Praise be to You! Grant us Your Grace!
In Tamil tradition, it is customary to praise God with the words “Potri! Potri!” (“Praise! Praise!”). The word Potri can also be interpreted as Potru (to praise or protect). If we consider the ending “-i” as a grammatical particle, the meaning becomes “Potru” (Protect). The imperative Pōtruga means “May You protect!” The meaning of the word must be taken in context.
In the phrase “Potri aruluga nin aathiyam padamalar” (Praise! Grant us the grace of Your primal lotus feet), the word Potri acts as a verbal participle. God is the origin and cause of everything. See how the phrase also implies: “Be our beginning!” He is the origin of all things in this world. So, “grant us the grace of Your divine feet,” which are the embodiment of wisdom. Bestow upon us the knowledge that Your sacred feet represent. May we receive the bliss of these feet, gained through the penance of Brahma Gnana (supreme knowledge). Protect us from joining the path of the ignorant who know not the way to liberation.
Like worms eaten by ants, may we not be devoured by sensory pleasures. May we not be bound by the arrogance of “I” and “mine.” Instead, bless us to live with Shiva established in our minds. May we attain the divine feet—red tender feet—as the ultimate reward of life. These tender feet are called sem-malargal (pure blossoms) in the teachings of Shiva Gnana. Just as Shiva is the beginning of all, He is also the end. Even when the universe collapses in the final dissolution, Shiva alone remains. He alone revitalizes exhausted souls, rejuvenating them at the end of the cosmic cycle.
Thus, Shiva is the beginning, the end, and everything in between.
God is the cause of the appearance (thotram) of all living beings. But thotram doesn’t imply creation in the sense of manufacture. It means “appearance” or “manifestation.” Like in the Tamil Kural, “Thonrir pugazhodu thonrir” – “If you must appear in public, let it be with virtue.” So, too, here it means that souls, which remained dormant due to ignorance, manifest due to God’s compassion, with faculties like the body and senses.
All living beings, receiving wealth and prosperity, live blessed lives. Hence, the term porpadham (golden feet) is used. Consider the words of Nambiyarurar:
“Ponnum meipporulum karuvanaip, bhogamum thiruvum punarpanaip”
(“The One who is the source of gold, truth, wealth, enjoyment, and fortune.”)
Pon (gold) and porul (wealth) are different. Pon refers to gold and, more broadly, includes money and valuable assets. Porul refers to consumables—things necessary for the sustenance of life: food, medicine, clothing, pleasure, and happiness. As Thiruvalluvar says:
“Porulillarkku ivvulagu illai”
(“For those without resources, there is no life in this world.”)
Here, porul means food essential for survival. There’s a saying:
“Undi koduththor uyir koduththor”
(“Those who give food give life.”)
Although food is not life itself, it sustains life in the body.
Bhogam means pleasure. As Manikkavasagar says, “Bhogamam angazhagal” – “His feet are bliss.” Bhōgam is not just about wealth; it means joy. Joy differs at different stages of life. Children seek toys and sweets. Youth seek knowledge and praise. Adolescents find joy in love. Adults derive pleasure through achievements and capacity. The spiritually mature derive bliss in praising God’s feet alone.
Mānikkavāsagar says:
“Eerila pathangaḷ yavaiyum kadandha inbame! eṉṉuḍai aṉbe”
(“O my love! You are the bliss that transcends all limited pleasures.”)
The greatest joy is to behold God’s sacred feet and immerse in their bliss. The endless, boundless bliss is the bliss of His feet. This is the ananda veḷḷam (flood of joy) that Koṟvaiyār describes—the divine dance of the Blissful Lord (Ananda Kuttan) brings this flood of bliss.
Pungazhalgal—flower-like feet—means feet that resemble flowers: auspicious, fragrant, sweet, soft. Even when bound by the darkness of ego (aṇava malai) and trapped in pride, saying “I” and “mine,” God does not approach souls with violence. He bears their mistakes patiently and protects them gently. Bearing sins is noble, but helping avoid sins is nobler.
Mānikkavāsagar says:
“Paiyath thazh uruvi” –
“He draws us down gently.”
Hence, Shiva draws the soul softly into bliss, and so His feet are called pungazhalgal (floral anklets).
Here, His feet are referred to as kazhalgal (anklets)—a traditional term for divine, victorious feet. Yes, the anklets of Lord Shiva are victorious, having burnt down the Tripura cities. Shiva is beyond time, radiant, and the origin of all epochs. Therefore, the kazhalgal are His divine feet.
The foundation of religious philosophy is often misunderstood. Many think that God created us (souls). Even some religions teach this. But logically and spiritually, it doesn’t align. God is complete and perfect. How can something imperfect (souls) arise from perfect? It suggests evolution—not creation. From perfection, no imperfection can arise.
