1. Original Tamil Verse
ஓமென்ற மூலகணபதியே காப்பு
உண்மையுட னடுமனையை உகந்துநின்று
ஆமென்ற அமுர்தகலை வுட்கொண்டேதான்
அடங்கிஅந்த மனோன்மணியின் அருமையாலே
ஊமென்ற உண்மைதனை மவுனமாக
உருபெற்று கருபெற்று உறுதிபெற்று
தாமென்ற மதிதனையே ரவியில்தாக்கி
சச்சிதா னந்தமென்ற ஆதிகாப்பே.
2. IAST Transliteration (ISO 15919)
ō-meṉṟa mūla-gaṇapatiyē kāppu
uṇmaiyuṭa ṇaṭu-maṉaiyai ukantu-niṉṟu
ā-meṉṟa amurta-kalai vuṭ-koṇḍē-tāṉ
aṭaṅki anta maṉōṉmaṇiyiṉ arumaiyālē
ū-meṉṟa uṇmaitai mauna-māka
uru-peṟṟu karu-peṟṟu uṟuti-peṟṟu
tā-meṉṟa mati-taṉaiyē ravi-il-tākki
saccit-ānandameṉṟa ādikāppē.
3. Word-by-Word Meaning with Etymology Table
| Tamil Word | IAST | Lexical Meaning | Etymology / Sanskrit Root | Siddha / Tantric Connotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ஓம் | ōm | Pranava, sacred syllable | Sanskrit: Om (ॐ), praṇava | Seed sound of absolute reality; vibration of source |
| மூலகணபதி | mūla-gaṇapati | Root Gaṇapati (primordial form of Gaṇeśa) | mūla = root; gaṇa-pati = lord of gaṇas | First tattva (mūlatattva), remover of obstacles |
| உண்மை | uṇmai | Truth, reality | Tamil: uṇ + mai (being + -ness) | Sat (truth), ontological essence |
| நடுமனை | naṭu-maṉai | Central house, middle chamber (symbolic) | naṭu (middle) + maṉai (house) | Heart center (anāhata cakra), or suṣumnā nāḍī |
| அமுர்தகலை | amurta-kalai | Nectaric ray, essence of immortality | amṛta (Skt) = immortal + kalā = ray | Bindhu or nectar from sahasrāra |
| மனோன்மணி | maṉōṉmaṇi | Jewel of the mind (supreme consciousness) | manas + ūnmaṇi (subtle light-jewel) | Ājñā cakra or inner Goddess in sahasrāra |
| மவுனம் | mauna | Silence, stillness | Skt: mauna from muni (silent sage) | Supreme silence, source of sound (nāda) |
| உரு | uru | Form | Tamil / Skt: rūpa | Manifestation from formlessness |
| கரு | karu | Womb, seed, causality | Tamil: karu (embryo, seed) | Kāraṇa śarīra, causal seed, or bīja of manifestation |
| உறுதி | uṟuti | Firmness, stability | Tamil: uṟu (to stay, be fixed) | Siddhi, rootedness in Self |
| மதி | mati | Intellect, moon-consciousness | Skt: mati = mind, clarity | Soma tattva, reflective mind illumined by Jñāna |
| ரவி | ravi | Sun | Skt: ravi = sun | Sūrya-nāḍī, illumination |
| சச்சிதானந்தம் | sat-cit-ānandam | Existence-Consciousness-Bliss | Skt compound: sat + cit + ānanda | Supreme Brahman, state of liberated Siddha |
| ஆதிகாப்பு | ādikāppu | Primordial protection / guardianship | ādi = beginning + kāppu = protection | Grace of original Source (Parā Śakti or Paramaśiva) |
4. Line-by-Line Literal Translation
1.
ஓமென்ற மூலகணபதியே காப்பு
ō-meṉṟa mūla-gaṇapatiyē kāppu
Let the Primal Gaṇapati, who is “Om”, protect us!
2.
உண்மையுட னடுமனையை உகந்துநின்று
uṇmaiyuṭa ṉaṭu-maṉaiyai ukantu-niṉṟu
Standing in the middle chamber (central self), united with Truth,
3.
ஆமென்ற அமுர்தகலை வுட்கொண்டேதான்
ā-meṉṟa amurta-kalai vuṭ-koṇḍē-tāṉ
He indeed absorbed the nectar-ray, saying “Ā”,
4.
