FINDING CALM IN CHAOS

RAWN, brain and beauty are not mutually exclusive in Indian tradition if we look—that, too, long before Europe came up with the notion of the all-rounder, the 'Renaissance Man'. One of my favourite examples is Kartikeya.

- RENUKA NARAYANAN

RAWN, brain and beauty are not mutually exclusive in Indian tradition if we look—that, too, long before Europe came up with the notion of the all-rounder, the 'Renaissance Man'. One of my favourite examples is Kartikeya. Well, consider whose son he is. His Tamil name, Murugan, means 'the beautiful one'. His valour needs no publicity, for he is the general of the gods, having vanquished demons who threatened the world. Sri Krishna even says in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10, Verse 24: "Senaninam aham Skanda", 'Of warrior chiefs, I am Skanda (Kartikeya)'.

Kartikeya also stars in one of my favourite guru stories from our millennia of attempting civilisation, about a father learning from his son. The story seems to imply that young people have a good, pure energy that can show society the right path when elders are confused or mistaken.

This is the symbolic story of the Pranava Mantra. Pranava means 'the operator of life force' and 'the giver of life force'. The mantra is the root syllable 'M', which is extended as 'Om'.

The father in the story is Shiva, considered 'the father of the universe' and the Adiguru or first and prime guru of dharmic culture. His 'son' in this case is not big brother Ganesha but little brother Kartikeya. It was Kartikeya who taught his father the importance of the Pranava Mantra. This is said to have happened at Swami Malai or 'God's Hill' in the region of the river Kaveri. Thus, another name for Kartikeya is Swaminatha Swami, meaning 'Shiva's guru'.