Siddha Heartbeat: September 2013

Jnana Jyothiamma, the blessed child of Agathiyar, daughter of a cardiologist in the Army Medical Corps, is coming to my home in October. We are blessed to receive her at our home. She has the grace of Agathiyar. Agathiyar has shown miracles through her.

Jnana Jyothiamma left her homeland of Kerala in India to settle in Minnesota, USA. One day she emails me after reading my article "From My Travels in India" on INDIANHEARTBEAT. I append below the said article. The blog is no more, me having deleted it some time back.

"From My Travels In India

Life's Mission Photo Gallery of My Gurus Supramania Swami Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal Agathiyar Gnana Peedham 1 Agathiyar Gnana Peedham 2

From My Travels In India

Photos From My Travels in India In The Midst of Sidhas Meeting My Gurus Mysterious India Asanas & Breathing Techniques 1 Asanas & Breathing Techniques 2 Asanas & Breathing Techniques 3 Asanas & Breathing Techniques 4 Songs Parade Digital Gallery The Old Site News Reports News Update About Indian Heartbeat Latest Happenings Memories

FROM MY TRAVELS IN INDIA.

PRAYERS WITH SUPRAMANIA SWAMI

Later that night at 7.30 pm, Supramania Swami lead me on prayer in his kudil. The Swami started chanting his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar's (Visiri Swami)name. The chant went YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA, YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA, YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA JAYA GURURAYA.

After about a few minutes into the chant, I heard another voice - that of a male chanting together. I could hear Swami’s voice. I could hear mine too. So who was this third-person chanting with us? There was no one else then in the kudil. Swami's wife and son had gone out. I did not open my eyes. Eventually, after about twenty minutes, Swami ended the chant and the voice was not heard again. I had wanted to ask him about this third voice but completely forgot.

SUPRAMANIA SWAMI’S LIFE IN BRIEF

I asked Swami to narrate his life history because the first time I met him in 2003, I had only spent five hours in his company, where he was only talking about me. Swami narrated briefly his story, aided by his wife.

Swami was born on Monday, 17th July 1943 on a ‘Kritigai’ day, an auspicious day for Lord Murugan, in the Tirutani Murugan temple grounds. His mother was doing penance by taking a ‘kavadi’ when she had labor pains and delivered Swami. Muthalamma was their clan’s deity. Swami was named Supramanian . His grandfather Thuraisamy Pillai was a Vaisnavite from Aadi Peedham, Ladavaram near Tiruvannamalai. He was an accountant at Tiruvanamalai Arunachaleswarer temple. His father Jayaram was teaching in Reddi Kuppam, Anaikoyil. His uncles were teachers too. At one juncture, his father left his mother, another son and him in Andipalam and came to Tiruvannamalai. Later, in the absence of his father who was in Tiruvanamalai at that moment, a priest admitted Supramanian to a school in Andipalam. Supramanian’s brother who joined the military contacted high fever and passed away at the age of 24.

Supramanian used to follow his father to the woods to chop ‘kalli’ tree. That’s when the sap of the tree blinded him. Supramanian now partially blind, went to Madras alone, hoping to receive treatment at the Government hospital. A policeman seeing him struggling on the streets of Madras called an ambulance that took him to the hospital. There the local Indian doctors certified that he had to be operated on to remove his eyes. There was no other way to it; any delay would otherwise lead to the poison eventually reaching his brain. One of the doctors, however, sent for an American doctor to get a second opinion. The American doctor said he could save Supramanian’s eyesight and he subsequently performed six operations on Supramanian, which cost Rs950, 000. Supramanian was blessed to have the politician Mr. MU Karunanidhi who was undergoing treatment for his illness at the same time at the hospital take up the cost of operating on him (Supramanian).

Supramanian’s father who worshipped Lord Vengadasalapathy gave him ‘teecha’ on Lord Murugan. Supramanian meditated for seventeen years in the hills surrounding Tiruvannamalai. One day he lost his mind. He started performing miracles. He would grab a handful of sand, which would turn into vibhuti, kumkum, or panjamirtham. This he gave to the people, which cured their illness and suffering. He was only attired in a banana tree bark then. During this time a Siddha indicated to the locals the site of a ‘vel’ that was buried by him by entering Supramanian's body. Supramanian kept possession of this vel.

Supramanian had no memory of what transpired during that period. He only heard about his antics after gaining his memory back, which surprisingly came back to him after consuming food prepared by a stranger. When Supramanian was in Tiruchendoor he pulled the temple chariot for seven consecutive years walking on sandals with nails on it. His back carried the scars of hooks driven into his skin with which had pulled the temple chariots. Occasionally he puts on the clothing to resemble Lord Murugan and takes part in plays or dramas held at the temple grounds on festival days.

Supramanian was married at the age of 31. His ability to perform miracles by changing sand and earth to sacred ash stopped on its own after he had his second daughter. He has three daughters and a son and a few grandchildren.

His wife and granddaughter were already asleep as we talked into the early hours of the morning. They had stayed back at the kudil while Ramajayam went back to the village that night.

ANOTHER DAY WITH SUPRAMANIA SWAMI (After spending some time with Supramania Swami I left for Kallar to meet Tavayogi, and soon return to Tiruvannamalai again)

After a night's rest in Kallaru, I woke up early. Mrs. Sarojini (now Mataji) heated up the water for our bath as it was too early and dark to have a bath in the river. She prepared breakfast too. My brother and I bid farewell to Tavayogi and Mrs. Sarojini. We left Kallaru for Tiruvannamalai at 6.00 am. We reached Tiruvannamalai at 2.30 pm.

