I used to stand outside my home at night and look at the stars and the moon. I always admired the moon and its luminance in the night sky. As a child I would lay my head on my mother's lap as the whole family would gather on the verandah of our home in Taiping after dinner, looking at the moon and talking about almost everything under the sun or rather under the moon, while the radio would blast away. Not that we were at a loss of hearing but that the volume control knob on our Sharp transistor radio had broken. It was fine to have the radio blasting during the day but at night I would stuff a pillow on its face (the speaker) to quieten it down. Sadly nobody looks at the moon these days. We are glued either to cable television or the internet.
Marianne Williamson in the opening paragraph of her piece, "Only Light Can Cast Out Darkness", from the book "The Shadow Effect", HarperOne, 2010, brings back our attention to everyday things that are in fact amazing and beautiful but hardly noticed by us these days.
"In a world so filled with tender magic - from sleeping infants to children playing, to lovers smiling, to friendship that last, to flowers blooming, to the violet hope of sunrise, to the fiery magnificence of the sunset, to the brilliance of the body, to the fragile glories of nature, to the wonder of animals, to our capacity to forgive, to the mercy of God, to the kindness of strangers, and a list that could go on and on until its clear that there really is no end to the manifold expression of love on earth."
A child is the perfect example of cheer and joy for he or she has not been tainted by the by-products of man. Sooner or later he or she will lose his/ her innocence having taken in all the world's activities as a sponge would.
Marianne Williamson says we are a tool placed on the face of this earth to help transform it through our higher thought forms, lifting the frequency of the planet. Agathiyar in his five tenets to mankind says the same too. The great saints of days gone by have all regarded human birth as rare and that which can be transformed into the essence of Erai. Besides bringing transformation in us, we can also transform the earth either into paradise or into a dungeon. The choice is in our hands.
If the fruits and vegetables and water we drink, the sunlight we receive, the music we listen to, or the pleasures we derive from touch, are consumed and used by us, the air that we breathe is the only element given out and back to our surroundings. It is the only common factor that connects all of creation. We are connected through the breath and the Prana that hitches a ride on it. If we would not want to share the former elements with others we have no choice but to inhale what is given out by others and exhale it back to others to take it in. The breath leaves our body as we expel it merging with the surrounding air and is taken in by another person or an animal besides us. This exchange of gases connects us to one another. Sadly this is how we share airborne diseases among us too. Hence we realize the reason to carry out Yagam or Homam is to give back to the Prapanjam and heal it with the energized mantras that accompany these rituals something that Lord Shiva asks us to do at the peak of the pandemic and which Prapanjam herself came to ask us to prevent a second bout of the dreaded virus from making its rounds. Here fire is the element that rides on the wind and air to reach the space around us and within our lungs.
If we had gathered together on occasions or conducted home puja solo on other days by lighting oil lamps and singing the praise of the Siddhas since 2002, puja these days is done within. All senses that were focused externally in external puja are diverted within. For instance, this morning as dawn broke the skies, to please the hunger pangs in the furnace within, I made myself something to break my night-long fast. Tasting the crispness of the bread toast, accompanied by a hot cup of coffee and listening to the Siva mantras played while watching the sky light up as morning broke and the sun took a peek just moments ago was itself puja. It caused a whole wave of vibrations to pass through the entire body. This vibration has not subsided as I type these words on my keyboard.
Know that puja has become internal when you stop in the midst of singing the praise of God. This is the start. You just cannot go further as tears well up in your eyes and your lips part to cry out in silence, as your heart yearns for the beloved divinity that is kept veiled.
