Rakesh from Chennai is currently at Kallar Ashram now. He sent in the following photos and comments. He wrote, "Finished pooja now and got a divine energy in it. Meditation done Siddhargal meditation hall and under each Siddhargal downside". He tells me he is waiting to read the Jeeva Nadi anytime now. He coined the following phrases praising the Kallar Ashram while waiting to see his Nadi.
அகத்தியம் ஊட்டுகின்ற அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
ஆற்றல் தருகின்ற அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
இன்பம் காட்டுகின்ற அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
வீடு பேறு நல்கும் அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
மெய் ஞானம் உயர்த்தும் அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
அறம் வளர்த்திடும் அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடம்
Besides being devoted to Agathiyar and the Siddhas, Rakesh was inspired by charity programs conducted by AVM and AUM's "Pothigai Meals on Wheels", to carry out similar programs in India. He writes, "I do with my office friends and inspired from wheels on meals and AVM". He shares with us how he came to carry out these programs.
"I was sailing through life as usual when a couple of years back I came to know Agathiyar Vanam. I was introduced to many who were engaged in doing service. I thought of doing Anna Dharma too after seeing Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia doing Annadhanam. Last February, with Jeeva Amirtham, Rightmantra Sundar and my office colleagues help (namely Tamilmani, Aravinth, Manikanden, and Mano) we distributed 10 food parcels in and around Guduvancheri. Beginning from March last year, as more friends joined us, we began to do service at Anbu Thondu Illam, Guduvancheri Vallalar Kovil, and Thiruporur Murugan Kovil on a monthly basis. This included cleaning the temples and helping the ashrams. This monthly event finally brought us to plant trees too. This group has now 50 volunteers and we call ourselves Thedal Ulla Thenikal. Looking back we cannot understand how we started. But after a year of involvement, we have come to understood how to live a joyful life through giving to ours. We welcome the public to help us expand our services by extending their contributions and joining us on the ground.
வாழ்க்கை படகில் ஓடிக் கொண்டிருந்தேன். இரு ஆண்டுக்கு முன்பு அகத்தியர் வனம் அறிமுகம் கிடைத்தது. பல்வேறாய் தொண்டு செய்பவர்களுடன் அறிமுகம் கிடைத்தது. அன்ன தர்மம் செய்வது பற்றி நினைத்தேன். அகத்தியர் வனம் மலேசியா குழு அன்னதானம் செய்வதை பார்த்தேன்.
ஜீவ அமிர்தம், rightmantra சுந்தர் என நட்பு வட்டத்தின் அனுபவம் உதவியுடன் என் அலுவலக நண்பர்கள் உதவியுடன் (தமிழ்மணி, அரவிந்த், மணிகண்டன் & மனோ) சென்ற ஆண்டு பிப்ரவரி மாதம் சுமார் 10 உணவு பொட்டலங்கள் தயார் செய்து கூடுவாஞ்சேரி சுற்றி உள்ள பகுதிகளில் கொடுத்தோம்.
மார்ச் மாதம் மேலும் சில நண்பர்கள் கை கோர்த்தனர். அன்பு தொண்டு இல்லம், கூடுவாஞ்சேரி வள்ளலார் கோவில், திருப்போரூர் முருகன் கோவில் என மாதா மாதம் தொண்டு செய்தோம்.
இந்த பணி கோவில் சுத்தம் செய்தல், ஆசிரமத்திற்கு உதவுதல் என நீண்டது. இந்த மாதப் பணியானது மரம் நடு விழாவில் வந்து நிறைந்துள்ளது. தற்போது 50 உறுப்பினர்களுடன் "தேடல் உள்ள தேனீக்களாய்" என்ற பெயருடன் இயங்கி வருகின்றோம்.
எப்படி ஆரம்பித்தோம் என்று புரியவில்லை. ஆனால் ஓராண்டு நிறைவில் மன மகிழ்வுடன் வாழ்தலுக்கான புரிதல் கிடைத்துள்ளது. எங்கள் சேவை விரிவடைய பொருளுதவி செய்யலாம். எங்களுடன் நேரிடையாக பங்கேற்றும் உதவலாம்.
