The guru comes to set our priorities right.
I had a problem free life. One day I was jolted from a routine life of work, eat and sleep when I received calls from my mother, mother-in-law and elder sister. Each asked if the other had said something. I assumed they had seen my astrological chart and were told something bad was to happen to me. It was about that time in 1996 that my colleague Sethu use to speak about Dr Krishnan, an astrologer and Siddha doctor. I made an appointment to meet Dr Krishnan, only to be told "You have come when all is over. There is nothing to fear now". When I conveyed the news to them, their fear was lifted off their chests.
Subsequently I used to meet up with Dr Krishnan over the years. When none of his predictions came true for me, I questioned if there was a possibility for that to happen. He spoke about curses or sabam. He pointed out that I should see the Nadi to know if I was cursed. Seeing the Nadi was the turning point in my life. In it Agathiyar spoke about my past karma and curses or sabam that I carried. He showed a way out. I listened and followed as told. Agathiyar then came permanently into my life, guiding and caring for me and my family. When my family joined in the worship of Siddhas, he had a reading for each of them through the Nadi.
Thirteen years on I find myself complete and satisfied. Apart from having to go to work to make a living, and attending to domestic and family issues, my time is shared with having friends come over to participate in the many puja or prayer sessions held at Agathiyar Vanam or just for a chat. What surprised me and I suppose surprised my friends too, was that Agathiyar sent them, total strangers to my home through messages in their Nadi too. We became friends and as fellow seekers, helped each other fulfill Agathiyar's dictates. Now they gather at Agathiyar Vanam, participate in conducting prayers, libation or abhisegam and lighting the sacrificial fire or homam, sing the praise of the Siddhas and hold Satsangs. Many observed and have began conducting prayers for the Siddhas in their own homes. Many have included Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal's ashram in their tour of India and have returned blessed by the guru. Some went to Kallar to participate in the annual Agathiyar Jayanthi and Guru Puja festival and the Sarva Dosa Nivaarana Maha Yagam. Some went for a Jeeva Nadi reading at Kallar and others read the Nadi closer to home, with Nadi Nool Aasan Ramesh. Some kept going back to Kallar for the serenity and bliss that they observed while there. Everyone who has come to Agathiyar has been touched in one way or another by him. Their lives has taken a turn just as mine did.
Agathiyar and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal reordered and set my priorities right. Agathiyar has through the numerous Nadi readings I have had, more than fifty to date, advised me on the do's and don'ts. He spoke about my past birth so that I do not repeat the mistakes I had done that brought me another birth - the present; he pointed out the significance of karma and its hold on us; he gave lots of advice - ranging from cultivating good virtues to the choice of food intake; he gave mantras to chant and yogic practices to adopt and follow; he saved my family and me from mishap and illness during several occasions and finally he showed me that there was another world out there, beyond my vision and understanding - the astral world.
The body is Erai's temple. Many a saint have disclosed this truth. Thirumular for instance mentions that initially he did not heed the body but when he came to know that Erai resides in this body, he began to pay attention to it. Agathiyar advises us that rather than spend time beautifying the body, we work on the body to bring it to a healthy state. As we move up the spiritual ladder, Agathiyar now ask that we beautify the atma rather than the body, through various means including performing dharma, being truthful, upholding good virtues, performing charity, and be of service to others besides continuing devotion. Agathiyar reminds us that the body should listen to the atma or soul, and not vice versa. Agathiyar asks to tend to this body as just a vehicle for the atma. Only then would it be a wonderful, and beautiful journey, defeating maya or illusion along the way. If the atma gives in to the various temptations that arises via the body and the senses, the atma will remain in maya. The chain of thoughts, if centered on divinity, then the resulting illusions, shall begin to shed on its own.
