Coming to the Path of the Siddhas

Classical Yoga - An Introduction (Part 2)

Watch the earlier video (Part 1) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1Zq5DxixCA

AN INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF YOGA & KRIYA YOGA

Acharya Gurudasan, our guest writer, and Kriya Yoga Master, has graciously submitted to hold a series on Classical Yoga that is streamed lived on Siddha Heartbeat and a recording uploaded to YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/siddhaheartbeat

Earlier Acharya Gurudasan trained members of Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) in Yoga.

Acharya, a Yoga practitioner, having trained under the famed master Marshall Govindan, himself a student and disciple of Yogi Ramaiah, begins the series with an introduction to this science.

A short write up I came up with, on Yoga and its traditional classification. This is quite short and may not have sufficient information to interest the advanced souls. This was written mainly targeting people totally new to the fold of spirituality and Yoga, to give some basic idea. The ideas shared on Kriya yoga are mostly taken from Babaji's Kriya Yoga website as I didn't want to re-invent the wheel. The rest have been written based on my current understanding.

Introduction

The term Yoga is quite commonly used these days across the world, and in many cases, used quite loosely. In the West, a common man understands Yoga as a system of physical exercises which involves stretching that originated from the East. Some associate Yoga with Hinduism and consider it a religious practice. But, this cannot be farther from truth. India being a land of multiple belief systems saw many of them incorporate some form of yoga as the means to reach the ultimate. This includes Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Jainism and Shaiva Siddhanta. 

In this article, I am attempting to give a simple overview of what is Yoga, what are the different types of yoga and what are its benefits beyond the physical aspect.

The Word

The word Yoga comes from Sanskrit root ‘yog’ meaning to unite. To cut the long story short, we can consider that the term Yoga may refer to any practice that helps us to unite the mind, body and soul (atman). And it goes without saying that for this union to happen, the body-mind personality (ahamkara also known as ego) must be completely subdued. Here, the word ‘ego’ should not be read with the traditional meaning of a person’s self-worth, self-esteem or self-importance. Rather, the very identification of a person with his/her mind and body. Paramahamsa Yogananda, the author of Autobiography of a Yogi, defines ego as the delusion of identifying oneself with the mind and body.

So, essentially, all the different forms of yoga available must, by definition, help one to come out of such delusion to realize the divinity within. When this mistaken identity with the mind-body personality ends, one will realize that along with that ends all suffering and the person remains in a truly blissful state of joy. This clearly shows that Yoga is much more than mere stretching exercises done in a hot room with tight clothes. Its purpose is to ultimately drive the practitioner towards the ultimate goal of Self-Realization.

Various types of Yoga

Although, in current times there are 1000s of various forms of Yoga, only the traditional categorization is considered for the purpose of this article. In the past, the paths taken to realize God/Self, (i.e. to shake-off the limited identity of body-mind consciousness and merge with the infinite, all-blissful cosmic consciousness), were divided into four major categories.

1. Karma Yoga
2. Bhakti Yoga
3. Raja Yoga
4. Gnana/Jnana Yoga

All these different types had one single motive: to eliminate ego-consciousness and to allow divine consciousness to descend. However, the means to achieving that varied as explained below. It cannot be emphasized enough that, among these, there is no single ‘Yoga’ better than the other. Depending on the maturity of the seeker, the path most suited for him would vary. In many cases, we would need a combination of two or more of these practices to progress in our search for Truth.

Also, these paths may look completely different to each other, seemingly having nothing in common. But that’s only at the surface level. In reality, they all lead us to the same Truth and meet at the point of Gnana where the seeker loses his ego-self and identifies with the universal Brahman. Nothing summarizes this better than Swami Vivekananda’s words: “As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.”

Karma Yoga – The path of Action

‘Karma’ here refers simply to action or disciplined action. Karma yoga emphasizes the idea that one must perform his duties with utmost sincerity without being attached to the fruits of their actions. By performing one’s duties in this way, one can gradually develop a sense of detachment and thus eliminate ego-consciousness. This is exactly what Lord Krishna preached Arjuna in Bhagwad Gita. 

The word ‘Karma’ can represent selfless service to fellow beings. And in such service, we lose ourselves, our sense of ego and the sense of “I am the doer”.

Swami Vivekananda is a great example of Karma Yoga. Although he could have easily renounced and become a hermit, he chose to carry his Master’s message to every corner of the world. He dedicated his entire life for this purpose. And nothing signifies this better than his statement “I shall take 1000 rebirths to help a single man educated/enlightened.” This clearly shows that his own enlightenment was secondary to him.

Bhakti Yoga – The path of Devotion

“Bhakti” is the path of devotion. It is much more than performing rituals and visiting temples/churches on auspicious days. In Bhakti, a devotee is emotionally longing for the divine. This is a yearning that is far more superior to any of their daily life needs. This is complete surrender. The devotee surrenders everything including their desires, fears, and life’s needs to the divine and do not want anything for themselves other than the divine. It can be noted that most Bhakts may not even have the desire to get enlightened and all they need is to be one with their object of devotion. Examples are Bhakt Meera, Alwars and Nayanmars of the south, Ram Das etc. In contemporary times, ISKCON is known to promote Bhakti Yoga. Nevertheless, it can be practiced by everyone by slowly cultivating such intense fervor towards one’s favorite deity.

A devotee would have one God/deity and would be deeply in love with that deity. It could be Krishna, Jesus, Rama, Shiva, Ganesha or Shakti or any others. In thought, word and deed, the devotee sees nothing but their God. Their emotional body is overflowing with the love for the divine. When they hear the name of their deity, they could burst into tears. They enjoy Bhajans or singing the praise of God. At the pinnacle, they no longer have a sense of themselves and their mind becomes completely absorbed in the divine, leading them to experience complete bliss and realize that their deity and their ‘Self’ are one and the same.

