Original Tamil Verse
சடலக்-கூறு
சாற்றுவேன் சடலமது உற்பவித்துச்
சாங்கமுடன் சொல்லுகிறேன் தகைமையோனே
நாற்றமென்னுஞ் சடலமது வந்தவாறு
நாயகனே கூறுகிறேன் நளினவானே
வேற்றுமைகள் இல்லாத சடலமப்பா
வேதாந்தத் தாயாரு மனதுவந்து
ஆற்றமுடி கொள்ளாமல் அசுவனிக்கு
அன்போடு உரைத்த வண்ண மகிமைகேளே.
IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
caṭalakkūṟu
cāṟṟuvēṉ caṭalamatu uṟpavittu
cāṅkamuṭaṉ collukiṟēṉ takaimaiyōṉē
nāṟṟam-eṉṉuñ caṭalamatu vantavāṟu
nāyakaṉē kūṟukiṟēṉ naḷinavānē
vēṟṟumaikaḷ illāta caṭalamappā
vēdāntat tāyāru maṉatuvantu
āṟṟamuṭi koḷḷāmal acuvaṉikku
aṉpōṭu uraitta vaṇṇa makimaikēḷē.
Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST Transliteration | Lexical Meaning | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| சடலம் | caṭalam | Corpse, dead body | Skt. śava, Tamil: inert body | The human body devoid of spirit; also symbolic of ahaṁkāra without Self-awareness. |
| சடலக்கூறு | caṭalakkūṟu | Discourse on the corpse (body) | Tamil: kūṟu (statement) | Philosophical exposition on impermanence of the body; akin to śava-vicāra in yogic texts. |
| உற்பவித்துச் | uṟpavittu | Having arisen, come into being | Skt. utpatti | Refers to śarīra utpatti — origination of the body from pañcabhūtas. |
| சாங்கம் | cāṅkam | Sāṅkhya system (of philosophy) | Skt. Sāṅkhya | System of causality; here, implies using tattva-vicāra to explain body. |
| நாற்றம் | nāṟṟam | Foul smell | Tamil: odour of decay | Metaphor for decay and impermanence; also triggers vairāgya (dispassion). |
| வேற்றுமைகள் இல்லாத | vēṟṟumaikaḷ illāta | Without distinctions | Tamil vēṟṟu (difference) | Denotes the advaita state, where Self is seen beyond body-form distinctions. |
| வேதாந்தம் | vēdāntam | Vedānta (non-dual philosophy) | Skt. veda + anta | Highest knowledge (jñāna) leading to Self-realization; also the final knowledge of body as unreal. |
| அசுவனிக்கு | acuvaṉikku | To Aśvinī Kumaras | Skt. Aśvinau (twin gods) | Symbol of divine healing powers, cosmic physicians, often invoked in alchemical and yogic contexts. |
| அன்போடு உரைத்த | aṉpōṭu uraitta | Lovingly declared | Tamil aṉpu (love) + uraṟu | Transmission of subtle truth with compassionate viveka; Guru’s grace to disciple. |
Line-by-Line Literal Translation
1. சடலக்-கூறு
caṭalakkūṟu
→ The discourse on the body as corpse.
2. சாற்றுவேன் சடலமது உற்பவித்துச்
cāṟṟuvēṉ caṭalamatu uṟpavittu
→ I shall explain how this body has come into being.
3. சாங்கமுடன் சொல்லுகிறேன் தகைமையோனே
cāṅkamuṭaṉ collukiṟēṉ takaimaiyōṉē
→ I speak in alignment with Sāṅkhya wisdom, O noble one!
4. நாற்றமென்னுஞ் சடலமது வந்தவாறு
nāṟṟam-eṉṉuñ caṭalamatu vantavāṟu
→ How this foul-smelling body arose — that I now declare.
5. நாயகனே கூறுகிறேன் நளினவானே
nāyakaṉē kūṟukiṟēṉ naḷinavānē
→ O Lord! O Lotus-pure One! I reveal this to you.
6. வேற்றுமைகள் இல்லாத சடலமப்பா
vērṟumaikaḷ illāta caṭalamappā
→ O Father! The body is devoid of true distinctions.
7. வேதாந்தத் தாயாரு மனதுவந்து
vēdāntat tāyāru maṉatuvantu
→ When Vedānta’s motherly clarity enters the heart…
8. ஆற்றமுடி கொள்ளாமல் அசுவனிக்கு
அன்போடு உரைத்த வண்ண மகிமைகேளே.
āṟṟamuṭi koḷḷāmal acuvaṉikku
aṉpōṭu uraitta vaṇṇa makimaikēḷē.
→ Even without full ability to grasp, what was lovingly revealed to the Aśvins — listen now to its glory.
Metaphoric or Hidden Meaning (Paripāṣai / குறிக்கோள்)
This verse is a metaphysical unveiling of the human body (śarīra) as śava — inert matter. The Siddha master uses a śava-vicāra technique common to both Vedānta and Siddha yoga, to trigger jñāna-vairāgya.
- The “nāṟṟam” (odor) indicates putrefaction — not just literal, but egoic decay when detached from the Self.
- “சாங்கம்” — Sāṅkhya system — is invoked to explain tattva evolution: how prakṛti gives rise to body.
- Aśvinī devās are addressed not as mythological physicians but spiritual energies that aid in curing the delusion of body-identification.
- The body is said to have “no distinctions” — it is the same in all, be it sage or fool; thus, Self is beyond the upādhi.
Philosophical, Yogic, or Alchemical Significance
| Concept | Application in Verse |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Realization of body as inert allows inward awakening of latent śakti. |
| Nāḍī | Sāṅkhya framework maps nāḍīs as evolutes from subtle prakṛti into gross embodiment. |
| Cakra | Body as corpse until cakras are illumined — emphasis on higher cakras beyond mūlādhāra. |
| Pañcakōśa | A critique of annamaya and prāṇamaya kośas as temporary; encourages transcendence. |
| Vāyu | “Nāṟṟam” implies vāyu-dosha; controlling vāyu transforms decay into subtle fragrance. |
| Tapas | Reflective inquiry (vicāra) on body nature is tapasya leading to dispassion. |
| Jñāna | Vedānta + Siddha synthesis leads to bodha of ahaṁ brahmāsmi. |
| Siddhi | Detachment from body = first siddhi in yogic path; prelude to mantra and rasavāda. |
| Rasavāda | Transforms the nāṟṟam (stench) into divya-gandha — the inner rasa of wisdom. |
Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Dialogic Frame: Speaker addresses nāyakaṉ (Lord), naḷinavān (pure one) — enhancing intimacy and spiritual gravity.
- Juxtaposition: Contrasts “foul body” with “Vedānta clarity” and “Aśvinī healing” — blending decay and divinity.
- Alliteration and Sonics: “சடலம்”, “சாற்றுவேன்”, “சாங்கம்” — poetic cadence mimicking sādhaka’s contemplative rhythm.
- Encrypted Message: Utpatti → Nāṟṟam → Vedānta → Aśvins forms a yogic narrative: birth → decay → realization → grace.
Overall Summary and Core Teaching of the Verse
In this fifth kāvya’s body-section (சடலக்கூறு), the Siddha discloses the body’s transient, impure, and undivine nature through the lens of Sāṅkhya and Vedānta. Yet, he does not stop with critique — he reveals that compassionate jñāna, once received from the Divine Mother and the Aśvins, can heal the error of body-identification. Thus, the verse is both a philosophical memento mori and a spiritual roadmap from śava (corpse) to Śiva (Self).
