Verse 4: The Unborn and Undying Flame Within
Original Tamil Verse
இறவியாம் பிறவியென்று மிரண்டுண்டாகி
இரவிமதி ரவியினுட மேகமாகி
அறவியாம் பிறவிசென்மத் தப்பாலேகி
அகமதிலோ நிகம்பரமு மளவற்றாகி
கறவியாம் திரோதாயி பார்வையாகி
கருக்குருவு மதுக்குள்ளே சிவமுமாகி
வறவியாம் வடிவாகி யுருவுமாகி
மண்டலங்க ளிரண்டொன்றாய் மதிமூன்றாச்சே.
IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
iṟaviyām piṟaviy-eṉṟu iraṇḍu-uṇṭāki
iravimati raviyiṉ-uṭa mēkam-ākki
aṟaviyām piṟavi-ceṉmattu appāl-ēki
akam-atilō nigamparamum aḷav-aṟṟākki
kaṟaviyām tirōtāyi pārva-yākki
karuk-kuruvu matukku-uḷḷē civamum-ākki
vaṟaviyām vaṭiv-ākki uruvum-ākki
maṇṭalaṅgaḷ iraṇṭu-oṉṟāy matimūṉṟ-āccē
Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| இறவியாம் | iṟaviyām | That which is dying or perishing | iṟavu (death) | Māra tattva (death principle), cyclical limitation |
| பிறவி | piṟavi | Birth, worldly becoming | piṟavi (Skt: janma) | Saṁsāra; manifest cycle of birth |
| இரவிமதி | iravi-mati | Sun and moon | iravi = sun; mati = moon | Dual energies: Sūrya = jñāna, Candra = bhakti |
| மேகம் | mēkam | Cloud, covering | megam (Skt: megha) | Māyā or veil; also intermediary fusion point |
| அறவியாம் | aṟaviyām | Righteous path or that which dissolves ignorance | aṟam + viyām | Dharma that dissolves illusion |
| நிகம்பரமு | nigamparamu | Supreme beyond all scriptures | nigama (Veda) + param | Parabrahman beyond even śāstra |
| திரோதாயி | tirōtāyi | Veiled, hidden | tirōdāna (Skt: तिरोधान) | One of the pañcakṛtyas (concealment aspect of Śiva) |
| பார்வை | pārvai | Vision, sight | pāru + vai | Divine vision; jñāna-dṛṣṭi |
| கருக்குருவு | karuk-kuruvu | Seed-form, embryo | karu = embryo + kuruvu = germination | Bindu-bīja; causal essence |
| மதுக்குள் | matukkuḷ | Within the nectar (madhu) | madhu (Skt: मधु) | Nectar of sahasrāra; amṛta |
| வடிவம் | vaṭivam | Form, figure | vadiva (Skt: रूप, rūpa) | Saguṇa form; visual manifestation |
| உருவம் | uruvam | Form, shape | uruvam (Skt: आकृति) | Manifested śakti; form of the formless |
| மண்டலம் | maṇṭalam | Circle, region | maṇḍala (Skt: मण्डल) | Cakra, cosmic zone, body zones (bāhya–antar) |
| மதிமூன்று | matimūṉṟu | Three moons / mental triad | mati = moon; mūṉṟu = three | Ājñā cakra triad: icchā, jñāna, kriyā śaktis |
Line-by-Line Literal Translation and Interpretation
1.
Tamil: இறவியாம் பிறவியென்று மிரண்டுண்டாகி
IAST: iṟaviyām piṟaviy-eṉṟu iraṇḍu-uṇṭāki
Literal Translation: Death and birth formed as a duality…
Paripāṣai Interpretation: This refers to the illusory dichotomy seen by the limited mind. The Siddha here starts with dvaita: janma-maraṇa — but aims to transcend both.
2.
Tamil: இரவிமதி ரவியினுட மேகமாகி
IAST: iravi-mati raviyiṉ-uṭa mēkam-ākki
Literal Translation: Moon and sun merged into a cloud within the sun…
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The subtle fusion of ida (moon) and piṅgalā (sun) within suṣumnā, creating the megha—the psychic veil before the rising of amṛta in sahasrāra.
3.
