AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE STATE OF JOTHI

As we dwell on spiritualism and prod it going deeper and deeper, we think we have found answers and understood. But an equal number of new questions and doubts keep popping up. For instance, if this world we live in and all of creation is considered by the saints and learned as Maya then how is it that the Siddhas have gone into the intricacies of creation and written and sang about them to the minutest detail? Ramalinga Adigal speaks about the many worlds beyond our earth. If the entire material creation that we see around us is a manifestation of Prakriti or Maya, why did the Siddhas give so much reverence for it? If all was Maya why did Ramalinga Adigal speak about the directions where one seeking specific benefits should turn to and sit in meditation. If this body was a work of Maya why did they go to the extent of discovering all about it and took measures to maintain it in top form? If everything was temporary in nature why did our ancestors leave behind sastras as in the erection of temples and its agamas to follow? Why did they gift us the gift of astrology and the Nadi? Why did they gift us Siddha and Ayurveda medicines and methods of treatment? Why did the Siddhas "perform all the spiritual, medical, and scientific marvels", if it was all an illusion. Why did so much work go into all these if only to have the floodwaters wash it away? It is said that most of Arunagiri's works were swallowed by the sea. What remains is only some 3,000 songs from his estimated 16,000. When some saints shed the body telling us it is but a bag filled with air and sought to know the soul instead, why did the Siddhas treat the Dosas and have us consume Kayakalpas to strengthen it? They can always nip us in the bud telling us it is all Maya and have us dwell in the Spirit and Atma at the onset. Why did fellow Siddhas condemn certain practices that were given to mankind by their own kind? Did they arrive at the truth?

P.Karthigayan sheds some light on this in his book "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016. He differentiates these two preferences and ideals, adding that the Siddhas preferred physical immortality to spiritual immortality. The author tabulates his findings, the gist of it is given as follows. While spiritual immortality is attained through means of yoga, physical immortality was possible by consuming karpam or elixirs. One who attained physical immortality was considered a Siddha and one at par with Erai, while spiritual immortality brings one to the stage of a Deva or Gandarva. The Siddha who has attained physical immortality remains in the midst of people striving for their betterment while the spiritually immortal disassociates themselves from worldly affairs. The next comparison is interesting since the author mentions that physical immortality is attained by avoiding the causes of death while spiritual immortality is attained by erasing these same causes. While spiritual immortality preserves the soul and spirit, physical immortality is gained by preserving the body, soul, and spirit hence arising the need to care for the body. Physical immortality would mean no death while spiritual immortality suggests postponing birth. Interesting. The next factor in comparison is interesting too. While the one who has attained spiritual immortality abandons the body in Samadhi, the body is reinstated through several transformations in physical immortality. While the spiritually immortal lives longer with an aged body, the physically immortal lives longer with a youthful body. I suppose we can safely say that the spiritually immortal is a Gnani and Yogi while the physically immortal is a Siddha. 

What are time and space then? We come to know that the gregorian calender we follow now "went into effect in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar which itself was a reform of the earlier Roman calendar. (https://en.wikipedia.org/). The then Prime Minister of Malaysia who came to power in 1981 standardized the time and "declared that people in Peninsular Malaysia would adjust their clocks ahead by 30 minutes to match the time in use in East Malaysia (UTC+08:00) on 31 December 1981." What about over almanacs then? Agathiyar drafts a horoscope when I went for my Nadi reading that was opposed to what I had with me since day one. Hence the reason what was stated before coming to the Nadi did not materialize. How do I explain this? 

Neale Donald Walsch wrote in "The Little Soul and the Sun", a children's parable adapted from "Conversations with God", Hampton Roads Publishing Company Ins, 1998, 

"The Little Soul knew itself to be the Light but it wanted to experience itself as Light. And God said that if it wanted to know the Light it must also know the Darkness. For how else can one know Up without Down, Hot without Cold, Fast without Slow? Then the Little Soul understood that in getting to know Who It Really Is, it would have to know the opposite. And so the Little Soul embarked upon an adventure very much like that we all share on Earth."

