1. Original Tamil Verse
காப்பு
சொல்லவே கணபதிதான் முடிமேற்கொண்டேன்
சொற்பெரிய வடிவேலர் அடிபணிந்தேன்
மெல்லவே சரஸ்வதியாள் பதமே காப்பு
மிக்கவே பதினெண்பேர் அருளே காப்பு
வெல்லவே தென் பொதிகை எந்தன் நாதர்
வேதாந்த வசுவனியார் நூலே காப்பு
புல்லறிவால் ஞானக்கண் திறந்தும் அல்லோ
புகழுடனே பாடுகிறேன் காவிய நூலே
2. IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
Kāppu
collavē kaṇapatitāṉ muṭimēṟkoṇṭēṉ
coṟperiya vaṭivēlar aṭipaṇintēṉ
mellavē sarasvatiyāḷ patamē kāppu
mikkavē patiṉeṇpēr aruḷē kāppu
vellavē teṉ potikai entaṉ nātar
vētānta vacuvaniyār nūlē kāppu
pullaṟivāl ñāṉakkaṇ tiṟantum allō
pukaluṭanē pāṭukiṟēṉ kāviyanūlē
3. Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning (TL) | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| சொல்லவே | collavē | to begin uttering | col (word) + avē (future emphasis) | Invocation through vibration of sound (nāda) |
| கணபதி | kaṇapati | Ganesha, lord of hosts | gaṇa + pati (Skt.) | Mūlādhāra devatā, remover of granthi |
| முடிமேற்கொண்டேன் | muṭimēṟkoṇṭēṉ | I placed upon my head | muṭi (head) + mēṟkoṇṭēṉ (took upon) | Acceptance with reverence (śirasā dhāraṇa) |
| சொற்பெரிய | coṟperiya | Word-great (of great speech) | coṟ (word) + periya (great) | Word-power as mantric vibration |
| வடிவேலர் | vaṭivēlar | Lord Murugan (he with the spear – Vēl) | vaṭi (form) + vēl (spear) | Cakra-jñāna and Kuṇḍalinī awakening |
| சரஸ்வதியாள் | sarasvatiyāḷ | Goddess Sarasvatī | Skt. Sarasvatī | Goddess of refined speech and Vāk Siddhi |
| பதமே | patamē | Her feet | patam (padam = feet) | Refuge in divine knowledge; speech grounding |
| பதினெண்பேர் | patiṉeṇpēr | The eighteen (siddhas) | patiṉeṇ (18) + pēr (names/beings) | The aṣṭādaśa siddhars; guardians of siddha knowledge |
| அருளே | aruḷē | Grace | aruḷ (grace, divine favor) | Descent of siddhi; initiatory transmission (śaktipāta) |
| தென்பொதிகை | teṉ potikai | Southern Podhigai hills | teṉ (south) + potikai (hill) | Seat of Agastya Siddha tradition |
| வேதாந்த | vētānta | Vedānta (spiritual culmination of the Vedas) | Veda + anta (end) | Realization of Self; jñāna kāṇḍa |
| வசுவனியார் | vacuvaniyār | Vasu-Vaniyaar (Agastya’s lineage title) | Vasuvaniya = one rich in spiritual wealth | Siddha of Vedāntic and yogic transmission |
| புல்லறிவால் | pullaṟivāl | By limited/animal knowledge | pul (low) + aṟivu (knowledge) | Mundane intellect, pre-jnāna state |
| ஞானக்கண் | ñāṉakkaṇ | Eye of wisdom | jñāna + kaṇ (eye) | Third eye (ājñā cakra), inner vision |
| புகழுடன் | pukaluṭaṉ | With praise | pukal (fame/praise) + uṭaṉ (with) | Glorification as sādhana; vāgbhakti |
| காவியநூல் | kāviyanūl | The kāvya text (epic/poetic scripture) | kāvya (epic) + nūl (book) | Mantric scripture infused with siddha codes |
4. Line-by-Line Literal Translation
1. சொல்லவே கணபதிதான் முடிமேற்கொண்டேன்
collavē kaṇapatitāṉ muṭimēṟkoṇṭēṉ
To commence speaking, I placed Lord Gaṇapati upon my head.
2. சொற்பெரிய வடிவேலர் அடிபணிந்தேன்
coṟperiya vaṭivēlar aṭipaṇintēṉ
To the Word-Great Lord Vel (Murugan), I bowed at his feet.