Tamil: அறவியாம் பிறவிசென்மத் தப்பாலேகி
IAST: aṟaviyām piṟavi-ceṉmattu appāl-ēki
Literal Translation: The righteous essence transcended the state of worldly birth.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Through tapas and dharmic wisdom, the Siddha crosses beyond saṁsāric birth, entering the turyātīta state of liberation.
4.
Tamil: அகமதிலோ நிகம்பரமு மளவற்றாகி
IAST: akam-atilō nigamparamum aḷav-aṟṟākki
Literal Translation: Within the inner fortress, the Supreme Beyond Scripture expanded measurelessly.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: The inner self (akham = akam) becomes the temple of Parabrahman, who is not limited by śāstra, yoga, or form—he expands boundlessly as awareness.
5.
Tamil: கறவியாம் திரோதாயி பார்வையாகி
IAST: kaṟaviyām tirōtāyi pārva-yākki
Literal Translation: The one who conceals becomes the seeing vision.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Śiva’s tirōdānaśakti veils reality until the yogi gains pārvai (divine insight). Then the concealment becomes vision itself—dvaita dissolves in jñāna.
6.
Tamil: கருக்குருவு மதுக்குள்ளே சிவமுமாகி
IAST: karuk-kuruvu matukku-uḷḷē civamum-ākki
Literal Translation: The seed-form within nectar became Śiva.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: In sahasrāra, the bindu (karu) within the soma (madhu) transforms into the direct realization of Śiva as pure blissful awareness.
7.
Tamil: வறவியாம் வடிவாகி யுருவுமாகி
IAST: vaṟaviyām vaṭiv-ākki uruvum-ākki
Literal Translation: The invisible took form and shape.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Nirguṇa becomes Saguṇa—formless Śiva appears as form through śakti, to be experienced by the devotee.
8.
Tamil: மண்டலங்க ளிரண்டொன்றாய் மதிமூன்றாச்சே
IAST: maṇṭalaṅgaḷ iraṇṭu-oṉṟāy matimūṉṟ-āccē
Literal Translation: The two maṇḍalas became one, and the three moons appeared.
Paripāṣai Interpretation: Left and right nāḍīs unite in suṣumnā (two becoming one), and mati mūṉṟu symbolizes the rise of icchā, jñāna, kriyā śaktis at ājñācakra. Full siddhi dawns.
Philosophical, Yogic, and Alchemical Significance
| Theme | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Merge of sun-moon in cloud (mēkam) suggests kuṇḍalinī piercing suṣumnā |
| Nāḍī | ida + piṅgalā + suṣumnā → meghanādī state before sahasrāra opens |
| Cakra | sahasrāra = madhu; ājñā = mati mūṉṟu (three lunar impulses of śakti) |
| Pañcakōśa | From visible form (uruvam) to void (madhu) shows inner transcendence |
| Vāyu | vāyu dissolves in bindu-madhu, creating upward luminous flight |
| Tapas | aṟaviyām…appāl-ēki – suggests tapas crosses saṁsāra |
| Jñāna | pārva-yākki – from concealment to omnivision |
| Siddhi | Final awakening where maṇḍalas merge and Śiva is realized within |
| Rasavāda | Madhu = soma/amṛta in sahasrāra; karu = alchemical essence in yogic body |
Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Mystic Symmetry: Contrast of piṟavi–iṟavi, kāru–madhu, uruvam–vaṭivam forms a poetic spiral of transcendence.
- Alliteration: “vaṟaviyām vaṭivākki uruvumāki” evokes rhythmic mantraic flow.
- Numerical Symbolism: “iraṇṭu-oṉṟāy”, “mati-mūṉṟu” play on siddha yantra encoding—2 (dual nāḍīs), 1 (suṣumnā), 3 (śaktis).
- Twilight Language: “cloud in sun,” “seed in nectar,” “hidden becomes vision”—all are veiled tantric metaphors.
Overall Summary and Core Teaching of the Verse
This verse poetically reveals the complete arc of Siddha realization—from duality (birth-death) and sensory veiling (sun-moon clouded) to the subtle awakening of prāṇa at bindu and its final unfolding as Śiva within. The yogi moves beyond māyā, dharma, even scripture (nigamparamu) and enters the inner space (akam) where the supreme takes root as light, nectar, and vision. The formless takes form to reveal itself. When the maṇḍalas of dual nāḍīs unite into one, and the tri-śaktis awaken in the brow center, final liberation (mati-mūṉṟu āccē) shines forth.
