Wednesday 6 September 2017

THE WORKINGS OF KARMA AND FREE WILL

I happened to drop in on Velayutham Karthikeyan Aiya's blog Siththan Arul while searching for another blog Sittargal Rajiyam which came highly recommended by Nadi Nool Aasan Thamaraiselvan Ramaiya Aiya (Selvam). I came to know Selvam Aiya through Nadi Guru T.Ramesh while he was in Malaysia. There were several occasions when both the Nadi Gurus read the Nadi jointly for me. When we at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) celebrated the Annual Agathiyar Jayanthi and Guru Puja, both Ramesh Aiya and Selvam Aiya graced our homes to participate in the prayers. Selvam Aiya has since then been reading the Nadi in Chennai while Ramesh Aiya is based in Malaysia.

Selvam Aiya posted the following message in the Whatsapp group as I was working on this post. After an absence and a break,  Erai has granted Selvam Aiya to begin reading the Nadi. He can be contacted at 9952026908 / 9976048004 Email:bjnaadi@gmail.com. In event he is engaged in a reading and cannot be reached, he asks to get in touch with Nathan at 950040619.

இறை திருவருளால் முக்கிய பணிகள் நிறைவு குரு பெயர்ச்சி ஆசியுடன். சென்னையில் ஜீவ நாடிபடிக்க  ஆரம்பம்  10.9.2017. 12.9.2017, 13, 14 தேதிகள் தவிர்த்து மற்ற தினங்களில் தொடர்ந்து ஜீவநாடி வாக்குகள் உண்டு. குருவின் அருளால் பயண் அடைய வேண்டுகிறோம். ரீடிங் சமயத்தில் தொடர்பு கொள்ள முடியவில்லை எனில் 9500450619..நாதன் என்ற எண்ணுக்கு தொடர்பு கொண்டு தகவல்கள் அறிந்து கொள்ளலாம்.

When what Dr Krishnan predicted for me did not take place, I asked him for a reason.  He told me that I could have taken on curses that stood in my way from attaining my desires and receiving what was meant for me. When he told me that I could know my past, present and future, mentioning specifically that I could know if I had a curse hanging over me through the Nadi, the subject did not excite me then. I had the Dr to forecast my future, if the need arised. He was to be a Guru to me too later, guiding me on the worship of Agathiyar, giving me Agathiyar's yantra and mantra. Dr Krishnan told me to search for my Nadi. I let it be. That was in 1996. 

It was only in 2002 my colleague Muralitharan brought up the subject about the Nadi again mentioning his experience in reading it in 2000. Through him I managed to locate a Nadi reader locally instead of having to travel to India. The Nadi or oracle opened a whole new world out there that I did not know existed till then. In my very first Nadi reading, Agathiyar confirmed what Dr Krishan had told. Nadi Nool Aasan Sentilkumar started me off on my journey with the Siddhas.

Seeing me write about the Nadi many mistook me for a Nadi reader thinking I had the Nadi in my possession. I received mails from readers of this blog asking if karma determines our fate and destiny, then isn’t there any free fill on our part? I do not have answers to all these doubts. Similarly there are many questions of mine too left unanswered. But based on what I have read from authentic and credible sources and based on Agathiyar’s revelations to his devotees, I could figure out and comprehend a little on this mind boggling subject. The prime source of information on karma that came through the medium of the sacred Nadi in the possession of the late Hanumathdasan Aiya of Chennai which was posted and published online by Velayutham Karthikeyan Aiya in his blog "Siththan Arul" and also published in 5 volumes by Aranthanki Sankar Aiya as "Nadi Sollum Kathaigal", were an eye opener for me. Besides that Velayutham Karthikeyan Aiya used to share his views in a private chat on Google Hangouts. I was blessed to receive a compliment from Aiya who I understood followed this blog then.

"உங்கள் தொகுப்பு எல்லாம் எல்லாம் மிக நன்றாக செல்வதை காண்கிறேன். வாழ்த்துக்கள்!"

When I met Jnana Jhothiamma in Trichy in 2013, she passed me the published works of Hanumathdasan Aiya that I requested her to purchase from Aranthanki Sankar Aiya. I then had his full works I believe.

The subject about Karma is very complex in nature, at times Agathiyar does not delve into its intricacies but instead just shows us a way out of it. The rest is up to us to research and discover. Many masters too have written on the subject of karma extensively. I had put their thoughts on this exhaustive subject through several posts in the past.

If there are discrepancies in these writings, please pardon me for its only because I have had new information or material, and have come to understand the subject better.

Yogananda Paramahansa's "Autobiography of a Yogi" did make a great impact on a lot of people including me. He was the first to introduce me to so many masters and saints, whose stories he covered in his autobiography. The blog https://www.ananda.org/clarity/2013/03/yogananda-astrology-god-joy/, carried a post on astrology and karma based on Yogananda's teachings. It says that in ancient times, astrology was used as a guide for spiritual development, intended to assist man on his inner journey, by helping him realize his connectivity with his universe. But it has lost its true purpose over time. This is what the saints have told us that what is out there is also within us, “Andathil Ullathu Pindathil Ullathu.” 

As Isaikavi Ramanan mentions in his talks, India was highly spiritual in the past with its Rishis, through their tavam or tapas or austerities, tapped into the Akashic records and delivered the Divine messages directly to man. Later over the years, he was given the Vedas as a handbook and guide to follow. Over time Yoga was given as a tool to keep him abreast with the Divine both outside him and within him, and finally in this era, temples were constructed and temple worship and rituals introduced to him, all done according to the times, its people and the capacity and ability of man to understand the mysticism and secrets of the Divine play or Lila. 

