Sriinaath Raghavan wrote on Fb that "The Universe is one great record keeper of acts and reactions, hence what we are today can also be due to what we were yesterday, in this form or another. That's why we often fall back to the past to search for solutions/problems pertaining to the present. We can't change the past, but we can go back and learn some of the lessons we have forgotten to learn."
"What you are is what you have been, what you will be is what you do now" goes the saying of the Buddha too.
"If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look at your present actions" says Padmasambhava.
Sriinaath wrote another related piece,
"I have never seen myself as a Guru or a Master, or even as someone Spiritually able or capable of anything whatsoever. But since childhood, I have loved to experiment with everything Occult, whatever was in my purview. Never have I stepped out of set boundaries, well aware of the repercussions it might unleash.
Since the last few weeks, I was terribly ill with intense bone-breaking pain and high body temperature. No matter what medications I took, it didn't subside. I had to do a few pujas and homes for some people, which I completed despite the burning temperature and pain. It so happened that one such family had a severe Naga Dosha, which was making their lives miserable. Constant sickness, animosity between the living blood relatives, joblessness, and everything that spelled slow doom. They approached us for a remedy and we instantly saw that it was Naga Dosha behind it all, by the very obvious looks of it.
We duly started a parihaara puja and homa for the Nagas, when in a few days, one of the family members of the client, had a vivid dream of a humongous multi-hooded Serpent, hissing angrily and wanting to inflict harm to the one dreaming. At that very moment of the strike, a small girl appeared from nowhere and started fondling the hissing Snake, offering it flowers and successfully calming it down. The Snake too suddenly started to shrink in size till it became too small to even notice. This surreal dream surely indicated the efficacy and success of the "kriya" undertaken.
That was not the end when an accomplished Devi Sadhaka called me up one morning and said, "I saw in a dream some Snakes complain about you to the Divine Mother. They were saying why is he coming in between us and those who have harmed us in the past. Their Ancestors had burnt us all alive, young and old included and that's when our Queen placed a curse on their progeny, for killing innocent Snakes. The pain he was experiencing to date was just to make him realize the truth. Pray tell him not to intervene with anyone's Karma, as He will have to partake some handful of it himself."I was shocked to hear it because I hadn't told anything to anyone and that friend rarely calls unless there is some emergency.
I did what I was asked to do as an act of seeking forgiveness and immediately my body pain which was very painful vanished without a trace today. I learned a few lessons today, one being if you are endowed with some ability, consider it to be a great responsibility, and before using it, weigh all the options, what we call "Stakeholder Analysis" to properly infer who all are going to get affected and how."
Indeed Tavayogi warns about messing with others' karma. Reading his story, I remembered Agathiyar telling a friend to back off from helping others finish their parikaram. I messaged Sri about what we have seen regarding karma and parikaram, much that I learned from my friend and his experiences with karma and parikaram. He who took many places both locally and to India to fulfill their karma was told by Agathiyar that if he makes it easy for them he shall face the consequences. He would at times gather everything for them and they would just attend the ritual or "ceremony". Agathiyar warned him of the consequences of his action in aiding, nay taking everything upon himself. The idea in dishing out remedies is to burn one's karma by walking the distance, taking an effort, and facing and going through hardship in completing it. One's karma is reduced, based on the physical exhaustion and tiredness as a result of hiking up the hills for instance. Together with contemplation and continuous prayers, karma is eventually reduced. So man in seeing through his remedies has to personally go through the trouble of gathering the things needed, listed or told in the Nadi, making the arrangements, and taking the effort in seeing through the ritual or walk the distance for his karma to be partially ridden while with the prayer and blessings and grace of the divine, the rest of it too is taken care of. If someone else simplifies and makes it easy for them the purpose of parikaram or the remedy is purposeless. Many have been bitten though their intention was good including my friend.
