Arunagirinathar in his magnum opus Tirupugazh and tiruvaguppu, has embodied Shakti worship and had proven that both Shakti and Murugan are one the same supreme being in different forms. Let us take a journey through Devendra Sanga Vaguppu written by Arunagirinathar to understand the amount of tantra shastras and Devi worship embodied in his work. Arunagirinathar was born in Tiruvannamalai and blessed by lord Muruga, He recounted his divine experience in countless songs. Through his songs Kambatu Ilaiyaanar the lord of Arunachala’s Gopuram, even today appears and bestows wisdom on those who sing the songs of Arunagirinathar. Chanting of Tirupugazh, Kandar Anubhuti, and Tiruvaguppu songs gives ultimate wisdom to Sadhaka and puts him on the path of liberation. The saint had always sung without any discrimination between the six sects of Sanatana dharma i,e Saiva, Vaishnava, Sakta, Kaumara, Ganapathya and Soura. Vallimalai Sacchidananda Swamigal when he propagated the chanting of Tirupugazh in the late 1900s, he used to refer to Devendra Sanga Vaguppu as equivalent to the Sodashakshari Vidhya of Sri Vidya Sampradaya. Lets us delve deeper into this reference and see how Arunagirinathar had referred all the Dasa Maha Vidhya of Ambika in his work as a sample.
Taraṇiyi laraṇiya muraṇira ṇiyaṉuṭal taṉainaka nutikoṭu
cāṭōṅkune ṭuṅkiri yōṭēntupa yaṅkari …… 1
The asura Hiranyakashipu, due to his unvirtuous deeds, was tormenting the world, and Ambika with her sharp nails killed him by piercing his body, she resembles that of a huge mountain,carries a skull in her hand, and she appears fearsome. In Lalita Sahasranamam “Kara Anguli Nakothpanna Narayana Dasakruti” says Lalitha is the reason for dasa avatars of Vishnu. In this line again Arunagirinathar says Ambika killed the asura and not narayana. By referring her to a huge mountain like Appearance and having a skull cup in her hands, the depiction of Kali the first Dasa Maha Vidya is made here.
Tamaruka paripura olikoṭu naṭanavil caraṇiya caturmaṟai
tātāmpuya mantira vētāntapa ramparai …… 2
She dances along with Siva, surrounded by the ringing of cymbals and drums, along with her anklets the four Vedas personified are dancing with her. Her lotus-like feet gives the wisdom of the ultimate knowledge of Vedanta. The dance of Kali is being referred to here, continuing from the above lines, she gives the ultimate knowledge as a result of her Upasana.
Carivaḷai viricaṭai yeripurai vaṭiviṉaḷ catataḷa mukuḷita
tāmāṅkuca meṉṟiru tāḷāntara ampikai …… 3
Tarupati curarōṭu caruviya acurarkaḷ taṭamaṇi muṭipoṭi
tāṉāmpaṭi ceṅkaiyil vāḷvāṅkiya caṅkari …… 4
She wears bracelets that slide on her hands, has the form of burning fire-like hair, wears garlands of hundred-petalled lotus flowers on her chest, and has soft lotus-like feet. She is Sankari who fought with a sword in her hand, so that the heads of the demons and their crowns were crushed when the Asuras fought with the Devas, she is the one who is like a wish-fulfilling tree for her devotees.
These two lines refer to Ambika as Goddess Tara, a Dasa Maha Vidya form. The form of the deity described here as having the shape of a burning fire is that of Tara Devi, whose meditations are referred to as “Pingala Jada” her hair is meditated upon to be of an upright nature and her locks of hair is combination of the three gunas of sattva, rajo and tamo gunas.
To say that she has shoulders wearing a hundred-petalled lotus, in this place, the inner meaning can be understood only if we look at the word Dhat-Ambuyam-Mantirai in the previous line, just as we have seen the Ambika Mantra praised as the mantra with Srim beeja, the position of this beejakshara in the mantra is being specified by referring to her lotus feets, thus the Sreem beeja should come as the last akshara of the mantra is being conveyed here in a subtle manner. Which subtly conveys the Sodasakshari vidya of Srividya Sampradaya.
The term Antara is interpreted to mean Ambigai who stands in mid-air. Arunagirinathar says that the sadhakas of the yogic path are blessed with the touch of her feet. As she in the form of Kundalini traverses to the Sahasrara chakra and twelve inches above the Sahasrara chakra to a place called Dwathasantham, which Arunagirinatharexplains, in these lines, that those Sadhakas who chant the mantra that ends with Sreem beeja will be able to go to this Dwathasantha state in yoga marga.
