If I had lamented before Mahindren some time back that I had wasted some precious 2 1/2 years in doing nothing productive as I could not bring myself to meditate as Agathiyar had asked of me after bringing the shutters down on AVM and its puja and charity programs in a timely manner coinciding with the coming of the pandemic he told me to look at it in a different perspective. He pointed out that I had dropped everything in those years that was difficult for anyone to do. Today he came along and when I lamented that I have yet to go into a state of meditation, he answered that writing this very blog post itself was a form of meditation, opening my eyes to the truth of the matter. Indeed Buddhist monks have devised many ways and means to enter meditation. These tools assist them in bringing awareness to the activity on hand and practically enter a state of meditation even if it were to be for brief moments. Creating the Mandala and later destroying it besides teaching them the impermanence of life also brings them to focus on the job or task at hand. Observing and feeling each piece of raisin before munching on it and savoring it and only then swallowing it is another form of meditation. I guess as Mahindren pointed out to me the ten to fifteen minutes of drafting and writing each post is a form of meditation too.
I am practically sitting around doing nothing these days except writing and uploading videos. Yet Agathiyar came with promises. When I ask him what I should do further to achieve these states he tells me "Do Nothing" referring me to Tavayogi as an example. True enough when Tavayogi invited me to his ashram in Kallar after we met in Malaysia I had expectations of spending some time listening to discourses from him. But the irony was that he kept to himself most of the time, speaking only when required. There was no discussion nor conversation beyond certain passing statements he made as we traveled to places later. Those five days spent at Kallar and following him were in fact not classroom teachings instead he took me to the ground and had me experience for myself the miracles and the magic of the Siddhas. Indeed a newcomer like me needed to be impressed so that I shall hold on to the journey. Instead of taking classes and giving me lessons I learned from his approach to matters and people whom he met daily. I learned from his lifestyle as a mendicant and turavi. I observed him during our travels and learned much. Today I pretty well understand be it the passing statements he made or revealing the stark truth of the matter after each happening.
We read that the saints have been told to do nothing and sit alone in contemplation. As age is catching up with me Agathiyar has asked that I withdraw myself. I think I know what makes us age. Gravity. I believe that if we can beat gravity at its game we can remain young forever. It is gravity that makes our skin sag, tugging on us, pulling us down to the level of earth and water. If we could transform these two elements, defeating these two of the Tattvas, we have overcome gravity I guess. I believe this is what the saints did too, progressing to the other three states or Tattvas, namely fire, wind, and space, and beyond. I might be wrong but let us see what Agathiyar or Ramalinga Adigal have to say further for they have been asking and reminding me to read up on the Tattvas from Tavayogi's book "Andamum Pindamum".
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_biology we learn that,
"Plant roots grow towards the pull of gravity and away from sunlight, and shoots and stems grow against the pull of gravity and towards sunlight. Gravity is thus a limiting factor in the growth of individual cells. In larger terrestrial vertebrates gravitational forces influence musculoskeletal systems, fluid distribution, and hydrodynamics of the circulation. Microgravity impedes the development of bone cells. Bone cells must attach themselves to something shortly after development and will die if they cannot. Without the downward pull of a gravitational force on these bone cells, they float around randomly and eventually die off. This suggests that the direction of gravity may give the cells clues as to where to attach themselves.
Learn more at https://www.brainfacts.org/Neuroscience-in-Society/Tech-and-the-Brain/2017/Gravity-and-the-Human-Body-061517
God is real, just as real as you and me. If you deny god then you deny your very existence. God is much closer than we think, he is much closer than the short walk to the neighborhood temple. He is where you are. But to come to know and understand and feel and experience him we all have to take the walk first. We have to go on the search and return home just as Tavayogi autographed the same in my copy of his book. Just as a walk in the park does us much good we need to take the walk in search of god to realize that he is indeed within us as the breadth, and as the heat in us, and as the light that sustains us. When the breath leaves us, the warmth in us leaves and soon the light that is the soul leaves too. God is all these put together. We cannot possibly pinpoint gods existence and place and form. But man dared to do so hence giving rise to the many temples and places of worship, the statues, and the rituals in external worship. One needs no rituals in going within. What is a method or practice too dies on its own as we realize him within us. We then are in constant contact with him who now reveals himself as the Prapanjam. He who we desired to see externally with a form and name and a location, we realize was at home all the while and never went away. He never deserted us at any moment. He was the watcher then as we carried our individual desires and wants and acted accordingly to bring fruition to them. But when we surrender to him he takes the limelight and comes on stage and performs his acts or lilas. We then take a back stand and just watch the show contrary to playing so many roles earlier and messing them up.
How do we know God? If our parents showed us to God in the temples the guru comes along to bring us into the ritualistic worship of god. But a genuine and true guru would tell us that it was not the end and that we have to move on to other frontiers waiting to be explored. These are only tools and methods that assist us on our journey. He brings us to the next stage of exploring the body and the Self. From Sariyai and Kriyai we step into Yoga. We begin to love our bodies. But a genuine and true guru would tell us that it was not the end and that we have to move on to other frontiers waiting to be explored. These are only tool and the vehicle that assist us on our journey of God realization. Once one realizes God within him and all around him he has reached the state of Gnanam or divine realization and knowledge. And it all begins with feelings.
It is all about feelings. We have feelings for our parents and siblings. If the former demands respect for them the latter demands tolerance. We have another kind of feeling for friends and relatives. We begin to share intimate things with the former and respect the latter. When we meet the women of our dreams it is an entirely different feeling. We all know what this love for the opposite sex does to us though all the previous relationships are based on love too. Then when we have children of our own the love is enhanced further. But above and beyond these love and feelings is one for the unknown, unseen, and unfathomable divine creator. This love blossoms and flowers when the guru comes into our lives and shows him to us. The love grows multifold in his divine presence. First, it is fear and devotion toward him. Later it becomes respect and adherence as it is with obeying and following our parents. Soon this love turns into that shown toward a friend. We share secrets. We have a buddy to chat with any time of the day. Then this friendship blossoms into love as in a boy-girl relationship. This is obvious in many of the saints' lives where devotion transforms accordingly and progressively and finally ends in a divine marital relationship with the divine.
In speaking to Andraz from Slovenia, I had to explain to him that my journey has taken a turn now asked to move within when he asked if I had any plans to go over to India. I told him the pandemic had in a way helped me stay indoors and forced all our previous activities as in puja and charity come to a halt as desired by Agathiyar. Now he wants me to speak a minimum and stay quiet. Hence the reason for not answering his calls too. Then he put forward an interesting question as to whether the head of an ashram was taking an inward journey too. This made me realize the need to accomplish the said states before even venturing to give back for than he can safely go about looking after his administration. If I were to engage in running an ashram even before I pass all the tests laid out on the path, when shall I find the time to "read up" on it and attend to these "tests" with all the chores and responsibilities that come with running one. Tavayogi had ended his journey and wanted to retire into samadhi when he was tasked to start an ashram and later come over to Malaysia to bring and guide us further on the path. Hence he was pretty qualified to run the mission later. I am grateful that I who never disobeyed Agathiyar for once stood my feet down when I was asked to build a temple. Later Agathiyar told me that he had tested me. I have passed the test. How can a half-baked seeker, aspirant, sadhaka like me run an establishment I ask myself? Even when AVM was at its zenith we worked together as a team to see through its many activities. There was never a guru figure among us. Agathiyar was in charge. We all took instructions from him.
Agathiyar has simplified the means to reach him in this era where we want everything fast - from fast food and fast delivery to fast and speedy arrival, express education, etc. Indeed I now understand why Tavayogi said with a surprised tone and a look on his face asking me how I reached Agathiyar so fast when he had to carry out extreme austerities and travel far, spend days and nights in the jungle, caves, and hills. Yet in comparison to other devotees these days I would ask them the same too as for instance, we had to place some "effort" into bringing him into the bronze statue of his that he had us commission in 2010. He specified in the Nadi reading that we had to give "life" to the statue by chanting 100,000 times his name (Nama Japam) and carrying out libation to his statue with nine items which we did. Recently he came through a devotee and carried out libation to his own statue and handed it to her to continue in her home. Later at a temple festival, he carried out his own libation coming into a devotee. When he came to my daughter's home he stopped us gathered there in the midst of chanting the Arutperunjothi Maha mantra and instead had us chant his name. I understood that given those who had gathered there, they had no inkling about the Siddhas as they were newcomers, thus they had to start with the basic Nama Japam, for the Arutperunjothi mantra was meant for those who understood the journey fully.