Hence, souls have no beginning and no end. They always exist. When we say “all beings appeared,” it means they manifested from a hidden state into an active state with faculties and consciousness.
As Thirumular says:
“Mulaiyile kiḍandenai” –
“I lay dormant in the source.”
Souls have no end. So does that mean life never ends? If life continues without an end, there will be fatigue. The end of life’s journey is reaching the sacred feet of God. Different religions view this in various ways, but for all, merging with divine knowledge (Thiruvadi Jnanam) and attaining divine bliss is the soul’s fulfillment.
Does merging with God’s feet mean the soul loses its identity? No. If the soul were destroyed, it would contradict the truth that the soul is eternal. The merging is like water mixing with milk—two in essence, but one in nature. If the milk is boiled, the water becomes steam. In the same way, when the soul merges with Shiva, it loses its individuality in experience but not in existence.
No one has seen and known Lord Shiva” – says the Thiruvasagam.
The belief that “one can only believe in God after seeing Him” contradicts the core principles of spirituality. The word “seeing” (kaṇdal) typically refers to perceiving through the eyes. But the implication that God must be something visible to the naked eye is misguided.
Let us compare this with the lines from devotional Tamil hymns:
- “He touched the earth with His divine feet – behold!”
- “Even I have seen Him with my own eyes – behold!”
These poetic lines do not imply mere physical sight. Unless the eyes connect with the intellect, seeing has no meaning. The vision must be linked with the understanding of the object. After deep contemplation, realization, and the refined awareness that arises from this, one experiences the soul, the true reality. Only then does God become “visible” to the inner eye.
This is what the ancient Tamil Siddhars discovered through their Brahma Gnana (knowledge of the Absolute), experienced within themselves, and handed down as a legacy of spiritual wisdom.
Devotion vs Brahma Gnana
The kind of devotion (bhakti) that religion often prescribes is different from the Brahma Gnana that Thiruvasagam speaks of. Religion often stops with devotion. Brahma Gnana, however, begins with devotion, transcends liberation (mukti), reaches siddhi (spiritual perfection), and finally merges with the divine atom (Irai-aṇu), culminating in union.
Thiruvasagam emphasizes Brahma Gnana—not just devotional fervor. Mere devotional display does not lead to seeing God. Within the devotee, the soul spark must be awakened. The body might feel satisfied by devotion, but the soul cannot. What is needed is the nectar vessel (amudha kalasam) that lies locked within the soul cluster.
Due to karmic and inherited spiritual bindings, this nectar vessel is sealed deeply. The only key that can melt and open it is the mantric fire born of inner awakening.
The Role of the Right Eye and the Guru
This unlocking begins from the right eye. To do this, one needs a true Gnana Guru—a realized master. Taking the seed of the Guru’s Brahma Gnana and planting it through the eyes into the soul is the only way to melt or unlock the nectar vessel. This is the secret of Brahman—the secret of Shiva.
Without this, no amount of weeping or rolling on the ground in devotion can lead to seeing Lord Parameshwara. This is the universal truth realized by all sages—the final conclusion of the Tamil Siddhars.
In the realm of light, God can be seen. But in the realm of blinkered, mortal life, no mortal can grasp Him fully.
Vedas and Love
Reciting the Vedas alone won’t help one see or know God. Love (anbu)—a powerful, transformative love—is essential. It must be a love so intense that tears well up from deep feeling and drench the body. To cultivate such love in a simple, sincere way, one must practice Brahma Gnana tapas (penance). Once this is undertaken, such divine love will naturally arise in the body.
Souls have taken birth in bodies on this earth to be uplifted. The body is a garment taken for the purpose of salvation. But the soul (atma) alone cannot uplift itself—it needs Shiva’s grace.
God bestows the means of salvation. He leads us toward that path, possessing us inwardly in alignment with the path of Brahma gnana. Why? Because God eternally abides in that penance of Brahma Gnana. Only those strong in tapas can attain the One who is supreme in tapas.
No Force in Shiva’s Grace
There is no force or compulsion in Shiva’s path. Ego (ahankara) is natural to the soul. It resists pressure. So Shiva understands the thoughts hidden within the soul and leads it gently, fulfilling its inner intentions. Even when souls stray, He remains close. Even when they err, He stands beside them.
The final stage is when God possesses the soul—immersing it in a flood of bliss, in deathless love, where it rejoices forever. This act of divine possession is why He is praised with the phrase “Golden Flower-Like Feet.”
Marghazhi Rituals & The Amudha Kaatru (Nectar Wind)
Bathing during the Tamil month of Thai (January) was a sacred tradition, but over time, it became associated with the month of Margazhi (December–January). Early morning bathing in Margazhi has been a blissful spiritual practice from ancient Tamil times till today.