Anyone seeing the Nadi for the very first time will be told about his past birth first and foremost. This is necessary so that we understand why we took rebirth. Knowing the past would help us understand why we are here right now and what needs to be done to progress further. After revealing this secret of our soul's former birth and journey, and where we left off, the Siddhas start guiding us from this moment of revelation. Taking their hand we resume the journey, from where we left. Once we know the reason for our birth, exercising care in all our daily chores and with the Siddhas guidance we begin to learn to serve, give and share both to them and humanity. This then brings great merits that then overshadows the bad karma that we had earned earlier. We are then each given a mission to accomplish before we return back from where we came. In the midst of accomplishing our task, we meet and gather together with other souls in the form or guise of the family, relatives, friends, colleagues and many more relationships. Some are meant to last for some time while others are momentary. But the relationship that holds through thick and thin and over many births is the love for Erai. This is the reason we come back into their fold after getting lost momentarily in the pleasures of the world. Many a saint had been jolted from this dream state or maya within seconds and dropped everything the very moment they realise that the world and all in it was momentary or a dream, a play of Maya or illusion. For us it takes a longer period to realise this truth where even after we are confronted with the truth we still remain rooted deep in this Maya. This is because of the past vasanas that crop up at that moment as fears and worries and bond us further and deeper into this world of illusion. To break our hold on this Maya we need to take the feet of those who had battled and won the war against Maya. They are the Siddhas.
With the Siddhas grace we then move forward and faster on the rung to spiritual enlightenment. Eventually it would dawn on us to remain silent for good and break the chain or cycle of birth. We then become master of our fate. This is how the Siddhas aid mankind towards a state of no return, no birth and rebirth.
In my Kaanda Nadi reading, which is based on my thumbprint, in 2002, the very first time, Agathiyar speaks about my past birth in the chapter Santhi Parikaram Kaandam. I was a priest in Kerala. Earlier in 1996, Dr Krishnan looking through my astrological chart hinted that I could have been a priest or a Siddha medicine practitioner. Fast forward to 2013, Bala Chandran Gunasekaran after beginning to frequent AVM, wanted to know our relationship. It is rather interesting to note how the members of the AVM family are connected to each other, not only in this birth but going back several births. Bala was told that we both had lived in Batu Caves in Malaysia in a past live. In another Nadi reading Bala was told that we had lived in the Sringeri Math in Karnataka in a previous birth. That's three of my past births covered.
I had always wanted to know why my late father came over to Malaysia leaving his ancestral home in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and why I was born here in Malaysia? Meanwhile my wife wanted to know the reason she embraced the Siddha path. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, in June of last year, brought along the Jeeva Nadi not sure if Agathiyar would approve and provide readings in Malaysia. But the most compassionate father pleased us all by providing readings. Away from the norm, he provided readings daily as opposed to Saturdays and Wednesdays only, in Kallar Ashram! My wife and I seized the opportunity to request for a reading too as we had yet to see the Jeeva Nadi in possession of Tavayogi. We cleverly planned to go to him on the pretext of seeing the Nadi regarding our daughter's education. The all knowing father Agathiyar saw through out scheme! To our surprise, he did not speak about her education but instead told us about our past lives. Yes, my wife, daughter and I had been together in the past life too, at Papanasam in Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu. That's the fourth revelation on my past birth.
How amazing! All the deeds and sins I did in these past lives were recorded, gathered, viewed, assessed, and reviewed afterwhich my present birth was determined. A master creator or Erai had all the necessary and relevant mechanisms and systems in place to undertake a mind-boggling extensive task of assessment of every soul and its determining its eventual destination. He is indeed magnificent!
If we were to leaf through these sacred Nadi leaves further, I presume many more past lives of us would most probably be revealed.
When Agathiyar asked that I come to his path through the Nadi reading, I had no idea what I was to do. I was fortunate that Sri Sentilkumar from Avinasi who read my Nadi in Malaysia, showed me a simple Siddha prayer for a start - chanting the names of the Siddhas. After meeting Tavayogi in Malaysia, I told him that Agathiyar wanted me to come to his path. Tavayogi led me and my wife to chant Agathiyar's moola mantra which we received from him upon initiation the same day we met him. He too asked us to chant the names of the Siddhas. Later during my travels with Tavayogi we chanted the names of the Siddhas at every temple, cave and samadhi.
And so it came to be that we at AVM began to chant the names of the Siddhas at all religious gatherings, festivals, and while at temples, samadhis and caves. During our recent tour of 25 temples including 17 samadhis or Siddha related places, the AVM family of nine, as usual chanted the names of the Siddhas. To our astonishment the mere chanting of the names of Siddhas moved things!
