Vel

2021-05-13T06:41:16Z

2402:3A80:DAE:D5DC:C9D6:852B:9A3C:772: /* Hindu religion */

{{about|a divine entity in [[Hinduism]]||Vel (disambiguation)}}
{{Short description|Divine spear in Hindu mythology}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name = Vel
| image = GOD CAVE 3 0271.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Murugan statue with Vel at [[Batu Caves]], [[Malaysia]]
| origin = India
| type = [[Spear]]

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| is_bladed = Yes
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'''Vel''' ({{lang-ta|வேல்|lit=Vēl}}) is a divine [[javelin]] ([[spear]]) associated with [[Kartikeya|Murugan]], Hindu war God also known as Vel Murugan.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} [[Spear]]s used by ancient [[Tamil people|Tamils]] in warfare were also commonly referred to by this name. "''Vetrivel! Veeravel''!" ("Victorious Vel, Courageous Vel") was a commonly used [[battle cry]] by ancient [[Tamil people|Tamil]] kings and soldiers.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XJ8rDwAAQBAJ&q=Vetrivel+veeravel&pg=PA12|title=Thamizh Is Not Just A Language: The Valour|last=Kumar|first=Madhan|date=2017-07-11|publisher=Educreation Publishing|language=en}}</ref>
{{Kaumaram}}

==Hindu religion ==
According to Hindu religion, Goddess [[Parvati]] presented the Vel to her son [[Murugan]] as an embodiment of her [[shakti]] or power in order to vanquish the evil [[asura]] [[Soorapadman]]. According to the [[Skanda Purana]], in the war between Murugan and Soorapadman, Murugan used the Vel to defeat all the evil forces of Soorapadman. When a complete defeat for Soorapadman was imminent, the [[asura]] transformed himself into a huge mango tree to evade detection by Murugan. But not fooled by Asura's trick, Murugan hurled his Vel and split the mango tree into two halves, one becoming a [[rooster]] ({{lang-ta|சேவல்|lit=Cēval}}) and the other a peacock ({{lang-ta|மயில்|lit=Mayil}}). Henceforth, the peacock became his [[vahana]] or mount and vehicle and the rooster became the emblem on his battle flag.

Vel, as a symbol of divinity, is an object of worship in the temples dedicated to Murugan. The annual [[Thaipusam]] festival celebrates the occasion when Murugan received the divine Vel from his mother. During this festival, some of the devotees pierce their skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers while they undertake a procession towards the Murugan temple.

''Adi-Vel'' is a major festival observed in [[Sri Lanka]] by Tamil Hindus in the month of July/August, known as ''Adi''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kWKsWMFVtVIC&q=adi+vel&pg=PA133|title=The Real Ceylon|last=Elliott|first=C. Brooke|date=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=9788120611351|language=en}}</ref> The festival take place cities such as [[Kataragama|Kathirakamam]] and [[Colombo]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3V2xRnKcOEAC&q=adi+vel&pg=PA62|title=Sri Lanka: Ethnic Fratricide and the Dismantling of Democracy|last=Tambiah|first=Stanley Jeyaraja|date=1986|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=9781850430261|language=en}}</ref>

The alternative interpretation of Vel is that it is a symbol of wisdom/knowledge. It symbolically shows that wisdom/knowledge should be sharp as in the Vel's tip, broad as in the vel's breadth and run deep as in the height. Only such wisdom can destroy the darkness of ignorance.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sG5VDQAAQBAJ&q=vel+wisdom+sharp+deep+wide&pg=PT216 |title = A Monk's Tale|isbn = 9780985701918|last1 = Natarajan|first1 = Muni|date = 2012-07-02}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Stone vel Saluvankuppam.jpg|Stone vel from the Sangam period, Saluvankuppam, Tamil Nadu
File:Vel spear murugan karthikeyan kurunji aandavar temple kodaikaanal.jpg|Vel, used to worship in temple
File:Murugan statue srisailam.jpg|Statue of Murugan with Vel
File:Karttikeya With Spear And Cock in a coin of Yaudheyas.jpg| Coin of the Yaudheyas 200 BC, depicting Murugan with the Vel.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Trishula]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kataragama.org/research/krishnapillai.htm Vel Worship in Sri Lanka]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120823082754/http://omtamil.com/home/vel-meaning-definition/ Vel – Meaning & Definition]

[[Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Indian melee weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons of India]]
[[Category:Kaumaram]]

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Vel