1. Original Tamil Verse
பாடியதோர் நூல்களிலே வைந்துபாகம்
பாலகனேயிப் பாகம் நான்காம் பாகம் –
தேடியதோர் நாதாக்கள் கண்ட மாற்கம்
தேற்றமுடன் முறைபாடாய் மறைத்தார் கோடி –
ஆடியே பலதேசம் கண்டாராய்ந்து
அப்பனே மறைத்துவைத்த மாற்கந்தன்னை –
கூடியே யவர்களிடஞ் சேர்ந்தும் அல்லோ
குடியிருந்து உபவாசம் கொண்டேன்தானே.
2. IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
pāṭiyatōr nūlkaḷilē vaintu pākam
pālakaṉēyip pākam nāṉkām pākam –
tēṭiyatōr nātākkaḷ kaṇṭa māṟkam
tēṟṟamuṭaṉ muṟaipāṭāy maṟaittār kōṭi –
āṭiyē pala dēśam kaṇṭār āyntu
appaṉē maṟaittu vaitta māṟkantannai –
kūṭiyēy avarkaḷiṭaṉ cērntum allō
kuṭi iruntu upavāsam koṇṭēṉ tāṉē.
3. Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning (TL) | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| பாடியதோர் | pāṭiyatōr | That which was sung | pāṭi (sing) + yatu + ōr | Refers to prior mantric compositions; kāvyas as sung śāstra |
| நூல்களிலே | nūlkaḷilē | In the scriptures | nūl (text/scripture) | Sacred texts, especially the pañca kāvyas |
| வைந்துபாகம் | vaintu pākam | Composed/established section | vaintu (settled) + pākam (section) | Organized division of revelation |
| பாலகனே | pālakaṉē | O young one / nurturer | pālakaṉ (feeder/guardian) | Addressing disciple or divine protector; nurturing knowledge |
| நான்காம் பாகம் | nāṉkām pākam | The fourth section | nāṉkām (fourth) | Refers to the current section of the kāvya |
| தேடியதோர் | tēṭiyatōr | That which was sought | tēṭi (search) | Knowledge acquired through intense tapas and quest |
| நாதாக்கள் | nātākkaḷ | Nāthas, Lords (siddhas) | nātha (lord/master) | The siddhas, guru-beings, or Yogic lords |
| மாற்கம் | māṟkam | Path, doctrine | Skt. mārga (path) | Inner path, siddha-mārga |
| முறைபாடாய் | muṟaipāṭāy | With proper method | muṟai (order/method) + pāṭu (sing) | Ordered revelation, adhering to siddhānta and śāstra principles |
| மறைத்தார் கோடி | maṟaittār kōṭi | Crores have concealed it | maṟaittār (they hid) + kōṭi (crores) | Suggests that many beings/siddhas veiled the truth for protection |
| பலதேசம் | pala dēśam | Many countries or regions | dēśa (region) | Travelling in the inner and outer worlds (lokas) |
| கண்டாராய்ந்து | kaṇṭār āyntu | Saw and analyzed | kaṇṭu (see) + āyntu (investigate) | Jñāna-vicāra; deep inner discrimination |
| அப்பனே | appaṉē | O Father / Lord! | Tamil address form | Devotional call to Guru or Divine |
| மறைத்துவைத்த | maṟaittu vaitta | Hid and preserved | maṟaittu (concealed) + vaitta (kept) | Knowledge hidden in subtle language (twilight speech) |
| மாற்கந்தன்னை | māṟkantannai | That path (of realization) | mārga + taṉṉai (that) | Siddha-mārga, yogic route to liberation |
| சேர்ந்தும் | cērntum | Having joined | cēr (join) | Entering the community of realized beings |
| குடியிருந்து | kuṭi iruntu | Dwelling in their abode | kuṭi (residence) + iruntu (staying) | Living within the siddha sangha or inner śiṣya tradition |
| உபவாசம் | upavāsam | Fasting, spiritual discipline | Skt. upavāsa | Yogic control, tapas, purification through restraint |
| கொண்டேன்தானே | koṇṭēṉ tāṉē | I undertook indeed | koṇṭēṉ (took) + tāṉē (indeed I) | Voluntary tapas, committed ascetic practice |
4. Line-by-Line Literal Translation
1.