I guess as God said to know the light one has to know the darkness, similarly, we must dwell in Maya or illusion first, see through the veil and only then come to know the truth. To know the truth one needs to travel far. To travel far he needs his body to stay fit. If the lessons gained from the numerous encounters and experiences walking the earth transform him, a walk within oneself shall bring on a transformation of an entirely different level. It is one of walking away from the gross to the subtle. 

Just as many great civilizations ate the dust and were wiped out from the surface of the earth, just as many relationships only remain a mere memory in us, Agathiyar had me deactivate all the previous accounts on YouTube and the many websites where I uploaded and hosted pages of my indianheartbeat. He had me dissolve the very institution he created by bringing youths to my home that flowered and flourished to become his Vanam or garden. He had me accidentally erase my entire digital library of Nadi reading and Arul Valkku or conversations with the Siddhas. It reminds us of how the Buddhist monks purposely created Mandalas only to destroy them after they worship them. This was to instill in us the message that all is but an illusion and temporary and to seek that which was permanent. So what is permanent? Even my wish to bring fame to Agathiyar was shot down yesterday when he questioned me how can one add fame to someone who was devoid of malas or malam, pure in nature, and who was the very vibration itself? 

If the Siddhas guided us on the macro level, their teachings catering to each sector and division of mankind according to the stages of their soul transformation, a greater feat was what they did on the micro level where their teachings were catered and customized to each individual soul. True enough, Agathiyar in asking me to tone down the words used in my draft of a recent post, that according to him would bring on fear and keep away potential aspirants from his path, added that he would deal with each in his own way according to the temperament and understanding of the soul. Hence he asked to rewrite the general statement that I made that the Siddhas tend to take the cane when dealing with the hardcore and disobedient. 

Coming back to the vibration or unarvu that Tavayogi equates to life, the friend who was taught to recognize these vibrations in each chakra and progress to higher chakras through its visualization and Agathiyar telling us that he was the vibration that is realized in all spiritual undertakings including puja and charity, Agathiyar asks us to become aware of the vibration that rises within and follow it. Later he asked to dwell in the magnetic waves that arose. He asks to connect with the Prapanjam. It would then obey us. Work in tandem with us. Merging with it the vibrations arising in us will cleanse it.

பிரபஞ்சத்தை உள்ளுக்குள் செலுத்துங்கள். பிரபஞ்சம் உங்களுக்குக் கட்டுப் படும். துணை வரும். பிரபஞ்சத்தோடு இணையும்பொழுது உங்களில் ஏற்படும் அதிர்வுகள் அணுவாய் மாறிப் பிரபஞ்சத்தைத் தூய்மை செய்யும். 

TR Thulasiram in his "Arutpaavil Varna Tiraigalum Manigalum" published by Sakti Stores, Pondicheri in referring to Ramalinga Adigal, Sri Aurobindo, and Mother, writes that when one goes within, he shall have the darshan of his Atma or soul and know it and rests in it. In following either the vibration and going deep within or following the breath and ascending, he shall come across veils of ignorance at every stage. The vibration entering us or rising up (in Yoga) brings us to the state of Siddhi or accomplishment or Paripuranam or completeness. As we follow the vibration a veil of tattvas keeps coming up blocking our view of the other tattvas from us. The body veils the Pranan. The Pranan veils the Manam. The Manam in turn veils the Uyir. The Atma is of the nature of God. It stays hidden as the Paramatma in the Sahasrara and as the Jeevatma in Ajna. It keeps to itself and keeps one in ignorance. The divine presence, the soul's existence, and the consciousness of the soul though veiled in the darkness of ignorance, ever prevails and pervades. This is the black veil that both Ramalinga Adigal and Sri Aurobindo speak about. We need to cross, pierce and shred these veils. He says that by drawing the veils aside and entering one can meet his God in the temple within him. Once we reach the white veil that veils the Atma and enter we come face to face with our Atma. That is Atma Darisanam. Passing through these six veils he comes to meet his Atma. But this is only the start. Before we realize it another veil comes up as an obstacle. This is the seventh veil. It is a mix of all colors. After we traverse the sixth and arrive at the seventh the internal and external states are revealed. We need to purify and change these tattvas to shine. After purifying and transforming them the Uyir reaches the abode of the Atma that is Agni Peedham, enters, and merges with the Atma. Reaching soul realization the Gnanaperuvili shows itself. Ramalinga Adigal too receives Atma Kaatchi or soul realization or Atma Darisanam. This too dissolves before he steps into the Gnanaperuveli. Hence in purifying the states of the tattvas and states of vibrations and step by step transforming its gross state to that of light and divine vibration a transformation takes place. Only then can we cross this state and move into the Gnanaperuveli. This is true evolution.

