Just as there is the paper chase in the material world, there is a chase to attain a certain state of divinity in the spiritual world too. What is this state that is talked about so much? Has everyone who talks about it achieved or touched it or are they just merely passing on their theoretical knowledge of it? Is this state within the means of the common man like you and me. What are the criteria and qualifications needed to pursue the path that leads to this state and what are the means of achieving it? And finally coming back to the beginning, where do we start?
Nakkirar gives us an idea of this state when he prays to Lord Vinayagar to bless him a conducive space and atmosphere (the Paraveli), wherein both the student and Guru could spent some time in contemplation (Arivil Kalanthu) on Shivam in silence (Mauna Nilai or Samadhi).
"Bless and shower me with the wisdom of silence in the court of Erai with my Guru, so that I too may meet and merge with Shivam, the Ultimate, and rests in endless Anandha. I pray that you shower me with this yearning for total surrender at the holy feet of the Lord."
மோனா ஞான முழுதும் அளித்து
சிற்பரிப் பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண
நற்சிவ நிட்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து
குருவுஞ் சீடனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து
இருவரும் ஒரு தனியிடந் தனிற் சேர்ந்து
தானந்தமாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்
ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து
ஈசனிைணயடியிருத்தி
மனத்தே நீயே நானாய்
நானே நீயாய்க்
காயா புரியைக் கனவெனவுணா்ந்து
எல்லாமுன் செயலென்ேற உணர
நல்லா உன்னருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்
காரண குருவே கற்பகத் களிேற
வாரணமுகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி
mona gnana muluthum alitthu
sirparipoorana shivattai kaana
narshiva nitkala naattamum thanthu
guruvum seedanum koodi kalanthu
eruvarum oru tani edam thanil sernthu
thaananthamaagi tarpara veliyil
aanandha bhotha arivai kalanthu
esan enaiyadi erutthi manathay
neeye naanaai naane neeyaai
gaayaa puriyai kanavena unarnthu
yellaam un seyalendray unara
nallaa un arul naatham tharuvaai
kaarana guruve karpaga kalire
vaarana mugatthu vallale potri
Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar in his book, "Pothrinal Unathu Vinai Agalumapa", explains the process through which Agathiyar attained the highest state that of becoming one with Erai. This state was made possible to Agathiyar by his Guru Supramaniar (Lord Muruga).
All the knowledge to attain the state was made available to Agathiyar by Supramaniar because Agathiyar had provided the space, shelter and all comforts for Supramaniar to carry on with his penances (tapas) and austerities (tavam) in a past birth. Agathiyar was 60 years of age then when Supramaniar attained the body of Light through his tapas, thanks to Agathiyar looking after all of Supramaniar's needs. Supramaniar promised Agathiyar that they shall meet in a subsequent birth and that he shall return the favor.
In the succeeding birth Agathiyar traveled in vain in search of his ideal guru. He eventually met Supramaniar at Kodaikanal, where Supramaniar made him recall the past and as promised in return for all his services in the past birth, blessed Agathiyar and taught him secrets of attaining the state of Erai.
Agathiyar began with performing puja to Supramaniar. By way of devotion to Supramaniar he realized that he had had the greatest gift that was the human birth, which comes by very rarely. Through Supramaniar he came to know himself and the divinity that resided in the physical body. He understood the very Nature that brought him forth and resided within him. With Supramaniar's guidance and blessings, Agathiyar relished the ambrosia or nectar that came about through his tapas. This removed the seven veils to reveal the Jhothi in him, hence attaining the body of Light. With this came Bliss, Siddhis, and the state of Deathless-ness. Agathiyar attained the five tanmai of Erai namely Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, Veiling and Showering Grace.
Supramaniar granted Agathiyar the title Gurumuni and Kumbamuni and sent him off to spread the Siddha way extensively all over the globe, bringing many into his fold. All the Siddhas looked towards Agathiyar as their Guru.