Many a time, Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar have extolled the significance of the Kallar hills where their former ashram the Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham was situated at its foothills. Kallar is mentioned in Agathiyar 12,000 too. Agathiyar further reveals Kallar in the Jeeva Nadi in the possession of Nadi Guru Ganeshan of Thanjavur. In speaking about karma and pilgrimage, Agathiyar explains the significance of the hills. Generally, the prime significance of the hills is the abundance of herbs that grows and is available in these regions. A herb or a tree that grows in these hills is 100 times more potent than those grown or found on the plains. Taking into consideration this matter and also for the benefit of mankind and his well-being, temples were built on top of these hills, and man was directed to pray at these temples to reap these benefits. Agathiyar explains the benefits of walking and hiking. By walking, man tends to rejuvenate all his 22,000 odd nerves in his body. A daily routine of going up and coming down the hills will definitely be beneficial. This is the physical benefit gained. Those unable to hike up these hills could use other means or facilities. Exceptions are given for instance in the case of a man who was bedridden for two years, Agathiyar had his relatives perform the numerous parikaram he gave.
Agathiyar reveals another aspect of these Kallar hills too, "Kallar is the place to quickly reduce the curses and sins and karma of one's past births and also of their ancestors".
Devotees were asked to go to Kallar ashram after having read the Sri Gnanaskandar Jeeva Nadi in Coimbatore. In a reading by a Skandar Upasagar, Lord Murugan revealed about Tavayogi and his ashram at Kallar. The devotees were directed to Kallar to receive Agathiyar and Tavayogi’s blessings. Again Agathiyar specifically mentions that Kallar Hills is the place to drastically and quickly reduce the karma done in the past births, even karma done by the forefathers, and rid of one's curses.
இந்தக் கல்லாறு மலை அதி சீக்கிரம்
பூர்வ ஜென்ம பாவங்கள்,
முன்னோர்களின் பாவங்கள்,
சாபங்கள் குறைத்து கொள்ள ஏற்ற இடம்
After the tsunami of 2004 hit the coastline of many countries, Tavayogi intensified and expanded the annual ritual of lighting the sacrificial fire originally held to commemorate the Jayanthi of Agathiyar to include the welfare of the state too. Later in 2015, he had people register to sit at individual Homams and conduct the 108 Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam. But as they needed to be guided on the procedure, sequence, and timings, and due to insufficient volunteers to stand by and guide them, he opted to return to carrying out one single comprehensive Yagam for the benefit of all of creation in subsequent years. Tavayogi took the initiative and trouble to perform this ritual annually for the sake of devotees helping them 'burn' away their karmas besides pleasing Mother Nature. Tavayogi initiated me to start performing the Homam in my home to coincide with that at Kallar. Agathiyar mentions in my Nadi reading later that though by conducting it, it was possible to rid of one's karma, the ritual had the potential to bring good to the world. Much more can be said of the benefits of this fire ritual. Read further in "Feeding the Flames."
Agathiyar starts off with almost everyone who comes for a Nadi reading by revealing their karma that takes them to specific temples with instructions to perform specific atonements or parikarams. For those who came to Agathiyar for a solution to their problems and miseries, he spells out many remedies which include and again take them on pilgrimages to holy spots, temples, Siddha samadhis, Siddha caves, etc. The most compassionate father sends his devotees on these pilgrimages for various other reasons too. He and the Siddhas amaze these devotees by guiding and accompanying them on their journeys and throwing in miracles and giving darshans.
So was it that besides the other temples, I was asked to visit Agasthiyampalli where Agathiyar promised to open his eyes. He fulfilled his promise.
Agathiyar had his favorite daughter Jnana Jyothiamma go places where she was bestowed with his grace and that of other Siddhas and God.
