ADDRESSING SOME DISTURBING ISSUES

I understand now why Ramalinga Adigal and  Bharathi had lamented about declining values in the society of their day. Even Agathiyar lamented that no one was following the Siddhar Neri now. Ramalinga Adigal shot down most practices that he deemed useless and unnecessary.  Realizing that his followers were not ready to bring on the change he left. Realizing the fear factor that was instilled in all fields and sectors of life, Bharathi tapped us and woke us up to be bold to voice out, take action and break away from what was considered the norm if it was senseless. It wasn't only lip service that he provided through his uplifting songs, but he lived to his words. He laments that he is in no way able to bring an end to these false notions and beliefs of the folks and the sufferings that resulted from it.

நெஞ்சு பொறுக்குதில்லையே -இந்த
நிலைகெட்ட மனிதரை நினைந்துவிட்டால்

அஞ்சி யஞ்சி சாவார்-இவர்
அஞ்சாத பொருளில்லை அவனியிலே
வஞ்சிப் பேய்களேன்பார்-இந்த
மரத்திலென்பார்; அந்த குளத்திலென்பார்
துஞ்சுது முகட்டி லென்பார்-மிக
துயர்படு வார்எண்ணி பயப்படுவார் (நெஞ்சு)

மந்திர வாதி யென்பார்-சொல்ல
மாத்திரத்தி லே மனக் கிலிபிடிப்பார்
யந்திர சூனியங்கள் -இன்னும்
எத்தனை யாயிரம் இவர் துயர்கள்!
தந்த பொருளைக் கொண்டோ- ஜனம்
தாங்குவ ருலகத்தில் அரசரெல்லாம்
அந்த அரசியலை -இவர்
அஞ்சுதரு பேயென்றேண்ணி நெஞ்சமயர்வார்(நெஞ்சு)

சிப்பாயைக் கண்டஞ்சுவார்-ஊர்ச்-
சேவகன் வருதல்கண்டு மனம்பதைப்பார்
துப்பாக்கி கொண்டோருவன் -வெகு
தூரத்தில் வரக்கண்டு வீட்டிலொளிப்பார்
அப்பாலெ வனோசெல்வான்-அவன்
ஆடையைக் கண்டு பயந் தெழுந்துநிர்பபார்
எப்போதும் கைத்தட்டுவார்-இவர்
யாறிடத்தும் பூனைகள்போலேங்கிநடப்பார் (நெஞ்சு)

நெஞ்சு பொறுக்குதில்லையே -இந்த
நிலைகெட்ட மனிதரை நினைந்துவிட்டால்

கொஞ்சமோ பிரிவினைகள் -ஒரு
கோடியென் றால் அது பெரிதாமோ?
ஐந்துதலைப் பாம்பென் பான்-அப்பன்
ஆறுதலை யென்றுமகன் சொல்லிவிட்டால்
நெஞ்சு பிரிந்திடு வார்-பின்பு
நெடுநாளிருவரும் பகைத்திருப்பார் (நெஞ்சு)

சாத்திரங்க லொன்றுங் காணார் -பொயச்
சாத்திரப் பேய்கள் சொல்லும் வார்த்தை நம்பியே
கோத்திரம் ஒன் றாயிருந்தாலும் -ஒரு
கொள்கையிற் பிரிந்தவனைக் குழைத்திகழ்வார்
தோத்திரங்கள் சொல்லியவர்தாம் -தமைச்
சூதுசெய்யும் நீசர்களைப் பணிந்திடுவார்
ஆத்திரங்க்கொன் டேயிவன் சைவன் -இவன்
அரிபக்த னென்றுபெருஞ் சண்டையிடுவார். (நெஞ்சு)

