About Siddhar's

About Siddhar's (Siddha's)

Siddhars and this intense path of light is the mystical end of Hinduism. This is a journey beyond enlightenment when beliefs are abandoned and instead, experience and teachings and the sacred grace of the ancient lineage of Gurus serve to guide the Siddhar adept.

Much less is known of the yogic traditions of South India as it was guarded in secrecy and taught in the traditional manner of guru to the spiritually mature disciple. In most cases the enlightened beings went on to evolve into the final objective of yoga and that was to merge into God in the physical form itself. These sages were called Siddhars. Many of these Siddhars maintained spiritual diaries and writings in the form of poetry from the time they actualized into discovering the divine with deeper meaning and the beginning of their journey into yoga while attaining enlightenment, and to the final state of transforming into light, merging with the Supreme.

There are different Siddhar schools with some believing in 18 masters and some as Siddhar Rajaswamy's- 210 masters. According to the Siddhar teachings, these masters constantly take birth again and again with their disciples in different divine incarnations in different times and different places around the world constantly to keep up with the changing humanity needs and effecting change. For instance, Jesus Christ is said to have been Siddhar Pullipani having reincarnated. Swami Vivekananda was said to have been one of the reincarnations of Siddhar Thirumulanathar. Lao Tzu was claimed by Siddhar Bhogar to have been one of his incarnations.


'Siddhars' were evolved spiritual beings who went beyond enlightenment to accomplish the final yoga of attaining the ultimate perfection as becoming one with God. Perfection in this sense means the state of the highly evolved as Christ after resurrection. This is the ultimate objective of yoga in the Siddha philosophy. Yoga of Siddha tradition in South India meant the accomplishment of merging the body into the supreme light of the absolute as attainments of eight different dimensions of perfection. Each dimension of perfection is called a 'siddhi' and 'siddhi' is the miraculous powers that were acquired while practicing this path of yoga. Although spiritual traditions of Hinduism throughout India shun acquiring 'siddhis' due to the belief that acquiring siddhis would grow ego and therefore would withhold the spiritual progress of the yogi, the Siddha path insists on sheer restraint in using any siddhi while encouraging Siddhars to live in solitude or live disguised within a society as an ordinary householders. Siddhars consider attainment of various siddhis as grace which naturally flow into them through their yogic practices and it was held sacred as the mark of the divine presence within themselves.
The realm of Siddhars is mystical, most times unbelievable and has remained unchanged over thousands of years. To envision this world, it is comparable to the life present in the extreme depth of the ocean existing under intense high pressure and total darkness, hardly ever disturbed by external forces. This would be an example to illustrate the world of the Siddhars beneath the known in Southern India which still vibrant and alive and yet far away from the rest of human civilization. These ancient spiritual places in South India, hidden from the rest of the world resonate with the presence of the Siddhars even today.

 

Who is a siddha ? A siddha is one who has attained siddhi, i.e. "power, prowess, strength, ability", then a special kind of psychic and supernatural, miraculous, occult power. There are eight kinds of super natural powers called as "Ashtama Siddhis":

1. Anima (shrinking) -- Power of becoming the size of an atom and entering the smallest beings.
2. Mahima (illimitability) -- Power of becoming mighty and co-extensive with the universe. The power of increasing one's size without limit.
3. Lagima (lightness) -- Capacity to be quite light though big in size.
4. Garima (weight) -- Capacity to weigh heavy, though seemingly small size.
5. Prapthi (fulfillment of desires) -- Capacity to enter all the worlds from Brahma Loga to the neither world. It is the power of attaining everything desired.
6. Prakasysm (irresistible will) -- Power of disembodying and entering into other bodies (metempsychosis) and going to heaven and enjoying what everyone aspires for, simply from where he stays.
7. Isithavam (supremacy) -- Have the creative power of God and control over the Sun, the moon and the elements and
8. Vasithavam (dominion over the elements) -- Power of control over King and Gods. The power of changing the course of nature and assuming any form.

According to the book "Valmiki Suthira Gyanam" authored by Siddhar Valmiki, "By purifying the mind and attaining perfection one becomes a siddha (Tamil Chittan); He is indeed fit to be called SIVA".