At Thiruvanaikaval in Trichy, an old priest appears from nowhere, walks up casually to Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi, opens the closed grilled gate, lights the camphor and waits for us to end our recitation of the names of the Siddhas before showing the arathi and blessing us all, all to our astonishment.
At the Arulmigu Kasi Vishwanathar Temple, in Thirupattoor, we sat to chant the names of the Siddhas at Vyakrapadhar's Brindavanam. To our astonishment, again a temple priest opens the glass chamber to the Brindavanam and places a garland on Vyakrapadhar's samadhi.
At the Arulmigu Brahmapureeswarar Temple, in Thirupattoor, we began chanting the names of the Siddhas at Sage Patanjali's sannadhi when to our astonishment a priest hurries us asking us to come over to the Goddess sannadhi and get her darshan before closure time. Here we are taught by the temple priest a simple yet effective meditation cum prayer technique that gave us immediate results as he said it would do.
At the Arulmigu Swaminatha Swamy Temple in Swamimalai, in the thick of the crowd that had gathered there, we lighted some ghee lamps and began to sing a couple of hymns and Siddha songs at Agathiyar and Lobhama's sannadhi. To our astonishment we were joined by other devotees, the police personnels on duty giving us leeway to do so.
As we walked into Agathiyar's sannadhi, at the Sri Agasthiyar Kumbamunivar Sannadhi situated outside the temple grounds of the Arulmigu Adi Kumbeswarar Temple in Kumbakonam, we realised that the vasal to Agathiyar's sannadhi was grilled. Nevertheless as usual, we began to chant the names of the Siddhas. To our astonishment, a man arrives to open the grilled door! He enters the sannadhi and lights up the lamps while a lady leaves a bottle of sandalwood water in our midst and steps aside to listen to us chant! They both then leave together as we continued our chant. Another lady clad in rainbow saree covering her head completely, enters the sannadhi, lights up a lamp, shows the arati before exiting the sannadhi with due respect, in reverse. She never showed her face to any of us. As we ended the chant, the man hurries up to us from somewhere in the temple grounds to inform us that he was going about his chores when Agathiyar instructed him over to his sannadhi to open the doors for us! He introduces himself as M.Shankar, a Siddha medicine practitioner and the gatekeeper to Agathiyar's sannadhi.
At the Arulmigu Sri Mayuranathaswami Temple in Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram), we light the ghee lamps and recited the names of the Siddhas at Kuthambai Siddhar's Jeeva samadhi. To our astonishment the mere chanting of the names of the Siddhas made us feel the energy and presence of the Siddhas here.
After chanting the names of the Siddhas at the Arulmigu Koraka Siddhar Jeeva Samadhi Peedham in Vadakku Poigai Nalloor, we sat to receive the sacred temple food Kavadi Soru made with grains collected from the villagers in the vicinity of the temple that was a agelong practise in this village. Dyalan was asked to spent the night here and partake the Kavadi Soru in Agathiyar’s Nadi reading read in Salem on his last trip to India. As we entered the dining hall late having meditated and chanted the names of the Siddhas, we were told only a small portion of sweet rice or pongal was left. We gladly received a handful each thinking that it was the Kavadi Soru. To our astonishment just then another aid came to us serving what he mentioned as Kavadi Sorru! Bala had noticed him bring this Kavadi Sorru from Korakar Siddhar’s altar in the dining hall. We were blessed to be served the very food offering for the Siddha! There was only sufficient Kavadi Sorru for all nine of us although there were many who sat across the room!
At the Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple at Ettugudi, we recited the names of the Siddhas at the Jeeva Samadhi of Vaanmigi Siddhar in the courtyard adjacent to Subramanya Swamy’s sannadhi. A family who wanted to perform annadhanam waited for us to end the chant before beginning feeding. To our astonishment they served us first before moving on to serve the food parcels to other devotees at the temple.
At Tanjai Periya Kovil in Tanjavoor we gathered before Karuvurar's sannadhi to chant the names of the Siddhas and to our astonishment soon found a large group of devotees had joined us in prayers too.
At the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple in Madurai, we sat some distance away from the busy Sundarananthar Vallabha Siddhar's sannadhi to begin the recitation of the Siddha names. We stopped midway to give way to the sacred arati that was brought to the sannadhi. To our astonishment a man passes us a booklet on Amman 108 Potri, carrying Madurai Sri Meenakshi Amman 108 Potri Archanai and Sri Sivaperumaan 108 Potri Archanai, which we recited on completion of our chanting of the names of the Siddhas. Again we realised the amazing spur of energy at this spot as we kept chanting.
At Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple in Madurai, we began chanting the names of the Siddhas as Dyalan went into a deep meditation. We waited for him to come out of it which took some time. To my astonishment, when he opened his eyes he motioned me to approach me. I knew then that it was not Dyalan for he would come to me and not ask me over. I went over and knelt before “him”. He asked me a question, “Who is the female deity in green and carrying a trident or sulam?” I answered that it was Madurai Meenakshi but added that the Siddhas see all forms of Dewi as Vaalai Thaai. He immediately told me that we had the grace and blessings of Vaalai Thaai. We realized later that that was the start of Vaalai Thaai accompanying us at all sannadhis together with the Siddhas!
At the Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple in Palani, Bala Chandran Gunasekaran, Shahalini and Malarvathy began to climb the steps of Palani on their knees as I led the others chanting the names of the Siddhas. To our astonishment a lady clad in a green saree with a child in her arms began to accompany us alongside. There was no reason for her to join us but when the trio stopped for a breather, she too stopped. Seeing a phenomena developing here, and remembering the words of “Ayya” before we left for India, I pointed out to Bala that Dhandayuthapaani was there, referring to the child in his mother's arms. Ayya had asked us to be aware and told us that we would receive darshan of Dhandayuthapaani at Palani. The child was shaved bald, presumably just some moments ago, since he had sandalwood paste applied on his shaved head. He wore a cute miniature vesti around him and was so adorable. I asked the mother to let him down. Bala taking note of what I said, immediately carried the child on his shoulders and continued his climb still kneeling. After some distance the boy wanted to alight and followed us on foot. Reaching the top we gathered together at a spot and completed chanting the names of the Siddhas.
As we lined up in the outer corridor to enter the inner sanctum of Bhoganathar’s sannadhi, we noticed a “lady” meditating. Soon she was behind us in the inner chamber too, singing aloud a hymn of Bhuvaneswary, an aspect of Vaalai Thaai. Bala tells me she had asked them to receive the kumkum that the young priest handed out. She then left the sannadhi hurriedly ahead of us. As we desired to chant the names of the Siddhas, we re-entered Bhoganathar’s sannadhi and found a spot along the corridor to sit and chant. To our astonishment the lady who had left earlier, was back in the corridor and sat beside Bala who led the chant. It was almost closure time and the temple helpers hurried on the devotees, calling out to them loudly. Soon they closed the grills to the sannadhi too. They hurried the devotees already at the corridor to move on. They signalled us too to end our chant. Although the aids kept reminding us loudly, Bala kept pleading asking for a few more moments through hand gestures. To our astonishment the lady seated beside Bala motioned him to speed up the chant but not to stop. While the aids wanted us to end the chant she on the contrary asked Bala to continue chanting. Bala sped up the chanting. We who followed repeated "Potri Potri" too sped up to keep up with the rhythm that Bala was chanting. Finally just as we ended the Potri the mysterious lady took off into Bhoganathar’s sannadhi. To our astonishment again, the lady was waiting for us to turn up at the inner chamber. I was told she applied prasad to the forehead of the girls and Bala and wished them well, saying all shall be fine. Before she sped off again as she did earlier with a certain urgency, she told them, "This is the reason I came!".
At Sri Konganar Siddhar Thirukoil in Pon Uthiyur Maalai, Uthiyur, we regretted that we did not bring along lamps to be lighted inside Konganar's cave. To our astonishment someone found an unused lamp. We became excited. Then we found another and then more. There was now eight pieces; we needed another one piece so that all nine of us could light up the lamps. Then we found the last one too! We could not believe our eyes that there was nine pieces of earthen lamp ready for all nine of us. Now what about oil? To our astonishment there was a little oil, available in a large container sufficient for the nine lamps! What about the Vilakku Thiri or cotton used in lighting lamps? Again to our astonishment we found a new bunch of Thiri. We were overwhelmed at the play of the Siddhas! This reminded me of how Tavayogi and I "discovered" that there was the sacred ash or vibhuti in front of us in a piece of newspaper when we came out of meditation at Konganar's cave!
Finding all the items we needed to light the lamps, each one of us began to light them. We began chanting the names of the Siddhas. On completion we waited for Dyalan to come out of his meditation. To our astonishment, Dyalen awoke from his meditation to inform us that both Agathiyar and Konganar were there and that they had blessed us. He asked if we felt their presence through the breeze and wind while inside the cave?