I had a problem free life. One day I was jolted from a routine life of work, eat and sleep when I received calls from my mother, mother-in-law and elder sister. Each asked if the other had said something. I assumed they had seen my astrological chart and were told something bad was to happen to me. It was about that time in 1996 that my colleague Sethu use to speak about Dr Krishnan, an astrologer and Siddha doctor. I made an appointment to meet Dr Krishnan, only to be told "You have come when all is over. There is nothing to fear now". When I conveyed the news to them, their fear was lifted off their chests.
Subsequently I used to meet up with Dr Krishnan over the years. When none of his predictions came true for me, I questioned if there was a possibility for that to happen. He spoke about curses or sabam. He pointed out that I should see the Nadi to know if I was cursed. Seeing the Nadi was the turning point in my life. In it Agathiyar spoke about my past karma and curses or sabam that I carried. He showed a way out. I listened and followed as told. Agathiyar then came permanently into my life, guiding and caring for me and my family. When my family joined in the worship of Siddhas, he had a reading for each of them through the Nadi.
Thirteen years on I find myself complete and satisfied. Apart from having to go to work to make a living, and attending to domestic and family issues, my time is shared with having friends come over to participate in the many puja or prayer sessions held at Agathiyar Vanam or just for a chat. What surprised me and I suppose surprised my friends too, was that Agathiyar sent them, total strangers to my home through messages in their Nadi too. We became friends and as fellow seekers, helped each other fulfill Agathiyar's dictates. Now they gather at Agathiyar Vanam, participate in conducting prayers, libation or abhisegam and lighting the sacrificial fire or homam, sing the praise of the Siddhas and hold Satsangs. Many observed and have began conducting prayers for the Siddhas in their own homes. Many have included Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal's ashram in their tour of India and have returned blessed by the guru. Some went to Kallar to participate in the annual Agathiyar Jayanthi and Guru Puja festival and the Sarva Dosa Nivaarana Maha Yagam. Some went for a Jeeva Nadi reading at Kallar and others read the Nadi closer to home, with Nadi Nool Aasan Ramesh. Some kept going back to Kallar for the serenity and bliss that they observed while there. Everyone who has come to Agathiyar has been touched in one way or another by him. Their lives has taken a turn just as mine did.
Agathiyar and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal reordered and set my priorities right. Agathiyar has through the numerous Nadi readings I have had, more than fifty to date, advised me on the do's and don'ts. He spoke about my past birth so that I do not repeat the mistakes I had done that brought me another birth - the present; he pointed out the significance of karma and its hold on us; he gave lots of advice - ranging from cultivating good virtues to the choice of food intake; he gave mantras to chant and yogic practices to adopt and follow; he saved my family and me from mishap and illness during several occasions and finally he showed me that there was another world out there, beyond my vision and understanding - the astral world.
The body is Erai's temple. Many a saint have disclosed this truth. Thirumular for instance mentions that initially he did not heed the body but when he came to know that Erai resides in this body, he began to pay attention to it. Agathiyar advises us that rather than spend time beautifying the body, we work on the body to bring it to a healthy state. As we move up the spiritual ladder, Agathiyar now ask that we beautify the atma rather than the body, through various means including performing dharma, being truthful, upholding good virtues, performing charity, and be of service to others besides continuing devotion. Agathiyar reminds us that the body should listen to the atma or soul, and not vice versa. Agathiyar asks to tend to this body as just a vehicle for the atma. Only then would it be a wonderful, and beautiful journey, defeating maya or illusion along the way. If the atma gives in to the various temptations that arises via the body and the senses, the atma will remain in maya. The chain of thoughts, if centered on divinity, then the resulting illusions, shall begin to shed on its own.
After combating illusion and coming out of it successfully in the material world, one is now faced with a dilemma and a new set of illusion in the spiritual world. Agathiyar warns that however high one has traveled on the spiritual path, he could still succumb to illusions, if he is not careful or loses his moment to moment awareness. One needs to walk with caution. It is said that the spiritual path is akin to walking on a razor’s edge where there are chances of slipping and falling even at the very entrance to Erai’s kingdom. Hence one has to continuously battle maya. By walking the path of bhakthi and dharma, with total surrender, not doubting the reality that then dawns on us, then illusion will come to an end eventually, says Agathiyar.