A classical definition of siddhas is given by Siddhar Thirumoolar: "Those who live in yoga and see the divine light and power through yoga are the siddhars (Tamil Chittar)".

According to Kamil Zvelebil, there are some features which are typical for all or almost all siddhars as a body of thinkers.

• First, in sharp opposition to the bhakti tradition, they refuse to allow themselves be carried away by idol worship in particular temples.
• Second, in contrast to bhakti which emphasizes passionate devotion to God, the siddhar emphasize knowledge, yoga practice, and character, moral behavior, right conduct. Anger, lust and egoism are the worst sins.
• Third, almost all siddhar's raise a protest against caste and casteism.

The whole atmosphere of siddha thinking is empirical and experimental. Their writings are not in the nature of clear cut formalized statements of any well defined doctrine. Hence, it is difficult to extricate a philosophical system out of their writings, at least at the present state of our knowledge of their works. However, it is possible to point out a few essential features, and one day, when their writings are better known, it should be possible to state their philosophy more explicitly.

This web site is devoted to publishing the works of siddhars for the internet community. Most of the works are available only in Tamil and it is possible that the author of document interprets things in his own way while translating the original text. An attempt is made to present information about siddhars here.

References

1. Chapter Eighteen (Pages 364 & 365) of book entitled "Eighteen Siddhars in History of Siddha Medicine" by Mr. N. Kandasamy Pillai, Former Member, Siddha Science Development Committee and Published by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1979.
2. Chapter Fourteen (Pages 224 & 225) of book entitled "The Smile of Murugan of Tamil Literature of South India" by Kamil Zvelebil and Published by E.J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands in 1973 (ISBN 90 04 03591 5).
3. Song 1490 of "Thirumandiram Moovayiram" by Siddhar Thirumoolar.

The 18 Siddhars

There are 18 siddhars in the tamil siddha tradition. Each of the siddhars had lived in varied places under different names. The following are most common names of the 18 siddhars. They are listed in the order of their time period.

1. Sri Pathanjali Siddhar
2. Sri Agasthiar Siddhar
3. Sri Kamalamuni Siddhar
4. Sri Thirumoolar Siddhar
5. Sri Kuthambai Siddhar
6. Sri Korakkar Siddhar
7. Sri Thanvandri Siddhar
8. Sri Sundaranandar Siddhar
9. Sri Konganar Siddhar
10. Sri Sattamuni Siddhar
11. Sri Vanmeegar Siddhar
12. Sri Ramadevar Siddhar
13. Sri Nandeeswarar Siddhar
14. Sri Edaikkadar Siddhar
15. Sri Machamuni Siddhar
16. Sri Karuvoorar Siddhar
17. Sri Bogar Siddhar
18. Sri Pambatti Siddhar

The Other Siddhars

Apart from the 18 siddhars given above, there are also other siddhars. It is possible that the siddhars given below are the same siddhars (the 18 siddhars), but under different name. They might also be the disciples of the siddhars, who by the process 'Transmigration of Souls' became the one and same as the Guru himself. Only a true Siddha Yogi shall do any classification with full confidence.

1. Sivavakkiyar
2. Pattinattar
3. (List to be expanded later)

Table of 18 Siddhars

Sl. No	Name of the Siddhar	Tamil month of Birth	Tamil Birth Star	Duration of Life	Place of Samadhi
1	Sri Pathanjali	Panguni	Moolam	5 Yugas 7 Days	Rameswaram
2	Sri Agasthiar	Markazhi	Aayilyam	4 Yugas 48 Days	Thiruvananthapuram
3	Sri Kamalamuni	Vaikasi	Poosam	4000 Years 48 Days	Thiruvarur
4	Sri Thirumoolar	Purattathi	Avittam	3000 Years 13 Days	Chidambaram
5	Sri Kuthambai	Aadi	Visagam	1800 Years 16 Days	Mayavaram
6	Sri Korakkar	Karthigai	Aayilyam	880 Years 11 Days	Perur
7	Sri Thanvandri	Iyppasi	Punarpoosam	800 Years 32 Days	Vaideeswarankoil
8	Sri Sundaranandar	Aavani	Revathi	800 Years 28 Days	Madurai
9	Sri Konganar	Chitthirai	Utthiradam	800 Years 16 Days	Titupathi
10	Sri Sattamuni	Aavani	Mrigasirisham	800 Years 14 Days	Thiruvarangam
11	Sri Vaanmeegar / Valmiki	Purattasi	Anusham	700 Years 32 Days	Ettukudi
12	Sri Ramadevar	Masi	Pooram	700 Years 06 Days	Azhagarmalai
13	Sri Nandeeswarar	Vaikasi	Visagam	700 Years 03 Days	Kasi
14	Sri Edaikkadar	Purattasi	Thiruvadirai	600 Years 18 Days	Tiruvannamalai
15	Sri Machamuni	Aadi	Rohini	300 Years 62 Days	Thiruparankundram
16	Sri Karuvoorar	Chitthirai	Hastham	300 Years 42 Days	Karuvur
17	Sri Bogar	Vaikasi	Bharani	300 Years 18 Days	Pazhani
18	Sri Pambatti	Karthigai	Mrigasirisham	123 Years 14 Days	Sankarankoil

