Chapter One - Verse three

The verse in the Tamil language

Malarmisai aahinan maanadi saerthar
Nilamisai needuvaalz vaar


In this verse, the Kural informs of the soul what steps it needs to take in order to liberlise itself. The suggestion given is meditation.

Malarmisai
This is made up of two words, “malar and misai”. Malar means flower. Usually in the spiritual context, the flower is associated with a lotus, which in turn signifies the “chakras” in the human body. This in turn is linked with meditation.

Misai, has number of meanings, of which we will use the one associates with the flower, lotus, chakras and meditation. We will translate it as uplifting. The other meaning is connected with food thus not applicable here. Thus this word means uplifted meditation or well developed meditation.

Aahinan
“To put into practice” is the most suitable translation here. Thus both the phrases put together, one gets “well developed and practiced meditation”

Maanadi
This phrase has two words, of which “Ma” is used as speech of word to make adjectives into the superlative form. “Adi” means feet. Thus “maanadi” needs to be translated as the “feet of the Great One” which means God.

Saerthar
This word means “joining or linking”.

Thus the first sentence can be translated or explained as
“Well practiced meditation will link one (soul) with the feet of the Great One (God)”.

Now for the second sentence

Nilamisai
This has two words, “Nilam” and Misai”. Nilam means the land, thus here it denotes the livelihood on the earthly world. “Misai” as previously explained also means “uplifting”. However since it is connected with the earthly world, it means, the uplifting of ones lively hood in this world.

Needuvaalz Vaar
Here we have taken both the words together as the last word is just a surfix of the previous verb which shows the future tense. As such, the word “Vaar” by itself has no meaning, except to denote the future tense for the verb.

The actual word “needuvaalz” is made up of two words, “needu” and Vaalve”, and together it means “long life or everlasting life”, depending on the context of the sentence. Here both meanings are suitable. In Tamil, this word is also considered as a blessing.


Thus the second sentence means “Ones lively hood on this world will be up lifted with everlasting life”

Thus the whole sentence could mean in the following manner:-

“Well practiced meditation will link ones (soul) with the feet of the Great One (God) and ones livelihood on this world will be up lifted with everlasting life”.

Significance to the Siddhanta theology

The soul, on understanding that it is fully dependent on God for all matters, needs to take initiatives to lead a life most favorable or suitable to understand God.

For this, the only initial step is to move into the practice of meditation. This practice of meditation is useful not only for afterlife, but it will also streamline ones life on this earth and will provide blessings, uplift ones lively hood and provide ever lasting peace and recognition for an individual.

The benefits of meditation are not provided in this verse but it is gradually explained in the forth coming verses.