"ஒருவன் உணர்வினால் உள்முகமாகச் சென்றாலும், மேல் நோக்கி ஏறிச் சென்றாலும், ஒவ்வொரு கட்டத்திலும் அஞ்ஞான திரைகலை சந்திப்பான். உள்ளே ஒருவன் உள் நோக்கிச் சென்றால் அதன் ஆழத்தில் தன் சொந்த உண்மையான இருப்பு நிலையை (ஆன்மாவை) தரிசிக்கலாம், அறிந்து அதில் நிலைபெறலாம். நம் உணர்வு உள்முகமாகப் புகுவதும், மேல் வெளிக்கு ஏறி அடைவதும் சித்தி  ஆகும். நம் உணர்வு உள்முகமாகப் புகும் கிரமத்தில் ஒரு திரையின் தத்துவம் அதற்கும் உள்ளே இருக்கும் இன்னொரு தத்துவத்தை மறைக்கும். உடல் (சிவப்புத் திரை), பிராணனையும் (பச்சை திரை), பிராணன் மனதையும் (நீல திரை), மனது ஆருயிரையும் மறைக்கும். அவற்றைக் கடக்க வேண்டும். அல்லது ஊடுருவிப் பின்பு நீக்கவும் வேண்டும். திரைகளாகிய வர்ணங்கள் படி படியாக நீக்கி அல்லது ஊடுருவி உள்ளே இருக்கும் ஆண்டவனை (மேய்ப்பதியை, ஆன்மாவை) தரிசிக்கும் கோவில் மனிதனிடம் உள்ளது. பேர் ஆண்டவனின் அம்சமே ஆத்மா. இந்த ஆன்மா தலையின் உச்சியில் சகஸ்ராரத்தில் பரமாத்மாவாகவும் புருவ மத்தியின் ஆழத்தில் ஜீவாத்மாவாகவும் மறைவாகப் பின்னால் நின்று அஞ்ஞானத்தில் வழிகாட்டி நடத்தி வளர்த்துத் தானும் தனித்த ஆன்மா உருவாக வளர்ந்து செயல்பட்டு கொண்டு இருக்கும். ஆண்டவனின் சாநித்தியமும், ஆன்மாவின் இருப்பும், உணர்வும் முழு ஜட இருளிலும் கூட நிலைபெற்று நிலைத்தும் ஆனால் அதே சமயம் மறைபட்டும் உள்ளன. இதுவே கருப்பு திரை ஆகும். ஆன்மாவை மறைக்கின்ற ஆறாவதாகிய வெள்ளை திரை அது கடந்தால் ஆன்மாவைத் தரிசிக்கலாம். ஆறு திரைகளைக் கடந்து அவனுடைய உயிர் தன் சொந்த ஆத்மாவை தரிசனம் செய்கிறது. இது ஆரம்ப படித்தான். அதற்குள் ஒரு திரை வந்து தடை செய்து மறைகிறது. இதுவே ஏழாவதுவாகிய கலப்பு திரை. ஆறு திரைகள் கடந்து ஆன்மாவைத் தரிசித்து விட்டால் உள் நிலைகளும் புற நிலைகளும் ரகசியமாகத் திறந்து கொள்ளும். இதனைத் தூய்மை படுத்தி இணைத்து ஒளிமயமான தத்துவங்களாக மாற்றி அமைக்க வேண்டும். தூய்மை படுத்தி உருமாற்றம் செய்துவித்தால் ஆருயிர் தன் ஆன்மாவின் இருப்பிடமாகிய அக்கினி பீடத்தை அடைந்து அதில் நுழைந்து பின் ஆன்மாவுடன் ஒன்றாகி அதிலேயே நிலைத்து விடும். ஆன்ம அனுபவம் நிலையாக ஏற்பட்டதும் அதில் ஞானப்பெருவெளியின் காட்சி ஏற்படும். வள்ளலாரும் ஞானப்பெருவெளியின் காட்சியை முதலில் ஆன்மக்காட்சியாகப் பெறுகிறார். இக்காட்சியும் மறைகிறது. பின்பு அவ்வெலிக்கு நேரடியாக ஏறி அடைந்து சித்தி பெறுகிறார். ஆகவே எல்லா தத்துவங்களையும் உணர்வு நிலைகளையும் தூய்மை படுத்தியும் இணைத்து ஒழுங்கு படுத்தியும் அவற்றில் படிப்படியாக ஒளியும் தெய்வீக உணர்வும் நிரம்பும்படி உருமாற்றம் செய்ய வேண்டும். அப்போதுதான் இத்திரை கடந்து ஞானப் பெருவெளி முடிவாக ஏறமுடியும். இதுவே முறையான கிரமமான பரிணாமம் ஆகும்." 

