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Ashta karma or eight actions refers to vaseekaranam (making something attracted by the yogi),
mohanam (causing enchantment) aakarshanam (drawing something towards the yogi),
ucchaadanam (reciting the mantra in cause a specific action), sthambanam (arresting the natural
action of anything), Vidveshanam (making one hate something), bedhanam (causing a
difference-opinion, state) and maaranam (causing death). Agatthiyar in his work Saumya
Sagaram (verses 215- 245) mentions that the ashta karma are milestones that indicate an
individual’s mastry of ashtanga yoga, the eight step yoga.
When one attains the highest state possible by yoga, the turiya state, one realizes that the only
true entity is aksharam and that everything else, the gross world, is a dance of the aksharam.
Aksharam refers to both the Divine as well as letter. Aksharam means indestructible. The
indestructible here is the vak or primordial sound that emerges as bija akshara. These akshara
combine together to form words, sentences and passages. Thus the cause is the aksharam, the
primordial sound or letters and their manifestation is the gross world.
In the context of the ashta karma the cause is the bija akshara of the mantra that manifests as an
effect in the gross world. Thus a mantra for, say vaseekaranam, is the cause with its effect
making others feel attracted by the person uttering the mantra. If a yogin realizes this he will
manipulate the cause, the bija akshara, to produce an effect. Agatthiyar calls this manipulation as
playing with the cause. One looks at the origin, the gurupathi and causes these effects.
Gurupathi refers to ajna cakra which between the brows. This term also means the locus of
Guru, the locus of knowledge where the darkness of ignorance is nonexistent. It is the locus of
light of consciousness, the light of knowledge and awareness.
Agatthiyar begins to describe the first karma, vaseekaram or causing others to feel attracted
towards the person performing the ritual.
Vaseekaram
Direction East
Adornment Sacred ash with pranava
Seat Tiger skin
Beads Tulasi
Deity Maha Ganapathy
Mantra Om kleem sing
Benefit Rishi, Muni, Deva, animals, birds, all diseases,
poisons, ghosts and goblins, rivers, sacred
sites- all their anger or vigor will abide and
they will feel enchanted
Sthambanam
Direction West
Adornment Sacred ash with mercy, stop the breath
Seat Dharba grass
Beads Lotus beads
Deity Nadana Ganapathy
Mantra Om sreem kleem
Benefits Stop the minds of evil souls and animals, stop
the natural movement of air, water and fire
(perform is able to walk on fire without getting
burnt, walk on water without sinking)
Ucchaadanam-
Direction South
Adornment Sacred ash with honesty
Seat Tree bark
Beads Conch beads (sangu mani)
Deity Sakthi Ganapathy
Mantra Om kleem sau
benefits All strong diseases will go away, magical
spells (pilli soonyam) will be removed
Maaranam-
Bedanam-