It was only on 12 July 2010, some 8 years later that Agathiyar mentioned the benefits of the Siddha Puja he had asked me to do upon calling me to his path.
பூசையின் பலன்: நிகண்டு நாடியிலிருந்து அகத்திய மா முனிவர் அருளிய ஆசி சுக்கமம் 12.7.2010
உண்மையும் உத்தமமும் நிறைந்த பூசை
நிறைந்த இன்பம் தந்திடுமே மகத்துவப் பூசை
நிதானமானதொரு அற்புத பூசை
அறமுடனே அகிலம் காக்கும் பூசை
அருளான மாந்தரோடு செய்வாய் நன்றாய்
நன்றன புண்ணியங்கள் காக்கும் பூசை
நற்கதியும் பலர் அடைய செய்யும் பூசை
எண்ணாத சக்தி எல்லாம் தந்திடும் பூசை
எகாந்த நிலை அடைய வைக்கும் பூசை
வையகத்தின் மாந்தரின் அகத்தின் ஜோதி
வலமாக்கும் முழுமதி பூசை அப்பா
ஐயத்தை நீக்கிடும் பூசைதானே
ஆண்டவனை அடைய செய்யும் வழியும் இதுவே
வழி வகுக்கும் சேய்க்கும் மாந்தற்கும் தான்
வளத்திற்கும் அருளுக்கும் பொருளுக்கும்
அழியாத மார்கத்தில் இருந்த வண்ணம்
அகிலத்தில் நிலை பெற்று வாழ் வழிக்கும் பூசை
பூசையால் புண்ணியங்கள் கிட்டும் பூசை
பூர்வமும் போக்கிடும் பூசை அப்பா
இசையுடனே குடும்பவளம் தந்திடும் பூசை
எவை எல்லாம் வேண்டினும் தந்திடும் பூசை
தந்திடுமே தர்மம் தவ சிந்தை
தரித்திரியம் போக்கும் பூசை யாகும்
அந்தமும் ஆதியும் இல்லா
அகிலமதில் உயர்வு தரும் பூசை அப்பா
அப்பனே ஆண்டவனே உருகும் பூசை
அறிவிழந்தோன் அறிவாளி ஆக்கும் பூசை
ஒப்பில்லா மகத்துவம் கொண்ட பூசை
உயர்வோடு நீ எடுத்துச் செய்வாய் அப்பா
ஒப்பில்லா மாற்றங்கள் மகத்துவமும்
உயர் நிலை பூசையாலே இருக்குதப்பா
There are many in this world who utters my name (Agathiyar),
Prayers done truthfully (to Sidhas) shall gain many benefits,
Prayers shall bring much joy,
Prayers done moderately but splendidly and honestly, shall help protect the world,
Prayers done with fellow devotees will bring many benefits,
Many shall rise in stature and power,
Prayers will lead to a state of bliss,
Prayers done on full moon days shall strengthen the Jothi within,
Prayers will help remove doubts,
Through prayers, one shall attain godhead,
Strength, grace and wealth shall be gained,
Stay on this path of devotion and family bond shall be strengthened,
All that is asked for shall be gained,
Prayers shall lead to meditation and charitable thoughts,
All ills shall be removed,
God shall listen to prayers,
Idiots shall become geniuses,
The benefits attained from prayers are indescribable for many changes shall take place.
He did not tell me what to expect or gain from on the onset, the very first day of the start of the puja. Neither did Tavayogi brief me on the benefits of doing the Homam when he initiated me to begin it. It was many years later that Agathiyar explained its benefits. Similarly, when we stepped into Yogam from Sariyai and Kriyai, Tavayogi did not spell out the benefits of the postures and pranayama techniques. We learned from experience gained from its practice. The Siddhas came to confirm our experiences later.
Sadly we want to know all there is to know before even engaging in any of these. It's akin to taking up an insurance policy asking to know and verify that everything is covered. There are no promises made on this path. We shall see results when we place the effort, as simple as that. No Siddhis will come by magic. It has to be earned and one has to learn to use it beneficially.
The Siddhas want us to learn from our own personal experiences rather than attend classes or courses. Each man has to walk the path, putting in time and effort in all the practices, living the life of a Siddha rather than reading or learning about it. Now I pretty well understand why Tavayogi chose to take me on a journey trekking the jungles, hills, and sleeping in the caves rather than have me sit and listen to him preach about the life of a Siddha. He showed me by example. He wanted me to gain the experiences, rather than being merely knowledgeable about the Siddhas.
Sadly we have been brought up to expect immediate results in all our undertakings. We want assurance in all our undertakings. We do not want to see failures. We bring this attitude along when we step into the spiritual path too. We engage ourselves further only if someone can give us an assurance that our problems shall go away, our illness shall be cured, our sufferings will end, etc. Can't we for once just step in without laying any conditions? Can't we step in without any expectations? Can't we step in out of love for the divine?
Dr. C Srinivasan in his exposition of the "Thiruvaachakam of Saint Maanickavaachagar", wrote about Saint Maanickavaachagar's approach to worship.
He prayed to Him with pious devotion for his grace. He wept and he melted for His mercy to extricate Him from the miserable cycle of birth and death wiping out the inseparable bonds of illusion, karma and ego.
This he did through his outpouring of 51 poems. The Dr. continues, “Complete surrender has been echoed in his fervent appeals and mellifluous compositions”. He lists out the reasons to pray too.
Surrendering himself completely he may pray to Him to redeem him from all the bonds and the perpetual disease of birth and death. As the saint prays, one may pray to Him to save him from the vagaries of his mind and senses which are after sensual pleasures. He may pray to Him to bestow upon him His mercy and grace. He may pray to him to show him the right path to reach Him. He may pray to Him to bestow upon him eternal Bliss.
And he finally lists the best prayer,
The best prayer is to pray to Him out of sheer love without asking for even His Bliss. This prayer of loving piety to Him shall place him in everlasting supreme and transcendent Bliss for ever and ever after.
Ramalinga Adigal says it beautifully "போதும் என்ற மனமே பொன் செய்யும் மருந்து" and goes on to explain its meaning. "நீ போதும் என்று சொல்லும் நிலை உன்னை அறியாமல் நீ பெற்றுக்கொண்டுதான் இருக்கிறாய்."
Come empty and let him fill you up. Come without placing conditions or a dateline. Come without expectations and open up to all possibilities. Be willing to listen, watch, and absorb the ways of the Siddhas. Follow their ways and their teachings while still remaining in society. Go with the flow once you have surrendered to them. Give them space to work on you. Let the magic work in you.