What is Thathwamasi that is inscribed in front of Sabarimala Sannidhanam?

How many of the pilgrims who reach the Sanctum of Ayyappa read this message there?

Thathwamasi has nothing to do with the word “Thathuwam”.

It is one among the four Mahāvākyas of the Vedas. Mahāvākyas are the grand utterances of the Upanishads, the final truth expressed in the Vedas.

They contain the essence of Vedanta and the ultimate truth. There are mahāvākyas for all the four Vedas and all of them convey the same Advaitic truth.

The term Thathwamasi appears in the Sama Veda, in the Chandogya Upanishad.​

Meaning of “Thathwamasi”

It is a combination of three words:

Tat Tvam Asi = Thou art That (i.e. That is you).​

• Tat – That

• Twam – You

• Asi – are / is

Here “That” refers to the Supreme Being… i.e. I am the same as the Supreme Being.

Understanding that we are not ordinary mortals, but that we are the ultimate – this is Thathwamasi.

Tatvamasi is the fulfilment of spiritual knowledge. There is no second – “I am that Supreme Entity.”​

Ayyappa Tattvam – State of Oneness

This complex Advaitic wisdom is made simple in Ayyappa Thathwam – the State of Oneness.

That is the reason once we wear the māla, we are taught to see everything as Ayyappan and everyone as Ayyappan.​

Though we just call it outwardly, most of us never try to put the theory “everything is Ayyappan” into practice.

Just imagine the situation if it is in reality…

• Every being is Ayyappan

• Every devotee is Ayyappan

• Every piece of rock and mud is Ayyappan

Now there is no question of “I” here… because even “I am Ayyappan”, i.e. “I am that Supreme Entity”, i.e. “Thathwamasi.”

Thathwamasi and Sannyasa

Actually, this (Thathwamasi and other) Mahāvākya is traditionally given as upadesham only while taking Sannyasam.​

Kanchi Mahā Swamigal said:

“It is to attain this highest of states in which the individual self dissolves inseparably in Brahman that a man becomes a sannyasi after forsaking the very karma that gives him inward maturity. When he is initiated into sannyasa he is taught four mantras, the four [principal] mahavakyas.”

But Ayyappan is in Yoga Peetam at Sabarimala; He is a Gurunathan there.

That is the reason He explicitly teaches this Mahā Vākya Sāram, i.e. Thathwamasi, with His Chinmudra.​

Dhyana shloka

Mahayogapeeto jwalantham mahantham
Mahavaakya Saaropadesham Sushaantham
Maharshi Praharsha pradham gnana kaantham
Param jyoti roopam bhaje bhoothanatham