After the unprecedented chain of events that took place on our visit to an Ayurveda center recently, that I had written about in an earlier post at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2021/03/when-man-meets-siddhas-6.html, I am still reeling over and trying to digest what went on and why we were "called" over. As usual, I went through the chain of unprecedented events in my mind and prodded over what is the message and learning for me as in all unusual happenings and those beyond the norm there was always a new learning, quite similar to the many morals embedded in the famed Aesop's Fables.
After taking the cue from Bhogar who showed a devotee to the Ayurveda center for her medical problem I called to make an appointment for my wife too for her frozen shoulder. Upon arriving at the center we were invited in and immediately had a consultation with the resident physician. He made known to us the treatment that was to be administered. He added that it could only start once the said Ayurvedic poultice was made, and that would take some time. Just as we were about to sign up for the treatment I received a call from the center. The person on the other end asked me why I had not come in for the treatment as it was nearing the end of my appointed time. I told her that I was already in consultation with their physician. But she insisted that I walk over to her center. As I needed some clarification I asked the physician and the staff attending to us if the centers were not aligned or under an umbrella and were run by different management. They replied that they were one, and it was fine that we saw them, adding that this center was a later annexment to the main center since they had space constraints in the main building. I placed everything on hold till I got a clear picture from both parties and headed to the main building.
This was a valuable lesson I learned in my early years of worship to the Siddhas. When people came over to my home with problems both my wife and I would listen patiently. It should have ended there. But due to our over-enthusiasm and eagerness to be of help we started to dish out advice that backfired on us. Referring to this matter to Tavayogi over the phone, I got a good scolding from him. He asked why did we get involved? We should send them to Agathiyar to plead and cry their heart out. At times the husband would come over alone and talk his heart out. When we meet the wife we would get a completely different picture of the events. We decided henceforth to see both husband and wife together.
So I headed to the main center wanting to hear both sides of the story and to verify and make some sense of the whole episode. A masseuse was in waiting and invited my wife in for the treatment. I asked her should not she first see the report from the physician who saw us at their annexed block. She replied asking us to drop that consultation and referred us to another in-house physician instead. As I stood trying to make sense of the whole turn of events, she kept inviting us for the treatment. Deciding to go with the flow, we met yet another physician. He prescribed an entirely different approach and treatment for her pain. He told us that he shall contact us as to when we could start receiving the treatment. As we were about to leave, the masseuse invited and led my wife into a room to begin the treatment! After about an hour she saw us out having treated my wife the same day. I stood baffled. Why was there a sudden urgency in treating her that day that came about quite mysteriously without the need for the sanction from the physicians? There was a predetermined treatment laid out for her and waiting. I knew that there was a hidden hand manipulating the whole series of events.
When the center sent me the seven-day schedule for treatment to confirm I did not make any changes to it as they had tried to accommodate to their best the mid-day and noon timings I wanted. This was a requirement set by the center for all forms of treatment. But as a turn of events unfolded with my daughter requiring to be treated at the eye hospital during the same time, I called to inform the center and asked that her schedule be postponed. The girl took note and told me that they shall get back to us. Meanwhile, a fellow devotee who had brought in his father for a similar treatment was told that the ladies slot were all taken up. He had intended to bring his mother over too. Figuring that the time they allocated for my wife previously could be filled by his mother who had the same problem as my wife, I put in the suggestion when the center called me. This time it was a man on the other end. But the person on the line insisted that she see the physician and has to come half hour earlier. I told him that can be arranged and if there was any change to the treatment it could be decided then. Only then did he introduce himself as a physician and kept saying the same. Seeing that there was an obstacle in the way, I asked if he did not want business? I understood that the center was badly impacted during the first lockdown and subsequent partial lockdowns over the past year and a half. Then I told him that I was shown to the center by Bhogar. There was a hint of ignorance in his voice when he asked, "Bhogar?" repeatedly. I asked him if he knew Bhogar. He surprised me by telling me that he did not know Bhogar. I could not believe that someone practicing alternative and traditional medicine has not heard of Bhogar. I explained to him and yet he was ignorant. I then asked him if he knew Dhanvantri? He said he knew. I then asked the million-dollar question that erupted the volcano in me. I asked if he knew Agathiyar? He replied, "That is Siddha practice. We are into Ayurveda!" If Bhogar did not see any distinction between the two and had recommended us to receive treatment in Ayurveda, why should a practitioner see it as alien? I told him that all sciences originated from one and that if he was to see disparity in them I shall not want to go ahead with the treatment. They canceled the schedule shortly after.