Setting me on a path of having to perform rituals, that I detested most, and was questioning why I had to do it, Agathiyar in the Nadi explains that I was not doing it for myself but for the good of mankind on the whole. Only then could I accept what I was told to do. By engaging in rituals, body, heart and mind are merged or centered on the practice and hence is brought to a state of concentration. Continued practice leads one into a state of meditation. Both body and soul are rejuvenated at the same time. Agathiyar says further that one needs to carry out rituals and agamas but without attachment to the fruit of his labor. Only then can he come out of illusion.
A drawback that accompanies people who have progressed ahead on the spiritual path is that the ego in them makes them shun others and look down on them, their beliefs and practices. The notion that they are more superior than others arises due to their close proximity to either Erai or their guru. They quote hymns of those radical Siddhas who went against agamas, rituals and blind faith. Sadly they fail to realized that these statements were made by the Siddhas after they had reached the state of a wise one or Gnani. When I went over to Dr Krishnan's office some years back, he mentioned about a master who had taken accommodation in one of his adjacent office suite. He wanted me to see him, once he (the master) came back from India. Although I was not keen to see no one, I listened just to oblige the Dr friend. One Sunday Dr Krishnan called me asking to come over to his office as the master had arrived. Dr Krishnan, the master and another tenant and his wife, had just returned from scouting for a house for the master, as I reached his office. The Dr went into his room to service a client waiting to see him, while the other tenant, a vastu consultant and his wife went into their office cubicle respectively. I was left with the master in the lobby. We both took a seat. I told him I understood from Dr Krishnan that he was running an ashram in the neighboring state. That started the conversation going. He spoke about his ashram and that he had been on the path of Agathiyar for the past 30 years. He also had 30 students under him. He told me he had just returned from India having meditated and performed tavam in the jungles and caves. He was now looking for a place to continue his tavam, he concluded. I listened. Then he turned to me inquiring what I was doing. I replied that I was worshiping Agathiyar in the form of a statue. He immediately began to quote from Sivavakiyar's hymns saying that rituals and worship would not lead to Gnanam. "Natta kallum pesumaa Easan ul irukaiyil", he asked quoting the saint. I explained to him that it was not my choice but Agathiyar had clearly wanted me to have his statue made and do libation or abhisegam for him. I told him I was just following his dictates in my Nadi. He kept on reprimanding me for worshiping a statue. I told him that he needs no worship and rituals as he had put in 30 years on the spiritual path, but as I was only into the Siddha path a mere 5 years, I needed this. He continued to ridicule my faith and belief. This went on for some time until I gave up explaining and shut my eyes. When I opened my eyes again he was not to be seen. The vastu consultant and his wife were still in their office as their door was ajar and the Dr was behind closed doors in his room. I left the premises with lots of questions on my mind: wondering why this meeting, that turned sour, had to take place against my will; what was there for me to learn from this episode; and what was the lesson for the master too. Later I took the whole episode positively as that night I read through the whole of the 500 plus hymns of Sivavakiyar for the very first time. Subsequently I was at the Karpaga Vinayagar temple on Thaipusam day, participating in the Agathiyar Guru Puja hosted by devotees, where Agathiyar was being worshiped in the form of a bronze statue, and to my surprise the master walks in with Dr Krishnan. What brought him to the temple I wondered?
Coming to the spiritual path, thinking that one is more superior that the other, looking down on those who have yet to come around and deriding them is also a form of illusion, says Agathiyar. True spirituality does not differentiate people. It takes people of all faith, belief, and walks of life into its fold. The most compassionate Agathiyar says let people belief in their faith, respect them for their beliefs and let it be. Ramana used to say the same. When devotees came to him for a practise, he would ask them to continue what they were doing currently, not pushing his ideologies or doctrines onto them. Respect what others belief in.
