The world is now saturated with so much information that it is suffocating. I believe that we can only speak about something after gaining experiences or putting ourselves or things to the test. Otherwise, it would be just vomiting things we heard, read, and saw. Many have come forward to speak their thoughts and opinions in public, through their writings, and on social media, including me. Here I am churning out pages upon pages of stuff and recycled information besides a tiny weeny bit of my own writings. I wonder if I am adding on to the already over-stuffed container. But my memoirs were all about my maiden pilgrimages and three other to the land of the Mystic. It was my detailed account of my travels seeking the promised land of the Siddhas. Even as I shared my journeys and exploration I would consult Suren who was an ardent reader if I had revealed too much or had boosted my ego through these writings. There were many a day that I wanted to call it a day but Agathiyar in my Nadi readings kept asking me to write.
BKS Iyengar could talk about Yoga for he was a practitioner who came to be regarded as the world's greatest teacher of yoga. Agathiyar tells us that they only taught us what was practiced by them. Tavayogi too only taught us what he practiced daily, hence the reason Agathiyar asked me to spend a couple of days at his Kallar Ashram. Ramalinga Adigal could share his vast experiences after reaching the states he has mentioned in his songs. He did not quote others or pass on others' experiences as his own. Watching the experiences of the saints discussed and shared by many taking the stage or on social media, I wonder if they had gone through similar experiences. As if to drive this point, just as Patanjali reroutes us within after traveling the route of Yama and Niyama, to take on Asana, Praṇayama, and Pratyahara, Agathiyar later, only wanted me to write about the experiences taking place internally.
I too wanted to know about the Siddhas and read much about them. But I could not comprehend most of what they said. Spending a few days at his old ashram some 2 kilometers away, Tavayogi had me drop my hold on my possessions, telling me that I did not need the nine-gem studded gold ring I wore on my finger, the Rasamani or solidified mercury bead on me and also had me burn the intention of wearing a Rudraksha on me even before it manifested in me. Watching and learning from my gurus I learned to stay away from these "potential traps". Supramania Swami who at one stage performed Sitthu or Sitthis roamed the streets adorned only in the bark of a banana tree. Though he could locate hidden items and have them retrieved from the ground and turn a handful of sand into the sacred ash, the family was devastated. A "stranger woman" finally came by and gave him a handful of cooked rice that he ate and regained his mind and came to his senses. Now who was she? He could not recall those years he was gifted with Sitthis. Later in 2006, as work began on a temple that he had dreamed of building for Lord Murugan, a "stranger" stood before his kudil and waved him to come out. He asked Swami why he was taking a step back into Bhakti when he was a Gnani. Now who was he? While the divine stopped his aspiration and dream and desire to build a temple Agathiyar in the Nadi reading for Tavayogi told him to build one for him at Kallar and told him to come over to Malaysia and preach the path. I knew the troubles he went through right till the moment of Kumbhabisegam. It was not an easy task. So when Agathiyar in my first Nadi reading in 2005 and Lord Murugan in another Nadi reading in 2018 called me to build a temple for them, I did not move to do it. Later they told me that they had tested me.
When many sought to know about the Kundalini, and Siddhis, and awaken them, I asked myself what would I do with the Kundalini energy upon arousal and the Siddhis after being gifted. How is the awakening of the dormant energy in the former and the magical gifts of carrying out miracles as in Siddhis going to help me or others? If one wants to walk on the surface of water, he can always hire a boatman in present times. But this is what is being sought by seekers. And they want it fast and easy. They are willing to pay for it too. The lure of all the publicity that has grown surrounding these mystical occurrences and happenings is too strong for many to stay away from. I suppose they believe that they could use these gifts to uplift the status of their material life, and make a living out of it, or hold positions and be respected, gain fame and popularity, etc. I fear that many teachings, positions and authority, responsibilities, gifts, and rewards that come by could be misused.
Hence we understand why Patanjali addresses and stresses the need to know, practice, and uphold the very first limb of his Astanga Yoga, Yama, or restraints and ethics of behavior, which are the basic requirement and foundation of better things to come to be known. Imagine the consequences of power if it were to fall into the wrong hands. This is the reason the seeker and follower who turn aspirant and Sadhaka are tested for some 12 years before any knowledge is passed on to them. One can forget the gift of authority and power for that duration.
I had remained withdrawn even when Tavayogi asked that I speak about the Siddhas at an opening of an affiliate Peedham in Banting during one of his visits to Malaysia. Since I avoided public forums, organizations, and movements, Agathiyar brought them to me. My home took on the role of a Peedham with the coming of many youths after reading their Nadi. I was sent several seekers to be their guru. But I shied away from that immense responsibility. Just as Ramalinga Adigal told me the more we refuse these gifts the more that they shall shower on us, the Nadi that was supposed to come my way, the position and authority and respect that comes with assuming the role of a master, the possibility of expanding the premises and even building a temple, all were in the making and would have materialized if I had nodded my head. Since I turned down these gifts, Agathiyar closed those doors and opened the door to his home that Ramalinga Adigal knocked on and pleaded with Lord Siva to open the door. It is true that Tavayogi once mentioned that we have come by gaining much without going through any hardship for he and others only had them coming after trekking the jungles, sleeping under the skies, drenched in rain and hungry, and going on without food for days.
What happens when he opens the door to his home? We have access to his home and the freedom to explore further his world and realm. Tavayogi is with him now. Ramalinga Adigal is with him too. Supramania Swami too is there with his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar. All the Siddhas are there too going about their work. Just as we think and speak about them they too are in consultation speaking about us as Agathiyar revealed. We are now a part of their family, the Siddha family. Though we haven't attained the status of a Siddha we are allowed into their home and grounds to run around. Here in Samadi pada, we are observed for our code of conduct. We take up upon ourselves to clean the home and attend to the needs of the Siddhas as in Sariyai. This is similar to living in the world of Siva or Salogam. This is akin to a child living in the world of adults. Eventually, we come around, pick up the toys laid around, play with them, analyze them, and learn a thing or two during play. We begin to observe and take up Niyama. We pick up the method and the practice of carrying out Kriyas coming to the Sadhana pada. We are given the responsibility now to carry out the rituals that the Siddhas did. The Siddhas step back and watch the youth now take on the responsibilities given. We rub shoulders with them coming to Sameebam. Next, we stand at Vibhuti pada where we become curious to know more and hungry for details and information regarding these practices. The hidden wealth that comes through these practices is now passed on to us. We are then taught the Asana or physical postures and the practice of Praṇayama or nurturing the Prana (breath) within us that bring on an internal transformation in us. We turn into young adults, taking charge of our bodies and minds, and our life breath, and soul. We take the form of Siva or Saarupam.
As age catches up with us and after settling our responsibilities, we then settle down in Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses. We go within to unearth the hidden treasures and gifts - Quietitude, Contentment, and Peace - that are to be treasured more than the earlier gifts that were laid before us for the taking. Arriving at Kaivalya pada where our actions cannot produce reactions we dissipate the learned and earned knowledge and experience to others so that "consciousness may dissolve in the light of the soul of every being." It is only after reaching the state of satisfaction and completeness, where we do not seek anything further, that we are now able to serve others fully. We are tasked by the Siddhas to do their work, carry out their mission, and bring others to the fold. Still, we are not Siddhas as yet but only their emissaries. We have only arrived at the door to the merger or union or betrothal or the Final Summation that is Saayutcham. The door opens up to the ocean where Lord Siva awaits to ferry us across to his land of paradise as he did Tavayogi. Supramania Swami had to close up the window to this land and mountain beyond the ocean as it was fiery and his eyes could not look at it no more.