We have got it all wrong we came to realize as Mahindren and I discussed this journey of ours just moments ago. For instance, we are literally worshipping the sandals or Paatham that are placed at our altars as an object of veneration. Instead, we should ask that "May we too gain the experience that they had in each step they took." I took Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's prayer that I read in a book of his as mine and asked for a guru to take me along on this journey when I started on the path with only his discourses and books to guide me back then in 2003. The appeal went as follows,
அகத்தீசா உனது சீடர்களாகிய ஒன்பது கோடி பேரும் என்னை சூழ்ந்திருந்து நான் விரும்பியதெல்லாம் முடித்து வைப்பதோடு மட்டுமல்லாது உன்னுடைய மலையாகிய பொதிகைக்கு என்னை அழைத்துவர என்னை சீடனாக நீ ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். நான் உய்வதற்கு அருள் புரிய வேண்டும். உனது அருள் பூரணமாக பெற்றல் வேண்டும்.
This prayer I believe brought Tavayogi and me together. Tavayogi volunteered to take me to all the sacred abodes of the Siddhas.
If Agathiyar has finally brought me to witness the workings of the Prapanjam after 21 years, Tavayogi had already introduced her to me in our walkings with him through the jungles and staying in the caves back then when I arrived at his Kallar Ashram the first time in 2005. After the usual greetings and a briefing of what an ashram life was like with the minimum of amenities and facilities, he asked me where should we go the next day. He gave me a choice of visiting some gurus in Ooty or visiting the caves in Uthiyur. I chose the latter. That is when he started to point out to the skies on our walk to the caves. He told me the Siddhas were ushering us with flowers. He pointed out to the sandalwood aroma in the air. He was connecting me with the Prapanjam but I did not realize then. Several days later bringing me places that Agathiyar mentioned in my Gnana Kaandam of the Nadi, he led me to several other places of his choice too. He took me to the caves of Kutralam and the lesser-known abodes and temples hidden in the jungles, away from the routine path of the tourist. If I had literally toured India in the comfort of a vehicle on my maiden trip in 2003, now I was practically running behind Tavayogi trying to catch up with him.
The line "வந்தித்தேன் உந்தன் பாதம் வானமுந் திறந்தாய் போற்றி", from a song in praise of Agathiyar,
ஐயனே போற்றி போற்றி அருள்பெற்ற தேவே போற்றிமெய்யனே போற்றி போற்றி மெய்சுடர் அணிந்தாய் போற்றி
கையனே போற்றி போற்றி காசினி முனிவா போற்றி
உய்யனே எனையாட் கொண்ட உந்தியில் உதிக்குந்தேவே
உந்தியிலுதிக்குந்தேவே ஒருபொருள் உகந்தாய் போற்றி
சிந்தையில் நினைந்த போதே திருநாட மிட்டாய் போற்றி
வந்தித்தேன் உந்தன் பாதம் வானமுந் திறந்தாய் போற்றி