3. மெல்லவே சரஸ்வதியாள் பதமே காப்பு
mellavē sarasvatiyāḷ patamē kāppu
May the gentle feet of Sarasvatī protect (this work).
4. மிக்கவே பதினெண்பேர் அருளே காப்பு
mikkavē patiṉeṇpēr aruḷē kāppu
May the abundant grace of the Eighteen Siddhars safeguard (this).
5. வெல்லவே தென்பொதிகை எந்தன் நாதர்
vellavē teṉpotikai entaṉ nātar
To conquer, I invoke my Lord of the Southern Podhigai hills,
6. வேதாந்த வசுவனியார் நூலே காப்பு
vētānta vacuvaniyār nūlē kāppu
May the Vedāntic Sage Vasuvaniyaar’s scripture (this kāvyam) be protected.
7. புல்லறிவால் ஞானக்கண் திறந்தும் அல்லோ
pullaṟivāl ñāṉakkaṇ tiṟantum allō
Even with base intellect, has not the eye of wisdom opened?
8. புகழுடனே பாடுகிறேன் காவிய நூலே
pukaluṭanē pāṭukiṟēṉ kāviyanūlē
With praise, I sing this kāvya scripture.
5. Metaphoric or Hidden Meaning (Paripāṣai / குறிக்கோள்)
- Placing Gaṇapati on the head is symbolic of installing the remover of obstacles in the mūlādhāra cakra, acknowledging that all sādhana begins with stability at the root.
- “Sorp-periya Vēlar” (Word-Great Velar) invokes Murugan as Skanda-Guhā, the embodiment of sound-encoded jñāna – the spear (vēl) represents piercing ignorance.
- Sarasvatī’s gentle feet allude to vāgdevī-śakti, who refines gross speech into mantric purity.
- Eighteen Siddhars are invoked as guardians of hidden sciences and protectors of secret grammar (lakṣaṇa) and rasa.
- Podhigai Hill is not merely a location, but the inner summit of realization, the crown where Agastya’s knowledge pours forth as inner tapas.
- Vasuvaniyār signifies the internal ācārya, the siddha-guru who reveals Vedāntic truth through poetic śāstra.
6. Philosophical, Yogic, or Alchemical Significance
| Concept | Reference in Verse |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī Awakening | Through Murugan (Velar), who awakens jñāna-vēl |
| Nāḍī / Vāyu | Implied in “sollavē” (speech), governed by vāyu |
| Cakra | Mūlādhāra (Gaṇapati), Ājñā (Jñāna-kaṇ), Sahasrāra (Podhigai) |
| Pañcakōśa | Transition from “pullaṟivu” (manomaya) to “jñāna-kaṇ” (vijñānamaya) |
| Tapas | Reflected in the reverent tone, invocation of siddha lineage |
| Jñāna | “Jñāna-kaṇ tiṟantum” – awakening of siddha jñāna |
| Siddhi | Protection by 18 siddhars implies their transmission |
| Rasavāda | Implied in “kāviyanūl” as sweet rasa-filled mantra-text |
7. Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Alliteration: “சொற்பெரிய”, “சொல்லவே”, “சரஸ்வதியாள்” – creates sound-rhythm
- Sound symmetry: Alternating soft and hard syllables (e.g., vellavē, mellavē)
- Numerical Code: “பதினெண்பேர்” = 18 Siddhars, a core code in Siddha literature
- Symbolism: Each deity is linked to inner yogic states; e.g., Gaṇapati = stability, Murugan = piercing, Sarasvatī = refinement
8. Overall Summary and Core Teaching
This kāppu verse of இலட்சண காவியம் 1000 is not a mere introductory invocation but a profound inner sādhana alignment. The poet-siddha aligns himself with Gaṇapati’s stability, Murugan’s piercing wisdom, and Sarasvatī’s gentle vāk-śakti, invoking the grace of the 18 Siddhars to empower the spiritual treatise. The verse marks the opening of the inner eye (jñāna-kaṇ) even in those of “base intellect,” demonstrating that true wisdom arises not by erudition alone but by graceful surrender and inner vision. It anchors the entire kavya in the Vedāntic and Siddha vision of inner transformation through the poetics of the soul.
