What is the transformation that the Siddhas speak of? Swami Saravanananda in this book, an English translation of Ramalinga Adigal’s "Aruperunjhoti Agaval" published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, writes that it begins with "the transformation of the mortal human body into the perfect body (Sudha deham), achieved by universal spiritual communion and devotion to god; followed by the transformation of the perfect body (Sudha deham) into the body of grace and light (Pranava deham). The ultimate and greatest transformation in human evolution is a transmutation into the Godhead, which he referred to as merging with the body of supreme wisdom - the body of God supreme (Gnana deham)."
In furthering our conquest of body and mind, we bring on the grace of the divine. His grace does wonders.
"At whatever age the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body frame. The Divine Light seems to change the very cell of the body, with the result, that they seem to function in the opposite direction."
"With the descent of sufficient Divine Light, the psychic head begins to emerge. According to Vallalar, this psychic head (a crown or diadem of light) is made up of a special and highly refined type of brain called Omkar brain. As soon as it emerges, it draws more cosmic light; the more the light the greater the growth of the psychic head. With the advent of the psychic head, more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begin to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever-prospering body is called the subtle body or the body of Omkar or Pranava body."
For these changes in the physical body to take place, the Divine Light or Arutperunjhothi has to come within. This is possible through continuous thought of the divine and prayer. Marshall Govindan in his book "Babaji and the Eighteen Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition", 1991, Kriya Yoga Publications (Reg), 196 Mountain Road, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec, Canada, reproduced with permission via e-mail, explains the nature and extent of this devotion as exemplified by Ramalinga Adigal.
"He sings that one has to think incessantly until he feels and melts with love for God. In such a melting mood one bursts into tears and sings praise of god and soothing warmth is produced in the aspirant. When this universal love and sacred warmth develops, the body as well as the soul becomes prepared for the descent of grace, in the form of light."
This warmth was felt in the devotee through whom Ramalinga Adigal came on Sivarathri. He asked if we felt it. He told us to work on it. Through yoga, the psychic heat or Tava Kanal emerges within. Earlier Agathiyar spoke about this Agni Jwalai that has to burn even brighter with the breath fanning it. It would soon reach the state of Sivam, he said.
Swami Saravanananda continues,
"Slowly his body through the intensity of concentration of the mind begins to generate the flame of lapses, popularly known as psychic heat. Slowly the quantity of psychic heat is increased due to intense meditation and concentration on the universal effulgence. The extreme heat generated in the body produces smoke at first; this smoke gathers up in volume and escapes through the junction of the parietal bones of the skull (Brahma Randhra). The psychic smoke clears off and enhanced illumination results. This light (Tegas) is also called the aura or nimbus."
Rao Saheb K. Kothandapani Pillai BA in the foreword to Dr. C Srinivasan's "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Saint Ramalingam", writes,
"These transformations occur in the body of the aspirant according to the intensity of spiritual warmth produced in him. The body is deprived of all its dross or impurities and made pure, fit for divine absorption. As the divine light descends into the sheath of energy (Pranayama Kosham) the entity becomes a Siddha in the truest sense of the word."
Thus the Sudha Deham or Anbu Uru is a receptacle of the experience that comes with the breath known as Uyir Anubhavam; the Pranava Deham or Arul Uru is a receptacle of the experience that comes by his grace or Arul Anubhavam and finally, the Gnana Deham or Inba Uru is a receptacle of the experience of being one with Siva or Siva Anubhavam spoken of by Agathiyar recently.
This is where the Siddhas are willing to bring us too. But we have already settled snugly thinking that worship of them is enough. It needs a dynamic soul to venture into these territories. Agathiyar is silently working on this soul and shall reveal the soul to us in his good time.