Though it is said that all paths lead to the same place one must tread on a path to actually arrive at the destination. One has to start a journey to arrive there. Similarly, we had already taken a journey prior to arriving here. The soul started a journey to arrive here at its second and third home. The soul journeyed into the body. At the same time, the Prana Sakthi or Pranic energy from both parents traveled with the cells from each parent and helped shape and transform a fertilized egg which is a single-cell zygote into a morula, a berry-like structure made up of 16 cells. Becoming a blastocyst, which is the size of a pinhead, it is further composed of hundreds of cells. It further takes different forms and names becoming an embryo and a fetus, taking on the first signs of life, and finally a baby, in the womb of the mother which becomes its second home. It then comes into this world that is its third home taking a birth. It lives a life according to the karma baggage it brought with it from the past. Though the past karma does determine his or her present state he or she has the freedom to shape and transform their life to what they desire. He could exhaust his karma here by engaging in several acts and stop the cycle of taking on more karma by his inaction or acting out only the soul's will which is God's will too. When this Prana count that is brought with him is exhausted he leaves the body on another journey, that of death. The soul Jeeva Atma having gained the experiences it came to have and enlightened further, eventually returns to its source, the soul of the Prapanjam, the Param Atma. The individual soul does this numerous times taking numerous bodies to fulfil its wish to have a myriad of experiences and learning from them. Finally attaining a state of Puranam or completeness or satisfaction settles in the Param as a wise soul, a Siddha or a Rishi, and guides other souls. If need be they too take a human birth again for a noble cause.
While here in his third home, he takes on the faith of his parents. Traveling along when he has learned and gained knowledge and experience, he is at liberty to decide whether to remain on the path chosen and followed by his parents or to go his way to discover for himself one or many of the paths available. For some, the divine comes as a guru or an inner yearning or as a memory of his past life that draws and pulls him to a certain path or a place or a master where his journey continues further. Rather than have me sit with many and hear his discourses, I was blessed to have Tavayogi literally walk me on the path of the Siddhas. I wonder how many have had this opportunity to walk with the master. I am where I am today because of my gurus. He was different from others. Why was he different? He gave me the liberty and freedom to experiment, experience, and learn and not follow blindly his teachings or those of the Siddhas. Rather than mold me into his image or have me adopt and follow a strict regime he gave me total freedom just as he told me that the Atma must be free to fly and should never be caged. So this journey is to free the soul that has been imprisoned by our ego and rid us of false notions and opinions gathered with time. This comes with the coming of a guru in the physical form who draws the veils, curtains, and blinds that blind us from seeing our very soul that has gone into oblivion within our hearts. This is beautifully depicted by the act of drawing the curtain at the inner sanctum of temples and having us see the divine under the light of the flame or Arati.
Just as Tavayogi gave me freedom, those who frequented AVM were free to do as pleased though it was a home, my home, that became Agathiyar's home and home to the Siddhas and deities later, and is now home to Prapanjam. We never had codes of practice to observe nor laid rules and regulations to adhere to. We never obstructed anyone from coming over or entering be they strangers or friends. We never asked them if they were vegetarians. We allowed everyone present to sit in the rituals or carry them out. This was observed by a devotee of many years and only highlighted to me recently. He was elated and told me that AVM was the only place where Agathiyar embraced one and all irrespective of race, religion, language, and caste. No one was driven away. He also added that "Agathiyar who embraced us slowly changed us." He had transformed them not radically or by force or having them submit to the rules, code, and discipline, but with love, compassion, and affection in due time.