Verse 3: The Ascent Through Subtle Fire
Original Tamil Verse
பாதமென்ற காலறிந்து நிலையிற்சென்று
பறந்தெழும்பி சுழிமுனையில் வாசியொட்டி
வேதமென்ற கலையறிந்து விந்தைநாட்டி
விளங்குமதி பூரணத்தி லொளிபோனின்று
நாதமென்ற பூருவத்தி லுமைபாற்கண்டு
நவப்பிரம மூலவெளிக் கப்பாலேகி
காதமென்ற தூலமதில் மேருபாய்ந்து
கருவி கரணாதியிலே யிறவியாமே..
IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
pādam-eṉṟa kāla-aṟindu nilaiyil ceṉṟu
paṟant-eḻumpi cuḻi-muṉaiyil vāci-yoṭṭi
vēdam-eṉṟa kalai-aṟindu vintai-nāṭṭi
viḷaṅgumati pūraṇattil oḷi pōṉ iṉṟu
nādam-eṉṟa pūruvattil umaipār-kaṇḍu
nava-prama mūla-veḷik kappāl ēki
kādam-eṉṟa tūlamattil mērupāyntu
karuvi karaṇādi-ilē iṟaviyāmē.
Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| பாதம் | pādam | Foot, foundation, starting point | pāda (Skt: पाद) | Yogic base, Mūlādhāra cakra |
| காலம் | kālam | Time, duration, or leg | kāla (Skt: काल) | Kālacakra; temporal unfolding of energy |
| சுழிமுனை | cuḻi-muṉai | Spiral-tip; vortex point | cuḻi = whirl; muṉai = tip | Nāḍī junction (iḍā-piṅgalā-suṣumnā meeting point) |
| வாசி | vāci | Breath, subtle vāyu | vāci / vāyu (Skt) | Prāṇa-vāyu rising in suṣumnā |
| கலை | kalai | Art, energy center | kalā (Skt: कला) | 16 kalās = tattvas or powers of Śakti |
| விந்தை | vintai | Bindu, generative seed point | bindu (Skt: बिन्दु) | Source of creation; concentrated śakti |
| பூரணத்து | pūraṇattu | In fullness or completion | pūrṇa (Skt: पूर्ण) | Sahasrāra cakra; state of śuddha-caitanya |
| நாதம் | nādam | Sound (subtle), primal vibration | nāda (Skt: नाद) | Śabda Brahman; laya sound of merging |
| பூருவம் | pūruvam | Forehead, brow center | pūrva (Skt) | Ājñācakra (third eye) |
| உமையார் | umaiyār | Goddess Umā (Śakti) | Umā (Skt: उमा) | Śakti tattva as intuitive knowledge |
| மூலவெளி | mūla-veḷi | Original space, primordial void | mūla + veḷi (Skt: मूल + व्योम) | Parabrahman, akhila-śūnya (void fullness) |
| கப்பால் | kappāl | Ship, vehicle | kappāl (Tamil) | Vehicle of consciousness (yogic metaphoric ascent) |
| தூலம் | tūlam | Gross body, material sheath | sthūla (Skt: स्थूल) | Annamaya kośa |
| மேரு | mēru | Mount Meru, the central axis | Meru (Skt: मेरु) | Sushumnā nāḍī as Meru; central spine axis |
| கருவி | karuvi | Instrument, organ | karaṇa (Skt: करण) | Indriyas and subtle tools of cognition and action |
| கரணம் | karaṇam | Instrument of knowing | karaṇa (Skt) | Mind, manas; inner instrument |
| இறவியாம் | iṟaviyām | Transcending death, becoming deathless | iṟavu = death + yām = become | Attainment of amaratva (immortality) through yogic realization |
Line-by-Line Literal Translation and Interpretation
1.
Tamil: பாதமென்ற காலறிந்து நிலையிற்சென்று
IAST: pādam-eṉṟa kāla-aṟindu nilaiyil ceṉṟu
Literal Translation: Knowing the step called time, I moved toward the state of balance.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Recognizing the temporal body (kāla) as the first step (pāda) in sādhana, the siddha turns inward, stabilizing at the yogic base (mūlādhāra) to begin ascent beyond time.
2.
Tamil: பறந்தெழும்பி சுழிமுனையில் வாசியொட்டி
IAST: paṟant-eḻumpi cuḻimuṉaiyil vāci-yoṭṭi
Literal Translation: Soaring upward, aligning breath at the vortex-point.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: This depicts the yogi’s prāṇāyāma mastery—guiding vāyu to converge at the suṣumnā junction (cuḻi-muṉai), initiating kuṇḍalinī’s upward surge.
