FULFILLING ONE'S RESPONSIBILITY

A friend sent me a story in Tamil on Velladai Siddhar. The translation to the best of my ability of the highlight in his life follows.

Agathiyar is said to have a disciple in Velladai Siddhar. He had Agathiyar's darshan where Agathiyar come before him. Velladai Siddhar in seeking infinite knowledge had met numerous masters and gurus but did not get answers. Then Vadakarai Sivananda Paramahansa Swami initiated him into Vaasi Yogam. Having practiced the technique he headed then for Palani. He received the darshan of Bhogar and got an initiation. Practicing further he then roamed the country as many as three times. Around 1935, he arrived at Kalyani Falls on Pothigai hills where Agathiyar is known to reside. He had to crawl some three kilometers through passageways and chimneys inside a cave and arrived at a pond across which sat Agathiyar with his disciples in meditation. On praying that he gets to be with his guru on the opposite bank, he is teleported immediately. One of Agathiyar's disciples questions him then. He manages to give the reply to some 1000 questions put forward. The disciple gave him a mantra that would bring Agathiyar out of his meditation. Upon opening his eyes Agathiyar asks him how he got there? "It was all possible by your grace" replied Velladai Siddhar. He mentions his intent in staying permanently with Agathiyar and requests his permission. Agathiyar replies, "You have yet some responsibilities to fulfill. Go back home. I will meet you there." Velladai Siddhar returned to Appupillaiyur in Kerala. He carried out his responsibilities towards his family as ordained by Agathiyar and went into Jeeva Samadhi here at the age of 108. 

Read the original in Tamil at http://maghavilvam.blogspot.com/2012/10/blog-post_21.html

Kindled into knowing about Velladai Siddhar, I searched the net and came across the following miracle. Born in Tanjavur he grew up in Appupillaiyur in Kerala. He used to treat the villagers with herbs and fortified his body with Kaya Kalpa. Once an X-ray was done. It showed a bright flame within him. It is said that this X-ray is still kept in his Samadhi temple. (https://dheivegam.com/velladai-sidhar-jeeva-smadhi-special/)

Closer to home, a devotee voiced his confusion as to which path to pursue further as he was deeply troubled and believed that family life and career intruded into his time with Agathiyar. He saw them as a hindrance to following the teachings and practices given by the Siddhas. Seeking clarification Agathiyar clears the air for him telling him to give priority to his duty as the head of his family and to carry out his social responsibilities. He could adhere to his teachings and practice during other times. My late father had served a master only to be told that he had responsibilities towards his family and was sent back to Malaysia. He told my father to settle his affairs and then join him. My father never went back. He passed away peacefully sitting in a yogic pose or asana at home. I never got to ask him who he served. 

The friend had another story to share. 

I know of an elderly lady,...A Grandma of my friend's friend. This lady had met Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma, at her cave. She had pleaded with Amma to let her stay with Her, and be of service to Her. Amma told her that this wasn't the time, and that she has to go back to her family. Such are the way of the Masters.

Mahakavi Bharathi like other saints was so into the thought of the divine that he could see through the veil of Maya and recognized and considered all as trivial matters and menial in nature. When he knew he had a higher purpose in life he began to weep and cry to the divine Mother that he was being dragged into the matters of the kitchen so to say, as his wife would inform him that they had run out of kitchen supplies etc. He sings that he has surrendered to her will in the hope that in doing the Divine's willing he shall see its completion rather than think about his desires and become restless over it.

தன்செய லெண்ணித் தவிப்பது தீர்ந்திங்கு

நின்செயல் செய்து நிறைவுபெறும் வண்ணம்
நின்னைச் சரணடைந்தேன் — கண்ணம்மா!
நின்னைச் சரணடைந்தேன்!

Life might just be confusing at times. When we are rooted deep into the affairs of the world, a Siddha comes by and reminds us of our commitment towards him and the divine and initiates the move to break away from it all. On the other hand for another who finds it hard to engage further in the same affairs of the world and desires to leave it all behind him, he is reminded of his responsibilities. I have begun to see it all as the will of the divine. If the divine wills it and its time, he summons us. Otherwise, even if we desire for it and await his permission, or move towards it he comes to halt it too. In asking me to go within he told on the onset that I cannot possibly do it but insisted that I try and gave me techniques to pursue towards reaching the goal. After several events unfolded around me that mooted me to want to shut myself, he told me that the time was not right and that he would indicate the right moment to do so. Meanwhile, he said that he needed me to carry out his work in lieu of the number of seekers that had yet to come by at AVM. In asking him to help me purge or rid myself of: diseases of the body or உடல் பிணி;  discharges from the body or உடல் மாசு; and waste from the body or உடல் கழிவு so that I could reach him, he tells me that it would not be an easy task but assures that he would be by me. He asks to continue what I am doing right now. When I complained to him about the challenges I faced from my surrounding neighborhood that came along in a very deliberate and timely manner just when he had instructed me to go within, to test my will power and patience, Agathiyar did not seem to take note of it or pay attention to my outpourings. Ramalinga Adigal in acknowledging that they were obstacles to my practice, consoled me telling me that I shall soon learn to overcome them. Upon pleading further and continuously lamenting to Agathiyar to create a conducive environment for me to sit and try to meditate in peace, finally, Lord Shiva acknowledged my prayer telling me he shall take care of matters. True to his promise all the issues that troubled me earlier have begun to subside on its own. I believe he had a hand in it. As I began typing these last words, I received a message from my friend that sort of made me realize why Agathiyar was silent on this matter. He had a lesson for me to learn from this chain of events. His message came my way to clearly remind me of who I was. It went as follows:

If you are irritated by things around you, bring your attention within. The reason for being irritated stems from you. Your expectation or desire might be otherwise or you might have had a condition laid out. This is the cause of your irritation. You cannot possibly condition the world to your liking. When you begin to challenge that you end up irritated. 

முனிவர் நமக்குச் சொல்கிறார்:

"இதை, நீ ஞாபகத்தில் வைத்துக் கொள். உன்னைச் சுற்றி இருப்பவற்றால் நீ எரிச்சல் அடைந்தால், உன் கவனத்தை உள்முகமாகத் திருப்பு. எரிச்சலுக்கான காரணம் நீயாகத்தான் இருப்பாய். உனது எதிர்பார்ப்பு அல்லது ஆசை வேறாக இருந்திருக்கும்; அல்லது ஏதோ ஒரு நிபந்தனையை உனக்குள் நீ விதித்திருப்பாய். அதுதான் உனது எரிச்சலுக்குக் காரணம்.. உலகத்தை நமக்கேற்ப நிர்ப்பந்தப்படுத்த முடியாது..அதை எதிர்த்துப் போராடும்போது நீ வெறுப்படைகிறாய்'' என்கிறார்.

யாரையும்  நம்மால் திருத்த முடியாது ஆனால் அவர்களோடு வாழ்வதற்கு நாம் மாற்றிக்கொண்டால் பார்க்கும் காட்சிகள் அனைத்தும் அழகுதான்.

Who could possibly fathom the workings of the divine?