Tavayogi himself who stressed the Gnana path, and asked us to come out of Bakthi and temples, was pulled back to start an ashram and made to place a 7 tiered granite structure to be worshiped. Devotees later presented the majestic 6 feet fiber statues of Agathiyar and Thava Murugan. Mataji was later asked by Agathiyar to bring back to Kallar ashram a miniature granite statue of his, that she had made after having a Nadi reading and which was placed at a Nadi readers center. Then the Siddhas themselves through a Sadhu present a mystical 1 1/2 feet tall single faced rudraksham weighing almost 7 kilograms to Tavayogi to be worshiped as a Shivalingam. Recently Agathiyar has been gracious enough to provide an alternative place to Tavayogi to build his (Agathiyar) temple which will eventually see the light of the day.
On the other hand, Supramania Swami who had harbored a 40 year wish to build a temple, was granted the wish and as work was going on, Erai decides to sent a Sadhu to stop him. The Sadhu questioned Swami why he was going back into bakthi while he was already in the Gnana path.
Who can comprehend the mysterious workings of Erai and the Siddhas?
Confusion is also a form of illusion caused by ones karma. True to what Agathiyar says, in the process of gathering knowledge and information, as a new seeker, the newly attain knowledge could either enlighten or further confuse a person. I too came to the stage of total confusion, having read spiritual books and listening to various spiritual media. Erai saved me from further anguish when Lord Shiva came in a dream and told me to drop everything for a later moment. I dropped all forms of worship, reading, and satsangs. After 14 years Agathiyar puts me back on the track, by sending my nephew to me with a mantra, and a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. A year later I meet my first guru, Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai.
Coming to the spiritual path, thinking that one is more superior that the other, looking down on those who have yet to come around and deriding them is also a form of illusion, says Agathiyar. True spirituality does not differentiate people. It takes people of all faith, belief, and walks of life into its fold. The most compassionate Agathiyar says let people belief in their faith, respect them for their beliefs and let it be. Ramana used to say the same. When devotees came to him for a practise, he would ask them to continue what they were doing currently, not pushing his ideologies or doctrines onto them. Respect what others belief in.
Tavayogi himself who stressed the Gnana path, and asked us to come out of Bakthi and temples, was pulled back to start an ashram and made to place a 7 tiered granite structure to be worshiped. Devotees later presented the majestic 6 feet fiber statues of Agathiyar and Thava Murugan. Mataji was later asked by Agathiyar to bring back to Kallar ashram a miniature granite statue of his, that she had made after having a Nadi reading and which was placed at a Nadi readers center. Then the Siddhas themselves through a Sadhu present a mystical 1 1/2 feet tall single faced rudraksham weighing almost 7 kilograms to Tavayogi to be worshiped as a Shivalingam. Recently Agathiyar has been gracious enough to provide an alternative place to Tavayogi to build his (Agathiyar) temple which will eventually see the light of the day.
On the other hand, Supramania Swami who had harbored a 40 year wish to build a temple, was granted the wish and as work was going on, Erai decides to sent a Sadhu to stop him. The Sadhu questioned Swami why he was going back into bakthi while he was already in the Gnana path.
Who can comprehend the mysterious workings of Erai and the Siddhas?
Confusion is also a form of illusion caused by ones karma. True to what Agathiyar says, in the process of gathering knowledge and information, as a new seeker, the newly attain knowledge could either enlighten or further confuse a person. I too came to the stage of total confusion, having read spiritual books and listening to various spiritual media. Erai saved me from further anguish when Lord Shiva came in a dream and told me to drop everything for a later moment. I dropped all forms of worship, reading, and satsangs. After 14 years Agathiyar puts me back on the track, by sending my nephew to me with a mantra, and a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. A year later I meet my first guru, Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai.
