EXTENDING AID TO STUDENTS

Bala Chandran, my wife and I handed over stationeries to primary school students in the former school where Bala, Sugu, Malar and their friends had studied, this morning, on behalf of AVM, TS and AS. There are some 385 students in this school, in 12 classes.

THE CHASE

Everything is a rush now. A child these days misses out on play. He is stuffed with much mental activity at the expense of physical activity. There ought to be a balance and an equal growth in both sectors.

He spends more time indoors rather than outdoors missing the chance to investigate and observe nature. He is shoved with the gadgets as early as a toddler just so that the parents can do their thing.

We are on a paper chase. As a student we are pushed to excel in our studies. We are told it's a competitive world out there and are taught to compete. While seeking a job, we pray that we should get the job, beating others to it. Rarely does one give in or give way to another. But there was an exception. When my son-in-law and his friend went for the same interview, his friend told the panel that my son-in-law needed the job more than him. My son-in-law landed the job. A good soul drops by occasionally.

The rush continues in working life. As an employee we need to meet the targets set by the company. 

Thinking that we could escape from the chaos of this maddening material world, we step into the spiritual world. Alas, sadly the chase continues here too. There is a chase to seek out numerous gurus to add to one's list of achievements in having gained blessings. There is a chase to gather as many teechas or initiation as possible, to be displayed as medals of honor. There is a rush to pick up techniques easily without effort. There is a chase to race the kundalini up even before one fully understands the force of this energy and before one is ready physically, mentally and emotionally. And worst of all, there is an assumption that things can be bought here too just as in the material world. The madness continues in the spiritual plane too. 

Supramania Swami told me there was no rush to excel spiritually. "We shall keep on polishing the "vessel", he said. One day it would shine. Tavayogi told me, "So what if we cannot achieve "it" in this birth. We shall come back again". It is said that the Buddha took a thousand births before he achieved enlightenment. 

Learn to slow down. Take some time off to ponder and re-evaluate your needs. Learn to chew your food, taking in the essence. Take a moment to observe nature and enjoy the sights. 

Learn to wind down. Spend more time in things that bring you joy rather than rush to compete with others. Bring an end to this chase. Learn to be satisfied. Happiness comes to one who is satisfied.

Watch https://www.ted.com/playlists/204/slow_down_enjoy_life

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

I met Sivakavin from Chennai at Kallar Ashram during the Agathiyar Jayanthi and Guru Puja last year. He walked up to me with his bag over his shoulders, introducing himself. We had been acquainted through the social media even before we met.

Once back home, we kept in touch over the phone. I asked him to initiate a Whatsapp group to bring Chennaites on the Siddha path, together. He immediately got to it and soon turned up at Panchesti Agathiyar temple to meet several of his new found friends including Viji Amma, Rakesh and Saravanan Kandasamy. Saravanan and he were blessed to reach Pothigai peak and have the darshan of Agathiyar, a pilgrimage organized by Kandhan Gurukal of Panchesti temple. All these happened within a short time of Sivakavin engaging with all these wonderful souls.

I then received a mail from a reader of Siddha Heartbeat who mentioned that her brother Thiru Vaidyanathan Aiya was blessed with the gift of healing through certain medicines that he dispensed.

I sincerely thank you for creating the blog and spreading the knowledge about siddha. I got interested in siddhas because of my brother. He was a diabetic patient and had some problem in his foot. When doctors suggested to remove a toe, he hesitated. He let it spread.

Some one informed him that one siddha gives a single medicine that cures different types of diseases. He tried his best to find out the great siddha. He happened to go to a place in Dindigul where he heard one siddha was living. He went and sat there. My brother remembers him with great reverence as Shanmugha Ayya.

My brother's name is Vaidyanathan. Suddenly, he said "Come Vaidy. What took you so long to come?". My brother thought he was addressing someone else and he turned to look for the person. Then he pointed out to my brother and said I am talking to you. My brother was stunned.

