Sashti

Sashti is an important day dedicated to Lord Muruga or Kartikeya. Sashti is a favorite day for Lord Muruga. Several devotees of Lord Muruga observe fast and offer prayers to Him on Sashti day. There are two Sashti in a Hindu lunar month. One Sashti after Amavasya and another after Purnima (Pournami). The Sashti coming after Amavasya (new moon night) is the one meant for fasting. One gets blessings of Lord Muruga when they meditate on Him on Sashti day.

Sashti is observed on the 6th day of each lunar fortnight, that is, Shukla Paksha (the waxing phase of moon) and Krishna Paksha (the period of waning phase of moon) of every lunar month in the traditional Hindu calendar. Thus there are two occurrences of Sashti every month.

Significance of Sashti

Fasting is the most important ritual on Sashti. Several devotees of Lord Muruga observe partial or full fast and offer prayers to Him on each Sashti day. Fasting is not just abstaining from food but it is also an attempt to instill positive thoughts. Many people use fasting as a means to work on getting rid of their negative tendencies such as anger, greed, pride etc. All Vratas associated with Hindu religion is an attempt to realize the Brahman (God). On Sashti, Murugan devotees also read ‘Skanda Purana’ and recite the ‘Skanda Sashti Kavacham’. It is considered very auspicious to visit the temples of Lord Muruga on Sashti.

Spiritual Significance of Sashti (6)

The number six is a symbolic representation of the human mind. The mind has six faculties or allies – 1. Reason, 2. Emotion, 3. Thought, 4. Awareness, 5. Knowledge and 6. Intelligence and six enemies – 1. Lust, 2. Anger, 3. Greed, 4. Pride, 5. Delusion, and 6. Envy. The Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita repeatedly emphasize the importance of having a pure mind in the realization of Brahman. The six heads of Lord Muruga represents the 6 chakras (vital centers) of nervous activity in the human body. Whenever an aspirant attempts to rise above his human limitations and experience oneness with the Eternal, Lord Muruga gives him all the strength to conquer the evil inside him and for the acquisition of the final truth.

Goddess Parvati presented the Vel to her son Lord Muruga as an embodiment of her Shakthi (Power and Energy) to vanquish the evil asura Soorapadman. The Spear or Vel is the weapon which pierces through the demon of ignorance. The shape of Vel also shows that knowledge in the form of Jyoti will start from the Muladhara (Basic) chakra, represented by the bottom of the Vel, pass through the intermediate Nadis and chakras which are represented by the body of the Vel and pierce through the crown, which is represented by the sharp, leaf shaped end of the Vel, and in the end will shine resplendent in the top beyond all these chakras and Nadis. The Vel is the symbol of courage and of the triumph of good over evil. Meditating on Vel is considered auspicious. The Vel, which is Wisdom-Absolute, also annihilates the inner Asuras or Enemies of Avidya, Karma and liberates the Soul.