Agathiyar tells us that though we are kept in ignorance, that is a part of the play of the divine or divine lila, and one of its attributes is to veil, besides the other four that of creation, sustenance, destroying, and showering its grace, the Atma comes to the fore depending on our actions and direction. Steeped in ignorance the guru's touch is needed to bring an awareness of the presence of the Atma in us. It steps out of its ignorance and takes the hand of the guru. As the awareness of the Atma grows in us, and it gains soul power or Atma Balam the resulting vibration reaches the state that Agathiyar is in. And so Agathiyar is indeed the vibration that is spoken of. Agathiyar says that, once the body separates back into the respective tattvas, the Uyir or breath merges in the Atma and reaches Agathiyar as the Jothi. Hence the reason we are asked to use our breath to fan the Atma or Jothi within. 

ஆன்மாவாகியது 5 கூறு தத்துவங்களைக் கொண்டது. ஆன்மா உடலையும் உயிரையும் தனது கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் ஒரு சூச்சமம். இந்தச் சூச்சமத்தை பிறந்த குழந்தைகள் 1  முதல் 5 வராகை வரையிலும் உடன் இருந்து மறையும். மறைத்தலின் காரணம் இன்னதென்று இப்போது உனக்குச் சொல்ல இயலாது. ஆனபோதிலும் ஆன்ம ஒருவரின் செயலைப் பொறுத்தே மீண்டும் அவனை வந்து சேரும். ஆன்மா உன்னோடு இருந்து உன்னை ஒரு பாதைக்கு இழுத்து செல்லும். அப்போது நீ அதனை உணர்ந்தாள், உன்னில் அதிர்வாய் தோன்றி மறையும். அந்த அதிர்வினை நீ உனக்குள் நீடிக்கப் பழகினால் உன்னால் ஆன்மா என்னும் உனது அதிர்வுகளில் ஊடுருவி என்னுள் (இறை / அகத்தியன்) வந்து சேர ஒரு வழி. உடல் என்பது பஞ்ச பூதங்களில் உரு பெற்று மீண்டும் பஞ்ச பூதங்களிடம் சென்று விட்டால் உயிராகியது ஆன்மா வோடு கலந்து ஜோதிநிலையில் எம்மை வந்து அடையும். 

P.Karthigayan in his translation of selected verses from Supramaniar Gnaanam 200, writes that Kumaran was a warrior turned saint who went by the name Supramaniar after the war. He joined Siva's Nandhi monastery and learned to drop his ego and pride; observed severe penances or tapas; mastered his senses; picked up yoga. Subsequently, he mastered his breath and attained the highest state of omniscient. He went through the painful process of transformation of his body into that of "air like", a death-defying, life-prolonging, and ever-youthful feat after consuming the ambrosia, attained through the science of the Siddhas, following which he went into the state of mounam and thus came to be addressed as Muruga. Muruga in turn taught Siva this secret and was henceforth called Swami Naathan. Siva too attained a luminous body. 

