The day I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in Malaysia in 2005, a man who introduced himself as a long time devotee of Agathiyar came up to me and asked what was my problem. I told him that I did not have any. He kept asking repeatedly, not prepared to accept that I did not have any. Finally he told me that only those who had problems came to the Siddhas.
I was a newbie on the Siddha path, hardly three years into it, trying to grasp what it was all about. When I spoke to several others purportedly in the Siddha path, they said discouraging things that brought disbelief in me and painted a very bleak picture of this marga. Those who stood outside the fence, cautioned me about the Siddhas saying that the Siddhas would confuse you and advised me to stay away. Some family members of the devotees told me that there were family break-ups as a result of their children or spouse having gone into the Siddha path. I was told children were discouraged to marry while married couples were told to stay away from their partner. I could not believe it when I was told of ridiculous remedies given to the devotees purportedly directives from the Nadi.
I just could not believe my ears hearing these negative perceptions of the Siddhas. I refused to believe that the Siddhas were the reasons for so much mental torture and problems in the families of these devotees. I believed that it was the wrong propagation on the part of the guru and also the wrong understanding on the part of the disciples that had prevailed within these quarters then.
Over the years I learnt of gurus who took possession and control of their disciples deciding what was good for them; gurus who forbade their disciples from venturing to other establishments and organisations, ashrams and peedhams; gurus who placed unreasonable conditions on their disciples and gurus who did more harm rather than good. All these surprised me for I thought gurus do only good.
Over the years I learnt of gurus who took possession and control of their disciples deciding what was good for them; gurus who forbade their disciples from venturing to other establishments and organisations, ashrams and peedhams; gurus who placed unreasonable conditions on their disciples and gurus who did more harm rather than good. All these surprised me for I thought gurus do only good.
Later I find out that Agathiyar had brought to light the existence of false gurus, listing their characteristics and means to identify them in his work "Agathiyar Gnanam". Valmiki in his "Sutra Gnanam" guides us in differentiating and identifying the true gurus from the false. The thamilsiddhas blog at http://thamilsiddhas.blogspot.my/2016/08/blog-post_15.html carries an extensive compilation of hymns by Siddhas exposing the modus operandi of these gurus. I was surprised that Agathiyar even spoke about the false gurus in the latest Nadi reading for a devotee from AVM.
I was spared the trouble of searching for a guru and spared the horror of falling for a false one. I was blessed to meet two wonderful gurus. Agathiyar showed me Supramania Swami and later Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal. I stopped my search after that. I was pleased and contented.
I remember at the beginning how I went to several organizations that carried Agathiyar's name, looking for information on the Siddhas. Sadly I did not get what I wanted. As I could not find a peedham or a teacher in the way of the Siddhas that I could dock and learn from, I stayed away from the existing organizations.
I surrendered to Agathiyar to lead me as I was keen to know more and was thirsty for more knowledge. Agathiyar soon delivered his teachings through the Nadi. He delivered mantras; he taught yoga techniques; he taught rituals; he encouraged us to do charity; and he guided us to places of worship. I turned to the books that he mentioned in the Nadi for more information. It was as if he was conducting online and distance learning or education. Amazing.
I began to understand the why and the how of the Siddha path slowly. Every happening brought me a new teaching or reinforced my beliefs and thoughts. These experiences both good and bad taught me crucial lessons. Agathiyar through his many Nadi revelations including those given to others, brought a new understanding to me. I began to see things in a different perspective. I am very much grateful to the Siddhas for these valuable lessons in life.
I am glad that I did not dock then to any party, doctrine and practices. Agathiyar kept me away from the false gurus and false teachings. I am glad that my family and friends at AVM have been led to Agathiyar too, nurtured and nourished under his watchful eyes day and night.