I uploaded a video recently that carried photos of Agathiyar and Loba Ma at Kalyana Theertham visited by Varma Masters Arunan and Uva, Bala, and Dylan all devotees from AVM and Jnana Jothiamma from the USA and Dr. Ram Supramaniam of Tirunelveli some time back. I myself was led here by Tavayogi in 2005.
So the recent news, photo, and video mentioning/showing that floodwaters had carried away the stone chariot and statue of Agathiyar and Loba Ma at Kalyana Theertam came as a shock again since it had been swept away in the 1992 floods and damaged some years back due to an act of malice. The first question that always comes to our mind in the face of tragedies, calamities, disasters, or illness and sufferings is "Why did he let it happen?" The next question is "Why me?" Similarly, these questions arise too. "Why his place/establishment that is holy and sacred to his devotees?" Pondering further we tend to settle down and accept the fact that the divine wants to show us the impermanence of things even those that are associated with him. This comes as a reminder for us who refuse to acknowledge this fact thinking and believing that life shall go on for us, that all things built shall remain, and all bonds cemented shall last.
Pattinathar in coming to the home of a deceased while roaming the streets of his town sat at the porch or tinnai and laughed to himself as family, relatives, friends and the village gathered to carry out the last rites for the man, wailing aloud at the loss and demise of yet another from their community. Imagine if someone was to come along and laugh at the dead or at a burial in present times? We shall see an angry mob gather and bring their wrath and anger on him. But when someone sensible enough instead of giving in to emotion and anger asked Pattinathar the reason for his laughter, he replied that he was laughing at the irony of the fact that those who shall die someday are crying over the dead this day (சாகப்போற பிணத்தைக் கண்டு இருக்கின்ற பிணம் அழுகின்றது). The realized often laugh to themselves over ridiculous practices and beliefs rather than voice them out or change society. Most often they are seen as madmen for laughing to themselves. Pattinathar drives this point of impermanence in his songs reminding himself of these truths. Instead of giving much attention to things that shall perish over time and with time, he reminds himself to seek the Holy feet of the divine.
நினைமின் மனனே ! நினைமின் மனனேசிவபெரு மானைச் செம்பொனம் பலவனை
நினைமின் மனனே ! நினைமின் மனனே !
அலகைத் தேரின் அலமரு காலின்
உலகப்பொய் வாழ்க்கையை உடலை ஓம்பற்க !
பிறந்தன இறக்கும், இறந்தன பிறக்கும்;
தோன்றின மறையும், மறைந்தன தோன்றும்;
பெருத்தன சிறுக்கும், சிறுத்தன பெருக்கும்;
உணர்ந்தன மறக்கும், மறந்தன உணரும்;
புணர்ந்தன பிரியும், பிரிந்தன புணரும்;
அருந்தின மலமாம், புனைந்தன அழுக்காம்;
உவப்பன வெறுப்பாம், வெறுப்பன உவப்பாம்;
என்றிவை அனைத்தும் உணர்ந்தனை; அன்றியும்;
பிறந்தன பிறந்தன பிறவிகள் தோறும்
கொன்றனை அனைத்தும், அனைத்து நினைக்கொன்றன.
தின்றனை அனைத்தும், அனைத்து நினைக் கொன்றன;
பெற்றனை அனைத்தும், அனைத்து நினைப் பெற்றன;
ஓம்பினை அனைத்தும், அனைத்து நினை ஓம்பின;
செல்வத்துக் களித்தனை, தரித்திரத்து அழுங்கினை;
சுவர்க்கத்து இருந்தனை, நரகில் கிடந்தனை;
இன்பமும் துன்பமும் இருநிலத்து அருந்தினை;
ஒன்றொன்று ஒழியாது உற்றனை; அன்றியும்,
புற்புதக் குரம்பைத் துச்சில் ஒதுக்கிடம்
என்னநின் றியங்கும் இருவினைக் கூட்டைக்
கல்லினும் வலிதாகக் கருதினை; இதனுள்
பீளையும் நீரும் புறப்படும் ஒருபொறி;
மீளுங் குறும்பி வெளிப்படும் ஒரு பொறி
சளியும் நீரும் தவழும் ஒருபொறி;
உமிழ்நீர் கோழை ஒழுகும் ஒருபொறி;
வளியும் மலமும் வழங்கும் ஒருவழி;
சலமும் சீயும் சரியும் ஒருவழி;
உள்ளுறத் தொடங்கி வெளிப்பட நாறும்
சட்டகம் முடிவில் சுட்டெலும் பாகும்
உடலுறு வாழ்க்கையை உள்ளுறத் தேர்ந்து,
கடிமலர்க் கொன்றைச் சடைமுடிக் கடவுளை.