In our curiosity to know what was beyond the four walls we entered the garden. There we met Lord Ganapathy sitting under the king of all trees on the temple grounds. Thinking that there was more to the worship we entered the temple and stood before the inner sanctum after circumambulating and worshipping all the other deities and gods lined up along the way. Similarly, prior to Tavayogi introducing us to the path of Siddha Margam officially after three years of our worship of the Siddhas in our home, we carried on with the recitation of the names of the Siddhas that we received from several Upagurus earlier. Thinking there was more to it we gathered more songs of praise to the Siddhas looking into books and the internet. We were introduced to several facets of the one God or Yegan. As Tavayogi accompanied me places and as we entered each temple he would not do the norm that all pilgrims do. He would head for a Siddha peddham or shrine, sing a couplet and begin to meditate in divine communion with the Siddha present there, taking in what God had to offer. Tavayogi never offered anything to any god anywhere. This was pretty obvious at the Tanjai Big temple. As we arrived at the temple grounds the temple was closed for the afternoon. He spread his shawl under the shade of a tree and lay on his side taking a short nap. I thought that when the temple bells were struck at 4pm and the doors opened to the public he would head straight into the inner sanctum. But instead, he went behind and sat at Karuvurar's shrine. He could have done that upon our arrival as Karuvurar was housed under a roof in the open. He began to leave the temple grounds immediately. When for most the humongous Sivalinga was the attraction he did not pop in but chose to wait for me to rush in and pay my respects when I put on a long face.
There were no rituals in all the places we went. Agathiyar too in later years in addressing our question regarding the Siddha samadhis spoke about the conduct and how we are supposed to carry ourselves while there. He told us not to carry out any rituals but instead sit in meditation and take in the positive vibes and energy prevalent and arising from the samadhis. That was all to it. Indeed now I fully understand Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's answer to his silence when asked to bless me during my visit to Ongaarakudil in 2003. His reply that stepping into the grounds of Ongarakudil itself was a blessing though confused me back then is understood perfectly now.
Today we understand fully the koan that goes "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is." During the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese Ch’an master Qingyuan Weixin famously wrote:
“Before I had studied Ch’an for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance, I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.” (Source: https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-there-mountain-then-there-no-mountain/)
Just as Tavayogi wrote a phrase "Aandavan Uraigindra Edam Thangal Ullam, Athuve Payanathin Thodakkamum, Mudivum" which translated meant, "Erai lives in your heart, from where the journey starts and ends too" while autographing my copy of his book "Andamum Pindamum", the journey starts with Lord Ganesa and ends at his feet. Thinking that a temple or shrine of Agathiyar would carry his image, I was surprised to see Lord Ganesa sitting as a granite statue at the Sri Agasthiyar Kumbamunivar Sannadhi at the entrance to the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple in Kumbakonam.
We look outside for the divine seeing him as separate from us in the beginning visiting the temples in the neighborhood and other popular temples elsewhere, and after traveling to the far reaches of the temples and shrines in the hills and dales, seeking and searching for him we realized that he was all along with us, in us and we in him, coming to realize finally that "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is." First, we saw the mountain and began to climb it. Once atop its peak, we ask ourselves where did the mountain go? We are the mountain standing atop it. Treading the path we need to see the essence of things and not the physical form, just as the Siddhas see our souls rather than the physical self. Swami Sivananda saw the river Ganga as the Goddess and performed daily arati and rituals that to another would only remain as just a river that flowed through the terrains. Swami Vishnudevananda on writing about his first encounter with his soon-to-be master Swami Sivananda, in "My Years with the Master", expresses his logical taught that pits against the vision of the saint.
"Before leaving (after having met him for the very first time), I went down the Ganga where it was the custom of the Ashram to do Aarati (waving of lights) every evening. All the devotees and inmates of the Ashram assembled by the banks of the Ganga to watch Master perform this evening worship. I was skeptical. I was of a scientific temperament and knew that a river is only water, H2O - imagine worshiping H20!! But as I stood there and watched Master waving the lights, I saw the river become a mass of flowing lights. At that instant, the river assumed a divine flow, a manifestation of the Grace of the Lord. Master turned and looked at me and in my mind, I heard his message, “God pervades everything; this too is His Special Form.” This entirely changed my outlook on life." (Source: http://www.sivanandaonline.org)
Tavayogi had learned to see God in all. As such just stepping onto the grounds was sufficient to make contact with God. God hears us wherever we may be as he is the Prapanjam. When Sanjiv Malhotra told me he needed to seek a reading during the pandemic but as travel was restricted, enquired if Mataji would read and translate the Jeeva Nadi kept at Kallar, I pointed out to him that Agathiyar had given strict instructions to Mataji to read only for those in search of Gnana as the Jeeva Nadi at Kallar was not to be read for man's mundane desires and existence. Our conversation ended there. Just yesterday we made contact again and spoke again. He shared a miracle that took place recently. Nadi astrologer Thiru Janakiraman and several others headed for the north on a pilgrimage. On coming to know about their visit to Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India, he volunteered to drive them to the temple. Arriving at the temple grounds Sanjiv carried the Jeeva Nadi on his head and they entered the temple. After sitting in Lord Krishna's presence Janakiran suggested they look into the oracle for any word from Agathiyar. They sat under a tree. Indeed Agathiyar had something to convey but not before having them call up a bystander and read the Nadi for him. That was a surprise move. On completion, Agathiyar told Janakiram and his entourage to return home ending their intended visit to other places abruptly. Agathiyar then asked that he (his Nadi) be brought to Sanjiv's home. Agathiyar spent a night there and delivered a message to Sanjiv and his family. The divine comes to those who seek him.
Sanjiv had earlier written a piece sharing his trip to Tamilnadu that I had posted at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2018/04/agathiyars-child.html
Gone are the days when we went looking for him. His pronounced presence is felt by many who began to worship the Siddhas. Agathiyar in asking Tavayogi to visit the north, ended his visit abruptly and asked that he head back to Kallar ashram. Surendran who planned a detailed itinerary with Jnana Jothiamma was derailed and Agathiyar had him go to his peak at Pothigai instead. The bronze statue of Agathiyar at AVM was originally supposed to be placed at the Jegathguru Sri Raghavendra Swamigal Miruthiga Brindavanam, Ipoh but Agathiyar choose to stay put in my home instead. Even now as Agathiyar tells me that he shall move house to Mahindren's home, a fellow devotee jokingly said that Agathiyar might change his mind again. Indeed this is their game and play or lila. We do not have much say when we have surrendered to them. It is only when we think that we are in charge of our lives that the Siddhas step aside and watch us do blunders. As Lao Tzu asks that we go with the flow Agathiyar too referred me to the opening line of Sadhu Om's song that I play often in my home asking me to accept and come to terms with what was going on around us.
In BBC Earth's "First Contact - An Alien Encounter", a scientist shares her views on an alien encounter if there was one in the future. "I think it is much more likely to be a one-way communication such as we currently have with Shakespeare or the ancient Greeks and the Romans. We can't ask questions of them (aliens) but they have provided us a wealth of information, that we can learn from. Another scientist says that "Search for life in our solar system is one thing but the search for life beyond it might be closer to archaeology because we are receiving signals of what may now be dead civilizations."
Similarly, we have many questions regarding the Siddhas too. Did the Siddhas outnumber the people back then in the many past yugas or were they a rare lot as in present times? If the Siddhas were ordinary men like us and had lived with us and had fathomed the mysteries of life where are they now? There were many answers given before but lately, Agathiyar told me when I placed this question before him that he was the very vibration. While scientists are looking out to space for potentially habitable worlds for signs of aliens or beings like us, the Siddhas go within from the grosser material world to the much subtler worlds and finally reach the bottom pit where Agathiyar declares that he is the very vibration.
In giving thanks to the Siddhas, my gurus, upagurus, and everyone else who came into my life to act out their role in helping me learn a thing or two or to help fulfill my desires carried with me that were vasanas, I have to thank my readers too for giving an ear to what I have to say in these pages. In sharing my experiences I believe we help each other. Just as in my search to know more I looked up books and followed talks to gain more information and knowledge many similarly I believe are searching too. For those who have come by my blog, I welcome you. I thank you too. In sharing there is bliss.
As Dr. C Srinivasan in his "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami", published by Ilakkia Nilayam, Tiruchi, 1968, describes the many stages described by Ramalinga Swami that we step into in our spiritual evolution, I am eager to compare and find out where I stand.
I guess I had come out of the dark pit making my way towards the light for a start when I moved away from living a mundane life without even a thought of its transient nature. Here then the search begins to know the reasons behind our customs and traditions that are in place and followed by our ancestors and forefathers for ages. We begin to take an interest in them. This leads to wanting to know more. There is then a thirst and hunger for more information. In knowing the reasons why we do it we then appreciate them better. He becomes conscious of the world and its external objects. He takes his first step, coming into Sariyai. He begins to step into a temple or place of worship. He goes beyond its walls to investigate. He is shown his creator or God as his ancestors saw them, carved in stone, granite, or made in metal and bronze. Most settle for this state and never go further. Here is where a guru is needed to draw the veil and show him the frontiers beyond his sight. Supramania Swami and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal came into my life at this juncture for this purpose, the former in 2003 and the latter in 2005.
