The Sthula Panchakshra read in Arabic- An interpretation in Universal Truth

The Mirror in the Mantra: A Journey from Sound to Silence

I have chanted the Sthula (Gross) Panchakshara, Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya, many times—most recently while reciting the soul-stirring Sivapuranam by Manickavasagar. For many seekers, these five syllables are a foundation, a steady rhythm for the mind to lean on.

Recently, triggered by an article on the unique Arwi language (Tamil written in Arabic script), a question surfaced: What happens if we look at the Sthula Panchakshara through the mirror of another language, Arwi?

Because Arabic and Arwi are written and read from right to left, the very act of transcribing the mantra into this script forces a reversal of movement. When you flip the flow, the phonetic landscape changes entirely. Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya becomes Ya-Wasi-Ma’na.

This reversal reveals a sequence of Arabic terms that mirror the deepest truths of Saiva Siddhanta.

1. The Universal Outcry: Ya (يا)

The journey begins with Ya. In the Islamic tradition, it is the opening of the soul—Ya Allah. In the Sivapuranam, it is the same vocative "O!" that rings out in phrases like O’ Endrendru. It is the initial outcry of the seeker reaching for the Divine; it is the sound of the heart recognizing it is not alone.

2. The Mystery of the 45th: Wasi (واسع)

Then comes the middle: Wasi. In Arabic, Al-Wasi is the 45th Name of Allah, meaning "The All-Embracing" or "The Limitless."

This is where the hair on my arms stood up. The Sivapuranam is often interpreted at multiple levels, and the numbering of its verses contains hidden messages. For example:

• The first 6 vaazhga (long live), the next 5 velga (victory to), and the next 8 potri (praise be) denote the 658 total lines in the Thiruvasagam.

• The 32nd line, where Manickavasagar says "Meyyae un ponnadigal kandru indru veedutraen..." (After seeing the truth of your golden feet, I came home), refers to his own union with Lord Shiva at the physical age of 32.

When we look at the 45th line of the Sivapuranam, we find:

Mātṟam maṉam kazhiya niṉdṟa maṟaiyōṉē

"The Eternal One who stands beyond change and the reach of the mind."

The 45th Name of the Divine in one tradition and the 45th line of this sacred Tamil hymn point to the exact same phenomenon: a limitlessness that the human mind cannot fully comprehend. To say Wasi is to acknowledge the One who stands beyond thought.

3. Finding the Essence: Ma’na (معنى)

The reversal concludes with Ma’na. In Arabic, Ma’na signifies the inner meaning or the essence. In Sufi mysticism, there is a vital contrast between Lafz (the external word that is heard) and Ma’na (the internal reality that is understood).

By reading the mantra "backward," we are performing the act of Nivritti—the spiritual path of return. We move from the external, gross world (Sthula) back to the inward, subtle essence (Sookshma). We start with the World and end with the Meaning.

 The Logic of the Soul

This linguistic exercise mirrors the logical conclusion of the spiritual journey. We begin with Na-Ma-Si-Va-Ya —the "Gross" form where we are still anchored in the physical. But as we turn inward, we naturally arrive at the Sookshma (Subtle) Panchakshara: Si-Va-Ya-Na-Ma.

In this subtle state, the ego (Na, Ma) no longer leads. Instead, the self (Ya) is now turned toward Grace (Va) and the Supreme Consciousness (Si).

Whether we read Left to Right or Right to Left, whether we call it Ma'na or Sookshma, the truth remains singular. We are all just translating the oneness, the universal truth.

Anbe Sivam. Love is God, and Love has no language or barriers!