Why do we need a guru? Though there may be numerous reasons given one that stands out is that the guru supervises the practices given. For instance, when Agathiyar told Mahindren to show all those gathered around the Vaasi and Asana techniques, hence initiating them into Yoga, both my daughters were exempted. The elder was in her early stages of pregnancy while the young had just had a procedure done to her eye. Now when the doctors certified that her eye had healed well, Agathiyar told her to learn from me and put into practice these said techniques. I initiated her this morning. Similarly when I hurt my back in 2010 Agathiyar said that the practice had activated the Kundalini that resulted in a ripple effect. He asked to stop all further practice. Then he came along to ask me to continue it when he told me to go within in 2019. So too did he ask Mahin to stop his practice for the time being. This is how the guru monitors the changes that take place in us as a result of the practices given and advises appropriately.
I had always wanted to meet someone/anyone on the way to repeating the same feat as Ramalinga Adigal did – dematerializing into thin air and becoming Jyothi or light. I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal when he was 67 years of age in 2005. As I could not witness nor follow his spiritual evolvement from being a commoner to the status of a full-fledged guru and turavi or mendicant, I very much wanted to be a witness to Tavayogi achieving the state of becoming Jothi just as Ramaliga Adigal had achieved. Stating this to him, he very humbly answered that it will not take place in this birth and that he has to come back (take another birth). Then along comes Jnana Jyothiamma through whom Agathiyar chooses to show us her spiritual advancement and subsequent flowering. We were blessed to have made her acquaintance, and given the opportunity to witness the workings of Agathiyar and the Siddhas on her. My family and I were a witness to many miraculous events that took place in her life. Just as the saying goes, “Narudan poo sernthu manakkum”, which means the string that holds the flowers together as a garland will take on the aroma of the flowers too, we prayed that we might be showered with the rain spatter by just watching her majestic journey. She was humble enough to share every single moment on this path with me during the hours and hours of conversation that I had with her on SKYPE and through emails.
After the initiation that took place behind closed doors at Kallar ashram, she was brought to the attention of the world through an amazing spectacle Agathiyar showed at Kalyana Theertam. The show of lights was only seen through the lens of the camera, feverishly handled by Dr. Ram Subramaniam of Tirunelveli. Henceforth began a journey of sheer amazement and astonishment. Wherever she went the Siddhas showed their presence. We saw how all the Gods and Goddesses have worked on an individual of their choice who had all the merits and qualities of becoming a Siddha and a guru. So it was understandable that Tavayogi never kept her under his wings but instead let her fly freely to explore the path initiated. He handled me quite differently though. He initiated me into Agathiyar's mantra too and other practices as in Yoga and in lighting the Homam and let me explore its depth. Much has been written about him from my perspective. Let us hear what Molly Menon who later bloomed into the lotus Jnana Jothiamma has to say about him. These are from her emails to me over a period of time from the time she messaged me first to her arrival at his ashram and the subsequent visits.
On July 3, 2011, she writes to me for the very first time seeking to know about Agathiyar and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal’s ashram at Kallar.
Hello Mr. Shanmugam, I am Meena Menon form U.S.A. We had been communicating about Guruji Tavayogi. I am also known as Molly Menon/ Mrs.Menon.
When I mentioned that Tavayogi told me she had called him recently she replied, telling me that she was indeed leaving for Kallar. Upon reaching India, she e-mails me on Thursday, October 20, 2011. At Kallar, Agathiyar through Tavayogi magically and mysteriously initiated her. Jnana Jyothiamma had planned to spend six months at Tavayogi’s Ashram but Tavayogi sent her away after her initiation asking her to return to the U.S.A. She left after a couple of weeks, missing the Annual Guru Puja and Jayanthi celebrations. She went back reluctantly to the U.S.A. On Saturday, December 17, 2011, she emails me to inform me that she was back in the USA. She recounts her precious moments at Kallar.
Hmm .. dunno what to say ... choked up ... really .. all kinds of feelings sweeping thro me ... too many memories ... two weeks ... an experience of a Yuga ... that's all I can say.
If Tavayogi came to know that he was an old soul in his meditation, having taken birth again to uplift us, Jnana Jothiamma was told the same through a subsequent Jeeva Nadi reading at Kallar before she left.
If Valmiki Ramayan .. history of Rama was written 18,444 million years ago. then his father King Dasaratha would be well before that and Vashishta was his father's guru (also his) ..... that means according to Agathiyar I was there with all these Mahans long before 18,444 million years. No wonder Karuppetta termed it as Jenmandram Connection and Agathiyar also mentioned likewise... I am glazed out totally ... After getting to know all this from the Source .... anybody would renounce the world.
She wrote.
"It started thus .... it started with a call ... instructions from the Divine ..... and I was in India before even I knew what was going on ... only to get back after two weeks to the United States ... and then again get back to India after five months. ..... as the highest power in the universe ‘wanted an audience with me at Kallar’. Will anybody believe what I'm saying? They think me stark mad .. totally screwed up ... beyond the point of no return".
The Mysterious part is .... my Jeeva Nadi reading went missing, from my study table ...After I returned back to the United States after getting my Dhiksha, I placed it on my study table immediately upon reaching home. I used to gaze at it every day. It was more than a precious ornament to/for me ... something so very precious .. especially as Agathiyan had mentioned to me in that Nadi that there will not be any more Nadi Reading for me. It was right on the same spot I placed for two months ... Then disappeared suddenly ...
I could not understand at all, what happened to me at Kallar that day of my Initiation. I used to gaze at my Jeeva Nadi reading book and recollect all the incidents that happened at the Ashram right from the day, I entered it. The peacock that entered the Ashram mysteriously and also left mysteriously. Every night it used to knock at my door. I used to feed it too... I took a number of pics of that peacock. All of them disappeared too from my mobile...Neither did I go to the Ashram for getting Dhiksha nor for getting my Nadi read. Both the above-mentioned terms, I have not heard before and I did not know the meaning of either of the two.
All I knew and was aware of was, that something ... some strong force was taking me there. Secondly when for the first time in my life, I saw Agathiyan's pic in Sadhguru Venkatraman's site, I felt that I knew this Sage ... or can I say ... some sort of intense longing I suddenly had to see Him somewhere and somehow. I did not know where ... but I had a deep yearning that I needed to see Agasthya Maharishi .... There was an enormous yearning within me. It was at this time, around July 2011, the Divine showed me a wonderful Athma ..... an Athma who was very dear to Agathiyan and I stumbled across his site .. INDIAN HEARTBEAT .... and what I read there, left me breathless. Here I find a person, who, along with an Enlightened Master seems to have gone to all the places the Noble Sage had trod. Thus started a beautiful relationship with you shan ... with Tavayogi and not to forget my dearest sister Mataji Sarojini. My heartful thanks to all her family members, including Mataji and Tavayogi, who took care of me while I was there, and my humble prostrations to my Swamiji Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, for having shared with me some of his Divine experiences with Agathiyan and also some advice. At the holy feet of our Father Agathiyan , I submit myself for having accepted me, protected me, guided me, and is still protecting and guiding me. What can I give back to our Father for all that HE has given me? My utmost devotion to His holy paadham.
After much yearning to return to Kallar, eventually Jnana Jyothiamma returned to participate in the Annual Jayanthi celebrations for Agathiyar at Kallar. After the Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam which was the highlight of the two-day celebrations at Kallar was over, and receiving the blessings of Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal she left Kallar again and this time around spent her time in numerous towns and ashrams.