Verse 2: The Formless Flame, the Elephant-headed Light
Original Tamil Verse
நிரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றகைலாசந் தன்னில்
நிகழ்ந்த கணபதியினிட பரப்பிரமன் – காப்பு
அரஞ்சனமாய் நின்ற பஞ்சபூதஞான
ஆதாரம் நிராதார மருளேகாப்பு
குரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றசடா முடியின்பாலை
குஞ்சரமே யுனைத்தொழுதேன் குருபரனே காப்பு
பரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றபரை யுமையாளீசன்
பகர்ந்தமதி ரவியொளியின் பதங்காப்பே.
IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
nirañcaṇamāy niṉṟa kailācaṉ taṉṉil
nikaḻnda kaṇapatiyiṉiṭa parappiramaṉ – kāppu
arañcaṇamāy niṉṟa pañcapūtañāṉa
ādhāram nirādhāra maruḷēkāppu
kurañcaṇamāy niṉṟa caṭā muṭiyiṉ pālai
kuñcaramē yuṉait toḻutēṉ guruparanē kāppu
parañcaṇamāy niṉṟa parai-yumāyāḷīcaṉ
pakarnda-mati raviyoḷiyiṉ pataṅkāppē.
Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| நிரஞ்சனமாய் | nirañcaṇamāy | As the stainless, formless One | nir-añjana (Skt: unstained) | Nirguṇa Śiva, formless pure Brahman |
| கைலாசம் | kailācam | Mount Kailāsa, abode of Śiva | Kailāsa (Skt: कैलास) | Yogic sahasrāra plane; also siddha-sthāna |
| கணபதி | kaṇapati | Gaṇeśa, Lord of hosts | gaṇa + pati | Guardian of mūlādhāra and initiator of sādhanā |
| பரப்பிரமன் | parappiramaṉ | Supreme Brahman | para + brahman | Absolute Reality, Cit-Ānanda Śakti |
| அரஞ்சனமாய் | arañcaṇamāy | As the one manifest in dharma/light | possibly aram (virtue) + añjana | The dharmic embodiment of the five elemental wisdoms |
| பஞ்சபூதஞான | pañcapūta-jñāṉa | Knowledge of the five elements | pañca + bhūta + jñāna | Siddha mastery of elemental energies through inner yoga |
| நிராதாரம் | nirādhāram | Without support | nir + ādhāra | Transcendental, beyond even mūlādhāra or base |
| மருள் | maruḷ | Delusion, dark veil | Tamil root (maru – confusion) | Māyā or ajñāna in Siddha metaphysics |
| சடாமுடி | caṭāmuṭi | Matted hair | jaṭā-muṭi (Skt: जटा-मुटि) | Symbol of tapas, yogic restraint, connection to sahasrāra |
| குஞ்சரம் | kuñcaram | Elephant (Ganesha) | kuñjara (Skt) | Gaṇapati as remover of obstacles and lord of prāṇa flow |
| குருபரன் | guruparan | Supreme Guru | guru + para | Jñānaguru, internal guide, the Siddha master within |
| பரஞ்சனமாய் | parañcaṇamāy | As the supreme light/essence | para + añjana | As supreme illuminator and bliss principle |
| மதி | mati | Moon (mind/wisdom) | mati (Skt: मति) | Soma, mind as reflective awareness |
| ரவியொளி | raviyoḷi | Solar radiance | ravi + oḷi | Sūrya as jñāna-śakti, dynamic light |
| பதம் | patam | Position, locus, final state | padam (Skt: पदम्) | Siddhi state, transcendental liberation |
Line-by-Line Literal Translation and Interpretation
1.
Tamil: நிரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றகைலாசந் தன்னில்
IAST: nirañcaṇamāy niṉṟa kailācaṉ taṉṉil
Literal Translation: In Kailāsa where the stainless (nirguṇa) One abides…
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Kailāsa is not merely a mountain but the sahasrāra-cakra, the seat of pure consciousness where the yogi realizes the Self as Nirguṇa Śiva.
2.
Tamil: நிகழ்ந்த கணபதியினிட பரப்பிரமன் – காப்பு
IAST: nikaḻnda kaṇapatiyiṉiṭa parappiramaṉ – kāppu
Literal Translation: …there appeared Gaṇapati, the locus of Para-Brahman — protect me!