Raja Yoga – The Royal Path

Raja yoga is considered as the royal path to realization. It is very systematic and requires continuous and dedicated effort by the sadhak. Raja Yoga, in some traditions simply called as Yoga is well explained by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. The 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga namely, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi could be considered as the sequence of progression for a sadhak following the path of Raja Yoga. Here, the sadhak attempts to eliminate ego-consciousness by directly controlling that entity which gives raise to it – The Mind. The sadhak performs a number of activities such as Pranayama, Asana, meditation etc. and directly studies the nature of the mind, its roots, the 5 senses and their impact on the mind and how to stop their activity consciously. 

Patanjali defines Yoga as ‘Yoga chitta vritti nirodaha’. It means ‘Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations arising within the sub-conscious’ (Source: Kriya Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Siddhas by Marshal Govindan). Hence, all the practices of Raja Yoga are aimed at the goal of disciplining the mind, quietening it and completely stopping its activities consciously and to be absorbed completely in the Self. Such a state is called Samadhi which is the goal of Raja Yoga. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the sadhak is in a state of complete cognitive absorption where he has totally lost the sense of personal ‘I’ and the body and is completely merged with the super conscious. This is the highest level of Samadhi where the sadhak transcends the time-space dimension and identifies completely with the para-brahman or the universal self or the super consciousness. When they bring such a state of continuous cognitive absorption to their daily lives, then it is known as Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi in which the person is able to perform his day-to-day activities even when his mind is completely absorbed in the Heart.

A special form of Raja Yoga is called Kriya Kundalini Yoga about which we will see in detail in a separate section.

Gnana Yoga – The path of Wisdom

“Control of mind by the control of breath is Yoga (Raja Yoga or Kriya yoga);
Control of breath by the control of mind is Gnana” – Sri Ramana Maharshi
In Gnana yoga, the term ‘Gnana’ itself signifies the goal. Gnana is the knowledge of Brahman or the universal self or Super Consciousness. According to Mandukya Upanishad, “Brahmavit Brahmaiva bhavati – The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman”

Thus, this appears to be a direct method to realize Para-brahman by diving straight into the nature of the self. The most common practice is self-enquiry, known in Sanskrit as atma-vichara. Here, the practitioner keeps asking the seemingly simple question, ‘Who am I?’ until he discerns and eliminates everything that is not the self, such as “I am not this body, I am not the 5 senses, I am not the mind etc.” It is not merely a mental exercise to keep repeating such statements or to repeat the mahavakyas such as ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ and ‘Tat tvam Asi’, but to consciously plunge deeper and deeper in to the source of awareness from which the very thought of ‘I’ emerges. When the mind is thus focused upon its own source, it gets absorbed and what remains is pure existence, pure awareness. That is when one becomes aware of being aware and the difference between the object known, the act of knowing and the knower ceases to exist. The practitioner remains as Sat-chit-ananda, in a state of pure bliss transcending subject- object relationship. In other words, the practitioner remains as the Universal self or Para-brahman.

The most well-known Gnana yogis are Adi Shankara in olden days and Sri Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj of contemporary times. 

This is the most direct method. Sri Ramana Maharshi says, the path a person takes to realize the self may vary according to his maturity and fitness of mind, but one has to come to atma-vichara as the final step. He also re-iterates that although Gnana yoga might seem dry and abstract to a beginner, it is not so. As the soul ripens, the other aspects of yoga such as Bhakti and self-less service will come into the practitioner’s nature automatically.

Babaji’s Kriya Yoga

Babaji’s Kriya Yoga, as mentioned before, is a special form of Raja Yoga. It also includes aspects of other forms of yoga such as devotion as in bhakti, discipline of action as in Karma Yoga and focus on being with the Self/pure awareness as in Gnana. It is a scientific art of perfect God -Truth union and self-realization. It is an ancient form of practice preached to Arjuna by Lord Krishna and was lost over time. In the late 19th century, Mahavatar Babaji revived it as a synthesis of Patanjali`s yoga sutras and the practice of Kundalini yoga by the yoga Siddhars. Thus, he cleverly combined both the aspects of consciousness (Shiva) as in Patanjali`s Sutras and that of energy (Shakti) as in the practice of siddhas.

The word `Kriya` comes from the root word ‘kri’ meaning action. In this context, ‘Kriya’ refers to action with awareness. It is emphasized that all the practices in Babaji’s Kriya Yoga are performed with utmost awareness. The sadhana of BKY is a collection of 144 exercises and spiritual practices for Self realization and transformation in all of our five bodies: physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual. Kriya Yoga is a 5 phased integral approach to attain God-realization. Each of them addresses one or more of the koshas. Koshas are the 5 sheaths or bodies of our existence. It is best explained in Vivekachoodamani written by Adi Shankara. 

The 5 bodies are as follows:

· Annamaya kosha - physical body
· Pranamaya Kosha - Vital/energy body (emotions)
· Manomaya Kosha - mental body (mind and thoughts)
· Vigyanamaya Kosha - intellectual body (abstract intellect)
· Anandamaya Kosha - spiritual body

The 5 phases of Kriya Yoga are as follows:

1. Kriya Hatha Yoga
2. Kriya Kundalini Pranayama
3. Kriya Dhyana Yoga
4. Kriya Mantra Yoga
5. Kriya Bhakti Yoga

Kriya Hatha Yoga: includes asanas, bandahs, and mudras, psycho-physical gestures, all of which bring about greater health, peace and the awakening the nadis or the energy channels, the chakras. Babaji has selected a particularly effective series of 18 postures, which are taught in stages and in pairs. The first objective of Kriya Hatha Yoga is deep physical and mental relaxation. The variety of asana grants flexibility, lightness and buoyancy in the body relieving us of many disorders. The practice of the 18 asana series awakens the energy centers along the spine and kundalini, our potential power and consciousness.

