When does the life breath come into a body and give life to an otherwise lifeless chunk of meat? Agathiyar explained this to us in a memo some time back. The Pranavayu which is the primary cause of the conception of an embryo and a fetus flows in with the elements from both the parents, shaping a form that has the potential to become alive. Life then is given to the embryo.
பிறக்கும் சிசு கருவுற மூலமாக இருப்பது பிராணவாயு. பிராணவாயு ஆணின் அணுக்களிலும் பெண்ணின் அணுக்களிலும் ஊடுருவி ஒன்றெனக் கலந்து பிரதான பொருள் வடிவம் அடையும் தன்மை உண்டானால் அங்கு உயிர் சக்தி உருவேற்ற படுகிறது.
The breath or Uyir that primarily drives our body, moving the limbs that are otherwise motionless, is moved to execute actions drawn up and driven by past karma and present desires, using the body as a vehicle.
உனது உடலைப் பிரதானமாகக் கொண்டு இயங்குவது சுவாசம், அதுவே உயிர். உயிர் என்பது செயல் அற்று இருக்கக்கூடிய உறுப்பைச் செயல் பெறச் செய்வது.
Having explained about the body and the breath, Agathiyar went on to brief us about the soul or Atma. The Atma that keeps both the Udal and Uyir under its purview, loses its grip and hold on us, between 1 and 5 Varahai, says Agathiyar, a time period used in the ancient days that I have yet to find an equivalent terminology or reference to present times. Although Agathiyar said he could not reveal the reason for the Atma to be veiled, after several readings we figured out its reason. The period where the Atma is veiled is where the process of karma takes its course. What is said to be the divine Lila is the play of karma on one's life.
Tavayogi wrote in his book "Atma Gnanam" that the individual soul that is the Jeeva Atma brings together the body or Udal and the breath or Uyir. உடலும் உயிரும் சேர்ந்து செயல்படுகின்ற ஒரு பொருளைதான் ஜீவன் என்கிறோம். The Atma that originates in the realm of the divine that is known as Paramatma comes as the Jeevatma to care for the new life that is taking shape in the mother's womb, hovering and staying with the Pindam and Uyir for a period of time that Agathiyar says is between 1 and 5 Varahai and then veils itself once karma is set into motion and play. I guess it is the will of the most compassionate Lord that karma does not affect a child until he or she attains puberty when it can make decisions on its own. The late Dr.Krishnan told me that a child's karma initially affects the parents giving them for instance undue stress and worry if the child is sickly or joy if he is healthy. Karma only begins to affect the child when the child reaches puberty. By this time the child can figure out the right and wrong, distinguish between the good and bad, and begin to make his or her own decisions. His or her "I" comes to the forefront pushing the Atma behind the veil. It is an eye-opener to note that the "I" comes later to send the Atma behind the veil. He or she then invites karma into life to chart the course to be taken accordingly. When karma asserts itself, life takes its toll and he or she is lost for a solution and surrenders to the divine, or when life gives a trashing and he or she begins to question why his or her life was moving the way it did and tries to ponder and figure it out, as Agathiyar says, only then the Atma makes its presence known. The Atma appears to help him or her out.
He is then told of karma. But how many realize or are aware of karma or the existence of the Atma and acknowledge it as the reason for their lives to move in a particular direction? Those who had been in the proximity of the Siddhas or have had their blessings in their past lives might be referred to see the Nadi or pointed to the Nadi reader or come to know of its existence at the right moment. He or she then has a calling from the Atma that leads them to have a reading. The Nadi reveals the past karma. Solutions are given too. It is now the moment of the great battle between one's "I" and the word of the Siddhas. While many take up the word of the Siddhas and follow some might tend to leave decrying that it is a hoax. Those who come to know the Nadi could brush it aside or venture to correct their karma. Here is where we come to understand Agathiyar's statement that the Atma draws aside the veil and appears before him to help navigate the rest of his life according to the direction and action that one takes. If the "I" that thought it was master and in charge all this while, now beaten and wounded, subdues and surrenders to its savior, the Atma. The Atma heals and cares for him or her. The Atma returns to save him or her bringing salvation. This applies to those who believe and take the necessary actions to correct their past that shadows them, follows them, and impacts the present moment.
Agathiyar reveals a misconception that many, including me, have had and that I had carried in many of my earlier posts that the Atma carries the imprints of karma. It is not so. I remain corrected. Agathiyar reveals that contrary to this understanding, the Atma helps clear our karma by showing us the way.
ஆன்மா உனது கர்ம வினை தாங்கி வருவது அல்ல, ஆனால் ஆன்மாவே உனது கர்ம வினையைச் சரிசெய்வதற்கு உதவி புரியும்.
Once karma has cleared the search to know the Atma intensifies. His search for his selfish gain loses its intensity. His seeking would be solely on knowing the Atma (Agathiyar) and reaching him.
கர்மவை சரி செய்த பின், ஆன்மாவின் தேடல் அதிகமாகி மனிதனின் அன்றாட தேடல் தீர்ந்து போகும். அவன் தேடல் முழுதாய் என்னையே தேடி வர முயற்சி செய்யும்.
The grace of the guru, if he has one, could point us too, to our inner guru which is the Atma. It then comes to the forefront and takes the reins again. Just as Acharya Gurudasan told me that the outer guru or one in physical form's role was to point us to our inner guru the Atma, David Godman in his blog https://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com/ says the same.
