It has taken me 19 years to understand and comprehend what Tavayogi told me the very first day he stepped into my home in 2005. After inviting him over as I and my nephews sent him back to his temporary residence while visiting Malaysia, I voiced my joy and gratitude telling him that no Swami (or Holy man) had stepped into my home and that I was overjoyed having him come over. His reply stunned me as a bee's sting does. He said, "You are living in Maya. I am not a Swami as you think. I do not have anything (hidden) within my orange robe. Do not worship me. Worship Agathiyar." I was taken aback and remained silent all the way back to his residence. Though I felt confused and sad and could not figure out what he implied then, recently Agathiyar dwelt on this subject, clearing the air. He exposes the extent of Maya in covering the truth or rather creating an illusion of time and space and keeping us in the dark in all matters of creation and activity. In short, Agathiyar defines Maya as anything that goes through changes. Agathiyar challenges us to seek that which never changes. He asked that we seek that out. The only thing that does not change with time, and is not tied up with space, is the soul or Atma or to be specific the JeevAtma in all of us and all of creation. Live is but a series of fleeting moments. The soul watches it in silence.
If the planets are supposed to wreck our lives in this material world or deliver boons as the case might be, stepping onto the spiritual path and happily progressing in it to our surprise we are told that we encounter sabotage by the Devas. At least that is what I understand now from Agathiyar coming through a recent Nadi reading. We have heard of many instances of these in the mythical stories or Puranas. The one who comes out clear and clean from all this delusion and the divine play and game is the one who has attained Gnanam. This Gnanam brings him to distinguish the truth from the false. He beats Maya at its own game. But sadly we are lured by it just as we are lured by the pleasures of the material world. We can never beat it on our own. It is a losing battle. There is no escape from its clutches or hold without the grace of the Param or ParamAtma.