Kriya Kundalini Pranayama: is a powerful breathing technique to awaken one’s potential power and consciousness and to circulate it through the seven principal chakras between the base of the spine and the crown of the head. It deals more directly with the subtler vital parts of the nervous system. Ultimately these pranayama will awaken the sushumna and direct kundalini upward through it.

Kriya Dhyana Yoga: is a progressive series of meditation techniques to learn the scientific art of mastering the mind - to cleanse the subconscious, to develop concentration, mental clarity and vision, to awaken the intellectual, intuitive and creative faculties, and to bring about the breathless state of communion with God, "Samadhi" and Self-Realization. It aims to bring the truth realized in our inner consciousness into our waking consciousness and become effective there. The level of our consciousness determines the nature and quality of the life we live. So, rather than trying to stop thoughts and drop into a void, our meditations focus on dynamic methods of strengthening the power of the mind, the power of visualization and stimulate a ready flow of intuition and inspiration, which can be used in our life.

Kriya Mantra Yoga: The word Mantra comes from ‘man’ + ‘tra’, meaning to protect the mind. The silent mental repetition of subtle sounds becomes a substitute for the "I" - centered mental chatter and facilitates the accumulation of great amounts of energy. The mantra also cleanses habitual subconscious tendencies. These are powerful seed syllables to awaken the intuition, the intellect and the chakras. They mantras also serve as a direct means of establishing communication with higher beings such as Babaji and the 18 Siddhas. 

Kriya Bhakti Yoga: the cultivation of the soul’s aspiration for the Divine. It includes devotional activities and service to awaken unconditional love and spiritual bliss; it includes chanting and singing, ceremonies, pilgrimages, and worship. Gradually, all of one's activities become soaked with sweetness, as the "Beloved" is perceived in all.

Babaji's Kriya Yoga is a spiritual tradition, wherein one “wakes up” from “dreaming with one’s eyes open.”. Babaji's Kriya Yoga is a path of Self-realization which is comprehensive, as it integrates all of the dimensions of our life. It is a path of self discipline which enables one to live in the world with open-hearted compassion.

THE GURU & THE DISCIPLE

See http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.my/2014/01/a-beautiful-blog-mohanji-path-of.html

Classical Yoga - An Introduction

KALLAR ASHRAM

Agathiyar's Kallar Ashram is making much progress and would be officiated (Kumbhabhisegam) on 16 December 2016. This would be followed by the annual Agathiyar Jayanthi and Guru Puja celebrations on 18 December 2016.

EXTENDING AID

Thodu Seivom and AmuthaSurabi extended their arms in aiding yet another home besides the several existing homes in Semenyih and Petaling Jaya.

They provided groceries and other household items for a kid's home the Pertubuhan Kebajikan Cahaya Permata Hati in Semenyih today. 

They are already servicing a handicapped and mentally retarded children and elder centre in Semenyih and another old folks home, Vivekananda Shelter in Petaling Jaya with their monthly needs including provisions, groceries and household items. Thondu Seivom and AmuthaSurabi provide groceries through Vivekananda Shelter that manages the monthly needs of 150 households and families in the Klang Valley.

At Vivekananda Shelter

Thondu Seivom and AmuthaSurabi help with a monthly annadhanam provided at the Vivekananda Shelter. They provide food to those on the streets too, under a program called Pothigai Meals on Wheels initiated by AUM.

RAMANA THROUGH THE EYES OF HIS DEVOTEES

Agathiyar Mantra

PILGRIMAGE

Our AVM family from across the Indian Ocean have been on a couple of pilgrimages over the last few days. They shared photos and videos taken during these trips.

At Kalyana Theertam

Atri Hills

Surulimalai

AN IDEAL DISCIPLE

Srinatha Raghavan wrote,

The Siddha walks the path all alone,

Without worrying about anything,

For he knows nothing is his own,

And all His Guru knows!

He walks the path not for Himself,

But for his Guru who has bade him to do so,

He knows not where the path leads,

Or what the next turn holds.

All he knows is that his Guru wanted him to walk,

So he bravely walks forward in faith and fortitude,

He expects to find nothing or receive anything,

Even if the Universe unravels its deepest secrets,

He will not care to accept it without his Guru's consent.

For him his Guru is the beginning and the end,

The words of the Guru are eternal laws to abide,

In the end even if God appears to him in all his glory,

He will respectfully turn his face away in all humility,

For He knows God, to be His Guru alone.

The path of the Siddha,

Is a path of extreme self-surrender,

It requires no self-effort whatsoever,

And that makes it the most difficult to tread.

How true!

This path is not a standard path but one geared differently for each and every individual who has to have a calling, based on a previously established relationship with a Siddha that might go beyond many births. As Srinatha quoted his master, "Only through the countless merits accrued in countless lives, can you ever cross paths with a Siddha Guru!", sadly it is rather an unavailable option in the lives of many.

Tavayogi told me in the face, "You are living in Maya. You think I have something hidden within this ochre cloth. I have nothing to offer. What is in me is also within you. Bring that out." I am reminded again, least I forget, by Srinatha's post, when he quoted his Master, "Never go behind someone, who promises you Enlightenment; because no one can give you something, that already belongs to you..."

When Agathiyar scanned through my past birth and revealed my karma, he addressed it giving solutions by way of performing prayers and atonements or parikaram. I took heed of his words and started working on it. After performing them, hence removing the veil, I met my very first Guru Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai, someone I went searching for based on the Nadi. I returned satisfied and fulfilled at having kept to Agathiyar's bidding.