At the Natadreeswarar Temple in Erode, one completion of chanting the names of the Siddhas at Agathiyar's sannadhi, to our astonishment the temple priest took us around the temple sannadhis and temple grounds explaining to us about the temple and the deities on his own accord. He even took us to the herbal garden that they had where the trees and plants relevant to the nine planets, the birth signs and birth stars.
On the last leg of our spiritual tour, Bala again led us in chanting the names of the Siddhas at Kallar Ashram during the Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam. To our astonishment Tavayogi announces the arrival of the Siddhas based on the movement of dark clouds that were hovering above the ashram grounds.
Upon returning to Malaysia, Bala and friends went back to "Ayya" who revealed that Agathiyar had come as the "lady' at Bhoganathar's sannadhi to hear us chant the names of the Siddhas!
We never anticipated nor expected to be shown so many miracles one after another. Soon we found that it was too much to digest. We returned home to Malaysia carrying with us these amazing memories of these experiences.
AVM is grateful to Tavayogi for showing us Agathiyar and guiding us. When the public came to Tavayogi with problems, he would reply that they had to go through this tough periods due to their vinai or past bad deeds or sins, "Evai yellam unathu vinaiyaal nadappathu". After pointing out why they were in their present state, Tavayogi would give them a solution too, "Potrinal unathu vinai agalum appa", meaning prayers would remove those past sins of yours. Finally he would mention whom to pray too, "Siddhargalai Potrungal", meaning pray to the Siddhas. He hands out a copy of his compilation of the names of Siddhas, "Siddhar Potri Thoguppu" and some vibhuti prasad. This was his panacea or medicine for all of life's problems and he would lovingly dispense it to all who came for a solution to their problems.
Never have I seen Tavayogi tackle, heal or take on the karma of others. Instead he would point them to Agathiyar showing them the master player himself. This is how he pointed me to Agathiyar too. I am deeply grateful to him for showing me Agathiyar rather than portray himself (Tavayogi) as a savior of mankind expecting to be worshipped and respected by his subjects. Of course we are grateful to Agathiyar too for taking us in!
Sri Agathiyar, the divine guru and most compassionate father has brought together numerous devotees of his for a beautiful purpose which he has yet to reveal. It is a wonderful feeling to know and associate with these genuine souls just giving their lives and soul in service to Agathiyar. My daughter told me recently that AVM was special. Indeed we realised that it is. It is special because of these wonderful souls brought together by the heavenly father to serve his purpose and mission, and at the same time gain spiritual advancement and enlightenment besides gaining merits and good karma. Although he has brought us together for a common purpose, yet he has assigned each individual a specific task that comes to him naturally and that he would love to carry out.
Agathiyar extends his arm near and far, beyond race and religion, beyond frontiers and boundaries, bringing his children together for a much bigger purpose for the good of humanity and mankind. Each day is a great day where we look forward to what he has in store for us. These devotees are only just waiting for the very slightest cue to carry out his divine work on the face of this earth. Agathiyar is proud of these soul's achievements and mentions this several times in the Nadi readings.
This is how he moulded several others before us and will keep on bringing more devotees to the forefront, exposing them to all.
The Siddha Marga entered the Malaysian shores much earlier, with the Maharishi Agathiyar himself walking the face of the earth, delivering his message and establishing ashrams and institutions. Several of his comrades and disciples traveled to this land as is being slowly revealed now. Agathiyar revealed several places in present day Malaysia where they had either meditated or gone into the state of samadhi; Pinnakeesar at the Tannasimalai temple grounds (known now as Sannasi) in Cheng, Malacca; Mouna Siddhar at the Batu Caves (Murugan Temple); two more samadhis on Penang island mentioned by Agathiyar that we have yet to find and verify its location and the saint who went into samadhi here; Sri Jeganatha Swamigal at the Sivalayam in Tapah; and Chitramuthu Adigal at the Taneermalai temple in Taiping. Tavayogi revealed that Pulastya had meditated at a spot in a temple in Semenyih after he (Tavayogi) came out of meditation there on his last visit.
Looking back now I think I understand why AVM Agathiyar had gone to Karai near Kuala Kangsar, a question that had lingered on my mind all these years. Although Agathiyar has yet to reveal the reason, I can deduce that the spot at the makeshift temple under the Ficus religiosa or sacred fig (Arasamaram) could also be a sacred spot where the Siddhas had meditated, just like how Agathiyar revealed in the Kallar Jeeva Nadi that he had meditated under the Ficus religiosa tree at the entrance to the new Kallar Ashram.
