It seems nothing is lost in the digital and electronic media. I had some time back lost much data, (data that I had presumed lost after it was corrupted and I had even reformatted the hard disk), only to retrieve them successfully to a certain extent. Through Kannan Kumaraweh, a colleague, I was told that I could still hope to retrieve the presumably lost data using one of several software made available free of charge on the net. It did the trick. I got back a major portion of my audios, videos and photos, and articles.
So out of curiosity to know if any of my earlier websites where still intact even after I had removed or terminated those accounts, I searched the net for indianheartbeat. I was surprised to see some remnants of the past resurface. I realized that nothing is lost forever.
Thinking that indianheartbeat was lost forever, I was further surprised to come across a blog http://myindianheartbeat.blogspot.com/ started by my daughter way back in 2012.
Similarly I understand that all our actions are recorded in the akash or the vast expanse and if required can be tapped into by saintly beings. I believe that’s how the siddhas reveal so many things to mankind of the past, present and even the future.
Supramania Swami too used to say that nothing is lost, including all the tavam or all efforts to achieve self-realization. He says all our efforts shall continue from where we left, even after the atma or soul left the mortal body, and continuing into the next birth.
The past postings in SITHTHAN ARUL, on Thursday, 13 March 2014, சித்தன் அருள் - 166 - திருச்செந்தூர் - முருகர், அனுமன் தரிசனம்! and on Thursday, 20 March 2014, சித்தன் அருள் - 167 - திருசெந்தூர் - முருகர், அனுமன் தரிசனம்! were rather disturbing and sad.
After reading his posts, I messaged Velayudham Karthikeyan, the administrator of SITHTHAN ARUL, that although it was a sad situation indeed, that was prevailing in certain temples, it was a consolation to hear Agathiyar mention in the Jeeva Nadi of his friend, the Jeeva Nadi Guru, that the Lord still does appear before his sincere devotees at these temples.
Karthikeyan most graciously replied that, that was true and that the Lord comes in the form that one worships him, and blesses him, thus strengthening their faith and belief.
"உண்மை. அங்கு இறைவன் நாம் வழிபடும் ரூபத்தில் வந்து அமர்ந்து, நம்மை ஆசிர்வதிக்கிறார். நம் நம்பிக்கையை அவர் நிறைவேற்றுகிறார்."
Although the state of affairs in these temples are in a sad state, there is still relief and salvation for sincere devotees as the Lord creates the space for them where they are given darshan without fail nor interruption. This we saw in the case of Karthikeyan's friend who was called over to Tiruchendur by Agathiyar. While there, the space was created for the Nadi Guru to pray in peace; where the temple staff moves away, allowing him to have a full view of the Lord; have the Lord to himself for some precious moments; where all the noise and rattle stops and finally calm prevails. Amazing.
Similarly the Lord creates this much yearned for moments and space in the life's of other devotees too.
Surendaran Selvaratnam who returned to Malaysia after a short stint in Kenya dropped by and garlanded Agathiyar at Agathiyar Vanam just moments ago. We were just going over these shortcomings, disappointments, irritations, and finally having to stomach all these negativeness while on pilgrimage (I too had met some equally disappointing moments as I made my rounds to these temples on my maiden pilgrimage to India, as mentioned at http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2014/03/in-most-recent-post-by-velayutham.html and http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2014/03/temple-worship-and-sacred-space.html,) when my wife reminded me of the good moments too that we had had at these very temples too, and true to Karthikeyan's words, God did come there.
Just moments before we boarded the plane back to Malaysia, my family and I made our way to the Rockfort Uchi Pilaiyaar Temple in Trichy. After paying our respects at the Manikka Vinayagar Temple at the base of the temple, we purchased entrance tickets and started the climb up a flight of steps. The locals seem to be at ease, knowing their way pretty well, in fact running up these steps with speed. We reached the Thayumanavar Temple, located midway, surrendered the tickets to a temple staff and stepped into what I would term a 'maze'. We were disorientated as to which way to go, what with renovations in progress. As we did not know where to go from there, we kept pacing up and down the same corridors.
That is when we heard someone clap. Turning around we were met by a small sized old man in dhoti and white shirt. He waved his hand as if telling us that that was not the way. He only made noises. Apparently he was dumb. He waved us to follow him and immediately rushed ahead of us, turning around very often to check that we were following him. We had to practically run to keep pace with him. He pointed out at all the statues, himself touching them, and expecting us to do the same. He showed us sannadhis where he pointed to us to worship. At one juncture, he suddenly stopped and knelt down on the floor. He asked us to follow suite. What do you know. There was a small opening where a sannadhi was visible below that floor, that he wanted us to see. Amazing architecture.
