This Thamizh name for Muruhan – spelt AaRumukam or AaRumugam – is not popular now-a-days! Earlier in Thamizh naadu and Sri Lanka many had this name. Atleast for cultural reasons, the Thamizhians of present-generation should know the meanings of this name and such other names.

Muruhan [Murugan] – the Personification of Beauty, Ever-Youthfulness, Fragrance, Honey [that preserves and adds sweetness] and Divinity – has gained more names : Kaarthikeyan, Kandhasuvami, AaRumugan, Subramaniyan, etc.

We take up for deeper consideration the name AaRumugan/AaRumugam the Sanskrit form of which is ShaNmukhan/ShaNmukham, meaning : “The Six-Faced one” [Shad + Mukham = ShaNmukham; Shad = Six; Mukham = Face]. Kandhan the Supporter of all that exist [Kandhu = Support, Pillar] is “The Six-Faced” AaRumugan/AsRumugam.

While the Sanskrit–word “Shad” means; just the numeral Six (6), the Thamizh word for the number 6, AaRu has several more meanings, connected meanings and connotations leading on to make us understand and appreciate the several aspects of Murugan.

The great Poet-Saint AruNagirinaadhar who had sung and written thousands of hymns on Muruhan begins one hymn with “AaRumugam” repeated Six times continuously. (Pazhani Thiruppugazh, Song 114). Did the great gifted Saint-Poet lack vocabulary? Of course No! Obviously he delved deeper and deeper as he repeated the Holy Name AuRumugam six times continuously.

Let’s try to explain briefly some of the several meanings of the word AaRumuham.

(a) AaRu means [in Thamizh]:

. The numeral/number Six (6)
. The Path
. River [“cuts a path” – Aru -> AaRu]
. Conduct – the “right/Proper” Path
. Side
. Religious/Spiritual Paths called “Samayam” in Thamizh – meaning that which prepares us for more purposeful and “higher”/Spiritual life.
. Kind (Noun) [Eg : KINDS of many things, etc. in different ways]
. State/Stage
. The way to achieve a goal
. Nature [The nature of anything]

(2) Muham means:

. Face
. The gate-way
. Place/Spot
. The junction/the point of joining

With these several meanings, “AaRumugam” suggests different thoughts connected with Muruhan as “AaRumuhan”. “He” has Six (6) “Faces”, with the ability to “see” on ALL sides [The 4 directions AND “Up” and “Down” – the high sky, the upper worlds, the world of Divine Beings; the Neither Worlds, and INWARD.

This indicates that “He” is ALL-PERVADING; there’s no place where “He” is not! Devotees of Muruhan in their deep, devotion enjoy interpreting that the “Six Faces” connote the “Five Faces” of Lord Siva plus the “One Face” of Mother Sakthi [5 + 1]. Can there be any place without The Absolute – Sivam/Sivan and Sakthi the Energy? According to the Hindu conception all “Creation” is but the “Projection” of the “Creator”; He/She/It is ALL in ALL! So, AaRumugan is All-pervading, All-knowing and All-powerful.

“He” is the PATH and the Goal; “He” shows us the Path; leads us on making us follow the Right Path–Through different Stages; “He” guides us assuming different natures, moods forms, etc. Through “Him” we reach the ultimate Goal of God-head - The Absolute, Sivam [which is The TRUTH/“Satyam” and The BEAUTY/“Sundaram”].

Taking all such ideas, the Devotees of Murugan associate the Numeral Six to more connected thoughts.

AaRumugan was “suckled” by the SIX STARS of the “Kaarthigai”/pleiades Constellation, who took the form of SIX “mothers” to enjoy the Bliss and Blessings of the SIX “Babies” born out of the SIX Sparks out of Lord Siva’s “Third Eye” – Eye of true knowledge – Self-Knowledge.

In “His” campaign against the Evil Forces [led by “Soora-padman” and his cohorts] “He” is supposed to have “camped” in SIX Places, which have become the SIX Special Temples where Lord Muruhan bestows special Blessing to His Devotees; Though while “He” is ALL in ALL, pervasive everywhere, He is specially manifest in the following “Six Temples” [in Thamizhnaadu] :

(1)  Thirup-parankundRam (west of Madurai)
(2)  Thiruch-cheer-alaivaay (Thiruchendhoor in Thirunelveli District)
(3)  Thiru Aavinankudi (Pazhani in Madurai District)
(4)  Thiru Ehragam (Swaami Malai, near KumbakohNam, Thanjaavoor District)
(5)  “KundRuthohRaadal” [ThiruththaNi, near Chennai is credited to be the place – though “He” “enjoys” playing in all hills; yogically, our heads – the top of our brains – is referred to as “KundRu”; when the “kundalini” sakthi reaches the peak of this Hill, AaRumuhan “Dances” there! “Kundalini” passes – SIX “Chakras” – Six Stages.
(6)  Pazhamudhirsohlai (Azhagarkohyil East of Madurai)

NOTE: ALL the Six Special Temples noted above are also located on hills.

Yet another fact in the story of “AaRumuhan” is this : It was on the SIXTH Day of the waxing moon in the Thamizh month of “Aippasi” (November), that Muruhan put an end to the egoistic atrocities of “Soora-padman” and blessed him, the latter, to become the vehicle and the insignia of His Flag – the boon the “Asura” had prayed for in his previous life; we observe this event as the “Kandha Sashti” (Sixth day) Festival of Fast.

YANTRAM and MANTRAM

Hindu Deities are symbolically represented through special geometrical figures called “Yantram”s – also called “Chakkarams”, because they indicate active movement like a machine and completeness like any cyclic movement. (Note the whole existence is coordinated movement!). “AaRumugan”’s “Chakkaram” [Yantram] is appropriately Six-faced. All “Chakkarams” have well-balanced parts, all forming one unified whole – an illustration of God [or a Deity] in the world, universe and in our Body-Mind.

A “Mandhiram” is that which has been revealed to and authoritatively expressed by highly spiritually evolved people; this represents any Particular Deity in the form of a few letters put in an order by those great discoverers; “Mantram” gains power through the person [“Guru”] who initiates a devotee; “Mantram” “pulls” and “draws”, gives strength to the mind [“Man” = Mind; To THINK; “Thiram” = Strength].