Shamanism in Ayyavazhi - Mudisoodum Perumal As A Shaman

Mudisoodum Perumal As A Shaman

Apart from the belief on the triune power within Vaikundar, some people also believe that Mudisoodum Perumal is carried within Vaikundar after the incarnation of Vaikundar. (i.e.) Some time he acts as Vaikundar, sometimes as Mudisoodum Perumal, some times as Narayana etc. There is also a believe that 'Vaikundar' is a divine power who was posed by the shaman Mudisoodum perumal. And in that case all the activities of Vaikundar found in Akilam was that of the 'divine posed Mudisoodum perumal'. All these complex ideas are made on the basis of different implications of phrase from Ayyavazhi scriptures. There is also a belief that Mudisoodum perumal himself is a shaman before the incarnation of Vaikundar, where he is being possessed by Narayana.

Mudisoodum perumal as a shaman and had the faculty of ecstatic religiosity that manifested in modes of trances. Many texts from Akilattirattu Ammanai and Arul Nool are believed to point to the fact that he gave out instructions to people from a state of such ecstatic religiosity. They speak of this state as that of ‘singing’, uttering predictions in a style of hoot, lamentations etc. For example a text in Akilam says that he “danced in a circle”, saying, “today a word of instructions ha scome upon me”, and then, from the state, exhorted the people to undertake a tavam. Another text in Arul Nool reads as "I, a 'pallikkanakkan' (one who practises divination in a temple), am coming by dancing on a point”, and another as, “I came to make you dance, sing, and spring you in ecstasy”.