நெஞ்சு பொறுக்குதில்லையே -இந்த
நிலைகெட்ட மனிதரை நினைந்துவிட்டால்

கஞ்சி குடிப்பதற்கிலார் -அதன்
காரணங்கள் இவையென்னும் அறிவுமிலார்
பஞ்சமோ பஞ்சமென்றே -நிதம்
பரிதவித் தே உயிர் துடிதுடித்து
துஞ்சி மடிகின்றாரே -இவர்
துயர்களைத் தீர்க்கவோர் வழியிலையே (நெஞ்சு)

எண்ணிலா நோயுடையார்-இவர்
எழுந்து நடப்பதற்கும் வலிமையிலார்
கண்ணிலாக் குழ்ந்தைகள்போல்-பிறர்
காட்டிய வழியிற்சென்று மாட்டிகொள்வார்
நண்ணிய பெருங்கலை கள் – பத்து
நாலா யிரங் கோடி நயந்துநின்ற
புண்ணிய நாட்டினிலே -இவர்
பொறியற்ற விலங்குகள் போலவாழ்வார் (நெஞ்சு)

(Source: https://raattai.wordpress.com )

Even after the coming of Avatars and numerous saints, man as yet to change for the better. Wars and battles have been going on for ages beyond the present era into mythical times. So wars are not something new. Besides draughts and famine that forced people of once flourishing cities to abandoned them, archeologists find remnants of civilization that ended abruptly due to wars fought. Battles were fought for ridiculous reasons. Two clans with distinctive hairstyles, those with braided hair and those who had no braid, their hair pinned up, came together in battle one pitted against the other. The result the city was torn apart in a civil war and finally abandoned. 

There were other wars elsewhere too. Read  at https://www.history.com/news/6-wars-fought-for-ridiculous-reasons

Take the stories told from the Puranas and ancient texts where battles were fought, the relationship between the God's themselves were not too good going by these mythical stories.  How can we relate these epics, puranas and other stories to our lives? Of what good are these stories to us? I have refrained from reading these mythical stories to my granddaughter. It only speaks about enmity, battle, wars etc. So is it with nursery rhymes and children stories. They are full of tragedies. And there seems to be a reason for coming up with such songs. 

In more repressed times, people were not always allowed to express themselves freely, for fear of persecution. Gossiping, criticizing the government or even talking about current events were often punishable by death. In order to communicate at will, clever rhymes were constructed and passed around to parody public figures and events.

Read further at https://www.brainz.org/24-terrifying-thoughtful-and-absurd-nursery-rhymes-children/ if you are interested to know. 

How can we read those to them then? Since realizing these I have modified many a song or a story, making it pleasant to their ears and soul. Just as I became a storyteller through this blog, I make up stories to my granddaughter too. She seems to enjoy them although she knows pretty well that I was taking her for a ride. But don't all children stories do that? And don't all children love a ride?

We then come across stories of Rishis and others cursing those that deviate and do wrong in their eyes. These curses start a ball or in this case a story rolling just as a pebble thrown onto the water's surface causes a ripple. Take the story of Durvasa who is known for his short temper and is known to go around cursing others. People became fearful of him rather then love him. It is like the discipline teacher who walks around with the cane. I wonder what he taught his disciples. There is a list of curses and its related stories attributed to him at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durvasa

Rishi Durvasa was said to have enacted dangerous curses on devas, as well as some notable people of his time. Some of them are: Indra, whom he cursed to lose all his powers; Shukracharya, whom he cursed to forget the Sanjeevini mantra; Goddess Saraswati, whom he cursed to become a river because she laughed at his incorrect recitation of the Vedas; Goddess Lakshmi, whom he cursed to be separated from her husband; Shakuntala, who avoided Durvasa while at the Ashram of sage Kanva, which enraged Durvasa, who then cursed that Dushyanta would forget her; Kandali, whom he cursed to death.

But he did give some boons too we are told. Wait. There are more at https://vedicfeed.com/curses-in-hindu-puranas/ , https://www.ganeshaspeaks.com/predictions/astrology/curses-in-hindu-mythology/ , https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/the-biggest-curses-in-hindu-mythology/4990 , for those interested in going into it. 