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal was in Malaysia and received me and my family with open arms, bringing us officially into the fold of Agathiyar and onto the Siddha path. Tavayogi was sent by Agathiyar, I am told, again in the Nadi. I followed in his tracks and while in India with him, am blessed with an extraordinary adventure with the Siddhas. I returned again satisfied and fulfilled, this time, blessed to be shown the other world, a world running parallel to ours - a mystical world.

Again Agathiyar asked me over to several sacred spots of Siddhas in India, but I turned it down for I was contended. I had already had a strong grip and hold of him. He need not show nor shower more miracles anymore. I was a true believer!

He listened to my objection and never brought up the subject anymore. Instead I asked him if at all he were to give me anything for that matter, he could always give it in the comfort of my home. He listened and came in the form of a bronze statue on the pretext of going elsewhere but has since then remained with us as a family.

The story of Swami Janananda shared by Srinatha brings joy.

There was an aged Monk who loved the Master with all his heart. He would come all the way from Mangalore, to visit the Master in Ganeshpuri, braving all odds of the travel. The Master would welcome him like a Mother would a prodigal child. The Monk although older than Baba, would press Baba's leg, who would look silently into empty space.

Once while he was pressing Baba's legs, Baba looked unto him suddenly and exclaimed,"Swami, why come here, when I can come there and be with you forever!"

These words sent a wave of thrill in the Swami's entire being and his old eyes lit up like a child. Baba smiled looking at the old Monk and said, "No need to come here now. Go and install an image of me at your place in Kanhangad and I will grace Seekers through that for ages to come."

Swami Janananda was sad and happy at the same time, for he wouldn't get to meet the Master in flesh and blood, but was happy, because of the Master's promise to exist always in the Spirit.

Those words still ring true even today, long after both the Master and the Disciple have shed their bodies. The Temple today bears witness to many miracles of faith, as the spirit of Baba Nityananda still continues to live through the statue, that Swami Janananda lovingly built, as an ode to his beloved Master.

Again Srinatha's quote from his Master, brings joy to us for it is an affirmation that we are on the right track. The Master would say, "There were two close disciples of the Master and both were so way different from each other. One wanted everything from the Master and He got it; while the other wanted nothing, so the Master gave him nothing, but all of himself."

When I approached Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar for a blessing, he remained quiet. Nadaraja, the manager at Ongkarakudil then in 2003, motioned me to speak louder. He had already forewarned me that Swami was losing both his hearing and eyesight. So I spoke out, even louder. Yet there was no response. So I practically shouted asking him to bless me. He answered that coming to Ongarakudil was itself a blessing. I could not understand then but over the years it all comes to light, as Srinatha mentions his Master's words of sublime truth, "Only through the countless merits accrued in countless lives, can you ever cross paths with a Siddha Guru!", 

Although I was blessed to be around Tavayogi many a times, I did not have any question to ask. He did most of the talking, which he rarely did too. I listened and watched a lot. I was always amused to see the barrage of questions mission-gunned towards Tavayogi at the earliest opportunity available. Tavayogi would entertain them too for hours on end. After five years he comes back and the same crowd gathers and puts forth the same questions. Tavayogi holds the same Satsang, saying the same things. I was expecting more from him, something new, that could bring us to the next level. But I return disappointed each time. Then I questioned him, "Why do you repeat the same thing again and again on each of your visits?" He immediately looked into my face and asked, "Are you following what I have given? I can only go on to the next level if you put into practice what was taught!" This answer I knew pretty well was not meant for me for we both knew that I will put into effect any practise nor instruction without question - the only exception being asking to put a stop to the call to all the pilgrimage spots, and instead bless me at my home. That answer was for the masses who gather when he was around and disappeared the moment he left only to gather momentum again when he returns. But the recent visit by Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar is most likely the most memorable and fulfilling visit to India and Singapore, I belief.

Srinatha posted his Master's voice pertaining to this mode of questioning and the Master's reaction to it.

The Master would seldom answer the Questions posed by his Disciples. He would simply look away or postpone giving the answer. When someone asked as why doesn't he answer the questions, he would smile and answer, "The Question must consume the Questioner and only then the answer can redeem them..." He would laugh and add, "Many want to know, but only a few really know, what to do, after they come to know!"

Just as the Master replied "I can, but the question is, can you take it?" to someone who asked, "Can you give me what you have?" and in Srinatha's words, that "straight forward reply stirred something deep in the Cynic, who would become a great Master himself in the later years", the questioner should be prepared to bring about an immediate change in his outlook, thinking, and way of life. Only then is the question justified to be answered. There is a saying that do not share your problems and sorrows to another unless you are sure he can do something about it.

Much later when someone asked, what had really transpired on that fateful encounter, the one time Cynic said, "My Ego was broken right within me and I realized that I was nothing, not even near to what I had thought myself to be..."

Srinatha's next post is pretty true too. Agathiyar, Tavayogi and Supramania Swami too lament when people come to them for reasons other than asking for Jnana.

Whoever came to the Master,
Would seek something or the other in return for their Devotion,
The Master too would oblige and fulfil all their wishes,
Some would come for amassing more wealth,
While others would come wanting good health,
There would be those who would come,
So to redeem messed up Court cases,
And also those who wanted to find some great treasure,
The Master would bless them to achieve fulfilment,
But He would often silently lament to himself,
"All come wanting to receive what they want,
Is there but anyone who will receive what I want to give?"

The Master's wish was fulfilled,
When came a young man who loved the Master,
So much that he did not seek anything in return,
All he did was love and love even more so much that,
The Master himself asked the man one day,
"Swami what is it you seek from me?"
The young Swami with eyes flowing with tears said,
"Nothing!"