Some are impressed but leave. For others, it does not strike a chord and they too leave. But a handful who had been there in the way past recognize these frontiers deep deep within themselves and begin to follow the guru. The guru can come within and guide him too. He then moves up the rung by becoming aware of the momentary nature of life. He realizes that life is not permanent. He begins to observe the things around him taking lessons from them.
There is a change in his perspective of life. A great question arises in him. But what is God's true form? Is he like how he is depicted in the paintings and statues? He wants to reach out to God and find out. He knows that he is here for a bigger purpose. He seeks to know his purpose. The guru helps him in all ways possible. Moving away from Sariyai he steps into Kriyai shown by his guru. He begins to take things into his own hands and steer his life rather than be at the mercy of fate and destiny. In carrying out Kriyai he can be with his chosen deity 24/7 rather than waiting on others to open up the temple doors and allow him in. He is free to explore the new frontier now with his guru occasionally guiding him. He brings god into his home and heart. God is no more a stranger to him. He ushers him into his home. He dines with him. He gives him a bath and dresses him up to his liking. He adores him. He praises him. He feels inseparable from him. He wants more of him. He wants to become him. But again the great question arises in him. What is God's true form? Is he like how he is depicted in the paintings and statues? He wants to reach out to God and find out.
His guru now introduces him to Yogam. Coming to Yogam, he wants only God. Once this desire is set aflame and burning in him the various veils covering the soul for generations are shed one after the other. His Yogic practices generate heat and this heat of his tapas brings down the veils of ignorance. He comes to know that he can systematically climb the ladder of spiritual evolution to attain the state of oneness of God or at least his likeness. He begins his climb. He becomes aware of his breath that was all along traveling with him, in him, and moving him. He also comes to realize that he is in it as Ramalinga Adigal pointed out. He pays gratitude and shows thanks to the one primary source of sustenance that keeps him alive. What keeps us alive is definitely God right? He now sees God whom he saw externally in the paintings and statues as his breath. He adores his breath. He worships it as Tavayogi pointed out. The worship now becomes internal. He is in a state of continuous eternal bliss now contrary to the momentary bliss he attains visiting the temples or carrying out the puja at his home. He brings his awareness to his breath at all times. The divine now comes to give him a lending hand. He comes to cleanse the soul or rather shed the veils further. A spontaneous love for God is felt at all times. He comes to realize that he is connected to God at all times, day and night, while awake and asleep.
Next, the grace of the Lord befalls him and he enters a state of ecstasy. If earlier he chose to see God with forms and had gained earthly experiences, beyond this stage, he begins to have heavenly experiences. He knows God to be beyond manifestation as I came to know and experience through the numerous ruptures of joy and bliss that come over me in the places of worship I visited. This surge of energy came within as my body became a vessel and vehicle and a conduit to tap into them. The prevalent energies worked on me further.
When he has gained Atma Balam or Soul Power, he begins to "taste" God. His Soul, charged with Divine Grace, attains self-realization or Atma Darisanam. Now everything takes place within him. There is no need for external tools, methods, or practices further. His chakras are activated and keep these energies moving and alive in him driving his body, mind, and thoughts now. The empty vehicle or vessel fills up pretty fast and overflows. His bliss is uncontainable. His soul becomes saturated with compassion and love. He experiences the divinity within (Uyir Anubhavam) by the grace of Arutperunjhoti. As Dr. C.Srinivasan says "The soul enjoys in full the real and natural happiness it is entitled to without any restraint."
He is prepared to receive the Light. He moves on to enjoy Supreme Grace (Arul Anubhavam). His grace is felt 24/7. He connects with the Prapanjam. He is capable of partaking in all of creation's wonders.
Then the descent of divinity into the individual takes place. Swami Saravanananda writes in his English transliteration of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval” published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, that with the descent of sufficient Divine Light, the psychic head begins to emerge. According to Vallalar, this psychic head (a crown or diadem of light) is made up of a special and highly refined type of brain called Omkar brain. As soon as it emerges, it draws more cosmic light; the more the light the greater the growth of the psychic head."
In the complete realization of the God Supreme (Sivanubavam), the sublime achievement of the aspirant culminates in the complete union with the Lord Supreme. The body transforms into the Pranava Deham or the body of Grace. Swami Saravanananda writes that with the advent of the psychic head, more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever-prospering body is called the subtle body or the body of the Omkar or Pranava body. With the functioning of the third eye, the transformation of the Pranava body is completed and the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana Deham) starts."
At this juncture, he has nothing else to do but remain in the state of bliss. He becomes the Mouna Guru. He might choose to speak to some though. He appears in places while seated at his spot. He gives his darshan to them. Though he begins to catch the attention of some and begins to attract many, he knows his place, that it is all momentary, and that he needs to save some souls before he departs.
We revisit http://www.ramalinga.com for the journey has been summarized beautifully.
"Anyone whose spiritual practices have thus resulted in the awareness of the divine working through them has already begun the transformational process and surrendering of the sheath of the intellect (Vinjnanamaya Kosham). As the intellect undergoes this transformation, the mental sheath (Manomaya Kosham), associated with the senses, and is similarly transformed. As the divine light descends into the sheath of energy (Pranayama Kosham) the entity becomes a Siddha in the truest sense of the word. As defined in the Upanishads, a Siddha is one who has progressed from the exalted ‘state of freed while living’ (Jivanmukta) to ‘supremely free with full power over death’ (Paramukta). This state is referred to in Siddhantha literature as Soruba Mukti or Soruba Samadhi."
Once the chakras are activated in one by the divine hand who having worked on it through efforts placed on the practices given by the Siddhas themselves there is little one can do further but to immerse in the bliss and at times the pain and agony that comes with it too. The chakras on opening up further to the brilliance of the Light that descends within receive the full splendor of the Light that enhances the inherent fire within and beauty unfolds. Energy flows from beyond to complement the inherent energies within. The topmost chakra then is in constant touch with the Prapanjam. All the senses are heightened. One feels an action or word done and said onto another in himself. He begins to relate with another feeling his joy and pain equally. This extends to all other creations too eventually. He is one will all around him. He is indeed then a saint in all manner.
From http://www.ramalinga.com we learn further that,
"These great saints saw a Column of Light rising above the Sahasrara up to the Divinity. The Column of Light starts to be formed in the states previous to the full Realization of the Golden Body. In one who realizes the Golden Deathless Body, an indissoluble bond is established with the Divinity through this Column of Light. Till this moment, one must make an effort to ascend to the Divinity, later having to descend again to the physical level, nevertheless on having been settled in the Column of Light one does not need to continue doing this effort, but from this time the Divinity descends on oneself. The one in whom the Column of Light is settled enjoys the continual experience of the Divinity, who, on having descended, resides in one's own Heart (as shining Sun) and fills with Himself the whole Being gradually, even the physical body (which, cell by cell, is completely transmuted up to becoming divine)."
"At first, the above-mentioned experience has not the same intensity all the time. Moved by His great Compassion, God takes the maximum care of the possible aftereffect in the physical body and that's why He is alternating the intensity to manifest Himself as Divine Light. Sometimes His resplendence is very soft whereas on other occasions It becomes the most intense, seeming that one is going to be melted in It. This experience of God fills the Self with Divine Love and Compassion, which overflow from the Heart like a river flowing endlessly toward other beings."
"Little by little, God is increasing by degrees the intensity of Light and one is becoming accustomed to it, until the time comes when God manifests Himself wholly. Then the Column of Light shines from beginning to end with Its entire splendor. It isn’t visible, except on very rare occasions. This Column of Light is truly the embodied Divine Jothi, which burns constantly so that the Divine Light radiates coming to all beings. This is the Full God's Manifestation in the Earth."
"There was no longer the body, no longer any sensation; there was only a Column of Light rising from the place where is ordinarily the base of the body up to the place where is ordinarily the head, to form there a disk of Light like that of the moon; then from there, the Column went on rising up to very far above the head to break into an immense Sun, dazzling and multi-colored, from which fell a rain of Golden Light covering the whole earth."
"Then slowly the Column of Light descended forming an oval of living Light, awakening and setting in motion, each in a particular way, according to a special mode of vibration, the centers which were above the head, at the place of the head, the throat, the heart, in the middle of the belly, at the base of the spine and still lower. At the height of the knees, the ascending and the descending currents joined together and the circulation thus became in a way uninterrupted enveloping the whole being in an immense oval of living Light."
