Many have told me that their families had reservations and fear set in when they initially came to the Siddha path. They feared that their son or daughter would become a monk or turavi. If that were the thoughts in the minds of many parents, Tibetan parents in Nepal willingly send a child from each household to become a monk at monasteries like in Chobhar, Boudhanath, and Lumbini. This arrangement is of mutual benefit. While their children stay and learn in these monasteries and are taken care of, the villagers support the monastery in terms of their daily needs.
The practice has become a refuge for many children from impoverished families from far-flung regions like Humla. The eight children from Humla, all of whose families struggle to earn enough money for the basics of life, are today getting better opportunities for education. While their parents hope to secure their future with monastic education, there is a cost—monastic vows that the children need to follow throughout their lives.
“They probably don’t understand what being a Buddhist nun means, but for their future, this was the best option. They get to study and eat healthily,” said Gagan Prasad Jaisi, elder brother of Heramaya Jaisi, another child nun at the monastery. Jaisi previously worked as a cook at the monastery, where he realised that it could help improve the lives of many children from Humla. For families like his, monasteries like these are places of security as their siblings and children get free education, meals and a safe place to live. (Source: https://tkpo.st/2VhcIfZ)
When I came to the path, many on realizing that I was following the worship to the Siddhas, commented that the Siddhas shall break up families and lead them to become turavis or mendicants. I was not the least concerned with these talks. I continued my worship. Then Agathiyar came in the Nadi and told me that I do not need to undergo an ashram life. On the contrary, I could stay with the family and at the same time fulfill His dreams for me. I only had to take care of my responsibilities and dedicate the rest of my time to his worship and tapas.
பக்குவங்கள் முறையே ஆசான் வழியே பெற்று விட்டாய். மாசில்லா சித்தர்களைக் குடியில் அழைத்து வாழவைப்பாய். நாங்களும் இருக்கும் குடியும் தன்னில் நாள் நாளும் சித்தர்களின் வாசம் மிகுமே. யோகிகளை இல்லத்திற்கு வரவழைப்போம் நாங்கள். குடும்பத்தில் நாங்கள் எல்லாம் குடி இருக்க ஆசிரம வாழ்வு வேண்டாம் உனக்கு. பொறுப்புகளும் சில செய்ய, யோகம் செய்யப் பகுதி நேரம் செலவழிக்க, இல்லத்திலிருந்து யோகம் என்பேன். கருத்தாகத் தவத்தை நீ பார்ப்பாய்.
Similarly, he told others to focus on their families and their needs while allocating an equal number of hours for him. Recently Lord Murugan in a Nadi reading advised a young devotee whom we met at Kallar Ashram in 2016 the same too. Although he was married with a kid, I could sense his burning desire to take up the path of turavaram or become a mendicant in the conversations we had over the phone subsequent to our meeting in India. But Lord Muruga came in his Nadi and gave him some sound advice that applies for us too.
அகத்தியனை குருவாகக் கண்டு வணங்கி வா. சிறப்பாக இல்லற வாழ்வும் அனுகூலம் கண்டு இரு பிள்ளைக்கு இவன் தந்தை ஆகி சுகமாக இல்லறமும் காண வேண்டும் என்று விதியில் உண்டு. இல்லற நிலை தன்னில் இன்னவன் சீவித்து லாபங்கல் பிள்ளை வரத்தோடு பெருகியும் கண்டும் நலமாக இறை அருளும் குரு அருளும் பெற்று நட்பாக லாபங்கள் உருவாகவும் அகத்தியனே குருநாதனாக கண்டு இருக்கவும் அகதியனுடன் நலமாக லாபங்கள் பல கிட்டும்.
உலகமே ஓர் மாயையும் நலமாக இங்கு நிரந்தரமாக இங்கு இருப்பதில்லை நிச்சயம் நல்லதொரு வீடு சேர்ந்து அனுகூலமாகச் சேர்வதாலே யோகம் என்பதாலே பற்று அற்று இருக்க நிலை இன்னவனுக்கு அப்பப்ப தோன்றினாலும் நலமாகக் கடைகாலம் மட்டும் சிறிது பற்றும் தேவைதான். தாமரை இளையும் தண்ணீரும் போல வாழ்கின்ற நெறியைப் பலர் வகுத்துள்ளனர். அதனாலே மைந்தன் சற்று நலமாகத் துறவு மனப்பான்மையை காணாமல் ஓரளவு இருக்கின்ற நிலை தன்னில் சீவித்தும் நலமாக நல்லதாம் உலகத்தோடு ஓட்ட ஒழுகிக்கொண்டு முறையாக ஆன்மிகத்திலும் முன்னேறிக் கொள்ள இன்னவனுக்கு அனுகூலம் கிட்டும். இறை அருள் தரிசனங்கள் கிட்டும். பொறுமையாக இரு.
