THIRUGNANASAMBANDARS PANUVAL PATHIGAM

(Pathigam for removal of Obstacles and Hardships)

Sri Mahaperiyava suggested chanting of this Pathigam to a devotee to get rid of obstacles and
hardships in achieving ones goals. Reference: Mahaperiyavaal Darisana Anubavangal
Volume 2 Page 133.

With Mahaperiyavas grace, an English rendering is done for the benefit of all. Any errors or
mistakes in translation is entirely due to me.
Namaskaram
B.Srinivasan, Cupertino

This Pathigam (set of 10 song) is composed by Thiru Gnanasambandar.

Kshetram: Thiru Nedungalam (Near Thuvakkudi, Trichy). This is the 8 th Sthalam on the South of
the river Cauvery
Deity: Nithya Sundarar, Oppilanayaki

Further Reference:
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- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam; who embodies the Vedas; - who wears (the Tiger's and Elephant's) skin;

- one who has a crescent moon on his ever expanding matted hair;

- one who ever pardons the imperfections and shortcomings of His
Devotees; - Of those devotees
who have the high principle of praising and meditating on You only (and no other God);
- Remove the Obstacles and Hardships

Meaning: Oh Lord Shiva, who has the Vedas as His embodiment, who wears the skin (of Tiger and
Elephant), who sports a crescent moon on His matted lock, who never considers the imperfections and
shortcoming of His devotees! Rid the obstacles and hardships of the devotees who live with the high
Principle of praising and meditating on You only (and no other God):

Purport: Shiva is the embodiment of the Vedas, which represent the True and Highest Knowledge and so
venerated. He also wears Tiger's and Elephants skin which is distasteful; He sports a crescent moon on
his head, but the crescent Moon is a cursed Devata; so only the moon waxes and wanes. But Shiva
treats everything with equanimity - the Vedas (Highest Form) and Tiger Skin, cursed moon (Distasteful
and having defects). He easily pardons the mistakes of his Devotees, who are full of imperfections. Shiva
removes the obstacles and hardships of his Devotees, who remain on the High principle of meditating
on Him only.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

- The 'Halahala Poison' which came out from the white
waves of the roaring ocean; - belittling and depreciating the (Poison) to the size of
a small grain; - keeping it in His neck; - Oh Mahadeva!

- Of those devotees, who in
the cave of their hearts sing songs in Your praise and dance in ecstasy, all day and night without respite;
- Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Mahadeva ! the Lord of Lords! Who swallowed and kept in His neck, the Halahala Poison,
after reducing it to the size of a small grain; You are always desiring to listen to the songs your devotees
sing in praise of you and dance in ecstasy. Rid them of their obstacles and hardships.

Purport: Halahala Poison is very destructive; But Shiva effortlessly reduced its potency and made it to
the size of a small grain and swallowed. Likewise, whatever may be the size of the danger to His
devotees, Shiva will reduce them and protect the devotees. The hardships of the devotees is very very
tiny compared with the catastrophe the Halahala Poison will cause. But Shiva made short work of the
poison. Shiva only is capable of removing the obstacles and hardships.

3.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam; - Oh Lord,

defectless one!;
- Markandeya, who always remains at your
feet and mediates on you;
- Don't take away the life of my
Devotee - so you commanded;
- And you kicked Yama, the
mighty Lord of Death with your golden foot;
- The devotees, who worship ever your
golden feet;
- Of the devotees, who carry Fragrant Flowers and
Holy Water on their heads and offer unto you; - Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Lord Shiva, the defectless one. For the sake of Markandeya, who always remains at your
feet and meditates on you, thus you commanded to Yama: "Don't take away the life of my dear
devotee" and kicked with your golden foot the Lord of Death. Your devotees always meditate on your

golden feet and carry flowers and holy water on their heads and offer to you. Rid them of their
obstacles and hardships.

Purport: Even though the Karma of the devotees is so insurmountable, Lord Shiva will shower His grace
upon His Devotees, for their effort of carrying Flower and Water on their head and offering to Shiva.

4.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

- Oh Shiva! who takes great delight in having the
daughter of the King of Mountains (Himavan) as half of his body;
- Oh Shiva, the presiding deity of Thiruvarur, who has the Ganges with her raising
waves, on His ever expansive matted lock; - One who is happy to beg his
alms with a Skull (kapaalam); - Oh unequalled Lord; - of
the devotees who always remain in the shadows of your Holy Feet; - Remove the
Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Lord Shiva, He, who takes great delight in having the daughter of Himavaan, the king of
Mountains as half of his body and he, who has the Ganges with high waves on his expansive matted
lock, and he, who is happy to beg His alms with a Skull, and he, the Lord without an equal - rid the
obstacles and hardships of Devotees who take refuge under the shadows of your Holy Feet.

Purport: Lord Shiva is praised as Ardhanaareeswara and Gangadhara. With the Goddess Parvathi and
Ganga, He is in a very happy state. He blesses his devotees abundantly due the presence of Ambal.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam; People of noble qualities; - Saintly People;
- People living in this world;
- being worshipped in every household;
- with focused mind; with the songs of the devout; - Prostrating at your worshippable Holy Feet;

- with overflowing love uncontainable in oneself; - Oh Lord;
- of the devotees who never move from shadows of your Holy Feet;
- Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Lord Shiva! Rid the Obstacles and hardships of your devotees, of the people of noble
qualities, of Saintly people- who always stay under the shadows of your Holy Feet without moving,
always prostrating, who with single minded devotion sing songs with overflowing Love, that cannot be
contained.