Sri Pambatti Siddhar

A Crisp Note on Sri Pambatti Siddhar

The most popular and well known of the siddhar’s is "Pambatti Siddhar" (the snake character) who may be taken to be a true representation of his tribe. He takes the snake for a symbol to represent the human Soul and uses the expression : "AODU PAMBE" (De thou, Dance Snake) as a refrain at the end of each stanza of his poem. The poem of this siddhar is in fewer than six hundred lines and deals with philosophic and spiritual matters in the authentic siddhar pattern with great passion. He sings Lord Siva as the Supreme Power of the Universe. There is a poem on his Guru, Who is credited with super natural powers. He then boasts of the similar powers of his tribe in a mood of fantastic self-adulation, where his imagination runs riot. "We can make men women", he says and adds, "We can destroy" this great universe. He asserts that they have power equal to that of God and can control the elements. He is there, merely expatiating on the Ashtama Siddhis, which is believed to confer eight kinds of devises and super natural powers on those who have achieved it. They are

1. Anima -- Power of becoming the size of an atom and entering the smallest beings.
2. Mahima -- Power of becoming mighty and co-extensive with the universe.
3. Lagima -- Capacity to be quite light though big in size.
4. Garima -- Capacity to weigh heavy, though seemingly small size.
5. Prapthi -- Capacity to enter all the worlds from Brahma Loga to the neither world.
6. Prakasysm -- Power of disembodying and entering into other bodies (metempsychosis) and going to heaven and enjoying what everyone aspires for, simply from where he stays.
7. Isithavam -- Have the creative power of God and control over the Sun, the moon and the elements and
8. Vasithavam -- Power of control over King and Gods.

Whether any man ever had or can have these powers is an open question.

He then bursts out that they, like Prahima can create new worlds, make him his servants and live in a status of equality with Lord Siva and make Him play with them. Then there is usual tired against this life and its short lived sensual pleasure. The value of reminciation and sacation is also dealt with. He ridicules ideal worship and the Vedas. Agomas and other Scriptures. The cast differences are denounced by him. He has also several stanzas on mystic knowledge of Yoga.

As a poet, he is not contemptible (deserving to be treated with contempt). He has a facility of expression and an imaginative flavour in thought. He holds that those who have no feeling of love in their hearts can never attain salvation. His God vision is pictured in a fine stanza. This poet uses entirely the common speech of the people and has produced powerful effect.

Each one of the stanzas of his work ends in the world "Aodu Pambe". Probably that may be the cause of his name. He seems to belong to Maruthamalai in Kongunadu. It is given in the work above that he got instructions from Sattamuni. As per the lines "Pathir-ar-Sankarankoil Pambatti" found in the old stanza, which is given as source so far, his place of Samadhi has to be taken as Sankarankoil is Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu (India).

Scripts taken from:
Chapter Eighteen (Pages 364 & 365) of book entitled "Eighteen Siddhars in History of Siddha Medicine" by Mr. N. Kandasamy Pillai, Former Member, Siddha Science Development Committee and Published by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1979.

A Precise History of Sri Pambatti Siddhar Samadhi at Sankarankovil

The nobility and sublimity of the Cobra, which symbolically represents the power of Kundalini in human beings, is hailed with mystical flavor in more than a hundred verses by Sri Pambatti siddhar, each ending with the refrain 'Dance Thou Cobra!'.

