One's karma creates incidents and situations which brings forth experiences to the person concern. These experiences then start to shape his thinking and opinion, making him stronger or weaker according to the individual concerned.
Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal was a successful businessman until he lost everything later in life and had to hit the streets. To add sorrow to his already miserable life, he lost both his eyesight. Giving up hope and on the verge of ending his life, Agathiyar comes to safe him. He regains his lost eyesight and rises up the ladder of success again. At the age of 50 he voluntarily gives up everything he owned to do service to Agathiyar. He becomes a thuravi or mendicant.
Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar too had an equal share of problems and eventually came to Tavayogi who showed her a way. Since then she has faithfully done service to Agathiyar and Tavayogi.
When Tavayogi was hit by a bus, initially I felt angered that Agathiyar did not protect him. I questioned myself, "If Agathiyar did not protect me I could understand but how could Agathiyar let this happen to Tavayogi." When I asked Tavayogi why the accident was not prevented, he coolly replied, "I too have karma that needed to be exhausted my son." Tavayogi made me realize that no one was above the law, the law of karma. Even those engaged in tapas or austerities are not exempted from sufferings. Just as a householder endures sufferings while engaged in administrating relationships and families, the yogi too endures sufferings while doing tapas. Ramalinga Adigal speaks about the 12 years of hardship he had to undergo. Abhiramipattar was put to the test. Pattinathar too. Thirunavukarasar, Manikavasagar and many other saints had to endure hardship too.
When we are faced with hardship, suffering and misery or ill health, we question, "Why me?" Siddhartha on seeing the old and sick ventured out of the comforts of his princely life and kingdom to search for the reason for sufferings and old age. He found the reason.
Although suffering is a result of attachment, the Almighty does not give one more than he can handle. Here we see the compassion of the Lord, stepping in to cushion one's suffering. He decides and dictates the type and amount of suffering accordingly to the previous karma considering the present ability of the individual to withstand these sufferings. In event the aspirant wants to hastened the removal or exhaustion of his karma, God reconsiders and that is where he is laden with more sufferings.
Sufferings will lessen when previous karma is lessened. Agathiyar says karma can be exhausted either by non-action, bearing with it and undergoing it; or by doing charity or by prayers.
Let us see how the Siddhas can help us lessen our sufferings and our karma in the next post.