"The outer Guru appears to tell us about the reality of the Self, who is the inner Guru. With our defective vision, we cannot see or experience for ourselves that this is true. The inner Guru pulls us towards the Self and establishes us there. The inner Guru is waiting at all times to perform this function but he cannot begin until we turn our attention towards him. It is the outer Guru who tells us, ‘Turn within. Put your attention on the inner Guru and let him pull you back into your source.’ In addition to giving these instructions, the outer Guru transmits his grace to us, cleans our minds, and pushes them towards the inner Guru, the Self. All Gurus are the Self. All Gurus are formless. And all Gurus are ultimately one and the same. The outer forms of the Guru may appear differently to different people but there is really only one Guru, and that Guru is the Self. When we reach spiritual maturity, the Self manifests to us in the form of a Guru in order to help us to make further progress with our sadhana.'"
If his seeking henceforth is intensified towards knowing the Atma, the guru too tightens his grip on his disciple. Speaking to Acharya Gurudasan about the grip that the guru has on his disciple, if he shared Bhagawan Ramana's sayings, I added that Yogi Ramsuratkumar too had spoken about the guru's grip.
S. Parthasarathy in his book, "Biography of Yogi Ramsuratkumar - The Godchild of Tiruvannamalai (Amarakaviyam)", quotes the Yogi.
"Even if you want to escape from the Guru, the Guru will not leave you. Like a frog in the mouth of a King Cobra, the disciple cannot escape from Guru."
Today speaking to Prabhakaran, who with Silambarasan and Karthick took my family on a hike to the hill where Tavayogi had installed Agathiyar's statue when we visited Kallar ashram in 2013, he equated it to that of a hawk circling from above eyeing its prey or in our case keeping an eye on us.
David Godman describes the true nature of the guru.
"All Gurus are formless. And all Gurus are ultimately one and the same. The outer forms of the Guru may appear differently to different people but there is really only one Guru, and that Guru is the Self. When we reach spiritual maturity, the Self manifests to us in the form of a Guru to help us to make further progress with our sadhana. The relationship with the outer Guru lasts as long as it is necessary. It lasts until the sishya [disciple] knows from direct experience that the Self alone exists."
He goes on to narrate his story.
"In my case, a time came when it was no longer physically possible for me to be with the form of the Guru. Bhagavan severed the physical relationship because he wanted me to be aware of him as he really is. When you pass your exams at school, you graduate to the next class. We cannot enter the same class again. I graduated from regarding Bhagavan as a form and came to regard him as the formless Self. After that, I was never given the chance to have a relationship with Bhagavan’s physical form again. After I had learned to make contact with the formless Self, Bhagavan gave me a kick when I still tried to carry on drinking the grace from his physical form. He wanted to wean me from his form. He wanted me to get all my spiritual nourishment from the formless Self."
I too had to move up the ladder and drop seeing Agathiyar as existing only in the bronze statue at AVM and in the numerous temples and in the paintings. Agathiyar told me that the moment his statue leaves to another devotee's house he shall bring down the Prapanjam, having told us earlier that he was the Prapanjam and that the Prapanjam was in him. I was only too willing to let him go. I began to pack his things and waited for the day. It was not that I was bidding good riddance to him but having made known to me that he was beyond this piece of metal and was present in all, I was elated at the possibility of finally reaching out to the Prapanjam that Ramalinga Adigal had attempted to bring within our reach in each of his visits.
If Agathiyar worked his miracle in breaking the bund and releasing the energies ponded at Manipuraka and answered that there was nothing else for me to do or work on as the energies will do their work, Yogi Ramsuratkumar too has mentioned the grace and will of the gurus that work in us the magic of transformation.
"All your tapas and efforts will make you reach Guru’s Feet. Thereafter you need not bother about your spiritual growth. The Guru will take care of you. The Guru will see that you reach God. The only thing the disciple should do is remember the Guru and the Guru Mantra all the time. That is sufficient. Do not try to practice any method to reach God. Remember your Guru. That’s enough. Once you reach your Guru your sadhana efforts end here. Listen to your Guru and have faith in our Guru. Your Guru would take the responsibility of you and take you where you ought to reach. After reaching Guru’s feet, you need not worry about your spiritual growth. Just remember my Name. That is enough.”
Once the present is taken care of, the future takes care of itself. There is no need to intercept. We need only correct the present and the future will present itself in its best attire. Everything falls into its place.
Prabhakaran too enlightened me that once the search ends it means we have moved to a higher chakra. He also mentioned that if at one time we had gone visit the deities' abodes and temples, as we moved up the chakras, they come to visit us. Indeed all these were taking place at AVM. It needed these good souls to point it out to us as to how and why it was taking place. The internal journey along the chakras was verified by these wonderful souls besides Agathiyar coming often to verify. While speaking to them I had this urge to hug them as they began shedding light on some of the experiences that I could not comprehend until then. Both these souls told me that they could feel my joy in knowing though we were miles apart and speaking on the phone. It brought tears to my eyes. If our bond could transcend space imagine that of the Siddhas who are light years away but yet within our reach. I am amazed that the moment Agathiyar calls out to a particular deity or Siddha they are there the very next moment as energies. The devotee too can reach the state where he can summon them. If Yogi Ramsuratkumar came to join Supramania Swami and me in chanting his name, Lord Muruga came when my daughters and grandchildren led others in singing his songs on Agathiyar's Jayanthi. He told us he came since we called (sang) him singing the song "Pachaimayil vaganene" and "Adi meethu Adi Vaithu". He blessed us and left shortly telling us that as it was Agathiyar's big day, and that he would leave us with him. Shortly after Ma Kali came when the children sang "Kali mageswari".
Agathiyar on Monday assured me that he would take care of my family besides monitoring me closely. He reminded me not to lose my guard and not to bring to waste the effort and work that they had put in on me. I guess if Ramalinga Adigal shared his experience through his songs, though I cannot possibly equate with him, I believe Agathiyar wants me to share my comparatively minute and tiny weeny experiences through my writings for the benefit of my readers.