He is the last among the noted 18 siddhars. He belongs to the Kozhayi family. The Himalayas are their ancestral land. Essentially the Kozhayi's were cowherds and sheep herds and dependent on the products of cows and sheep. Slowly they moved out of their place and in due course came to South India . Some say that Sri Pambatti Siddhar was born at Thirukkokarnam, near Pudukkottai and some others in the Pandya Kingdom . Mrigasirisham was his birth star in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November-December). He was considered a manifestation of Lord Siva. On being given spiritual initiation by his Guru Sattamuni, as the disciple changed the five elements into a five-headed cobra, he came to be known as "Pambatti siddhar". There are a few who say that he got this name because he lent symbolically in his verses the image of a cobra to the Kundalini power.   

Sri Pambatti siddhar attained the eight supernatural powers called 'Ashtamasiddhi' after performing penance for a very long time in a cave on Marudamalai, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Also he lived in places like Mahalingamalai in Vathiraayiruppu, Kollimalai, Madurai , Puliyur and Bhavani.   

Sri Sivaprabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar was the worthy disciple of this great siddhar. The former was born in a Namboodiri family of Kaladi, Kerala. As the Guru and his follower remained inseparable, they did atonement for 45 years on the Himalayas and came to Sankarankoil. Sri Pambatti Siddhar established the statue of Goddess Gomathi Amman there. Later, at the south-west corner, about a furlong behind the temple, amidst punnai trees (now door number 15, Puliyankudi Road). Sri Pambatti Siddhar got established in the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi (also known as Jeeva Samadhi) at the sacred hands of his disciple.   

Some books mention that Sri Pambatti siddhar attained samadhi at Virudhachalam and some at Thirukkadaiyur. However, their claims have no established proof. It may be assumed that Sri Pambatti siddhar would have lived in those places and in order to reveal that the disciple could himself assume the frame of his master, might have got established in samadhi in these two places in the guise of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. This might have been possible for him because Sri Prabhakarar got into the bodies of 15 persons at different times by the unique process called 'Metempsychosis' (Transmigration) and proved himself to be the noble student of his aspired preceptor.   

It can be authentically proved that Sri Pambatti siddhar got samadhi only at Sankarankoil. Some such proofs are cited below:   

1) In his book entitled "History of Siddha Medicine" written in English by Mr. N. Kannuppillai and published by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1979, under the chapter "Eighteen Siddhars", the author has written on pages 364-366 about Pambatti siddhar and clearly mentioned that he attained samadhi at Sankarankoil.   

2) In the hoary palm leaves of Pulithevar entitled " Nerkattum Seval " in the form of a song there are references to the places where the 18 siddhar's had attained samadhi and in it is mentioned that Sri Pambatti siddhar's place of samadhi is at Sankarankoil.   

3) Dr. Yogi S. A. A. Ramiah in his book " A Collection of the Verses of the Eighteen Siddhars for Daily Recitation n" (in Tamil) too makes a similar mention when he records that Sri. Pambatti siddhar in order to attain Svarupa samadhi in Sankarankoil kindled his cobra power of Kundalini.   

4) The Gayatri Mantra of Sri Pambatti siddhar is :   
" Om Sankaranaalaya Pathivaazh Sittharaaya    Vechitra Rupaaya Pambatti Sittharaaya Namaha" .  
This also makes an identical proclamation.   

Thus, beyond doubt, it is established that Sri Pambatti Siddhar's Jeeva Samadhi is only at Sankarankoil and not anywhere else.   

The sole disciple of Sri Pambatti Siddhar was Brahmananda Sri Sivaprabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar and that of the latter is Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji, who has, at the behest of his Guru, had undertaken the great task of constructing a sacred samadhi Temple for his Guru's Guru.  Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji had taken up some other truly useful missions to the society.  His plan was to construct separate buildings for siddha research centre and for mass feeding, to be housed within the proposed building complex of the siddhar samadhi.   

Just in front of the siddhar samadhi lies a big water tank called "Govinda Peri", meant for the annual float festival of the temple.  It was in ruins and Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji had desilted the tank and renovated its southern and western walls at a cost of about Rs.80,000 and let the people of the area of the town to bathe comfortably in it.  Also he had renovated the "Govinda Peri Mutt" and established a "Bhakthi Peeth".  He had finished construction of two temples - one dedicated to Lord Ganesh and the other to Lord Balamurugan - and they are meant for public worship.   

Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamigal had some more generous plans : to build a charity marriage hall, a serene hall for meditation and a school for the chanting of hymns of the Vedas. The present small sanctum santorium of Sri Pambatti siddhar (presently a thatched shed structure only) is to be built extensively.  A proverb says "only one Caste and one Lord".  True to that statement, Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji did everything without any discrimination of caste, creed and religion. So far many lakhs of rupees have been spent. The aforesaid construction work was estimated to have costed nearly 40 lakh Indian Rupees (INR). Of course, the public voluntarily came forward and donated liberally for this inimitable spiritual cause.

Every sincere devotee is called upon to pay his / her mite by sending an amount equal to at least a day's salary to the Samadhi Peedam (Contact Information of Samadhi Peedam) and become a part of this unique social service.   

Note: The names of those who donate Rs.2,000 or more shall be engraved on the walls of the temple.

The Eminence of Sri Pambatti Siddhar's Samadhi

Some special features of Sri Pambati Siddhar's Samadhi are presented here:

1) It is a historically recorded evidence that in order to cure Pulithevar, a daring patriot, of his excruciating stomach pain the then pontiff of Thiruvaduthurai used the ant-hill soil on the Samadhi of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. It readily reveals the curative efficacy of the Samadhi soil. Daily devotes who throng the shrine take the soil to their homes as 'Prasadam'. The Tulsi tank water in the temple cures many diseases and protects devotees from many diseases.

2) There is a grill-structure with 18 lamps, just behind the Siddhar's shrine. The Pranava Mantra "OM" is at its centre. There is a "Trident" at the top of the lamps to refer to the Three Lords, born out of the Pranava Mantra. Each lamp encompassing "OM" stands for a Siddhar.

The prayers of those devotees who keep a small cloth packet containing Sesame seeds in each of these cup like lamps, fill with gingelly oil, light them and pray sincerely are heard and fulfilled at once. This is what devotees who gather at the shrine in multitudes often assert. Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji himself once directed some of his devotees to observe this rite in order to rid them of the adverse effects of Mars in the 7th house of their horoscope (Commonly referred as "Sevvai Dhosha" in Tamil Astronomy) or the hostile influence of Raghu, Kethu and Saturn. Those who follow these directions fervently get the following favours:

Those who suffer from

1. Sevvai Dhosha get a good life partner,
2. Saturn's retardation get peace of mind,
3. Issues beget children,
4. unemployed get suitable jobs, etc.

3) There is a big lamp which is kept burning all the 24 hours of a day at the Sanctum Sanctorium of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. It consumes one litre of gingelly oil per day. Sri Pambatti Siddhar protects the interests of those who keep it burning and workship him earnestly. Daily devotees bring garlands, flowers, camphor, incense sticks, coconuts, bananas and other fruits for the daily adoration of the Parabrahamam Statue established on the Samadhi of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. No doubt they get His blessings in full measure.

4) This is an exquisitely carved four-sided idol. At the top it is a 14-headed cobra spreading its hoods, with figures of Lord Vishnu on the east, Lord Siva and splendid Goddess Gomathi on the south, Lord Muruga on the west and Lord Ganesh on the north. This signifies that the 14-headed Cobra, Sri Pambatti Siddhar, contains the Three Lords in Himself. This also implies that HE is Parabrahman Himself.

5) This Siddhar temple is popularly known by the epithet 'Samadhi of the Munificent Philanthropist' for the obvious reason that large scale mass feeding was frequently conducted here by Sri Siddharaja Swamiji. Currently the mass feedings are organized by the S.P.S.S.P. trust. True to the epithet, on the days of Adi Thapas in the month of July-August, a very extensive mass feeding is performed every year. So far 16 such feedings have been accomplished and over 20,000 people are fed on each occasion.

Further, all devotes who visit the shrine are fed daily and hence without an iota of exaggeration it is called 'Annadana Samadhi'. Everyone is invited to go in large numbers to this famous shrine of Sri Pambatti Siddhar at Sankarankoil, get His blessings and have a foretaste of the celestial bliss.