Finally, Agathiyar has revealed in simple terms to simpletons like us the purpose of taking birth, the meaning of life, and the purpose of this journey. It is nothing new but has been mentioned and achieved by many saints before us. We know of it but were never committed to the course for the lure of pleasure was too great to ignore, so we kept postponing the journey. I guess there are three questions one could ask of one coming to the path of the Siddhas. We could ask someone how he came to the path, and next when he came and finally the BIG question is why he came. Many are clueless. One might just be following another and be a passive witness. Another might come out of curiosity to know. Another might come in his quest for answers, to deepen his knowledge or seek advanced methods and practices, etc. As in any race, many back off or remain behind, though this is not a chase or a race, many seem to lag behind on the path, giving attention to things that come flying their way. Many choose to put off the task given by Agathiyar for another day. But when Agathiyar tells us to begin, for instance, a venture when told, குறித்த நேரத்தில் செய்யும் அனைத்தும் ஜெயம் it only means that constellations are in their right places bringing on success; people are placed to help and assists you; and the environment is conducive and productive. Delay it and you are not assured that things will fall into place again.
Tavayogi in referring to Agathiyar's "Sowmiya Saagaram" states our mission here is to understand the origin and end of Param or Para Sorupam or Siva or Siva Rupaa Rupam or Vettavezhi, the void that shines as Jothi. One who has attained the knowledge of the secrets of the Vettavezhi Prapancham will transform their physical form into a subtle form, and settle in the Jothi that is the source of the subtle too.
வெட்டவெளி பிரபஞ்ச ரகசியம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள் தன்னுடைய தூல உடலைச் சூட்சுமமாகி அந்தச் சூட்சும உடலுக்கு ஆதாரமாக மற்றும் காரணமாக இருக்கின்ற முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருக்கின்ற ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாக இருப்பார்கள்.
Tavayogi explains further that when Siva initiated creation in association with the Jothi that stood as Paraaparam, Sivam came forth from the Param neither with form nor formless, registering itself only as a sound. The first sound created was sustained in space. From Siva came Sakti. Sound (Natham), Sivam, and Sakti, identified as AUM, gave forth seven forms namely: Sivam, Sakti, Sadasivan, Maheswaran, Rudran, Vishnu, and Brahma. The manifestations of the divine energy that takes various forms for its purposes are from the one source and finally merge into it once it serves its purpose. That source is light or Jothi or Sivan.
A friend and a reader of this blog sent me the following message some time back.
I read your post on Jyothi. Some time ago, Amma (Krishnaveni Amma of Kalyana Theertam) spoke about Lord Shiva as effulgence itself. That was how He stood at Tiruvannamalai,...A pillar of light. His true nature. But, how could the rest of Creation visualise Him? The light as we know it, is impure. The internal jyothi that the Masters want us to "see", is the same effulgence, and, is pure. Creation comes forth from the Divine Mother, and for any creation to take place, it needs space and time to incubate, mature and be released. Such is the nature of the Divine Mother. She is the heat, of that effulgence. Together, as Lord Arthanareeswara, they incubate and bring forth Creation. All possible forms and sources of light in the cosmos has heat, as an indispensable accompaniment. He, in His pure form , is pure effulgence. Out of His infinite Grace, He brings forth Shakthi, and begins Creation, for our salvation.
The source and end are the same, that of coming from Light and returning to it. This is the gist of this journey. As growing children, we saw our parents light up an oil lamp and pray to multifold paintings of Gods and Goddesses placed at the altar in our family home. Later when we started our own families we followed suit. Visiting the temples we saw lamps lit everywhere. We prayed to the idols in these temples. We lit oil lamps at these various sannadhis of the various deities too asking for favors. Our ancestors included the sun and the moon in their prayers since these were sources of light too. We still have elders bring their palms together in prayers when the lights are switched on in the homes. Coming to worship Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue in my home he asked that devotees light up oil lamps and place before him their wishes. Coming to Supramania Swami he told me to keep the flame from the oil lamp at my altar burning continuously as he shall watch me through the flame! He was in Tiruvannamalai and I was in Kuala Lumpur! Coming to Tavayogi he had me start lighting the homam in my home. It is a smaller version of the Yagam or Yagna lit in temples. When the Siddhas visited us they had the oil lamp in our prayer room brought up to take center stage and had us kindle it so that it burns large and bright. Ramalinga Adigal came to ask us to kindle the flame within us through chanting the Maha Mantra Arutperunjothi. Adigal himself had built the Satya Gnana Sabai and advocated the worship of the flame that he had lit in the Sabai. Just before he left his mortal frame and himself became light he had the oil lamp that he had in his room in Siddhi Valagam in Mettukuppam placed outside and told those gathered to worship it. Everything is centered around the light.
