I had a wish after coming to read about Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal. I wanted to see them both. Soon after getting to know Tavayogi in 2005, I expressed my desire to him. He told me that it will happen but quickly quipped "Is that what you want?" I knew that instant that something was wrong amidst, that something was wrong about my wish. "They will come", he said but asked me to reconsider my wish. I pondered for some time. Yes, he was right. If I were to see them, what after that? I would talk about it for a few months till the excitement wears off. We would be back to the same routine then. I understood that he wanted us to seek something that was lasting forever and permanent. Yet true to his word both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came to guide us.
Coming to the present, when Agathiyar kept asking all those gathered what they wanted and at times addressed their worries even without they mentioning it, he came around to me too asking what I wanted. I thought I should ask to be born again and again so that I could serve him and carry out all his askings as I am doing now, as a show of gratitude for this rare human birth, for all his blessings and for all he had done for us. I voiced out my wish. But then he questioned me if that was what I desired, the exact words that Tavayogi had used earlier. I was stunned. Is Tavayogi a clone of Agathiyar or are all of them given a script to repeat, I asked myself? Again, I knew that instant that something was wrong amidst, that something was wrong about my wish. I understood that he wanted us to seek something else.
My wife took this birth as a result of her calling out for Agathiyar in pain while delivering her child in a past birth. My daughter was born again, because as a flower girl in her past birth, she had garlanded Agathiyar at Thiruchendur. My other daughter, me, and my wife had served him fruits before we began the day's work of selling fruits on the premises of Kutraleshwar temple in Papanasam in a past birth. As a result of it, we are all born again. Hence we are told that these simple acts of remembering Agathiyar brought us to be born again. Agathiyar added that both my daughters had asked that we should all be together again in another birth then. Hence we are a family now committed to carrying out Agathiyar's work.
Agathiyar asks me to read Tavayogi's books especially the science of the constituents of the body or உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்கள். What is the significance and the importance or the relationship or relevance of this knowledge to us that they ask us to study it before we attempt to go within? This was in response to Agathiyar pointing out to us the need to know this knowledge before we venture into meditation and arrive at the pinnacle of attaining Gnanam that arises at the end of this internal journey. Ramalinga Adigal came to asks if I was doing it later. Is it that the study of matter and the physical is required to study the soul or Atma that is subtle? P.Karthigayan says that the soul is the bridge between the spirit and the body. Similarly, Tavayogi in his Atma Thattuvam writes, உயிர் உடல் இரண்டையும் இணைத்து வைக்கின்ற ஒப்பற்ற கருவியே ஆத்மா எனப்படும்.
Coming to the present, when Agathiyar kept asking all those gathered what they wanted and at times addressed their worries even without they mentioning it, he came around to me too asking what I wanted. I thought I should ask to be born again and again so that I could serve him and carry out all his askings as I am doing now, as a show of gratitude for this rare human birth, for all his blessings and for all he had done for us. I voiced out my wish. But then he questioned me if that was what I desired, the exact words that Tavayogi had used earlier. I was stunned. Is Tavayogi a clone of Agathiyar or are all of them given a script to repeat, I asked myself? Again, I knew that instant that something was wrong amidst, that something was wrong about my wish. I understood that he wanted us to seek something else.
My wife took this birth as a result of her calling out for Agathiyar in pain while delivering her child in a past birth. My daughter was born again, because as a flower girl in her past birth, she had garlanded Agathiyar at Thiruchendur. My other daughter, me, and my wife had served him fruits before we began the day's work of selling fruits on the premises of Kutraleshwar temple in Papanasam in a past birth. As a result of it, we are all born again. Hence we are told that these simple acts of remembering Agathiyar brought us to be born again. Agathiyar added that both my daughters had asked that we should all be together again in another birth then. Hence we are a family now committed to carrying out Agathiyar's work.
Agathiyar asks me to read Tavayogi's books especially the science of the constituents of the body or உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்கள். What is the significance and the importance or the relationship or relevance of this knowledge to us that they ask us to study it before we attempt to go within? This was in response to Agathiyar pointing out to us the need to know this knowledge before we venture into meditation and arrive at the pinnacle of attaining Gnanam that arises at the end of this internal journey. Ramalinga Adigal came to asks if I was doing it later. Is it that the study of matter and the physical is required to study the soul or Atma that is subtle? P.Karthigayan says that the soul is the bridge between the spirit and the body. Similarly, Tavayogi in his Atma Thattuvam writes, உயிர் உடல் இரண்டையும் இணைத்து வைக்கின்ற ஒப்பற்ற கருவியே ஆத்மா எனப்படும்.