Agathiyar going over to Karai was not in the plan. Asokhan had wanted me to bring Agathiyar over to his home in Kuala Lumpur for prayers after learning that I had brought him over to the homes of several devotees earlier. Later he tells me his home would not be conducive as it was a military quarters and would not want to inconvenience devotees who would like to drop in for the puja. He decides to have the prayer at his home town of Karai, some 241 km or 2 1/2 hours drive from AVM. I agreed. As we reached the small secluded town of Karai some distance away from the trunk route serving Sungai Siput and Kuala Kangsar, he calls me asking me to bring Agathiyar straight to a small makeshift temple some walking distance from his maternal home. That is how and where the puja was held that day.
As we prepared to do a homam and abisegam or libation for Agathiyar, I enquired if we should wait for the temple to carry out its nitya puja for the evening. I was then told that we could go ahead with our Siddha puja as the priest had had a misunderstanding with the temple committee the night before and had left the temple leaving them to fend for themselves. As we made preparations to begin the homam, in walks a priest telling us that he was there to perform the Nitya puja and that he had to leave immediately. He asked to know how it was done before this. As a young lad who served as a junior pandaram and aid showed him around the temple, the priest pointed out that it was all done wrongly and took upon himself to perform the evening puja and showing them the proper way to go about it.
After his puja he indicated us to go ahead with our homam. After we completed the homam, I realised that he was still there! I approached him and asked if he would bring us the honor of performing the abhishegam which he readily did. It was such an immense abhishegam showering Agathiyar with 16 items in large quantities. To our surprise the priest who hurried those present saying he had to leave in a short while immediately upon arrival and stressed that he could not stay long, did stay on to complete the puja for Agathiyar and only left after 9pm!
AVM is blessed to have a wonderful team of youngsters who besides giving their heart and soul to Agathiyar, also go all the way out to heal, help and guide the unfortunate.
Part of the AVM family
One of them is Bala Chandran Gunasekaran who came to the Siddha path through reading the Nadi. After having being convinced about the authenticity of the Nadi and its authors, the Siddhas, and having reaped the benefits of following their path, he took it upon himself, as his mission and his service to the Siddhas, to promote the Siddhas and their Nadi to others. He brought many seekers to Nadi Nool Aasan Sri T. Ramesh to have their Nadi readings done too, with the only intention that they too should savour the bliss that he derived as a result of associating with Agathiyar and the Siddhas. He introduced the Nadi to his friends and family first, and later spoke about it to others.
Bala gathered his friends to team up in doing social service initiating a group called Thondu Seivom for this purpose. Through Thondu Seivom he began conducting feeding sessions for devotees and the poor and deserted. On a personal front he gathered his family and relatives to contribute food on a monthly basis to several mentally challenged and physically handicapped inmates at a home close to his place of residence.
Thondu Seivom purchasing stationery for the schooling kids
Bala performing Annadhanam at the home on a personal basis with family members
Thondu Seivom took its noble role overseas to Kallar Ashram where they assisted in the four day events and celebrations in conjunction with the inauguration of the Meditation Hall and Agathiyar's 14th Annual Guru Puja Vizha last December.
AVM & Thondu Seivom helping out at Kallar Ashram
Even at this moment Bala is thinking of more ways to help society.
Another soul that started early in his life, at 15 years of age, on the path of the Siddhas is Sri Krishna. He has practically lived his life on the path of the Siddhas - living and breathing Siddhas; having, accommodating and serving the Nadi and its readers in his home; translating the Nadi for non-Tamil speaking devotees; taking these devotees to temples and other places to have their parikaram or atonements done; organising spiritual tours; and organising programs and events related to Siddhas.
To add to his credit he had started a wonderful feeding program what we call here as soup kitchens, named "Pothigai Meals on Wheels", officiated in June of last year by Sadhu Janakiraman of Thiruvannamalai. He brings food to the streets feeding the homeless.
A year earlier he undertook to care for Agathiyar in the form of a granite statue at the Sri Raja Sakthi Nageshwari Amman Temple in Bangsar. Together with Balachander Aiya, he performs libation or abhisegam on Thursdays, Full Moon and New Moon days and during Ahilya Star, besides the annual celebration that coincides with the day he took over the rituals for Agathiyar.