If that is the story of how Agathiyar was elevated to the state of Erai, P. Karthigayan in his "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", writes about how Supramaniar (Lord Muruga) came to be worshiped as Lord Muruga. His writings are based on Supramaniar Gnaanam 200, Thiruvilayaadal Puraanam and Kandha Puraanam amongst many other references.
P. Karthigayan mentions that Supramaniar, who was referred to as Kumaran in many old Tamil literary and religious works, had saved the Tamils from the invading Avunas led by Surabanman. Supramaniar mentions that as a warrior, he fought the war with Surabanman, henceforth he was known by that name. P. Karthigayan surprised me mentioning that the Avunas were the present day Chinese.
In his translation of selected verses from Supramaniar Gnaanam 200, P. Karthigayan writes that Kumaran then became wiser and a saint who went by the name Supramaniar after the war. He joined Siva's Nandhi monastery and learnt to dropped his ego and pride; observed severe penances or tapas; mastered his senses; and picked up yoga; and attained the highest state that of omniscient. Subsequently he mastered his breath and went into the state of mounam and thus came to be addressed as Muruga. He went through the painful process of transformation of his body into that of "air like", a death defying, life prolonging and ever youthful feat after consuming the ambrosia, attained through the science of the Siddhas. Muruga in turn taught Siva this secret and was henceforth called Swami Naathan. Siva too attained a luminous body. Swami Naathan became king of Paran Kundram and ruled the Tamils henceforth.
Agathiyar mentions that he learnt the Siddha way from Supramaniar. If Supramaniar granted Agathiyar the body of Light or Jhothi Nilai in the following birth as appreciation of Agathiyar's service rendered to him and helping Supramaniar himself achieve his desire in attaining the Jhothi Nilai, my first Guru Supramania Swami granted me all his life's work of austerity or tavam and its merits to this selfish beggar who chose to bring his 40 year vision and desire in wanting to build a temple for Lord Muruga to reality. But for reasons only known to them, the construction of the temple was halted even before it took shape. In its place stands a kudil that we asked him to put up so that he could monitor the construction of the temple. I had openly confessed to him that I had agreed to help him finance the building of the temple for selfish reasons. I had just read the above story of Agathiyar who took care of Supramaniar while the later took to his tavam, and how Supramaniar had rewarded him with the body of Light. Although I did not go to the extend of asking for a body of Light, I thought it would be nice to gain some merits in fulfilling Supramania Swami's desire. Without second thought Swami gave me his entire tavam that very instant!
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| Verses from Supramaniar Gnaanam 200 |
Agathiyar mentions that he learnt the Siddha way from Supramaniar. If Supramaniar granted Agathiyar the body of Light or Jhothi Nilai in the following birth as appreciation of Agathiyar's service rendered to him and helping Supramaniar himself achieve his desire in attaining the Jhothi Nilai, my first Guru Supramania Swami granted me all his life's work of austerity or tavam and its merits to this selfish beggar who chose to bring his 40 year vision and desire in wanting to build a temple for Lord Muruga to reality. But for reasons only known to them, the construction of the temple was halted even before it took shape. In its place stands a kudil that we asked him to put up so that he could monitor the construction of the temple. I had openly confessed to him that I had agreed to help him finance the building of the temple for selfish reasons. I had just read the above story of Agathiyar who took care of Supramaniar while the later took to his tavam, and how Supramaniar had rewarded him with the body of Light. Although I did not go to the extend of asking for a body of Light, I thought it would be nice to gain some merits in fulfilling Supramania Swami's desire. Without second thought Swami gave me his entire tavam that very instant!
The qualities inherent and required of a Guru and his student respectively, is beautifully illustrated by the Guru Disciple relationship between Supramaniar and Agathiyar.
This is the true nature of a Guru. A true Guru dispels ignorance in his student, brings him to the true knowledge and raises him to a state equivalent to him if not higher and steps back to watch his student perform his role in public with joy and satisfaction.
The student on his part, needs to listen intently, adhere and comply to the Guru's instructions. He needs to work hard and be patient. He has to prove his worth.
