%@@1
% File name             : shrIkArtikeyastotram.itx
%--------------------------------------------
% Text title            : shrIkArtikeyastotram
% Author                : skanda
% Language              : Sanskrit
% Subject               : philosophy/hinduism/religion
% Description/comments  : rudrayAmala
% Transliterated by     : Rama Balasubramanian rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu and Ravin Bhalekar ravibhalekar@hotmail.com
% Proofread by          : Rama Balasubramanian rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu and Ravin Bhalekar ravibhalekar@hotmail.com
% Latest update         : December 18, 2004
% Send corrections to   : sanskrit@cheerful.com
%
% Special Instructions:
% i1h.hdr,ijag.inc,itrans.sty,multicol.sty,iarticle.sty
% Transliteration scheme: ITRANS 5.2
% Site access  :
% http://sanskrit.gde.to/
% http://sanskrit.bhaarat.com
%-----------------------------------------------------
% The text is prepared by volunteers and is to be used for personal study
% and research.  The file is not to be copied or reposted for promotion of 
% any website or individuals or for commercial purpose without permission.
%        Please help to maintain respect for volunteer spirit.
% @@2
%
% Commands upto engtitle are
% needed for devanaagarii output and formatting.
%

\documentstyle[11pt,multicol,itrans]{article}
%\documentclass[11pt]{article}
%\usepackage{multicol}
#include=ijag.inc
#endwordvowel=.h
\portraitwide
\parindent=100pt                
\let\usedvng=\Largedvng      % for 1 column     
\pagenumbering{itrans} 
\def\engtitle#1{\hrule\medskip\centerline{\LARGE #1}}
\def\itxtitle#1{\medskip\centerline{\LARGEdvng #1}\medskip\hrule}
\def\endtitles{\medskip\obeyspaceslines}
%%
\begin{document}

\engtitle{.. kaartikeya skanda (hymn)   ..}##
\itxtitle{.. kaartikeya skanda  ..}##\endtitles ##
##
           Hymn to kaartikeya or skanda

The following stotra on ska.nda is from the rudra yaamala, an important work
on tantra . It is a short stotra but also remarkably powerful . The stotra is
credited with developing the praGYaa (intelligence) and has been given by skanda
himself.

praGYaavivardhana (increasing praGYaa) mantras are very important in the vedas
and other later literature like the tantras . Why is the development of praGYaa
given such importance? The answer is given in the vedas itself . In the
trisuparNa mantra in the mahaanaaraayaNa upanishaad.h, the following mantras
occur:

##brahma medhayaa .##
Brahman is attained through intelligence
##madhu medhayaa .##
Bliss is attained through intelligence
##brahmameva madhu medhayaa .##
Brahman, which is verily bliss is attained through intelligence

It should however be noted that the intelligence or medhaa which is referred to
here is not the mundane intelligence which we refer to in our daily lives . This
medhaa refers to the development of the buddhi such
that the truth can be clearly
seen . shrii ramaNa maharshhii gives an analogy to illustrate how the pure and
clear buddhi perceives brahman . Brahman is hidden from the view of the unclear
buddhi like dense clouds hiding the sun . The clear buddhi which has been
obtained by intense saadhana, sees brahman like a person seeing the sun through
a thin mist . Thus the jiivanmukta, is different from a person without a clear
buddhi.

Hence, development of buddhi is given prime importance in our tradition . The
most famous examples is the gaayatri mantra, which is chanted during the daily
sandhyaava.ndanam.h . Another one is the nitya karma for brahmachaaris, the
samitaadaanam.h . There are various mantras given in the mahaanaaraayaNa
upanishhad.h itself, the mantra invoking indra (yashchhandasaam etc) and the
medhaa suuktam.h (addressed to sarasvatii and others). There are, of course many
more such mantras in the vedas.

However, the recitation of these mantras requires learning them from a guru and
many of us are unable to get such an opportunity, especially in this modern age.
But, the stotrams from puraaNaas and the tantras can be chanted by one and all,
with no exceptions.

In thamiz tradition, skanda, or murukan as he is called, is considered the
very embodiment of all good and it is held that he is eager to bestow GYaanaa to
one and all . Thus, true to tradition, at the end of the stotram he says that
anyone chanting his 28 names, even if he is unable to speak will become
accomplished in speech, like Brihaspati . The person who considers this as mahaa
mantra and chants them will attain mahaa praGYaa (great intelligence).

Ramakrishnan.

           ##  praGYaa vivardhana kaartikeya stotraM##
            praGYaa vivardhana kaartikeya stotraM
##
shrIgaNeshAya namaH |
skanda uvAcha |
yogishvaro mahAsenaH kArtikeyo.agninandanaH |
skandaH kumAraH senAnIH svAmI sha~NkarasambhavaH || 1||
gA~NgeyastAmrachUDashcha brahmachArI shikhidhvajaH |
tArakArirumAputraH krau~n{}chArishcha ShaDAnanaH || 2||
shabdabrahmasamudrashcha siddhaH sArasvato guhaH |
sanatkumAro bhagavAn bhogamokShaphalapradaH || 3||
sharajanmA gaNAdhIshapUrvajo muk{}timArgakR^it |
sarvAgamapraNetA cha vA~n{}chhitArthapradarshanaH || 4||
aShTAviMshatinAmAni madIyAnItiyaH paThet |
pratyUShaM shraddhayA yuk{}to mUko vAchaspatirbhavet || 5||
mahAman{}tramayAnIti mama nAmAnukIrtanam |
mahApraj~nAmavAp{}noti nAtra kAryA vichAraNA || 6||

|| iti shrIrudrayAmale praj~nAvivardhanAkhyaM 
shrImatkArtikeyastotraM sampUrNam ||
##
The sixteen names are not explained since they are easily understood . 
Some of the names refer to some legends associated with skanda.

Skanda said:

The person who reads my 28 names told here with concentration, in the morning,
obtains equal status with Brihaspati in speech, even if he cannot speak.
Further, the person who reads my names as maha mantras obtains great
intelligence . There is no doubt about this.
  
Encoded and proofread by
Rama Balasubramanian rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu
and
Ravin Bhalekar ravibhalekar@hotmail.com
Notes by Rama Balasubramanian.

\medskip\hrule\obeylines
\medskip
{\rm Please send corrections to sanskrit@cheerful.com}
{\rm Last updated \today}
\end{document}