By referring to Shankari who bought a sword to fight the Asuras, we come to know of two deities, one incarnated as Durga to kill asuras like Mahishasura, Dumra Lochana, Chanda, Munda, Raktha beeja, Sumbha, and Nisumba. The other form is in Dasa Maha Vidya the image of Chinna Masta, the goddess who cut off her own head, she is symbolized as holding her head in her hand. Chinnamasta with her sword, a decapitated head of her own, and the two attendants symbolize the destruction of ego and ascend of Kundalini in Sushumna, while her attendants are representations of Ida and Pingala nadis.
Iraṇaki raṇamaṭa mayiṉmruka matapuḷa kitaviḷa mulaiyiḷa
nīrtāṅkinu ṭaṅkiya nūlpōṉṟama ruṅkiṉaḷ …… 5
Iṟukiya ciṟupiṟai yeyiṟuṭai yamapaṭar eṉatuyir koḷavariṉ
yāṉēṅkutal kaṇṭetir tāṉēṉṟuko ḷuṅkuyil …… 6
Ambika, who is like a peacock with golden rays, bears bosoms like that of tender coconuts and smeared with fragrant musk. On the surface, it appears to be a description of Ambika’s bosoms, but if we add the two names in the Lalita Sahasranama, “sthana bara patta bandha validraya” and “kandatah kadi paryantha madhya kota swarupini”, the middle part of the Panchadasi mantra is “hasa ka ha la hreem”. It will be known that Arunagirinathar has placed the letters in this line. And starting with the line “Tharaniyil Araniya” and ending with Sankari taking the sword, the aspect of creation has been sung as the first part of the Panchadasi mantra. called “Kae La Hreem” as a Vakbhava group.
In the lines Irukiya Ciru pirai, the sharp teeth of the attendants of Yama is being called out, When such attendants come towards a devotee of Ambika, she quickly comes and save the devotees from the clutches of death and she guides the soul towards liberation or transmigration according to one’s karmic balance. Thus creation, sustenance and destruction are respectively discussed in the first few lines of Tiruvaguppu
Referring to death, destruction and black color, the next Dasa maha Vidya Doomavathi is referred to here along with the letters of the Panchadasi mantra “Saka La Hreem” are subtly conveyed by the saint in these lines.
Iṭupali koṭutiri yiravalar iṭarkeṭa viṭumaṉa karatala
ēkāmparai yintirai mōkāṅkacu maṅkalai …… 7
Eḻutiya paṭameṉa iruḷaṟu cuṭaraṭi yiṇaitoḻu mavuṉikaḷ
ēkāntacu lantaru pācāṅkuca cuntari …… 8
In the lines mentioned above, two puranic incidents of Ambika are revealed, one is the story of Parvati who came to Kashi as an Annapurani to solve the famine. When Siva came to ask for alms, she relieves him from the curse of Brahma’s skull sticking on to his hand. Among the Srividya devas, Annapurna is the goddess who gives both wisdom and zeal to the practitioners of the path. In the second line, it is mentioned that Ambika grants all the boons asked by anyone who approaches and gets rid of their sufferings. This Devi is located in the city of Kanchi with the name of Ekambarai and also in the separate temple as Kamakshi. The form of this Kamakshi is represented by a sugarcane bow, goad,rope, and five arrows. Tripurasundari as Dasa Maha Vidha, and as supreme devata of Sri Vidya path is mentioned in these lines.
In the first seven lines, he makes it clear that Tripurasundari will come as a savior goddess and remove one from all sufferings if one chants the Panchadasi mantra and Srim Bheeja at the end. The addition of these sixteen letters forms the mantra known as Shodashi, one of the superior mantras of Ambika, and in the eighth line, he calls Ambika the Pasangusa Sundari of who provides the practitioners with ultimate bliss and takes the aspirant to liberation.
We need to understand who gets the boon of this salvation, in the first two words “still picture”, just as a still picture if one remains motionless without yielding to any temptation, and meditates her form in the mind, they will get this salvation, here Devi’s Thiruvadi Dhyana is also given, which can be seen by the words “the lustrous feet that removes the darkness”, Such meditation leads to silencing of mind, body, and actions and hence the aspirants are called “Mouni”.