In 2018 Lord Murugan asked me to build a temple for him. As questions ran through my mind as to why he wanted another temple as he already had many, Lord Murugan told me that though there are many temples for him in Malaysia, he was portrayed differently. He said I shall show him in a different light. எனக்கு நீ ஆலயத்தை அமைக்க வேண்டும். நிற்கவே இம்மண்ணில் எந்தனுக்கு ஆலயமும் அமைத்து உள்ளார். என்னை வேறு விதமாய் காட்டித்தான் வைத்துள்ளார். என்னை நீ காட்டுகின்ற காட்சி வேறு. In the most recent visitation of his, I understood from Agathiyar what Lord Murugan meant then. It is clear now.
Agathiyar who had encouraged me to write all these years தக்கதொரு எழுதிடுவாய் சித்த மார்க்கம் பற்றி. எழுத வைப்போம் சிந்தையிலே கலந்து நாங்கள். கருணையுடன் கருத்துகளை உலகிற்குப் பரப்பிக் கருணையான நிலை தன்னை பலர் அடையச் செய்தாய். உண்மையான மார்க்கத்தை உலகிற்கு ஓதி உயர் நிலையைப் பலர் அடைய வைத்தவன் நீ. அருள் நிலைகள் பெற்றிருக்கின்றார் பல மாந்தரும். மாற்றங்கள் பலர் அடையக் காரணமாய் இருந்தாய். இந்தத் தேசத்தில் சத்தமின்றி அகத்தியரைப் பலருக்கு நீ காட்டினாய் அப்பா. உன் தொண்டை மெச்சுகின்றேன்.
Recently he told me "enough of writing about him" and instructed me to write about the experiences taking place within me henceforth so that those who worship the Light and yearn to become it shall know what to anticipate and encounter on this journey.
I understand what Agathiyar meant in his Nadi reading on 28.3. 2015 where he says நீ உலகில் என் ஜோதியைப் பெற்று விட்டாய். தேகத்தில் மாற்றங்கள் பெற்று இருக்காய். அகத்துக்குள் அகத்தின் ஜோதி பெருகி தேகத்தில் பல மாற்றம் பல சக்தி கிட்டி முனை திரண்டு இருப்பாயே.
Swami Saravanananda in this book, an English translation of Ramalinga Adigal’s "Aruperunjhoti Agaval" published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, writes, "At whatever age the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body-frame. The Divine Light seems to change the very cell of the body, ..."
The inward journey begins the very moment one becomes aware of the divine presence working through him. He then surrenders to the will of God, hence surrendering the sheath of his intellect or Vinjnanamaya Kosham. Once aware of the divine presence, "he has already begun the transformational process and surrendered the sheath of the intellect or Vinjnanamaya Kosham where the analytical or intellectual component of the being is fully informed by the divine light attributes, accumulating experiences and knowledge enlightened by the higher deeper aspects of self. As the intellect undergoes this transformation, the mental sheath or Manomaya Kosham, associated with the senses, is similarly transformed. As the divine attributes of the Atma that manifest in the very subtle sheath of bliss or Anandamaya Kosham comes to be known, a subtle transformation begins in the very subtle part of the being. All his experiences and knowledge are then tailored to teach him the higher and deeper aspects of the Atma. The teachings that were focused on gaining experience in life and knowledge for living in the physical world, shift to that of knowing the Atma and one's true purpose and mission. He becomes well-informed and knowledgeable not through the normal means of attaining them but informed by the divine attributes within him.
We are told that when the divine light descends into the sheath of energy or Pranayama Kosham,
"The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever prospering body is called the subtle body or the body of Omkar or Pranava body."
Swami Saravanananda writes that when the transformation of the Pranava body is completed the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana deham) starts.
Though it might seem like the effulgence had come within through our efforts, rituals, worship, dharma, etc, in reality, no matter how much effort is placed in the spiritual field things are only possible with divine grace. If I have arisen to this stage it is not my doing but the 40 years of collective merits of the tapas and austerities of my first guru Supramania Swami that inherited and the blessings of Tavayogi and the grace of the Siddhas and the divine. I would return to dust to be tramped upon if I claimed that it was solely my effort that I rose to this state. It's only with the grace of the divine can man come to him. His efforts minus the divine grace go nowhere. The Divine Light awakens the Atma and draws the veil aside. The Atma shows itself. The Atma then takes the lead, provided we surrender the "I". It takes over the wheels. The Atma is now captain of the ship and helps us stay clear of the rapids, whirlpools, and rocks, bringing us to calm waters. As peace and calm settle in, the journey back home begins.
