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SiddharSiddhars are saints in India, mostly of the Shaivaite denomination in Tamil Nadu, who professed and practised an unorthodox type of Sadhana, or spiritual practice, to attain liberation. They are people who are believed to control and transcend the barriers of time and space by meditation (Yoga), after the use of substances called Rasayanasthat transform the body to make it potentially deathless, and a particular breathing-practice, a type of Pranayama. 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. They wrote their findings, in the form of poems in Tamil language, on palm leafwhich 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 the world over (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 Siddhamedicine, practised mainly in Tamil Nadu. They are also founders of Varmam- a martial art for self-defence and medical treatment at the same time. Varmamsare 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. Siddhars also wrote many religious poems. One of the best-known Siddhars nowadays is Patanjali, the author of the Yoga-Sutra. Another prominent personality is Agasthyar, who is believed to be the founding father of Tamil culture. Abithana Chintamanistates Siddhars are either of the 9 or 18 persons enlisted, but sage Agastyarstates 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.
All Siddhars in order
The 9 or 18 list as Abithana Chitamani states is as follows, and the following list seems to be more correct than the one above because the siddhars like Karuvoorar, Paambatti are Siddhars of more recent times than those in the list below. Of course all the people mentioned in the list are considered as Siddhars and are unparalleled in their own respects. The 9-list of Siddhars is:
The 18-list of siddhars is:
Apart from these there are several others like Dhanvandhri, Pulasthiyar, Pujandaror Kagapujandar, Pathanjali, Karuvoorar, Ramadevar, Theraiyar, Kabilar, Kumbhamuni, Paambaati Siddhar, Kudhumbai Siddhar
Powers of siddharsThe 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;Thirumandiram 668:
These eight are the Great Siddhis. See also
External links
Topicsin Hinduism
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