I introduced my brother to Supramania Swami. The Swami asked me, “Did you see your Guru?” I was simply amazed at this man who upon hearing my Nadi reading that I had to take Tavayogi as a guru, did not feel deleted nor discouraged me nor did he stop me from visiting Tavayogi. Supramania Swami then asked, “Did you hear the voice?”, triggering my memory back to the day I heard a third person sing along with us in the kudil. I ask Swami who it was? He answered with a laugh, “That was Visiri Matai” referring to his guru Visiri Swami (Yogi Ramsuratkumar). Only then did I realized the potential of Supramania Swami. He had made his guru appear and chant with us in his very abode. Amazing.

THE ACTUAL JOURNEY BEGINS

23rd Sept 2005 - “Only now our actual journey begins”, said Tavayogi with a big grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, as we left on the second leg of our tour. We were headed for Agasthiyampalli in Vedharanyam, Pothigai, Courtallam, and Palani as instructed in my Nadi. He was just as excited as I was too. We reached Trichy at 2.00 pm where we had lunch. Then we went over to the hotel where my brother was staying. Tavayogi excused himself to visit his friend in Trichy while my brother and I went to a book fair. Tavayogi returned shortly to the hotel. Subbarao, Mano, and others who accompanied my brother for a seminar in India met Tavayogi and exchanged views. Tavayogi and I wanted to find accommodation in the same hotel but we were told all rooms were taken up. On the way to the adjacent hotel, the local organizer of the seminar insisted that he would make arrangements for all of us to stay in the same hotel.

SAGE AGATHIYAR WELCOMES US AT AGASTIYAMPALLI

24th Sept 2005 - At 6.00 am Tavayogi and I left Trichy for Vedharanyam. We stopped over at Tanjore at 7.30 am for breakfast. We saw the salt lakes where Mohandas K Gandhi had carried out his famous salt walk. We also saw the places where the tsunami wave had hit on 26th December 2004.

We reached Agastiyampalli, Vedharanyam at 10.30 am. A temple priest who was sitting with two people at the entrance of the temple, on seeing us alight from the car, came forward to usher us into the temple grounds. He took us straight to Sage Agathiyar’s shrine. This shrine was on the left of the entrance and was facing the main temple of Lord Siva. He lighted camphor and showed the flame. Tavayogi and I sat on the floor. Tavayogi started singing a hymn. The priests interrupted him, asking us to go around the temple ground and then to the main temple first. He insisted we prayed at Lord Siva’s shrine first as he was going away to another temple to conduct prayers. He gave instructions on how to go around the temple grounds. Tavayogi told me, "Let us oblige him". Tavayogi and I came round the temple grounds as the priests had instructed. We stepped into Lord Siva’s shrine where the priests was waiting for us. He showed the flame. He explained that this was the very temple where Sage Agathiyar pressed his thumb into the ground to balance the earth that had tilted due to the Devas, Gods, and Goddesses converging in the Himalayas for Lord Siva-Goddess Parvathy’s wedding.

Marshall Govindan in ‘BABAJI AND THE 18 SIDHA KRIYA YOGA TRADITIONS’(Govindan, Marshall, Babaji, and the eighteen Siddha Kriya Yoga tradition, 1991, KRIYA YOGA PUBLICATIONS (REG), 196 Mountain Road, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec, Canada, JOE 1PO, http://www.babaji.ca), explains this episode:

‘At the time of Siva’s marriage to Parvathi on Mount Kailas, the assemblage of gods and goddesses was so great that the equilibrium of the planet was disturbed. The north sank low under the weight of the crowding celestials while the south rose up. To restore a balance, Siva asked Agastiyar to travel from Mount Kailash to southern India. The most famous ashram site in the Tinnevely district near the Courtrallam waterfalls in the Pothigai mountains of southern Tamil Naadu, is where he is reported to be living to this day.’

After praying at Lord Siva’s shrine we came back to Sage Agathiyar’s shrine. Tavayogi picked up singing the hymns from where he had left. I continued with the Potri songs as usual. As I started reciting the ‘pranavam’-‘AUM’ at Sage Agathiyar’s shrine I could hear and feel the ‘pranavam’ reverberate, and bounce off the granite walls. I felt a cool breeze sweep over me even as I was sweating away at the shrine. As I uttered the last line of the 'Potri' song, ‘OM MAA SIDDHARGALE POTRI’ I broke down in tears. I cried and cried. I asked Sage Agathiyar to open his eyes and see me.

He did not respond. I shut my eyes as I wept. I opened my eyes after some time, Tavayogi who was earlier seated opposite me was not there anymore. I turned towards the entrance. He had moved to the open and was standing there.

SAGE AGATHIYAR OPENS HIS EYES

As I got up he ushered me to his side and told me, Sage Agathiyar had opened his eyes twice. “There is the aroma of sandalwood in the air too”, he added. He asked that I stand at the same spot he had stood. “Concentrate looking at the sage's eyes”, he said. I peered at the granite statue of Sage Agathiyar but I could hardly make out his face much less see him open and close his eyes. The shrine was dark. I could sense Tavayogi’s disappointment that I could not see the Sage open his eyes. This I knew from the tone of his voice when he consoled me, “Never mind, son. Let us snap some photographs, shall we?”

I entered Sage Agathiyar’s shrine again and was about to sit when Tavayogi motioned me to sit with Sage Agathiyar in the inner sanctum sanctorium saying, “Go in and sit at Sage Agathiyar’s feet at the inner sanctum. He is our father. Who dares object?” That’s when Tavayogi throws his shawl over to me asking me to lay it on the floor to sit on as the floor had oil spills. As I laid his shawl and sat, I glanced at Sage Agathiyar’s face and what do I see? The sage is observing me with an eye open. I looked hard not believing. Only a moment ago I had seen him with both eyes shut. The eyes were engraved into the granite and I was sure they were engraved shut as I entered his shrine this morning. I was overcome with joy seeing Sage Agathiyar look at me and I called out to Tavayogi, “Swami…”. Even before I could complete my sentence Tavayogi understood and told me, “Right!, he has seen you, has he, come!, They will show (themselves) you only for a moment.” Even as I came out from his shrine the sage was looking at me with one eye shut, grinning away.