Ramalinga Adigal shares his experience in his songs compiled as the Thiruarutpa. The translation, to my best ability, of one such lovely song, goes as follows:
As night became day, I was shown the Holy Feet, I embraced it, and I partook in the divine nectar. As dawn broke, I was delivered the Holy Feet, I touched and offered my salutations to it, and I became cleansed. Sleep left me, the Sun appeared, the yearning wilted, and I partook in the ambrosia. Sorrow wilted, sleep was eradicated, joy came upon me, and the yearning was fulfilled. Gnanam arose, the divine music was heard, false knowledge wilted, and I saw Sirsabai. The veils were thorn away asunder, I beheld the Light, Parai Oli shown with all its luminosity, and my prayers were answered. The darkness within me left, and the light from within me shone brightly, I tasted the nectar, to my heart's content. I saw my Father, all obstacles were removed, I rejoiced, and I received Siddhis. I saw my Father, I received the gift of Deathlessness, I rejoiced, and I conquered the Siddhis. I achieved Mukthi, and with this Mukthi I attained Gnana Siddhi, Taking on these Siddhis, I became a Siddha.
What then is expected of us after this? Nothing. All our efforts and attempt comes to a standstill. From inertia to activity and back to inertia, we come one full circle. That is what Agathiyar told me too when I asked him if there was anything left to do after the divine took a stake in me, ending all my current efforts. He referred me to Tavayogi asking me what did he do?
Donald S. Lopez, Jr. writes at https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-there-mountain-then-there-no-mountain/
During the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese Ch’an [Zen in Japanese] master Qingyuan Weixin famously wrote: “Before I had studied Ch’an for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance, I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.”
Ramalinga Adigal in drawing up clearly the many milestones one has to encounter on the journey that brings one to the much-anticipated destination and kingdom of God lists the following. (Source: "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami" by Dr. C Srinivasan, published by Ilakkia Nilayam, Tiruchi, 1968. Ramalinga Adigal starts describing the journey beginning with
Humans who lead a mundane life without even a thought of its transient nature. They might pass by a place of worship but will never think of entering. He would not have the urge to even explore what is behind the high walls. He is disinterested to know his true purpose here and never gives a thought towards his creator and creation. He is satisfied to enjoy the pleasures of the world. Tavayogi terms them as souls who come to fulfill their desires, wishes, and likes.
Then one moves up the rung by becoming aware of the momentary nature of life. He becomes conscious of the world and its external objects. He takes his first step, coming into Sariyai.
Then wanting to see the Lord, the seeking starts. He steps into Kriyai. He feels inseparable from the divine.
Coming to Yogam, he wants only God. Once this desire is set aflame and burning in him the various veils covering the soul for generations are shed one after the other. The divine comes to cleanse the soul. A spontaneous love for God is felt at all times.
Next, the Grace of the Lord befalls him and he enters a state of ecstasy. If earlier he chose to see God with forms and had gained earthly experiences, beyond this stage, he begins to have heavenly experiences. He knows God to be beyond manifestation. He has gained Atma Balam or Soul Power.
Then he moves to "taste" God. His Soul, charged with Divine Grace, attains self-realization or Atma Darisanam.
Next follows the state where he perceives God in the form of Light. The Soul becomes saturated with compassion and love. He experiences the divinity within (Uyir Anubhavam) by the grace of Arutperunjhoti. Dr. C.Srinivasan explains further that "This is the preliminary state in which the soul is to enjoy in full the real and natural happiness it is entitled to without any restraint."
He then moves on to enjoy Supreme Grace (Arul Anubhavam). The higher stages according to Ramalinga Adigal are heavenly stages and beyond human perception where the mind fails to conceive and all senses cease to function.
Then the descent of divinity into the individual takes place. In the complete realization of the God Supreme (Sivanubavam), the sublime achievement of the aspirant culminates in the complete union with the Lord Supreme for the eternal enjoyment of Supreme Bliss forever and ever after. Swami Saravanananda writes in his English transliteration of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval” published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, that with the descent of sufficient Divine Light the psychic head begins to emerge. According to Vallalar, this psychic head (a crown or diadem of light) is made up of a special and highly refined type of brain called Omkar brain. As soon as it emerges, it draws more cosmic light; the more the light the greater the growth of the psychic head."
It is not over yet for the Supreme Grace flows and prepares the aspirant for the next stage. The body transforms into the Pranava Deham or the body of Grace. Swami Saravanananda writes that with the advent of the psychic head, more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever-prospering body is called the subtle body or the body of the Omkar or Pranava body. With the functioning of the third eye, the transformation of the Pranava body is completed and the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana Deham) starts."
Merging with Arutperunjhoti, the state of deathlessness or conquest of death is achieved. Hold the horses for the journey is still not over yet. There are still higher stages that Ramalinga Adigal hesitates to express.
From http://www.ramalinga.com we understand that "Anyone whose spiritual practices have thus resulted in the awareness of the divine working through them has already begun the transformational process and surrendering of the sheath of the intellect (Vinjnanamaya Kosham). As the intellect undergoes this transformation, the mental sheath (Manomaya Kosham), associated with the senses, and is similarly transformed. Of course, this individual is fully aware of the divine as the prime mover. Since the ego has been given to the divine, every action related to the senses is observed and understood to be none other than the indwelling god or goddess doing the experiencing and enjoying. Such a Buddha can enjoy all the senses without fear of confusion or being lost spiritually in them. For the great tantric who have attained to this state, conventional rules which guide and provide stability, safety, and structure are irrelevant. As the divine light descends into the sheath of energy (Pranayama Kosham) the entity becomes a Siddha in the truest sense of the word. As defined in the Upanishads, a Siddha is one who has progressed from the exalted ‘state of freed while living’ (Jivanmukta) to ‘supremely free with full power over death’ (Paramukta). This state is referred to in Siddhantha literature as Soruba Mukti or Soruba Samadhi."
In the nineties, I had befriended a chief clerk Mr. Sedhu from another department in an adjacent building to my office block. He used to drop by on hot days and during lunch breaks to escape the heat of the day as his office was only equipped with ceiling fans while mine was central air-conditioning. We used to talk about Indian classical music and slowly the conversation lead to astrology. He introduced me to Dr. Krishnan, an astrologer and Siddha physician. In 1996 when the predictions for me did not materialize, I asked the Dr. if there was a possibility that his readings do not work out in our favor. He told me "Yes, if we had a curse or Saabham." I asked him to look into my charts and tell me if had earned these curses. He replied it was not possible to do so but the Siddhas in the Nadi can tell us. That was the very first instance I came to learn about the Siddhas and their Nadi. But I did not know any Nadi reader then, and neither did he show me one. The matter ended there. Mr. Sedhu and Dr. Krishnan were Upagurus on my journey. I thank them from my heart.
In 2002 as I was chatting with my colleague Muralidharan Saminathan he brought up the subject of the Nadi. He had seen it in 2000. I was pretty excited and asked if the Nadi reader was still around. I stood before the Nadi reader in December of that year. Sivabalan who brought in these readers, continuing the family tradition, accompanied me during the reading. Going through three bundles of Nadi, we only came close to one that I identified as exactly relating to me except that it stated I was married to one Manohari. That was not my wife's name. We skipped that Nadi and I was told to come another day. Two weeks later on 14 December 2002, I located my Nadi flipping through the first few leaves. The Podhu or general, Karma and Shanti Kaandams or chapters were read. Agathiyar addressed me in them. Besides revealing many things about me and my family, career, and assets, he revealed my past, present, and future. Yes, I had been cursed. He confirmed it. The karma I earned stood in my way and deprived me of all the material good I was to receive. It deprived me of all the benefits of my efforts in my spiritual practices too including worship and yoga. He sent me off to carry out several remedies to correct things both locally and in India. It was a pilgrimage of sorts where we engage in prayer and charity. That was the very first instance I came to learn about karma and its effect on us. That was the first time I began to give through charity and donations. Sivabalan suggested that I see the Gnana Kaandham too. After a short prayer, the Nadi reader came back to read the Gnana Kaandam. Besides showing me the way to come out of the dilemma that I had brought onto myself Agathiyar asked me to come to his path and worship the Siddhas. Agathiyar spoke about me meeting my guru in an unexpected way.
Senthilkumar who read the Nadi arranged for a puja that Agathiyar requested, to give thanks to the Siddhas for documenting my life (his)story. I was introduced and connected to the Siddhas that day. That was the very first instance I came to know the Siddhas as their names were recited. Muralidharan, Sivabalan, and Senthilkumar came as Upagurus on my journey too. I am indebted to them.
