# Vel

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vel
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vel.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vel
> Source revision: 1314933517
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Divine spear in Hindu mythology}}
{{about|a divine entity in [Hinduism](/source/Hinduism)||Vel (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Vel
| image              = GOD CAVE 3 0271.jpg
| image_size         = 200
| caption            = Kartikeya statue with Vel at [Batu Caves](/source/Batu_Caves), [Malaysia](/source/Malaysia)
| origin             = India
| type               = [Spear](/source/Spear)
<!-- Type selection -->
| is_ranged          =
| is_bladed          = Yes
| is_explosive       =
| is_artillery       =
| is_vehicle         =
| is_missile         =
| is_UK              =
<!-- Service history -->
| service            =
| used_by            =Kartikeya 
| wars               =
<!-- Production history -->
| designer           =Given to Kartikeya by Parvati (mother)
| design_date        =
| manufacturer       =
| unit_cost          =
| production_date    =
| number             =
| variants           =
<!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label         =
| weight             =
| length             =
| part_length        =
| width              =
| height             =
| diameter           =
| crew               =
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| cartridge          =
| cartridge_weight   =
| caliber            =
| barrels            =
| action             =
| rate               =
| velocity           =
| range              =
| max_range          =
| feed               =
| sights             =
<!-- Artillery specifications -->
| breech             =
| recoil             =
| carriage           =
| elevation          =
| traverse           =
<!-- Bladed weapon specifications -->
| blade_type         =
| hilt_type          =
| sheath_type        =
| head_type          =
| haft_type          =
<!-- Explosive specifications -->
| filling            =
| filling_weight     =
| detonation         =
| yield              =
<!-- Vehicle/missile specifications -->
| armour             =
| primary_armament   =
| secondary_armament =
| engine             =
| engine_power       =
| pw_ratio           =
| transmission       =
| payload_capacity   =
| suspension         =
| clearance          =
| fuel_capacity      =
| vehicle_range      =
| speed              =
| guidance           =
| steering           =
<!-- Missiles only -->
| wingspan           =
| propellant         =
| ceiling            =
| altitude           =
| depth              =
| boost              =
| accuracy           =
| launch_platform    =
| transport          =
}}
{{Kaumaram}}
{{Saivism}}
'''Vel''' ({{langx|ta|வேல்|lit=Vél}}) is a divine spear associated with [Murugan](/source/Kartikeya), the [Hindu](/source/Hindus) god of war.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jackson |first=Frances Kozlowski and Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qV6KAAAAQBAJ&dq=javelin+murugan+vel&pg=PA140 |title=Driven by the Divine |date=August 2013 |publisher=Balboa Press |isbn=978-1-4525-7892-7 |pages=143 |language=en}}</ref>

==Significance ==
According to [Shaiva](/source/Shaivism) tradition, the goddess [Parvati](/source/Parvati) presented the Vel to her son Kartikeya (also known as Murugan), as an embodiment of her [shakti](/source/shakti), in order to vanquish the [asura](/source/asura) [Surapadman](/source/Soorapadman). According to the [Skanda Purana](/source/Skanda_Purana), in the war between Kartikeya and Surapadman, Kartikeya used the vel to defeat all the forces of Surapadman.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Belle |first=Carl Vadivella |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kB1qDwAAQBAJ&dq=parvati+murugan+vel+surapadman&pg=PT178 |title=Thaipusam in Malaysia |date=2018-02-14 |publisher=Flipside Digital Content Company Inc. |isbn=978-981-4786-66-9 |language=en}}</ref> When a complete defeat for Surapadman was imminent, the [asura](/source/asura) transformed himself into a huge mango tree to evade detection by Murugan. Not fooled by asura's trick, Murugan hurled his vel and split the mango tree into two halves, one becoming a rooster ({{langx|ta|சேவல்|lit=Séval}}), and the other a peacock ({{langx|ta|மயில்|lit=Mayil}}). Henceforth, the peacock became his [vahana](/source/vahana) or mount, and the rooster became the emblem on his battle flag.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Krishna |first=Nanditha |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DF_af8_547EC&dq=surapadman+rooster+mango&pg=PT271 |title=Sacred Animals of India |date=2014-05-01 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-182-6 |pages=271 |language=en}}</ref>

Vel, as a symbol of divinity, is an object of worship in the temples dedicated to Kartikeya. The annual [Thaipusam](/source/Thaipusam) festival celebrates the occasion when Kartikeya received the divine vel from his mother.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Abram |first1=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sEhJBfbhTAAC&dq=parvati+murugan+vel&pg=PA517 |title=The Rough Guide to South India |last2=Edwards |first2=Nick |date=February 2004 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-84353-103-6 |pages=517 |language=en}}</ref> During this festival, some of the devotees pierce their skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers while they undertake a procession towards the Kartikeya temple.

''Adi-vel'' is a major festival observed in [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) by Tamil Hindus in July/August, known as ''Adi''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Real Ceylon |last=Elliott |first=C. Brooke |date=1938 |publisher=H. W. Cave & Co |page=133 |language=en}}</ref> The festival takes place in cities such as [Katharagama](/source/Kataragama) and [Colombo](/source/Colombo).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3V2xRnKcOEAC&q=adi+vel&pg=PA62|title=Sri Lanka: Ethnic Fratricide and the Dismantling of Democracy|last=Tambiah|first=Stanley Jeyaraja|date=1986|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=9781850430261|language=en}}</ref>

The alternative interpretation of vel is that it is a symbol of wisdom/knowledge. It symbolically shows that wisdom/knowledge should be sharp as in the vel's tip, as broad and tall as the javelin. Only such wisdom is supposed to be able to destroy the darkness of ignorance.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sG5VDQAAQBAJ&q=vel+wisdom+sharp+deep+wide&pg=PT216|title = A Monk's Tale|isbn = 9780985701918|last1 = Natarajan|first1 = Muni|date = 2012-07-02| publisher=All 4 Siva }}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Stone vel Saluvankuppam.jpg|Stone vel from the Sangam period, Saluvankuppam, Tamil Nadu
File:Vel spear murugan karthikeyan kurunji aandavar temple kodaikaanal.jpg|Vel, used to worship in the temple
File:Murugan statue srisailam.jpg|Statue of Murugan with Vel
File:Karttikeya With Spear And Cock in a coin of Yaudheyas.jpg|alt=Coin of the Yaudheyas 200 BCE, depicting Murugan with the Vel.|Coin of the Yaudheyas 200 BC, depicting Murugan with the Vel
</gallery>

==See also==
* [Trishula](/source/Trishula)
* [Kaumodaki](/source/Kaumodaki)
* [Sudarshana Chakra](/source/Sudarshana_Chakra)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kataragama.org/research/krishnapillai.htm vel Worship in Sri Lanka]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120823082754/http://omtamil.com/home/vel-meaning-definition/ vel – Meaning & Definition]

Category:Weapons in Hindu mythology
Category:Indian martial arts
Category:Weapons of India
Category:Kartikeya
Category:Hindu mythology
Category:Tamil mythology

{{Polearm-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.