স্কন্দ

.. কার্তিকেয স্কন্দ ..

Hymn to kaartikeya or skanda

The following stotra on ska.nda is from the rudra yaamala, an important work on tantra . It is a short stotra but also remarkably powerful . The stotra is credited with developing the praGYaa (intelligence) and has been given by skanda himself.

praGYaavivardhana (increasing praGYaa) mantras are very important in the vedas and other later literature like the tantras . Why is the development of praGYaa given such importance? The answer is given in the vedas itself . In the
trisuparNa mantra in the mahaanaaraayaNa upanishaad.h, the following mantras occur:

ব্রহ্ম মেধযা .
Brahman is attained through intelligence
মধু মেধযা .
Bliss is attained through intelligence
ব্রহ্মমেব মধু মেধযা .
Brahman, which is verily bliss is attained through intelligence

It should however be noted that the intelligence or medhaa which is referred to here is not the mundane intelligence which we refer to in our daily lives . This medhaa refers to the development of the buddhi such that the truth can be clearly seen . shrii ramaNa maharshhii gives an analogy to illustrate how the pure and clear buddhi perceives brahman . Brahman is hidden from the view of the unclear buddhi like dense clouds hiding the sun . The clear buddhi which has been obtained by intense saadhana, sees brahman like a person seeing the sun through a thin mist . Thus the jiivanmukta, is different from a person without a clear buddhi.

Hence, development of buddhi is given prime importance in our tradition . The most famous examples is the gaayatri mantra, which is chanted during the daily sandhyaava.ndanam.h . Another one is the nitya karma for brahmachaaris, the
samitaadaanam.h . There are various mantras given in the mahaanaaraayaNa upanishhad.h itself, the mantra invoking indra (yashchhandasaam etc) and the medhaa suuktam.h (addressed to sarasvatii and others). There are, of course many more such mantras in the vedas.

However, the recitation of these mantras requires learning them from a guru and many of us are unable to get such an opportunity, especially in this modern age. But, the stotrams from puraaNaas and the tantras can be chanted by one and all,
with no exceptions.

In thamiz tradition, skanda, or murukan as he is called, is considered the very embodiment of all good and it is held that he is eager to bestow GYaanaa to one and all . Thus, true to tradition, at the end of the stotram he says that
anyone chanting his 28 names, even if he is unable to speak will become accomplished in speech, like Brihaspati . The person who considers this as mahaa mantra and chants them will attain mahaa praGYaa (great intelligence).

প্রজ্ঞা বিবর্ধন কার্তিকেয স্তোত্রং
praGYaa vivardhana kaartikeya stotraM

শ্রী গণেশায নমঃ . শ্রী স্কন্দ উবাচ
যোগীশ্বরো মহাসেনঃ কার্তিকেযোঽগ্নিনংদনঃ .
স্কন্দঃ কুমারঃ সেনানী স্বামী শংকরসম্ভবঃ ..
গাংগেযস্তাম্রচূডশ্চ ব্রহ্মচারী শিখিধ্বজঃ .
তারকারিরুমাপুত্রঃ ক্রৌঞ্চারিশ্চ ষডাননঃ ..
শব্দব্রহ্ম সমুদ্রশ্চ সিদ্ধঃ সারস্বতো গুহঃ .
সনত্কুমারো ভগবান্ ভোগ মোক্ষ ফলপ্রদঃ ..
শরজন্মা গুণাদীশঃ পূর্বজো মুক্তি মার্গকৃত্ .
সর্বাগম প্রণেতা চ বাঞ্ছিতার্থ প্রদর্শনঃ ..
অষ্টাবিংশতি নামানি মদীযানীতি যঃ পঠেত্ .
প্রত্যূষম্ শ্রদ্ধযা যুক্তো মূকো বাচস্পতির্ভবেত্ ..
মহামন্ত্রমযা নীতি মম নামানুকীর্তনম্ .
মহাপ্রজ্ঞামবাপ্নোতি নাত্র কার্যা বিচারণা ..

.. ইতি শ্রী রুদ্রযামলে প্রজ্ঞাবিবর্ধনাখ্যম্
শ্রীমত্কার্তিকেযস্তোত্রম্ সংপূর্ণম্ ..