These were the complete opposite of what we have heard or read previously. It is interesting to note the story as told by Swami Dharmalingam of Kollimalai, of one who was absorbed in the pleasures of the world and postponed the frequent calls to come to the Siddha path was abruptly awakened from his dream and his sleep. The Siddha finally decided to end the game and asked him "நில் மரக்கிளையை நீ பிடித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறாயா அல்லது அது உன்னைப் பிடித்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறதா?", if he was holding to the branch or the branch was holding to him as the young man held to the branch of the coconut tree that he had climbed to pick a nut to quench the thirst of the Siddha. Then we have the story of Pattinathar who was reminded of the plain and painful truth through Lord Shiva who took birth as his son leaving an eyeless needle and a note "காதற்ற ஊசியும் வாராது காண் கடைவழிக்கே" to the merchant who was expecting the son to bring in riches after his travels across the seas, telling him that even an eyeless broken needle will not come with us in our last moments. It makes us realized that it all has a place and time. Turavaram too is not for all we understand. If Tavayogi voluntarily took it up at 50 years of age, never did he suggest that we do too. Instead, the very first day we met, he asked that I bring my family into the path too. Later in the evening he received my family and gave initiation to my wife too. Supramania Swami who carried 17 out of his 40 years of tavam in the hills of Tiruvannamalai spent his last days with his family too.
With a year and a half gone by and everyone vaccinated in phases, will we see an end to the rise of the numbers infected? As nobody can safely tell for sure, we turned to the divine. While many promises came our way and to our attention through social media through the various forms as in Nadi readings, Arudam or Deiva vakku, and through spiritual masters and gurus, Lord Shiva who came in our midst through a devotee did not promise anything. He did not mince his words but told us that the virus will be here to stay for yet some time. All he gave was a couple of mantras. The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and Dhanvantri Mantra too was not given to magically wipe away the virus but instead was to wipe away our fear and become a shield to us respectively. While many Siddha physicians kept suggesting numerous herbal concoctions and preparations to boost our immune system, Lord Shiva asked us to connect with the Prapanjam and enhance it within through breathing techniques and give it back to it, hence cleansing and healing it in the process. Lord Shiva never gave his word that he would rid or eradicate the menace but chose to give us the strength and boost our immunity to fight the menacing virus. I believe he is telling us that each of us is an avatar of his. It is just that we are ignorant of it. His energy that is inherent in us needs to be amplified. That is the reason for giving us the Mantras and the Yogic exercises. If in the days of the past we rushed to the temples for all our religious needs, he brought us into the Siddha path where we learned these very rituals. We carried out simple and common rituals like housewarming by lighting the Homam and singing the praise of the Siddhas to our satisfaction. Siddha physician and astrologer and a devotee of Agathiyar, Arivan Aiya, besides conducting the larger version of the Homam called Yagam, conducts marriage ceremonies singing the praises of the Siddhas too. These rituals connected us to the Siddhas and brought them into our homes. The fire and smoke from Homam or Yagam cleansed the air around us. With the yoga practices taught by our gurus and other upagurus, we connected with the breath. Using the breath we could reach out to the Prapanjam. With both these tools Lord Shiva wants us to cleanse the Prapanjam and heal her.
Taking the cue from this I realized that the Siddhas are training me to endure the many inconveniences that were placed in my way just when I was asked to stop all external activities and to go within. I remember Tavayogi's words where he tells me asking me not to pray that God removes the obstacles but to give us the strength to overcome them. I had stood before Agathiyar complaining about my neighbors and the din they make, telling him that I could not fulfill his directive to stay, meditate and sleep in my prayer room that has become his second home. Ramalinga Adigal came later and told me all these obstacles are their doing. Later Lord Shiva too told me that my petition to him reached him too. He understood my predicament and agreed that it was not conducive and the time had come to make a move. As I waited for further instructions, as I did not want to jump ahead, for they had taken possession of my home and it was their home now, I began to realize that one cannot run away from it. How long am I going to run? Where am I going to run to? My place was haven until recently especially after the lockdowns where schools are shut and workplaces closed and people stay home. There is a hub of activities in the otherwise quiet neighborhood with dispatch couriers shuttling up and down and honking as door-to-door deliveries are made. I realized that I had to learn to live with the inconveniences at least till the pandemic is over.
I believe he has brought the family members to take time from their busy lives and come together to sit in prayer and carry out his dictates. Maybe all the unessential activities that we have devoted much time to all these while have to die down for the planet to live. Watching documentaries brings tears to our eyes as we see the planet destroyed by foolish men. Looking around us we see the foolishness of man too. It hurts to see the planet die a slow death. I guess the Gods are here to save it from our clutches and redeem it. Maybe the Gods have decided to manage it now.