ஒழிவருஞ் சிவபெரும் போகஇன் பத்தை,
நிலுலெனக் கடவா நீர்மையொடு பொருந்தி
எனதற நினைவற இருவினை மலமற
வரவொடு செலவற மருளற இருளற
இரவொடு பகலற இகபரம் அற ஒரு
முதல்வனைத் தில்லையுள் முனைத்தெழுஞ் சோதியை
அம்பலத் தரசனை ஆனந்தக் கூத்தனை
நெருப்பினில் அரக்கென நெக்குநெக் குருகித்
திருச்சிற் றம்பலத்து ஒளிருஞ் சீவனை,
நினைமின் மனனே ! நினைமின் மனனே !
சிவபெரு மானைச் செம் பொனம்பலவனை
நினைமின் மனனே ! நினைமின் மனனே !
Bear in mind that these are the words of a fully realized man who is prepared to leave the mortal form. It might not be applicable for the common man who carries many desires and ambitions and has laid his sights on luxuries and pleasures in life. It might not be applicable for the common man who has to live out his past vasanas and karma. Much confusion arises from this duality in perception whether to see the world as an illusion and Maya and leave all things behind including family and responsibility or to see it as a reality in the making and participating actively to make the world a better place to live in. Often in coming to the path after just some years traveling on it, we tend to self proclaim that we have reached the perfect understanding and goal and tend to hop onto the next bandwagon that comes along carrying souls to the Lord's kingdom, brandishing the new thoughts and ridiculing the previous. We begin to ridicule the very path that we had stepped on, walked on trod on, and that had kept us alive and brought us to where we are today. This song serves us as a gentle reminder for those who have seen through life, completed their responsibilities towards the family and society, and now have much time to ponder over the life they have lived and what to make of the rest of it. Coming to the acceptance of the impermanence of life and everything associated with it, he is well-prepared now to draw the curtain down and leave in peace and with total satisfaction and with a sense of completeness or paripuranam.
Similarly, having us come to Kriyai from Sariyai that was shown by our parents the gurus in the physical form, with Supramania Swami introducing us to guru bhakti or devotion to the guru and Tavayogi to rituals, Agathiyar had us drop our attachment to the many physical forms we gave him. He slowly weaned us out of these forms and names and labels and brought us to see him within. He had us drop all forms of devotion and rituals and asked that we go within and meet and recognize our souls. Agathiyar broke the association and even stopped the acts of charity telling us that others would come along to continue from where we left. He had us refrain from doing bad deeds and neither had us gain merits through doing good deeds. He wanted to balance the account so that we need not come back to take another birth to satisfy the divine law of cause and effect or karma. From engaging in physical activities he brought us to still ourselves, both body and mind, and witness the soul. The soul that knows our true purpose begins to lead the true journey henceforth, as Tavayogi told me upon starting our journey to the abodes of the Siddha. Shedding our hold on our senses and the lure of the world and all that it has to offer in pleasing them, we come face to face with the soul that begins to take us on an internal journey back to its source.
Rather than drop dead one day and find our spirit and soul caught by surprise and roam the many realms before coming back to continue the worldly journey because of unaccomplished desires that we had carried, a man who prepares himself to meet his soul leaves his physical form at the desired time and in peace having accomplished the soul's tasks and purpose in coming here.
Rather than forcefully having to leave everything behind midway when death comes knocking on our doors, he had us tie the knots and prepare to leave. He had us clean up our act, and the mess too, locks the door of the cabin, and leave instead of leaving everything ajar and in a mess. So is it with all our possessions and creation. If we begin to practice letting go of each and every desire, possession, and attachment to things dear to us, we will have no problem leaving the mortal frame when the time comes. We shall be prepared for any eventuality.
The Buddhists' monks are known to create the Mandala that is a depiction and a symbolic picture of the universe, painstakingly working on it for hours, only to destroy their creation after it's done. This meticulous process takes an entire day. Once the mandala is complete the monks ask for the deities' healing blessings during a ceremony. As the monks chant, the destruction of the mandala begins. The destruction of the mandala serves as a reminder of the impermanence of life. Besides this, the mandala's purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones and to assist with healing. According to Buddhist scripture, mandalas constructed from sand transmit positive energies to the environment and to the people who view them. They are believed to effect purification and healing. Mandala sand painting was introduced by the Buddha himself. At https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/customs/mandala.shtml an enlightening account of this ceremony is given.
In destroying his own image and that of Loba Ma is Agathiyar leading us to enlightenment, transforming this mind that is so glued to form, names and labels, as in Rupam, and bringing us to the devotion of the formless or Arupam?
