இயமத்திரு நியமத்திரு இடரற்றிட வேதான்
தயமுற்றிரு தருமத்திரு ஸகஜத்துற மேலும்
இயலுற்றுள பதுமத்திரு இழையிற்கிழை மின்னல்
வயமுற்றிடு தெருவிற்செல வசிபற்றிடு வாயே
Iyamatthiru Niyamatthiru Idaratrita Vethaan
Thayamutriru Tharumaththiru Sakajaththura Melum
Iyaluttrula Pathumaththiru Izhaiyirkizhai Minnal
Vayamutridu Theruvirsela Vasipatridu Vaaye
Practice (guard) yama; practice (guard) niyama—so that distress and danger are removed, says the knower of the Veda.
Abide in compassion; abide in dharma—yet further, beyond the “sahaja” state.
Abide in the lotus that is naturally present; within thread upon thread (fine strands), there is lightning.
When maturity ripens, go along the street/path; grasp vasi—O mouth (O tongue).
Establish yourself first in restraint and observance (yama–niyama) so that inner turmoil and karmic “troubles” subside. Live with compassion and righteousness; then do not stop even at what feels like an easy, natural spiritual poise (sahaja). Turn inward to the innate lotus-centre and perceive the subtle “lightning” of vital-force moving through the finest channels. When the time is ripe, proceed along the inner pathway and secure mastery through vasi—by the mouth/tongue, i.e., breath–mantra discipline and controlled speech.
The verse arranges a Siddhar-style progression from ethical foundations to subtle yogic attainment.
1) Ethical groundwork (yama–niyama): In Siddhar and classical yoga frames, restraint and observance are not merely moral rules but technologies for reducing “idar” (affliction, obstacles). The poet implies that without this stabilizing base, later inner practices amplify agitation rather than remove it.
2) Compassion and dharma as spiritual chemistry: “Thayam” (mercy/compassion) and “dharma” are presented as a lived equilibrium—conduct that purifies intention. Siddhar texts often treat virtues as a form of inner alchemy: they change the quality of prāṇa and mind, making the subtle body fit for higher processes.
3) ‘Beyond sahaja’: “Sahaja” can mean an effortless naturalness or an abiding ease in awareness. The poet’s “further beyond” preserves a Siddhar warning: do not mistake comfortable equilibrium, trance, or a stable mood for final realization. There is a push toward a subtler transformation than mere calmness.
4) The innate lotus and the lightning in ‘threads’: “Paduma/padma” points to a lotus-centre (often heart or crown depending on lineage). “Threads within threads” evokes nāḍīs (minute channels), nerve-like strands, or layered subtle pathways. “Lightning” is a frequent Siddhar sign for kuṇḍalinī/prāṇic surge—an instantaneous, bright movement of inner energy/awareness rather than a physical flash.
5) ‘Street/path’ and ‘vasi’ through the mouth: “Theru” (street) can be read as an inner route—sushumṇā/central passage or the disciplined way one “walks” in practice. “Vasi” may indicate vasi-yoga (breath mastery leading to control of prāṇa and mind) and/or vashīkaraṇa (the power to ‘hold’ or ‘subdue’ impulses). Addressing the “mouth” hints at mantra-japa, regulated breath, khecarī-related tongue discipline, or—more broadly—restraint of speech: the mouth becomes the instrument by which energy is bound and directed.
Overall, the verse ties outer ethics, inner virtue, and subtle energetic realization into one continuum: restraint and compassion prepare the vessel; then the practitioner recognizes the lotus-centre, perceives the prāṇic ‘lightning’ in fine channels, and finally stabilizes it through breath/mantra and disciplined speech (vasi).