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SIDDHAR
Siddhars (Tamil: சித்தர்) are saints in India, mostly of the Saivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu, who professed and practised an unorthodox type
of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, to attain liberation. Yogic
powers called Siddhis are acquired
by constant practice of certain yogic disciplines. Those who acquire these
Siddhis are called Siddhas.[1] These sidhars can be compared to Mystics of the western civilization. Siddhars are
people who are believed to control and transcend the barriers of time and space
by meditation (Yoga), after the use of substances called Rasayanas that transform the body to make
it potentially deathless, and a particular breathing-practice, a type ofPranayama. Through their practices they are believed to have
reached stages of insight which enabled them to tune into the powers hidden in
various material substances and practices, useful for suffering and ignorant
mankind. Typically Siddhars were saints, doctors, alchemists and mysticists all
at once. They wrote their findings, in the form of poems in Tamil language, on palm leaves which are collected and stored in
what are known today as Palm leaf
manuscript, today still
owned by private families in Tamil Nadu and handed down through the
generations, as well as public institutions such as Universities all over the world (India, Germany, Great Britain, U.S.A.).
In this way
Siddhars developed, among other branches of a vast knowledge-system, what is
now known as Siddha medicine,
practised mainly in Tamil Nadu as Traditional native medicine. A rustic form of healing that is similar to Siddha medicine has since been practised
by experienced elderly in the villages of Tamil Nadu. (This has been
misunderstood as Paatti Vaitthiyam, Naattu marunthu and Mooligai
marutthuvam. While paati vaitthiyam or naatu marunthu is traditional Tamil
medicine and mooligai marutthuvam is ayurvedic medicine.) They are also
founders of Varmam - a martial art
for self-defence and medical treatment at the same time. Varmam are specific points located in the
human body which when pressed in different ways can give various results, such
as disabling an attacker in self-defence, or balancing a physical condition as
an easy first-aid medical treatment.
Tamil Siddhars
were the first to develop pulse-reading ("naadi paarththal" in Tamil)
to identify the origin of diseases. This method was later copied and used in
ayurvedha.
Siddhars have also
written many religious poems. It is believed that most of them have lived for
ages, in a mystic mountain called Sathuragiri, near Thanipparai village in
Tamil Nadu.One of the best-known Siddhars was Agasthyar or Agasthya, who is believed to
be the founding father of Siddha culture.
Abithana
Chintamani states
Siddhars are either of the 9 or 18 persons enlisted, but sage Agastyar states that there are many who
precede these and follow 9 or 18 persons. Many of the great Siddhars are
regarded to have powers magical and spiritual.
SOME SIDDHARS
THE 9 SIDDHARS
The 9 listed as Abithana Chintamani states is as
follows:
- Sathyanathar
- Sathoganathar
- Aadhinathar
- Anadhinathar
- Vegulinathar
- Madhanganathar
- Machaendranathar
- Gadaendranathar or Gajendranathar
- Korakkanathar
THE 18 SIDDHARS
There are 18 siddhars in the Tamil siddha
tradition. They are
- Thiru Patanjali Siddhar
- Thiru Agastya Siddhar
- Thiru Kamalamuni Siddhar
- Thiru Thirumoolar Siddhar
- Thiru Kuthambai Siddhar
- Thiru Korakkar Siddhar
- Thiru Thanvandri Siddhar
- Thiru Konganar Siddhar
- Thiru Sattamuni Siddhar
- Thiru Vanmeegar Siddhar
- Thiru Ramadevar Siddhar
- Thiru Nandeeswarar (Nandidevar) Siddhar
- Thiru Edaikkadar Siddhar
- Thiru Machamuni Siddhar
- Thiru Karuvoorar Siddhar
- Thiru Bogar Siddhar
- Thiru Pambatti Siddhar
- Thiru Sundarandandar
All Siddhars were
among the highest disciples of God Shiva, and are considered equal in their powers and
devotion to the supreme God.