This heartfelt statement stirred something very deep,
In the heart of the Master that,
He gave the Swami the Highest blessings one could ever get,
The Master said, "From now on YOU are ME and I am YOU!"
Ah! The Disciple became the Master and the Master became a Disciple...

That is indeed an ideal disciple! 

AGATHIYAR & SANKARA

Agathiyar together with Upamanyu, Dadhichi and Gautama arrived at the young Sankara's humble dwelling one fine day. Sankara and his mother were honored to receive the four great sages. Sankara's mother was overjoyed that they could see the sages in this age of Kali. She asked to know what was in store for her child and why he was extraordinarily gifted with proficiency in the vedic studies and carried all the great qualities at such a very young age.

Agathiyar, as desired by the other rishis, replied. Sankara's father had performed austerities to propitiate Lord Siva for a son in the past. At the end of the austerities, as a boon, when given a choice of a long-lived but worthless son or a short-lived son but with much greatness, he chose the later. Hence Lord Siva himself took birth as Sankara. Sankara's mother now wanted to know how long her son will live. Agathiyar replies that though her son was destined to live only sixteen years, but it was decided to extend by another sixteen years. As the most compassionate Agathiyar began to reveal Sankara's future, the other rishis fearing that Agathiyar will disclose too much, got up to depart. Hence Agathiyar stopped at that, and the rishis left Sankara's dwelling.

There were three factors that prompted Sankara to leave his home and become a wandering ascetic, writes Madhava-vidyaranya in his book Sankara-Dig-Vijaya. First was the revelation by Agathiyar reminding Sankara of his mission; second Sankara gaining permission from Sri Krishna and his mother; and above all his intense yearning for renunciation.

Siddha Heartbeat had carried earlier a post on how Agathiyar came to the aid of Sri Rama at http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.my/2014/07/a-beautiful-masterpiece-depicting-sri.html

During the Treta Yuga, when Sri Rama was wondering as a hermit, many Rishis yearned for Sri Rama to grace their ashrams. As these Rishis were engaged in severe austerities or tapas, they could not leave their dwellings to meet Sri Rama. Sri Rama on his part could not visit every single ashram of these Rishis. Sri Rama could only meet Agathiyar, Bharatvajar, and Sabari. Sri Rama too had to move on to Kishkinta, Sundara and Yutta Kaandams. Hence he could not grace the ashrams of hundreds of Rishis. These wishes of the Rishis became Vasanas and got attached to Sri Rama. Hence Sri Rama had to exhaust these Vasanas by granting their wishes in his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.

Although during the Yutta Kaandam, Agathiyar managed to bring along some Rishis with him to have the Darshan of Sri Rama and to serve him, but there were many more yearning for his Darshan but could not make it as they were engaged in austerities at Thandakaranyam. They were disappointed. 

Agathiyar asked Sri Rama how he was going to satisfy their wishes. "Could you satisfy their wishes before this incarnation is over?", he asked. Sri Rama agreed that he could not do so before his time was up. Sri Rama was saddened that he was the cause of disappointment to these Rishis. Sri Rama realized that he could not meet them and sought advise from Agathiyar.

Agathiyar reveals to Sri Rama, "In your next incarnation as Sri Krishna in Dwabara Yuga, these Rishis who had cherished to have your Darshan and serve you, will take rebirth as Gopikas and through play and devotion and service to you, attain bliss and fulfillment."

"This is the secret (mystery) behind incarnations and rebirth", reveals Agathiyar. Whatever unfulfilled desires of the Rishis during the reign of Sri Rama's Avatharam, gains fulfillment during his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.

AVM'S PUBLICATIONS

Siddha Heartbeat & AVM would like to thank all those who took time to write in. Your positive comments keep us going.

• All your articles lately in the Blogspot are very interesting. Very touching, very informative and very analytical.
• I just happened to come across this blog and after reading the article was simply thrilled and very happy.
• Good post sir ! U are realy into a vry great work of instilling confidence and boost to peopl who are in troubl wen their beliefs gets shatterd as to whtr thy cud be relievd bak or not !
• Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. I can't wait to read lots of your posts. Regards,
• Heya my very first comment on your site. ,I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. . It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask..is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?
• Nice blog...Very useful information is providing by ur blog..here is a way to find.
• Sir vanakkam, Im ................. from singapore. im also an ardent devotee of agathiyar guru. im a regular follower of your siddha heartbeat blog. sir,you are doing a great service to our human society. Many unknown, mysterical facts are getting meaningful n getting into knowledge after reading your blog..im slowly getting into the world of siddhas preachings n words. thank you sir for your guidance. Last december 2015, went to Kallar ashram n met thavayogi appa n mataji there. Got the special nadi reading from agathiyar appa. From that day onwards lot of miracles happening in my life. would like to share with you. And also we have a plan of coming to KL, Malaysia next week. would like meet you, family n agathiyar appa in your home. Will you permit us coming there? And also pls share your contact. Warm Regards .. 
• "Arputhamana Deiveega kaatchi. Murugan vaelodu thangamayamaga Aananthamaga kaatchi tharugirar. Kodaanu Lodi nanrigal ayya."
• I think I got my answer reading the discourse on Karma... Only his grace can save us and put us on track.. Thank u for writing on this topic real experiences. i bow to the eternal very intrested and very fortunate soul u are. many thanks
• Thanks for sharing om Namah shivaya
• Amazing Pictures. This is great service
• First time entering this site.. Got the great saint Guru Agasthiyar mandra.. mikka nadri..
• First time entering into this site.. what a vibration of Guru Agastiyar.. mikka nandri..
• Great, I got this when i was thinking about Agasthiyar sidhar. Greatness of divine messangers
thank you so much..so blissfull
• Hello sir, seen your videos in youtube on konganar siddar in uthiyur. i was longing to see the temple quite sometime and sent my friends as well..but no one brought even a single photo of the place.. but i was delighted to see 3 videos posted that completely covered uthiyur. thanks to you and your team who posted the videos in high definition... I appreciate the effort and wanted to be connected with u from now on. read your recent article on types of jeeva naadi and its protocols. very informative. thanks a ton. seen several videos of yours in ur web portal. i live in a differen time zone..i couldnt watch the regular video feed on live abhisegams but often visit your blog/portal... trust me, for the past 1 or 2 weeks, there was a question in my mind that kept coming up in my mind..."why ayyan is not reacting to my prayers"... ur post gave me an clear answer. am happy that, he is listening to me actively.. am kind of crudely driven by him initially at 27 yrs.. then the fire started... now i strictly follow him and seek his help and the most important thing that am noticing these days, is ayyan responds to me quickly... everything started in annamalai and othimalai.. thank you once again for the wonderful post on naadi and its types.. i got to read on article on nattraaeeshwarar temple in erode dist.. after few days i saw ur video visiting that temple... donno how and why i found ur video...since am kind of far away they are helping me to and routing me then and there. seen the recent satsang video on kallar guru and mathamma visited your place.. in google+. keep up your good work.. we need you ... help us to walk in the same path you took.
• I used to read and watch more about agathiyar . And agathiyar used to show me all things and guide to read blogs whenever i have confusion
• "Hi ShanAiya, I read your blog in Facebook about Ideal guru which was very interesting and grasped my attention the way you connected Nadi reading Wanted understood about Nadi reading, could you help me?
• I have read your blog post today. Feels good to read about the entry of Maharishi Agasthiyar in your family life
• Hi , would like to know how to purchase the agasthiyar statue , tried to get in SG but can't .It's very stunning. Pls advise where can I get it.
• What time are you planning to stream the pooja. Though I cannot make it neither to kallar nor malaysia, I would still love to be part of the pooja.