We left Agastiyampalli at 11.15 am. Tavayogi tells me it has been ten years since he came to Agastiyampalli. In the Nadi prediction, Sage Agathiyar had promised that he would look at me when I came here. I was convinced the vision I had was possible only with the help that I got from my guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal. Only after he had thrown his shawl over to me to sit on did this miracle take place.

BACK AT BREEHADESHWARAR’S TEMPLE AND SAGE KARUVURAR’S SHRINE

We had lunch at Tanjore and proceeded to Breehadeshwarar temple at 3.00 pm. As the temples in India are closed from 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm, Tavayogi took the opportunity to take a nap in front of the huge Nandi at the temple grounds while I went around to snap some photos of the temple. I walked up the flight of steps to Lord Dhashina Murthi’s shrine. Then I walked to the back of the temple grounds where Sage Karuvurar’s shrine was located. The caretaker who was cleaning the oil lamps got up, called me in, lighted the camphor, showed the flame and gave me the sacred ash. I came back to the spot Tavayogi was napping. He invited me to share his shawl that he had spread on the ground to lie down.

At 4.00 pm when the temple doors were opened to the public, Tavayogi went straight to Sage Karuvurar’s shrine and the same man who attended to me earlier attended to Tavayogi too. Tavayogi sat at the shrine in meditation. I followed suit. Some pilgrims who had taken shelter away from the scorching sun at Sage Karuvurar’s shrine were conversing loudly. The caretaker drove them away saying there were people meditating, referring to us, creating a peaceful environment for us to meditate.

As we came around the temple complex, Tavayogi must have sensed my yearning to see Lord Siva for he told me to go ahead while he stood in the shade of the temple structure. I rushed up the flight of stairs to the inner sanctum of the temple where was house the largest Siva lingam.

I joined Tavayogi shortly and we left the temple complex.

SARASWATHI MAHAL

Tavayogi suggested we visit the Saraswathy Mahal hoping to show me some old scripts and collections of King Sarobhoji. It was 5.00 pm as we got into the car and rushed to the museum before they closed for the day. Tavayogi purchased a couple of tickets and we entered the museum. The palace of King Sarobhoji was now converted into a museum that houses his vast collection of English books, portraits and old writings. Tavayogi was saddened that most of the writings that were kept here earlier were no more to be seen now.

We returned to Trichy. Tavayogi still insisted on sleeping on the floor although he relented to accept a blanket to be spread on the cold floor and a pillow under his head.

POTHIGAI AND COURTALLAM

25th Sept 2005 - My brother checked out of the hotel. His visit to India to participate and cover a seminar had ended and he had extended his visit to follow us. Tavayogi, my brother and I left for Pothigai Hills at 6 am. We had breakfast in Tanjore and lunch on arrival at Papanasam, Pothigai. Here was the famous Agathiyar Falls. This place was packed with holidaymakers, as it was a Sunday. Tavayogi and I washed our clothes in the stream and laid them out to dry on the rocks.

We took a bath under the falls, dried ourselves and started our climb up a long flight of stairs to a lake known as the Kalyana Theertam. On the way, we passed a house built into the cliffs where a lady saint, Krishnaveni Ammal was staying. I was told she has been staying in solitude since coming up to this spot following a Siddha when she was barely thirteen years of age. She never went back. Tavayogi stopped to enquire if she was around only to be told that she was having her afternoon nap. Tavayogi told us we could try our luck on our way down.

Further up perched on a cliff was a Siva temple. There was a shrine for Sage Agathiyar too. Tavayogi meditated at this spot. Tavayogi tells us this was the spot were Sage Agathiyar himself had meditated and attained Mukti.

I was told this was also the spot where the Siddhas come down in the form of light after 11.00 pm daily.

Impressed by the talk that one could see Siddhas in a light form in this spot, I requested Tavayogi that we stay overnight to watch them but Tavayogi preferred to stay in the caves of Courtallam.

Swami Saravanananda in his preface to his English translation of the ‘ARUTPERUNJHOTHI AGAVAL’ does mention about these lights:

'A vivid description of the phenomenon of floating lights has been given by John Blofeld in the 'Wheel of Life', who had spent months on the sacred mountain Wee Tai Shan in China.’

'Shortly after midnight, a monk, carrying a lantern, stepped into our room and cried, ”The bodhisattvas have appeared!” There in the great open space beyond the window apparently not more than one or two hundred yards away, innumerable balls of fire floated majestically past. Fluffy balls of orange colored fire, moving through space, unhurried and majestic, truly a fitting manifestation of divinity!’

Swami Saravanananda himself says he was fortunate enough to have had the darshan of these balls of light. The first vision he had was when he was meditating in a dry riverbed.

'At about midnight, he would see balls of fire of the size of the headlight of a car, balls of varied hues and also of pure white. They moved majestically here and there and sometimes seem to be playing with each other. At other times, they hovered around the meditator (Swami Saravanananda) and came towards him within ten feet where he was sitting and then retreated. Infrequently, they stood above his head and seemed to be watching his thoughts. He had a similar experience though less spectacular than the previous of witnessing the balls of fire while he was keeping night vigils in Pothigai hills, the abode of Sage Agastiyar.’

As we started on our way down and approached Krishnaveni Amma’s ashram, the ashram door was still closed. Tavayogi did not want to disturb her and lead us away from there. Then we stopped at a large temple dedicated to Sage Agathiyar further down. Here Sage Agathiyar was enshrined in the form of a granite statue sitting in a similar pose to that of Ayappa Swami in Kerala. Then we returned to Agathiyar Falls where there is a large and old Sivan temple. It was closed. We waited for the temple to open at 4.00 pm. We then left for Courtallam.