In this line, Arunagirinathar also alludes to Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, the embodiment of a Dasa Maha Vidyai. Mentioning Prithvi Tattva Ekamparai, then praising Indra as the ruler of all and saying, Pasangusa Sundari. As Prithvi Tattva is the source of all the worlds, Goddess Bhuvaneswari is referred to here, she also bears Goad and rope. And appears with boon-giving and protection arm gestures. It is also confirmed in these lines that the boons obtained from the goddess will immediately manifest in the physical world for her devotees.
Karaṇamu maraṇamu malamoṭu muṭalpaṭu kaṭuviṉai keṭaniṉai
kālāntari kantari nīlāñcaṉi nañcumiḻ …… 9
Kaṉaleri kaṇapaṇa kuṇamaṇi yaṇipaṇi kaṉavaḷai marakata
kācāmpara kañcuḷi tūcāmpaṭi koṇṭavaḷ …… 10
Lines nine and ten refer to one of the Pancha Krithyas, Arulal, or bestowing of prosperity, we can also understand that Devi rescues the beings from the physical tribulations caused by the body through senses and transmigration.
As Kalanthari – one who stands beyond time and space, as Sivakama Sundari witnessing Shiva’s Tandava during the deluge, and as an embodiment of Brahman living in the heart of all beings, Devi protects everything in the creation. She is adorned with many precious gemstones from the land of Nagas or mythical snakes and has a green complexion and wears yellow silk garments on her waist. Matangi and Bhagalamuki are being referred to here subtly by the saint in these lines/.
Kaṉaikaḻal niṉaiyalar uyiravi payiravi kavurika malaikuḻai
kātārntace ḻuṅkaḻu nīrtōynta peruntiru …… 11
Karaipoḻi tirumuka karuṇaiyi lulakeḻu kaṭaṉilai peṟavaḷar
kāvēntiya paiṅkiḷi mācāmpavi tantavaṉ …… 12
Bhairavi is the one who takes the lives of those who do not remember the Brahman, she herself is the golden-complexioned Gowri, and the one who sits on the lotus and bears the name Kamala, she wears a garland of flowers emerging from a very fertile pond, and the wears huge golden earrings.
In this line, the Arunagirinathar has indicated the two Dasa Maha Vidya forms, Bhairavi and Kamalathmika. Here, while looking at Bhairavi, we have to look at the 77th song of Abhirami Antadhi.
Abhirami Anthadi – Song #77
Payiravi, pañcami, pācāṅkucai, pañcapāṇi, vañcar
Uyiravi uṇṇum uyarcaṇṭi, kāḷi oḷirumkalā
Vayiravi, maṇṭali, māliṉi, cūli varākiyeṉṟē
Ceyiravi nāṉmaṟai cērtiru nāmaṅkaḷ ceppuvarē.
When Abhirami Bhattar sings about Ambigai, he says that Kali snatches the life of people who commits only sins. Arunigrinathar terms Bhairavi in his poems who does this action. There are two reasons to say that the one who does not think of Devi will die 1. In the of Vigyan Bhairava Tantra, the meditation methods combined with visualization and breathing exercises are laid down in Kashmir Saivism to realize God or Bhairava. The 112 meditation methods given in this scripture advocates that the goal is to attain salvation by thinking of God in one way or another. Bhairava’s consort is worshiped as Bhairavi, and here the sound of breathing and the rising of Kundalini power through these exercises should be understood when representations are made to her earrings, thus Bhairavi prepares the lives of those who do not contemplate on supreme being for the next birth. 2. And if we compare Abirami Antadi, Ambika as Kali killed Madhu, Kaitapa and protected the Lord Brahma the creator, as Mahalakshmi killed Mahishasura, as Chandi killed the demons, Chanda and Munda, as Maha Saraswati killed Sumba and Nisumba, thereby protecting the Devas. Thus, Devi takes the form of Bhairavi to save her devotees from evil.
Such a Goddess called Gauri (Parvati of golden complexion) resides in the sea and is also known as Kamala. In reference to the golden complexion this line by the saint it clear that Mahalakshmi and Kamalathmika are not different forms. This can be understood by the phrases like “Hiranya Varnam Harineem”, “Swarna Rajatasrjam” and “Hiranmayeem” in the Sri Sukta of the Vedas.
Thus, within the first 11 lines, Arunagirinathar establishes the principles of Sri Vidhya and consolidates all the Dasa Maha Vidya visualization, thus making the Devendra Sangha vaguppu a hymn to Dasa maha vidyas.
Though at the outset the poems are hymns towards Lord Shanmuka, the poems also contain the worship of Shakti and subtly conveys many teachings of Tantra and Yoga paths.
Abirami Samayam 