THE GURU & HIS DISCIPLE

Srinatha Raghavan keeps on posting more wonderful pieces on the Guru on fb. Here are some.

The Master would proclaim, "Only through the countless merits accrued in countless lives, can you ever cross paths with a Siddha Guru!"

~ The Siddha Master doesn't lead a Disciple to the Destination, He makes the Disciple the Destination.

...............................................

The Master would proclaim, "There is no need for any spiritual discipline for these three - The ones who serve their aged Parents, the ones who serve their Guru and the ones who serve without expecting anything in return..."

~ Mastery in Servitude!

...............................................

The Master would say, "Never go behind someone, who promises you Enlightenment; because no one can give you something, that already belongs to you..."

"What was the Master's greatest teaching?" asked someone.

He remembered the Master's words fondly and said, "God becomes Man, so Man can become God..."

~ It takes the highest realization to even utter these simple yet most poignant words.

...............................................

When the Master calls, you better heed!

Went to Ganeshpuri for Bal Bojan (Feeding of Children) and Narayan Seva (Service of the Poor) as promised after doing the Siddha Path Meditation Course.

The Master would say, "If you want to be successful in your Sadhana (Spiritual Pursuits) then feed as many hungry stomachs as possible."

Going to Ganeshpuri is like going back home, with so much peace and love in every little thing there. Somehow that place still retains its old world charm and tranquillity, despite commercialisation fast catching it.

The Tansa river was swelling with water, with a lush coat of fresh greenery enveloping it from all sides. Baba was as usual at his majestic best, sitting like a Royal Siddha on his throne, over his Samadhi. The Mid Day Aarti was filled with so much energy and devotion, that it made my heart skip a beat.

Also visited my favourite place, the Jeevant Samadhi of Shaligrama Swami, the Man Friday of Baba Nityananda. This particular place resonates with an unearthly silence and energy. When Swami Saligrama was alive, he would welcome all the visitors who would come to see Baba personally to his humble abode and serve them with simple yet delicious food. Swami Shaligrama would never accept any donation or money from the visiting patrons, yet he would never face any shortage of resources. He would make lavish arrangements to feed thousands of people and serve them with his own hands.

When bewildered people would ask him, from where he got all the resources, he would smile and look at Bade Baba with eyes filled with love and respect. Bade Baba too would give Shaligram Swami the highest respect.

Whenever anyone afflicted by the venom of the world would come to Baba, he would send them to the Swami, telling them, "He is the Snake Charmer, who knows how to remove the Poison..."

So many memories associated with that blessed place, that I can keep writing and never end for good.

Peace.

The self-effacing Sri Shaligrama Swami was a great Siddha Yogi himself, whom Bade Baba would address as "Agni" who had the power to consume all the dirt of Samsara. Miracles and Super Normal Powers would naturally manifest around the Swami, but the Swami was so humble and down to earth, that it made him most endearing to Baba.

Saligrama Swami would start and end his day with the Darshan of Baba. Apart from that, they seldom spoke to each other, but their communication was nothing less than perfect. If Saligrama Swami had fever or even a headache, Baba would instantly know and send him Milk or Tea, like a loving Mother.

If Baba needed anything, it was Saligrama Swami who would come rushing to his aide and do everything inhumanely possible for his Master.

Once the Master wanted to taste a particular type of Lemon, which was out of season and way out of Ganeshpuri, where the Master was, but Saligrama Swami somehow managed to procure it. When the Master saw the lemon, he simply smiled and said amusingly to the Swami, "A Magician is never fooled by his own Magic..."

They loved each other so much that they became one with each other. At times Baba would behave like Saligrama Swami and the Swami like Baba - such was their identification with each other!

Bade Baba would say, "Treat Saligrama with the highest respect, for if he gets annoyed, not even this one can save you!"

Guru Bhakti is the greatest, as even all the gods bow down to the one who has an ounce of Guru Bhakti in his/her heart.

