Meykandār Siddhāntam or Meykandār Saiva Siddhāntam is the philosophical tradition that developed around Meykandar, the 13th century Tamil Saivite Scholar.
Its principal Tamil philosophical foundation consists of the Fourteen Meykandar Śāstras (Pathinanku Meykanda Sāttirangal). These works explore, debate and explain the fundamental questions of Saiva Siddhanta: What is God? What is the soul? What is mala? How does bondage occur? How does liberation become possible? What is the role of karma, Māyā, the Guru and Divine Grace?
Among the early works are 12th century (1) Tiruvundiyār and (2) Tirukkaḷiṟṟuppaṭiyār. which predate Meykandar.
However, the work that became particularly influential was (3) Śivajñāna Bodham, attributed to Meykandar, who lived in the thirteenth century. Its importance, together with the works that developed its philosophical framework, eventually gave this tradition the name Meykandar Siddhantam.
Meykandar’s chief disciple, Arunandi Sivachariyar, composed the celebrated (4) Śivajñāna Siddhiyar, which systematically develops the philosophical ideas found in Śivajñāna Bodham. He also composed (5) Irupa Irupathu.
Another disciple, Manavāsakam Kaṭantār, composed (6) Unmai Vilakkam, an important work explaining the fundamental principles of the Siddhanta.
The remaining eight of the fourteen Meykandar Śāstras are traditionally attributed to Umapati Sivachariyar, one of the greatest later exponents of the tradition. Together, these works form the philosophical backbone of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta.
Here is a collection of primary english translations of these works available online. These are listed out adhering the traditional teaching order used is Saiva mathas such as Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam.
Unmai Vilakkam (“Light of True”) is the first text traditionally studied by those who begin learning Saiva Siddhanta. Since it explains fundamental Siddhanta concepts such as the 36 tattvas, the Tiruvainthēḻuttu (Five Sacred Syllables), Āṭalvallān (Nataraja, the Lord of Dance), and the worship of the Guru–Linga–Sangama, it is usually introduced at the beginning of Siddhanta studies. It is also sometimes studied again after completing a course of Siddhanta studies as a means of revision and consolidation.
Unmai Vilakkam was composed by Manavāsakam Kaṭantār, one of the 49 disciples of Meykandar. He was from Tiruvadhigai and studied alongside Arunandi Sivachariyar.
The work consists of 54 venba verses. It provides answers to the seven fundamental questions raised in a verse known as Sutta Vinā. The seven questions are:
“What are the 36 tattvas? What is Āṇava? What is the unchanging karma? What is the soul that is distinct from these? What is God? What is the Dance? What are the Five Sacred Syllables?”
One particularly interesting feature of the work is its presentation of the 36 tattvas. The other Meykandar Śāstras generally present the tattvas beginning with Siva and proceeding downward, ending with the five elements (Pancha Bhutas). Unmai Vilakkam reverses this order: it begins with the five elements and gradually works its way upward, ending with Siva.
Unmai Vilakkam Books:
Unmai Vilakkam English Translation
By J.M.Nallaswamipillai (from p.58) with Tamil original text and Tamil commentary of Vajravel Mudhaliyar
Coop. Tamil Publication & Selling Association, Jaffna, 1971 Link
Unmai Vilakkam – The Exposition of Truth C.N.Singaravelu Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam, Madras, 1981 Link
Tiruvaruṭpayan (“The Fruit of Divine Grace“) was composed by Umapati Sivachariyar, the fourth of the Meykandar Santāna Gurus. Written in the concise Kural form, the work consists of 100 couplets, arranged into ten chapters, with ten couplets in each chapter.
Because of its simplicity and clarity, Tiruvaruṭpayan is traditionally studied after Unmai Vilakkam in institutions such as the Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam and other Saiva educational traditions.
Its accessible language, together with the familiarity of the Tirukkural-style couplet, makes it particularly approachable for Tamil students learning Saiva Siddhanta. For this reason, some students begin their study of Siddhanta with Tiruvaruṭpayan itself.
