Invocation Verse 1
1. 📝 Original Tamil Verse
சீரான சிவன்உமையாள்பாதம்போற்றி
செங்கையின்மான்மழுவேந்தும் தேவர்போற்றி
வாரான கணபதியும் கந்தன் போற்றி
கனவீரபைரவர்’ தன்கமலம் போற்றி
வாரான நந்தி மறையோர்கள்போற்றி
மறைநாலு வேதத்தின்காண்டம்போற்றி
ஆரான தன்வந்திரி அசுவினி போற்றி
அண்டசரா, சரம்சூழ்ந்த அம்பாள் காப்பு.
2. 🔡 IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
Śīrāṉa śivaṉ-umaiyāḷ-pātam pōṟṟi
Ceṅkaiyiṉ māṉ-maḻuv ēntum tēvar pōṟṟi
Vārāṉa kaṇapatiyum kantaṉ pōṟṟi
Kaṉa-vīra-pairaṟavar taṉ kamalam pōṟṟi
Vārāṉa nandi maṟaiyōrkaḷ pōṟṟi
Maṟai nālu vētat-tiṉ kāṇṭam pōṟṟi
Ārāṉa taṉvaṉtiri acuviṉi pōṟṟi
Aṇṭa-carā-caram sūḻnda ambāḷ kāppu.
3. 📘 Word-by-Word Meaning and Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST Transliteration | Lexical Meaning (Tamil Lexicon) | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha/Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| சிவன் | śivaṉ | Auspicious One; Lord Śiva | Śiva (Skt: शिव) | Absolute Reality, Supreme Guru |
| உமையாள் | umaiyāḷ | Goddess Umā, consort of Śiva | Umā (Skt: उमा) | Śakti or Conscious Energy |
| போற்றி | pōṟṟi | Salutations; Praise | Tamil root “pōṟṟu” (to praise) | Bhakti expression; ritual invocation |
| கணபதி | kaṇapati | Gaṇapati, Remover of Obstacles | Gaṇa + Pati (Skt: गणपति) | Initiator of Mantra Paths |
| கந்தன் | kantaṉ | Kandaṉ, Murugan/Skanda | Skanda (Skt: स्कन्द) | Jñāna Śakti; Youthful Guru |
| பைரவர் | pairavar | Bhairava, fierce guardian form of Śiva | Bhairava (Skt: भैरव) | Time-Gate Guardian; Protector of Yogic Secrets |
| நந்தி | nandi | Sacred Bull; Guardian of Śiva | Nandin (Skt: नन्दिन) | Teacher of Siddha Secrets |
| மறைநாலு | maṟai nālu | Four Vedas | Maṟai = Veda (Tamil) | Scriptural foundation for cosmic order |
| தன்வந்திரி | taṉvaṉtiri | Dhanvantari, Deva of Medicine | Dhanvantari (Skt: धन्वन्तरि) | Siddha-Vaidya source; Rasa-Medicine lineage |
| அசுவினி | acuviṉi | Aśvinī Twins, Divine Physicians | Aśvinī (Skt: अश्विनि) | Celestial healing twin energies |
| அம்பாள் | ambāḷ | Mother Goddess; Supreme Śakti | Ambā (Skt: अम्बा) | Supreme Cosmic Feminine; Universal Protectress |
| அண்டசராசரம் | aṇṭa-carācaram | All that is mobile and immobile in the cosmos | Aṇḍa (cosmos) + Cara–Acara (Skt) | Entire creation encompassing movement and stillness |
4. 🔤 Line-by-Line Literal Translation
1. சீரான சிவன்உமையாள்பாதம்போற்றி
Śīrāṉa śivaṉ umaiyāḷ pātam pōṟṟi
Salutations to the auspicious feet of Śiva and Umā.
2. செங்கையின்மான்மழுவேந்தும் தேவர்போற்றி
Ceṅkaiyiṉ māṉ maḻuvēntum tēvar pōṟṟi
Praise to the Deva who wields the bright deer-marked axe in His red hands.
3. வாரான கணபதியும் கந்தன் போற்றி
Vārāṉa kaṇapatiyum kantaṉ pōṟṟi
Salutations to the elephant-faced Gaṇapati and to Kandaṉ (Murugan).