My brother was an ordinary person who would visit temples occasionally and enjoyed mundane activities like a normal person. Shanmugha ayya told him that he would change one day and would become deeply spiritual. He also initiated a mantra. Ayya also informed him that he will not recite it and one fine day, he will start saying it for a relative and will continue thereafter.

In the meantime, my brother had to amputate his leg below the knee that was troubling him for 5 years. He had taken antibiotics for a long time. One siddha doctor said his kidneys are affected. After amputation, he recovered quite fast.

When one of the relatives had some problem, my brother started reciting the mantra and the problem got resolved. Whenever he heard someone is not well, he will recite the mantra. Ayya started speaking to him remotely and he prayed for many souls.

Ayya asked him to visit a hill in Dindigul. My brother was practicing with artificial leg and could not walk long distances let alone climb the hill. When he reached foot of the hill, 2 persons were waiting there to carry him up the hill. He went to a cave. He got to know that Ayya merged with god and he saw many miracles happen there. They gave him a rudraksha Japa Mala saying that it was used by Odha guru.

To cut long story short, Ayya asked him to make an oil with 98 herbs. He had to chant mantra for 48 days. Ayya told him that this oil has the property to cure bone and skin cancer.

One of his neighbors had developed bone cancer. He used the oil regularly. He got completely cured.

Ayya keeps telling him that it is a rare medicine and he must spread the awareness. My brother does not have any proof other than this one person. He tried to contact cancer hospital and they informed him that they will not certify oils. People can try it as a supplementary cure. If more people benefit, we can justify that the cure is because of the oil. He is willing to give it free of cost to poor people who can't afford. Ayya himself calculated the cost and informed him.

When I received this mail I asked Sivakavin to drop in on Vaidyanathan Aiya. Sivakavin made arrangements to meet him and was greatly captivated by Vaidyanathan Aiya and his service.

Then tragedy struck when the vehicle Sivakavin was traveling in went off the road and crashed near Madurai. Sivakavin and several others survived the crash while a couple of his fellow devotees were killed instantly. After Sivakavin was discharged and returned to his in laws place at Kanyakumari, Thiru Vaidyanathan Aiya and several others dropped in on him. Vaidyanathan Aiya performed the Yagam and treated Sivakavin, traveling regularly from Chennai. Slowly but surely Sivakavin has recovered with Agathiyar's grace. 

MY STORY

Many write in or mention to me that they enjoy reading this blog and ask me since when I wrote so well. I cannot actually remember writing. But I used to draw, taking classes in school. My art teacher at school would arrange for us to meet at the local picnic and recreational spot, the famous Taiping Lake Gardens. Here we would train ourselves to look through a window, an opening cut out into a cardboard and held close to us. We would only sketch what we saw within the frame. 

Expression in music and dance

A portrait of Tavayogi

A title block for COMICSCENE, a weekly column on superheroes in NST

Another piece of art, just that the names were jumbled up. Mine is on the lower left.

An a note of appreciation from the columnist Daniel Chan

Later when my brother headed the Penang Indian Cultural Society (PICAS), I contributed my artworks to its magazine and other publications. I also shared interesting articles which were taken from other sources. But I did not enjoy doing that but instead wanted to write my own.

On of many illustrations and articles for PICAS bulletin.

During the years when there was a slowdown in the economy and we did not have any on going projects, I began familiarising myself with Windows 3.1 at the office. When I returned to headquarters, Sekaran who was leaving his job to become a monk at Paramahansa Yogananda's Yogoda Satsanga Sakha Math in Ranchi, had an advise for me. Besides giving me a copy of Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi and Lord Shiva's painting, he told me to take on any tasks given, whether relevant or not, if I had the time. Soon I dabbled with database and moved on to multimedia applications. I began to create presentations for the department. This was the starting of my computer literacy. All the knowledge I gathered helped me launch my website. Later I made the transition to writing a blog - this blog.

