Subrahmanya Shodashopachara Puja, Vel Puja & Yantra Puja

Every day of KAILASA's Skanda Shashti 2026, from 10 to 15 November, Subrahmanya is worshipped in three forms at once: as the deity, as the Vel, and as the Yantra. Together they invoke the whole of Subrahmanya — form, power, and presence — through the six days of His victory, celebrating THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAVAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM as the living Subrahmanya.

Significance

Subrahmanya is worshipped as the deity through the sixteen classical upacharas of the Shodashopachara Puja; as the Vel, the Shakti Vel given to Him by Devi, which is His power itself; and as the Yantra, the geometric body in which His presence is established.

Subrahmanya is the completion of Paramashiva — in all His glory, powers, auspiciousness, qualities, and compassion. Born of the six sparks of Paramashiva's third eye, He is the Lord of victory and the commander of the Deva army, and on the sixth day of Skanda Shashti He overcame Surapadman. We do not celebrate a killing; we celebrate a transformation — enmity turned into devotion.

The Ritual

The Shodashopachara Puja offers the sixteen services of hospitality to the deity — from invocation, seat, and washing of feet, through bath, garments, sandal, flowers, incense, lamp, and naivedya, to the final salutations. The Vel is worshipped with abhishekam, kumkum, flowers, and archana, and the Subrahmanya Yantra is worshipped with its mantras and offerings.

When

• Day 1 · Tue 10 Nov — 2:30 PM IST (Tue 10 Nov, 5:00 AM ET)
• Day 2 · Wed 11 Nov — 2:30 PM IST (Wed 11 Nov, 5:00 AM ET)
• Day 3 · Thu 12 Nov — timing to be announced
• Day 4 · Fri 13 Nov — timing to be announced
• Day 5 · Sat 14 Nov — timing to be announced
• Day 6 (Soorasamharam) · Sun 15 Nov — timing to be announced

Shastra Pramana

तस्मै मृदितकषायाय तमसस्पारं दर्शयति भगवान्सनत्कुमारस्तं स्कन्द इत्याचक्षते तं स्कन्द इत्याचक्षते ॥

tasmai mṛditakaṣāyāya tamasas pāraṃ darśayati bhagavān sanatkumāraḥ taṃ skanda ity ācakṣate taṃ skanda ity ācakṣate ||

Translation: “To him whose impurities had been wiped away, the venerable Sanatkumara showed the shore beyond darkness. Him they call Skanda — him they call Skanda.” — Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.26.2

Benefits

• Subrahmanya's powerfulness, courage, and energy to face any challenge with spontaneity and enthusiasm.
• The Vel cuts through fear and every inner and outer enemy.
• Removal of negative influences at the levels of body, mind, and spirit.
• Enmity transformed into devotion, as Surapadman was transformed into the peacock and the flag.