4. கனவீரபைரவர்’ தன்கமலம் போற்றி
Kaṉa-vīra-pairaṟavar taṉ kamalam pōṟṟi
Salutations to the fierce Bhairava at His own lotus seat.
5. வாரான நந்தி மறையோர்கள்போற்றி
Vārāṉa nandi maṟaiyōrkaḷ pōṟṟi
Praise to Nandi and to the seers of the Vedas.
6. மறைநாலு வேதத்தின்காண்டம்போற்றி
Maṟai nālu vētat-tiṉ kāṇṭam pōṟṟi
Salutations to the branches of the Four Vedas.
7. ஆரான தன்வந்திரி அசுவினி போற்றி
Ārāṉa taṉvaṉtiri acuviṉi pōṟṟi
Praise to the healer Dhanvantari and the Aśvinī twins.
8. அண்டசரா, சரம்சூழ்ந்த அம்பாள் காப்பு.
Aṇṭa-carā-caram sūḻnda ambāḷ kāppu
Let Ambā, who encompasses all mobile and immobile beings of the universe, protect (us).
5. 🌌 Metaphoric or Hidden Meaning (Paripāṣai / குறிக்கோள்)
This verse unfolds as a sacred nyāsa of salutations — a mystical placement of divine guardians across the layers of existence. The repeated “pōṟṟi” (salutations) becomes a mantraic rhythm encoding spiritual awakening and protection through invocation of all cosmic agents:
- Śiva-Umā: Represents the union of consciousness and energy.
- Gaṇapati–Muruga–Bhairava: Forms the core initiation triad in Siddha Tantra—obstacle removal, knowledge transmission, and time-boundary transgression.
- Nandi and Vedic Seers: Guardian of Śiva’s teachings and custodians of ṛṣi lineage.
- Dhanvantari–Aśvinī: Symbolize the twin channels (iḍā–piṅgalā) of healing and the Siddha medical tradition.
- Ambāḷ: The enveloping Śakti, echoing the mahāśakti nyāsa protecting all existence.
6. 🧘🏽 Philosophical, Yogic, or Alchemical Significance
| Element | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Śakti rising invoked through divine salutation—especially Ambā’s protective grace. |
| Nāḍī | Aśvinī and Dhanvantari reference dual nāḍīs and rasāyana flow. |
| Cakra | Bhairava represents Mūlādhāra’s guardian; Murugan links to Ājñā cakra. |
| Pañcakōśa | The deities represent protection of each sheath: food, vital, mental, wisdom, bliss. |
| Vāyu | Invocation activates inner vāyus (prāṇa, apāna, etc.) through devotional rhythm. |
| Tapas | Praise becomes inner tapasya—sādhana of bhakti-mantra recitation. |
| Jñāna | Murugan and Vedic ṛṣis invoke awakening of inner knowledge. |
| Siddhi | Bhairava’s lotus denotes siddhi-pīṭha—the seat of spiritual power. |
| Rasavāda | Dhanvantari links to rasa-siddhi, the perfection of life essence and vitality. |
7. ✍🏽 Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Repetition of “போற்றி / pōṟṟi” creates a rhythmic mantric invocation (akin to nāma-saṅkīrtana).
- Numerological Symmetry: Eight salutation lines (Aṣṭa-digpāla nyāsa symbolism).
- Sound Play: Usage of “āna” and “ṟi” endings offers vibrational resonance.
- Encrypted Code: The verse encodes full-spectrum protection (divine–human–cosmic) via salutation.
8. 🪔 Overall Summary and Core Teaching
This opening verse of the Pañcakāvya Nikaṇṭu acts as a spiritual mangalācaraṇa—a sanctifying invocation that encircles the sādhaka in the protective aura of all dimensions of Siddha cosmology. By invoking Śiva and Umā, Gaṇapati, Murugan, Bhairava, and the healing deities Dhanvantari and Aśvinī, the verse creates a multidimensional shield of knowledge, grace, health, and cosmic order. Ambā is finally invoked as the ultimate protectress, enclosing the entire universe, reminding the sādhaka that true sādhana begins and ends with surrender to the Śakti who pervades all existence.