நினைந்துநினைந் துணர்ந்துணர்ந்து நெகிழ்ந்துநெகிழ்ந் தன்பே
நிறைந்துநிறைந் தூற்றெழுங்கண்ணீரதனால் உடம்பு
நனைந்துநனைந் தருளமுதே நன்னிதியே ஞான
நடத்தரசே என்னுரிமை நாயகனே என்று
வனைந்துவனைந் தேத்துதும்நாம் வம்மின்உல கியலீர்
மரணமிலாப் பெருவாழ்வில் வாழ்ந்திடலாம் கண்டீர்
புனைந்துரையேன் பொய்புகலேன் சத்தியஞ்சொல் கின்றேன்
பொற்சபையில் சிற்சபையில் புகுந்தருணம் இதுவே.
PS Maniam in his "Siddhar Nerigalum Siddhi Muraigalum", published by Vijaya Pathipagam, Coimbatore, writes, that thinking about the immense compassion of the Lord, become immersed in the vibration that comes on. This bout of energy will knock on the doors to the abode of the Atma and bring forth its darshan. The love for the divine shall bring on his grace that in turn brings on his state of effulgence and bliss.
"இறைவனின் பெருங்கருணையை நினைந்து நினைந்து இறை உணர்வில் அழுந்தி நிற்கவேண்டும். அப்படி இருக்க இறையுணர்வு ஆன்மாவில் அழுந்தி இறைக் காட்சியாகவே தோன்றும். இறை அன்பு ஆன்மாவில் பதியப் பதிய அன்பு முற்றி அருள்நிலை யெய்தி என்பும் கசிந்துருகும்."
If the journey begins with devotion that melts the heart, it ends with a similar melting of Udal, Uyir and Atma. Ramalinga Adigal sings in his Agaval,
725. தோலெலாங் குழைந்திடச் சூழ்நரம் பனைத்தும்
மேலெலாங் கட்டவை விட்டுவிட் டியங்கிட
726. என்பெலா நெக்குநெக் கியலிடை நெகிழ்ந்திட
மென்புடைத் தசையெலா மெய்யுறத் தளர்ந்திட
727. இரத்த மனைத்துமுள் ளிறுகிடச் சுக்கிலம்
உரத்திடை பந்தித் தொருதிர ளாயிட
728. மடலெலா மூளை மலர்ந்திட வமுதம்
உடலெலா மூற்றெடுத் தோடி நிரம்பிட
729. ஒண்ணுதல் வியர்த்திட வொளிமுக மலர்ந்திட
தண்ணிய வுயிர்ப்பினிற் சாந்தந் ததும்பிட
730. உண்ணகை தோற்றிட வுரோமம் பொடித்திடக்
கண்ணினீர் பெருகிக் கால்வழிந் தோடிட
731. வாய்துடித் தலறிட வளர்செவித் துணைகளிற்
கூயிசைப் பொறியெலாங் கும்மெனக் கொட்டிட
732. மெய்யெலாங் குளிர்ந்திட மென்மார் பசைந்திடக்
கையெலாங் குவிந்திடக் காலெலாஞ் சுலவிட
733. மனங்கனிந் துருகிட மதிநிறைந் தொளிர்ந்திட
இனம்பெறு சித்த மியைந்து களித்திட
734. அகங்கார மாங்காங் கதிகரிப் பமைந்திடச்
சகங்காண வுள்ளந் தழைத்து மலர்ந்திட
735. அறிவுரு வனைத்து மானந்த மாயிடப்
பொறியுறு மான்மதற் போதமும் போயிடத்
736. தத்துவ மனைத்துந் தாமொருங் கொழிந்திடச்
சத்துவ மொன்றே தனித்துநின் றோங்கிட
737. உலகெலாம் விடய முளவெலா மறைந்திட
அலகிலா வருளி னாசைமேற் பொங்கிட
738. என்னுளத் தெழுந்துயி ரெல்லா மலர்ந்திட
என்னுளத் தோங்கிய என்றனி யன்பே
We have a wonderful translation of the above verses made available at http://www.ramalinga.com (now defunct)
"Describing in an exquisite way the phases of the transformation of his body, Ramalinga says that the dermis and epidermis have become extremely soft; all the nerves, muscles, and tendons have slackened little by little; the bones, membranes, and cartilages have become very flexible; the blood has coagulated; the semen has concentrated being solidified; the brain and all its parts have been opened like a bud. All over the body, an Elixir flows; the face glistens; the respiration is smooth and refreshing; from the tear glands abundant tears sprout; the mouth is half-opened tremulous and the ears are filled with sweet melodies. The entire body is refreshed and all its visible parts flourish in ecstasy. The heart swells palpitating Love. The ego vanishes, as the emotional and mental defects. A tender, loving, and compassionate quietude dominates the entire organism. The ardent desire to receive divine Grace overflows. The Supreme Love fills the body, which is the temple of the divine Life."