We had tea at Courtallam and later purchased a candle and torchlight as we were going to stay in the caves overnight.

OVERNIGHT IN SAGE AGATHIYAR’S CAVE

Tavayogi stops at one of the numerous houses lined up in this small town and enquire about the caretaker of the caves. We are told she was at the temple in the hills. Prem drops us at the famed Courtallam picnic spot. I picked up my bundle of laundry that was still wet. I take along my bag of fresh clothing and blanket and we rushed to the caves on foot, as it was almost nightfall. Strong winds blew again as we hiked up the hill behind the Courtallam Falls. It was a three km walk uphill to Sage Agathiyar’s cave. Eventually, the night set in. We trodded in the dark with Tavayogi leading the way with the aid of torchlight.

It was pitch dark as we reached the Shenbaga Devi Amman temple, which was in total darkness except for light inside Devi's shrine. Tavayogi calls out in the dark through the metal grills. I see some movement on the floor of the temple. Apparently, some folks were sleeping in the temple. He introduces himself and they seem to know him. He asked them to open up Sage Agathiyar’s cave, which they obliged readily. A gentleman led the way while we followed. It was pitch dark and I could not make out the surroundings although I knew we were walking on the banks of a lake and could hear the roar of a waterfall nearby.

The caretakers were three elderly women. Their brother Supramaniam who was from out of town was the one who showed us to the cave. He unlocked the iron grills to the cave. He lit the hurricane lamp and tidied the place so that it was conducive to spend the night and even prepared hot tea for us in the cave. The drink was a blessing in that cold weather.

There were a few statues including a statue of Sage Agathiyar, pictures and the stick that Sage Agathiyar used. This stick is placed under one's arms to retain the flow of the breath through a particular nostril. Tavayogi told us there were even Sage Agathiyar’s sandals earlier but now was missing. The caretaker lady drops in to check if all was conducive for our night out in this cave. They then leave.

We could hardly stand up in this cave. It was small, cozy and warm in here. The adjacent compartment of the cave which was empty except for an oil lamp burning, was where Sage Agathiyar had meditated I was told. We entered this chamber and seated ourselves. Tavayogi was sad to notice that a portion of this cave had now become a store filled with pots and pans. Tavayogi was also saddened that the cave had now been named Avaiyaar’s cave when in actuality it was Sage Agathiyar’s cave. As usual, Tavayogi sang the hymns which I have now become familiar with, followed by me singing the Potri. Tavayogi then left us to continue with the prayers and retired for the day. I dried my clothes outside the cave and locked up the grilled door to the cave entrance before retiring for the day. We laid blankets on the ground and used our bags and clothing as a pillow. We were so exhausted that the moment we laid our heads on the ground we had dozed off. I did wake in the middle of the night though and saw rats scurrying away in the crevices and sides of the cave. I had a good night’s sleep and was refreshed the next day.

ROAMING THE JUNGLES OF POTHIGAI AND COURTALLAM

26th Sept 2005 - I woke up early as usual and came out of the cave to realize that we were next to a huge waterfall and a lake. In the early morning sunlight, I could make out some movements in the surrounding jungles. I sat and watched the day begin. As the day dawned and there was more light, I noticed it was monkeys that had been perching on the cliffs and trees. Tavayogi woke up shortly. Supramaniam and the caretaker lady turned up early to prepare tea for us. We took our bath at the falls under the watchful eyes of Tavayogi. He cautioned us to be careful as the rocks were slippery and asked that we hold on to the railings that had been put up. I washed and dried my clothes again!

After drying my clothes I came up the steps to the cave. I was taken aback to see a sadhu squatting at the entrance to the cave and having tea. He resembled the photograph of Sri La Sri Pundi Mahaan Aatru Swami who was one of Supramania Swami's guru. He had long matted hair and was beaming a smile. He invited me in. I gestured Vanakam to him and sat down beside him. I had my tea. He remains quiet as Tavayogi spoke with the caretakers. This sadhu then tells me he would be at the temple below and left the cave.

LORD DHAKSANAMURTHY’S CAVE

Tavayogi suggested we go over to Dhashina Murthi’s and Saint Ramalingam’s (Vallalar) cave. He asked me to get the blessings of the elderly women and give a small contribution to her which I did.

We came down the hill to Shenbaga Devi Amman temple. I saw the sadhu again. He was at the temple just as he had promised. I told him I was going to the caves and asked if he would like to follow. He jumped down from his seat immediately and led the way to Lord Dhashina Murthi’s cave. He opened up the grilled gates to the cave entrance for us. He lighted the oil lamp inside the cave. The sadhu having lighted the place for us went out and sat on a rock outside the cave. We entered the cave which was large enough to allow us to stand. What a surprise I had. There were statues of Sage Agathiyar, his wife Lobamuthirai and Sage Visvamitra in this cave. In the inner chamber was a statue of Lord Dhashina Murthi. We sat in meditation for a while.

SAINT RAMALINGAM’S (ARUTPRAKASA VALLALAR) CAVE

The sadhu closed the grilled gates to Lord Dhashina Murthi’s cave as we came out. Tavayogi then lead us to Saint Ramalingam’s (Vallalar) cave. The sadhu followed us a distance but eventually turned onto another path. I caught up with him to thank him. He gave me a wink.

I turned to join Tavayogi and my brother who was already some distance ahead. Tavayogi left us at a spot to check out the route to Vallalar’s cave. He reappeared from a different direction and led us away from the spot. The entrance to Vallalar’s cave was secured with metal grills too. Tavayogi told me it was locked. I inspected the door and tried to unlatch it. Surprisingly the latch gave way and I could slide the grilled door aside quite easily. It was pitch dark inside. We had to light up the candle. The outer chamber was large enough to stand around. Tavayogi and I crawled into the inner chamber which was rather small. I grasped Tavayogi’s hand. Tears ran down my cheeks. I was grateful and appreciated Tavayogi for having guided me to these auspicious spots and places. I would not have seen and experienced this much if I had undertaken this journey alone. We closed the grill to the caves and headed back for Sage Agathiyar’s cave.