Sri Krishna with Thondu Seivom distributing food parcels on the streets of Kuala Lumpur
Sri Krishna taking part in a Velvi at Sri Arivananthan's Agathiyar centre
Tavayogi leads the puja at the Bangsar Temple
AVM members at the Bangsar temple
Sri Krishna with Thavathiru Kumar Swamy Aiya at the Dengkil temple
Sri Krishna sounds the conch at Bangsar temple
Agathiyar at the Bangsar Temple
Besides these religious and charitable programs, Sri Krishna conducts programs for students and the elderly too.
Sri Krishna at a students program
Recently he addressed several participants at a gathering in Kuala Pilah under a program called "Warga Emas Kearah Sihat", which was part of a larger program "Program Pembangunan Socio Ekonomi Masyarakat India" organised by the Persatuan Warga Emas Kuala Pilah under the patronage of the Prime Minister's Department. Sri Krishna writes, "I had the honour to be with at least 50 elderly people to share on health, wellbeing, nutritional tips, living blissfully at old age, simple yoga postures, siddha philosophy and etc. They were very delighted and eager to have more sessions".
Sri Krishna taking classes
Another program in the pipeline is the "Sri Agathiyar Ma Maharishi Moola Mantra Maha Velvi Yagamum, 27 Natchathira Siddhargal Parigara Velvi Dasa Yagam 2017". This ritual with by conducted by Thavathiru Kumar Swamy Ayya from the Sri Agathiyar Ashramam in Anuvavi, Coimbatore, India.
Date : 5 February 2017 ( Sunday )
Venue : Sri Agatheeswarar Sanithi, Sri Raja Sakthi Nageshwari Amman Temple, KL Eco City, Malaysia.
Time : 7.30 am - 12.30pm
Devotees are invited to attend this remarkable Yagam to be held for the very first time in Malaysia. Devotees are kindly requested to book early to perform the Yagam on their own guided by Kumar Swamy Aiya. Attendees will be given the Sri Chakra Yantra, Siddha photos & Thiruneer prasaatham besides having refreshments served.
Please call Sri Krsna at 012397 0431 or Bala at 016 977 1412 for further details.
Sri Krishna who carries his conch everywhere just as Paladin of "Have Gun Will Travel" travels with his gun, is all too eager to sound the conch at the start and end of every puja. To everyone's surprise he brought Agathiyar from Pothigai to AVM through his blowing the conch as revealed by Agathiyar himself through his Jeeva Nadi!
While devotees of Agathiyar down south in Johore and Singapore have teamed up to start a Whatsapp group called SG Agathiyar Devotees initiated by Suganthi of Tamilnadu, Sanjiv Malhotra gathered devotees of Agathiyar in North India to form a group too, Agathiyar Devotees. Sivakavin tells me a similar group is in the pipeline to cater to devotees of Agathiyar in Chennai and Tamilnadu. AVM wishes them well and success in all their ventures.
India is a land of mystic. Similarly the Siddhas world is mystical too. It is rather difficult to comprehend the workings of the Siddhas. Although they have written down extensively their findings based on their personal and vast experiences, it is enveloped in mystery, and coded in paripasai we are told. Hence to know the Siddhas one has to get the help of someone already on the path. That is the Guru. We seek out a Guru with the hope that he could shed some light on this mystery. Even then this guru in physical form has his limitations - limitations regarding in depth knowledge of these mysteries and limitations in his acquired or trained capabilities. As Agathiyar mentions even the best of the gurus still has to address his karma that follows each human and earthly birth. So what do we do to attain or gain unadulterated pure knowledge and experience? We seek the very source - the enlightened beings who have shed this mortal body and are forever present in a suksma form ever willing to help mankind achieve the same state. They are the Siddhas.
In an astounding and rare revelation Agathiyar explains who these Siddhas are.
Agathiyar says they all evolved from the prime source Adhi Sivan. It is from this Adhi Sivan that the numerous forms, from the minutest to the largest forms took shape. This Adhi Sivan resides in all living beings too as the Jhothi. Hence the Siddhas too are present in us. Eventually one will realise the oneness between all these forms and the self and Adhi Sivan. To realise this truth, Agathiyar ask that we contemplate on one form, that of the Jhothi.
When I was with Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in the earlier years of my search, I put a question to him that was bugging me. The whole idea in devotion was to become focussed, develop concentration and eventually move into a state of meditation where there was no distinction between the meditator and the object of meditation. This was my understanding. If that was true why then do we keep so many pictures of deities at our altar? All these pictures of deities and gurus do not help in bringing our focus to a point. Infact I saw it as a distraction. So I put this question to him casually. He simply agreed with me without elaborating and added that that was what I would be doing once I was back home in Malaysia. I returned home and did the same. I had only a picture of Agathiyar and removed all others. I regarded Agathiyar as a representation of all the numerous deities in Sanathana Dharma or Hinduism.