...............................................

There were two close disciples of the Master and both were so way different from each other. One wanted everything from the Master and He got it; while the other wanted nothing, so the Master gave him nothing, but all of himself.

There was a time,
When I used to run to Him,
Seeking some blessing or the other,
Ah! Now has come a time,
When I go expecting nothing,
Not even a blessing really,
All this heart now craves,
Is to see His beautiful form,
So it can drown itself in the silence,
Of the Formless-Bliss-Absolute!

When love wells in the Heart,
There is nothing it wants anymore,
All it knows is to give and give even more,
Even to the One who owns everything,
And wants nothing in return.

Whoever came to the Master,
Would seek something or the other in return for their Devotion,
The Master too would oblige and fulfil all their wishes,
Some would come for amassing more wealth,
While others would come wanting good health,
There would be those who would come,
So to redeem messed up Court cases,
And also those who wanted to find some great treasure,
The Master would bless them to achieve fulfilment,
But He would often silently lament to himself,
"All come wanting to receive what they want,
Is there but anyone who will receive what I want to give?"

The Master's wish was fulfilled,
When came a young man who loved the Master,
So much that he did not seek anything in return,
All he did was love and love even more so much that,
The Master himself asked the man one day,
"Swami what is it you seek from me?"
The young Swami with eyes flowing with tears said,
"Nothing!"
This heartfelt statement stirred something very deep,
In the heart of the Master that,
He gave the Swami the Highest blessings one could ever get,
The Master said, "From now on YOU are ME and I am YOU!"
Ah! The Disciple became the Master and the Master became a Disciple...

...............................................

The Master would seldom answer the Questions posed by his Disciples. He would simply look away or postpone giving the answer.

When someone asked as why doesn't he answer the questions, he would smile and answer, "The Question must consume the Questioner and only then the answer can redeem them..." He would laugh and add, "Many want to know, but only a few really know, what to do, after they come to know!"

~ Know what will you do with the answer and then you can frame a better Question!

...............................................

Once a hardened Cynic met the Master and asked, "Can you give me what you have?"

The Master looked straight into his eyes and said, "I can, but the question is, can you take it?"

This straight forward reply stirred something deep in the Cynic, who would become a great Master himself in the later years.

Much later when someone asked, what had really transpired on that fateful encounter, the one time Cynic said, "My Ego was broken right within me and I realised that I was nothing, not even near to what I had thought myself to be..."

~ A Teacher teaches, but a Master awakens!

...............................................

A Devotee once came to the Master and inquired, "How does a person who has attained the Highest Realization look like?"

The Master smiled and slipped into deep meditative silence and an unearthly light shone on his face, communicating the Highest Truth of Self-Realization.

The one who asked the question, sat there rooted with tears of reverence and gratitude streaming down his eyes.

This is the Pic!

There was an aged Monk who loved the Master with all his heart. He would come all the way from Mangalore, to visit the Master in Ganeshpuri, braving all odds of the travel. The Master would welcome him like a Mother would a prodigal child. The Monk although older than Baba, would press Baba's leg, who would look silently into empty space.

Once while he was pressing Baba's legs, Baba looked unto him suddenly and exclaimed, "Swami, why come here, when I can come there and be with you forever!"

These words sent a wave of thrill in the Swami's entire being and his old eyes lit up like a child. Baba smiled looking at the old Monk and said, "No need to come here now. Go and install an image of me at your place in Kanhangad and I will grace Seekers through that for ages to come."

Swami Jananada was sad and happy at the same time, for he wouldn't get to meet the Master in flesh and blood, but was happy, because of the Master's promise to exist always in the Spirit.

Those words still ring true even today, long after both the Master and the Disciple have shed their bodies. The Temple today bears witness to many miracles of faith, as the spirit of Baba Nityananda still continues to live through the statue, that Swami Janananda lovingly built, as an ode to his beloved Master.

Guru kripa he kevalam!

TOTAKACHARYA

In his travels throughout India, Adi Sankara and his disciples arrived at a place known as Sringeri. Risya Sringa had meditated at this place earlier.The river Tungabhadra flowed through this place. People here were engaged with performing Vedic Yagams. Here as in all places Sankara preached and expounded his teachings. He had a temple built for the Goddess Sarada Devi, taking heed of her promise that she will reside wherever Sankara chooses to invoke her. 

Here a new disciple Giri joined Sankara and his followers. He was obedient, industrious and upheld righteousness. He served Sankara well anticipating what Sankara wanted and provided it even before he asked. He followed Sankara like a shadow, always walking behind the Guru, stopped when he stopped, listened attentively to what he had to say, and neither did he talk too much in his guru's presence.

One day he was at the river washing his Guru's clothing. As he was late to return Sankara waited for him to be present before beginning his discourse. One of Sankara's followers, Padmapada voiced out his dissatisfaction at having to wait for Giri to return, and said, "Whom are we to wait for? What qualification has a fellow so dull for the study of the Sastras?"  That is when Sankara awakened in Giri, by an act of will, the knowledge of 14 subjects. With this knowledge awakened in him, Giri arrived from the river banks singing a hymn.

"On the supporting tree of the Acharya grows the creeper of devotion, taking its root at its own feet and watered by his grace. On that creeper, on the stalk called Totaka, has grown this fruit of a wonderful poem which will for all time be relished by the superb parrots, the men of wisdom." 

Witnessing the wisdom and the poetical skill of their comrade, acquired through devotion to their master, the others abandoned their pride of learning and regarded Giri highly. He came to be known as Totakacharya. 

The above story was adapted from Madhava-Vidyaranya's SANKARA-DIG-VIJAYA, published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras. 