Purport: Uninterrupted Devotion to the Holy Feet of Lord Shiva rids one of all the obstacles and
hardships

6.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam; - The

Oldest of all; - the youngest of all;

- The one who knows the

essence of the four Vedas; - the premordial and complete being;
- who conceals the Ganges in His fragrant matted lock;
- the final object and quintessence of the Vedas and the one who exists even before
creation;
- the devotees who worship your Holy Feet with dance
and songs; - Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Shiva, the eldest of all and the youngest of all, who hides the mighty Ganges in His
fragrant matted lock, the one who is the very object and quintessence of the four Vedas, the one who is
primordial and exists even before creation, rid the devotees who are always worshipping His feet with
their dance and songs, of their obstacles and hardships.

Purport: Shiva is the very quintessence of the four Vedas; He is the oldest and youngest of all (meaning,
he is ever existent and eternal, he is there even before creation happened).

7.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

Who has Parvathi as part of his body;



- The one who made his arrows with Vishnu, Agni and
Vayu and vanquished the Tripuras; - who has the Bull as the emblem in
his flag; - of the devotees, who wear the Holy Ash
(Vibhoothi) taking it for the fragrant Sandal paste that adorned your body; - Remove
the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Shiva! You have Parvathi as part of your body; You made Vishnu, Agni and Vayu as your
arrow and fought and vanquished the Tripuras; You have Nandi bull as the emblem of your Flag; You rid
the obstacles and hardships of your devotees, who wear the sacred ash Viboothi, taking it for the
fragrant sandal paste that adorned you.

Purport: Shiva will be pleased when the devotees wear Vibhoothi.

8.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

- The city of Lanka, which rests on top of a hill and is
protected by castles with royal flags on its walls;
Angered by Ravana, the king of Asuras who attempted to lift Kailasa, you crushed him under the
mountains;
- So praising such of your valorous acts;

- of the devotees, who sing your praise day and night with devotion;
- Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Shiva! Your devotees praise your acts of valiance day and night with devotion, such as
crushing Ravana, the king of Asuras, who ruled Lanka which rests on a hilltop and protected by castles
with royal flags, when he attempted to lift Kailash. Rid them of the obstacles and hardships.

Purport: Devotees always praise Siva and do Stotrams praising Siva Parakrama, such as his act of
crushing Ravana under Kailash. Shiva is easily propitiated when praised. He removes the obstacles and
hardships of his devotees.

9.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

- Vishnu who broke the tusks of the elephant sent by Kamsa to kill you [Reference
here is to Krishna, who broke the tusks of the mighty elephant Kuvalayapeetam and killed it. Kamsa
sent this elephant to kill Krishna and Balarama].

- Brahma, the four headed;

- Searching for you everywhere; - You

manifested as a column of fire; - Oh Shiva, who wears boar's
white tusks as ornament; - Of the devotees who remain
under the shadow of your golden feet; - Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Lord Shiva, who wears boar's white tusks as ornaments. When Vishnu (Krishna) who
broke the tusks of the mighty elephant sent to kill him by Kamsa and the four-headed Brahma searched for your everywhere, you appeared as a column of fire before them. Your devotees ever
remain under the shadows of your golden feet that has no defect. Rid them of their obstacles and
hardships.

Purport: Reference is made to the Krishna Leela and the Lingodbhava. Kamsa sent a mighty four tusked
elephant called Kuvalaya Peetam to kill Krishna and Balarama. But Krishna broke its tusks and killed the
elephant. When Vishnu and Brahma searched for Shiva, Shiva manifested as a column of fire. Shiva is
beginningless and endless.

10.

- Oh Lord Siva, who is the Presiding Deity of Nedungalam;

- The Jainas (Jains), who use harsh and
cruel words, not consistent with the (saintly) robes they wear;
- the
Buddhists, who have no reliance on the True Philosophy of the Vedas;
- do not
know the True Principles (the Truth enshrined in the Vedas);

- Of the devotees, who always meditate on you and
praise you through the eternal Vedas; - Remove the Obstacles and Hardships.

Meaning: Oh Shiva! On one side, the Jainas (Jains) wearing saintly robes and appearing as saints,
employ harsh and cruel languages on your devotees. On the other side, the Buddhists, do not rely on
the Truth enshrined in the Vedas. They do not know the True Philosophy contained in the Vedas. But
your devotees, always keep your Holy Feet in their hearts and praise you through the Vedas, which are
eternal. Rid them of the obstacles and hardships.

Purport: Shiva is Vedaswaroopi and Vedamurthy. The Jains and Buddhists do not accept the Vedas.
The Jains are in a saintly guise, but employ harsh and cruel words to criticize Shiva devotees. Buddhists
and Jains do not understand the True Reality which the Vedas enshrine. But Shiva devotees are always

praising Shiva through the eternal Vedic Hymns and keep Shiva's Holy Feet to their hearts. Their
obstacles and hardships will be removed by Shiva.
11.

- Oh Lord Shiva who has an ever expanding matted
lock and presides over Nedungalam;

- Composed by Gnanasambandan, hailing from Sirkazhi,
also called as Sirapuram, which has wide streets, where many learned and noble people reside;

- whoever chants the 10 songs, their sins will get dissolved.

Meaning: Ganasambandan, hailing from Sirkazhi, also called as Sirapuram, which has wide streets
where learned and nobles live - composed these 10 songs on Shiva who has ever expanding matted lock
and presides over the Kshetram of Thirunedugalam. Whoever chants these 10 songs, their sins will be
absolved.

Purport: Gnanasambandar, the beloved son of Parvathi and Siva, is commanding that whoever chants
this Pathigam (10 songs) will get their sins absolved. There is a stamp of authority from
Thirugnanasambandar.