The Largest of all the Puranas is Skanda Maha Puranam. It has approximately 1.5 Lakh Slokas. It can also be said as the largest of all Granthas. This Puranam tells about Lord Muruga who is also praised in Valmiki Ramayanam, Kalidasa's Kumara Sambavam. We can see Lord Muruga in very old coins found in North India. Even in North-Western Border of Pakistan, Kushana coins depict Lord Muruga.
The Vedas, which precedes everything, praises Lord Muruga. The Rig Veda Pancha Sutra tells about Lord Shiva. This Sukta states 'Father who worships his son'. Skandan and his Paarshataas are included in the daily Vedic Tarpanas in the Bodhayana Dharma Sutra.
We affectionately say Lord Muruga as the special deity for Tamil. We have been worshipping him as deity of Mountains since long. Tholkappiyar's Tholkappiyam states this. 'சேயோன் மேய மைவரை உலகமும்'. 'Arupadai Veedu' are famous Subramanya Kshetrams in Tamil Nadu. Lord Muruga created Tamil and made it grow. He has been one of the scholars of Tamil. He is the one who taught Sage Agastya, the Tamil Grammar. Nakkiranar wrote Tirumurukātruppaṭai, praising Lord Muruga in Tamil.
For these reasons, we call him as 'Tamil Deity'. But these days, many people think that the Vedic Culture and Tamil Culture are different. But, Vedic Culture has always been the Tamil Culture. Though he is called as Tamil deity, we cannot wrongly conclude that he is not referred in Vedas or not known in North India . As we saw, he is referred from the time of Rig Veda to the time of the Ramayana, then to the Purana period, to the time of Kalidasa, to the time of the kings like Guptas. His glory has spread all over India.
Yagas are important for Vedas. Agni(Fire) is important for Yagas. Of all Gods, Lord Muruga is the form of Agni. He has originated from the eyes of Sky God - Shiva in the form of Agni. Even Agni Deva(God of Fire) and Vayu Deva(God of Air) couldn't bare the heat but managed to drop in River Poigai(Water). He has temples in the highest peaks of Bhumi(Earth). Thus, he is related to the Pancha Boothas but he is said to be Agni Svarupa of Pancha Bhoothas, as he originated as a ball of fire. This is said in Amarakosham.
ஸேநானீ: அக்னி: பூ குஹ: .
Lord Muruga incarnates to save our Sanathana Dharma. He has already taken 2 incarnations
to save our Vedas- One in South India and another in North India. In South India, he
incarnated in Tamil Nadu as ThiruGnana Sambhandhar. In North India, he incarnated as
Kumarila Bhattar. But how do we know that Gnana Sambandhar is an incarnation of Muruga?
Arunagirinathar, the greatest devotee of Lord Muruga mentions in Thiruppugazh 'உறை
புகலியூரில் அன்று வருவோனே Urai Pugaliyuril Anru Varuvone'. Pugaliyur is
Sirkazhi. Sirkazhi was the birth place of Thiru Gnana Sambandhar. Sekkizhar also tells this
வேதநெறி தழைத்தோங்க'. In Pathupaatu(பத்துப்பாட்டு), Nakkiranar tells about the
Six Faced, Lord Muruga and the functions of each face. In that he says, Lord Muruga has one face to see that the Yagas are done by Brahmins as per the rules.
ஒரு முகம்
மந்திர விதியின் மரபுளி வழா அது
அந்தணர் வேள்வி ஓர்க்கும் மே