Prior to that a year earlier in 2001, Agathiyar had come to reinstate me on the path through a mysterious happening. He came to bring to a close the 14 years of exile or Vanavasam and hibernation that Lord Shiva commanded in a dream in 1988. My nephew Thayalan dropped by my home with a message or rather a mantra that he was to pass on to me, having been instructed by his Paramaguru Gopal Pillai who came through another student. I only knew about the origin and source of the mysterious initiation a couple of years later. The Vasudeva mantra was passed on to me to recite. A message that I shall meet my guru came through him too. Thayalan and his lineage of gurus came as Upagurus on my journey too. I am indebted to them.
Going back even further to 1994 when another colleague and an officer, Mr. Segaran decided to leave his government job to become a monk in Yogananda Paramahansa's Ranchi ashram in India, he passed a painting of Lord Shiva, Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" and a piece of advice that I cherish till this day. Reading the book brought me to another world, the realm of men who turned gurus. If all this while I was engaged in worship to the deities and the whole pantheon of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, my sight then was turned towards Godmen. Now Agathiyar had turned my sight to the Siddhas.
Armed with the small booklet that listed the names of the Siddhas given by Senthilkumar, I took up the worship in my home gathering songs of praise and information related to the Siddhas from the books I purchased and the net. Searching for movements engaged in the worship of the Siddhas brought me to several places but ended in disappointment. Though I learned many things here and from the materials I purchased, none shed light on the rituals that went along with Siddha puja. Anbarasan, Mrs. Jayanthi, and Manivannam from Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's local affiliate in Dengkil were helpful in dispersing information on their guru and its activities. They came as Upagurus on my journey too. I am indebted to them.
This was about the time Mr. Sethu came by and passed me several audio cassettes of songs from Ramalinga Adigal's "Thiruarutpa". I was blown out of my mind listening to it. I looked for the complete collection of songs in the local audio outlets. I purchased the entire volume of the Thiruarutpa compiled in chronological order by Ooran Adigal. This was a treasure I knew then though I could not comprehend much of its content. But I read through it though. If Yogananda's book introduced me to Godmen, Ramalinga Adigal strengthened the faith and possibility that man could achieve higher states at par with the divine or one with the divine. Segaran came as a Upaguru on my journey too. I am indebted to him.
True to what was said and predicted I met my first guru in Tiruvannamalai on the pretext of reading my daughter's horoscope which was mooted by my wife as I took the taxi to the airport to fly to Chennai to carry out my remedies or parikaram in 2003. Finishing my visits to the numerous temples stated by Agathiyar in the Nadi earlier than planned, I had a day to spare in Tiruvannamalai. I asked Deventhiran who was assigned to me to pick me up at the airport and drive me to all my destinations by the tour agency if he knew any astrologers in Chennai. He told me his uncle was an astrologer and was only eight kilometers away on the outskirts of Tiruvannamalai town. His uncle was to become my guru. Instead of charting my daughter's life course Supramania Swami spoke about me without even asking to know anything about me. He sat there on his deer skin for five solid hours engaged in divine communion with the Prapanjam, spilling the beans on me. Deventhiran came as a Upaguru on my journey too. I am indebted to him.
Moving on to 2005 Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal visits Malaysia to officiate an affiliate branch of his Kallar Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in Batu Caves. Though I never subscribed to the Tamil daily, that was the time my neighbor Augustine used to pass me unsold newspapers in all languages to read. An advert attracted my attention as it appeared almost daily. It was regarding the officiating of the above-mentioned Peedham. It carried Tavayogi's name. That name struck a cord in me. I had seen that name earlier. Nadi reader Senthilkumar had passed me a leaflet that carried his name.
But I had to verify if it was him. I called up the number advertised and made an appointment to see Tavayogi. Upon arrival, the bespectacled bearded man with a large but slim frame took me to an adjacent room and enquire about my visit. I showed him the leaflet and asked if it was him in it. He confirmed it. I told him that Agathiyar in the Nadi had asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas. He replied that I had come to the right place. He asked that I see the Gnana Kaandam too. I replied that I had. Telling him that Agathiyar had asked me to see the Nadi three years later after my first reading and that the time was just about right then, Tavayogi showed me to Nadi reader T. Ramesh. Tavayogi told the organizers that he would like to initiate me into the path to which they replied that I could join eight others coming over for an initiation that evening. Thiru Apana Nagappan who brought Tavayogi to officiate his center came as a Upaguru on my journey too. I am indebted to him.
Setting an appointment with T. Ramesh, Agathiyar surprised both Tavayogi and me asking to get initiated again which I did the same night. A new journey began with Tavayogi. Rather than while my time at the local affiliate Agathiyar had me travel behind Tavayogi trying to keep pace with him in the jungles and hills of India. I was 43 then while he was reported to be 69. T. Ramesh who subsequently read the Nadi 56 times came as a Upaguru on my journey too. I am indebted to him. Interestingly Ramesh had read the Nadi for Tavayogi too in the past.
Along the way, I had many other Upagurus in the form of family and friends, Acharya Gurudasan who fine-tuned the Yogic practices that Tavayogi shared with us, and a long list of gratitude that I have carried in my online publications available on the web version of this blog.
The relationship between guru and disciple flowered and flourished till Supramania Swami's samadhi on 7th February 2006 and Tavayogi's samadhi on 3rd July 2018. I am indebted to them for life. But our journey did not end with their demise. They come often to speak to us through devotees and Yogi Ramsuratkumar and Agathiyar have spoken about their presence respectively in our home, Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia. I guess the relationship with our gurus is thicker than blood spanning many births.
He invited me to join his group and called me onto his path. When I showed interest, he added me to his group. He messaged me through his Aasi Kaandam. He kept me well informed of my mission, task, and progress. Initially, I had been walking behind him, running to catch up with him, eagerly anticipating what was in store for me or where he was leading me. He took me over rough terrain and made me sleep in the cold caves in the midst of dense jungles. He gave me the experience of staying at a traditional ashram too, a hurricane lantern kept us company at night and the river was the source of water. A city boy had his first taste of life in the wilderness and amidst nature. He showed miracles upon miracles so that I would believe in their existence among us. He brought young souls to accompany me on this wonderful journey. He made me a tool to dispense his messages. He made me share my experiences. He keeps these writings and blogs alive. He kept the fire burning in me.
The gates to Heaven are open now I guess. For Agathiyar is making it simple to attain Siddhahood. If Tavayogi on watching us told me with a sign of disbelief, "How is it son you have made it here easily when we had to scale the hills and mountains and engage in extreme tapas, I felt blessed and was full of gratitude to the divine for his mercy and compassion. As I step into my 63rd year, looking back I shudder to think what had I done? There were many blunders I did and near misses but somehow I was saved from the situations that would have disrupted and diverted my life for the worse. Looking back I do not deserve their mercy and compassion. Agathiyar ran through my life journal of the past, present, and future when I read my very first Nadi reading and set me off to carry out numerous remedies to counter my past flaws and faults and karma that was in a bad light. He asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas. I started the worship and remedies that were to be carried out at local temples immediately while the other remedies in India were done the following year. After I listened and followed as told he acknowledged these faults and disasters in my second reading three years later removing the burden of shame and guilt and telling me that it was all his doing too. He wanted me to have those experiences too. He asked me to forgive myself first and that he shall forgive me too. So I am indeed surprised that the way was paved smoothly for me to travel with the Siddhas.
If I thought chanting Agathiyar's name 100,000 times was a mighty task that Agathiyar gave me when he came over to my home in 2010 in the form of a bronze statue, he settled for the 45,000 chants that we could only manage among the handful of us that day on 3rd January 2010. He asked us to carry out a libation to his statue with nine items too. Recently in staying put in my daughter's home, he asked to chant only 1000 times. He made it easy on us. A week later at another puja in another devotee's home, a participating devotee was gifted a miniature bronze statue by Agathiyar who personally performed libation to it. She was asked to continue in her home. Well, he sure has made things easy for his devotees these days.
All it takes is chanting the name of Agathiyar. If time permits one could chant the names of the rest of the Siddhas too. In worshipping the Siddhas they help us with our past karma that stands as a hurdle and obstacles to better things in life. Once it is out of the way it is indeed good times ahead. While fulfilling our daily needs for survival Siddhas deep down in their hearts want to elevate us to their standing too. They begin to work on those who they see have the potential to grow. The growth mentioned here is that of the Soul or Atma. They enhance the Atma, removing first the veil that keeps us from knowing it. Once it gains Atma Balam he then begins to lead others to the ways and the means. With several methods and practices that are given, he is shown the means to get in touch with his origin and source. He meets the Prapanjam. He becomes one with it. He then commands it. The Prapanjam works in his favor. Now it is no more of individual desires and wishes but all his actions are for the betterment of the world and its inhabitants. When I hesitated to carry out the Homam or fire lighting ceremony in my home that Tavayogi asks me to do as I told him it was exclusively for the priestly kind, Tavayogi pushed me to do it. Later Agathiyar tells me in the Nadi that it was not for me but for the well-being of the world just like Tavayogi told me the temple ashram he built at Kallar was for others. When the pandemic reared its ugly head Lord Shiva had us carry out Homam in our individual homes with only the family around as most parts of the country were under lockdown. Later Prapanjam sensing another revival of the dreaded virus, asked us to carry out the Homam.
