Just as we come to establish relationships in life, first with our parents and siblings, then the circle of relatives and society, moving on to newfound friends in school and later at work and settling for a woman or man and building further the family circle and finally having children of our own who when they marry rope in another circle of relationships, this relationship is said to have a tie with the many past births and a bond going beyond the many births yet to come. Agathiyar told us in my daughter's Nadi reading that we were all together in the past and have come together again. Many devotees who came by and later became part of the AVM family too had known each other be it as husbands and wives or fellow seekers etc as revealed in each reading of theirs.
Coming to have faith and belief in God, ironically for one who made us and sustains us, we serve him with fear and respect as a servant in the path of Sariyai looking towards his needs both in the temples and our home altars.
Then we come to him as a student. The relationship of guru and disciple takes hold. The guru shows us devotion towards the guru and the Parambara or lineage. Agathiyar told me that Supramania Swami who had five gurus showed me devotion to the guru. This relationship is said to have continued through several births and shall continue yet through the many births to come. Supramania Swami told me were had to come together for a reason and purpose again. A guru from the past pleaded to Agathiyar to save his disciple from her ailment in her present birth. This revelation was made by Agathiyar in the Jeeva Nadi reading read by Tavayogi for a devotee when Tavayogi was in Malaysia in 2016.
With time and trusts, the guru-disciple relationship develops into that of a companion where the disciple follows the guru wherever he goes and the guru sheds and shares some sacred and intimate truths with him. When Agathiyar visits Krishnaveni Amma at Kalyana Theertam it is said that Shirdi Sai accompanies him. Amma had shared this revelation with her aid Swami Venkatesh. When Agathiyar comes to AVM he tells us that Ramalinga Adigal who he calls by the name Vallal was always with him. Vallal had addressed us refering to Agathiyar many times too.
There is yet one role that we have to take up further that of a lover. Speaking about love stories one cannot forget the movie that goes by the same name "Love Story" starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw that was a hit when it made waves in the cinemas back then in 1970. I remember watching it at the theatre. I can easily relate the theme song by Andy Williams with my love for Agathiyar.
When we extend this love for another individual to include others it becomes compassion. Extending this love towards the unseen creator it becomes bakthi or devotion. Just as a lover goes all the way to fulfil the love of his life's desires and wants, a devotee can never depart from the one who has stolen his or her heart. When a lover merges with the object of his/her love, his or her identity drops. He or she is one with God. If we approached God with fear and devotion initially to move towards becoming a student, the fear and devotion having shifted for the guru now, with his love and affection we are later roped in to become a companion. Many saints of the past finally stood at the state and stage of becoming a lover delivering and showing their love for God through their renditions and songs.
Everyone knows the love story between Meera and Sri Krishna. She was a contemporary of King Akbar and his court musician Tansen and poet-saint Tulsidas. Born in a Rajput family in Rajasthan in 1498, she was devoted to Lord Krishna. She faced many objections to her love and devotion for her Lord Krishna. Dubious plots to kill her made her leave for Vrindavan. During the final moments of emancipation with her Lord she was heard crying out, ""O Girdhari are you calling me, I am coming" and stepped into his sanctum and disappeared. Her clothing was draped around the statue of Lord Krishna. One can never forget the mesmerizing songs by M. S. Subbulakshmi who sang and carried the character of Meera. Although I remember seeing the 1945 movie back then I only came to know that it was directed by an American Ellis R. Dungan. From https://en.wikipedia.org/ we learn that Ellis Roderick Dungan was well known for working in Indian films, predominantly in Tamil cinema, from 1936 to 1950.
Read more about Meera at https://english.newstracklive.com/news/valentine-day-2020-lord-krishna-and-meera-bai-love-story-sc91-nu-1070313-1.html Listen to these mesmerizing bhajan songs at https://mio.to/album/Meera+%281945%29
In present days we have lyricists pen beautiful songs portraying this love for God. One such modern-day rendition that spells the love of Radha for Lord Sri Krishna follows.
Another beautiful song is the love for Lord Muruga.
The saint in his or her prime state would see the divine as a child like Krishnaveni Amma did. A senior devotee calls for Lord Muruga to come to play with her in the following song.
Lord Muruga is said to have played lots of games with the old and aged Avvai. Here Avvai pacifies Lord Muruga who leaves home over a fight over a fruit. But it was ஞானம் விளைவிக்கும் விளையாட்டு where at the end of the game one becomes wiser. Isn't that why we are all here too? To learn and become wiser from all the experiences that we gain in life.
Gowri Arumugam penned the following song for her album "Agathiyar Geetham" placing herself in the shoes of a childless mother and praying that Agathiyar be born as a child to her.