We prayed at the Shenbaga Devi Amman Temple on our way back. This temple was where Maha Avatar Babaji had sat for days in meditation. His guru Sage Bhogar had instructed him to go to the Pothigai hills to meet Sage Agathiyar. Babaji left Kadhirgamam in Ceylon for the Pothigai Hills. Babaji adamantly went into penance until Sage Agathiyar appeared in front of him.

M. Govindan in ‘BABAJI AND THE 18 SIDDHA KRIYA YOGA TRADITION’(Govindan, Marshall, Babaji, and the eighteen Siddha Kriya Yoga tradition, 1991, KRIYA YOGA PUBLICATIONS (REG), 196 Mountain Road, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec, Canada, JOE 1PO, http://www.babaji.ca, reproduced with permission via e-mail ), narrates this episode:

‘Boganathar inspired his disciple, Babaji, to seek this objective of Siddhanta Yoga, and so directed him to seek initiation into Kriya Kundalini Pranayama or Vaasi Yogam from the legendary Siddhar Agastiyar at Courtrallam in the Pothigai hills of Tamil Naadu. Babaji traveled on foot to Courtrallam and on arriving there at the Shakti Peetam, one of the sixty-four shrines throughout India dedicated to god as the divine mother, he made a solemn vow to remain at that spot until Agastiyar would initiate him into the secrets of yoga. On the forty-eight day, when Babaji was on the verge of complete collapse, with great longing, he simply repeated over and over again the name ”Agastiyar.” Suddenly the eminent Siddhar stepped out of the nearby forest and came up to where Babaji was sitting in prayer.'

‘Agastiyar emphasized the strict conditions under which it was to be practiced and its potential for awakening the higher levels of consciousness, spiritual enlightenment and ultimately the transformation of all five bodies. He then directed Babaji to go to Badrinath. Babaji made the long pilgrimage to Badrinath and then spent eighteen “long, lonely months” practicing intensively all the yogic kriya taught to him by his gurus Agastiyar and Boganathar.'

We bid farewell to all the caretakers who had gathered at the temple. Tavayogi again insisted on carrying my bundle of damp cloths. We started down the mountain to the spot where Prem left us yesterday. Prem had been worried sick having no idea about our whereabouts in the jungles of Courtallam. He had been calling Tavayogi on the cellphone but there was no signal in the mountains. He was relieved to see me as he was answerable to his agency on my safety and well being. We then continued on our journey to Palani.

SAGE AGATHIYAR OPENS HIS EYES AGAIN

Before we left Courtallam Tavayogi took us to a Sivan temple, Lord Kutralanathar in town. At the Siva temple was a shrine for Sage Agathiyar. Tavayogi narrated an incident that took place here during his travels through India. He was at Sage Agathiyar’s shrine at the spot we stood today. He could hear a melodious hymn. On tracing the source of that hymn, he chanced upon Somasundareswarar Swami who was standing at a shrine of Lord Siva. Later Tavayogi met Somasundareswara Swami often at Shenbaga Devi Amman temple. Sage Agathiyar’s cave and the surrounding caves were maintained by Somasundareswara Swami until his demise.

We sat at Sage Agathiyar’s shrine and Tavayogi started singing hymns. Tavayogi broke down as he sang Saint Ramalingam’s ‘Indru varumoh naalaiku varumoh allathu mathendru varumoh’. That’s when I thought I saw Sage Agathiyar open and shut both his eyes. I got up to move closer, to get a better view and to confirm what I had seen. True enough there was Sage Agathiyar opening and closing, both his eyes, which were human. Back at Agastiyampalli, the sculptured granite figure of the sage had both eyes sculptured closed. But as I left his shrine his left eye was wide open watching me. At Courtallam Sage's eyes were sculptured wide open. It was human eyes that were watching me. I stood still, amazed, my sight fixed on the sage's eyes. That’s when Tavayogi called out to us saying, “You have seen, have you? Come on let us leave.”

Andrew Harvey has the following conversation with Mother Meera which I can relate to Tavayogi hurrying us away each time a miracle takes place:

“You have come to give the Light to all people, so all can awaken in whatever way they choose, in whatever situation or society or religious discipline they find themselves.”

“Yes.”

“You do not want disciples in the old sense.”

“No. If people want to come to me, I can give them the light. If they want to be taught by me inwardly, I will teach them. If they want to take my light and be taught by someone else, they can.”

“Daniel said a beautiful thing yesterday,” I went on. “He said you never treat any of our visions of you or the light as special, because you never want us to rest at any stage or state.”

“Yes,” Ma said. “There is always more. Always. Even for the greatest of yogis, even for Sri Aurobindo, there is always more. You must go on and on aspiring, praying for more and more Light.”

“Realization is not, you have been showing me, one marvelous moment. It is a Process.”

“Yes. A journey without end. There are different stages in the journey, but the journey has no end.”

“The great danger for me,” I said, “is that the ego will seize what the soul is learning for itself, to make itself proud.”

“It will try. But the soul’s joy will break it down, no? The divine will not use you unless you are humble. My power passes through those who are clear. Keep yourself clear at all times. If they work with the light, it will transform them and give them the power to change themselves and so change the world.”

It was nightfall when we checked in at a hotel in Palani. Tavayogi told us we shall climb Palani Hill first thing in the morning. He again insisted on sleeping on the floor.