My daughter has picked up where I left in art, and with the many YouTube videos to guide, she does some pretty well drawings and paintings.

Her colour pencil drawing of Agathiyar at AVM

Her composition for Siddha Heartbeat's Logo/ Title block

Bala Chandran Gunasekaran too has a talent for art.

So does Sujen Rajah. Saravanan Palanisamy's art illustrations adorn the pages of Siththan Arul.

Saravanan's painting

When I lost my pass or access card to my office building, I was in a dilemma. I was told I had to wait six months to get a replacement. I knew pretty well that I was purposely punished for being so careless with such an important document as it was a high security building that I worked in. I was also asked to make a police report. I went to the nearest Police station. The constable on duty asked if I could write my own report or if I needed assistance. I chose to write myself. I began writing and stayed on it for some time. He was watching me for a long time and suddenly asked what I was doing? I replied that I was writing a report - a detailed report - right from the moment I left office and boarded a bus to a couple of banks and the Post office to settle my bills and till my return back to office, during my lunch break. He appeared angry and told me to make it short and brief. He took over and made the report on my behalf. He wrote two words, "Pass lost". I guess that was the start of my writing career. It began at the Police station! Everyone has a good laugh when I share this incident with them; the day a star was born!

When I was journeying through India, I began to take detailed notes. This I posted on my website indian heartbeat, now defunct. Soon I began blogging. And I am still at it. Thank you to all readers who wrote in and the silent ones too. Your mails and messages in the groups keep me inspired to continue writing.

A SUCCESS STORY

AVM had a visitor yesterday. Although he was a regular at AVM, only yesterday did we find some time to be together and have a chat after the Thursday prayers and dinner was over. Balamurugan, an accountant by profession, shared many past moments of his life with us. 

His story is one that needs to be told. It is a success story that of rags to riches. Beginning his life in the estates, Balamurugan was determined to come out of poverty and hardship. He started following his mother who was a rubber tapper, as early as 5 years of age. Both mother and child would head for the trees before dawn. He would pick the coagulated latex that is in the collecting cup, cleaning it as well, while his mother made fresh incisions in the trees bark. Later as he grew up, he would himself tap the rubber trees before rushing to the estate school to continue his studies. 

Here is where he picked up singing the Thevaram or hymns to Lord Shiva. Balamurugan surprised us at AVM one day when he offered to sing the Thevaram. Till then we had no inkling that he could sing. We only saw an accountant, a Siddha practitioner and a Varma graduate in him. He had a hidden talent that was waiting to be exposed. He mesmerized us with his songs. Later while at the Eco City Agathiyar temple, I pushed him to sing the Thevaram there too, and he did a wonderful job. Yesterday he brought time to a standstill when he began to sing the hymns. It was so soothing and brought calm and meditation to us. Then he tells us that he had received knocks on his head from the Othuvar cum teacher while at class rehearsing the Thevaram. As a teen, he volunteered to sing Thevaram at the estate temple in Segamat, Johore.

When he was doing his Higher School Certificate he was still tapping the trees to help sustain the family. Seeing his parents go through hardship and sufferings to provide the basic needs for the family, he made a resolve to bring change to their lives and standard of living. He worked his way to complete his degree and landed a job as an accountant with a multinational company that had 17 branches all over the world and 28,000 employees. He moved up the corporate ladder fast and achieved his target in no time. He became successful.

But Erai for reasons only known to him had a different agenda in the workings. When the company shifted hands, he was laid off. All this came as a blessing, as he now had an opportunity to do some soul searching. In 2011, he signed up to follow some regulars to Mount Kailash. After training for three months at the local Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) during the weekends, walking through the jungles and hiking its mountains some 10kms daily and climbing the 272 steps at Batu Caves some 15 times every Wednesday, he was ready to make the journey to Lord Shiva's land. With 35 of his comrades and the sherpas guiding them they started their journey to meet Lord Shiva.