In the course of daily life, dawn is the sweetest time. At dawn, a special nectar-laden breeze (Amudha Kaatru) filled with the energies of the cosmos flows abundantly. A single breath taken during this breeze equals the benefit of a hundred breaths. This breeze carries ozone, and more than ozone, it contains subtle energy far greater in power.
Let us recall what the great Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigal) said about this:
“The Amudha Kaatru flows from night through dawn until sunrise.
When souls engage in noble efforts during this time, they gain exceptional benefit.”
This nectar wind permeates the physical body. If a person breathes it in even for a moment, they can receive divine insights they never had before. Without this breeze, souls become surrounded by toxic air, losing clarity and stalling growth.
The Power of the Nectar Wind
During the time this breeze flows, the soul experiences clarity of mind, emotional sensitivity, sense control, and devotion to God. This period is known as the expansion period of the Amudha Kaatru. Outside of this period, in times of darkness and ignorance, it is the era of poisonous winds.
Storms and earthquakes occur when this nectar wind descends with force and the lower toxic winds are unable to rise against it. When this pressure builds, the result is violent turbulence in the oceans (cyclones) and on land (quakes).
Vallalar, in his wisdom, discovered a method to stay awake without sleep to breathe in this nectar wind. He understood this secret technique. Once one learns to inhale the Amudha Kaatru, they will realize the transformative benefits that manifest in both body and soul.
Don’t sleep – stay awake!
The path that guided me and made me yours,
Revealed the secret of wakeful surrender.
O Lord who merged with my very life—
Never leave me, dwell within me always!
Do not stretch Your feet forward and pull them back—
You must come swiftly!
If You delay, my heart cannot bear the weight of longing.
This is all by Your divine will,
A story only You know in its fullness.
Dawn has broken, and I have attained Your sacred feet,
I rejoiced and sang Your praise – let the conch blow!
I tasted the nectar of milk and honey – let the conch blow!
The morning has come, and I have reached Your golden feet,
I worshipped and rejoiced – let the conch blow!
I have become pure – let the conch blow!
Sleep has vanished, the sun has risen,
I am free of longing – let the conch blow!
I have tasted divine bliss – let the conch blow!
Sorrow is gone, sleep has disappeared,
I have found joy – let the conch blow!
My thoughts have been fulfilled – let the conch blow!
Wisdom has dawned, the primal sound has risen,
Misery has ended – let the conch blow!
I have seen the sacred Chidambaram hall – let the conch blow!
The veil has lifted, the crimson flame has appeared,
The eternal light shines bright – let the conch blow!
My worship is fulfilled – let the conch blow!
Experiencing the Transformative Power of the Nectar Wind (Amudha Kaatru) in the Early Morning – as taught by Vallalar (Ramalinga Adigal):
Vallalar describes in detail the nature of the changes that occur in the body upon waking early and inhaling the nectar-laden morning breeze (Amudha Kaatru). That breeze, he says, is like milk in its purity. Because of this sacred experience:
- I became pure.
- I was freed from longing.
- I attained bliss.
- My thoughts were fulfilled.
- Anger left me.
- Wisdom dawned.
- The primordial sound (Nāda) arose within me.
- I saw the sacred Chidambaram (Citsabai), where the Lord dwells.
- The veils of illusion were lifted.
- A crimson light appeared.
- The resonance of Om rang out.
- All my worship bore fruit.
In ecstasy, Vallalar dances the dance of bliss and expresses that he merged with the Supreme Divine Light, crossing not just the realms of the cosmos, but entering into the infinite field of divine grace (Arut Perum Veli).
He continues:
“In the morning, I saw You. On the path of Sanmarga (the path of truth),
I flourished in bliss.
Upon this earth, I obtained the boon of immortality,
Dancing atop the truths of divine principle,
I became Yours alone, forever.”
From the “Anubava Malai” (Garland of Divine Experience), Verse 70:
In this verse, Vallalar speaks to his own mind, personified as a friend:
“I told you—my divine beloved, the nectar breeze, would arrive at dawn.
Haven’t you heard me say this many times?
Why do you disturb me now, accusing me aimlessly like one with no work?
The sun is about to rise. I must remain alone.
You, like religious literalists,
who collect flowers and place them on lifeless idols,
stand outside this truth.
When my beloved nectar breeze comes
and I merge with Him in union—then I will call you.
Until then, leave me be.”
Verse 5787 – Intimacy with the Nectar Wind:
“People of the world unite with their spouses at night,
But they do not know the nature of that union,
Nor the detachment that must follow.
They know only desire and delusion.