Marshall Govindan in his book "Babaji and the Eighteen Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition", 1991, Kriya Yoga Publications (Reg), 196 Mountain Road, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec, Canada, reproduced with permission via e-mail), details the format, nature, and extent of devotion that was exemplified by Ramalinga Adigal.
"He (Ramalinga Adigal) sings that one has to think incessantly until he feels and melts with love for God. In such a melting mood one bursts into tears and sings the praise of god and soothing warmth is produced in the aspirant. When this universal love and sacred warmth develops, the body, as well as the soul, became prepared for the descent of grace, in the form of light." Ramalinga Adigal came later to help us to enhance the Jothi in us by asking us to travel with the breath. "Let the Jothi burn brightly within you. Put in the effort. To those who are aware, I shall come within." That is the only thing that they expect from us. It will bring us to merge in the Jothi.
உமது பிரணவத்தை கொண்டு செல்லு. முயற்சி செய். ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். ஜோதியோடு கலப்பாய். உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்வரை நான் உன்னோடு வருவேன். ஆழ்ந்து இருப்போருடன் நான் சேர்ந்து இருக்கிறேன்.
Agathiyar told us to follow the Magnetic Wave that prevails in these moments where we remain connected. உங்களுக்குள் ஒரு காந்த அலை அதனோடு பயனீங்கள். Tavayogi asks us to reach out to those who have worshipped the Jothi to reach the state of Jothi eventually. Only those who have been there can tell us the means and methods to it. Agathiyar reveals to his student Pulastyar that the Siddhas are in the form of Jothi, in the Jothi, and as the Jothi and, that Jothi is Sivan.
கருணையுள்ள தவப்பெரியோர்கள் ஆகிய சிவஞானம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள், அதாவது வெட்டவெளி பிரபஞ்ச ரகசியம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள் பெருமையை வாய்விட்டுச் சொல்ல முடியாது. அவர்களெல்லாம் தன்னுடைய தூல உடலைச் சூட்சுமமாகி அந்தச் சூட்சும உடலுக்கு ஆதாரமாக, காரணமாக, இருக்கின்ற, முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருக்கின்ற, ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாகி இருப்பார்கள். இந்தப் பூமியில் சிவயோகியாக வந்து அவதரிப்பார்கள் என்று அகத்தியர் தன்னுடைய சௌமிய சாகரம் (111), தன்னுடைய மாணவனான புலத்தியருக்கு, ரிஷி முனிவர் பிறப்பைப் பற்றிக் கூறும்போது, கூறுகின்றார். சித்தர்கள் வெட்டவெளியில் ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாகக் கலந்து நின்று மரணமில்லாத பெருவாழ்வைப் பெற்று வாழ்கின்றார்கள்.
Ramalinga Adigal describes the Jothi to us as follows.
என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது....என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது....
The Jothi comes through Divine Grace.
திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது....என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது...
Layers upon layers of Jothi are shown by his Grace.
சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது...
From the smallest speck to the largest Effulgence.
ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது...என்னுள் அது ஏறும்போது திரை அது விலகியது...என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...
It is forever rising in me, drawing back the veil in each instance.
Ramalinga Adigal has on a couple of instances asked that we continue to hold on to the Holy Feet of "Appan Agathiyan" as he addresses Agathiyar. He went on to inform us that Agathiyar shall come within as the Jothi to draw the veil aside. Agathiyar shall set aside the veil that hides Arutperunjhoti from us, he promises. Agathiyar shall lead us to Arutperunjhoti. Since we came to Agathiyar and his path, he will be the guiding light, he says. He asks that we continue on his path saying, "His holy feet shall be salvation for you. He is all. Go deeper. He shall take care. He shall bring you to the light."
அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. நீபற்றிய பாதை அகத்தியனின் பாதை. நீபற்றிய பாதம் அகத்தியனின் பாதம். நீபற்றிய பாதம் உன்னைக் கரை தேற்றியது. இனி காண்பவை அவனை மட்டும். ஆழ்ந்து போ. அகத்தியன் பார்த்துக்குவான். அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான். திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் இருந்து வழி நடத்தி வருகிறார். அவன் வழியிலே நடந்து வாருங்கள். அத்திரை விலக்குவதற்க்கு அவன் அருள் புரிவான். அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான்.
We are blessed firstly to be called to the path. We are blessed to be given an opportunity to worship them. We are blessed to be admitted to their fold. We are blessed to have their Nadi and gurus in the physical form guide us. We are blessed that they choose to come to us and speak through others. Agathiyar remains a guiding light to us, then, now, and forever.