As I was pondering over this chain of events I was saddened to see an unhealthy pattern develop among practitioners of alternative medicine too. If we see the profound divide between the Vaishnavite and Saivaite; and in other worlds religions, after coming to the Siddha path and in my search I became uncomfortable and disturbed when many non-followers saw Siddha worship as alien to the mainstream religions and viewed it from a negative perspective. The Nadi of the Siddhas too drew flak and negative comments from many. Coming into the inner circle I saw a large divide between the Siddha worshippers themselves and the mushrooming of several distinct sets of followers too within this inner circle, upholding numerous disciplines, codes of practice, and rules. Even the goal varied amongst them. Sadly patrons of Siddha establishments too chose to divide and rule as in politics.
Here is where I saw the whole picture coming into place. It was an eye-opener for me though it came as a rude shock.
Seeing vested interests, hard and fast rules laid, doctrines, and codes that strangled and chained souls in other establishments made me shy away and seek on my own the messages, teachings, and practices of the Siddhas. I took on a lone journey, not in covering a remarkable distance or making considerable mileage in the external world but instead we made fast and much progress through the rituals given. I did them initially with my immediate family in the confines of my home. With the coming of seekers who were shown to my home by Agathiyar in the Nadi, my home gained a name and reputation as Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM). Lord Murugan came later to upgrade the version naming our home Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM). Soon the Siddhas congregated and named it Gnana Kottam, an honor that was showered on us.
We were well-groomed in Sariyai. With the advent of the Siddhas and the Gurus in physical form, we have weaned away from temple worship that is the foundation and stepping stone laid by our ancestors and carried on by our parents and in turn introduced to us. Supramania Swami introduced me to the guru-disciple relationship. Tavayogi came as a guru on the Siddha path and initiated and introduced us to rituals. These were initially done personally by us in our homes and later expanded into select temples that respected and accommodated Siddha worship. The divide was broken. We saw the acceptance of the Siddha Marga in families and temples.
Going by the queries I receive on the Nadi, I believe, this blog and the many posts on the Nadi has shed new light on this ancient and mysterious means of communication by the Siddhas too. I believe that readers are now well informed about this medium.
In the early eighties, I was shown a Siddha physician by a friend who treated my heaty body constitution with a Siddha preparation that was commercially available over the counter. It was called Chyawanprash and was made in Kerala. Getting to known the late Dr. Krishnan in the late nineties, he saw my horoscope and commented that I shall excel in astrology and Siddha medicine and offered to teach me. Although I did not take up his offer and although I was never keen to learn both officially, I read much about both sciences. My perspective of the astrologers who squatted on the walkways and pavements and dished out the future to passersby for a meager fee changed the moment I began to draw up a horoscope from scratch beginning with mine and referring and verifying with the chart that was drawn for me by previous astrologers and the Dr. I understood it to be a great science. Drawing up the horoscope was only half the battle won. One had to interpret the movement of the planets or Gochara Palan and predict and forecast the future happenings correctly. So was it with medicine. I read through the books and had my wife prepare the herbal portions mentioned in these books making me a guinea pig.
After the happenings at the Ayurveda center, I realized that if we had had a taste of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam, and Gnanam, the multifold paths laid by the Siddhas, there was one outstanding field that the Siddhas indulged in which we had not ventured into that of medicine and astrology thoroughly. The million-dollar question has started me to venture to know about Ayurveda and Siddha practice and if indeed there is a difference as held by others. I shall share with readers once I understand the subject well.
Tavayogi had taught us well. He made us look beyond the superficial, look beyond the fringes, and look beyond the mass byproducts of religion and spiritualism and search for the core and the center, and search for the source and origin. Introducing the Siddha path and Agathiyar he stepped aside and went into oblivion for fear that we might hold on to him and see him as God instead. This lesson was carried by us in seeing all further things and in all our further ventures. It has helped us from falling into traps laid out all along the journey of life. If there are many traps in the material world so too are there many traps in the religious and spiritual world. We shall fall prey to them never to arise again unless we have a guru who forewarns us or helps us sail through without getting attached to the lures of all three worlds. We are lucky and fortunate to have Agathiyar and his entourage guard over us. We are truly indebted to him.