Look around us, and we find that life teaches us the impermanence of all things at all times. Yet we shudder when faced with an end to things that we cherish much. Nature and the Divine Laws created this body for our soul to reside and use as a vehicle, but we begin to take ownership and possession of something that was loaned to us. When it's time to leave it behind it becomes difficult as we struggle to let go. When a leader of a spiritual movement passed away a message was carried across social media that with regret they inform the public that their spiritual head had passed away. If the leader had achieved the target in gaining release from the bonds of both the physical and soul matter and attained the state that was yearned and cherished that is the Holy feet of the divine Siva patham why should this be seen as regretful? Isn't this what they had cherished and had been taught all this while to achieve and attain? Similarly, during the death rites, we are told solemnly that with regret or sadness the deceased has attained Siva patham. Why should this be seen as regretful? Should not one rejoice in reaching His Holy feet?
The soul of our dear ones and gurus linger around us ever protecting us from harm's way. They communicate with their lineage if and when necessary. Yogi Ramsuratkumar came knocking on Supramania Swami's door one night, handing him a physical copy of his picture after his Samadhi in 2001. The Yogi came again to chant with Supramania Swami and me in 2005. Supramania Swami came to our home after his Samadhi too. We had the aroma of tobacco in the air followed by a miss call from his number. There was another call from his number a few days later. What surprised us was that the number was surrendered back to the Telco upon his passing away. Tavayogi who went into samadhi in 2017 has made contact with us too, is with us, and continues to guide us.
Both Bhagawan Nithyananda of Ganeshpuri and Yogi Ramsuratkumar of Thiruvannamalai consoled their followers moments before they went into Samadhi that they could do a better job in the subtle form compared to the limitations of the physical form. They promised to continue to guide them too. Although Bhagawan Nithyananda and Yogi Ramsuratkumar at their deathbed have mentioned to their followers not to mourn their death as they would continue their work in the subtle form and plane, and in fact attests that they can do more in that plane, the followers still could not bring themselves to accept the departure of their beloved Guru.
Agathiyar says in taking birth, it's all a process, to cleanse body and soul, and to rid it of all the dirt and negativities they have been carrying with it. Bitterness, Anger, Worry, Fear, Dislikes, Shame, Indignation, Envy, Jealousy, Hatred, Ill temper, Anxiety, Confusion, has to be given a face. Just as debris and the unknown may lurk below the surface of the pond, negativities in us have to come out to the open to be removed in their entirety. All the emotions that are pent up within have to be released. Agathiyar is in a hurry now that we should become pure and perfected. Hence he has given a string of happenings where the dormant vasanas and karma come to germinate and raise their ugly hood. We have to exhaust all these negativities before becoming pure in nature.
Water can be contaminated. The air polluted. The earth littered and poisoned. What about ether? Your guess is as good as mine. As we read the following line from "Tales of Ancient India" that "nothing can defile fire and whatever cast into it is made pure and clean" we agree that only fire having consumed all remains pure. The bronze statue of Agathiyar we have at AVM too was purified in the fire before its worship began. Similarly, a guru has the ability to burn one's karma. But how many find their way to a genuine one? Then again how many gurus would want to do that? We are told by Agathiyar that we can attempt to burn these vasanas and karma by lighting the Homa at home or participating in its bigger version the Yagna in temples, offering them into the sacrificial fire. Another option to burn them to ashes is in engaging in meditation. Yogananda Paramahansa states that the fire of meditation can burn our karma. In doing austerities or tapas, the internal heat that keeps us alive within is amplified and generated into the Tava Kanal clearing and flushing the entire bodily systems of toxins accumulated and blockages built over time. A confused mind is an indication of prevailing karma, a healthy body, and mind that arises out of this cleansing is indicative of karma kept at bay. Externally as the heat of the sun sustains us while the rains cool and nourish us, the air around us keeps this clock ticking.
For those who do not have privy to all the above-mentioned means to overcome karma and its hold on us, they have to live through life facing the byproducts of karma through misery, illness, pain, poverty, troubles, etc. By giving us these experiences, creating the right environment and situation for the dormant seeds to germinate Agathiyar is hastening the process of ridding our karma so that we might join him the soonest as possible. Even the most despicable act that we are prompted to do when all things are conducive for it to come into play is said to be his play for he tells us that we need those experiences too. Let us take everything in its stride. Who can fathom his gameplay? We are here only playing specific roles in his role-playing game.
Is all these a mirage then? A shadow game? In my earlier post at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2017/02/sacred-revelations-3-on-impermanence-of.html, Nadi Nool Aasan Thamaraiselvan brings us a wonderful song of Mahakavi Bharathi "Ulagathai Nokki Vinavuthal" which states the impermanence of all things on the face of this earth. I guess when all of God's play comes to an end, and everything is swallowed within it all ends, be it material, religious or spiritual. So why are we holding on to them never giving in to change and the possibility that one day it is all coming to an end?