Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami in KARMA AND REINCARNATION, writes, "Indeed, when beseech through deep prayer and worship, the Supreme Being and His great Gods may intercede within our karma, lightening its impact or shifting its location in time to a period when we are better prepared to resolve it."
Agathiyar has on numerous occasions told me in the Nadi that prayers do much good. He asked that I continue doing it. Although everyday is a good day to pray, certain days are auspicious because one's prayer is fulfilled either immediately or quickly, due to the conducive nature and environment that prevails on these special days. Hence the need to observe these days, giving an opportunity to us to obtain quick or immediate results, and immediate accomplishment of whatever we had set out to do.
As man needs a form to concentrate, Agathiyar says there is no harm in worshiping God as Brahma, Vishnu, Goddess Parashakti or as the siru deivam or demi gods. One only needs a form to meditate and pray on be it an idol, painting, object or character. He gives a simple metaphor. If one was to inquire if either Lord Shiva, Rudran or Vishnu was God, it would only mean to say that one was asking if the feet was a cow, or it's horns or it's abdomen was the cow. It is acceptable for the Almighty to be given various forms and names. Agathiyar reminds us that God experience goes beyond these physical forms, names and various rituals.
Tavayogi tells us that man's intelligence can be identified with gasoline, charcoal and bark. The man with the intelligence of a bark would find it difficult to grasp the concept of God as being formless. The man classified under charcoal needs to be ignited or lighted and fanned for a while. He will grasp it soon. The one identified with gasoline explodes immediately. So it is with transmission of spiritual knowledge. Whether one is able to grasp and understand a teaching is based on his capacity to absorb which is largely decided by his karma. With karma removed through his efforts and with God's grace he succeeds in learning and uncovering the mystery.
To help us fathom this mystery the Siddhas developed various means for one to progress spiritually. The Sidhas drafted four stages on the path of the soul's evolution towards god realization in a systematic way. The Sidhas paved the path where one would have to go through the four divisions of yoga: Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam and Gnanam. Man confirms to any one of this stage according to his temperament and nature; beliefs and thoughts; upbringing and faith; and the amount of punyam or merits and his karma.
The four divisions or paths to Sivahood or Godhead are revealed in numerous ancient texts. From verses 270 to 274 of the SHIVAGNANA SIDDHIYAR SUPAKKAM, we understand that the journey in attaining Shiva consists of four paths or Maargam.
- Taata maargam,
- Sarputra maargam,
- Saga maargam, and
- San maargam
Next, Sarputra maargam (Kriyai) or the ritual worship of Shiva is known as the path of the son. With flowers, incense, sacred lamp, articles for ritual ablution of the idol, and food offerings to God, one performs the five part purification, offering a seat for the deity, invocation of the Lord in the form of light and of life into the idol, invitation of the deity, worship by pure devotion, eulogizing God with love, offering flowers, keeping alive the sacrificial fire, the devotee abides very close to Shiva.
The third path, Saga maargam (Yogam) or attaining the form of Shiva is also known as the path of companionship. Through control of the senses, pranayamam or regulating the incoming and outgoing breaths; having activated the six adhara kundalini chakras and worshiping the presiding deities of each chakra; ascending to Brahmarandhra and inducing the lotus bud to blossom; stimulating the sun mandala there and absorbing the resulting ambrosia all through the body; worshiping and meditating on the effulgent Shiva; observing the Ashtanga Yogam, the devotees begets the form of Shiva.
The final path, San maargam (Gnanam) is attaining the wisdom from all the Puranas, Sastras and sacred texts of all external religions; elucidation of all, rejecting the falsehood as untruth; gaining the knowledge of God, and soul and fetters; acquisition of true knowledge of the righteous path for attaining Shiva; and merging in Shiva without any differentiation among knowledge, knower and the object of knowledge. These devotees attain Shiva.
The various paths and stages on spiritual development and the respective stages of Mukti as revealed in the SHIVAGNANA SIDDHIYAR is translated by G. Vanmikanathan in his PATHWAY TO GOD TROD BY SAINT RAMALINGAR,
San maargam, Saga maargam, Sarputra maargam Taata maargam, to gain Sankaran (Shiva), good paths four are these; Gnanam, Yogam, Kriyai, Sariyai, thus also these are called.The Sidha Sugabramar in the GNANA SUTHIRAM mentions these four divisions too.
When the Parama Guru arrives, the path of Sariyai shall arise; Slowly when the path of Sariyai is trod, Kriyai path shall arise shortly; Upon walking the path of Kriyai, Son, the Yogam path will clearly arise; Walking the path of Yogam, the Jnanam path shall appear.The Sidha Shivavaakiyar too mentions these four divisions.
Upon entering Sariyai, Salokyam shall one receive, Through Kriyai, Saameepam shall he reach, In Yogam, Saarupam shall be attained, Gnanam, these four, Saayutchyam shall one attain.The Sidha Kunangkudi Masthan Sahib who sings the praise of Agathiyar in the 52nd verse of his AGASTHIYAR SATAGAM pleads of Agathiyar for the experience of all these divisions.
The path of devotion is laid before us, right from the beginning to its culmination, from nursery to doctorate. It is up to us to reflect on our standing, identify and start from where we left (in the last birth); joining the path at the stage or understanding that we can associate, understand, reflect and move on. We decide the point of entry be it Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam or Gnanam, and from thence move on to further frontiers and uncharted territories. As Ramalinga Adigal reveals there are many more stages beyond these four that is inexpressible. Let us join this path at our preferred point of entry, points that are conducive and comfortable to us, eventually we shall all walk this path, some ahead, some lagging behind, and some having yet to start this journey. There are many entry points on this path, many doors that open up to this path. We could choose to enter the very first door or join in between or towards the end of this path, all dependent on our temperament, understanding, knowledge, amount of austerities, and karma.
After a long lapse, dropping all forms of worship that I had picked up from the family and nurtured further by self study, I was mysteriously passed a mantra of Lord Vishnu by my nephew one stormy day. Later he passed me a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. Then he guided me on worship of Mother Goddess in conjunction with her Navarathri celebrations. In all these worship I was mysteriously guided compared with the worship I did on my own prior to this period. A year later I got to see the Kaanda Nadi that brought me to the worship of the Siddhas. It has been 12 years now and I was blessed to have my Nadi read 50 times, in which Agathiyar has unfailingly reminded me to carry out worship and prayer.
Agathiyar instructs, giving directives according to one's nature, capacity and ability, taking into consideration his lifestyle and means of living. My nephew who was on the fast tract, hardly finding time for prayers and contemplation, was asked by Agathiyar in his Nadi reading to participate in the kuttu vazhipadu or joint prayers conducted by devotees at any place convenient to him on full moon days; while I who had all the time in the world, was asked to do rituals. The most gracious Agathiyar accepted the devotion, worship and prayers of both of us wholeheartedly. He is known to accept the rituals, provided it is performed to the best of the ability of a person.
Let us see how the Guru can help us with our devotion in the next post.