Surendaran Selvaratnam from Malaysia was invited personally to Pothigai Peak by Agathiyar in a Jeeva Nadi reading at Kallar. Agathiyar in the Jeeva Nadi reading called him over, telling him that he would personally give him a helping hand to climb and overcome the treacherous and slippery boulders. Agathiyar added that Korakar would accompany them, giving Suren the confidence to hike up to Pothigai peak. Surendaran successfully and safely climbed the peak. Agathiyar held on to Bala Chandran when he slipped on the slippery boulders traveling with others. A fallen tree gave way to them by sinking further into the ground allowing access for them to cross over. Read further at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2015/09/seeking-agathiyars-grace-part-1.html
Srimathi Nalini of Chennai too went on a pilgrimage as directed by Agathiyar. She wrote, "In Jeeva Naadi (read at Kallar) Agathiyar ayya asked me to visit Pabanasam, then Agathiyar aruvi, Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma ashram and his moolasthanam at Kalyana Theertham. Next, he asked me to visit Coutralam. He asked me to come to Senbagadevi aruvi." Agathiyar promised her his darshan and blessing at Shenbaga Devi Aruvi. He told her that adjacent to the Senbaga waterfall at there is a cave in which he resides as a Vaasikol or the stick that the Siddhas place under their arm to regulate their breath. He told her to touch it with the top of her head. ("Senbagadevi aruvi karai oram nan irukken en kugai undu en vaasi kol undu adhai un sirasil thottu vanagu"). Read further at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2015/02/agathiyars-call.html
For those who came to Agathiyar for a solution to their problems and miseries, Agathiyar through his favorite son the late Jeeva Nadi Guru of Chennai Amarar Hanumathdasan spelled out many similar remedies. Agathiyar most graciously delivers Bhogar's remedy for Aids to an individual who sought out Agathiyar's Jeeva Nadi at http://siththanarul.blogspot.com/2014/05/173.html, Agathiyar instructs him to carry out atonement for each member of his family to remove their past karma and only then to undertake a journey to Sathuragiri or Pothigai where certain herbs were available for preparing the Siddha medication prescribed by Bhogar and elaborated in detail by Agathiyar. Besides dictating and directing others on pilgrimages, Agathiyar had Amarar Hanumathdasan himself go to numerous temples where Agathiyar would reveal a thing or two.
Raman Nambiar, after performing the last rites for his wife, headed for Tunjathu Ramanujar’s samadhi and sat in meditation. Then he continued his meditation at the Panjavarnam Cave in Palani. After Siddha Bhogar appeared in front of him and gave him an initiation, he left on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas in 1910. He returned from the Himalayas in 1913 as Gnana Pitha Shivananda Paramahansa. In 1914, he went on a pilgrimage throughout India. He was in Pavanagar, Peshawar, Tirusoor, Savakadu, and Kadathanadu before establishing the Samapanthi Bhojana Sangam in 1921. Gnana Pitha Shivananda came to Malaya in 1937 and set up the Siddha Vidhya Sangam in Setapak in Kuala Lumpur before returning back to India just before Malaya gained her independence.
Tavayogi after completing his pilgrimage through the length and breadth of India settled in Sathuragiri before heading for Kallar which was shown by Agathiyar to start his ashram. Yogi Ramsuratkumar had gone on a pilgrimage around India some 7 times before settling for good in Tiruvannamalai. Lord Muruga made Arunagiri of Thiruvannamalai go to several abodes of his, giving him precious gifts and upadesa at these spiritual spots at timely moments.
Devotees of Neem Karoli Baba or Maharajji shared many interesting facts on pilgrimages in "Miracle of Love." It is written that,
"Maharajji, again and again, sent us on specific pilgrimages. For us, it often felt as if we were merely being sent “away,” but perhaps there was more. … And Maharajji very much encouraged such pilgrimages through example and instruction. While on one of his walks at the Kumba Mela site, Maharajji asked that his devotee pick up the dirt and smear it over him, justifying that “Saints have been coming here for thousands of years. Dada, take the dirt and touch your head.”
A beautiful definition of a pilgrimage is given at https://www.pilgrimswaycanterbury.org/why-pilgrimage/
"Pilgrimage can be a life-changing, transformational experience. A time of letting go of the old to let the new come in. Pilgrims don’t merely visit a place as tourists, they come away inspired and changed by it in some way. Going on pilgrimage may give us a new sense of awareness and wonder. Or result in a greater sense of our life’s purpose. Pilgrimage helps to illuminate the journey of life by helping us to focus on ‘what really matters' and to rediscover the joy of giving and generosity. And to have a greater appreciation for life’s gifts."
