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Shree Pambatti SiddharA most popular and well known of the siddhars is "Pambatti
Siddhar"(the snake siddha) who may be taken to be a true representation ofhis
tribe. He takes the snake for a symbol to represent the humanSoul and uses the
expression : "AADU PAMBE" (De thou, Dance Snake) asa refrain at the end of each
stanza of his poem.


The poem of thissiddhar is fewer than six hundred lines and deals with
philosophicand spiritual matters in the authentic siddhar pattern with
greatpassion.




He sings the praise of Lord Siva as the Supreme Power of the Universe.




About Siddhar's (Siddha's)

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":
Anima (shrinking) -- Power of becoming the size of an atom and entering the smallest beings.
Mahima (illimitability) -- Power of becoming mighty and co-extensive with the
universe. The power of increasing one's size without limit.
Lagima (lightness) -- Capacity to be quite light though big in size.
Garima (weight) -- Capacity to weigh heavy, though seemingly small size.
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.
Prakasysm (irresistable 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.
Isithavam (supremacy) -- Have the creative power of God and control over the
Sun, the moon and the elements and
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 Valmeeki Siddha,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.

Nandi Devar
Agastyar
Thirumoolar
Boganathar
Konkanavar
Macchamuni
Goraknath
Sattamuni
Sundaranandar
Rama Devar
Kudambai
Karuvoorar
Idai Kadar
Kamalamuni
Valmiki
Patanjali
Dhanvanthri
Paambatti

