Siddha - Indroduction

Siddha System of medicine is the oldest in the world. There are two ancient system of medicine in India. The Siddha which flourished in South India and Ayurvedha prevalent in North India.

The word Siddha comes from the word Siddhi which means an object to attain perfection or heavenly bliss.

Siddha generally refers to Athma Siddha that is the 8th supernatural power. Those who attained or achieved the above said powers are known as Siddhars.

There were 18 important siddhars in olden days and they developed this system of medicine. Hence, it is called Siddha Medicine.
Siddha science considers nature and man as essentially one. Nature is man and man is nature. Man is said to be the microcosm and Universe is the macrocosm because what exists in the world exists in man.

Man is nothing but a miniature world containing the five elements of the various principles which constitute the minerals, vegetables and the animal kingdom. According to Siddha medical science, the Universe originally consisted of atoms which contributed to the five basic elements, viz., earth, water, fire, air and sky which correspond to the five senses of the human body and they were the fundamentals of all the corporeal things in the world.

A close relationship is found to exist between the external world and the internal system of man. Siddhars (practitioners of Siddha) maintain that the structure of the human body is a miniature world in itself. Man consumes water and food, breathes the air and thus maintains the heat in the body. He is alive on account of the life force given by ether. The earth is the first element which gives fine shape to the body including bones, tissues, muscles, skin, hair etc. Water is the second element representing blood, secretions of the glands, vital fluid etc. Fire is the third element that gives motion, vigor and vitality to the body. It also helps digestion, circulation and simulation besides respiration and the nervous system. Above all, ether is the characteristic of man's mental and spiritual faculties. Let me begin by defining a few relevant Tamil words used by the Siddhas. Chittam in Tamil refers to the mind. Siddhi is derived from the same word and refers to the experience of mastery over the mind. Siddhas are those saints who have achieved such mastery, especially by the practice of the Yoga pathway to God. Siddha Medicine creators as follows: Thirumoolar: One of the greatest of the 18 Tamil Siddhas is Thirumoolar. He has composed 3,000 monumental verses known as Thira-Mandiram (Sacred Mystic Words). The learned author, M. Govindan has given a very vivid pen-picture of Thirumoolar. Thirumoolar has dealt with almost all the aspects of Saiva (Shiva) religion. The philosophy of deathless life is found in many of his verses and also in his chapter on the eight-fold Asthaanga-Yoga. If one practices these principles of Yoga, the experience of Samadhi, the super-conscious fourth state beyond waking, dreaming and sleeping, is easily possible by His grace. When this experience becomes fully integrated, the state is known as "Siddhi of the physical body" of which there are three kinds. These are: 1. Vuruva Siddhi, siddhi with body, i.e. conversion of corporal body into effulgence of grace merged with the Bliss of God; 2. Aru - Vuruva Siddhi - Siddhi with and without the body, i.e. conversion of the body into a body of Bliss of God and merged with Him like camphor set on fire, leaving no residue; 3. Aruva Siddhi - Siddhi without the body, i.e. conversion of the body into Effulgence of God and disappearing. The Tamil Siddhas have attained Vuruva Siddhi - Thirumoolar at Chidambaram, Bogar at Palani and Idaik-Kadar at Thiruvannamalai temple - as pointed out by the able author in this book as soruba samadhi - "The physical body glows with the fire of immortality". Thirumoolar has sung a special verse on the Sanmaargam (true and perfect pathway to God) in which he brought out the efficacy of the science of deathless life: "Saarram Sanmaargamaam thatciva – Thaththuvath Thorrangalaana Suruthich Sudar Kandu Ceerram ozhinthu Siva yoga siddharasi - Koorraththai venraar Kurri-p-parinthaar kale". 13 "Those who after eschewing their anger and visualizing the Effulgence which the Vedaas1 described as the fruition of their principles for realizing Shiva and thereby have become Siddhas of Shiva Yoga (Contemplators of Shiva) and have conquered death, they alone have learnt the secret hint of sanmaaragam. " (Thirumandiram: 1477) He has also sung, "Those who have attained success in treading the path of not leaving their body dead in this world, have achieved the boon of not being born again in this world". (Thirumandiram: 132) The significant feature of Thiru-Mandiram is that its author has dealt with ashtaanga Yoga (eight different "limbs" or phases of Yoga) in great detail. He has not only exposed the secrets of this science embedded therein, but has expressed revolutionary measures to realize its goal. While eulogizing the efficacy of pranayama (breathing practices) he has disclosed: "That those who are capable of practicing them in the proper manner as stipulated will surely dispel death". (Thirumandiram: 571) Besides, he has postulated the device of conquering death in the following words: "With His grace one by chanting the name Shiva, Shiva, four times should inhale oxygen expanding the abdomen; retain and control the same near the glottis by closing the outlets of the nose, ear and mouth, chanting mentally “Shiva, Shiva” fourteen times; and then exhale the carbon dioxide through the right hole of the nose chanting “Shiva, Shiva”, 8 times. If one is able to practice in this manner, one not only achieves siddhi of attaining deathless body but becomes Shiva (God) Himself”. (Thirumandiram: 712) The next phase of this 8 fold Yoga is Prath-Thiyaakaram (unified yoga practice). Thirumoolar has explained this yoga as arousing the extra-ordinary energy manifested as Kundalini Sakthi embedded in the lower abdomen (2 units below the sex organ and 2 units above the anus). This kind of yoga also leads one to ascend bodily and reach God avoiding death. (Thirumandiram: 561) Boganathar: Boganathar Siddha's works have been collected and edited by Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah in their original Tamil language in three volumes under the title Bogar Kandam Yoga, in 1979 and 1982. The second volume includes Ashtaanga Yoga. (See the Foreword of the third volume by Dr. C. Srinivasan for its translation into English). This work is not as elaborate as that of Thirumoolar, but it contains all the essential features of this Yoga. The third part of this book is on Siddha medicines. Boganathar has evolved an excellent culture to conquer death. It is a complex medicinal preparation made with herbs and special salt called Muppu. If one is fortunate enough to obtain this and takes it as specified, he or she will never taste death. In one of his verses in the second volume Boganathar taught the preparation of Muppu to his group of 557 disciples who were residing in Siddhar Kaadu (Forest of Siddhas) near Mayilaaduthurai. Thiruvalluvar: Thiruvalluvar author of Thiruk-Kural has also been rightly called a Siddha as he has expounded the science of deathlessness in his universal ethical text book. He has emphasized that even the God of Death will simply keep away from those who have achieved the might of their pious meditation and penance. (Thiruk-Kural: 269). He has also sung that the life-devouring God of Death will not dare to meddle with the tenure of life of those who have abstained from killing a living being and eating the same. (Thiruk-Kural: 326). He has postulated in the very first chapter of prayer to God that those who think of God incessantly and devotedly pray to Him, who enshrine Him in their heart in the same Form as they contemplate, win live for ever in this world (without death) (Thiruk-Kural: 3). His prophecy is tenable for all people everywhere and at all times. He has also pointed out that all living creatures shall worship those who desist from killing them and are compassionate to all beings. Further, he has sung that all those who worship God with pure love and who meditate on Him with devotion doing penance will cross the ocean of birth and death and surely live in this world eternally without any misery and shall enjoy supreme Bliss of God. (Thiruk-Kural: 8). Heath Tips will be continue... 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