PALANI AMAZES ME AGAIN

This was the second time I was invited to Palani by Sage Agathiyar through the Nadi reading. At 5.00 in the morning, we started for the Palani temple. The streets were quiet. The shops were still closed. We walked from the hotel in town to the temple on the hillock. We had to wait in the queue, as the temple was still closed. At 6.00 am we were allowed to enter. We stood in front of Palani Andavar and offered our prayers. I still can’t recall what I saw here just as I can’t recall the first time I was in this temple in 2003. We went down some steps to the open and crossed over to another temple structure which housed Sage Bhogar’s shrine. Palani had puzzled me earlier in 2003. I wanted some answers then. Now it was clear to me. This was definitely not the route I took to Sage Bhogar’s shrine in 2003. In my earlier visit, I walked along a passage from Palani Andavar’s shrine to Sage Bhogar’s shrine. There was no necessity to go into the open air. The shrine walls now were beautifully painted with murals depicting episodes from Bhogar’s life in color. In 2003 there were no paintings on the wall.

Tavayogi sat along the corridor outside Sage Bhogar's shrine in meditation. I wept in silence. As I opened my eyes. When he came out of meditation we entered Sage Bhogar’s shrine. There were four temple priests when we stepped into the chamber. One of them showed the flame in front of the Maragatha Lingam and another figurine of Goddess Bhuvaneswari that Sage Bhogar had worshipped, both placed on a raised dais. The priests then pointed out the opening where Sage Bhogar had entered and is still believed to be. They narrated the history of the temple to Tavayogi and my brother. I cried again here. After gaining control of myself, I moved to a spot in the room to sit for a while as the three priests continued filling in Tavayogi on the temple's history. The fourth priests who was very much younger than the rests was standing in attendance observing me and the others, not uttering a word.

As we came out of this chamber, this young priests intercepted us at the corridor away from the others. He passed a tumbler that he was holding to Tavayogi who was right in front, saying, Abhisega Paal. I told myself, “My God it was happening again. I am being given the abhisega paal again.” I was given a tumbler of milk on my visit here in 2003. Today I was receiving it again. Tavayogi drank a portion and passed the tumbler to my brother who was behind him. My brother drank a portion and in turn passed the tumbler to me. I emptied the tumbler and gratefully handed it over to the priests who look pleased. Surprisingly no one questioned him nor did he say anything further.

As we came down the steps into the open again, Tavayogi stopped and turned back to look at me. He questioned me, “What is it, my son”. I went up to him and placed my head on his chest. Tears quelled in my eyes. He had this twinkle in his eyes and gave me a broad smile. I remained silent as we walked around the temple grounds. We left the temple premises. Later we checked out of the hotel.

MARUDAMALAI AND PAMPATTI SIDHAR’S CAVE

On the way back to Kallaru, Tavayogi took us to Marudamalai Murugan temple where Pampatti Sidha had meditated at an adjacent cave. We had to leave the car behind at the base of the hill because renovation works were being done in and around the hill temple. We hopped onto a bus that took us to the top of the hill. This was my first ride on a bus in India. We stood all the way to the top as the bus was packed. We had a quick darshan of Lord Murugan. The temple priests brought two garlands of flowers and placed them around Tavayogi and my brother. Tavayogi removed his garland and placed it around my neck. We went down a flight of steps to the cave of Pampatti Sidha. Here the temple priests explained to us about Pampatti Sidha and his penance at this spot. We sat for a while. Tavayogi meditated. Some of the devotees and the tourists come over to Tavayogi for the sacred ash. This was the first time I saw the Indian public approach Tavayogi for his blessings in public. We took the bus back down the hill.

BACK TO KALLARU

As I was coming to the end of my tour I realized I needed something more than the sights and sounds that were shown to me. I pondered a lot on the way back to Kallaru about this fabulous tour of religious spots and places. I was extremely blessed to have Tavayogi escort and show me around. A lot of miracles had taken place since I was here in India on my second trip just as Sage Agathiyar had promised me in the Nadi reading. Yes, it was fine for me to return to Malaysia and tell my family and friends that Yogi Ramsuratkumar had joined Supramania Swami and me in chanting his name; that Sage Agathiyar had opened his eyes to see me -first one eye at Agastiyampalli, then later both eyes at Courtallam; I cherished all that I had seen and heard on this pilgrimage. I could talk about them for some time but eventually, talk would have to end too. What next after I reached the shores of Malaysia? Do I go back to my routine life?

This journey should not be a mere tour of pilgrimage spots. I needed something that I could take back with me besides these memories. So I told Tavayogi, as we had tea, on our way back to Kallaru, I did not want this journey of mine to end just like any tour of India. I wanted something more out of this journey. Something that could bring me advancement in my spiritual path. He looked at me for a moment and then asked if I had been chanting the mantra that was given to me by him at the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham back in Malaysia. I told him that I had received that mantra of Sage Agathiyar way back in November of 2004 and I have been chanting it since then. Tavayogi asks me from whom I received it. I mentioned I got it from Astrologer Dr. Krishnan. Tavayogi tells me briefly there are other practices and mantras that need to be undertaken and mentioned some of them."

This is Jnana Jyothiamma's first mail to me on 30th June 2011

"Greetings to you Sir, I am Mrs Menon. I was reading an article from Agasthiar.com. ..... I read all the articles posted on Sadhguru Venkataraman's site.... when one link led to another and then to another another and finally saw this link ........ My travels with Supramania Swamy. This interested me a lot .... I had for a very long time trying to find out visit Saint Agasthiar's cave. What is this person who is mentioned as Tavayogi. Is he a guide or an Enlightened Master. Then I saw this link which shows...."email me ". Hence I thought I would email and find out the details of all that is mentioned here. I would also like to know who shanmugam.avadaiyappa@yahoo.com is / regards Mrs Menon."

