LEARN TO TREASURE THE GIFT OF A GURU

I watched the Tamil film "Sarpatta Parambarai" last night after Suren recommended that I watch it. It was the story of a lad held back by his mother from taking up his dream to become a boxer like his father. Yet he is trained by a master and takes the ring to fight his opponents. I loved it. It was yet another movie about the guru-disciple relationship. Previously we saw a similar movie bringing a youth who wanted to play a musical instrument under the tutorship of a master or Vidvan in "Sarvam Thaala Mayam."

The guru-sisya Parambarai is as old as time itself. The father taught his son to hunt. The mother teaches her daughter to cook and care for the home. The father passes on his trade skills to his children who learn and pick them up. Hence the reason we saw sons and daughters taking up the profession of their parents in the past. Some were sent to others to be coached in a specific field that was beyond the knowledge of the parents. Hence "schooling" under a guru called Gurukulam and monasteries took shape. When governments took over schooling they included a comprehensive syllabus and curriculum covering the current needs. Teaching is not limited to space and time as we were to find out later. The divine powers "educated" selected individuals and directed them in mystical ways. These were the saint poets and founder gurus of the many sects of religion and spirituality we see. Arunagiri, Raghavendra, Ramalinga Adigal, Mahakavi Kalidas had initiation from the divine themselves. Hence they are remembered till this day.

From Wikipedia, we learn that "the term "Upanishad" derives from the Sanskrit words "upa" (near), "ni" (down) and "ṣad" (to sit) — so it means "sitting down near" a spiritual teacher to receive instruction." We learn that the guru's powers are varied though from the same Parambarai. 

In paramapara, not only is the immediate guru revered, the three preceding gurus are also worshipped or revered. Guru – the immediate guru; Parama-guru – the guru of the Parampara or specific tradition; Paratpara-guru – the guru who is the source of knowledge for many traditions; and Paramesthi-guru – the highest guru, who has the power to bestow moksa.

It is assuring to know that the guru is there for us 24/7 watching over us. When we earn his respect he gives us responsibilities. His task is for the good of the masses. When Tavayogi left his family to become a traveling mendicant, Agathiyar consoled his young daughter asking her if she wanted her father to be only a father to her or to all? From a self-centered person, the guru brings us to serve and care for others. He brings us to contribute towards humanity and giving back to nature. Here is where Peedhams and ashrams began to evolve in the interests of others. 

I was blessed to have three gurus. Goddess Ma came to mention the same, "Tavayogi (Kallar Ashram), Supramaniar (of Tiruvannamalai), and Agathiyar". Supramania Swami asked me to continuously keep the flame (light from a lamp) alive as he did, as he would watch over me through the flame. True to his words, Supramnia Swami made contact with us after several days of going into samadhi. When Dhanvantri came he told us that Tavayogi would continue to guide us in the Jhoti or light form. True to his words too, Tavayogi who went into samadhi has made contact with us too. Ma assured me that they are here to guide us further. Both Bhagawan Nithyananda of Ganeshpuri and Yogi Ramsuratkumar of Thiruvannamalai consoled their followers promising to continue to guide them before they went into samadhi. They told them that they could do a better job in the subtle form compared to the limitations of the physical form.  

Agathiyar says this relationship between a Siddha guru and the disciple does not come about all of a sudden but is brought across from the past births. When a devotee of Agathiyar who had some medical issues saw the Jeeva Nadi in possession of Tavayogi who was in Malaysia then, Agathiyar mentioned that her guru of a past birth was pleading with Agathiyar to help her recover. How compassionate of him to still worry about his disciple, even after the latter took another birth. 

Then there is another story about Muniandy Swamy who had failed to listen and carry out his obligations to his guru in the past. Muniandy Swamy had to finish his obligations towards his guru. He had to take birth again after a long lapse of 2,000 years to serve his guru again. Since both their karmas were interconnected the guru waited patiently for his disciple to join him. The guru saved his disciple from the cycle of birth. This story was shared by Velayudham Karthikeyan Aiya of the blog "Siththan Arul." 

I am blessed that Agathiyar showed me to Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram. Supramania Swami introduced me to his five gurus namely his own father Jayaram Pillai, Kollimalai Swami, Poondi Mahan, Santhanatha Swami, and finally Yogi Ramsuratkumar, all having left their mortal bodies. Tavayogi introduced me to his lineage of gurus namely his immediate guru Chitramuthu Adigal, Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal, and Ramalinga Adigal and Agathiyar before him, all having attained light. 