GURUVE SARANAM

DROPPING THE PHYSICAL FORM

In the last post we saw Srinatha Raghavan mention in his piece how Bhagavan Nityananda had wanted to shed his mortal frame several times but came back.

He had postponed his final going a few times before, as he did not get the "permission" from the higher circles. Many times before he would sit motionlessly for days together, breath perfectly suspended and body like one dead, making people totally confused whether he was alive or dead. But in time, He would always come back to the normal plane of existence and continue with his work.

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal told me that we could chose when to leave. It was possible, he reiterated. When I was with Supramania Swami  of Thiruvannamalai, Swami did mention that his life would end when he was 76. He was 72 then. One 7.2.2007 he left his mortal coil at 76, just as he told me. His son, Ramajam later discovers Swami's diary where Swami had jotted down his passing - 7.2.2007.

After serving his Guru Chitramuthu Adigal; spearheading a bhajan group in his hometown of Tiropur; leaving the family and choosing a life of a mendicant and roaming the length and breadth of India; performing severe tapas in the caves and jungles; losing his eyesight and gaining it back after a year; Tavayogi finally came to Kallar to go into Samadhi some 15 years back. 

This yearning to drop his physical body I saw each time he sat at the caves and samadhis that we went to. He would sing a couple of songs in praise of Erai which included Ramalinga Adigal's,

தடித்த ஓர் மகனைத் தந்தை ஈண்டடித்தால் தாயுடன் அணைப்பள்தாய் அடித்தால்பிடித்தொரு தந்தை அணைப்பன்இங் கெனக்குப் பேசிய தந்தையும் தாயும்பொடித்திரு மேனி அம்பலத் தாடும் புனித நீ ஆதலால் என்னை அடித்தது போதும் அணைத்திடல் வேண்டும் அம்மை அப்பா இனி ஆற்றேன்.

"Thadittha or maganai, thanthai ein adithaal, thaai udan anaipal; thaai aditthaal pidithoru thanthai anaipan, ingu yenakku pesiya thanthaiyum thaaiyum podi thiru meni ambalat aadum punitha nee aathalaal yennai aditthathu pothum anaithidal vendum ammai appa ini aatrain"

and 

இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ அறியேன் எங்கோவே - துன்றுமல வெம்மாயை அற்று வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம்.

"Indru varumo naalaige varumo allathu matrendru varumo ariyen yengkove thundru mala vemmaayai atru vezhikul vezhi kadanthu summa irukkum sugam"

But Agathiyar had a different plan and insisted that he travel to Malaysia, where both his Paramaguru and Guru had ventured and spread Erai's messages. Tavayogi kept returning to Malaysia several times just as did Chitramuthu Adigal. 

Throughout his recent stay in Malaysia, many a times did Tavayogi mention again his desire to go into samadhi, most of the time breaking into tears. 

Swami Rama in his LIVING WITH THE HIMALAYAN MASTERS, published by Himalayan Institute Press, writes about his Gurus intention to leave the mortal frame too.

When his master mentioned his intention to cast off his body, Swami Rama argued that he should stay on, quoting the scriptures, "It is written in the scriptures that the master who leaves a foolish disciple in the world is committing a sin and goes to perdition."

Just as his master replied that he would not cast off his body because Swami Rama was still a fool and ignorant, we too are still a fool and ignorant for Agathiyar had to direct Tavayogi to Malaysia  to help bring us out of this illusion.

Finally when Swami Rama was mature enough and ready to let go of his master, he went to his master to speak his mind, but the master already knew what he was going to say and asked him to call all his disciples around for his last sermon.

Swami Rama writes that witnessing the death of a yogi was encouraged as it shows that one can die voluntarily as and when he decides. The master was with 5 of his disciples. The master sat in the center while his students circled him. He asked if they wanted to know anything else. When it came to Swami Rama's turn to answer, Swami Rama held back his sorrow and requested that his master be with him whenever he needed him; whenever he was in distress; helpless; or could not deal with a situation. The master granted his wish and blessed them.

Swami Rama writes of the final moments of his master leaving the face of the earth, "He sat in the accomplished pose and closed his eyes. Gently he muttered the sound "Aumm" and became lifeless."

They all cried like a child. They did not know what to do next, whether to bury him or immerse him into the river. They debated for two hours and finally agreed to bury him, which meant having to travel several days, bringing his body back to his cave, some 63 miles away. After two nights had passed they figured that they had to bury him at the spot where they had camped for the night. They dug a pit 6 feet down and laid him in it. They were paralyzed with sorrow and could not bring themselves to cover him in earth and soil. That is when they heard their master's voice saying, "I am here, wake up. Do not be sad. Do you need me in my body again, or do you want me to help you without the body?" Swami Rama who had the final say in wanting to bring back his master's body to his cave, replied that they needed him in his body.

All five of them cried out that the master should return. Slowly the numbness in their body vanished. Their master got up and came out of the pit. The master said, "It is too bad that you still need me in the body. You still worship the form and cannot go beyond it. Your attachment to my body is an obstacle. Now I will see that you are not attached to my body anymore", and with that he began to teach the five about the relationship of the body and the formless soul and about detachment.

His master taught him that there are 3 categories of beings; the absolute being; the sages who have power over birth and death and who are born and die at their will; and finally ordinary folks who do not have mastery over birth and death and where the fear of death constantly lurks behind their minds. His master also revealed the three ways to extend one's life span; through highly accomplished yoga power together with a disciplined life; by changing the body, and bringing along the experiences from the previous body; and finally through enlightenment or total freedom, not having to cling to a body, hence not requiring a body.

When Yogi Ramsuratkumar was about to leave his mortal body he explained graciously,

‘“Father makes this beggar suffer for some cosmic balance.” But he added, “This beggar can do much better work without this body”, allaying fears of the devotees.’