Despite its brevity, the work presents important Siddhanta ideas in a compact form, making it useful both as an introductory text and as a concise guide for revisiting the central teachings of the tradition.
English Sources:
Thiruvarutpayan of Umapati Sivacharya
J.M.Nalluswamipillai
1896 Edition Digitalized Ebook LINK
Sri Gnanasambandan Press, Dharmapuram, 1945 LINK
Thiruvarutpayan Translation by G.U.Pope
Extracted from his introduction for Thiruvasagam,
The Thiruvacagam or Sacred Utterences
Oxford at Clarendon Press, 1900. Link
Sivaprakāsam (“Divine Illumination of Siva”) was composed by Umapati Sivachariyar, the fourth of the Meykandar Santāna Gurus. Within the Meykandar Śāstras, it is traditionally regarded as the third in terms of philosophical richness and depth.
In the Siddhanta corpus, Śivajñāna Bodham is the Muthal Nūl (primary text), Śivajñāna Siddhiyār is the Vazhi Nūl (derivative secondary work) while Sivaprakāsam is treated as the Pudai Nūl (a complementary tertiary text)
Traditionally, Sivaprakasam is studied after Unmai Vilakkam and Tiruvaruṭpayan. The traditional sequence then proceeds to Śivajñāna Siddhiyar, followed by Śivajñāna Bodham.
The logic behind this order is quite interesting. The student first acquires a basic and accessible understanding through Unmai Vilakkam and Tiruvaruṭpayan. Sivaprakasam then deepens that understanding, while Siddhiyar and ultimately Bodham take the student into increasingly profound philosophical analysis.
Only after studying these foundational works does the student approach the other Siddhanta texts with the intellectual “light” provided by them.
Texts:
Sivapirakasam -The light of Sivan
Henry.R.Hoisington American Board of Ceylon, 1854, Link
Sivaprakasam by Umapathi Sivam
K.Subramanyapillai
Gnanasambandam Press, Dharmapuram, 1945 Link1 Link2
Saiva Siddhanta with Special Reference to Sivaprakasam
S.Gangadharan
Angayarkanni Agam, Madurai, 1992, Link
Sivajñāna Siddhiyar (That achieves Siva’s wisdom) is the Vazhi Nūl—a work that develops and elaborates upon the teachings of Sivajñāna Bodham. The author was Arunandi Sivachariyar, a direct disciple of Meykanda Deva Nayanar, composed in Śaka 1175 (1253 CE).
The text is divided into two major sections:
Parapakkam (Parapaksha) – the “Other Schools” section
Supakkam (Supaksha) –
The Parapakkam (or the “Other Schools” section) consists of 301 viruttam verses. It examines the philosophical positions of 14 religious and philosophical traditions (seven atheist philosophies [Materialism, 4 buddhisms, Jainism & Ajivikam], two Mimamsa schools [Bhatta and Prabhakara], three Monisms [Mayavada, Sabdabrahmavada & Bhaskara Bhedabeda] alongwith Samkhya and Pancharatra Vaishnavism) and presents the Saiva Siddhanta responses to them.
The Supakkam (the “Siddhanta” or “Affirmative” section), consisting of 328 viruttam verses, establishes the principles of Saiva Siddhanta through philosophical reasoning and arguments.
The payiram (introductory verses) and the discussion of Alavai (logic and epistemology) that precede these sections are particularly significant. Together, they establish and define the fundamental philosophical principles of Saiva Siddhanta.
