He was pretty quiet when he came over to AVM the first time, upon learning about Tavayogi's visit to our home from his daughter. But chose to stand outside throughout his stay. After everyone left he came in and sat with me and Tavayogi. But he hardly spoke to Tavayogi. Soon he visited us often. I came to know about him. He had gone in search of himself, visiting many masters and ashrams both locally and abroad since the age of 25, and finally returned home. He would come often and stay till late at night. During one of his visits, I passed him an audio Cd of Ramalinga Adigal's Arutperunjothi mantra. The next day his wife calls me telling me that her husband was acting strange. He had hardly slept the whole night long and kept vigil watching the moon and was acting like a lunatic pacing up and down the house. He played the Cd I gave him maximum volume. I and my wife hurried to their home. Indeed he was acting strange. We had no idea what was going on with him. We asked them over the next morning while I sought the help of someone I knew could help at least tell us what had gone wrong. Agathiyar came and released him of his agony. She went back happy. Later I chanced to meet them at the morning market. He had taken on a job and they were happy. I did not understand what transpired then. Today I believe that he had advanced to a certain state having spent many years in the company of many masters. The pent-up energies in him had to be released. But he never went back to these masters. He was like a rudderless ship. The Arutpa triggered the bliss in him. He connected with Ramalinga Adigal's song. As he was prepared to take the leap but his wife was not ready to let him go, Agathiyar had to delay his journey till she came to terms with it and accepted her husband's inner yearning.
An ardent young devotee who was so engaged in the worship of the Siddhas was told by him to cool off and turn his attention toward his responsibilities till the time comes when his wife allows him to continue his pursuit of the Siddha path. Similarly, he has given leeway or a break to many to carry out their responsibilities first or run after their desires and fulfill their wishes and hopes before they return to him. He seems to be in no hurry to haul them up, understanding these souls very well. But to some, he keeps reminding them to buck up. If they fail to listen he either pushes them down or injects pain in them so that they shall sit still. I guess time is a deciding factor here. This is how the Siddha lets go of the string that attaches him to householders until either one of the partners is prepared to let go of the other. Of course, he would be truly happy if both come to his path and remain.
Just as the teacher is strict for the good of the student, there is always a reason for the Siddha's actions or behaviors. When I sought to learn more about the Siddhas after reading the Nadi, I came across fellow aspirants who drew a grim picture of the Siddhas where some accused them of breaking up families while others concluded that the Siddhas shall confuse us and chose to stay away. I wanted to know if that was true. I understand that most misunderstood the Siddhas and their actions. The Siddhas only meant well. Throughout the years of worship to the Siddhas, my love for them only increased never diminishing. I saw them in action at every moment in our lives and those who chose to believe them. The Siddhas never let us down though it might seem so at that moment. The Siddhas never condoned confrontation. They had their ways of accomplishing things. One needs to understand a Siddha.
