The Three Gunas, the Three Shaktis, and Murugan’s Grace of Knowledge

The Three Divine Powers and the Three Attributes of Nature

Indian spiritual thought often explains the universe through subtle philosophical ideas. Among these are the three divine powers known as iccha, jnana and kriya shakti — the powers of will, knowledge and action through which consciousness expresses itself.

When the same movement of creation enters the field of nature, it appears as the three gunas — sattva, rajas and tamas. These are the forces that shape the mind, the senses, and the countless forms of life in the world.

Yet these truths are not preserved only in philosophical texts. The spiritual imagination of the tradition has expressed them through stories, symbols and devotional worship. Nowhere is this more beautifully illustrated than in the tradition surrounding Murugan.

The Three Powers of Consciousness

In Saiva thought, the Supreme Reality is not a passive principle. Consciousness is inseparable from its power — Shakti.

When the Absolute expresses itself through Shakti, three fundamental powers are spoken of:

• Iccha Shakti — the power of divine will
• Jnana Shakti — the power of knowledge and illumination
• Kriya Shakti — the power of action and manifestation

Through iccha, the possibility of creation arises.
Through jnana, the form and order of creation are known.
Through kriya, the universe unfolds into activity and expression.

These are not separate forces but three aspects of the same living consciousness.

The Three Gunas in the Field of Nature

As creation enters the realm of Maya or Prakriti, movement of manifestation appears in another form.

Nature expresses itself through three fundamental tendencies known as the gunas.
Sattva represents clarity, harmony and light.
Rajas represents movement, activity and restlessness.
Tamas represents inertia, obscuration and solidity.

Every aspect of life — the body, the mind, emotions and actions — is shaped by the interplay of these three forces.
When sattva predominates, the mind becomes clear and balanced.
When rajas dominates, life becomes restless and driven by activity.
When tamas prevails, dullness and inertia obscure understanding.

The ancient sages therefore described worldly existence as the interplay of the gunas. Yet the divine reality itself is not bound by this shifting play of qualities.

When Philosophy Becomes Living Symbolism

In the Muruga tradition, while the world of prakriti moves within the shifting play of the three gunas, Murugan is praised by Arunagirinathar as “En Guna Panjaran” — the living embodiment in whom eight divine qualities dwell in perfect fullness.

Similarly, the three powers of consciousness appear symbolically through Muruga and his two consorts.

Muruga himself shines as the embodiment of jnana shakti — the illuminating power of knowledge. His two consorts represent the other two divine powers. Valli embodies iccha shakti, the longing of the soul for the Divine. Devasena embodies kriya shakti, the power that sustains action and cosmic order.

Thus the divine triad of iccha, jnana and kriya becomes visible through the sacred narratives celebrated in temples and festivals. Among these sacred narratives, the story of Valli’s marriage carries a particularly profound spiritual meaning.

The Inner Meaning of Valli’s Marriage

The two marriages of Murugan carry profound symbolism.

Marriage with Devasena represents Kriya Shakti — the divine power of action through which cosmic order is sustained. Symbolically this corresponds to the path of right action (dharma, karma yoga). So Devasena represents life lived in accordance with divine order through righteous action.

Marriage with Valli, on the other hand, represents the yearning of the individual soul.

Valli is described as a simple tribal maiden. This description carries a deeper meaning. It reminds us that the human soul, even while living amidst nature, longs for the Divine.

But another important truth lies hidden in this story. It is not only that the soul longs for God; the Divine too, out of compassion, comes searching for the soul.

Arunagirinathar expresses this beautifully in the Tiruppugazh hymn “Vedar Sezhunthinai.” In this song, the poet recalls Murugan’s many attempts to approach Valli while she was guarding the millet field in the land of the hunters.

வேடர்செ ழுந்தினை காத்திதண் மீதிலி ருந்தபி ராட்டிவி
லோசன அம்புக ளாற்செயல் தடுமாறி
மேனித ளர்ந்துரு காப்பரி தாபமு டன்புன மேற்றிரு
வேளைபு குந்தப ராக்ரம மதுபாடி
நாடறி யும்படி கூப்பிடு நாவலர் தங்களை யார்ப்பதி
னாலுல கங்களு மேத்திய இருதாளில்
நாறுக டம்பணி யாப்பரி வோடுபு ரந்தப ராக்ரம
நாடஅ ருந்தவம் வாய்ப்பது மொருநாளே
(Tiruppugazh – “Vedar Sezhunthinai”)

Here Murugan does not remain a distant deity. In order to reach Valli, who is guarding the millet field in the land of the hunters, he himself goes there. Entering the world of the hunters, living amidst their way of life, he tries many ways to approach her.

This compassionate descent reveals a profound spiritual truth: God comes down toward the soul.

When Murugan finally reveals his true form and accepts Valli, it represents the moment when Iccha Shakti (the power of longing) and Jnana Shakti (the light of knowledge) unite.

Thus the deepest philosophical truths continue to live vividly within the devotional tradition.

Muruga as the Light of Jnana Shakti

In the hymns of Arunagirinathar, Muruga is not merely praised as a warrior deity. He is invoked as the dispeller of ignorance and the revealer of truth.

The mind caught in the play of the gunas moves constantly between agitation and dullness. Rajas drives restless activity, while tamas clouds understanding.

The grace of Muruga is described as the light that cuts through these veils of rajas and tamas.

For this reason Muruga is often praised as the inner guru, the one who awakens wisdom within the heart.

The vel, the radiant spear he carries, is traditionally understood as the sharp power of knowledge that pierces the veils of ignorance.

The Vision Behind the Hymns of Arunagirinathar

When Arunagirinathar sings of Muruga with intense devotion, he is not merely celebrating divine beauty. His hymns point toward a deeper transformation.

Life in the world unfolds under the influence of the three gunas. But the grace of Muruga belongs to another order — the realm of jnana shakti, the light of awakening.

Through that illumination the restless movements of the mind begin to settle.

The seeker gradually discovers that the journey from Jiva to Shiva is not a distant pilgrimage. It is the awakening of the same consciousness that shines as Muruga within.