Because of his pride, demon Soorapadman fails to perceive Lord Shanmukha’s greatness. He says Shanmukha was tossed by the wind, burnt by fire, carried away by the waters of the Ganga and drank the milk of women other than His mother. Should one fear Him, he asks mockingly?
Shanmukha’s birth united the five elements and this testifies to His greatness, but Soorapadman sees it as something to be made fun of. Thus did Ravana think highly of his prowess, and failed to see that Rama was God incarnate. He was killed by Rama and Soorapadman meets a similar fate at the hands of Shanmukha.
The Kanda Puranam thus shows that pride leads to disaster, and apart from his, there are many other messages in it, D. Gnanasundaram said in a discourse.
Soorapadman is determined to fight and Shanmukha leaves His camp, making his way to the demon’s capital city. The Lord’s warriors kill the demon’s soldiers one after another.
Soorapadman’s son Bhanugopan is a mighty warrior and he enters the battlefield. He showers arrows upon the Lord’s army, but they fall uselessly on the ground.
Kachiappa Sivachariar, author of the Kanda Puranam, compares the uselessness of the fallen arrows to the uselessness of ill-gotten gains. Wealth acquired by dishonest means will be of no use to the person who has so acquired them.
A fierce battle ensues between Bhanugopan and commander of the Lord’s army Virabahu and the former is killed. Pleased with Virabahu’s victory, Shanmukha praises him and asks him what he wishes to be given as a reward. Virabahu’s reply is an example of true bhakti. He says he does not want to be wealthy like Kubera. Nor does he aspire for the pomp and power of Indra, king of the celestials. He does not want the position of Brahma either. All he wants is to serve at the Lord’s feet.
Iraniyan, another of Soorapadman’s sons, tells his father that Shanmukha is none other than Lord Siva.
Thus, the Kanda Puranam establishes that Siva and Shanmukha are one and the same.