பாடியதோர் நூல்களிலே வைந்துபாகம்
pāṭiyatōr nūlkaḷilē vaintu pākam
Among the scriptures previously sung, this is an established section,
2.
பாலகனேயிப் பாகம் நான்காம் பாகம் –
pālakaṉēyip pākam nāṉkām pākam
O Nurturer! This is the fourth division (of the Kāvya),
3.
தேடியதோர் நாதாக்கள் கண்ட மாற்கம்
tēṭiyatōr nātākkaḷ kaṇṭa māṟkam
The path perceived by Nāthas who sought deeply,
4.
தேற்றமுடன் முறைபாடாய் மறைத்தார் கோடி –
tēṟṟamuṭaṉ muṟaipāṭāy maṟaittār kōṭi
With clarity and structured method, crores have concealed it.
5.
ஆடியே பலதேசம் கண்டாராய்ந்து
āṭiyē pala dēśam kaṇṭār āyntu
Having wandered, seen, and analyzed many lands,
6.
அப்பனே மறைத்துவைத்த மாற்கந்தன்னை –
appaṉē maṟaittu vaitta māṟkantannai
O Father! I grasped the path you had concealed and safeguarded.
7.
கூடியே யவர்களிடஞ் சேர்ந்தும் அல்லோ
kūṭiyēy avarkaḷiṭaṉ cērntum allō
Was it not that I joined and mingled with those (realized ones)?
8.
குடியிருந்து உபவாசம் கொண்டேன்தானே.
kuṭi iruntu upavāsam koṇṭēṉ tāṉē
Indeed, I lived among them and undertook austerities (upavāsa).
5. Metaphoric or Hidden Meaning (Paripāṣai / குறிக்கோள்)
This verse expresses the realized Siddha’s journey through sacred concealment and experiential initiation:
- “Paṭiyator nūlkaḷ” – alludes to the Siddha literature handed down orally and in poetic form.
- The Fourth Pākam is a doctrinal gateway to the hidden siddha path (mārga), encoded and transmitted secretly.
- “Nāthākkaḷ kaṇṭa māṟkam” – the siddha path is not taught, but seen (kaṇṭu = direct yogic vision).
- The idea that “crores have concealed it” means not all who know will reveal—only those who’ve fulfilled inner tapas reveal the encoded sūkṣma knowledge.
- The wanderings across lands can be read literally as pilgrimage, or as internal exploration of cakras, lokas, and tattvas.
- By “joining the Siddhas,” the poet claims access into the spiritual sangha and receives the encoded path through discipline.
- “Upavāsa” here includes fasting of the senses, speech, thoughts—not just food—a full yogic restraint.
6. Philosophical, Yogic, or Alchemical Significance
| Yogic/Alchemical Theme | Reference in Verse |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī & Nāḍī | Hidden path seen by Nāthas = awakening inner vision |
| Tapas (Ascetic Heat) | Through “upavāsa” and “wandering” = inner burning for revelation |
| Jñāna & Sūkṣma Darśana | “kaṇṭa māṟkam” – siddhas see the truth; not merely think it |
| Mantra Transmission | “muṟaipāṭāy” = knowledge encoded in proper metered poetic chanting |
| Initiatory lineage | Living with siddhas, indicates śiṣya–guru saṁbandha |
| Concealment and Revelation | Central to Siddha tradition – wisdom is hidden for the worthy seeker |
7. Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Anaphora/Repetition: The repeating structure “…மாற்கம்,” “மறைத்தார்,” “மறைத்துவைத்த…” evokes concealment as a central poetic image.
- Alliteration: Use of soft consonants: pa–pā–pālakaṉē, tēṭi–tēṟṟam–muṟai, gives musical resonance.
- Twilight Language (சமயமொழி): Words like “upavāsa,” “desham,” “nātha” encode deeper yogic and spiritual states, not to be taken literally.
8. Overall Summary and Core Teaching
This verse unfolds a personal testimony of the Siddha-seer, who, through deep seeking, gained entrance into the inner chamber of Siddha knowledge. It reveals that the true path (mārga) is never openly taught; it is seen, safeguarded, and shared only within the realized sangha. Through disciplined living (upavāsa) and association with the nāthas, the speaker claims direct experience of what countless others have veiled for ages. The teaching: siddha wisdom cannot be acquired through mere learning—it must be lived, sought, and deserved.