Verses from Supramaniar Gnaanam 200

A translation of a couple of verses from Supramaniar Gnaanam 200 is given with whatever limited knowledge and experience I have.

"Receiving the Vel from Valabai in return for her worship, and attaining a body of light akin to the moonlight, the Vel brought on a swirling within which brought me to witness the flowering of the 1008 petals. I remained in samadhi. The music within was heard (as Agathiyar too told me to listen to). The Manam was chained. I melted in the Karumunai or His abode. (If the journey within starts with the swirling of the Suzhimunai it ends in the Karumunai.) I was tied forever with the Peroli or Light that knew no bounds and boundaries."

"I stood as all of creation. The Manam stood in stillness. The Moon and Sun in unison. Taking the peacock that is the breath I stood where there was neither inhalation nor exhalation. Hence I came to be known as Murugan."

To physically go from temple to temple combating the many tests that are placed in our path and taking in the ambiance and beauty of these deities is a way to salvation. To believers, these idols come alive. To visualize a deity and meditate on him in the comfort of our home is another way. The deity then moves within. Yet another would be to take on chanting or meditating on a mantra and moving within slowly. All the mantras create sound waves that are known to move and rearrange the waves according to our wishes and desires. Many times Lord Murugan, and Agathiyar have asked us to place a glass of water and chant the Maha Mantra and drink the purified and energized water. Sound is known to move water. Curses pronounced are believed to change one's life bringing suffering that goes beyond several births. Another way would be to visualize the chakras and their colors and syllable and walk within. The Siddhas though suggest taking the breath as a vehicle and moving within. If all the previous ways were a method or means created by man and our forefathers to bridge both worlds, the Siddhas knowing that these too are impermanent ask us to use the breath that has been with us since day one. It never fails us until the count is exhausted. In telling us to achieve the state spoken by the Siddhas, they remind us to do it before we attain the age of 60. I guess the breath given to us and that sustains us shall exhaust itself after that or accordingly to the extent of our activities whichever applies. By slowing down we might add a few years to the count. With the aid of Vaasi Yoga (Pranayama) and Asanas one might manage to add to this count and hence extend his life span and live longer. But most of us drop short of our target. We never make it to the finish line. That is the price we pay for chasing after material advancement, courting development, and modern-day technologies that have "enhanced" our lives at the cost of losing out on our spiritual ventures. If many welcome this intrusion, Yogi Ramsuratkumar has mentioned that it is tough to achieve the intended progress in this age of multiple waves trespassing and surrounding us. Even Agathiyar told me I have to pay the price of living in the suburbs of the city when I complained that it was nonconducive for going within. Then he tells me even if I were to escape into the jungles I shall face problems too in other forms. But they still insist that we place effort to go within mounting on and riding the Vel or elephant or horse or peacock that is the vaasi or breath. 

The Siddhas went beyond race, language, religion, and form. They only saw the soul that dwells within this body of matter. They always addressed this soul. Their concern was for this soul to develop and advance further or rather see through the veil and have us drop everything returning the soul to its pristine nature of purity and vibration. Their intention was to help this Jiva(n) Atma to merge with the Para(m) Atma from whence it came hence leading it and bringing it back to its home or origin. In the event one fails to achieve this during this birth, his soul leaves the body to live in "other parallel worlds" momentarily before making another attempt. This and here is the only place that we can place a concerted effort and attempt at achieving this transformation, as a physical body is required to house the soul and strengthen the soul to gain Atma Balam. Hence the reason for engaging in tapas, charity, spiritual learning, performing rituals, etc. Thus the reason even the Gods take Avatars and Siddhas take birth as our kind. Ramalinga Adigal went a step further to provide a venue the Satya Gnana Sabai for all the devas to come down to learn but somehow his intention did not materialize for reasons only known to the divine. It is said that many souls are waiting in line to be given a chance and an opportunity to attempt to break this cycle of birth and death. Passing through as a human he takes up the task, mission, and target of attaining this state of no return. Otherwise, he hovers and lingers beyond sight yearning to be given another chance at it. We have been given a chance, let us do it as we have already come this far in having our souls evolved to the state of attaining a human birth and body.