Although the Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia and Amudha Surabhi Whatsapp group have been dissolved we still maintain touch over the phone with several others. In the course of our conversation, we tend to reflect and recall the subtle teachings and teachings by example by Tavayogi. Although he took to the stage and professed and spread the teachings of the Siddhas, it was in the quieter moments with him that we learned the subtle and inner meanings of these teachings. It was through following him on those brief and short walks that he revealed a thing or two and his opinion and observations. Of course, when we traveled with him on longer journeys he had more time to dispense them. Most of what he told us in private did not make sense then. Today we understand his statements having traveled the distance and gaining these experiences. we have come to agree that it is only after experiencing can we understand better these teachings.
Today as we sit back and reflect on the journey we are proud and are full of gratitude to him for coming into our lives as a guru, a beacon, a father, a tutor, and a role model. I believe what he set out to accomplish has seen its fruit and results as he had mentioned this while my family and I were with him at his Kallar ashram in 2013, and again when he was visiting the AVM families in Malaysia in 2016. If my first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai lit the flame of devotion and bakti to the guru in physical form as seen by his love for his gurus including Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Tavayogi lit the flame of devotion and bakti solely to Agathiyar. Never for a moment did he allow us to turn this attention towards him and worship him instead. He led us to the source himself rather than remain forever a medium for us to engage with Agathiyar. Never shall I find another guru like them. Hence my search stopped the moment he showed us to Agathiyar and withdrew himself into the shadows. We grew up on the path without any interference. He gave us the freedom to further enhance the path, and to modernize it to suit present times. Later Lord Muruga acknowledged in the Nadi that we shall do things differently. Initially, we were wondering how was it to be different. Soon we could relate the changes we brought to the approach and worship of them.
We set out to learn from Tavayogi the means, methods, and practices and put them into practice immediately. Today we can safely let go of those and move on to much bigger things as they lay the path ahead of us. When Tavayogi stepped on our shores, observing our dependence on bakti and temple worship he wanted us to move to gnana. So he shared the four-fold path to gnana with us. Bringing us from Sariyai that came with us by following our parents and society, he introduced to us Kriyai that was seen as exclusive to the priestly kingdom. He encouraged us to engage in simple forms of fire rituals or Homam in our homes and later exposed us to much bigger Yagna or Yagam in temples and in public. Soon Agathiyar brought a stop to these too and have us revisit Tavayogi's teachings on Yoga asanas and pranayama. Holding on to the breath he brought us to go within. Coupled by their blessings we have seen much progress as acknowledged by them. But the battle to master the body, self, and mind is not over they tell us. Even if we fall short of attaining whatever they aspire for us in this birth we shall leave with a sense of satisfaction that our interest and the small steps we took in walking the path has been rewarding.
The teachings of the Siddhas can be summarized and understood through the following ensemble of videos and his speech at Agathiyar's Jayanthi at his Kallar ashram many years back, coupled by the powerful lyrics of songs that were written for the Tamil cinema and a couple of devotional tracks including a track from our own "Agathiyar Geetham".
We thank the producers of the audio albums and movies for such marvelous and meaningful and soulful compositions. We just could not resist using them to accompany the messages of the Siddhas given through Tavayogi.