அடங்கிஅந்த மனோன்மணியின் அருமையாலே
aṭaṅki anta maṉōṉmaṇiyiṉ arumaiyālē
And settled through the grace of the rare inner gem of the Mind (Maṉōṉmaṇi).
5.
ஊமென்ற உண்மைதனை மவுனமாக
ū-meṉṟa uṇmaitai mauna-māka
The “Ū” of truth became silence itself (mauna),
6.
உருபெற்று கருபெற்று உறுதிபெற்று
uru-peṟṟu karu-peṟṟu uṟuti-peṟṟu
Gaining form, gaining seed, and gaining firmness,
7.
தாமென்ற மதிதனையே ரவியில்தாக்கி
tā-meṉṟa mati-taṉaiyē ravi-il-tākki
That “Tā” of mind struck into the Sun (Ravi),
8.
சச்சிதா னந்தமென்ற ஆதிகாப்பே.
saccit-ānandameṉṟa ādikāppē.
Resulting in the Supreme Sat-Cit-Ānanda as the primal protection.
5. Metaphoric or Hidden Meaning (Paripāṣai)
This verse encodes an initiation process of inner awakening through sacred syllables: “ō-ā-ū-tā”, symbolizing the descent of Absolute Consciousness into manifest reality.
- “Ōṁ” symbolizes origin—Mūla Gaṇapati—the guardian of all sādhana and remover of inner obstacles.
- “Ā” represents the nectarous kalā—the dripping essence from Sahasrāra (bindu) that awakens inner light.
- “Ū” is the mauna state, the silent Real, beyond speech.
- “Tā” marks the stabilizing intellect illumined by the inner sun (ravi), suggesting the moon-sun union (Soma–Sūrya yoga).
Together, these syllables represent a sound-coded yoga of fullness (pūrṇatva) leading to Sat-Cit-Ānanda—not as abstract but as lived spiritual embodiment.
6. Philosophical, Yogic, or Alchemical Significance
| Concept | Mapping in Verse |
|---|---|
| Kuṇḍalinī | Awakens through nectar from sahasrāra (amṛta-kalā) and settles in the mauna-state. |
| Nāḍī | References to “central house” = suṣumnā; Ravi = sūrya-nāḍī; Mati = lunar mind. |
| Cakra | Activation from ājñā (Maṉōṉmaṇi) to anāhata (central house) to sahasrāra. |
| Pañcakōśa | From truth (ānandamaya) → silence (vijñānamaya) → form/seed (manomaya) → sun (prāṇamaya) |
| Vāyu | The silent flow (mauna) corresponds to udāna or vyāna vāyu balancing tattvas. |
| Tapas | The absorption and internalization of amṛta is an act of inner tapas. |
| Jñāna | Realization of sat-cit-ānanda through mati (clarified intelligence). |
| Siddhi | Uṟuti = firmness, the stabilized siddha state, achieved through mauna. |
| Rasavāda | Drinking amṛta from sahasrāra; the full inner rasa yields sat-cit-ānanda. |
7. Literary Features and Poetic Devices
- Phonetic Patterning: Syllables “ō-ā-ū-tā” appear rhythmically, encoding seed syllables of transformation.
- Alliteration: Subtle use of soft consonants like meṉṟa, peṟṟu, and taṉaiyē create internal melody.
- Sound Symbolism: Sounds like “ū” and “ōm” denote twilight speech or sandhya-bhāṣā.
- Symbolic Imagery: Sun and moon metaphors (mati and ravi) represent inner alchemical polarity.
- Chandas: The verse has balanced metric symmetry, suggesting it may align with Tiruvāymoḻi-style flow.
8. Overall Summary and Core Teaching
This opening verse of Pūrṇa Kāvyam is a mantric sādhana in poetic form, revealing the journey from primordial sound (Om) to ultimate bliss (Sat-Cit-Ānanda) through inner yogic and alchemical unfolding. Each syllable is a step in the mystic path: beginning with the invocation of Mūla Gaṇapati, receiving nectar of immortality (amṛta-kalā), abiding in silence (mauna), taking form (uru/karu), and integrating the moon-mind with the solar consciousness to attain the state of fullness. It establishes the tone for the Kāvyam: a coded map of inner realization, to be unlocked through reverent, yogic contemplation.