True to the above, I came back inspired, energized, and changed too. When I was with Tavayogi I learned to give and discovered the joy in giving. I do appreciate life better now. A new sense of wonder and awareness came over me too. I had a new purpose in life too. Many return a changed person after going on these pilgrimages.
Sriinaath had written earlier on Fb regarding pilgrimages.
"Why undertake Pilgrimage, when God is everywhere?" asked someone.
He answered, "Pilgrimage is not to go in search of God, but it is to experience humanity, in its starkest reality, so one can become a better human being..."
While on pilgrimage to Triyambak, we saw different shades of the same reality, which different devotees go through differently. Brahmagiri is a sacred Hill, but not many decide to undertake the treacherous trek, especially in the Monsoon, as it's too steep and dangerously slippery due to constantly flowing spring water at every intermittent flight of steps. Many who climb the Brahmagiri, abandon their quest mid-way, due to various reasons. Honestly, we too faced the same predicament, but due to my brother's dogged insistence and despite my frail health, we somehow managed to make it to the top, even after the Sun bid us adieu. At some point, we too were ruminating to abandon the trek midway and that's when we saw a couple, the Husband disabled in half the side of his body, due to a probable stroke, with the help of his strong Wife, climbed the slippery flight of stairs with great difficulty and devotion. Seeing their determination, we pushed ourselves to do the same and continued North, instead of going South.
A Pilgrimage is not to seek God, but it is to discover the strength and determination of one's real Self, which beautifully comes out through the help of unexpected difficulties and challenges that the pilgrimage throws at you. When you face all of them in the right spirit, trust me, many gates of boundless grace, and invaluable lessons of Nature's Compassion open up to the Pilgrim, making him/her mute in awe. It powerfully renews their faith in the hands of the supremely intelligent and equally caring providence, that we call God! A pilgrimage is to bring out the best in yourself, by experiencing the worst. A true pilgrimage is that which leads you to yourself. When you undertake a pilgrimage, you gradually lose yourself to fate, realizing that there is a Higher Power that is taking care of you at every step. Once you become fully aware of this Higher power, that's when the real essence of the pilgrimage will come forth - Surrender. Then when you come back to the world and the worldly, nothing will have the power to distract you, for you'll be then firmly rooted in Truth.
All the sufferings and miseries that Tavayogi and his able aid and disciple Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar had to face made them stronger. Because of their indisputable faith and belief in Agathiyar, they were in a position to administer 'medicine' to the 'sick' and 'faint at heart', who come along to their ashram. With a little dose of 'hope', in the form of a magical mantra, "Potrinaal Unathu Vinai Agalum Appa", Tavayogi and Mataji help those who sought a solution just as Agathiyar had spelled out in his 5 tenets. Agathiyar asks mankind to help man, animals, plants, and minerals rise up the ladder of evolution. We are told to do service and charity to others. We were glad that we had taken up doing it.
But isn't that messing or interfering with their fate and destiny? Like the devotee who took the task of renewing old temples saw a tragic end. Agathiyar said it was not his task. So where do we draw the line? It is so grey. Putting this question to Sriinaath he replied,
"Namaskaram ayya, It is said that unless you don't burn your finger in the fire, you won't really know. I guess it was my time to burn my fingers, although the intention was purely compassionate basis, as many of their present and past generations suffered a lot due to this. Nothing is permanent, not even suffering, but when it becomes too much to carry then God intervenes, like in the case of Harishchandra Maharaja or Gajendra the Elephant King. I understand that suffering is a way of expending one's Karma as much as the chanting of the Divine Name, but there is a certain set of Karma Dosha, which are nothing but the stubbornness of beings who exhibit human-like qualities. Despite whatever one does, they fail to get appeased and forgive the mistakes of the past generations, for which the present one has to take the impact head-on. This is where it all leads to... For there has to come someone, a Tapasvi, who can mitigate the Karmas of the past, through the power of his/her Tapas and set the suffering free, based on their time and repentance. I guess that's Guru Kripa, and for the people like us, who are neither here nor there, it is best to pray with a sincere heart, to lessen the burden of others, so all can be at peace."