The Saint-Scientist Vallalar has a precise answer for what you came here for, which is beyond the physical body spiritual. This is a search that often leads to complex ideas about the soul, but rarely to a practical answer for the body. Below, you will find the three-stage physical transformation Vallalar documented in Thiru Arutpa โ and the science he claimed was behind it. While most spiritual traditions describe what happens to the soul after it leaves the body, Vallalar asked a different question. To understand his answer, we need to look at the man who lived it.
The Life and Teachings of Vallalar
Ramalinga Swamigal, known as Vallalar, was a 19th-century Tamil mystic whose collected writings, the Thiru Arutpa, remain one of the most extraordinary spiritual records ever produced. His life was filled with remarkable feats โ though he dismissed anything supernatural, insisting that everything he did was a science. He established centers for feeding the poor that operate to this day, based on his central teaching of compassion for all living beings. On January 30, 1874, accounts from those present record that he locked himself in a room in Mettukuppam and was never seen again โ his body never found. This event is documented by government records and by British Collector John Henry Garstin.
A Different Question About Death
Most spiritual paths accept physical death as a certainty. The central question they address is what happens to consciousness, the soul, or the spirit after the body ceases to function. The answers vary widely, from reincarnation and heavenly realms to formless union with the divine.
Vallalar approached the problem from a completely different angle. He did not ask what happens after death. He asked: what if the physical body itself could be transformed so that death becomes unnecessary? His work was not about escaping the body but about perfecting it, turning a vessel of flesh and blood into one of pure divine light. His answer, documented across the 6,000 verses of the Thiru Arutpa, is a precise, three-stage process of physical evolution.
The Three Stages of Going Beyond the Physical Body Spiritual
Vallalar described a progressive transformation of the physical form, moving from a gross, perishable body to an eternal body of Grace-Light. He named these stages and detailed the changes that occur at each level.
Suddha Deham: The Pure Body
The first stage, Suddha Deham, or the Pure Body, is achieved through a life of absolute compassion (Jeeva Karunyam) and a pure, plant-based diet. Vallalar taught that this initial purification strengthens the physical form against decay and disease. A person who achieves the Suddha Deham develops a natural radiance, requires very little sleep, and is no longer vulnerable to the effects of aging in the same way. The body becomes a clean and stable vessel, ready for the deeper alchemical changes to come.
The second stage is the Pranava Deham, or the Primal Body. This form is no longer composed of gross physical matter but is made of a finer substance, a kind of primal sound and light. According to Vallalarโs writings, the body at this stage appears youthful, perhaps like that of a twelve-year-old, and is not subject to physical needs like food or water. It cannot be harmed by fire, water, or weapons. This body is visible but can also be made invisible at will. It is a bridge between the physical world and the world of pure light.
Gnana Deham: The Wisdom Body
The final stage, which Vallalar himself demonstrated, is the Gnana Deham, or the Wisdom Body. In this state, the body fully dissolves its material structure and becomes one with the Arut Perum Jลti, the Vast Grace-Light. It is a form made of pure compassion and intelligence, without physical substance. Historical accounts of Vallalarโs final disappearance, where he entered a room and vanished completely, are understood by his followers as the final attainment of the Gnana Deham. While other traditions, like the Tibetan Dzogchen practice of the Rainbow Body, describe a similar dissolution of the physical form at death, Vallalarโs teaching is distinct in presenting this as a deliberate, scientific process to be undertaken while alive.
The Foundational Practices for Transformation
Vallalar did not present these stages as mystical goals but as scientific outcomes of specific practices. The entire process is fueled by the invocation of Arut Perum Jลti, or divine grace-light, but it requires a firm foundation of personal conduct.
The absolute prerequisite is Jeeva Karunyam. Vallalar taught that none of these techniques can take root without Jeeva Karunyam โ active compassion that prevents suffering in other living beings. This begins with diet. In his text Nithya Karma Vidhi, he gives detailed instructions for a plant-based life, arguing that consuming meat or any animal product introduces the vibration of fear and pain into the body, making transformation impossible.
The central daily practice for invoking the Grace-Light is the recitation of the Mahamantra:
Aruแนญ Perum Jลti โ Aruแนญ Perum Jลti โ Taแนi Perum Karuแนai โ Aruแนญ Perum Jลti
This translates to: The Vast Grace-Light. The Vast Grace-Light. The Incomparable Great Compassion. The Vast Grace-Light. Vallalar taught that this mantra, repeated with feeling, directly draws the transformative power of divine light into the cells of the body.
A person following these principles might begin to notice, after several weeks of a clean diet and compassionate action, a distinct feeling of lightness in the body. They might feel less weighed down, not just emotionally but physically, as if the very density of their form is beginning to change. Vallalarโs teaching suggests this is the first sign that the body is responding to the call for purification.
One Action to Take Today
The path of bodily transformation begins with the food you eat. Vallalar was clear that a body burdened with the suffering of other beings cannot become a vessel of light. Your one concrete action is simple and direct. Replace one animal-based meal today with a plant-based option from Vallalarโs Nithya Karma Vidhi: rice, lentils, greens, or stem vegetables like brinjal (eggplant) or drumstick (Moringa). This is not just a dietary choice; it is the first step in the science of compassion.
You came here for beyond the physical body spiritual and found something worth reading. Want much more?
The Sanmarkkam Journey delivers free teachings, health guidance, and translations of
Vallalarโs works, directly to your inbox. We take you by hand, at your own pace.
No pressure, no selling. Just value. Unsubscribe with one click. Join the Sanmarkkam Journey
Want Vallalar's wisdom
delivered free to your inbox?
All directly to your favourite email inbox.
We take you by hand, at your own pace. Step-by-Step.
- Free E-book: Jeevakarunyam Ozhukkam โ Vallalar's Guide to Compassionate Living IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD
- Free E-books, translations & commentaries
- Free health tips from Vallalar's manuscripts
- Free community
- Free Emporium items
- & Much More ๐
๐ฏ๏ธ Welcome to the Journey
Look for an email from international@sanmarkkamlife.org. Check your inbox, spam folder and Promotions tab. Your first teaching and your free e-book are on their way.
๐ We hate Spam. No Pressure. 0 Selling or Pitching.
1 Click Unsubscribe any time.
Privacy Policy ยท Sanmarkkam Life APS ยท GDPR compliant