Commentaries on Sivajñāna Siddhiyar
Many early commentaries on Sivajñāna Siddhiyar, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, have not survibved in their entirety. Consequently, Siddhiyar is traditionally studied through six major later commentaries, which is known as “Aruvar Urai”:
Maraijñāna Desikar – 16th century
Vīḻi Sivāgra Yogikal – Virutti Urai, c. 1560s
Nirambavazhagiya Desikar – 16th century
Yāḻppāṇam Jñānaprakāsa Munivar of Tiruvannamalai Aadheenam – 17th century
Sivajñāna Munivar – 1753–1785
Subramania Desikar – 1869–1888, Padavurai
Many other commentaries were subsequently written by scholars from both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Texts:
Sivajnana Siddhiyar Supakkam Hindi & English Translation
Sivaramaiyar English Trans. & Sri.B.D.Jain Hindi Trans.
S.Kalyanasundaraiyar (Ed.)
Kafir Printers, Chennai, 1949 Link
Sivagnana Siddhiyar Supakkam – English J.M.Nallaswamipillai Meykandan Press, Madras, 1913 LINK
Dharmapuram Adheenam Publication, 1948 LINK
Sivagnana Siddhiyar Parapakkam – English
Shaivam.org Link
The foundational text of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta is Sivajñāna Bodham (“The Realisation of Siva’s wisdom”). Just as the Brahma Sutras occupy a foundational position for Vedāntins and Śivādvaitins, and the Śiva Sūtras for Kashmir Shaivism, Sivajñāna Bodham holds that central position for the Meykandar Siddhanta tradition as a Sutra text.
The twelve sūtras present, in an extremely condensed form, the essential teachings of the Agamas concerning the Mupporul, three fundamental realities of Saiva Siddhanta: God, souls and bondage.
Meykanda Deva subsequently provides explanations, supporting quotations, arguments and examples for the individual sūtras. His explanatory discussion is traditionally known as the Vārttikam, and it is normally studied together with the twelve sūtras rather than as a completely separate work.
For beginners, another useful text is the Sivajñāna Bodha Chūrṇikkottu, which explains the meaning of the Sivajñāna Bodham in a more accessible manner. It is commonly studied alongside the twelve original sūtras and varttikam.
Traditional Commentarial Literature
Over the centuries, numerous scholars have attempted to unpack the remarkably compressed philosophical language of Sivajñāna Bodham. Some of the important traditional works include Sivajñāna Munivar’s Tamil perurai (explanatory commentary) which is traditionally praised as Drāviḍa Māpāṭiyam.
Sivajnanabodham is first translated into English by Rev. Hoisington in 1845 and J.M.Nallaswamipillai in 1895. And few other scholars translated the text in recent years.
Texts:
Sivagnanabodham with Introduction and Translation
J.M.Nallaswami Pillai (1895)
Retyped Ebook of Original (No date) LINK1
Raja Hariharaputrapillai Ed. 1906
Trichinopoly Madduvarkulambaal Press. LINK2 LINK3 LINK4
Retyped EBook of 1906 Edition (No date) LINK5
Dharmapuram Adheenam Edition (1945) LINK6 LINK7
Tirunelveli Kazhagam Edition (1984) LINK8 LINK9
Online Reading at Shaivam.org Part1 Part2
Śiva-Ñāna-Bōdham – A Manual Of Śaiva Religious Doctrine
GORDON MATTHEWS (1948) LINK
The Cult of Siva or Lessons in Sivagnanabotham
V.P. Kanthimathinatha Pillai, (1961)
Tinnevelly The South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Publishing Society LINK
Sivajnana Botham – Metaphysics of Saiva Siddhanta
Thiruvilankar Canagarayar (1961) LINK
Sivagnanabodham Translation
T.N. RAMACHANDRAN (No date)
Shaivam.org TO READ
Tiruvundiyār and Tirukkaḷiṟṟuppaṭiyār (colloquially known as Unthi and Kaliru) are among the earliest Tamil works predate the formal Meykandar Śāstra tradition represented by Sivajñāna Bodham..
Tiruvundiyār (Songs of ‘undi’) is composed by Uyyavanta Devar of Viyalur and is placed around the 12th century. The name Undiyār comes from the literary form of the work, which uses the repeated expression “Undi” in its verses. Despite its relatively simple poetic form, the work deals with important Siddhanta ideas such as Siva, the soul, mala, karma, Māyā, spiritual practice and liberation.