Of the five gurus he had, Supramania Swami connected me with the Yogi. When I was with Supramania Swami on my second visit to India in 2005, I was blessed to witness a miracle in his kudil in Tiruvannamalai the day I landed in India. After all the formalities, later that night at 7.30pm, Swami led me on prayer. His wife and son had gone back to their village home some 8 kilometers away at Nachaananthal. Swami started chanting his guru, Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s name. It went, "Yogi Ramsuratkumara, Yogi Ramsuratkumara, Yogi Ramsuratkumara, Jaya Gururaya." As it was a simple mantra, I followed suit and chanted along. That was the very first time I came to know this name. After about a few minutes into the recitation, I heard a third voice - that of a deep male voice chanting with us. I started to pay attention to the voice. I could hear Swami’s voice. I could hear mine too. I could hear distinctly another voice. Who else was there chanting with us? Though this question arose I never opened my eyes to investigate. I told myself I shall know once the chanting was over. The mysterious voice continued chanting with us. Eventually, after about twenty minutes, Swami ended the chant. I stopped reciting too. So did the third voice. Silence prevailed. I opened my eyes to see Swami leave his prayer room for the living room. I got up and followed him. I was supposed to ask him about this third voice but completely forgot about it. I was only reminded about this incident when I returned to Swami's kudil from my pilgrimage with Tavayogi to the caves and jungles over the next few days. Upon alighting from the car Supramania Swami suddenly asked me, “Did you hear the voice?” triggering my memory back to the first day at his kudil. I recalled the third voice that accompanied us in the chanting of the Yogi's name. I ask Swami who it was. He gave a loud laugh and answered, “That was Visiri Matai” referring to his guru Visiri Swami (Yogi Ramsuratkumar) and turned around to walk into his kudil. Although Supramania Swami had five gurus, Swami chooses to invoke the Yogi at prayer. Such was the extend of devotion towards his guru that he could call upon the Yogi to come out of his samadhi and join us. Swami tells me the Yogi had appeared one late night, after having attained samadhi, at Swami’s home in the village of Nachanananthal. The Yogi presented a painting of himself to Swami before disappearing. Such was the grace of the Yogi that he chose to appear before his disciple after having gone into samadhi on 20 February 2001.

Following in his gurus footsteps, Supramania Swami came to our home after his samadhi too. We had the aroma of tobacco in the air followed by a miss call from his number. There was another call from his number a few days later. What surprised us was that the number was surrendered back to the Telco upon his passing away.

Leaving the responsibilities of attending to the Dharmasalai to Kalpattu Aiya, Subburaaya Paradesi, and Kattamuthupalaiyam Narayanar, 25 years later after merging with the light Ramalinga Adigal chose to appear before his disciple Kalpattu Aiya. 

On the 8th of February, 1902 Kalpattu Aiya passed on his duties to his student Subburaaya Paradesi and waited to merge with Ramalinga Adigal, an act that baffled those around him. They ridiculed Kalpattu Aiya asking him how he was going to merge with Ramalinga Adigal who had left them some 25 years ago. Kalpattu Aiya openly announced that Ramalinga Adigal will come forth to take him with him just as he had stepped into his village home in Kalpattu and later went looking for Kalpattu Aiya again then in Chidambaram and brought him to Dharmasalai at Vadalur. That said miracle took place exactly after 48 days of his open decree, as ordained. It was the 26th of April 1902. Ramalinga Adigal appeared in front of Kalpattu Aiya. Immediately Kalpattu Aiya left his mortal frame. His lifelong wish was granted that day. Ramalinga Adigal carried out Kalpattu Aiya's last rites too.

Our life transforms the moment the guru comes in. When the light comes in darkness vanishes. We gain physical and mental strength. The spirit is elevated and the soul rejoices. There is total transformation. We become the image of the guru. The guru if departed continues to live in us. Contrary to the common belief that this relationship between the guru and disciple is one way and that only the student receives or gains, the strength of the disciple is the guru and the strength of the guru is the disciple. All the prayers, tavam, tapas, or austerities done by the disciple contributes towards the evolvement of the guru too. It stregthens the parambarai or lineage. Supramania Swami constantly reminded me to do tavam for only then can he reach higher states he said. Velayudham Karthikeyan Aiya shared a beautiful message when he told me that when the late Sri Hanumathdasan Aiya passed away, his soul was placed in the Pothigai hills and that he was engaged in tavam. It was amazing to know that the soul that is used to performing an act or practice while in the physical form, as in tavam, upon leaving the mortal body, continues the practice. We are often told that the Siddhas continue to sit in tavam. Agathiyar is supposed to be in tavam praying for our wellbeing in this period of the pandemic.

That is the magnitude of the guru and his hold on the disciple, crossing over several births. The compassion of the Guru is boundless. As Sankara says of the human birth: first among the three rarest gifts obtained through God's grace are the human birth; followed by the longing for liberation; and finally discipleship to an illumined teacher, the guru is a gift to us. Treasure him.