When Goddess Ma came and told me that the vessel or kamandalam of water that she held in her hands was that from the Ganges that flowed from the tresses of Lord Shiva and was gifted to me I told her I could connect with Ramalinga Adigal's song "Arutprakasa Maalai" where the saint sings 100 stanzas ending with how the Lord came in the wee early morning hours walking the distance till his feet became red and sore and knocked his door to pass something in his hands. To this Ma said it was given because I had no expectations. Earlier when Ramalinga Adigal came on 14.5.2020 he too had mentioned "Whenever you say it is enough you shall tend to gain more." Ramalinga Adigal says it beautifully "போதும் என்ற மனமே பொன் செய்யும் மருந்து. நீ போதும் என்று சொல்லும் நிலை உன்னை அறியாமல் நீ பெற்றுக்கொண்டுதான் இருக்கிறாய்."
I guess contentment is the key factor here. Being contented brings on a sense of satisfaction. Being satisfied would mean our efforts would come to a stop. Surrender then surfaces. With total surrender, we then see through their play. I guess this is Summa Eruppathu or remaining still. Being contented with the life given, we are then used for their purpose if the need arises. No karma becomes attached to these actions then. If we do move it is because of them.
Tavayogi was one such candidate whose life took a change after he surrendered to Agathiyar. My brother interviewed him for the English daily THE NEW STRAITS TIMES, MALAYSIA where he was working when Tavayogi came to town in 2005.
June 16, 2005, The Cittar Balance by A. KATHIRASEN
They are the Cittars, who gave the world Siddha medicine, and their teachings revolve around the mind, the breath, and ethical living. A. KATHIRASEN catches up with Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, a follower of the Cittar philosophy.
He was the owner of a factory making singlets, a successful businessman but at the age of 50 he gave it all up, including his wife and three children, and began a new life as a thuravi, a wandering monk. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Tamil Nadu, India, wanted to stay far away from people and work on his spiritual growth. So he selected a hill deep in the jungle in Kallaru and built a hut for his home and meditation.
Having studied the works of the scientist-mystics known as the Cittars from his early years, he decided to follow their ways. He practiced the techniques taught by the Cittars and meditated. Adigal renounced family life and all worldly attachments at the age of 50 and became a ‘thuravi’.
The Cittars (also pronounced Siddhas) are realised souls who lived simple lives. They believed that man was essentially immortal. Apart from teaching the art of living a balanced life, the Cittars devised methods to stimulate cell regeneration so that one could remain young.
The traditional Siddha medicinal system, now gaining in popularity in Malaysia, was evolved by the Cittars who had written treatises about diseases and their cures long before the advent of modern medicine. Many of the poems and songs of the Cittars are shrouded in secret codes that only initiates can comprehend.
Although there have been many Cittars, 18 are particularly revered and Agathiar is the most famous of them. He was the foremost disciple of the first Cittar, Subramaniar.
“Historians give various dates as to when the Cittars lived,” Adigal says, seated in front of large pictures of Subramaniar, Agathiar and Ramalinga Swamigal at the Sri Agathiar Gyana Peedam in Batu Caves.
Adigal, 78, was making his second visit to Malaysia, this time to launch the Sri Agathiar Gyana Peedam, a centre dedicated to the service of mankind, in Batu Caves.
Agathiar, also spelt Agastya, is one of India’s most famous Cittars. There are accounts of him having travelled to Southeast Asia in the hoary past.
“Some of the very old stories mention the Cittars. Agathiar, for instance, is found in both the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
“But don’t assume that the Cittars are dead and gone.
“They are very much present. I have had many amazing experiences that I can’t talk about, but believe me, they live. But not necessarily in bodily form.”
Legends abound about Cittars who evaporated into thin air or travelled to places such as China and the Middle East where they taught the locals there.
The Cittars teach how man can become a divine being. They set out certain techniques, the most basic and effective of which is Astanga Yoga which is often associated with the Cittar Patanjali.
Astanga Yoga, or eight-limbed yoga, teaches man how to live life, starting from body and ethical discipline to tuning and sharpening the mind to harmonising body and mind to seeing the sacred in everything.
“The Cittars say through yoga we can live well. The secret is in learning to live in balance.
“We must sharpen the mind so that the mind will help us rather than hinder us,” he says as he brushes upwards his grey moustache with the back of his right hand.
Born in Tiruppur, Adigal prepared his wife and children for his new life. He left only after providing for their needs. His family members visit him now and then.
“A few become thuravi like me but the Cittars say you can lead a good life with the family.
“The secret is to live in the world, enjoying things without becoming attached to them. Like the lotus which is not made wet by the water.
Astanga Yoga, he says, helps achieve this.
“Yogasana, makes the body strong and supple and pranayama (yogic breathing) helps keep the internal organs clean and healthy.
“Other aspects of Astanga Yoga help purify the mind and sharpen the intellect.”