And my reply to her the same day,

"Hello Mrs Menon. I am Shanmugam Avadaiyappa of Malaysia. Supramania Swami was my first guru. I met him in Thiruvanamalai in 2003. He has since past away. I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in Malaysia in 2005. Tavayogi runs an ashram in Kallar in Kovai, India. Subsequently I went over to his ashram and had the good fortune of being taken to Agathiyar's Cave in Courtallam, India by Tavayogi himself, besides other caves and shrines of siddhas. Tavayogi was a businessman in Thirupur, Kovai until he became a turavi at 50 years of age and has since then been preaching the teachings of the sidhas in India, Singapore, and Malaysia."

And subsequent correspondences.

"Hello Mr. Shanmugam, Thank you very much for your prompt reply and the info. I live in the United States and am planning a trip to India around July. God willing ...... I will try and visit Tavayogi's ashram in Kallar, Kovai. Once again thank you for the information."

She recounts how she came about reading my blog.

"I happened to ........ rather spontaneously be guided to this site. In fact I feel more drawn towards Saint Agasthiyar. This urge/longing to visit the places where the Noble Saint had threaded started growing inside me for a couple of months. Whatever snippets I could get I started collecting from the internet.This was how I accidentally stumbled upon the previous site through which I was able exactly see and feel what I was searching for. But you have mentioned you had your Nadi read and it was mentioned there for you that you would meet Tavayogi. I did not have any nadi reading read for me. May be since I am an ardent devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba ....... HE must have guide me to this site ....... where I was able to read about your meeting with Tavayogi and also lucky to get his contact number from you. Thank you so much Sir...... for having replied my mails and for having helped me to establish contact with Tavayogi. I spoke to Tavayogi on Friday around late evening (PST). He said that he would take me to all the caves once I come to India, God Willing ... I hope to make that trip around July end. I see it involves a lot of travel by foot. I have got some Arthritis Knee Problem. Anyway I am determined to make it. The attachment shows the site ..... under the caption "From My Travels in India"... from where I was able to get the complete picture of your travel and experiences with the Tavayogi and Subramaniya Swamy. Regards, Molly Menon."

Subsequently, she makes the journey to India to her home state of Kerala and after having settled domestic issues she makes her way to Kallar to meet Tavayogi. She planned to stay at Kallar for six months but is swiftly sent back to the USA to everyone's surprise.

The Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham at Kallar

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal manages the ashram with his able aid and disciple Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar

Once back in the USA we kept corresponding through email, Facebook and Skype.

She walks us through her experiences since her departure from the USA back to her homeland of India.

She writes,

"It started thus .... it started with a call ... Instructions from the Divine ..... and I was in India, before even I knew what was going on ... only to get back after two weeks to the United States ... and then AGAIN get back to India after five months. ..... AS THE HIGHEST POWER IN THE UNIVERSE 'WANTED AN AUDIENCE WITH ME AT KALLAR''..Will anybody believe what I'm saying? They think me stark MAD .. Totally screwed up ... yo the point of No Return".

After a year she returns again to Kallar to participate in the annual Guru Puja and Jayanthi celebrations for Agathiyar. Here she is introduced to Dr Ram Subramaniam, a Sidha practitioner and devout devotee of Agathiyar.

Preparations on the way for the annual fests

Tavayogi ushering the guests

Part of the devotees listening to the discourses

Tavayogi and Mataji conduct the Yagna, the highlight of the two-day celebrations

Devotees consult Tavayogi in private

And one for the album .. Jnana Jyothiamma with Tavayogi and Mataji before she leaves Kallar

Watch a compilation of the two-day celebrations at Kallar at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feW3LVVp5zk

Jnana Jyothiamma and Dr. Ram Subramaniam then go on a pilgrimage. At Kalyana Theertam, the Dr is witness to a miracle where Agathiyar conducts a play of light. Molly describes what took place at Kalyana Theertam in her own words.

"Every centimeter of this Rock (at Kalyana Theertam)... I have got stories to tell .... .live incidents and experiences to narrate. The entire journey on the rocks where her cortege (Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma) was taken and the place where she was cremated, was the EXACT PLACE .. where I was seated, coz I was feeling unwell suddenly and the "first streak of light appeared."

Jnana Jyothi Amma with Dr. Ram Subramaniam at Kalyana Theertam

The first sign of the column of light is seen at the top left corner

From Jnana Jyothiamma the column of light now makes its way across the lake towards Agathiyar and Lobhamudra

After this miracle, both the Dr. and Jnana Jyothiamma are shown an even bigger spectacle in the caves in the vicinity. They are lead by a devotee to see Agathiyar's paatham or footprint, but never expected to be shown his true form!

A devotee turns up and offers to take them into the caves

Dr. Ram preparing to venture into the caves

The first sight of a spot of light visible in the center

"Divinity of our dearest dad ... AT ITS PEAK ... what else to say? HE SEALED MY MOUTH WITH HIS LOVE AND AFFECTION.."

"Little did I realize on Chitra Pournami day ... April 17th 2011, when I was installing the statue of Karupetta in Chennai and conducting the Khumb Abishek of my temple ... After 6 months, I would be getting initiated by the Greatest Power that ever existed and exactly on the same day April 17th 2011, a major event was taking place on the other side of the fence and after a couple of months ... that same place is going to be the turning POINT in my life...."

"Stunned and glazed beyond words and emotions ...... Highly articulate and meticulously implemented ..."

She calls Agathiyar "The GREATEST COSMIC CRAFTSMAN .... OUR FATHER ...."

She sends me an attachment,

"A few snaps taken during Khumb Abhishek of Karuppanaswamy. I was carrying the Kalasam for the installation of a Deity .... The Kaval Deivam of the Siddhas and on the other side of the fence .. Venkatesh Swami was carrying the earthen pot round Sadhu Amma's body ..... A soul so dear to the Adi Muni Agasthya .......on April 17th 2011. Chitra Pournami. That day my Sariya and Kiriya got over. At Kallar and Kalyana Theerthem ... my yoga started ... proceeding into jnana ........ AGATHIYAN MADE ME COMPLETE...."

