God does not have a fixed form. He comes in any form we desire to see him. For starters, we are shown a picture or statue and told that he is God. This is to help us start on a journey of self-discovery. We owe our gratitude to our parents and ancestors for starting us off. This phase, which is known as Sariyai, sees us visit temples and light a lamp at our home altar that soon paves the way for a yearning to reach out to him. As soon as that thought appears the yearning increases and the search begins, a Guru in human form appears before us. He starts us off with the rituals that make way for God to step into our lives, homes, and hearts. This phase which is known as Kriyai sees us extend a hand to the community and society, engaging in charity and service. The guru now has us delve deep within us and quench our thirst, bringing a stop to our external search. We settle in the self. This phase that is Yogam brings us to the dawn of Gnanam where we are showered with all the answers to all our doubts and questions. The next phase is one of transforming the physical into the subtle and a return to the core elements. One then merges with, and in the Prapanjam.
Though one who passes away has his physical body buried or burned and its elements returned to nature, these are still in gross form. But the form of a saint is purified and refined and takes on a subtle form before returning to the Prapanjam. He can transmigrate, reassemble, or assemble another body at will. He has "conquered" nature and its laws, and the Tattvas, or rather Prapanjam comes to his aid. Furthermore, he can summon Prapanjam to do his will. A rapport is cemented between Prapanjam and him. We always refer to the government, but who or what, or where is the government? It is the very public servants who serve within this body. These civil servants themselves are the government. Similarly, the saint is then Prapanjam itself.
The most compassionate father did show us his true self. Agathiyar showed us that he was the Prapanjam taking form coming through a devotee and addressed us when I visited him in his new home today. He stood as the Prapanjam that cannot be defined and is formless but yet takes any form we desire. Agathiyar sitting as the bronze statue amazed me. I saw him in deep meditation with his eyes closed partially. He looked stern, poised, and serene. When I shared my observation, the host in turn shared that indeed Agathiyar had told her in her hours of meditation that he would be in tavam during his stay in their home. But after we did the libation of abhisegam, he opened his eyes and was smiling, just as he had given darshan at my home AVM all these years. I could not fail to notice that he had a large pot belly and had put on some weight around his waist. Mentioning this to the host, she shared the same observation, telling me that the children were feeding him continuously.
Can a metal idol change shape and its look? Well, it sure can, by the looks of him. Furthermore, this reminded me of the time when we carried Agathiyar around the temple grounds at the Mayuranathar temple in Dengkil many years back. As the AVM family members assembled to ceremoniously carry Agathiyar around the temple grounds 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 a devotee 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, that shows how energized the temple statues are. The Garuda, the vehicle or Vahana of Lord Vishnu near the inner sanctum sanctorum at this temple, which was made of a huge granite stone 6 feet in height, was brought out during the annual Brahmotsavam festival. If only two people were 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, as its weight decreased, it required only the original two to carry it.
Of course, we can never forget how Agathiyar opened his left eye in his granite statue at Agasthiyampalli and both eyes at Papanasam in 2005 and opened both his eyes in his bronze statue at AVM in 2013.
This world is full of mysticism and wonders, provided we choose to believe.
After taking up his call to come to the worship of the Siddhas, and after he came into my home in the form of a bronze statue, I told Agathiyar that if he was to help only those who worshiped him, I was going to leave him. I told him if he was to only assume a specific and particular form and name, I was leaving him. I wanted a comprehensive, all-encompassing, and enveloping God who embraces all immaterial of what gender we were, what race or belief or color we were, what nation we belonged to, and irrespective of our economic standing. I also asked him to show me this form or name that every single human could accept. Agathiyar in telling me that he was moving out of AVM also told us that he shall bring down Prapanjam before he leaves. Today, his room is "empty" except for an oil lamp burning 24/7. Or is it truly empty? It is only logical and sensible that his statue leaves after he shows himself as the Prapanjam.
I did not comprehend what Lord Murugan said when in asking me to build his temple he told me that I would show him differently until a new devotee at AVM who stepped into this space pointed out that we had shown Lord Murugan as the very Prapanjam. She also requested me to continue writing. Similarly, I did not realize how Agathiyar embraced all at AVM without sidelining anyone after another devotee who was with us from the early years of worship shared his observation. It was true that we did not ask visitors and devotees from where they came, whether they had their baths, what they ate, whether they were vegetarians or otherwise, whether they worship the Siddhas in their homes, etc. Neither did we impose rules and regulations that they needed to adhere to, before coming in. We gave everyone an opportunity to participate and carry out the rituals, even if he was a stranger to us. All these were pointed out by him. He also added how Agathiyar, rather than chasing them away at the onset for all the above reasons, had instead embraced all into his fold first and very subtly brought about changes in them later over time without compelling or forcing these changes down their throat or scaring them away. When I was harsh with the words in a draft of a post, Agathiyar came asking me to tone it down, otherwise, it would drive away readers in fear, he said. I did not comprehend the worth of my days of solitude, during the pandemic, thinking that I had wasted precious time unable to carry out all the events we had been doing prior to the lockdown, until another devotee pointed out that I had indeed gained much by letting go.
As we have read excessive Kapha adversely affects the nerves, I am expelling much mucus or Kapha. I believe Prapanjam did come to my aid healing my eye with her gentle touch today. And she did ask after the healing if I was happy. She asked me to get in touch with her the next time I needed her help.
I am grateful to Ramalinga Adigal who helped us all get connected to her and for Agathiyar for exposing his true nature and form or rather the formless form or taking on the many forms that we desire to see him in.