Adigal says in the old days kings and governments gave priority to emotional, intellectual and spiritual development. Today, everyone is concerned with material development, about economic figures and forecasts.
“In the past, they used histories, poems and stories such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Harichandra Puraanam to teach: men were to live like Rama while women were to emulate Sita.
Everyone was to uphold honesty and integrity like Harichandra. This went deep into the people’s minds and a society of disciplined and virtuous people developed.
“A man’s word was his bond. They learnt not to be slaves to their desires. They learnt contentment.
“Today, things have changed.
“Governments stress the economy. Have we got a growing economy? How many millionaires have we created? Did we send satellites into space? Will people praise us?
“There is no effort to develop the mind, to sharpen the intellect. No effort to teach the art of thinking, the art of life.”
The world will be a better place if emphasis is also given to strengthening the mind, Adigal adds.
So why or how did Adigal, a hermit who has no money or property, first come to Malaysia 18 months ago.
Some inner stirring prompted him to ask a friend who was going to Malaysia to get him a ticket too. Some of his friends came up with the airfare and money for the trip.
“I don’t know what made me do it,” says Adigal, who holds a Masters degree in Tamil Literature from the Annamalai University, with a twinkle in his eyes.
“I just felt an urge to come here and I came.”
It was a brief visit and he did not expect to return. But recently, several Malaysian devotees of the sage Agathiar sought out Adigal on the hill in the jungle and persuaded him to make a second visit to launch the centre in Batu Caves.
“Now, I have so many children here. Malaysians are so caring. Everywhere I go they give me food.
“In fact, they give me too much food. I am afraid that I might get used to the food and comfort here,” he laughs.
The sprightly Adigal is used to living on leaves and fruits he gathers from the jungle, and sometimes the rice and food that devotees bring to him.
He says: “You don’t know how lucky you are. There are many where I come from who are in desperate need of food.”
Despite his life of solitude on the hill, Adigal is involved with a group of hill tribe people who later settled in the area.
He could not remain aloof, looking at the plight of the hill tribe people. Assisted by two disciples, he helps provide food and gives the children school uniform and books, with money provided by devotees.
“I never intended to get involved in society. That was why I went to stay in the jungle,” he says with a pensive look.
“But my guru Agathiar has other plans for me. And that is also why I think, I was made to come to Malaysia.”
Saying this he ends his interview.
While others need to toil and work their way up the spiritual ladder Agathiyar has made it easy for us to accomplish and come to the state that everyone unknowingly seeks - the state of peace within and without. From Sariyai or simply put visiting the temples, he brought us to engage actively in Kriya, or the rituals that were once the domain of the priestly lot. He then came down as a friend in need, and soon moved house taking up residence in our home and hearts. He came down from his Godly state and moved in with us, walking with us, eating with us, sleeping with us. His touch slowly changed us and bestowed us with wonderful thoughts and things. He revealed his 5 tenets that summed up the purpose of coming here ending all the years of speculation, assumption, and false notions. He offered to bring us to greater heights in the public arena, but we chose to refuse the gifts fearing that fame and power would corrupt us too. Today he stands among us instead, leading us to greater heights - within. Even if we failed to touch, achieve or reach the measure or yardstick that he has placed for us, we shall not despair but remain contented.
I shared from https://www.intuitiveflow.com/spiritual-development/ the following and commented on these stages of Avastha on 16 July 2020.
1. In Arambha Avastha "They start experiencing Prana moving throughout their body and their senses of perception are enhanced."
2. In Ghata Avastha "The seed is decaying. It is a time of change and disruption. The yogi/ni is experiencing some resistance and pain whether is mental, physical or emotional. Their whole foundation is shaken or even collapsing as they are shaken to the core mentally and emotionally. The life that they have been living has outgrown its form. They go through a psychic death so that life force energy can be released in a new form." True to these words Agathiyar told me that I had stagnated at Svadisthana and came to give certain techniques to rise up further. Similarly, he gave others certain practices and techniques too. We are seeing a sudden urgency as Agathiyar takes the whip and disciplines us, hastening us, and asking us to show some seriousness in our practices.
3. In Paricaya Avastha we are told that "The seed is now germinating. There is a release of tension and uncertainty. Profound changes and new qualities are emerging. It is a time of deliverance. It is the beginning of a new path. Resistance is dispersed and rectification is happening naturally and easily." We have to wait and see these changes take place as we settle and promise to diligently follow Agathiyar's instructions on the Yogic practices.
4. Nispatti Avastha is where "The blossoming occurs. A new life begins filled with contentment and harmony. The yogi/ni is detached and the Sukha and Duhkha don’t affect them anymore. The yogi/ni submits to the will from above. They are no longer bound by old patterns and attain freedom and liberation." Again we need to wait and see if we qualify and blossom into this state.
Two years later we believe we have arrived there.