When man moves towards doing things for the benefit of the world rather than for his individual gains, he has taken a large step towards meeting the Prapanjam. It then comes to meet him halfway. He is then a Jeevanmuktha. In "Pathway to God Trod by Saint Ramalingar, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay by G.Vanmikanathan says of a Jeevanmuktha that,
"A jeevanmuktha does not act on his own volition. God acts through him and speaks through him. The jeevanmuktha has imprisoned God in his heart, in every fiber of his body."
Then he told me "Enough of writing about him" and instructed me to write about the experiences taking place within me henceforth so that those who worship the Light and yearn to become it shall know what to anticipate and encounter on this journey. Come join me in this adventure of discovery on the way back home. I shall be glad if you make it before me.
Swami Saravanananda in this book, an English translation of Ramalinga Adigal’s "Aruperunjhoti Agaval" published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, writes, "At whatever age the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body-frame. The Divine Light seems to change the very cell of the body, ..."
"The inward journey begins the very moment one becomes aware of the divine presence working through him. He then surrenders to the will of God, hence surrendering the sheath of his intellect or Vinjnanamaya Kosham. Once aware of the divine presence, "he has already begun the transformational process and surrendered the sheath of the intellect or Vinjnanamaya Kosham where the analytical or intellectual component of the being is fully informed by the divine light attributes, accumulating experiences and knowledge enlightened by the higher deeper aspects of self."
"As the intellect undergoes this transformation, the mental sheath or Manomaya Kosham, associated with the senses, is similarly transformed."
"As the divine attributes of the Atma that manifest in the very subtle sheath of bliss or Anandamaya Kosham comes to be known, a subtle transformation begins in the very subtle part of the being. All his experiences and knowledge are then tailored to teach him the higher and deeper aspects of the Atma. The teachings that were focused on gaining experience in life and knowledge for living in the physical world, shift to that of knowing the Atma and one's true purpose and mission. He becomes well-informed and knowledgeable not through the normal means of attaining them but informed by the divine attributes within him."
We are told that when the divine light descends into the sheath of energy or Pranayama Kosham,
"The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever-prospering body is called the subtle body or the body of Omkar or Pranava body."
Swami Saravanananda writes that when the transformation of the Pranava body is completed the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana deham) starts.
Though it might seem like the effulgence had come within through our efforts, rituals, worship, dharma, etc, in reality, no matter how much effort is placed in the spiritual field things are only possible with divine grace. If I have arisen to this stage it is not my doing but the 40 years of collective merits of the tapas and austerities of my first guru Supramania Swami that I inherited, the blessings of Tavayogi, and the grace of the Siddhas and the divine. I would return to dust to be tramped upon if I claimed that it was solely my effort that I rose to this state. It's only with the grace of the divine that can man come to him. His efforts minus the divine grace go nowhere. The Divine Light awakens the Atma and draws the veil aside. The Atma shows itself. The Atma then takes the lead, provided we surrender the "I". It takes over the wheels. The Atma is now captain of the ship and helps us stay clear of the rapids, whirlpools, and rocks, bringing us to calm waters. As peace and calm settle in, the journey back home begins.
Recently Agathiyar asks that I research Ramalinga Adigal's "Arutperunjothi Agaval". Though I and my family used to sing this wonderful gem of a song that brings us the saint's personal encounter with the divine, the essence of this song had always evaded and remained a mystery. Reading several translations and explanations never really brought an understanding or clarity to me either. The fault I understood was with us and not the texts that we read. We were not able to comprehend this marvel as yet. In telling Agathiyar that the inner meaning of this song has always eluded my understanding he tells me to continue reading and I shall understand. I too believed that one day it shall all dawn on me. Meanwhile, I kept posting much on the saint in this blog. Let us revisit some of these wonderful pieces on the saint's journey to attain the state of Jothi or Light.
We come to understand that the saint documented his spiritual journey in these songs that came to be compiled as the "Thiruarutpa". What is the "Agaval" that Ramalinga Adigal composed that spans some 1596 lines?
Swami Saravanananda has given a beautiful English rendering of the original in Tamil of Ramalinga Adigal's "Arutperunjhoti Agaval", published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras.
1‐12, Deals with the attributes of effulgence (jothi).
13‐26, Deals with the various boons conferred on Ramalingam: zeal or great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective, discernment or the ability to judge well, radiant body, prosperity, liberated from countless births, freed from religious bigotry, removed doubt and misconception, freed from the clutches of religious scriptures, and made him pure.
27‐56, Deals with the various voids or spaces or spiritual planes which a soul has to pass through before attaining godhead.
111‐336, Deals with the attributes of the effulgence (jothi) that abides in the inmost void. Whenever He comes and initiates us, something happens within that is beyond our senses and control. It seems like he is working on another sheath of our body. As our thoughts go on, we are witness to everything external, but something else is moving within too that is initiated by them. Could he be working on the Anandamaya Kosa?
337‐366, Praises the effulgence (jothi) as the source of all elements. Ramalingam now a primordial being is provided with penetrating radiant vision to pry into the secrets and mysteries of nature. Thus, equipped he beholds the evolution of the universe in all its aspects all of which are recorded in these verses.
337‐402, Deals with the various aspects of the nature of the earth.
403‐430, Deals with the various aspects of the nature of the water.
431‐460, Deals with the various aspects of the nature of the fire.
461‐492, Deals with the various aspects of the nature of the air.
493‐512, Deals with the various aspects of the nature of space.
513‐544, Deals with the process of the creation of the human body, the acme of the entire evolutionary process. Ramalingam describes how each and every organ and its system are evolved and placed in the human frame; provides a step-by-step process of the evolution of the human body.
545‐554, Deals with how space yields the other elements.
555‐580, Deals with the various partial spaces or voids.
581‐620, Deals with the various forces that activate the universe and the human body.
621‐628, Deals with creation arising from the One.
629‐646, Deals with the seed.
647‐682, Deals with the dual or polar nature of manifestation.
683‐690, Deals with the tattvas and the primordial elements.
691‐702, Deals with the modes of the birth of organisms.
703‐716, Deals with the male and female characteristics of the human being.
717‐782, Deals with the protection and sustenance of organisms.
783‐812, Deals with the repression and control of all impure tendencies by the effulgence.
813‐832, Deals with the various kinds of curtains or veils that surround the soul and prevent it from having a clear vision of the great effulgence. With the removal of the last screen, the self stands face to face with the resplendence merging in the effulgence to become part and parcel of it and perform all the functions of the effulgence to make other selves realize the same level.
833‐852, Deals with the removal of the screens one after another as and when the entity rises up from one plane of consciousness to the next higher plane. By thus removing the veils the effulgence enlightens the beings of human and celestial origin and also deities high above the celestial origin.
853‐874, Narrates how the effulgence pervades through all the functions of the dynamic powers.
875‐880, Deals with the uniqueness of the supreme beings.
881‐920, Deals with the omnipresent aspect of the effulgence.
921‐930, Deals with the cosmic self which manifests everywhere.
931‐940, Deals further with the attributes of the effulgence.
941‐976, Deals further with the cosmic self.
977‐1018, Deals with the manifold manifestations and activities of compassion.
1019‐1038, Deals with the boons that are bestowed on Ramalingam.
1039‐1070, The narration of how the effulgence as the guru has taught Ramalingam all the knowledge and wisdom.
1071‐1114, Deals with the motherly aspect of the effulgence.
1115‐1164, Deals with the paternal aspect of the effulgence.
1165‐1176, Deals with the attributes of the companionship of the effulgence.
1177‐1192, Deals with the friendly attitude of the effulgence.
1193‐1200, Deals with the attributes of the kinship of the effulgence.
1201‐1213, Deals with the eternal (sat) aspect of the effulgence.
1214‐1238, Deals with the knowledge (chit) aspect of the effulgence.
1239‐1254, Deals with the blissful (ananda) aspect of the effulgence.
1255‐1290, Deals with the attributes of the effulgence further.
1291‐1310, Deals with the wish-fulfilling attribute of the effulgence.
1311‐1320, Deals with the gem, the mantra, and the medicine which confers everlasting Siddhis.
1321‐1336, Deals with the ambrosial effect of the effulgence.
1337‐1366, Deals with the sterling qualities of the effulgence.
1367‐1380, Deals with the munificence of the effulgence.
1381‐1386, Deals with the effulgence of a mountain with divine attributes.
