The "Suddhi" process, a cornerstone of Siddha alchemy (Rasa Vadam), is the rigorous method by which Siddhars like Bogar transformed lethal toxins into life-saving elixirs. The term Suddhi translates "purification," but in the context of Navapashanam, it represents a profound pharmacological transmutation involving detoxification, attenuation, and potentiation.
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| Ordinary idol and Navapashanam idol of Murugan, Palani tamil.samayam.com |
The purification of the nine poisons was never a single step but a multi-layered labor of devotion and chemistry. The process typically follows three critical phases:
Physical Cleaning (Shodana): Raw minerals were first soaked in organic acidic media, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or fermented rice water (Kanjam). This stripped away surface impurities and neutralized the immediate corrosive nature of substances like mercury and arsenic.
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| Palani Murugan (Karthikeya) Temple,TN .google.com |
Herbal Neutralization: Each of the nine substances required a specific "herbal antagonist" to cancel its lethality. For instance, Mercury (Rasam) underwent dozens of cycles of grinding with herbal juices like Kuppaimeni (Acalypha indica) or Kumari (Aloe vera). This grinding, often lasting days, reduced the particles to a "colloidal" state, ensuring they could be absorbed by the human body without causing toxicity.
Sublimation and Calcination: Some minerals were subjected to Putam—a process of heating in sealed clay crucibles buried in pits of burning cow-dung cakes. This controlled high-heat environment converted heavy metals into Bhasmas (nano-calcined ash), altering their molecular structure to make them biologically compatible and chemically stable.
The "Binding" of Navapashanam
The most secretive aspect of Bogar’s Suddhi was the final amalgamation. After each of the nine poisons was purified, they had to be bound together into a single, rock-hard mass. Traditional texts suggest Bogar used a "binding agent" composed of hundreds of rare herbs, including Sanjeevani varieties. This herbal paste acted as a buffer, ensuring that the final idol remained non-toxic while retaining the potent "vibrational" medicinal properties of the nine elements.
By the end of the Suddhi process, the poisons were no longer killers; they were "killed" (Marana) and reborn as Kaya Kalpa—medicine that arrests the aging process and cures incurable diseases. This ancient nanotechnology remains one of the most sophisticated pharmacological achievements in human history
Modern Research & Academic Journals
"Analysis of Nature, Constituents and Effects of Navapashanam – Based on Facts of Siddha": Published in the International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET). This paper provides the chemical breakdown of the nine poisons and describes the specific boiling and soaking media (like Acalypha Indica and cow’s milk) used for each.
"Siddha and the Way of Rasa": A comprehensive study of Siddha alchemy and the "eighteen stages" of mercury purification, detailing how mercury is made to "devour" other metals to become stable.
"Mercury Purification (Rasa Suthi)": Published research found in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, which explores the chemical changes in mercury before and after the Siddha purification process.
Historical & Administrative Records
Dindigul District Gazetteer (Government of Tamil Nadu): Provides the official historical timeline of the Palani temple’s construction and the administrative history of the Devasthanam.
K.N. Jayaraman
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