Click to watch her perform Arati at Karruppanaswamy's Temple at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7N4xpP3Fk

On another occasion she writes to me about that miracle and how she felt during those moments,

"Dear Shan, Indwelling Flame,Spiritual Consciousness and Spiritualized Body ..... True. But I could relate the above mentioned more to the Light that I saw (through Ajna Chakra) at the moment when Agathiyar initiated me ... If you could recollect, I mentioned to you that I saw a huge streak of light coming from my Pons Medulla region (nape of my neck) and piercing through the spot, in between my brows. This for sure is the Light that came from within me."

"Regarding the Light falling on me at Kalyana Theertum, it was moving externally towards Agathiyar. It was as if this beam/ Light was falling from above. I come to understand and feel, this as a Pure Cosmic Light Of The Divine."

"I was feeling as if something was piercing through the top my head, although nothing was visible through naked eye as mentioned by Dr. Ram. He was constantly telling me to keep moving, as he noticed through the camera that the light/beam was moving with me. It was only after I crossed the Chandanam Malai spot that the light/ beam started moving towards Agathiyar. The movement of the streak of light was very obvious in the pictures shot."

"Initially Dr. Ram was taking the pictures casually. It was only after he saw the light moving towards Agathiyar, he started clicking continuously. One single streak of light became two streaks and both were moving towards Agathiyar and as you could see in the photographs two streaks joined together and there was a gush of Light showering on Agathiyar and Loba Amma."

'These pictures were taken at noon time. Hence the lights were not visible through naked eye. I am sure if this had occurred during night time, the beam/ streaks of light would have been visible and behold ...WHAT A SPECTACLE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN."

"I would like to conclude by saying that unless the body becomes a revealing vessel of the Light of the Spirit radiating from within, the Divine light from the Cosmos cannot enter it. Thus the Spiritualized body acts as a receptacle and the Luminosity from within connects with the Cosmic Luminosity and together they merge as One ...... ARUT PERUM JYOTHI ... All that I mentioned and written are true and purely my own experiences. It is true indeed that the Siddhas are moving around with us."

Follow her spectacular journey on this amazing path - the Path of the Siddhas - at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptHqTdtXcn4

At Kalyana Theertam she got to know Venkatesh Swami who has served Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma for 25 years till her last days. He was blessed to perform the last rites for the saint too.

Below is a video clip of the last rites conducted for Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma.

Click this link to view her video channel and her many videos on YouTube Molly Menon

Click this link to watch Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma's last rite

Venkatesh Swami takes her to Srikalahasti where a Yagna or Yagam is conducted at midnight. She writes about that moment to.

"Hi Shan, this is the continuation of the first clip I sent you. If you notice in this clip, you can see how AMMA suddenly came on that lady and after running around in circles in ecstasy, came close to me and touched my shoulders ... still dancing ..Watch that carefully, you will notice that. It is after that I caught hold of her hand and pulled her close to me ..."

"East meets West ... Me and Venkatesh Swamy, at Kalyana Theertham after one year ... only for a New Chapter to begin .."

"I am at the Evening of my life ... .in the Material World ..... .and at the Dawn of my life in the Spiritual World ... with Agathiyan leading me ..... Lead kindly Light .. amidst the encircling Gloom .... Lead thou me on .. I'm in the dark and far far away from HOME ...... Lead thou me on ......."

After Kallar, Karamadai, Ambasamudram, Papanasam, Kalyana Theertam, Srikalahasti, Palani, Kothaiyar and Vadalur she is in isolation as per Agathiyar's directive.

At Kallar

At Karamadai

At Ambasamudram

At Papanasam

At Kalyana Theertam

Another miracle at Srikalahasti. A streak of light at the entrance of a shrine

At Kothaiyar

At Vadalur

At Chennai

I asked if she had been to the Kandhakottam Kandaswami Temple? Ramalinga Adigal (Vallalar) patronized this temple in his early days.

She recollects ...

"Yes. I had been there ... rather we as a family with Shankar, had been to Kandhakottam and Vadivudai Amman Temple number of times about 25 years back. Son was a teenager .. in school .. Every purnima we used to conduct tender coconut water Abhishegam to Amma and visit Vallalar's home. Even, last year on my hubby's death anniversary I had been to Vadivudai Amma's temple .... to feed the cows with Agathy Keerai ...... a ritual performed after Tarpanam ... which Amma asked me to perform ... Had been to Tiruvotriyur also a number of times with Shankar and family ..... to conduct Abhishegam to Shiva on Atham Star ... my son's and mine.."

She is grateful to many beginning from Shankar, a close family friend ...

"That's what I keep repeating that Shankar is my Mortal Guru and Agathiyar .... My Athma Guru ... All the Devis and Devans and Mahans were with me, guiding me and following me right from BIRTH ...... I realized this after my connection with Agathiyan .... To Quote Vallalar ..... My Spiritual journey has been thus ..... "From the Forms to the Formless .... Jyothi ..... Arut Perum Jyothi .. I was totally unaware of all these happenings in my life. I was performing my duties as a wife and Mother .... while the Divine was performing their duties on me .... With tears in my eyes, I pronounce these words ...."In my case ... the SEEKER BECAME THE SOUGHT'. Agathiyan took me into HIS fold and made me "COMPLETE".... a Desireless Object."

and she concludes,

"All I can say is THUS ...... Om Sri Mahasidhargale, Mahangale, Maharishigale, Mahayogigale, Mahamunivargale, Mahadevargale ........ THIRUVADIGAL POTRI POTRI...."

I am grateful to Jnana Jyothiamma for bringing the singer out in me. She was the reason I began to record and posts the following.