The AVM family drops by at AVM regularly to pay homage to Agathiyar and have a chat. So when SS came over to AVM, as usual we delved into several apolitical topics of discussions. Then the question as to whether the kaavi or safron robes and attire was necessary for a turavi or sadhu arised.
One adorns the kavi for various reasons. I understand one adorns this attire after deciding to leave all material attachments including ties with the family and friends, ending his career if he had one before, moving away from his usual circle of friends and kin, and the comfort of his home. Wanting to enrich himself with mystical and spiritual experiences and wanting answers, he moves away from society. Just as the snake sheds its skins, along the way he drops each attachment that is holding him back to this material world yearning for enlightenment and the attainment of bliss.
Then there are others who adorn this attire for the wrong reasons too.
I had always felt that it was necessary for one who had genuinely progressed well on the path to adorn this highly regarded attire not as an identity or to boost his ego that he was more superior than others, more closer to God, or to have others regard him as God's special child or the Savior of mankind or a Messenger of God. I believe that the saffron robe would help deter others to come in close proximity and socialize. I felt the reason one needed to adorn this attire is to keep the community at a distance from him, giving him space and time to carry on with his austerities or tavam or tapas uninterrupted. For instance the family circle and relatives would refrain from inviting him over to family parties and other occasions, knowing that he is in the way of a mendicant. Strangers too would keep their distance giving him due respect. This attire would inform and remind others that he has chosen a path or inner journey and needs to isolate himself and keep away from the numerous petty and materialistic issues of the common man that would distract him further from his goal. The attire acts as a armour or fencing keeping away unwanted visitors and the public who could disturb the ambiance and serenity of his austerity. This being the initial purpose in adorning this attire, soon he dwells in a state where he is not perturbed and disturbed by his surroundings, he comes back to society to serve, living with and in the society. Then again I believe that a Savior or Messenger can equally perform well with or without adorning this attire.
Several post earlier, I had mentioned that I could not understand why certain pleas and prayers were heard and acted upon immediately while others had to wait for years to see the results.
I remember how Agathiyar helped a Chinese lady overcome her problems immediately when she arrived at the Nadi Nool Aasan's office in tears reporting to him that she was going through hell at the office. Agathiyar pacified her with kind words and gave her hope, merely asking her to place a lotus at Lord Shiva's feet for three consecutive Sundays. He asked for a grace period of ten days to work out things in her favour. The most compassionate father settled her problems in just three days.
Speaking to another friend BM, who joined us for prayers at AVM last night, I received answers to my earlier query and understood the reasons for delays in our prayers being fulfilled. BM had been frequenting a deity for answers and solutions to his problems at his office for close to 4 years. Initially he was told all shall be well and sent off. But nothing changed. He turned up each time the deity was called upon hoping to hear some good news. But he would not be called up and ignored most of the times. In spite of this, he continued coming back and serving the deity tirelessly. Without giving up and with renewed perseverance he went back again and again standing at the doorstep of the deity hoping for some positive news. Each time the deity would give him a prasad and sent him off telling him all shall be well. Soon he became frustrated and confronted the deity eventually telling him off that nothing seems to be working and that he was not seeing results. He jokingly told me he had told off the deity that the prasad had piled up into a big heap but nothing was happening. The deity reminded him not to engage in a quarrel but to be humble if he wanted something. He then revealed that there was a reason for the long delay. If he had given what he had wanted so much and asked for, it would have landed him in a bigger mess. To protect him from further danger, the deity kept pacifying him and kept his hopes up. BM was grateful then that the deity did not give in to his pressure and desires.
Thavathiru Rengarajah Desigar used to tell Agathiyar devotees to ask the Divine for their needs. I used to take heed of his words and adopted his prayer as mine.
அகத்தீசா உனது சீடர்களாகிய ஒன்பது கோடி பேரும் என்னை சூழ்ந்திருந்து நான் விரும்பியதெல்லாம் முடித்து வைப்பதோடு மட்டுமல்லாது உண்னுடைய மலையாகிய பொதிகைக்கு என்னை அழைத்து வர என்னை சீடனாக ஏற்றுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். நான் உய்வதற்கு அருள் புரிய வேண்டும். அகத்தீசா உனது அருள் பூரணமாகப் பெற்றல் வேண்டும்.
This was a prayer to Agathiyar to bring all the Siddhas together to grant all my wishes, and bring me along to his abode in the Pothigai Hills, taking me as his student. I asked that he bless me so that I could progress spiritually.
This was my daily prayer in the beginning. The prayer was granted when I had to go back to India a second time, this time to visit several temples mentioned in the Jnana Kaandam of the Nadi. Tavayogi volunteered to take me to the specified places. As we walked through the scrubs and forest making our way to the temples, shrines and caves in the Pothigai Hills, Tavayogi began to point out to me that the Siddhas were ushering us, showering flowers petals on us.
BM and I agreed that we need to be specific in what we wanted and we needed to ask only one thing at a time, placing our prayers before Erai and wait for it to take place or materialize before asking another or further.
Chatting online with another friend SM, he put forward the following question after reading an earlier post of mine, "Is the path different for each individual...since experiences may be different. Or is the path defined...the same, and people have different experiences..."
I shared with him my understanding. I understood that in spirituality we need not compare ourselves to others. There was no need to gauge our progress with any standard or reference. Who would you take as a yardstick? It cannot apply in this context. It is every individual for himself. Though you could take someone as a reference or a mentor, but the experience derived would be entirely and purely yours? If we walked the path of the Guru then it would not be our path but his, reliving his life. I began to understand that there is no rigid or permanent path laid out there for us to follow but we create the path anew, back to his abode, with or without the help of a Guru. Of course we are blessed if we have a Guru to show us the way because it would help save time and prevent us from straying away from our destination or going in circles. The Guru too takes the impact of our fall, heals us when hurt, picks us up, and places us back on our feet to continue the journey.
BM asked a question put to him by his friend on why the saints did not produce another "clone" of themselves before leaving. I believe there cannot be clones in spirituality. Each person is unique. We are beautiful by nature. The saints have tried their best to bring aspirants to follow their path and teachings, but one must understand that the change has to come from us. We must be willing to let them mold us, giving them total freedom to work on us, not to become another clone of them, but one who carries and cherishes their teachings, aptly said to become a saint equivalent to them. That is the true nature of the Guru. The student too should be given freedom to adapt his master's teachings to suite the times and the circumstances. Then the teachings would flourish and have a strong following at all times.
Tavayogi expressed his surprise and joy in Agathiyar coming to AVM willingly while he had to track the jungles and hills in search of him. It was a compliment and a reminder to us to be grateful to the Divine for gracing our home. Agathiyar and Tavayogi too have given much leeway to us at AVM in performing rituals, and in planning and carrying out their mission of uplifting aspirants and society.
Some intelligence is driving the breath in us. And the breath is driving us. If we learn to move the breath then we have conquered death. We need the companionship of a Guru who has walked this path, to learn the basic techniques and the intricacies involved and walk our own path working towards achieving that state, and making him proud. Another option is to totally surrender to Erai and let him work fully on us bringing us to that state.