1387‐1448, Deals with the effulgence of the sea and its shores with divine attributes.
1449‐1494, Deals with the changes that take place when the divine descends on the human frame. This is the most esoteric and sublime part of this work.
1495‐1510, Deals with the intense love that transmutes itself into light becoming the guiding factor of all souls.
1511‐1518, The light is compared to that of the full moon.
1519‐1528, Deals with the effulgence of rain that removes all dross from the heart and mind.
1529‐1538, Deals with the effulgence of the sun that removes the darkness of ignorance.
1539‐1548, Deals with the brilliance of the effulgence of the sun.
1549‐1554, Deals with the glow of the flame of the effulgence.
1555‐1596, Sums up all the boons that Ramalingam received through the grace of the effulgence. Ramalingam offers his thanks.
If Swami Saravanananda explored the "Thiruarutpa" above, G.Vanmikanathan in his "Pathway to God Trod by Saint Ramalingar", published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, has given us a beautiful and much-awaited biography cum journal on the life and experiences of Ramalinga Adigal. This spiritual evolution on Ramalinga Adigal's part is pretty obvious when one follows his experiences and devotional out-pour, laments, wailing, utterances, plodding, pleading, petitions, and revelations as compiled in the form of the Thiruarutpa.
Vanmikanathan explains,
"Though the period between 1823 and 1835, i.e., from the date of birth to the 12th year of our Swaamikal has been classified as the period of Kandhakottam, .. which has as its theme-shrine the temple of Murukan in Kandhakottam which goes today by the name of Kandhaswaami Koil." Vanmikanathan writes, "He is initiated by Murukan Himself into the methods of His worship." Here we have to acknowledge that all saints have had a beginning in Bakthi or devotion too. What does devotion bring upon us then? Vanmikanathan translates the song of the saint on this matter.
"Oh Guru Who came into my mind and bestowed the perception that through ritualistic worship of Pathi (God) and similar good rites, the creaturely instrument of understanding called the mind will be rid of impure concepts and stand established in pure contemplation and, thereby, the state of true union with Pathi with the result; that, thereupon, buddhi, the power of ratiocination, freed from (the triad of) bonds will merge in the mind, and that, forthwith, the state of absence of incoming and outgoing will be gained in the shape of unwavering real gnosis."
We understand that man has to arrive at knowing the Pathi through rituals and devotion. Impurity in the body and confusion and delusion in the mind then makes way for the arising of the Buddhi that in turn makes way for true knowledge or Gnanam to dawn on us.
"In the second lap, our Swaamikal goes from Thirutthanikai Hill to Thiruvottriyoor, the last lap of the Purgative Way, from Murukan the Son to Civan the Father, from childhood to adolescence and youth."
G.Vanmikanathan in relating the external temple structure with the internal temple within the physical body writes,
"To Maanickkavaachakar and indeed to all the saints, and for that matter even to the common man, the abode of God is his own body, his mind, his heart. Thirumoolar in his "Thirumandhiram" calls the body the temple of God and instructs man to keep it pure and healthy. This faith has been extended to the ground plan of the temples by the great sages who wrote the Aagamaas. The human body has according to the seers and savants seven centers, seven seats, or seven stations. (Similarly) The ground plan of a temple closely follows the ground plan of a human body with these seven sites. Therefore when one worships God externally in a temple, he worships him as enshrined in his body." This theme is rendered in Ramalinga Swamigal's song, "Keerthi Tiru Agaval." Indeed many of the Nayanmars have sung about Lord Shiva's abodes. "The five courtyards in the temple represent the five sheaths of a human body. The devotee crosses these entrances to the innermost court. At the sacrificial altar, he sacrifices his Aanava malam. At the flagpost (or kodimaram), he reinforces his faith, and resoluteness of his purpose here. He proceeds now to worship God in the sanctum sanctorum where the eternal effulgence shines."
In their pursuit to bring this body into a state of purity, the saints have sung of how they had to endure pain, in Ramalinga Adigal's case for 12 long years. If Ramalinga Adigal's songs portray similarity in experience with Manikavasagar, G.Vanmikanathan writes that Jalaluddin Rumi's utterances parallel Manikavasagar in a remarkable way too. Jalaluddin Rumi wrote, "I am in love with grief and pain for the sake of pleasing my peerless King." Agathiyar too each time I complain to him of the pain and discomfort that suddenly comes on as a result of observing the given practices, assures and comforts me that in pain is there bliss. The painful experiences that come on intermittently are in fact Ananda Paravasam or bliss, he says, asking me to endure it. I had been having constipation the past few days. But it was not a pain or discomfort nor was my tummy aching or hard on touch. I had a good appetite and was gobbling the food down my throat as usual. After sharing this with Mahindren just moments ago, I have visited the toilet several times. I guess there is nothing to fear.
G.Vanmikanathan too looks like is assuring me as did Agathiyar in his writings when he says, "When they (both the divine and its matters) are beyond our comprehension, our duty is not to dismiss them as meaningless, but to wait patiently for enlightenment by the spirit of the saints in their own time." I did mention to Agathiyar that Ramalinga Adigal has to come to clarify the essence and gist of his "Arutpa".
The soul once it attains purity and maturity of perfectness is entitled to be united with the Lord. The Lord's grace falls on it in a timely manner and the soul is absolved into the arms of the waiting father.
G.Vanmikanathan continues that "It is the soul's experience that it should see itself elated to a state of joy first; from joy to ecstasy; and from ecstasy to an all-encompassing and surpassing bliss, as the soul is seen uniting with Civan to the point of extinction of duality, to the point of the absence of any difference between the soul and Civan."
And so we arrive finally at the grand question of all time. Would declaring oneself as a God amount to being egoistic? Jalaluddin Rumi thinks otherwise. " "I am God" is an expression of great humility. The man who says I am the slave or servant of God affirms two existences - his own and his God but he that says "I am God" has made himself non-existent and has given himself up and says "I am naught; he is all there is; nothing but God's." This is the extreme of humility and self-abasement."
Now I understand why Lord Muruga kept asking the youngsters in the AVM family if they had surrendered to him. Only then can he give each of them something he added. When we are one with him and the Prapanjam everything is ours to live by. As in the process of osmosis where "molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one" we without effort tend to melt in his embrace and merge into him.
What is the significance of idol worship? Not that of fan-based idols and stars but of bringing the energies into either a stone, granite, metal, or wood. Our ancestors have been doing it for ages now. We have continued these traditions. Many temples and the statue in them stand witness to the bygone eras of temple worship that beats our imagination. These days devotees trickle in numbers except for some auspicious occasions where we see the numbers.
My brother, A.Kathiresan who is a journalist, in releasing a book entitled "Image Worship" in the series of books called "The Wisdom Library" put forth an argument that "Surely the Hindu sages, who gave the world the highest philosophy and who had actually seen God, had a sound reason for introducing this practice? when confronted with the fact that "image worship was being maligned by a few Hindus and many non-Hindu missionaries who wanted to convert Hindus decrying Hinduism." His book is in the form of a conversation between the guru and his disciple where the guru tries to answer and clarify the questions and doubts his disciple has.
The guru explains that "since not everyone is able to understand Hindu philosophy our sages devised several ways of bringing the philosophy closer to the ordinary man to help him understand this most ancient science better. The various Purnic stories and image worship are two of these ways."
Idol or image worship would not be an accurate translation of the Hindu term Vigraha or Moothi the guru says. Vigraha means to grasp firmly while Moorthi means materialization. Vigraha is a symbolic representation that helps the mind to grasp firmly the abstract idea of god. Through generations of practice, our rituals have become part of our group consciousness. we can therefore glide into the appropriate mental mood easily. This is one reason why image worship is so maligned by outsiders. It is difficult for them to enter the proper mental climate to be able to understand the practice, explains the guru further. "And it is human nature to be antagonistic towards what we cannot understand or at the very least to be suspicious of it."
"Hindus actually worship god in and through images. The images and Vigrahas are symbols that speak at different levels to the discerning and intelligent devotee. Also, they were so designed as to be to the point and effective. These Hindu symbols were and still are concise and precise and have the ability to generate tremendous power under the right conditions."
This reminds me of the day Agathiyar arrived in the form of a bronze statue at my home in 2010. We had invited a handful of family and friends to join us in ushering him. Agathiyar had directed me to have his Moorthi done at Swamimalai, Tamilnadu to strict conditions laid out in the Nadi. We were asked to give "life" to the otherwise lifeless metal by chanting his name 100,000 times while performing libation or abhishegam with nine items. Our throat was parched dry and we could not utter further his name. We could only manage 45,000 with the small group on hand. Though we could not achieve the said number Agathiyar came in a Nadi reading that week and told us that he had accepted our puja. Recently in coming to my daughter's home to stay for good, he spared us the agony of chanting large numbers but instead asked us to chant his name some 1,000 times. She had already received two large paintings of the Agathiyar and Lobamitra and another of the Siddhas that was kept in puja at the Eco City temple that happened to be her wedding gift too in 2016. Just some days ago in wanting to gift another devotee a miniature bronze statue of his, he did the libation himself and handed it over to her to continue at her home. Just like life's breath is blown into the fetus just before its existence in this world, this is how life is infused into an otherwise lifeless statue.