In current times there is a fad where many want to be associated with a Guru, an ashram or society. They soon find their way there. Wanting to leave the social community that surrounds his home, neighborhood and workplace, he soon finds himself in yet another society in its place where he realizes that he needs to start anew, adapting himself to the new environment. Here he meets fellow aspirants and seekers from different backgrounds and with different ideologies, desires and wants. He with the rest who congregate at this new place of study and learning serve the Guru and fellow mates. He listens to discourses and talks given by the Guru. He carrys out the chores given to him. He is asked to reflect and contemplate on what the Guru has taught. Occasionally he finds a moment to question the Guru and have his doubts clarified.
The Guru can only give a student that much, only what he knows and understands to be. When he has exhausted his storehouse of knowledge, he sends his student away either to another teacher or to contemplate in silence and receive the answers for himself from within. The thirst for more knowledge, drives the student to leave. With the Guru's blessings he goes in search of fresh pastures to gain more knowledge. On his way he comes by many experiences meeting numerous Gurus, fellow students and others who cross path with him. A good student takes in the good and inspiring experiences and works on his betterment and refrains from belittling or bad mouthing the Gurus or their places. A student with caliber and potential and with the blessings of Erai and his masters, soon shines as a Guru too bringing fame and glory to his masters. This is the story of a student willing to travel the path of his Guru, a path filled with new discoveries and challenges.
Yet there are some who never want to leave the feet and the presence of their Guru once they are committed to their master. They serve him for life, till whoever leaves the mortal frame first. When most of Ramalinga Adigal's closest followers left after Adigal merged with the source, Kalpattu Aiya and a handful stayed on to toil and continue Adigal's work at Satya Gnana Sabai and Dharma Salai in Vadalur. The most compassionate Adigal came back to appear before Kalpattu Aiya in 1902, some 28 years later. Seeing his master appear in flesh and blood brought Kalpattu Aiya to a state of extreme bliss where he shed his mortal frame. Gnanabharathi wrote in his book "Tamil Mannin Thanthai" that Adigal stayed on for 3 days to look into the last rites of his most beloved student.
Here is where we realize the humongous responsibility of a Guru in leading these students. Here too we see the untiring service that the Guru provides day in and out in having to receive his visitors and sit and listen to each individual's story; in spending hours answering the questions and clearing the doubts of both his students and visitors.
Siddha Heartbeat takes a moment to salute all these Gurus who tirelessly work towards bringing the faith to the masses and in grooming and making students into Gurus.
We are very much in charge of our lives. We shall face the outcome of the karma we create now, in the present moment, in the next life. We were very much in charge of our lives in the past lives too. Hence we face the karmas of our past life now in the present.
Karma is the stumbling block in each's live. It creates suspicion, ignorance, and confusion. It causes delays and obstructions. It causes rifts and enmity. It causes losses and sufferings. It causes anguish and pain. There is no running away from it, we are told. We are told that we have to face the music for our actions. If that is so is our life to end in a pathetic way? Where is the joy that the Lord promised?
This is where time and time again we are reminded to do good. Taking a birth and collecting good merits along the way would reward us with good things in the next life. Agathiyar told me and my family that he had rewarded us to be born again in a peaceful and prosperous nation to savor and enjoy the pleasantries as a reward to our very simple and mere act of placing fruits at his feet everyday before we opened shop to sell fruits at the Kutraleshwar temple in Papanasam in a former birth. So have many of our AVM family been sent here to enjoy the luxuries and comfort that this nation had to offer, a result of their service and offerings to Agathiyar in the past.
When predictions through the various forms of astrology did not work out in my favor, I reminded myself that it was me to be blamed and not the system and sciences available. True enough Dr Krishnan pointed out to me about curses and how it could disrupt one's life. This was confirmed by Agathiyar in my maiden Nadi reading. As long as my karma stood in my way, the existence and knowledge of Agathiyar and the Siddhas was veiled and kept away from me. When I became an apprentice on the path of the Siddhas, I understood further that even if the Divine heard my cries for help, and decided to come forward to grant my prayers and and fulfill my wishes, sadly my karma would stand in my way, preventing me from receiving assistance.
