be called pre-Buddhistic without doubt, and the claim to Kataragama brought upagain and again by the Ceylonese Buddhists as if this sanctuary were in fact of Buddhist origin, becomes quite unfounded.

The legend connected with Kataragama has been laid down in the epic heroic poem,Skanda Purana(purana-legend), originally in Sanskrit. It goes back, as one would imagine, to the fifth century before Christ, while the Tamil version is supposed to have originatedin the eighth century. The centre of this legend is Skanda or Subrahmanya, butgenerally called by Sinhalese, Kanda Kumara or Kataragama Deviyo, God ofKataragama. As the second son of the highest God Siva, he was destined to playa much greater part in the world of men than any other deity.

There are still more names associated with this God. As with most Gods, he, too, hasmany names which are used in different regions according to the occasion andtype of ceremony. Generally in Ceylon and particularly in Kataragama there isthe familiar description,Muruga,which implies youth, tenderness and beauty. But peculiarly enough, this name is notto be written, but only spoken. Why this is so I was not able to find out.[1]Guha, Netra Suta,which means ‘Son born from the eyes’,Kārttikeya,‘Theone coming from the Pleiades”,Gāngēya,‘Born out of the Ganges’,Agni-bhu,'The Fire-born’,Shanmukha,‘The one with six faces’, are his other names which all point out the origin of the deity.

His birth was supernatural and happened according to legend it. Follows:

For a long time thedevas(Gods) andasuras(Titans) fought each other andthere was a time when the Gods were defeated by the latter. Under the guidanceof Indra they deliberated on how to shake off the yoke. They gathered aroundSiva and asked him for assistance. He listened to their complaint. He had fivefaces end each of them had three eyes which now flashed angrily. A sixth facewith a further three eyes developed and simultaneously a spark shot forth fromeach middle eye so that the beings of the three worlds, the Gods, the Titansand the Humans trembled with fear.

Indra caught these six sparks and handed them to Agni, the god of fire, so that hecould use them as weapons against the asuras. These were too hot for him, sothat he was not able to hold them. He therefore flung them in to the Gangesfrom where they came to Lake Saravana. Here the six virgins, the Krittika(Pleiades) lived. They kept the sparks with them and they developed into lovelychildren in their care.

One day Siva came with his spouse Uma to the Saravana Lake where they caught sight of the six children. “Whose children are these?” Uma asked her hus­band. “They are our own,” Siva replied. While speaking these words Uma went towards them and gathered all six into her arms and they became a single being with six faces. Thus Skanda, the God of war, was born.

He grew up and became an unusually beautiful, strong young man whom the Gods choseas their leader. He chose a thousand warriors from among them, who henceforthformed his retinue. Each was provided with a lance with a flaming blade. Hethen went out with his army to defeat the Titans. In this way the lance became thesymbol of the God with which he is always represented or which is venerated inhis name. In gratitude of the victory over the asuras, Indra gave his daughterDeva Sena to him as his wife after which both of them went to Kanda Velpu andlived there to­gether happily for a long time.

So much for the legend of Skanda‘s birth and his victory over the asura.

There is still another version of this legend relating the supernatural birth of Skanda.

This legend is included in theSiva-Purana.It is told, that after mortifying himself and doing penance, the asura Tarakaurged Brahma to do him a favour. Brahma consented: Only one of Siva’s sons should be able to kill him. This was at a time when Siva had no wife. His wife Sati had burnt herself in Daksha’s fire of sacrifice. Taraka knew that Siva was leading a strictly ascetic life and doubted that he would marry again.

After receiving the favour from Brahma he became so presumptive that Indra had to hand over his white horse Ochchaisrava to him. Kubera gave a thousand sea-horses to him; the seven Sages were compelled to give the cow Kamadhenu, which was able to fulfill all wishes; the sun lost its radiance through Taraka’s actions, the moon always remained full and even the wind obeyed his orders.

The Gods assembled and decided to slay Taraka. This could only happen if Siva begot a son. Therefore, Siva had first to get married again. Sati was born again as Uma, daughter of Himalaya. She was persuaded to go to Siva and to beg his affection. But Siva was still sunk in meditation and took no notice of the girl.

In desperation Indra applied to Kama, the God of Love and implored him to go toMount Kailasa to stir Siva’s passion. Kama followed this advice. His wife Rati(Passion) and his friend Vasantam (Spring) accompanied him. They came to Mount Kailasaand to Siva who was still absorbed in meditation. He sat on a tiger skin andhis eyes were closed. He stayed completely motionless. All nature too was quietand motionless; it seemed absorbed in devotion to the highest God. Then Umacame near him with flowers she had picked for Siva, in her hands.

At the moment when she was about to put the flowers into Siva’s hands Kamareleased his arrow. He hit Siva, who woke from his meditation. He looked forthe cause of the pain inflicted on him and just managed to see Kama making offwith his bow. He then opened his third eye and Kama was burnt to ashes by theradiated glow. But the arrow that had been dispatched had ensured that passionhad been kindled in Siva.

He saw Uma next to him in full youth and grace offering him the flowers in herhands. At that moment he desired her as his wife. However, many years passedbefore he married her. But the marriage remained childless. Then the Godsturned to Agni, the God of fire for help. Now Agni, on his part, went to Mount Kailasajust after Siva and Uma had cohabited. Agni transformed himself into a dove. Hemanaged to catch a little of Siva‘s seed which he wanted to hand over to Indra.On his way he dropped it into the reeds growing along the bank of the Ganges.Immediately a boy arose from it who was as glorious and beautiful as the moonand who radiated a light like the sun. He was called Agnibhuva, Skanda and Kārttikeya.A further name was Sara Janma, which means ‘The one born in the reeds’.

It so happened that at the place where the boy came into being, six princessesused to bathe. These six girls were the Pleiades. They saw the boy in the reedsand each girl wanted him for herself. Each offered her breast to him. Thus the childgot six faces. Follow­ing this tradition he was also called Shashtimatriya,which means ‘He who has six mothers’. In reality the child had no mother atall. He arose alone from the seed of Siva.

In this manner, the Gods’ wish was fulfilled. Now Siva had a son, whose task itwas to fight the asura Taraka and to make him harmless for good. This task hefulfilled excellently and his only weapon was a lance(vel).Thus the lance became the true symbol of the God. In songsof praise too, the lance is mentioned.‘Vel, Vel, veti Vel!’This means “Lance, lance, victorious lance!” Thus sing thechildren taking part in the procession in Kataragama. We shall return to the deeper meaning of the lance later on.

This episode, the fight between the deity and the asura, is often performed dramaticallyduring the temple festivals. It happens similarly during the yearly festival inJaffna. On this occasion, two huge figures are constructed who represent the Kataragama­God and the asura. The two figures run towards each other and in this way thefight is re-enacted.

See also Wirz's chapter on"The Yantra of the Kataragama Deity"