Yuvarani shared Agathiyar's sayings in our group, one of which carried a very profound and deep meaning.
உனக்கு வழி காட்டும் புனிதநூல் உன்னால் மட்டுமே எழுதப்பட முடியும்.
அது உன்னுடைய அனுபவங்களைக் கொண்டுதான் எழுதப்பட வேண்டும்.
Unakku vazhi kaathum punitha nool unnaal matthume yezhutappada mudiyum.
Athu unnudaiya anupavangalai konduthaan yezhuthappada vendum.
You have to write your own guidebook for your journey, based on your experiences.
Generally a guide, in this case a book, is used to either start a journey, a process, or a procedure. We tend to take up a spiritual book, or a spiritually evolved person as a guide and follow its/his teachings. Here Agathiyar says that that book, that is to be your guide, has to be written by you, and only you.
As we walk this life, the experiences gained from our encounters, will be the guide for our journey. This is how we evolve spiritually from being an ordinary man with all the flaws and shortcomings to becoming divine in nature, with godlike qualities.
With experience as a teacher, we determine our destiny. We then walk the walk and talk the talk.
It is said that once a devotee is consumed by the love of Erai or his Guru, he begins to express the bliss outwardly, churning out melodies, songs, poems. The songs become an expression of his state of ecstasy, bliss and joy. Saints having reached these exalted states of bliss have left behind extensive renderings, songs and literature for progeny.
Ramalinga Adigal of recent times documented his spiritual experiences, in the form of songs too, published as the Thiruarutpa. Similarly the Siddhas have been documenting their observations and findings since the 15th Yuga.
Ramalinga Adigal of recent times documented his spiritual experiences, in the form of songs too, published as the Thiruarutpa. Similarly the Siddhas have been documenting their observations and findings since the 15th Yuga.
P Karthigayan has written a well researched and comprehensive compendium of the Siddhas, "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", published by Notion Press, Chennai, 2016.
He traces the lives of the Siddhas from the "Pre-Mythic Dark Ages" to the present, revealing many interesting facts about them.
0. The "Pre-Mythic Dark Ages" as he calls it is the period before the beginning of Kretha Yuga itself.
We are supposedly in the last leg of 18 yugas, the Kali Yuga, with each yuga coming to an end as a result of a deluge or severe flood. The author says that with the coming of the Siddhas, documentation and records began to be kept of events. His findings based on Siddha literature affirms that these records appeared beginning from the 15th yuga.
1. Kretha Yuga
The Siddha cult was in its infant stage then with supposedly 40,000 Siddhas during this era.
2. Thretha Yuga
Siddha cult was now at its peak with 800,000 Siddhas active, their teachings written on palm leafs and preserved in caves.
Nandhi's works were published by Agathiyar and those of Paranjothi, Sandeesar, Tirumular, Agathiyar's own works, those of Dhanvantari, and Asvini.
Karthigayan writes that the Thretha Yuga was the golden age of Siddha literature and research, their schools crowded with students.
Karthigayan writes that the Thretha Yuga was the golden age of Siddha literature and research, their schools crowded with students.
The Siddhas through their sangams and monasteries, began to defined sets of values for living. Yagams were initiated to reduce the wrath of nature.
3. Dwapara Yuga
Further Siddha literatures were presented.
4. Kali Yuga
The present.
Supramania Swami wrote Gnana Suthiram, a simple guidebook on yoga. Tavayogi wrote Andamum Pindamum, the gist of the book being, what is out there is also within you. He wrote Atma Gnanam later.