Some knowing that I am a vegetarian had presumed that I would not get angry. It is not true. I do get angry. In fact, I am such an angry man that Agathiyar had to counsel me on anger management for an hour in a Nadi reading many years ago. Similarly one might presume that the master teaching, for example, Yoga, Falun Gong, Aerobics, and numerous other practices would be considerate of others. That too is not true. I have seen on my walk around the many parks on many occasions aerobic classes held in the open blasting the music right next to the more gentle and quiet practices of Yoga, Falun Gong, and meditation. Good sense would tell us not to disturb the serenity in a park and not to disturb another. One too would expect the practitioners and master to run to the aid of others. But it was not to be. When a man after he had crossed me while running fell, as I stood by his side enquiring if he was alright, a group that practiced an ancient art of wellbeing looked over the hedge and stared, not coming to his aid.
Knowing that I am a vegetarian many have asked the reason to become one. There can be many reasons given by long-time vegetarians or those who just switched over but I had no particular reason. But Agathiyar told us the actual reason and the need to be one not by giving us a lengthy discourse on vegetarianism but by having us watch or rather follow the transformation in Jnana Jothiamma. If Tavayogi postponed her initiation telling her that she had fish meat in her tummy, he initiated, or rather Agathiyar himself initiated her into the path another day. Seeing her seriousness in wanting to be close to him, Agathiyar began to guide and monitor her. A transformation in her began to take place with Agathiyar sending over herbal preparations on a timely basis that saw through the process in a specific way. She was briefed on these changes by Agathiyar in regular Nadi readings. That is when Agathiyar revealed in his Nadi that the process would take longer and be more painful as he had to rid her body of the toxins accumulated over the sixty-plus years due to the nature of her food intake. This was an eye-opener for us too. Swami Saravanananda in giving us a translation and explanation of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval”, published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, says,
"... 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." And so when I had similar changes happen within, Agathiyar explained further that the pain and suffering were expected as we had aged and were beyond sixty.
There you have it from Agathiyar. If you are interested to become a Siddha like him you definitely have to change your diet to that of sattvic in nature beginning now so that you would not have to spend much time cleaning the house of the garbage that you have taken in and accumulated in your system over the years.
My second granddaughter who is three years of age, and who is over at our home these past few days keeps asking why my body was hot whenever she touches me. I was told that this was a result of the Tava Kanal rising in us as we take up certain yogic practices in the beginning years of practice. Recently when we were at a devotee's home carrying out puja, upon returning home and for the next three days, I had a chill that is known to accompany extreme body temperature and high fevers, come over me for no reason. Agathiyar came to console me that it was not an illness but the workings of the Prapanjam in us. I thought I had a short glimpse of the state that is known as தூங்காமல் தூங்கும் சுகம் or the pleasure in sleeping without actually sleeping last evening. Here was I on my laptop drafting another post and listening to my playlist of Bharathi songs when I think I had slipped into a mode where I was aware of the noises around, the song playing on my home theatre sytem, and my wife coming up to me and asking about what I wanted to eat for dinner. But I was unperturbed as I continued sitting on the sofa and with eyes closed, was immersed in the pleasure of the moment that extended over several songs of Bharathi. I cannot actually express the feeling in words. Similarly, I thought I had slipped into another state of becoming the very expanse some weeks ago. I was watching with eyes closed on the expanse before me and I knew I was also it. Later Agathiyar told me that I had had a small glimpse of the Prapanjam in me. He asked me to envision how it would be to fully be in this expanse and be it.
Yesterday as we took our granddaughter over to the park, as my wife was with her on the swing in the playground, I took a walk as usual. But believe me, the walk felt very different. I could engage with nature. Nature gave me the additional strength to keep up with the walking. There was joy in me and even in the people I meet during my walk. I felt the same today too. And to think about it it started with my senses enhanced, the joy in connecting with the senses, the blissful moments as we connected, and the urge to talk about it and share it with others. Is this all the work of the Prapanjam?