Vel
{{Short description|Divine spear in Hindu mythology}}
{{about|a divine entity in Hinduism||Vel (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name = Vel
| image = GOD CAVE 3 0271.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Kartikeya statue with Vel at Batu Caves, Malaysia
| origin = India
| type = Spear
| is_ranged =
| is_bladed = Yes
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| used_by =Kartikeya
| wars =
| designer =Given to Kartikeya by Parvati (mother)
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{{Kaumaram}}
{{Saivism}}
Vel ({{langx|ta|வேல்|lit=Vēl}}) is a divine spear associated with Murugan, the Tamil Hindu god of war.{{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}}
Significance
According to Shaiva tradition, the goddess Parvati presented the Vel to her son Kartikeya(also known as Murugan), as an embodiment of her shakti, in order to vanquish the asura Surapadman. According to the Skanda Purana, in the war between Kartikeya and Surapadman, Kartikeya used the vel to defeat all the forces of Surapadman.{{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}} 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 ({{langx|ta|சேவல்|lit=Cēval}}), and the other a peacock ({{langx|ta|மயில்|lit=Mayil}}). Henceforth, the peacock became his vahana or mount, and the rooster became the emblem on his battle flag.{{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}}
Vel, as a symbol of divinity, is an object of worship in the temples dedicated to Kartikeya. The annual Thaipusam festival celebrates the occasion when Kartikeya received the divine vel from his mother.{{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}} During this festival, some of the devotees pierce their skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers while they undertake a procession towards the Kartikeya temple.
Adi-vel is a major festival observed in Sri Lanka by Tamil Hindus in July/August, known as Adi.{{Cite book|title=The Real Ceylon |last=Elliott |first=C. Brooke |date=1938 |publisher=H. W. Cave & Co |page=133 |language=en}} The festival takes place in cities such as Katharagama and Colombo.{{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}}
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.{{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| publisher=All 4 Siva }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
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 the temple
File:Murugan statue srisailam.jpg|Statue of Murugan with 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
See also
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
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