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Gaṇapati here is seen not just as a deity but the junction where pure consciousness (Parabrahman) becomes manifest — mūlādhāra-sthāna. The invocation is for protection of yogic ascent.
3.
Tamil: அரஞ்சனமாய் நின்ற பஞ்சபூதஞான
IAST: arañcaṇamāy niṉṟa pañcapūtañāṉa
Literal Translation: The one who stands as the luminous essence of five-elemental wisdom…
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Mastery of the five bhūtas is a siddha’s crown jewel. It reflects transcendence over all elemental layers (pañcakōśa) through tapas and inner fire.
4.
Tamil: ஆதாரம் நிராதார மருளேகாப்பு
IAST: ādhāram nirādhāra maruḷēkāppu
Literal Translation: The foundation beyond foundation — protect me from delusion!
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The Self is beyond even the Mūlādhāra (nirādhāra). The maruḷ (veil) is the forgetfulness of this truth. This is a Siddha prayer to abide beyond support, beyond identity.
5.
Tamil: குரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றசடா முடியின்பாலை
IAST: kurañcaṇamāy niṉṟa caṭā muṭiyiṉ pālai
Literal Translation: In the sacred braid of matted locks that holds the sacred essence…
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The jaṭā is symbolic of bound energies; the yogi’s crown filled with ambrosial bindu — a cryptic reference to sahasrāra where soma-drava (nectar) flows.
6.
Tamil: குஞ்சரமே யுனைத்தொழுதேன் குருபரனே காப்பு
IAST: kuñcaramē yuṉait toḻutēṉ guruparanē kāppu
Literal Translation: O Elephant One, I worship You! O Supreme Guru, protect me!
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Gaṇapati is the inner Guru (manasvin), whose worship clears the nāḍīs, allowing prāṇa to rise. The kuñjara is the great breath that breaks illusion.
7.
Tamil: பரஞ்சனமாய் நின்றபரை யுமையாளீசன்
IAST: parañcaṇamāy niṉṟa parai-yumāyāḷīcaṉ
Literal Translation: The one who stands as the supreme light, the Lord of Parā and Umā.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Śiva as Īśvara of Umā (Śakti) and Parai (cosmic drum) — this is the yogi’s beat of awakening: nāda and bindu united in śabda-brahman.
8.
Tamil: பகர்ந்தமதி ரவியொளியின் பதங்காப்பே.
IAST: pakarnda mati raviyoḷiyiṉ pataṅkāppē.
Literal Translation: May the place where moon and sun light merge protect me.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Fusion of lunar and solar energies = iḍā–piṅgalā union at ājñācakra. This is the laya-point (pataṁ) of the yogi’s liberation. The “sun and moon” are metaphors for dynamic and reflective consciousness.
Philosophical, Yogic, and Alchemical Significance
| Concept | Mapped Symbol |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Ganesha as kuñjara, representing the primal energy at mūlādhāra |
| Nāḍī | Fusion of ravi and mati = suṣumnā activation |
| Cakra | Kailāsa (sahasrāra), jaṭā (bindu), maruḷ (mūlādhāra ignorance) |
| Pañcakōśa | pañcapūta-jñāna = piercing the 5 sheaths |
| Vāyu | kuñjara = breath-force, Ganesha as vāyu-grāhaka |
| Tapas | jaṭā = ascetic practice leading to nectar (soma) in sahasrāra |
| Jñāna | nirādhāra = pure awareness beyond body-mind-identity |
| Siddhi | pataṁ = liberation after ida-piṅgalā merge |
| Rasavāda | soma in jaṭā, nectar of bliss (bindu) |
Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Anaphora: “…காப்பு” (kāppu) ends multiple lines, creating liturgical rhythm.
- Sound Symbolism: “ஞன” in niranjana/aranjana/kuranjana/paranjana plays with añjana (smearing/darkness/light), showing mastery of twilight phonetics.
- Twilight Language: maruḷ, pataṁ, jaṭā, and kuñjara are multi-layered images standing for metaphysical, yogic, and psychological truths.
Overall Summary and Core Teaching of the Verse
This powerful hymn venerates Gaṇapati not as a mere deity, but as the supreme locus where form meets the formless, where elemental reality gives way to pure light, and where the yogi’s inner fire is protected from delusion. The verse outlines the entire siddha path—from mūlādhāra to sahasrāra—encoded in the language of elephants, mountains, locks of hair, and sun-moon unions. It is at once a plea for protection and a secret map to liberation through the inner Guru.