There are 5 elements in earth namely earth itself, water, fire, air, and ether. There is fire, air, and ether in water. There is air and ether in the fire. There is ether in the air, and finally, Ether that exists by itself. The ideal aspirant on this journey is to reduce his needs, surviving on basic needs in the physical world. Similarly, in attempting to achieve deathlessness, he attempts to reduce his physical body into its components step by step, hence returning them to the source. From a composite made of 5 elements, we reverse it to 4, 3, 2, 1. Sugha Pranav Swamigal has written, composed, and sung a wonderful piece on these tattvas in his music album "Saranaagathi" released by Symphony Recording Company, Chennai at https://www.deezer.com/en/track/11173212. He leads us into a beautiful prayer that results in experiencing the divine.
மண்ணிலே பிறந்து விண்ணை உணரும்
என்னை மறந்திட செய்திடும் சரணாகதி
மண்ணிலே பிறந்து விண்ணை உணர்ந்து
தத்துவம் தன்னை நினைந்து நினைந்து
கசிந்திட கரைந்திட கருணை புரிவாய்
கசிந்திட கரைந்திட அருளை தருவாய்
உன்னிலே கலந்து என்னிலே நீயென
வாழ்ந்திடும் வாழ்க்கை தருவாய் அய்யா
என்னிலே உன்னைக் காணும் பாக்கியம்
தருவாய் குரு அய்யா
கருவினில் கண்ட திருமறை ஞானம்
கருவினில் உதித்த ஓங்கார நாதம்
சர்வகால சஞ்சாரம் சர்வ ஏகாந்தம்
என்னில் அது ஒர் நொடியும் பிறந்திட வேண்டும்
ஜனன நோக்கம் எழுந்து குணம் வாக்கினை ஆளும் நாத
என் நினைவைத் துறந்து உடலைத் துறந்து குருநாதனே
சரணாகதி தருவாய் அய்யா
என்னை மறந்திட செய்திடும் சரணாகதி
மண்ணிலே பிறந்து விண்ணை உணர்ந்து
தத்துவம் தன்னை நினைந்து நினைந்து
கசிந்திட கரைந்திட கருணை புரிவாய்
கசிந்திட கரைந்திட அருளை தருவாய்
உன்னிலே கலந்து என்னிலே நீயென
வாழ்ந்திடும் வாழ்க்கை தருவாய் அய்யா
என்னிலே உன்னைக் காணும் பாக்கியம்
தருவாய் குரு அய்யா
கருவினில் கண்ட திருமறை ஞானம்
கருவினில் உதித்த ஓங்கார நாதம்
சர்வகால சஞ்சாரம் சர்வ ஏகாந்தம்
என்னில் அது ஒர் நொடியும் பிறந்திட வேண்டும்
ஜனன நோக்கம் எழுந்து குணம் வாக்கினை ஆளும் நாத
என் நினைவைத் துறந்து உடலைத் துறந்து குருநாதனே
சரணாகதி தருவாய் அய்யா
He goes on to describe the transformation.
While the physical body is a result of all the elements of nature, the spirit is a spark from the source, and the soul that is of subtle matter is the bridge to both body and spirit. We learn from the Sivapuranam, the song of God, penned by Manickavasagar that numerous births are taken to gather the experience, evolving from the lowest to the highest of creation. Pon Govindasamy in his "Vallalaarum Brahma Gnana Sangamum", Bharath Book Bureau, Chennai, draws a similar conclusion.
அணுக்களாகயிருந்த ஆன்மாக்கள், பூதவர்க்கங்களாக உருவெடுத்துப் பின் தாது வர்க்கங்களாக மாறி, பின் தாவர வர்கத்தையடைந்து, பின் விலங்கு வர்க்கத்தில் புகுந்து, பின் மானிட வர்க்கத்தில் ஜனனம் எடுத்து, இறுதியில் ஜீவன் முக்தர் வர்க்கத்தில் பரிபூரண தசையையடைகின்றன.