Eventually we came back to the very spot where we had met him and he led us further to the Goddess sannadhi, indicating to us by sign language Ambal's mukutthi or nose ring. He waited on us as we prayed. Then he stayed behind while he motioned us up a flight of stairs. Upon arriving there we were greeted by Lord Shiva in the form of a lingam. Coming down the same flight of steps, he was waiting for us. He lead us back to the entrance and by flapping his hands he indicated the way to Uchi Pillaiyaar's temple. Who was this kind soul who came at the hour of our need? I went up to him and hugged him. Amazing. We were wondering who this savior was who had guided us out of this 'maze'. Amazing.
This incident reminded me of my lone journey to India in 2003 to perform atonement or parikaram at the various temples in India. Making my way to the Utamar temple in Trichy, I asked Deva to check out with the local priests as to how to go about doing my parikaram there. I had to hand over three sets of clothing and foodstuffs to three priests as directed by Agathiyar. Deva returned shortly with a priest and we make our way to the Tiruvanaikaaval temple nearby. The priest advised me to complete my parikaram at Tiruvanaikaaval first as the temple was to be closed for the afternoon, and come back to Utamar temple later in the evening.
On arrival at Tiruvanaikkaval, he rushed us, picking up garlands and other stuffs for rituals, and packets of food too. He asked a caretaker of the temple to tag along with a large bunch of huge keys that was used to open doors that were closed. Lord Vinayagar's sannadhi was closed. He had the priest open up the sannadhi and perform the arati. He did the same at Lord Murugan's sannadhi too. At the main sannadhi for Lord Shiva, he called over an elderly priest,who was taking time off among many others, telling him that he was the one to conduct the prayers. We were lead next to Lord Shiva in the form of a Shivaligam. It was pitch dark in this inner chamber. The elderly priest sank his hand into the pool of water, displacing the water, indicating that the lingam was surrounded by water.
Next, the priest from Utamar temple practically pulled the older priest to Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi and again asked him to perform the puja. As the old priest stepped before me and blessed me I bursts into tears. I fell at his feet. I must have spent some moments in that position before I picked myself up. As I rose up, to my surprise, I noticed Deva, the priest from Utamar temple, and the caretaker had all followed suite and were prostrating before the old priest. I cried and cried that day. The caretaker came alongside and tried to comfort me, but the priest from Utamar temple ask that he let me be. "Let him cry", I remember him say.
After I had cried to my hearts content, I gathered myself, becoming more composed, we made our way to feed the animals. We stood at the hind of a black cow, while arati was shown to her. We fed her. We moved on to the temple elephant and fed her too. Finally we passed the remaining packets of food to the poor before leaving the temple.
I went without even a single thought of what to do and how to go about performing the atonement at this temple. But it all happened so fast and so swiftly, all beyond my expectations. I left the temple with a feeling of utmost satisfaction. We intended to send the priest back to the Utamar temple, but he wanted to be dropped elsewhere as he said he had errands to run. We drop him off at the place he chose. I passed him, one of the donation that I had to make to three priests at Utamar temple according to the Nadi. He happily accepted it. As Deva and I started on our next leg of the pilgrimage to Turaiyur, I chanced to glance back at him. What do you know. I had dropped him at Anjaneyar's temple! Amazing.
My friend Asokhan too was aided by Anjaneyar when he lost his way while on pilgrimage to Sabarimalai. Read about this miracle at http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2013/09/miracles.html and http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2013/09/miracles-2.html
The Lord created the space for Asokhan to climb the famed 18 steps at Sabarimalai escorted by Anjanayer and his mother Anjalai! It was festive season and you can imagine the crowd, right? But surprisingly as they made the way up the steps there was no other devotee! As they took the first step, the very steps turned to gold. The Devas and Devis or Angels stood on hand to welcome them on both sides of the path, showering flowers on their path. Asokhan was flanked by Anjanayar and Anjalai as they gracefully made the climb up the steps. Anjanayar then pointed to the skies and showed Asokhan the Jyothi Darisanam or Makara Jyothi. (Makara Jyothi is a star which is worshiped by pilgrims in huge numbers at Sabarimala Temple in Kerala on Makara Sankranti on 14 January every year. However many devout Hindus claim that Makara Jyothi is the celestial lighting which takes place on Makara Sankranthi day and they believe that Lord Ayyappan asserts himself as Makara Jyothi to bless his devotees. Source - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
After Anjaneyar and Anjalai left, and Asokhan had met up with his lost troupe, he makes the climb again up the 18 steps only to be squashed by the massive crowd! Amazing.
