What a starry night it was yesterday. When stars take the center stage elsewhere here the Gods, Siddhas, and gurus took the stage in our humble home that Agathiyar regards as his Vanam. Lord Siva performed his Rudra dance for us at 12 midnight. Besides being a witness he had us encircle him and he reached out to each of us gathered around him and holding our hands he invited us along to dance. As Vicki Baum, an Austrian writer, and musician says "There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them" Lord Siva danced his way into our hearts bringing joy and tears in us in the light of the flickering oil lamp.
Prior to that during the first puja that started on the dot at exactly 6pm, Dhanvantri asked to know who shall be able to stay until 12 midnight and who has to leave early. He said an unseen show shall take place as the clock strikes 12. He said it is the day when Agathiyar and Lord Shiva shall perform the Rudra dance. Those who stay till then shall witness this show. During the moment of dance, the Prapanjam shall split and all the goodness and richness of the energies shall shower on us. As at that moment the breath too shall be irregular we were to rectify it beforehand.
காணாத திருகாட்சி இன்று நல் இரவில். இந்நாள் என் அப்பன் அகத்தியனும் சிவனும் ருத்ர தாண்டவம் ஆடும் நாள். நல் இரவில் இருப்போர் அதைக் காண்பிர்கள். சிவ தாண்டவத்தின்போது பிரபஞ்சமே பிளவு பெற்று எண்ணில் அடங்காச் சக்திகளை வாரிக் கொட்டும். அந்நேரம் உங்களின் வாசியும் தாண்டவம் ஆடும்.
He called in those who had to leave early and spoke to them. He healed several devotees. Bodily ailments are countered by dispensing Siddha medicine and if the need arises through Allopathy. He saw through the other bodies and directed some devotees to have their chakras and aura cleansed. He had some learn the Pranayama techniques Tavayogi taught me and that was taught to Mahin later. I understood that the Siddhas paid much attention to the control of the breath that ensured the well being of us. Later Agathiyar came and prepared those who could stay to receive the wealth of energies or shaktis. He had us carry out Naadi Sudhi and Vaasi payarchi or cleansing of the breath and alternate breathing to ensure the breath was flowing in both nostrils at the appointed time of delivery of the Shaktis. He had us meditate and do Kumbhaka or retention of the breath, for the first time for others. All these and many more have to happen before they even speak about Kundalini.
As Agathiyar had foretold when Lord Siva came we begged him to open the door as did Ramalinga Adigal in his song "Siva Yoga Nilai". He performed his dance bringing us to dance with him. This reminds me of the moment Ramalinga Adigal came before us for the very first time through a devotee. We saw that gravity had no hold on him. We had to grip him tight less he goes with the wind. He shared the state of his bliss with us by having us sing the Arutperunjothi mantra. Just as Adigal in the 56th stanza of his "Arutprakasa Malai" sang that Lord Siva came to his humble dwelling in the middle of the night and knocked on his door passing him something in his hands that we learned later was the Gnana kani or Fruit of Divine Wisdom, we too each received the same after Lord Siva ended his dance on Sivarathri.
56. அருள்விளங்கும் உள்ளகத்தே அதுஅதுவாய் விளங்கும்
அணிமலர்ச்சே வடிவருத்தம் அடையநடந் தருளிப்
பொருள்விளங்கா நடுஇரவில் நானுறையும் இடத்தே
போந்துதெருக் காப்பவிழ்க்கப் புரிந்தெனைஅங் கழைத்துத்
தெருள்விளங்கும் ஒருபொருள்என் செங்கைதனில் அளித்தாய்
சிவபெருமான் பெருங்கருணைத் திறத்தினைஎன் என்பேன்
மருள்விளங்கி உணர்ச்சியுறத் திருமணிமன் றிடத்தே
மன்னுயிர்க் கின்பருள வயங்குநடத் தரசே.
Another surprise was waiting for us too. While awaiting the time for the final abhisegam or libation as Agathiyar had instructed to be done at 3am, I played Sadhu Om's song "Unadhu Thiruvarule" set to music and rendered by Sriram Parthasarathy. Yogi Ramsuratkumar came and asked that that song be played again. He hugged each of us and spoke to us in English. I related my experience of hearing him sing along with my guru Supramania Swami and me at Swami's kudil in 2005. He told me "When the disciple prays the guru shall come" referring to that moment when he came out of his samadhi and joined Swami in prayer. I was blessed to be present. Indeed he told me that I was blessed as Supramani Swami was with him yesterday.
Today after 4 years of apprenticeship under Supramania Swami and 13 years under Tavayogi in the physical form and to this day in their subtle form, Agathiyar wants me to travel the path of the guru. He says it is my guru's wish that many more Agathiyar Vanam mushrooms in the homes of Malaysian devotees. Though I doubt my own ability to carry out this humongous task I believe that they believe in me and that I can do it. I depend on their grace to see through it.