The Siddha way or Neri is one of direct transmission, through touch, look, or technique leading to direct discipleship or குரு சீடனுக்கு தொட்டுக் காட்டும் நெறி. Experience tells us that this is true indeed. It's not an easy task for the Siddha though. In going within Agathiyar says we will experience new frontiers and these experiences will vary from person to person. The result of this internal journey is true Gnana, he adds.
It is only during the holy matrimony that the veil is dropped and we see the face of our beloved God. Supramania Swami told me once about the need to light a flame or light at my home. The reason being that he shall watch me through it. Once when I was with him he was devastated when he found that the flame had gone out. He told me it never died down all this while. Karuppa a deity in our spectrum of Gods who had come in a cousin of my friend asked him to bring him to a temple pointing to the light there. Once there his energy left his cousin. His energy had occupied my friend's cousin's body momentarily to return home. When Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came they had us kindle the flame in the oil lamp to burn much brighter. Later Ramalinga Adigal comes to ask us to kindle the flame within to burn with such intensity that it shall draw aside the veil or curtain that stands between us and Erai, reminding us of Tirumular's song.
மனத்து விளக்கினை மாண்பட ஏற்றிச்
சினத்து விளக்கினை செல்ல எருக்கி
அனைத்து விளக்குந் திரியொக்க தூண்ட
மனத்து விளக்கது மாயா விளக்கே
S.Janarthan in his "Dhyana Yogam", published by Aruligu Amman Pathipagam, Chennai gives a gist of this song, "Lighting the Light on the topmost platform of Agnai, and subsequently kindling the other lights to burn with a similar intensity."
மேல் மாடமென்ற ஆக்ஞா ஸ்தானத்தில் ஒளி ஏற்றி, பிறகு கீழ் நிலையில் உள்ள மற்ற விளக்குகளும் அணைந்து போகாதபடி எல்லாவற்றிலும் திரியை ஒருசேர தூண்டிவைத்தல்.
This is represented graphically by Tavayogi in installing the Aaru Aadhara Peedham, a six-tiered granite structure at his Kallar ashram. Later the Siddhas told us to use the breath to fan the inner flame or Jothi that we all carried. If Tavayogi showed us the Vaasi Payarchi or breathing exercises that amounted to a tremendous increase in the Prana within us, Ramalinga Adigal taught us to raise our hands and connect with the Prapanjam bringing the might of the Prana to do wonders. Ramalinga Adigal describes these moments as follows in a song that he composed of the cuff when he came the very first time.
என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது....
என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது....
திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது....
என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது...
சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது... ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது
என்னுள் அது ஏறும் போது திரை அது விலகியது...
என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...
திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...
Ramalinga Adigal comes to compose and sing the following that further explains the means to this blissful union. Ramalinga Adigal sings in his The Thiru Unthiyar (திரு உந்தியார்), Kaliththaazisai (கலித்தாழிசை), that at the break of dawn, it dawned on him that his puja bore fruition. The veil dropped, the light shone, and Parai Oli came within, bringing fruition to his puja.
திரையற்று விட்டது செஞ்சுடர் தோன்றிற்று
பரைஒளி ஓங்கிற்றென்று உந்தீபற
பலித்தது பூசையென்று உந்தீபற.