The ten kariams are called dhasa kariam. The dhasa kaiam are steps in the progress of the soul to the highest states(mukthi). It starts from the lowest state in tatva roopam and ends in siva boham. Each stage is consisting of various combinations of the malam and finally the complete cleansing of all malam .
The dhasa kariams are likened to a sugar cane of ten arms(muzham) length. This ten arm length of karumbu is cut into 7 equal pieces .
The seven equal pieces are named as: 1.TATVA ROOPAM 2.TATVA DARSANAM 3.TATVA SUDDHI 4.ANMA ROOPAM 5.ANMA DHARSANAM(+SIVA ROOPAM) 6.ANMA SUDDHI(+SIVA DHARSANAM+SIVA YOGAM) 7.ANAMA LABAM
In the fifth piece sivaroopam is mixed with the anma dharsanam and functions as one. In the sixth siva dharsanam and siva yogam are mixed anma suddhi and functions as one kariam. Thus there are seven pieces of sugar cane and the pieces each have five kanus(nodes). Each node has one avathai(distress). Thus the five nodes have together five avathais.These five avathais are called aindhavathais(panjavathai)
The aindhavathais are also called ninmalaaindhavathais. The soul passes through one avathai to another to get cleansed(ninmalam).The soul is in its early stage in mala infested stage and progresses to clean stage by fallowing the pachakram(si-va-ya-na-ma).
First avathai: NINMALA SAKKIRAM(sjakra) Second avathai: NINMALA SOPANAM(swapna) Third avathai: NINMALA SUZHUTHI(susupti) Fourth avthai: NINMALA THOORIAM(turia) Fifth avathai: NINMALA THOORIYA-ADHEEDHAM( turia-adhitha)
In the bracket the original Sanskrit word is given as in mandukya upanisad.The word nirmala is common in hindu culture and it is derived from this state.
Sakkiram, is the lowest state of conscious and is infested with all the malam. The thooriyadheedham is the highest state of conscious and is least malam infested.
Ineach of the ninmala- avathais the kariams are done by the sadhana practitioner. The sadhana or kariams are classified to each kanu(nodes) of the karumbu
First node: ninmala sakkiram: thathva roopam,thathva dharsanam, thathva suddhi, anma roopam Second node: ninmala sopanam: anma dhrsanam Third node: ninmala suzhuthi: no kariams in this kanu(only guru's act) Fourth node: ninmala thorium(kulavu-avathai) Fifth node: ninmala thooriya-adheetham: anma labam
Now the ma-na-ya-va-si panchkram is given to each node.
The" ma" is the darkness around the light (maya) the in this stage the soul is in first node stage that is the ninmala sakkiram.
The "na" is the second node of the karumbu that is the ninmalasopanam avathai. This is the flame of the light position. Here the flame and lamp even though they emit the light do not know their lightness.
The "ya" the third node of the gnana karumbu. Ninmala sopanam. Here the eye is given as symbolic example. The light even though can see because of the darkness it does not function without the light.
The ya-na-ma state is also called sakala state that is even though the eye and lamp come together the darkness always accompanies the lamp and it will blur the soul's vision. Thus the three together still bound by the pasa of darkness. Thus they still in sadam (jada)state. The sadam is nandi it is yet not reache the pathi due to the pasa bondages.
Now in the "va" state the sun rays manifest. They are the siva's power the sakthi. When the soul (eye) sees the objects in the light of the sun rays the darkness is completely absent.
The "si" that is the last state or the fifth kanu of the gnana karumbu stage the su completely merges with the eye and the eye becomes the light itself.
The "si-va-ya" stage is the arul viyanjagam(vilakam). Here the sun-rays-eye becomes one.This is the siddhi state. The" si" This is the final state for the soul's upward journey. The nandhi reaches the lingam.
The si-ya-va is where the soul stands in between the va and si . the ya pushes the soul to si. This is called VA-SI-IDAI NITRAL(stand between va and si) this is the soul's position between sakthi and sivam.
SI-VA-YA-NA means the na pushes the soul towards the va . thus the soul is pulled towards sakthi. Thus the na pushes and va pulls the soul towards the siva.
Thus the by uttering the mantra SIVAYANAMA we get the meaning of soul's migration to padhamukthi.
We shall never forget this mantra and chant this all our life with its full meaning.
Panchakra pahrodai was written by perur velapa desikar. He took dheekkai from the tenth pontiff of the thiru-avadu-thurai mutt. His book had 42 kannees . it is an excellent work with deep connotations . it linked the dhasa kariams,aindhezhuthu and the aindhavathis. This linking of the three is unique to thisbook. The symbolisms and connotations added to the mantra have thus made it especially popular