I strongly believe that it was only by some Divine intervention that one could come to know of Agathiyar and the Siddhas. I was one of the lucky ones. When I came to know Agathiyar I realized that I had embarked on a process to shed my karma. An opening appeared to me in the sky to work out my karma. My life journal was being rewritten.
Let the Light in into our lives. When the Light enters, darkness dispels on its own. Let the Siddhas come into our lives. When they enter, karma dispels. When Agathiyar tells you to perform remedies in your Nadi, do it for it is out of compassion for you that he comes forward to show you a way out of your misery that you brought onto yourself. Do it with faith and do it generously. You shall see changes, immediate for some and slowly for others. Remember that not many get to see their Nadi; not many get remedies given; not many can bring themselves to belief and execute and carry out these remedies; and not many are allowed to complete their remedies.
If you are one of those who has had an opportunity to learn about the existence of the Siddhas and the Nadi; if you are one of those who has had an opportunity to seek out and find your Nadi; if you are one of those who is given remedies; if you are one of those who is able to complete your remedies, be assured that your efforts would not go in vain. If not today, very soon changes would take place.
When you work with the Siddhas in removing your ill earned karma, and if by your sincere efforts and by Divine intervention it is ridden, blessed are you. But do not rest on your laurels and achievements for remember that we are creating fresh karma in the process of executing our daily lives. Agathiyar might call us to do a couple of additional remedies along the way, after our initial round of remedies. I understood that certain remedies need to be done at certain periods or time, just as the thought of seeking out the Nadi too takes place as destined.
I understood that we are subject to destiny and fate only until we are ignorant of the workings of karma. That is the reason once we go for a Nadi reading, on the very onset the Siddhas talk about karma. Once the Siddhas reveal that karma is the cause of our destiny and fate, we then realize that we have several tools and means to rewrite our destiny and fate with the blessings of the Siddhas and approval from Erai. Besides our destiny and fate, the Siddhas make us realize that everything about us is in our hands.
The Siddhas recommend tapas and charity, two tools to overcome fresh karma. You could sit in prayer, do rituals or meditate. Agathiyar told me to light the sacrificial fire pit or homam and perform abhisegam for his bronze statue. The very act of doing it would dispel our karma he said. He gave me this task because I had all the time to perform these tedious rituals. For those who cannot find time, or do not have the resources, or the surrounding is not conducive to carry out these options, fear not for the most compassionate Siddhas have simplified the tasks accordingly to our present day lifestyles and locality. For my nephew who was on the run meeting up with clients of his, Agathiyar just told him to participate in any home, ashram or temple where prayers were conducted for the Siddhas on full moon days. Those at AVM have been asked to attend joint prayers or kuttu prathanai too. In event even this is not possible for you, worry not, for even the very simple act of feeding the birds, fishes and animals would suffice to bring you good merits for a better future. The other tool is to develop compassion and begin feeding the poor and hungry.
The reason we keep on taking birth after birth is because of ignorance of the truth. There is a way to end taking future births. The key is with the Siddhas. Rather then gain control of prapanjam, and manipulate it for selfish needs, the Siddhas chose to work with the prapanjam and for the good of humanity. Anyone who puts his best foot forward to safeguard, heal or help the prapanjam is in my view a Siddha.
If you decide to come to the worship of the Siddhas, you will realize that they would then come into your life as a guide; walking with you; sitting on and listening to your everyday conversations; coming forward to protect you in event of any danger to you or your loved ones; and standing guard in the hours of your sleep. When you decide to do their asking, you would soon realize that as you focus on your mission, they tend to take care of your needs and that of your families too.
Just as a consumer, we collect and accumulate bonus points to be exchanged for a gift each time we spend our money, let us start collecting and accumulating good merits to be exchanged for a better future and a better life. We at AVM have begun to see the results of walking the path of the Siddhas. Come join us.