Batik Painting of Lord Murugan

Lord Muruga has been given a place of place in Hindu pantheon. He is considered essentially as the Tamil God (Tamizh Kadavul). He is the repository of Jñana (Knowledge) and the very fountainhead of the three branches of Tamil literature -- prose (iyal), verse (icai) and theatre (natakam). His glory and pre-eminence arise due to three reasons: He ‘arrived’ on this planet as the son of Lord Siva, as the younger brother of Lord Ganesa and as the nephew of Lord Narayana. He is worshipped as Kaliyuga Varada, the God who blesses and protects those who ardently seek His grace (in this Age of Quarrel). Kausalya, Lord Rama's mother invoked the blessings of Skanda when Rama took leave of her prior to his departure to the forest as per King Dasaratha's wish. And in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna declares that among all commanders, He is Skanda.
Muruga contains in Himself the three divine eternal functions -- creation (sristi), protection (sthithi) and destruction (samhara) as evidenced by the three first letters in His name: MU -- Mukundan (Vishnu), RU -- Rudra (Siva) and KA -- Kamalan (Brahma). The three integral elements of Muruga's personality are spear (vel) in His hand, peacock as His mount and cock adorning His banner. Vel signifies jñanasakti (power of wisdom); this was given to Muruga by His Divine Mother. Parvati wishing Him victory over asuras (titans) led by the tyrannous Surapadma. The glittering spear of Muruga is venerated by devotees as Sakti Vel or Veera Vel signifying its extraordinary power and strength. Cock and peacock represent nada and bindu. The peacock displays the divine shape of Omkara when it spreads its magnificent plumes into a full-blown circular form, while the cock proclaims loudly the Pranava sound OM. Muruga shines as the very essence of the Vedas and mantras.