Doubt and suspicion too is an illusion, a result of karma. When some friends doubted Nadi Aasan Ramesh and the reading, went and investigated him, that took them to India, Agathiyar took them to task saying their curiosity was uncalled for. Agathiyar told them the Nadi was real, and he was real too. Agathiyar says rather than analyse Erai, trying to understand him, or form an opinion of Erai, it would be more fruitful if one analyses oneself and realizes where he stands, taking steps to uplift himself. Good thoughts, adhering to silence, in event there is a need to speak, speaking only good things, speaking about divinity, will help him raise his standing. If there is any change to be made it has to start from within ourselves.
The one already on the spiritual path has to constantly watch and monitor and be aware of his thoughts, deeds and actions. Agathiyar admits it is a struggle trying to stay up there. Coming into the spiritual path should not be a form of escapism from the struggle and miseries of worldly life. Agathiyar tells us, if we take the hand of Erai and travel the path, illusion shall be overcome and we shall attain our objective. When prayers and service go hand in hand, that path will then flourish and grow.
Dr Krishnan asked me to pray for prayer is powerful, he told me. Supramania Swami once told me to meditate or tavam. The reason he said was, “Nee tavam seithaal yen nilai uyarum raja”, meaning "If you meditate, I shall rise up in stature". I was surprised and taken aback, thinking how was that possible. Later I realized that this statement holds true. Agathiyar through the Nadi, ask that we perform prayers on his arrival at Agathiyar Vanam in Malaysia in the form of a statue. He said, “Aatchiyaai uru kuduthu, uyirum kuduthu” that translates to, “You must give both form and spirit”. While corresponding with Sri Velayudham Karthikeyan, I realized that tavam does not end with the physical body but is continued by the soul even after leaving the body. It is said that Lord Shiva is still meditating. Lord Hanuman too is said to be meditating at Namakal, a priests having witnessed this. To the Nadi readers, Agathiyar gives a reminder. The frequency of Agathiyar appearing through the Nadi and providing a reading is directly based on the amount of tavam and prayers the Nadi Nool Aasan or Nadi Guru puts in.
Similarly Agathiyar says regardless of what state each departed soul was in at the moment of departure, it is the duty of the next of kin to light a Moksha Deepam or a lamp and conduct prayers so that the departed soul could progress further in its journey. A Moksha Deepam lighted is equivalent to performing a yagna or yagam says Agathiyar. Lighting a Moksha Deepam and conducting prayers to the departed will besides elevating the departed atma or soul to a higher state and enable it to take on a better birth or attain peace, will also help remove curses in the family.
My second guru, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal too has helped changed my perspective of life. Having harbored a wish to see Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal for a long time, I put forward my desire to Tavayogi. He immediately replied that it was possible to see these divine saints. But as usual he countered me with another question, “Is that what you want?” He went on further to educate me on what to ask for. The ultimate wish should be to immerse or merge with the source, Erai, he said.
When Tavayogi noticed a ring decked in the nine precious stones or Navaratnam that I wore on my finger, he told me, "We do not need these, son". Leaving him and Kallar, and returning to Thiruvannamalai, surprisingly a stone fell off from this ring as Supramania Swami sat calculating my astrological chart in the shed of his outdoors at his village home in Nachaananthal. I never wore it again. I had very much wanted to wear a navaratnam studded ring after a jeweller challenged me that I could not afford it and chased me away from his shop, while I was browsing through his collection. Then when I met Supramania Swami he told me to wear one.
When the subject of rasamani or solidified mercury and the benefits of wearing one turned up, I pointed out to Tavayogi that I was wearing one. My colleague Sethu, who was wearing one, had requested that Dr Krishnan have one made for both another colleague Murali and me. Tavayogi turned to me and said, "We do not need these, son?"
When Suresh, a devotee from Thiruvannamalai who came to Kallar for the full moon prayers, showed a rudraksham to Tavayogi and enquired about its significance, Tavayogi explained about the rudraksham. Then he turned to me and said, "We do not need these, son". That put an end to my life long desire to wear one.