Sri Pa
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


There is a poem on his Guru, Who is credited with super naturalpowers. He then
boasts of the similar powers of his tribe in a moodof fantastic self-adulation,
where his imagination runs riot. "We canmake men women", he says and adds, "We
can destroy" this greatuniverse. He asserts that they have power equal to that
of God andcan control the elements. He is there, merely expatiating on
theAshtama SiddhisHe then bursts out that they, like Prahima can create new
worlds,make him his servants and live in a status of equality with Lord Sivaand
make Him play with them. Then there is usual tired against thislife and its
short lived sensual pleasure. The value of reminciationand sacation is also
dealt with. He ridicules ideal worship and theVedas. Agomas and other
Scriptures. The cast differences aredenounced by him. He has also several
stanzas
on mystic knowledge ofYoga.As a poet, he is not contemptible (deserving to be
treated withcontempt). He has a facility of expression and an imaginative
flavourin thought. He holds that those who have no feeling of love in
theirhearts can never attain salvation. His God vision is pictured in afine
stanza. This poet uses entirely the common speech of the peopleand has produced
powerful effect.Each one of the stanzas of his work ends in the world "Aadu
Pambe".Probably that may be the cause of his name. He seems to belong
toMaruthamalai in Kongunadu. It is given in the work above that he
gotinstructions from Sattamuni. As per the lines
"Pathir-ar-SankarankoilPambatti" found in the old
stanza, which is given as source so far,his place of Samadhi has to be taken as
Sankarankoil is TirunelveliDistrict of Tamil Nadu (India).The nobility and
sublimity of the Cobra, which symbolicallyrepresents the power of Kundalini in
human beings, is hailed withmystical flavor in more than a hundred verses by
Sri Pambattisiddhar, each ending with the refrain 'Dance Thou Cobra!'.He is the
last among the noted 18 siddhars. He belongs to the Kozhayifamily. The Himalayas
are their ancestral land. Essentially theKozhayi's were cowherds and sheep herds
and dependent on the productsof cows and sheep. Slowly they moved out of their
place and in duecourse came to South India . Some say that Sri
Pambatti Siddhar wasborn at Thirukkokarnam, near Pudukkottai and some others in
thePandya Kingdom . Mrigasirisham was his birth star in the Tamil monthof
Karthigai (November-December). He was considered a manifestationof Lord Siva.
On being given spiritual initiation by his GuruSattamuni, as the disciple
changed the five elements into a five-headed cobra, he came to be known as
"Pambatti siddhar". There are afew who say that he got this name because he
lent symbolically in hisverses the image of a cobra to the Kundalini power.Sri
Pambatti siddhar attained the eight supernatural powerscalled 'Ashtamasiddhi'
after performing penance for a very long timein a cave on Marudamalai, near
Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Also helived in places like Mahalingamalai in
Vathiraayiruppu, Kollimalai,Madurai , Puliyur and Bhavani.Sri Sivaprabhakara
Siddhayogi Paramahamsa was the worthy disciple ofthis great siddhar. The former
was born in a Namboodiri family ofKaladi, Kerala. As the Guru and his follower
remained inseparable,they did atonement for 45 years on the Himalayas and came
toSankarankoil. Sri Pambatti Siddhar established the statue of GoddessGomathi
Amman there. Later, at the south-west corner, about a furlongbehind the temple,
amidst punnai trees (now door number 15,Puliyankudi Road). Sri Pambatti Siddhar
got established in the stateof Nirvikalpa Samadhi (also known as Jeeva Samadhi)
at the sacredhands of his disciple.Some books mention that Sri Pambatti siddhar
attained samadhi atVirudhachalam and some at
Thirukkadaiyur. However, their claims haveno established proof. It may be
assumed that Sri Pambatti siddharwould have lived in those places and in order
to reveal that thedisciple could himself assume the frame of his master, might
have gotestablished in samadhi in these two places in the guise of SriPambatti
Siddhar. This might have been possible for him because SriPrabhakarar got into
the bodies of 15 persons at different times bythe unique process called
'Metempsychosis' (Transmigration) andproved himself to be the noble student of
his aspired preceptor.It can be authentically proved that Sri Pambatti siddhar
got samadhionly at Sankarankoil. Some such proofs are cited below:1) In his
book entitled "History of Siddha Medicine" written inEnglish by Mr. N.
Kannuppillai and published by the Government ofTamil Nadu in 1979, under the
chapter "Eighteen Siddhars", the authorhas written on pages 364-366 about
Pambatti
siddhar and clearlymentioned that he attained samadhi at Sankarankoil.2) In the
hoary palm leaves of Pulithevar entitled " NerkattumSeval " in the form of a
song there are references to the placeswhere the 18 siddhar's had attained
samadhi and in it is mentionedthat Sri Pambatti siddhar's place of samadhi is
at Sankarankoil.3) Dr. Yogi S. A. A. Ramiah in his book " A Collection of the
Versesof the Eighteen Siddhars for Daily Recitatio n" (in Tamil) too makesa
similar mention when he records that Sri. Pambatti siddhar in orderto attain
Svarupa samadhi in Sankarankoil kindled his cobra power ofKundalini.
roman" color="#4a234a">4) The Gayatri Mantra of Sri Pambatti siddhar is :"Om
Sankaranaalaya Pathivaazh SittharaayaVechitra Rupaaya Pambatti Sittharaaya
Namaha" .This also makes an identical proclamation.Thus, beyond doubt, it is
established that Sri Pambatti Siddhar'sJeeva Samadhi is only at Sankarankoil
and not anywhere else.The sole disciple of Sri Pambatti Siddhar was Brahmananda
SriSivaprabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar and that of the latter isBrahmasri
Siddharaja Swamiji, who has, at the behest of his Guru, hadundertaken the great
task of constructing a sacred samadhi Temple forhis Guru's Guru. Brahmasri
Siddharaja Swamiji had taken up someother truly useful missions to the society.
His plan was toconstruct
separate buildings for siddha research centre and for massfeeding, to be housed
within the proposed building complex of thesiddhar samadhi.Just in front of the
siddhar samadhi lies a big water tankcalled "Govinda Peri", meant for the annual
float festival of thetemple. The Eminence of Sri Pambatti Siddhar's SamadhiSome
special features of Sri Pambati Siddhar's Samadhi are presentedhere:1) It is a
historically recorded evidence that in order to curePulithevar, a daring
patriot, of his excruciating stomach pain thethen pontiff of Thiruvaduthurai
used the ant-hill soil on the Samadhiof Sri Pambatti Siddhar. It readily
reveals the curative efficacy ofthe Samadhi soil. Daily devotes who throng the
shrine take the soilto their homes as 'Prasadam'. The Tulsi tank water in the
templecures many diseases and protects devotees from many diseases.2) There is
a grill-structure with 18 lamps, just behind
theSiddhar's shrine. The Pranava Mantra "OM" is at its centre. There isa
"Trident" at the top of the lamps to refer to the Three Lords, bornout of the
Pranava Mantra. Each lamp encompassing "OM" stands for aSiddhar.The prayers of
those devotees who keep a small cloth packetcontaining Sesame seeds in each of
these cup like lamps, fill withgingelly oil, light them and pray sincerely are
heard and fulfilledat once. This is what devotees who gather at the shrine in
multitudesoften assert. Brahmasri Siddharaja Swamiji himself once directed
someof his devotees to observe this rite in order to rid them of theadverse
effects of Mars in the 7th house of their horoscope (Commonlyreferred as
"Sevvai Dhosha" in Tamil Astronomy) or the hostileinfluence of Raghu, Kethu and
Saturn. Those who follow thesedirections fervently get the following
favours:Those who suffer fromSevvai Dhosha get a good life partner,Saturn's
retardation get peace of mind,Issueless beget children,unemployed get suitable
jobs, etc.3) There is a big lamp which is kept burning all the 24 hours of aday
at the Sanctum Sanctorium of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. It consumesone litre of
gingelly oil per day. Sri Pambatti Siddhar protects theinterests 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 theParabrahamam Statue established on the Samadhi of Sri
PambattiSiddhar. No doubt they get His blessings in full measure.4) This is an
exquisitely carved four-sided idol. At the top it is a14-headed cobra spreading
its hoods, with figures of Lord Vishnu onthe east, Lord Siva and splendid
Goddess Gomathi on the south, LordMuruga on the west and Lord Ganesh on the
north. This signifies thatthe 14-headed Cobra, Sri Pambatti Siddhar, contains
the Three Lordsin Himself. This also implies that HE is Parabrahman Himself.5)
This Siddhar temple is popularly known by the epithet 'Samadhi ofthe Munificent
Philanthropist' for the obvious reason that largescale mass feeding was
frequently conducted here by Sri SiddharajaSwamiji. 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 ofJuly-August, a very extensive mass feeding is performed
every year.So far 16 such feedings have been accomplished and over 20,000
peopleare fed on each occasion.Further, all devotes who visit the shrine are
fed daily and hencewithout an iota of exaggeration it is called 'Annadana
Samadhi'.Everyone is invited to go in large numbers to this famous shrine ofSri
Pambatti Siddhar at Sankarankoil, get His blessings and have aforetaste of the
celestial bliss.
Yours Yogically,
Shreeram Balijepalli


Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...


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