If a drunken man is given sweet fruit,
Will he taste it or enjoy its flavor?
He won’t—his senses are numbed.
That is how these worldly unions are—void of true joy.
They lead only to sorrow.
But I, with firm determination,
Have united in the morning with my divine consort—the nectar wind.
That union brings a joy beyond expression,
A blissful ecstasy the world cannot comprehend.”
Breath as the Measure of Life:
Human life is measured by the number of breaths we take.
When one walks and breathes during the nectar wind’s time,
Each breath saves the energy of ten breaths.
But if one sits in Brahma Gnana Tapas (divine meditation) during that time,
Each breath saves the power of a thousand.
This is a truth known by experience.
It is real, eternal, and powerful.
Your lifespan only increases. It never decreases.
During that time, ozone settles into bodies of water,
Turning the water into a reservoir of potent energy.
Bathing at such a time infuses the body, soul, emotion, devotion, and penance
With the power of spiritual wisdom.
This is why Vallalar and the great sages emphasized Margazhi month’s morning bath
as a sacred act, praised even by Manikkavasagar as “Potri” (Hail!).
The Unique Nature of Lord Shiva:
In this sacred passage, the singular nature of Shiva is celebrated.
He alone performs the Five Cosmic Acts (Pancha Kritya):
- Creation
- Preservation
- Destruction
- Veiling
- Grace
Shiva is the ultimate origin, beyond comprehension by knowledge or wealth.
He can only be seen through love and service.
This is the truth revealed by experience!
May Lord Shiva, the Divine,
Lead us all to salvation and absorb us into His grace!
Let the Thiruvasagam Be Our Daily Ideal:
The Thiruvasagam must become our daily pursuit.
Its words are divine syllables, vibrating with immense power.
They are flowers of wisdom that blossomed in the soul of Manikkavasagar,
Who attained a body of light.
Every word is like a loving arrow that pierces the soul,
And when aligned with the nectar breeze,
It strikes the soul continuously until the thousand-petaled lotus within us blooms,
Spreading fragrance throughout our being.
Then the light arts (oli kalai) within the soul
Will spread to every cell of the body,
Transforming it into a body of radiant light.
The soul is light—
but it lies curled in slumber.
Awaken it, and all will be transformed.
The fragrance of the soul will convert every DNA strand into light,
Rendering the body immortal.
The Glory and Power of Thiruvasagam
- If Thiruvasagam is recited, Shiva Gnana (wisdom of Shiva) will be attained.
- If Thiruvasagam is recited, Para Gnana (supreme knowledge) will be attained.
- If Thiruvasagam is recited, the third eye (eye of spiritual insight) will open.
- If Thiruvasagam is recited, divine arts of grace (Arutkalai) will be attained.
- If Thiruvasagam is recited, the nectar-honey (Amudha Then) will begin to flow.
- When the nectar-honey flows, the divine arts will be attained.
- When the divine arts are attained, the radiant body of wisdom-light will manifest.
Therefore, let us recite Thiruvasagam daily,
With our flesh and spirit fully involved, and with humility,
And let us conclude this foreword sweetly with the blessings of the Guru’s grace.
Pidiṭṭha Paththu – Verse 9:
O Lord Shiva, more compassionate than even a mother
who feeds her child thinking only of milk—
You melted my flesh,
increased the light within me,
and poured upon me the sweet honey of unending bliss.
You, the ever-wandering treasure,
I have tightly clasped You—
where else would You rise and show grace now?
Chennip Paththu – Verse 6:
Entering my mind, taking full control,
You destroyed my evil deeds and made me rise.
Granting me devotion, You placed many flowers
at Your golden feet.
Giving liberation, You kept us beyond the three worlds.
May our heads forever rest
at the great lotus feet of that Lord!
Eṇṇappadhigam – Verse 3:
O Lord of compassion,
who melted my heart and granted Your grace,
showing me Your twin lotus feet!
O silent sage who took me in long ago,
You are the source of all sages, the very beginning!
You fed my soul with bliss,
melted me with grace—
My beloved, grant me unwavering grace,
and let Your mercy never shy away from me, my Life and Lord!
Thiruvempavai – Verse 20:
Praise and grace to Your primordial lotus feet!
Praise and grace to Your final blossoming feet!
Praise to the golden feet that are the source of all beings!
Praise to the flower-like feet that grant bliss to all lives!
Praise to the twin feet, the final refuge for all souls!
Praise to the divine lotus, unseen even by Vishnu and Brahma!
Praise to the golden blossoms that uplift us and take us in!
Praise to the sacred Margazhi bath,
O dear girl, let us bathe and rejoice!
May All Living Beings Live in Bliss!
Thiruchitrambalam!