I never went in search though I read a lot and tried to implement or put into practice what I read be it the foods recommended or Yoga or the methods of puja and the songs of praise. I never went looking for a guru or master as I did not know about them until I read Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. I would wait in line to meet the visiting Swamiji's to get their blessings when they made their rounds to the temples to give talks. My worship was centered around temples and home puja then. And so when Agathiyar invited me to come to the worship of the Siddhas I did just that. Traveling their path I never had a goal, ambition or a dateline. I continued with whatever Yoga I learned from the books when Agathiyar began to give me techniques and practices to follow. Later after meeting Tavayogi he showed us a set of practices that I followed. Agathiyar tells me what Tavayogi gave was a treasure. I did not realize that these practices had opened up my Muladhara Chakra in 2007 until Agathiyar told me. Agathiyar continued to give me more Pranayama techniques in the Nadi and Patanjali guided me on the diet to follow. In late 2019 he brought all our activities of puja and charity to a halt and asked us to go within. In 2020 he tells me that both my Muladhara and Svadhistana Chakras were opened. The next phase was to take place. He said "All this while you saw to your needs in this world. Now you shall undertake an internal journey. I shall relate what needs to be done to realize your purpose in coming here." He started me doing the Yoga practices Tavayogi showed after having me stop doing it when I had pain in my back in 2010. He said I had stagnated in worldly affairs. He continued, "You cannot possibly break the shackle alone. Hence follow the practices that I am to give you. Reduce your involvement in outside activities. Sit before me and meditate. During this moment carry out the cleansing breath as taught by your guru. Just the important ones. You shall sense a coolness within. Remain silent in these moments. Focus on your breath. Your breath shall touch the Suzhimunai and swirl. Travel along your seven chakras. That journey shall awaken your chakras. After traversing these chakras when it touches the seventh you shall know your purpose here. This is the right time to start this practice." Agathiyar's aid and companion Ramalinga Adigal coming to us on 14.5.2020 gave me more techniques. He asked me "Have you understood the purpose of asking to go within? Do your experience change within your body? This is only the start. Effort is needed. You shall lay the stepping stones and progress at your pace." He continued, "What you are doing currently is wonderful. Continue with it. Watching your breath is right. You are changing its flow correctly. Continue with it. You are on the first step. Prana moving in you is itself Pranava Degam. When you sense the Pranavam you shall question yourself if the Pranam is traveling in you or if you are hitching on it and traveling in it. When you reach that state you shall have the answer. That moment shall be one of extreme bliss. Go deep within this bliss. There is more. There is much to learn. You have my blessings. I shall travel with you till you reach the destination. I shall accompany those who go deep within. Follow your breath. Place the effort and you shall reach the destination."
The next phase that they spoke about came as an extraordinary happening that took place on 22 August 2022. As I woke up and stretched in bed I felt a nerve tug below my belly button. I felt a sudden burst of energy in my belly. A sudden swirl of energy was released in my abdomen bringing on a cold feeling throughout my body. I felt nauseous and my whole body became numb to the fingertips. Then I had to pee and ease myself. For fear that I would pee in bed, I got up to go to the toilet. I fell twice but picked myself up. It soon subsided. Towards night the top of my head was cool. The next day, I woke up to go to the loo but I could not piss. I fainted again. I pulled myself onto the bed. My body became numb from the shoulders down. I lay like a dead log on my bed. I could not move an inch of my body. But I was aware of what was happening to me. I asked myself if this was what a dead body would feel like.
Seeking answers to what had taken place, we placed a request before Agathiyar to clear the air. And he did. He told me the following. There was nothing to worry about. If previously he had told me that energy had stagnated what I understood to be at Svathisthana and Tavayogi had told me that our effort is only till this chakra and that they shall come and lead us on from there, the dammed waters were released now. But since the chakra was activated late in life the blood is affected said Agathiyar. When the chakras are activated late in life it would have some adverse results on our bodies. When the heat of tapas increases in our body, blood flow will be less bringing on numbness. This would result in urinary and excretion problems. The blood count will tip the scale. As it worried me and my wife, Agathiyar asked to go for a Medical checkup. He did treat me too by dipping my hands into a bowl of lukewarm water to the accompaniment of my family chanting the Arutperunjothi mantra. He ran his hands along my back and spine and placed his hands on my head and applied the sacred ash over my body. The transfer of energy or Shaktipat that they gave each time they came within a devotee eased our pain and removed the obstacles and dangers. It hastened and simplified our journey. The treasures that many seek were brought and placed at our doorsteps. I never went in search of a path. The path came to my door through the Nadi reading. I did not venture into the jungles and stay in the caves. I did not dig a hole and meditate in it. I did not hold my breath in Kumbhaka. I have never fasted in my life. I never did any penance. But yet the Yoga fell on my lap. I was gifted it. It reminds me of Ramalinga Adigal's song "Arutprakasa Maalai" where he sings that his guru walked up to his door and gave him treasures. I was blessed to have him pass me this treasure too. I am blessed that I have been given another chance to attempt to get it right at least this time and board the right bus to his kingdom. I am blessed that he wants me to share my story and my experiences with others. What could one ask for further?