The souls that were once atoms took on the form of Bhuta Ganangal ("body of attendants" or "the company and assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims" or "council or assembly convened to discuss matters of religion or other topics" (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gana); appearing as minerals; taking on the forms of plants, animals, humans, achieve to become Jeevan Muktas. Thus the journey is already charted for every one of us. It is just a matter of space-time before it is attained or should I say reduced to its original form. Agathiyar says it beautifully. Agathiyar explains that when we fully understand ourselves and gain self-realization; when we understand the Ganangal or Bhuta Gnanangal; and come to finally realize that nothing is permanent, at that moment we shall enter and remain in the void of space (Vezhi Kadappathu). That is just "being" or in a state of Being or Summa Erupathu. Everything dissolves into IT; a state of sunyam or void or silence. When we go within its silence is heard. Mere or sheer existence in its presence is known. No labels, forms nor sound. Just existence. This is the state mentioned by Agathiyar.
"உன்னை நீ முழுதும் அறிந்து உன்னைச் சுற்றி இருக்கும் கணங்கள் அறிந்து எதுவும் நிலை அற்றது என்று நீ அறியும் அத்தருணம் வெளிக்குள் நீயே வெளி கடப்பாய். அத்தருணமே சும்மா இருப்பது."
What is Gnanam then?
While wikipedia.org defines Gnanam as "Knowledge inseparable from the total experience of reality, especially a total or divine reality (Brahman), "Ma" explains it further, sharing her Gnanam. Gnanam is the wisdom of the wise. The experience of the Gnanis, Yogis, Rishis, Munis, and Siddhas has come to us as Gnanam or divine wisdom. Their experience gained on the path towards spiritual attainment becomes the essence and wisdom that is showered and given to seekers. Their wisdom went into the scriptures. Their experiments become wisdom for ours. Their trials and errors in perfecting procedures and techniques became wisdom to beginners. In simple terms, Gnana is the fruit of the guru's experience that the student partakes. All the Anubhuthis, the Tiruarutpa, the Thevaram, and the Siddha songs are experiences of highly evolved souls that become Gnanam for us who would choose to venture on the path. What we consider as works of Gnanam or wisdom is in actual fact experiences of our saints. Just as the massive research that went towards the discovery and understanding of life and its purpose and the various paths leading back to the source has come to us as Gnanam, Ramalinga Adigal tells us that even the smallest inconveniences we face is Gnanam too.
Summarized in a statement, the Siddha path is a path of learning. The fruits of one's efforts towards spiritual attainment is Gnanam. One's learning is another's Gnanam. The experiences of one well-traveled becomes Gnana for a new traveler. Hence the reason why Tavayogi rather than preach to me on the Siddhas and their world, took me along on a journey of discovery, exposing me to their travels, the paths they walked upon, taking me to their abodes, Samadhis, and caves, getting me to experience miracles, giving me their Darshan, and creating opportunities to gain Gnanam from the journey, returning wiser. Tavayogi has many definitions of Gnanam.
While wikipedia.org defines Gnanam as "Knowledge inseparable from the total experience of reality, especially a total or divine reality (Brahman), "Ma" explains it further, sharing her Gnanam. Gnanam is the wisdom of the wise. The experience of the Gnanis, Yogis, Rishis, Munis, and Siddhas has come to us as Gnanam or divine wisdom. Their experience gained on the path towards spiritual attainment becomes the essence and wisdom that is showered and given to seekers. Their wisdom went into the scriptures. Their experiments become wisdom for ours. Their trials and errors in perfecting procedures and techniques became wisdom to beginners. In simple terms, Gnana is the fruit of the guru's experience that the student partakes. All the Anubhuthis, the Tiruarutpa, the Thevaram, and the Siddha songs are experiences of highly evolved souls that become Gnanam for us who would choose to venture on the path. What we consider as works of Gnanam or wisdom is in actual fact experiences of our saints. Just as the massive research that went towards the discovery and understanding of life and its purpose and the various paths leading back to the source has come to us as Gnanam, Ramalinga Adigal tells us that even the smallest inconveniences we face is Gnanam too.