The Lord created the space whereby I could carry out my atonement or parikaram in peace and to my satisfaction at the famed Thillai Nadaraja Temple in Chidambaram. When I was bugged by several priests to pay to see the mysterious Chidambara Ragasiyam and to part with my wrist watch, I was saddened. But stashed away in a nook or corner of this temple was a sannadhi for Lord Shiva in the form of a Shivalingam where a young priest conducted the puja without any demands. The Lord created the space whereby I could carry out my atonement or parikaram in peace and to my satisfaction. Amazing.
The Lord created the space again at the Ekambareshwarar temple in Kanchipuram. With a private ritual taking place right at the main sannadhi of Lord Shiva, I simply walked away in disgust, not able to take in the noise and fair. I thought I would not be able to conduct atonement then. But further down the corridors of this famed temple, a young priest invites me into the chamber of Lord Nataraja, standing huge and majestic. He started to sing the praise of the Lord as he showed the arati. I broke down, overcome by emotions running high, thinking of the blessed moment. I had the Lord all to myself! I think I stepped into another world or plane at that moment. Amazing.
When Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and I stepped out of the car at Agasthiyampalli, a priest who was seated with a couple of people at the base of the rajagopuram or tower hurried towards us. He ushered us straight to Agathiyar's sannadhi. He showed the arati. As Tavayogi took his seat and started singing his usual prayer to Agathiyar, the priest, to our surprise, interrupted him. He told us to circumambulate the temple grounds and pray at Lord Shiva's sannadhi first. We did as he instructed. He was waiting for us at Lord Shiva's sannadhi. He showed the arati and took us to the open. He pointed to a spot on the ground and told us that that was the exact spot where Agathiyar had placed his thumb and pressed the ground to stabilize the world that had weighted down in the north due to all the Gods, Devas and Devis, Rishis, Munis and Siddhas presence in the Himalayas to witness Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi's wedding. He left us in a hurry saying he had to rush to another temple. Amazing.
The Lord creates the space at Karuvurar's sannadhi at Breehadeshwarar Temple in Tanjore. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and I arrived in Tanjore at noon. As the temples are closed for the afternoon, Tavayogi spreads his shawl in the shade of the huge and majestic Nandhi at Breehadeshwarar Temple. I start to scout around. As I approached Karuvavrar's sannadhi the caretaker cum priest who was cleaning the oil lamps got up to show the arati. I prayed for awhile and then left to snap more photos. When I returned to Tavayogi he invited me to share his shawl. We both slept in the open under that afternoon sky.
At precisely 4.00 pm people began to move in droves towards the main sanctum of Lord Shiva equally huge and majestic. But Tavayogi chose to go over to Karuvurar's sannadhi. Now if he had wanted to pray at Karuvurar's, why did he wait till 4.00 pm when the temple of Karuvurar is never shut? I was puzzled. When we approached Karuvurar the same priest got up to show the arati. Just then there was a large crowd sitting around the sannadhi, chatting aloud. They had taken refuge from the scorching sun. When Tavayogi sat down to meditate the priest immediately asked the crowd to leave giving Tavayogi an opportunity to meditate in peace. Amazing.
After the encounter at Thayumanavar Temple where my family and I were shown around by a mysterious man, we came across a temple staff about to lock up a chamber. As we stood in front of him and had a peek inside the chamber, he asked if we wanted to step in. We nodded our heads and were given an opportunity to pray at yet another Shiva sannadhi. As we came out, he asked if we had noticed the numerous miniature Shivalingams on the face of that single majestic Shivalingam that we just saw. Non of us saw it. He allowed us to revisit the chamber. True enough on close examination we noticed that the large Shivalingam was anointed with numerous tiny Shivalingams. As we came out of the chamber the man told us that this was the Sahasralingam (The name Sahasralinga means thousand-lingas in Sanskrit. Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Amazing.
There is still consolation for us. Nothing is lost yet. The Gods do come to our aid.