3.
Tamil: வேதமென்ற கலையறிந்து விந்தைநாட்டி
IAST: vēdam-eṉṟa kalai-aṟindu vintai-nāṭṭi
Literal Translation: Knowing the kalā called Veda, planting the seed (vintai).
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Here, kalā refers to śakti-tattvas; vintai is the bindu or spiritual concentration. Siddha understands the tattva-vēdas and directs śakti toward the sahasrāra through internal nyāsa.
4.
Tamil: விளங்குமதி பூரணத்தி லொளிபோனின்று
IAST: viḷaṅgumati pūraṇattil oḷi pōṉ iṉṟu
Literal Translation: In the luminous fullness of the moon (mind), the light entered and merged.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Ājñācakra is the moon realm; when prāṇa pierces here, the “light” of awareness unites with intuitive buddhi, initiating the descent of nectar (soma) from sahasrāra.
5.
Tamil: நாதமென்ற பூருவத்தி லுமைபாற்கண்டு
IAST: nādam-eṉṟa pūruvattil umaipār-kaṇḍu
Literal Translation: At the forehead sound (nāda), I saw Umā beside (Śiva).
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Śakti-Śiva union witnessed at the ājñācakra; nāda here is the subtle laya-sound—the yogi perceives the merger of duality (Umā = Śakti, visualized at the third eye).
6.
Tamil: நவப்பிரம மூலவெளிக் கப்பாலேகி
IAST: nava-prama mūla-veḷik kappāl ēki
Literal Translation: Boarding the ship to cross the primal space of ninefold Brahman.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The “ship” is yogic awareness; nava-prama refers to nine states or planes (navadvāra or navanātha yogas). The siddha journeys across mūla-veḷi—primordial void of origin.
7.
Tamil: காதமென்ற தூலமதில் மேருபாய்ந்து
IAST: kādam-eṉṟa tūlamattil mērupāyntu
Literal Translation: Leaping across the gross wall called boundary, over the Meru.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Meru = suṣumnā; the “gross wall” is annamaya (physical) and prāṇamaya sheath. Crossing over symbolizes victory over material bondage.
8.
Tamil: கருவி கரணாதியிலே யிறவியாமே..
IAST: karuvi karaṇādi-ilē iṟaviyāmē
Literal Translation: Thus we transcend instruments and senses, becoming deathless.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The siddha dissolves attachment to indriyas and inner organs (karaṇas) and attains amaratva (deathlessness)—final jñāna-siddhi.
Philosophical, Yogic, and Alchemical Significance
| Theme | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Vāci (breath) guided to cuḻi-muṉai initiates rising of Śakti |
| Nāḍī | iḍā, piṅgalā, suṣumnā alignment critical in vāyu-yoga |
| Cakra | Mūlādhāra (pāda), Ājñā (pūruvam), Sahasrāra (pūrṇa) touched |
| Pañcakōśa | Crossing of tūla-madil (gross wall) implies conquest over annamaya and prāṇamaya |
| Vāyu | vāci rising = ascending prāṇa winds |
| Tapas | Planting vintai (bindu) after realizing kalai = tapas culmination |
| Jñāna | Union of mati (moon) and oḷi (light) = spiritual cognition |
| Siddhi | Iṟaviyāmē = amaratva-siddhi, transcendence of time and tools |
| Rasavāda | Nectar from pūrṇa-mati suggests inner rasa-flow; yogic alchemy |
Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Internal Alliteration: Repetitions of “ப”, “ம”, “வ” produce a rhythmic lifting cadence mimicking spiritual ascent.
- Encoded Topography: Foot (pāda), vortex (cuḻi), brow (pūruvam), void (veḷi), Meru—these map the inner body as a sacred landscape.
- Twilight Imagery (Paripāṣai): Light enters moon, ship crosses void, Umā seen in nāda—each symbol reveals an inner yogic milestone.
Overall Summary and Core Teaching of the Verse
This verse charts the sacred inner pilgrimage of the Siddha from the foot of Time (pāda-kāla) to the luminous realm of immortality. Through careful awakening of breath at the spiral-tip (suṣumnā), realization of śakti-kalās, and stabilization of bindu (vintai), the yogi transcends the gross elements and sails across the great void (veḷi) into Parabrahman. In doing so, he not only sees the union of Śiva and Śakti within his own forehead but realizes the state beyond tools, senses, and death. This is the yoga of Siddhas—rising light, still breath, and deathless awareness.
