In Hindu mythology, every god has a weapon or an item with excellent symbolic and metaphorical references. For instance, Lord Shiva is seen with a ‘Damru’ that signifies infinity. He is also seen with the ‘Trishul’ which stands for the three Gunas prescribed in the Dharma.
We will talk about Lord Karthikeyan’s weapon, the ‘Vel weapon‘, and the exciting story behind it.
How was this Vel weapon made?
The origin, formation, and need for this Vel weapon represent a critical Hindu mythology incident. Its source of creation and story makes it so crucial for Lord Karthikeyan and his worshippers.
Origin of the Vel Weapon
The ‘Vel’ is the weapon used by the South Indian war God-Lord Karthikeyan – the second son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is known to be a weapon that was handed over to Karthikeyan by goddess Parvati. According to the Vel story, the weapon is supposed to have been bestowed with the ‘Shakthi’ and it is said that the Vel is goddess Parvati herself.
The legend says that Goddess Parvati accompanied her son to the war against the Asuras Surapadman. Surapadman was creating havoc with his boon of immortality provided by lord Shiva himself.
During the war, Surapadman transformed himself into a mango tree, and the Vel split him into halves. One-half became a Rooster, and the other half became a Peacock, which became the mount (vahana) of the Lord Karthikeyan.
Importance of Vel Weapon in the Indian Mythology
Historically, the Vel has been the weapon used by the Tamils during warfare. And Lord Karthikeyan is famously known as Lord Murugan by Tamils.
The war cries “Vetri Vel” “Veera Vel” which means “Victorious Vel” and “Brave Vel” in Tamilian. Vel, in English, also means “to win” or “to conquer”. It suitably signifies the actual meaning of this weapon.
Worshippers of Lord Karthikeyan give immense importance to the Vel as the Vel Lord Karthikeyan’s supreme weapon. Its essence is pretty much evident in the homes of many of his worshippers.
They believe that the Vel is powerful enough to kill all harmful forces. Due to the presence of certain powerful elements in its constitution, the Vel is regarded as one of the most powerful weapons in the context of Indian Mythology.
The popularity of Vel amongst the devotees of Lord Karthikeyan:
The Vel is made up of 5 metals silver, gold, lead, copper, and iron. These five elements can absorb all negativity, bringing positive vibes into the house. It is one of the main reasons why it is prevalent in many South Indian homes, especially ardent Karthikeyan devotees.
The appearance of Lord Karthikeyan’s weapon is as impressive as the story behind the Vel. As we can see, the Vel’s appearance has an overall shape that becomes pointed at the tip. It signifies the depth of knowledge and our broadness of thought. The pointed tip means how sharply and skilfully we should use our knowledge.
Understanding the Vedas
It is essential to understand that in the Vedas, it is not out of imagination how the Hindu gods have been projected. But, there are appearances, features, and characteristics with a symbolic significance that we should grasp. It is what makes any religion, for that matter of fact, rational.
Religion was a way to keep people morally upright and had a disciplined mode of doing routine work. But since all could not understand these explanations, the outer surface of it was taught and preached.
Thus, in a way, they were made to follow the rituals without going deep into the explanation part. Now that we have a clearer understanding of what is done and why it is done, we should also understand these rituals’ cultural significance.
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