I removed all those I wore on my body and removed the rests from memory.
Agathiyar made me realize that although we place our thoughts on our goal and work towards it, and along the way, achieving all the multitude of daily aspirations and wishes that arise, accessing and gauging them accordingly, that should not be the ultimatum. He sets out to help reorder our priorities in life. He tells us to be aware of our actions, watch that we do not accumulated more and fresh karma, and take steps to address and redress our past karma. This would be the ideal and ultimate spiritual life.
Dr Krishnan asked me to pray for prayer is powerful, he told me. Supramania Swami once told me to meditate or tavam. The reason he said was, “Nee tavam seithaal yen nilai uyarum raja”, meaning "If you meditate, I shall rise up in stature". I was surprised and taken aback, thinking how was that possible. Later I realized that this statement holds true. Agathiyar through the Nadi, ask that we perform prayers on his arrival at Agathiyar Vanam in Malaysia in the form of a statue. He said, “Aatchiyaai uru kuduthu, uyirum kuduthu” that translates to, “You must give both form and spirit”. While corresponding with Sri Velayudham Karthikeyan, I realized that tavam does not end with the physical body but is continued by the soul even after leaving the body. It is said that Lord Shiva is still meditating. Lord Hanuman too is said to be meditating at Namakal, a priests having witnessed this. To the Nadi readers, Agathiyar gives a reminder. The frequency of Agathiyar appearing through the Nadi and providing a reading is directly based on the amount of tavam and prayers the Nadi Nool Aasan or Nadi Guru puts in.
Similarly Agathiyar says regardless of what state each departed soul was in at the moment of departure, it is the duty of the next of kin to light a Moksha Deepam or a lamp and conduct prayers so that the departed soul could progress further in its journey. A Moksha Deepam lighted is equivalent to performing a yagna or yagam says Agathiyar. Lighting a Moksha Deepam and conducting prayers to the departed will besides elevating the departed atma or soul to a higher state and enable it to take on a better birth or attain peace, will also help remove curses in the family.
My second guru, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal too has helped changed my perspective of life. Having harbored a wish to see Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal for a long time, I put forward my desire to Tavayogi. He immediately replied that it was possible to see these divine saints. But as usual he countered me with another question, “Is that what you want?” He went on further to educate me on what to ask for. The ultimate wish should be to immerse or merge with the source, Erai, he said.
When Tavayogi noticed a ring decked in the nine precious stones or Navaratnam that I wore on my finger, he told me, "We do not need these, son". Leaving him and Kallar, and returning to Thiruvannamalai, surprisingly a stone fell off from this ring as Supramania Swami sat calculating my astrological chart in the shed of his outdoors at his village home in Nachaananthal. I never wore it again. I had very much wanted to wear a navaratnam studded ring after a jeweller challenged me that I could not afford it and chased me away from his shop, while I was browsing through his collection. Then when I met Supramania Swami he told me to wear one.
When the subject of rasamani or solidified mercury and the benefits of wearing one turned up, I pointed out to Tavayogi that I was wearing one. My colleague Sethu, who was wearing one, had requested that Dr Krishnan have one made for both another colleague Murali and me. Tavayogi turned to me and said, "We do not need these, son?"
When Suresh, a devotee from Thiruvannamalai who came to Kallar for the full moon prayers, showed a rudraksham to Tavayogi and enquired about its significance, Tavayogi explained about the rudraksham. Then he turned to me and said, "We do not need these, son". That put an end to my life long desire to wear one.
I removed all those I wore on my body and removed the rests from memory.
Agathiyar made me realize that although we place our thoughts on our goal and work towards it, and along the way, achieving all the multitude of daily aspirations and wishes that arise, accessing and gauging them accordingly, that should not be the ultimatum. He sets out to help reorder our priorities in life. He tells us to be aware of our actions, watch that we do not accumulated more and fresh karma, and take steps to address and redress our past karma. This would be the ideal and ultimate spiritual life.