- Eswarapattar
- Lord Nandi, principal disciple of God Siva
- Agastyar Maha Munivar disciple of Lord Muruga from Anantasayana,
head of the monasteries at Pothigai and Kumbakonam
- Bogar of Pazhani, disciple of Agathiyar and Kalangi
Nathar, 12th century BCE
- Thaeraiyar Muni of Ten Pothigai, disciple of Agastya, 10th century BCE
- Kalaingai
Nathar of
Kalahastri monastery, 10th century BCE
- Korakkar of Paerur, from Thirukonamalai
monastery, ?4th century BCE
- Pulippaani of
Pazhani, 120 AD - 770AD (lived for 650 years, then went to samadhi)
- Thadangann Siddhar
- BramhaMuni, ?3rd
century BCE
- Machamuni of
Thirupparankundram, ?3rd century BCE
- Poonaikkannanaar of Egypt, ?3rd century BCE
- Romamunivar of
Rome, ?2nd century BCE
- Kaaraichchiththar, ?2nd century BCE
- Kudhambai Siddhar of Mayilaaduthurai and Kumbakonam, ?2nd
century BCE
- Kabilar I
of Mithila, 2nd century BCE.
- Kaagaivanna Siddhar[i] of
Kediya(South Sri Lanka), from Pothigai monastery, 2nd century BCE
- Dhanvantri from
Kasi, of Vaitheeswaran Koil, ?1st
century BCE
- Valmiki, a.k.a. Vaanmeegar of
Ettukkudi, ?1st century BCE
- Maarkkandeyanaar
- Koonkannar
- Kaalaichchittar II
- Konganar of Tirupati,
1st century BCE
- Punnaakkeesar from Naangunaeri, head of Saanganachaeri
monastery, 1st century BCE
- Karuvurar from
Karuvur monastery
- Kaaduvelichchiththar
- Aenaathichchittar, 2nd century CE
- Idaikkaadar of
Oosimuri(in Thondai Nadu), from ThiruAnnaamalai monastery, ?2nd-3rd
century BCE
- Pulasthiyarfrom Maanthai, head of Aavudaiyaar Koil and
Yaazhppaanam monasteries, 3rd century CE
- KamalaMuni of
Thiruvaarur, ?4th century BCE
- Patanjali of Rameswaram, 4th century BCE
- Azhaganiyaar of Nagapattinam, ?4th century CE
- Kailasanathar, 5th century CE
- Kuranguchchittar of Pazhani, 5th century CE
- Sattaimuni of ThiruArangam, ?5th century CE
- Vaamathevar of
Azhagarmalai, ?5th century CE
- Agappaei Siddhar of Azhagarmalai, ?3rd century CE
- Sivavaakkiyar from Kollimalai, of Thirumazhisai
monastery, ?4th-5th century CE
- Sundarandandar of Madurai, ?5th century CE
- Ramadevar of
Azhagarmalai
- Thirumoolar from ThiruAaAduthurai, of ThiruAathavoor
monastery, head of Thillai Citrambalam[i] monastery,
8th century BCE
- Sri Jnyaaneswar of Gujarat
- Kagapujandar, Leader for all Nathas, 7th century CE
- VaasaMuni
- KoormaMuni
- Visvamitrar
- Kumbhamuni
- Kaduveli of Irumbai
- Nandeeswarar of Kasi, from Thillai monastery, 6th century
CE
- Pattinattaar of Pugaar, 7th century CE
- Karuvoorar from
Karuvoor, of Thanjai monastery, master of Rajaraja Chola, 10th century CE
- Pambatti
Siddhar from
Jnaneswaram(Sarankovil), of Vilaimalai( Vriddhachalam ) monastery, 15th
century
- Vaalai Siddhar of Valangaimaan
- Edaikadar II, ?15th
century
- Ganapathi Siddhar
- Subrahmanya Siddhar
- Sooriyaananthar
- Lokaayuthar
- Bathragiriyaar of Badrachalam, from Thillai monastery
- Kalunni Siddhar
- Naga Siddhar (mahavatar babaji) disciple of Agathiyar and
Bogar, 203th,from Himalaya
- ArunaGiri Nathar 1500th,from Thiruvanamalai
- Ramalingam
Swamigal Vallalar from
Chidambaram
POWERS OF SIDDHARS
The siddhars are
believed to have had powers both major and other ‘minor’ powers. They are
explained in detail in various yogic as well as religious texts.[6] They also have the power converting their
mass to energy and thereby travel in space in light speed to different
universes.
- 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 nether world. It is the power of
attaining everything desired
- 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
- Isithavam (supremacy)
-- Have the creative power of god and control over the sun, the moon and
the elements
- Vasithavam (dominion
over the elements) -- Power of control over kings and gods. The power of
changing the course of nature and assuming any form
Subbhaiya Swamigal of Tirukalukundram, Chengal
Pattu region, Kanchi puram Dt of Tamil Nadu is famous in the thirukalukunadam
taluk. there is a cave temple worshipped in the thirukalukunram mainn temple.
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