Balamurugan is an excellent storyteller. He actually brought us to the place and time with his vivid description of the journey. Travelling by vehicle and later on foot they finally reached Kailash the abode of Lord Shiva. He was mesmerized and stupefied at what he saw. He had his mind blown away, realizing how small and young he was in comparison with the majestic mountains that were in existence for ages. 

He had started his journey without any assurance or surety that he would be back; that he would return alive. But after several near misses crossing the dangerous terrain, he made it back in one piece to tell his tale.

Returning from Kailash and taking on several jobs, today with Agathiyar's blessings, Balamurugan has ventured to produce Pure Virgin Coconut Oil and Siddha medicinal ointments, moving away from numbers and statistics. 

Balamurugan shared a pertinent point, a sound advise from the Siddhas in maintaining good health. 

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS PART 2

4. I am blessed and thankful to my parents, forefathers and ancestors for all their contribution in making my life and my children's better. I am thankful to my father for taking the decision to leave the comfort of his home in Kilasevalpatti, Tamilnadu and travel to Burma, Sri Lanka, Singapore and finally then Malaya, in the days of travel on foot, cart and ship. 

5. I am blessed to have had an education and a job. I have to thank my parents who put me through school. I am thankful to all the teachers and others who taught me along the way.

Teachers at St George's Institution, Taiping (1974)

I was blessed to have had a job where I served in the public sector, erecting office buildings, accommodation and providing other services for the public sector. It was a blessed 36 years. 

6. I am blessed to have a beautiful family that cared for me and Agathiyar. They never fail to continue the prayers to the Siddhas in my absence.

7. I am blessed to have an extended family in the form of several devotees of Agathiyar who teamed up to become the AVM family. They have been an inspiration to me and my family. 

One of the many activities carried out by AVM family

After Puja & Annadhanam at Batu Caves

After an outdoor session of Yoga & Chi Kung

8. I am blessed to have two wonderful gurus - Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai who ignited the fire of devotion in me and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram who nurtured me on the Siddha path. With them came their grand lineage: Swami Ramdas and Yogi Ramsuratkumar; and Sri Jeganatha Swamigal and Chitramuthu Adigal; respectively.

Supramania Swami

Tavayogi & his lineage of gurus

Bidding farewell to Tavayogi & Mataji at KLIA

9. And of course I am blessed to come to Agathiyar. I am grateful to him to take me in. I am grateful to him to give me and my family a second chance to serve him. I am grateful to him to take AVM family under his fold too.

The Kutraleswarar temple where my present family and I had served in our last birth. Photo courtesy of Viji Amma

I am grateful to him for showing his numerous miracles.

The miracle caught on film. Photo courtesy of Praba 

Another miracle caught on film. Photo courtesy of Navarani 

A new experience taking the coracle over Kaveri

In the presence of Tavayogi  Mataji at Kallar

10. I am blessed to have in my hands the great works of the Siddhas and saints.

11. I am blessed to have had 51 Nadi readings to date from Nadi Nool Aasan Sentilkumar, Ramesh, Kalai, and Selvam. Agathiyar blessed my family and AVM family too with numerous Nadi readings including the Jeeva Nadi with Tavayogi.

Nadi Nool Aasan Selvam at AVM

Nadi Nool Aasan Ramesh at AVM

12. I am blessed to have many masters and gurus arrive at AVM.

Thavathiru Muthukumar Swamigal of Kutralam and Dr Krishnan, with Masters Arunan and Uva with AVM family

Jnana Jhothiamma at AVM

13. I am blessed to have good health. I was only warded when I was 54 years of age after, as my nephew joked, this lion was brought down by a teeny weeny aedes mosquito. I am grateful that I had 54 good years before that.

Agathiyar has set us on the path of devotion or bakthi and performing charity. We have taken the first step. Our prayers extend to all of humanity and god's creation and the universe and mother nature. I am greatly indebted to Erai and the Siddhas for showering their love and grace on all of us at AVM.