When I sat in front of my guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai outside his village home, for a solid five hours without either of us moving from the spot he spoke only about me and my future. It was a revelation of sorts for me bringing me to tears that streamed down both my cheeks with occasional outburst of joy and bliss. He was unperturbed but kept on transmitting the "news", occasionally opening his eyes and closing them later. I sat stupefied and silent, absorbing every single word that came from the parting of his lips. Did he tap from the Akashic Library, in the cosmos and beyond, that delved within the depth of his mind?
When people came to Yogi Ramsuratkumar, with problems, the yogi who was Supramania Swami's guru, would light a cigarette and appear to be in deep thought. Was he accessing the Akashic records for solutions?
Pundi Mahan or Athru Swami or Thinnai Swami as he was commonly known, would lit up cigarettes in all the fingers of his hand and puff away as people gathered around him for a sacred word or vaakku. Was Pundi Mahan, who was also Supramania Swami's guru, accessing these records for answers?
When my nephew suggested we drop in on Swami Brahmananda Saraswati at his Dhyana Ashram in Kulim, Kedah, I "chanced" to meet a sadhu. My nephew who knew him from an earlier encounter, started a conversation. Throughout the few minutes of conversation that was a monologue, the sadhus gaze was on me and at the same time on my nephew. How was that possible I thought? I felt his look was penetrating through me and beyond. Later when I pointed this out to him, my nephew casually told me that the sadhu was scanning me. I have yet to see someone look at me this way. Was he accessing my Akashic records?
My nephew also told me that the sadhu was known to do astral travel and appeared in several places at the same time. This was revealed by fellow students of his guru. My nephew had met him at the ashram a couple of years before, and had met him again at the Sri Marathandavar Temple, Maran, Pahang.
When I was growing up in Taiping, a neighbour who had a shrine at his home, would bring a "deity" on someone, offer a goat as sacrifice, and all those gathered would approach him for answers to their problems. This is a very common sight in numerous small shrines, temples and individual's homes, till this day. The deities that came on these individuals would provide solutions to those gathered, on their day to day problems, by way of advice, simple rituals to perform, remedies to carry out, and at times administer these remedies themselves. Occasionally one would get a scolding for misbehaving. As a kid, I used to stand far far away and watch when "they" come on someone, fearing that they would give me a scolding too or worse still, a beating with their whip for misbehaving.
Later during my working career, I used to see Chinese workers build a small shrine and start a worship, at new construction sites or projects. They would pray: stating their apologies for intruding into "their space"; seeking approval to begin work; and asking for protection from any untoward form of accidents, mishaps or delays. They would then slaughter a goat and have a feast.
When a colleague in Lumut, who assisted to run a temple shared many instances of these deities coming to individuals in trance, I would listen, intrigued by these stories. But I still stayed away, for the same reasons.
When in Simpang Empat, a deity came upon my brother and spoke in Chinese to Chinese devotees who patronised the Macha Muneeswarar Alayam, I was totally shaken up, wondering how he did that, as my brother never could speak a word of Chinese. This went on for some time until one fine day, "they" told us that they would not come on him anymore.
Although I believed in their existence, I did not delve into the mysteries surrounding these baffling and strange happenings. I kept my distance from them and told them let's not cross paths. They could live in their world and me in mine.
But coming into the path of the Siddhas, made me cross paths with them again. Soon I too was a witness to many strange and bizarre happenings at AVM. Some deities who are known to be forceful and aggressive, and carried a fearful stigma, surprisingly took on a subdued, and calm nature in the presence of Agathiyar. They entered a state of bliss. This was indeed an eye opener to me. I realized that they could indeed change their nature when in the presence of Agathiyar.
When devotees of Agathiyar stood before these deities, "they" identified these devotees as followers of Agathiyar and only spoke about Agathiyar to them. They spoke highly of Agathiyar and his achievements. When the norm was to offer intoxicating drinks and meat to "them", surprisingly when devotees of Agathiyar stood before them, they would instead ask for a non intoxicating drink and a meatless offering. I realized that they could indeed change their nature according to the thoughts, belief and faith of those who stood before them.
When devotees of Agathiyar stood before these deities, "they" identified these devotees as followers of Agathiyar and only spoke about Agathiyar to them. They spoke highly of Agathiyar and his achievements. When the norm was to offer intoxicating drinks and meat to "them", surprisingly when devotees of Agathiyar stood before them, they would instead ask for a non intoxicating drink and a meatless offering. I realized that they could indeed change their nature according to the thoughts, belief and faith of those who stood before them.
Once a man who deceived the public by going into trances could not bring himself into a trance and bring that particular form of energy and spirit, when a devotee of Agathiyar stood amongst those gathered. He became agitated and announced that there was a newcomer among their midst and set out to find him and requested him to stay away.
One worships Karupanasamy, one aspect of the energy, and other deities before embarking on a journey into the jungles and woods where the Siddhas roamed. I came to know about Karupanasamy and "Amma" through a devotee who had come to Agathiyar. She was told by "them" that she would be handed over to Agathiyar and they stepped aside promising that they would watch over her.
It has been a very interesting journey indeed, a journey of learning, accepting and acknowledging that all things, seen or unseen, visible or invisible, understood or otherwise, exist in Erai's creation. I was soon made to realize that everything exists and had its purpose in Erai's creation. To sum it all up, when Agathiyar said that he was prapanjam and that the prapanjam was in him, it includes everything, good or evil, sane or insane, known or unknown. Just take what is required for your journey with you and move on, ready to even leave that behind when the need arises - no attachment to anything at all.