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{{Short description|Divine spear in Hindu mythology}} | |||
{{about|a divine entity in [[Hinduism]]||Vel (disambiguation)}} | {{about|a divine entity in [[Hinduism]]||Vel (disambiguation)}} | ||
{{Infobox weapon | {{Infobox weapon | ||
| name = Vel | | name = Vel | ||
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| transport = | | transport = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Vel''' ({{lang-ta|வேல்|lit=Vēl}}) is a divine | '''Vel''' ({{lang-ta|வேல்|lit=Vēl}}) is a divine javelin or spear associated with [[Kartikeya|Murugan]], the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] god of war.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jackson |first=Frances Kozlowski and Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qV6KAAAAQBAJ&dq=javelin+murugan+vel&pg=PA140 |title=Driven by the Divine |date=August 2013 |publisher=Balboa Press |isbn=978-1-4525-7892-7 |pages=143 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
== | ==Significance == | ||
According to | According to [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] tradition, the goddess [[Parvati]] presented the vel to her son [[Murugan]], as an embodiment of her [[shakti]], in order to vanquish the [[asura]] [[Soorapadman|Surapadman]]. According to the [[Skanda Purana]], in the war between Murugan and Surapadman, Murugan used the vel to defeat all the forces of Surapadman.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Belle |first=Carl Vadivella |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kB1qDwAAQBAJ&dq=parvati+murugan+vel+surapadman&pg=PT178 |title=Thaipusam in Malaysia |date=2018-02-14 |publisher=Flipside Digital Content Company Inc. |isbn=978-981-4786-66-9 |language=en}}</ref> When a complete defeat for Surapadman was imminent, the [[asura]] transformed himself into a huge mango tree to evade detection by Murugan. 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 the rooster became the emblem on his battle flag.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Krishna |first=Nanditha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DF_af8_547EC&dq=surapadman+rooster+mango&pg=PT271 |title=Sacred Animals of India |date=2014-05-01 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-182-6 |pages=271 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
{{Saivism}} | |||
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.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Abram |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEhJBfbhTAAC&dq=parvati+murugan+vel&pg=PA517 |title=The Rough Guide to South India |last2=Edwards |first2=Nick |date=February 2004 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-84353-103-6 |pages=517 |language=en}}</ref> 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. | |||
The alternative interpretation of | ''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|title=The Real Ceylon |last=Elliott |first=C. Brooke |date=1938 |publisher=H. W. Cave & Co |page=133 |language=en}}</ref> The festival take place cities such as [[Kataragama|Katharagama]] 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, as broad and tall as the javelin. Only such wisdom is supposed to be able to 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 == | ||
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File:Vel spear murugan karthikeyan kurunji aandavar temple kodaikaanal.jpg|Vel, used to worship in temple | 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: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. | File:Karttikeya With Spear And Cock in a coin of Yaudheyas.jpg|alt=Coin of the Yaudheyas 200 BCE, depicting Murugan with the Vel.|Coin of the Yaudheyas 200 BC, depicting Murugan with the Vel. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery>{{Kaumaram}} | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Trishula]] | * [[Trishula]] | ||
* [[Kaumodaki]] | |||
* [[Sudarshana Chakra]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [http://kataragama.org/research/krishnapillai.htm | * [http://kataragama.org/research/krishnapillai.htm vel Worship in Sri Lanka] | ||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120823082754/http://omtamil.com/home/vel-meaning-definition/ | * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120823082754/http://omtamil.com/home/vel-meaning-definition/ vel – Meaning & Definition] | ||
[[Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology]] | [[Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology]] | ||
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[[Category:Hindu mythology]] | [[Category:Hindu mythology]] | ||
[[Category:Tamil mythology]] | [[Category:Tamil mythology]] | ||
{{Polearm-stub}} | |||