When Tavayogi stepped on our soil, he told us to come to Gnanam. But to arrive there we had to go through the other two phases that of Kriyai and Yogam. If our parents brought us into Sariyai, the guru comes to have us personally take up worship and rituals and the practice of Pranayama and Asanas, besides the other limbs of Ashtanga Yogam. Tavayogi initially initiated us into it. Agathiyar had Mahindren and me share it with others. Today he has chosen a handful, to be specific only 6, at present to move into Gnanam. Looking back we see Agathiyar's play and lila. After asking me to commission his bronze statue in Swamimalai and bring it over on 2nd January 2010, he moved to 10 homes accompanied by Tavayogi and Mataji when they visited us in 2016. He had me stop bringing him out after that. When a devotee moved into his new rented home after the pandemic, he requested that Agathiyar grace his home. Agathiyar accepted his request and that of others who followed suit. He had me stop bringing him out after that. Agathiyar who had indicated his intent to move out of AVM, moved to the home of his devotee on July 4, 2023. Just as Agathiyar had tested me on numerous occasions, after some 6 months he told the host that he was going to move on two occasions. But the couple and their family remained silent not giving their consent. Agathiyar decided to give them some more time during which the host purchased a bronze statue of Lobama too and carried out their ThiruKalyanam or Holy Matrimony. Agathiyar now told them he was leaving giving them no option this time around. Finally, the host came around to understand and let go of their hold on idol worship. The idol is only required for as long as we are ignorant of the true nature of the divine that is all around us and most importantly in us, and not only in statues. Once we have understood it is no longer necessary just as the koan "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is", goes.
During the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese Ch’an master Qingyuan Weixin famously wrote:
“Before I had studied Ch’an for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance, I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.” (Source: https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-there-mountain-then-there-no-mountain/).
Agathiyar who told us that he would be back at AVM before he left, wishes to stay in each devotee's home for a month before returning home for the Guru Purnima prayers on 21.7.2024. So I put out the notice for takers and the slots were taken up within days. Know that these are the devotees whom Agathiyar shall work on to have them let go too and come to the state of understanding and wisdom or Gnanam. They shall host the monthly Pornami puja on 24.2.2024 / 24.3.2024 / 23.4.2024 / 23.5.2024 and 21.6.2024 respectively before sending him off to grace the home of another devotee. When Agathiyar leaves their homes they too like the present host shall step into Gnanam, giving farewell to Agathiyar as the Murthy and with it Sariyai and Kriyai too. He shall return to AVM for the Guru Purnima prayers on 21.7.2024 where the children shall henceforth conduct the puja where the adults shall only guide if necessary. As for the adults they have to pay attention to their current Yoga practice and their breath. Agathiyar shall give them the necessary experiences to attain Gnanam later.