Summarized in a statement, the Siddha path is a path of learning. The fruits of one's efforts towards spiritual attainment is Gnanam. One's learning is another's Gnanam. The experiences of one well-traveled becomes Gnana for a new traveler. Hence the reason why Tavayogi rather than preach to me on the Siddhas and their world, took me along on a journey of discovery, exposing me to their travels, the paths they walked upon, taking me to their abodes, Samadhis, and caves, getting me to experience miracles, giving me their Darshan, and creating opportunities to gain Gnanam from the journey, returning wiser. Tavayogi has many definitions of Gnanam.
- பிறப்பின் தொடக்கத்தைப் பிடித்து முடிவையும் அறிவதே ஞானம்.
- ஆதி அந்தக் குறி தெரிவதுதான் ஞானம்.
- ஞானம் அடைதல் என்றால் அறிவின் தெளிந்த நிலை.
- ஞாலத்தை அறிதல் ஞானம்.
- உயிரானது பெரும் உண்மைத் தெளிவுதான் அறிவு அல்லது ஞானம்.
- ஆத்ம அறிவின் தெளிவே ஞானம்.
- ஞானமே கடவுள்.
Agathiyar says of Gnanam that, "Gnanam is not gifted but has to be earned and experienced. When one goes within, as the journey brings upon subtle experiences these shall translate into and become Gnanam. It defers for each person. As such I cannot possibly define it."
"நீ என்னிடம் கேட்டது ஞானம். ஞானம் என்பது நான் தருவதல்ல. நீ கற்பது. ஒருவன் தனக்குள் உள்வாங்கி அவனுள் பயணம் துவங்கும் நேரம் அப்பயணம் தரும் பாதிப்பே ஞானம். அவை ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் மாற்றம் பெரும். ஆகையால் அவை நான் இதுதான் என்று சொல்ல இயலாது."
Ramalinga Adigal comes to affirm the same telling me it needs effort. The effort placed in going within brings new experiences quite unlike that we have seen in our daily lives. He charts the journey beautifully by posing several questions to us.
"உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்களைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டாயா? தேக மாற்றம் உணருகிறாயா? உன் உள் பயணத்தை அறிந்துகொண்டாயா? பிரணவத்தின் சக்தி உணருகிறாயா? உன் பிரணவத்தால் ஊடுகிறாயா? அல்லது பிரணவம் உன்னுள் ஊடுகிறதா?"
An understanding of the structure of the body is a prerequisite to an understanding of the inner journey The subtle experiences that result from bodily changes brings a new understanding of the inner journey Becoming aware of the breath and its movement brings us to merge with the breath Remaining in this state of bliss (இன்பத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து கொண்டுவா) we finally are ablaze in effulgence (உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்).
"உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்களைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டாயா? தேக மாற்றம் உணருகிறாயா? உன் உள் பயணத்தை அறிந்துகொண்டாயா? பிரணவத்தின் சக்தி உணருகிறாயா? உன் பிரணவத்தால் ஊடுகிறாயா? அல்லது பிரணவம் உன்னுள் ஊடுகிறதா?"
An understanding of the structure of the body is a prerequisite to an understanding of the inner journey The subtle experiences that result from bodily changes brings a new understanding of the inner journey Becoming aware of the breath and its movement brings us to merge with the breath Remaining in this state of bliss (இன்பத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து கொண்டுவா) we finally are ablaze in effulgence (உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்).
In short, experience is wisdom. We are allowed to make mistakes, "Ma" says. The mistakes are a lesson for us but become Gnanam for others. Others learn from our mistakes. As the soul is on a journey of learning and gaining the experiences that it sought, each birth then is a journey towards Gnanam. The whole purpose of taking birth then is to learn and experience and assimilate all the experiences and attaining Gnanam. Finally, we will settle for the road back to our father's kingdom after having exhausted and seen all that needs to be seen. All births tuned towards spirituality then are a Gnana Pirappu. Exhausting all our desires or dropping them, placing concerted effort in removing the three impurities - Aanavam, Kanma and Mayai with the aid and guidance of the guru, we become pure in nature and one with Erai. Having come through the cycles of birth and rebirth, we return to our father's kingdom finally in his image and nature.