Later Agathiyar asked me to have his image at Agasthiyampalli made in bronze and worship at AVM. I used to dress him appropriate to the religious occasion of the day and sing the praise of the Gods and Goddesses on these special occasions. Then he calls me in for a Nadi reading just after the Vinayagar Chathurthy prayers and endorsed that what I did was the right thing to do - seeing him as Lord Ganapathy too.
In a later reading he expounds the truth that he is of the universe and that the universe is in him too!
After our prayers at the Nattadreswarar temple in Kangayampalayam in Erode, as we come down the flight of steps Tavayogi turned around to me and mentions that Shiva and Agathiyan are one!
When I arrived for the very first time at the old Kallar ashram in 2005, Tavayogi during his morning walk around the neighbourhood, revealed to me that Agathiyar had come the night before and enquired what he was going to give me. I looked at him in disbelief wondering if that was possible and really did happen. When he took me on a longer walk across India, visiting places of interest and worship of the Siddhas, he looked up at the sky and told me that the Siddhas were showering us with flowers. Again I could not bring myself to believe him. I only saw a clear blue sky then. I finally cornered Tavayogi to reveal how Agathiyar came to him, as he began to narrate the reason for installing a granite statue of Agathiyar in the woods of the Kallar hills behind his ashram. Agathiyar had given his darshan or vision and instructed Tavayogi to install his statue at the very spot of this miracle. Tavayogi tells me that he came in the form of light!
"Ayya" through a medium in a recent revelation to Bala Chandran and friends, drives home the same point - the source is one but the form is many. Ayya says that Agathiyar has assumed the form of Vaalai now as witnessed by AVM family members during our recent spiritual tour of India. Very aptly and timely, Agathiyar mentions too in Surendaran Selvaratnam's Nadi, asking AVM family members to include the worship of Vaalai at the end of their daily prayers.
As we move up the spiritual ladder the form of the supreme being too changes accordingly to the stage of understanding in us. This is clearly visible if one follows Ramalinga Adigal's life and his choice of worship of deities at each stage of spiritual advancement.
Agathiyar in the above Nadi reading continues to mention that the Siddhas have merged with Shiva. The Siddhas although having lived at various times evolved from Adhi Shiva and eventually merged back into him. Although they took various names and forms (anegan) they are but one or yegan.
The Siddhas too having gone through the path of devotion, have eventually seen the dance of Shiva at Chidambaram. Merging with Shiva then they came to be known as Siddhas. "This has been mentioned by one of us, Moolan (Thirumoolar) ", adds Agathiyar.
Tavayogi always reminded me that whatever said has to be authentic and substantiated by proof. But most of the time the Siddhas appear without prior warning and leave abruptly, not permitting us to capture their arrival on film. Neither would there be eye witnesses to that miracle. But the most compassionate Siddhas eventually reveal and endorse what took place through their medium of communication with the common man - the Nadi. That is how he explains to us too and presses home the point that they do exist and keep performing these lilas or miracles.
Srimathi Gita Anand published her first research paper on Tirumandiram through the International Journal of Dharma Studies. She has graciously passed on to us a copy. Siddha Heartbeat takes pride in posting this piece.
She wrote a brief note accompanying this copy of her work, relating how she came to write this piece.
Thanks to JJ amma's (Jnana Jhothi Amma) blessings I was introduced to Agatthiyar Aiya who held my hand and guided me in this endeavor. Many were the moments when I threw in the towel crying I cannot do this. I do not have the capacity to understand this. On every such moment Agatthiyar Aiya was there consoling me, motivating me and providing me with the energy and mental clarity required for this experience. In fact the paper should have his name as the author, not mine. It was like avan arulal avan thaal vanangi.
Thank you Agatthiyar Aiya and all his children whose silent prayers have made this possible.
It (this work) is an example of how Siddhas use a simpleton as a pen and convey their message to the world. You would not believe how this came through. ….
All through these steps it was Agatthiyar Aiya and Tirumular holding my hand and taking me through the process, letting me enjoy their love and care. Honestly I do not even remember the contents as much as I remember this feeling. It was a true blessing. I can see Agatthiyar Aiya in your puja smiling!