No doubt these are stories of Rishis and noble personalities of the past, it makes you wonder why they go around throwing curses when we have saints like Avvai and Tiruvalluvar who teach us to uphold great and noble values, and Confucius who even taught the rulers to be virtuous and benevolent besides teaching them the principles of good governess? Aren't they supposed to be the embodiment of love? 

Reading through the verses from the songs from Agathiyar Gnanam makes us wonder if indeed there was a hidden agenda and a hidden hand that manipulated mankind as Agathiyar hints. Is this the veil that is spoken so often about that is said to shroud us from seeing the truth? Agathiyar should spill the beans and enlighten us.

Agathiyar in my very first reading tells me that I was cursed by the elders from the priestly caste or clan that I was born in in my last birth, hence the need for another birth. These curses too were a hindrance to the many good things I was to receive in this birth, both materialistic and spiritual. All this reminds us of sound and vibration that affects everything else.

Even the Siddhas are known to dish out curses, we come to read. Tavayogi told me he lost his eyesight in this life as it was a continuation of a curse from Agathiyar in a past life. Even Agathiyar's Moola Mantra too touches on saabam or curses telling us that chanting the mantra eradicates curses besides sin, illnesses, arrogance, even the worst off scenarios. Even Bhogar when he asked me to pick some leaves from a tree told me to say the phrase சித்தர் சாபம் நசி நசி before taking it which reminded me of the same as told by Mataji earlier. How do we comprehend these things? 

But taking up their calling and coming to their path; following in their footsteps,  walking a few steps behind them; reaching out and taking their hand and walking abreast with them; seeing the transition take place from a seeker to an aspirant;  servant to a baktha or devotee; to a sadhaka and follower; to a father and son relationship; and that of a companion; Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal brought us on a journey of transformation. During all these time none of them raised their voices to curse, condemn or slay us. They were the very embodiment of love. Going by the many Nadi readings initially and their direct transmissions through a third person lately, they only boost our morale and our spirit, never bringing the bad news and driving us into a state of sorrow. Even to the worst of characters, they still shower their blessings. Even the lesser deities who strike fear and terror in us become calm before Agathiyar and address us with compassion.

Agathiyar who prefers to leave things as it is with others, does reveal certain things to us knowing that we listen and will take the necessary steps, but refrains himself from disclosing everything in its entirety. Maybe when we finally make it into his good books and company, he might divulge the truth of all matters and not a second before. For if he was to tell me now, you shall find it splashed in these pages. Man, am I hungry for news or what? He might not want that right now. Sometimes its best to let secrets be secrets if it was to jeopardize personal relationships and between societies and nations. Agathiyar has many secrets kept close to his chest and is not revealing them. He takes into consideration the wellbeing of all before he speaks. His thoughts and moves are calculated. Those with him for a while now shall understand his reasons too. It is indeed difficult to fit into his shoes. But that is what he asking of us - offering his shoes and his seat just as Arutperunjothi Aandavar passed Ramalinga Adigal his staff of authority to rule the world. 

Going through the numerous talks posted on social medias, it is easy for religious and spiritual figures and heads of establishments to speak about or ordain the need to adopt high virtues, practices etc. in life. The monasteries and spiritual institutions provide shelter, seclusion and protection. With that three essentials taken care of one could meditate in peace and do God's work. The real test is for ordinary people like you and me who are trying to make a decent living. And in taking care of our responsibilities he has to learn to live in harmony with man and nature. And in the midst of others who are not of the same frequency, trying to adopt and put into practice what is taught. It is a great challenge to hold on to one's principles and way of life in society and not deviate from them. We need to keep watch over ourselves constantly just as an eagle watches over its prey. It needs a strong will to uphold one's principles in life especially in these times. I think those who try to devote their time equally to God and practice good values in a society that is slowly degrading day by day and yet attend to their responsibilities and life's needs deserve a pat on their shoulders too.