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Śūrapadmā

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Surapadma
Murugan defeats Surapadman.
TextsSkanda Purana
Genealogy
ParentsKashyapa (father), Maya (mother)
SiblingsTarakasura
SpousePadmakomalai
ChildrenBanukopan, Iraniyan, various other sons

Surapadma (Sanskrit: शूरपद्म), Surapadman (Tamil: சூரபத்மன்) or Sooran is an asura featured in Hindu literature. He is the son of the sage Kashyapa and a shakti named Maya.[1] He wages war against the devas by invading Devaloka with a massive army.[2] He is defeated by Murugan, and according to Tamil tradition, turned into his vahana, the peacock. He is the brother of Tarakasura.[3] His eldest son is Banukopan.[4][5]

Legend

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The Kanda Puranam, the Tamil iteration of the Skanda Purana, describes the legend of Surapadma. He is said to have engaged in intense austerities to propitiate the deity Shiva, who appeared to grant the asura a boon. He asked for the boon of living for 108 yugas, and reign over the 1008 worlds. He marries Padmakomalai, with whom he sired several sons, the eldest of whom is Banukopan. Establishing his capital at a city named Viramakendiram located at the eastern sea, he ruled the world. An enemy of the devas, he started to harass them, and attacked a number of Indra's sons. He also desired Indrani, the wife of Indra. When Indra and his wife fled to the earth, Murugan sent his messenger named Viravakutevar to urge Surapadma to cease his activities, but to no avail. Murugan declared war on Surapadma, and in the ensuing battle, all of the latter's sons except Iraniyan were slain. Unwilling to concede his defeat, Surapadma retreated to the sea, assuming the form of a mango tree. Murugan sliced the tree in twain, from which emerged a cock and a peacock. The deity started to employ the cock as his battle standard, and the peacock as his mount.[6]

Tiruchendur is identified by adherents as the site Surapadma is slain by Murugan.[7]

In Tamil tradition, Surapadma is conceived with the same origin as Tarakasura, the asura who necessitates the birth of a son of Shiva, Murugan. The slaying of Surapadma by Murugan is also described to mark the onset of the Kali Yuga.[8] The downfall of Surapadma is the legend behind the occasion of the festival of Thaipusam.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Handelman, Don (25 September 2013). One God, Two Goddesses, Three Studies of South Indian Cosmology. BRILL. p. 36. ISBN 978-90-04-25739-9.
  2. ^ Mani, Vettam (1 January 2015). Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 767. ISBN 978-81-208-0597-2.
  3. ^ Parmeshwaranand, Swami (2001). Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas. Sarup & Sons. p. 38. ISBN 8176252263.
  4. ^ Sivkishen (2015). Kingdom of Shiva. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd. p. 644. ISBN 9788128830280.
  5. ^ W. Clothey, Fred (1978). The Many Faces of Murukan̲: The History and Meaning of a South Indian God. Walter De Gruyter. p. 170. ISBN 9789027976321.
  6. ^ Dalal, Roshen (18 April 2014). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. p. 1190. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
  7. ^ Melton, J. Gordon (13 September 2011). Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations [2 volumes]: An Encyclopedia of Holidays, Festivals, Solemn Observances, and Spiritual Commemorations. ABC-CLIO. p. 821. ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
  8. ^ Belle, Carl Vadivella (14 February 2018). Thaipusam in Malaysia. Flipside Digital Content Company Inc. p. 189. ISBN 978-981-4786-66-9.
  9. ^ Juergensmeyer, Mark; Roof, Wade Clark (2012). Encyclopedia of Global Religion. SAGE. p. 1267. ISBN 978-0-7619-2729-7.
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