Head Count: 3 for Trisiras, 4 for Brahma, 5 for Siva, 6 for Skanda, 10 for Ravana, 1000 for God; Why?
Purushasuktam is one of the most popular Vedic hymns. It is in the Tenth Mandala of the oldest scripture in the world Rig Veda. It is recited in almost all the temple and domestic rituals. Orthodox Hindus who have studied Vedas recite it every day. The first few verses describe the omnipresence and omnipotence of the God
“ The Purusha (Supreme Being) who has thousands of heads, thousands of eyes and thousands of feet enveloped the earth on all sides and stood beyond it in ten directions of space. All this is Purusha only. All that has been and all that will be. And he is the Lord of Immortality which grows by food”.
In short he is all pervading. He was there and he will be there. He is the giver of immortality. God is projected in cosmic form.
Picture of Mahasadhasivamurty, Meenakshi temple, madurai
Four Faces of Brahma
Brahma is the creator of the universe, the father of gods and men and he is the lord of wisdom from whose heads the four Vedas said to have sprung. Brahma is worshipped as the first member of the Hindu trinity. He is depicted with four Faces/Heads and four arms, holding a sceptre, Akshamala/rosary, Vedas and a bow. Four faces represent Four Vedas Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana
Brahma originally had five heads and lost one head according to the mythology. He is called Prajapathi/Pitamaha. He created a beautiful daughter Satarupa and fell in love with her. When she walked around him he looked at her and one face grew for each direction. When she went to the sky a fifth head emerged to look at her. Brahma’s fifth head was burnt off by the fire of Siva’s third eye because he had spoken disrespectfully.
Five Faces of Lord Shiva
Shiva had many forms and formless Linga as well. His five faces are described in Vedas and Agamas. They are Satyojata, Vamadeva, Agora, Tatpurusha and Isana. Five faces/heads represent five elements and five senses. Five faced Shiva is called Panchanana Shiva and a hymn is also there. Four faces look at four different directions and the fifth looks at the sky. Each is attributed with different colour and action.
The gigantic Trimurti statue at Elephanta caves near Mumbai is actually five faced (Panchanana ) Shiva, but two faces are not carved because of its close position to rocky walls of the caves.
Cambodian Brahma from Paris Museum
Six Faces of Lord Skanda
Lord Skanda, son of Shiva, is the most popular god in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu. Six of his famous temples are there. He is projected as a god with six heads. In fact one of his names is Six Faced (Shan Muka). From Sangam Tamil age until today people have been composing poems on him. Tirumurukatrupadai is one of the Ten Lyrics of Sangam age. Nakkiran was the poet who sang the praise of the lord approximately 2000 years ago. He is describing his six faces as follows:
His faces blossom out from the hearts of devotees, practising austere Tapas
Of these, one face sheds rays of light brightening fully the world shrouded in great darkness
One face lovingly gives boons, being gladdened by the praise of his loving devotees.
One face takes care that no harm befalls the Yagnas performed by Brahmanas according to strict Vedic tradition
One face, like the full moon, spreads light in all quarters removing the doubts of Maharishis, after teaching the truths of science difficult of reach
One face performs the battle sacrifice crushing the hostile hosts, with thoughts dark with revenge and biased against them
One face smiled with joy on his young highland bride with the creeper like waist
In consonance with these various functions of these six faces
On his broad towering shoulders………………………………
Arunagiri’s Praise
Arunagirinathar, a poet of fifteenth century sang Tiruppugaz in praise of Lord Skanda. He praised Lord Murugan/Skandan with six faces as follows:
One face mounted the peacock and flew sportively
One face preached the True Knowledge to Lord Shiva
One face removed the past deeds of devotees who sang your praise
One face stoically directed the spear to pierce through the Mount Krauncha
One face that destroyed the rebellious demons
One face that came forward to marry Valli in wedlock
How come you are known as Lord with the Six Hallowed faces?
Oh Lord you are seated in the old town of Tiruannamalai, oh great one.
Inner meaning:
Sri Gopalasundaram who has translated Arunagiri’s Thiruppugaz into English gives the inner meaning for the six faces:
1.Mounting the Peacock that is my mind you fly around sportively
2.Coming as my Master, Kindly preach me the true knowledge
3.Kindly destroy all my past deeds (bad Karma)
4.Wield your spear to destroy my delusion and attachments
5.Kindly suppress my two slag: egoism and possessiveness
6.Take me over to keep me affixed to your Hallowed feet
In this manner kindly shower compassion from all your six hallowed faces, Oh, Lord Muruga.
Ravana: Ravana’s Ten Heads/Faces mean he had control over ten directions. He has conquered all his enemies in the ten directions. Another explanation is that he mastered Four Vedas+Six Shastras; the third explanation is that he has created an illusion that he was everywhere i.e. in all directions.
Hindus divide directions into ten. This means eight cardinal points in the compass+up and down.
Trisiras: It means Three headed. He was the son of Twashta. Trisiras had another name Viswarupa.He was killed by Indra. Twashta then created another son Vritrasura to take revenge against Indra.
Dattatreya: There are other gods shown with many heads and they are only symbolic. Several virtues are attributed to them through each head. Dattareya is portrayed with three heads to show the three aspects of Creator, Preserver and Destroyer i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
References for Tamil Readers:
முருகனின் ஆறுமுகம், திருப்புகழ், அருணகிரிநாதர்
ஏறுமயில் ஏறி விளையாடும் முகம் ஒன்றே
ஈசருடன் ஞான மொழி பேசும் முகம் ஒன்றே
கூறுமடியார்கள் வினை தீர்த்த முகம் ஒன்றே
குன்றுருவ வேல் வாங்கி நின்ற முகம் ஒன்றே
மாறுபடு சூரரை வதைத்த முகம் ஒன்றே
வள்ளியை மணம் புணர வந்த முகம் ஒன்றே
ஆறுமுகமான பொருள் நீயருளல் வேண்டும்
ஆதி அருணாசலம் அமர்ந்த பெருமாளே.
-------
திருமுருகாற்றுப்படை (நக்கீரர்)
மாயிருள் ஞாலம் மறுவின்றி விளங்கப்
பலகதிர் விரிந்தன்று ஒருமுகம் ஒருமுகம்
ஆர்வலர் ஏத்த அமர்ந்தினிது ஒழுகி
காதலின் உவந்து வரம் கொடுத்தன்றே ஒருமுகம்
மந்திர விதியின் மரபுளி வழா அ
அந்தணர் வேள்வி ஓர்க்கும்மே ஒருமுகம்
எஞ்சிய பொருள்களை ஏமுற நாடித்
திங்கள் போல திசை விளக்கும்மே ஒருமுகம்
செறுநர் தேய்த்து செல் சம முருகி
அறுவுகொள் நெஞ்சமொடு களம் வேட்டன்றே ஒருமுகம்
குறவர் மடமகள் கொடிபோல் நுசிப்பின்
மடவார் வள்ளியொடு நடையமர்ந்தன்றே
**************