Once energized the statue regains a stand as God who fulfills the wishes of those who seek him out. The statue becomes a conduit to reach out to the invisible energies of the Prapanjam. The Prapanjam has now taken a form just like all that is in nature and creation. With constant puja, the statue gains powers to heal and cure and fulfill wishes. It gains weight. Yes, it is true. All the rituals, puja, and devotion towards it is absorbed by the statue and it gains weight when the divine comes within it. When AVM family members got into place to ceremoniously carry Agathiyar around the Mayuranathar Temple grounds in Dengkil on a Pallakku, or litter, the throne-like chair, with two long poles underneath the chair, initially these youths stood unassuming, cool, and calm. But as I sang the song inviting Agathiyar to grace the Siddhar Vizha we held there, these boys began to feel his weight. We could see that the four litter bearers were finding it difficult to continue carrying Agathiyar as he was gaining weight. They all attested to this unique phenomenon that took place that day that we were all witness to.
Similarly, when Dyalen volunteered to carry AVM Agathiyar from my car to the home of a devotee on the eighth floor of a condominium, he quipped that Agathiyar was light. After the puja was over he volunteered to bring his statue down. He turned to me and said, "My God he is heavy!"
A story is narrated in http://www.yourgoodtime.in/TemplesAndScience.aspx of the Nachiyar Temple, Narayur Nambi Perumal Temple in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India, of how energized our temples are. The Garuda, the vehicle or Vahana of Lord Vishnu near the inner sanctum sanctorum at this temple, made of a huge granite stone 6 feet in height, was brought out during the annual Brahmotsavam festival. The miracle in this whole event is that if only two people are required to lift the Garuda in the confines of this temple, as many as 64 people were required to carry it eventually at the peak of the occasion. It is very obvious that its weight kept on increasing as it made its way around the temple grounds. On returning it to its original spot the weight began to decrease requiring only the original two to carry it.
We are all well aware of the episode about how Agathiyar had instructed Idumban to carry the Sivagiri and Saktigiri hills to the south. Idumban carried the hills easily, slung across his shoulders. Soon he needed to rest and lay the hills down. On recovering from his exhaustion he found that he could not lift nor move the hills.
Then there was a time when Ma told me to carry out libation with water daily to his statue as he had gained intense power and energy. It was time to cool him down I guess. Recently Agathiyar asked me to bathe his statue with water till he leaves AVM for Mahindren's home to stay put. This reminds me of news that is yet to be verified of the Goddess Meenatchi in her famed temple coming in the dreams of devotees asking to cool her down. The subsequent fire that broke out could have been a result of ignoring these signs. Pardon me if I am wrong. It brings tears to our eyes to read about the fire and see the photos at https://scroll.in/article/867574/fire-in-madurais-meenakshi-temple-sparks-demand-for-shops-to-be-evicted-from-complex
The guru continues, "To the Hindu, his house of worship the Hindu temple mirrors the entire universe and the human body and life. Hindu philosophy is coded into its very structure in its internal symbols and the ceremonies performed."
"Our sages say every object in the world animate or inanimate is a manifestation of the one god. The realization of and experience of this fundamental truth is the goal of the life of the Hindu. Hinduism does not present a fixed dogma or path and calls on all its followers to take that path alone. Rather, it offers various paths which they can take to reach the same goal. Techniques combining science and faith have evolved to help the aspirant move along the path of his choice."
"In the transcendent state, Siva is beyond the reach of the senses, the mind, and the intellect. This is its natural form. But Siva also assumes forms, qualities, and characteristics", hence explaining how god is both with attributes and without. The Hindus believe that god is both formless and with form. And that he transcends both."
Recently I had built some courage to ask Agathiyar where he was, where Tavayogi was, and where Lord Siva and Lord Muruga were too. Agathiyar who had come within a devotee placed his palm on my chest. I understood that he was living in my heart and in me. I told him so to get reassurance and confirmation. He nodded when I continued that god manifests wherever we place our thoughts about him, be it at the temple or home altar, a picture or stone, or in someone else. God lives in our thoughts. Devotion, puja, and rituals are akin to feeding these divine thoughts. To someone else who asked to know his true form some time back, he asked her a question in return. "What do you get when you do puja and charity?" She replied "A feel-good feeling." "That is me" he replied. He continued that he was the very vibration that is felt bringing us to add on another form to his numerous other forms that we came to know earlier. Through our parents, we came to know god with form as in the paintings and idols. Through the priest and saints, we came to know their attributes as songs are sung to describe them. Dr.Krishnan, an astrologer and Siddha physician, passed me a copper foil or yantra carrying Agathiyar's form as an abstract symbol to be worshipped when I told him that Agathiyar had called me to the path. Later he spoke his mantra into my ears over the phone as I was conducting a Homam at home. Now he took on the form of sound. Tavayogi in introducing us to Agathiyar officially through an initiation told us that he was the very mantra given. He was in the form of sound. Later when I asked him how Agathiyar came to him the night I arrived at his ashram in 2005, he told me as light. Agathiyar took the form of light. In having the statues of Lord Muruga and Agathiyar made in fiber and placed at his ashram in 2010, the same year Agathiyar came in the form of a statue to my home, Tavayogi gave these gods attributes and form saying these were a depiction of their forms as described by other Siddhas in the Siddha text. Later when I and my family visited him in 2013, as we came down the steps of Nattadreswar temple in Erode, he turned to me and said that Agathiyar was Siva and vice versa giving them the common attributes. This would explain why Lord Siva chose to send Agathiyar south to bring a balance to the earth that had toppled as the heavenly beings descended to witness the betrothal of Lord Siva to Goddess Parvathi in the north. Agathiyar was equivalent to all the Gods and Goddesses assembled at Mount Kailash.
Our saints have dwelled in and sung about the attributes of god with form. They have given precise descriptions through their visions that have been carved into stone and are worshiped by us today.
It would surprise us to know that Swami Vivekananda being a monk on the path of Gnanam has spoken about idol worship which is said to be a starter course for many higher levels. Picking up from his guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who describes, "God with form is just as true as God without form. He is also that which transcends both. He alone knows he is", he tackled the question about image worship as follows.
The guru shares this story.
"During the days of his wandering through India, Swami Vivekananda went to the state of Alwar. The then Maharaja was a young modern educated man. He told Swami Vivekananda "I have no faith in idol worship. I cannot really worship wood, earth, or stone as other people do."
Swami Vivekananda replied, "Every man should follow his religious ideal according to his faith." Having said that looking around Swami Vivekananda spotted a picture of the Maharaja on the wall. Taking it down he asked the royal court to spit on it. They were shocked at his requests. Swami Vivekananda said, "Spit upon it. It is but only a portrait." The bewildered courtiers replied, "What are you asking us to do? This is the likeness of our Maharaja. How could we do such a thing?" Then turning to the Maharaja, Swami Vivekananda said, "That is the shadow of your highness which brings you to their minds and they naturally look upon it with respect. In the same way, an image in a temple brings to the mind of the devotees their chosen aspect of the deity. They worship the spirit symbolized by the image." The Maharaja understood and said, "You have opened my eyes."
Swami Vivekananda clarifies what Agathiyar instructed me to do upon his arrival. He asked that we give life to that metal statue of his.
"We may worship anything by seeing god in it, if we can forget the idol and see god there. We must not project any image upon god but we may fill any image with that life which is god."
A monk of a divine order having its origin in Rishikesh, who was based in Malaysia surprised us by asking Malaysian to build temples as it was our identity. Both language and customs identify us. These are much needed by common folks like us. But Ramalinga Adigal who had attained a high standing in the order sings that the day he dropped arguing on caste and agamas, he saw the Light.
Agathiyar has often told us that he was in the Prapanjam and that the Prapanjam was in him and that he was it. Ramalinga Adigal in asking me to go within said that a time will come when we shall tend to ask if the breath is in us or if we are in it. This reminds me of yet another form that Tavayogi gave to Agathiyar. During my second or rather third initiation in private upon arriving at his Kallar ashram he told me that Vaasi or breath was god. SiVa if spelled VaSi is breath indeed.
The guru in dispelling further doubts quotes Swami Vivekananda again. "The divinity of the all-pervading god is vibrant in every atom of creation. There is not a speck of space where he is not. Why do you then say that he is not in the Vigraha?"