Tirukkaḷiṟṟuppaṭiyār (that of elephants’ steps) is the derivative work to Tiruvundiyar and traditionally attributed to Uyyavanta Devar of Tirukkaḍavūr and is also generally dated to the 12th century. He is considered as the disciple of Aaludaiya Devar, who is in turn the disciple of Uyyavanta Devar of Viyalur. Kaliru has a story that it was miraculously brought to the sanctum sanctorum when it is kept on the elephant shape step of Chidambaram temple by the carved elephant itself.
Among the rest of the Siddhanta works, one Irupa Irupahthu of 2nd Santana Guru Arulnandi Sivam and other seven works of 4th Santana Guru Umapati Sivam are included.
1. Irupā Irupathu
Irupā Irupahthu (“Twenty [verses] in two forms”) is a short work of 20 verses composed by Arunandi Sivachariyar, the chief disciple of Meykandar. The work presents important Siddhanta ideas through a series of concise philosophical statements and questions between a Guru and disciple, particularly concerning the relationship between God, the souls and bondage.
2. Vina Veṇbā
Vina Veṇbā (“Proses of Question”) is another short question-and-answer style work, attributed to Umapati Sivam. Through a series of questions, it examines important Siddhanta concepts and clarifies the nature of God, soul, bondage and liberation. Irupa Irupahthu and Vina Venba are usually studies together considering their question and answer style to study deep in the Siddhanta metaphysics.
3. Unmai Neṟi Viḷakkam
Unmai Neṟi Viḷakkam (“Light for the path of Truth”) is the work associated with Umapati Sivam. (not to be confused with Unmai Vilakkam of Manavasakam Katantar). It explains the spiritual path of Saiva Siddhanta and the means by which the soul progresses from bondage towards liberation.
4. Poṟṟip Pahṟoṭai
Potrip Pahrodai (“Garlands of Praises”)is a devotional-philosophical work in which Umapati Sivam praises Siva while expressing important Siddhanta ideas. It shows how philosophical knowledge and devotion are not separate paths in Saiva Siddhanta.
5. Kodikkavi
Koṭikkavi (Song of Flag) is a short work associated with Umapati Sivam. It is connected with the miracle of the raising of the temple flag of Chidambaram temple, in which Umapati Sivam was outcasted for eating his Guru’s leftover food from a lower caste person. This song is also praised for the inclusiveness of Saiva Siddanta in a society build on rigid caste hierarchy.
Kodikkavi verses communicate important ideas about Siva, the soul and Divine Grace through a devotional framework. Currently Sri Lankan Hindu Saivite festivals starting with the ritual of hoisting of a Nandi flag singing this Kodikkavi.
7. Nenchu Vidu Thutu
In Neñcu Viṭu Tūtu, Umapati Sivam uses the literary convention of sending a message through the heart/mind. Behind this literary form lies a deeper spiritual concern, the soul’s longing for Siva and its movement towards liberation.
8. Saṅkalpa Nirākaraṇam
Saṅkalpa Nirākaraṇam is a more philosophical work. It examines and rejects erroneous philosophical conceptions and clarifies the Siddhanta understanding of reality, God, soul and liberation.
Apart from the Fourteen Meykandar Śāstras, Tamil Siddhantins also hold Sanskrit works such as the Śaiva Āgamas, Upanishads, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas in high regard, insofar as they are consistent with the teachings of the Tamil Tirumuṟais and the Meykandar Śāstras.
There are also numerous derivative and explanatory works based on these Śāstras, traditionally known as Paṇḍāra Śāstras, particularly associated with the Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam and Dharmapuram Aadheenam traditions.
Meykandar Siddhantins also hold the Tirukkural in high esteem, along with other Siddhanta works such as Vākīśa Jñānāmṛtam and the songs of Avvaiyar.