From https://www.ananda.org/clarity/2013/03/yogananda-astrology-god-joy/, "The stars influence your life only in accordance with patterns that you yourself established in the past.” Astrology in this sense becomes a tool that predicts the effects of our karma that has begun to germinate. The effects of our karma “ripens” and takes form, creating a myriad of situations for the effective fruiting of our karmas, giving rise to various happenings as laid out and determined in the blueprint and endorsed by Erai. This takes place when the stars and planets are aligned in a particular manner to fulfill the result of the cause, all done with mathematical precision and harmony. 

Karma if seen in its totality causes fear in us and dashes all our hopes of coming out of it. The soul before coming into this body has accepted the form and amount of karma it was willing to shoulder. The good Lord has given us the option of taking tiny chunks of it, an amount that we can handle and shoulder at each birth and work on it bit by bit. He has broken down the Sanchita karma or vinai, that is the total sum or cumulative karma that we have accumulated throughout all the earlier births, and sanctions only a minute portion in each birth for us to endure and exhaust. Although these would mean that it is going to take a longer time for us to complete the process, having the need to take many more births to unload the entire truckload of baggage completely, but it would be a relieve off our shoulders, having only to face a portion of the Samchita karma rather than face the full blow of it. Taking this birth we then, through free will, can opt to accept the extend of karma that we would want to face, plead for Divine help in reducing the misery taking it in a milder form or on the contrary asking to hasten the process, seeking to end the cycle quickly, mindful that we would have to receive the full blow of the effects of our karma. 

A portion of the Sanchita karma known as Prapta karma is taken up at the time of birth through the manifestation of all that cannot be changed or altered. This options were decided by the soul in advance even before taking birth, for its enhancement and betterment, and to enrich it with the relevant experiences and learning, that it was awaiting. 

So is there no way out? Yes there is. We can work on the Agamaya Karma that is taking place right now in this life, with our approval. The decisions we make and the actions we take will alter the future, determining it. When I was told to see Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal immediately after my Nadi reading and get initiated (teecha ), I left to meet him in Batu Caves, although it was late at night. Although Agathiyar's directive did surprise both of us, as I had taken an initiation from him with my wife and eight others earlier, he initiated me, again, when I brought him the message from the Nadi.

When I played back the audio recording of the reading I had, I only heard an initial few minutes of the recording which began to taper into a hiss and what remained was silence and the sound emitted from an empty vinyl tape. The recording was surprisingly erased that same night.

Reporting back to Nadi Nool Aasan T. Ramesh the mysterious happening, he did a re-reading for me, but this time the local chapter of Tavayogi’s peedham was not mentioned and I was asked to make a pilgrimage to Siddha caves and several temples which was absent earlier. 

If for a starter, Sentilkumar Aiya had introduced me to the Siddhas and their worship within four walls, Tavayogi agreed to take me to these places and brought me to the fields, caves and jungles, which turned out to be my very first physical and practical introduction to the Siddhas and their mystical world.

Taking hold of Tavayogi as my Guru that night changed my fate immediately. Agathiyar rewrote the reading. I am thankful to Agathiyar and Tavayogi.

I dread to think if I had shunned Agathiyar’s directive and returned home, I guess, I would have made my way to the local peedham as told and be at the mercy of others to help enlighten me. I learnt from Tavayogi not through discourses but seeing him move, think, speak, and advise others. Occasionally he would say a thing or two that only made sense many years later.

The most compassionate Erai has given us ways to redo, correct, and come out of the rut we are in because of our past doings. He has given us a tool called free will to make a better future for us; and in saints, to free themselves from the hold of this karma and its cycle of birth and death. 

One option is to take it in our stride and as agreed, to submit to it in smaller doses that we can stomach. 

Another option is to request to take it in all its entirety, and wait for all hell to break lose, coming down on us with all its might as it has to be exhausted in its entirety within the next few years of our remaining mortal life. 

Agathiyar and the saints offer other options to reduce the past Sanchita karma, that determines our future births. Meditation is a way. As the vasanas that are buried as seeds in us germinate and arise to drive us into activities that would fulfill the cause, we are told that through the fire of intense tavam or meditation it can be burnt even before it arises. 

The other option would be to work on ourselves, by upholding high virtues and bringing ourselves to do Erai’s work, serving him and mankind. For those who cannot bring themselves to go into a meditative state and work on their karma, like me, Agathiyar has given a much simpler option of performing rituals. He told me to conduct the ritual of lighting the fire pit, Homam, which is a smaller scale of the Yagna or Yagam. He assures me that karma will be burnt through the fire of sacrifice. For others in the AVM family he asked to extend aid to the needy, the poor, the hungry and homeless; and to alleviate their sufferings. This act he says will help us sail through trying times. By doing these acts we create good merits for ourselves that make for a better future. 

Then there is yet another way, a supreme one, that is not for us to decide, choose or pick. It is solely Erai's prerogative. Considering whether we deserve it or not, whether we have understood the might and force of karma and its workings and have initiated or began working towards eradication of it, through his grace or Arul, Erai takes the karma away in its entirety, leaving us as clean as a white sheet. That is the day of deliverance. That is the day all our efforts drops and Erai comes as a savior.

Agathiyar gave me and AVM family several tasks. So did Tavayogi. We began to prepare ourselves to do his asking, instead of working towards accomplishing our desires and liking. It is then that we realized in doing his work he took care of us and our family and our needs. The karma that attaches itself to work, resulting from our doings and our activities and that contributes to the overall Sanchita Karma that would normally keep accumulating as a result of our daily actions, keeping us moving further and further away from our target of achieving deathless-ness and breaking the cycle of birth and death, is now absorbed by Erai. So the Agamiya karma is gone. What remains now is the remaining portion of the Sanchita karma that stands before us as a huge overpowering mountain ready to engulf us in its totality. Although these karmas and its manifestations would not go away in totality, but Erai would stand by us in our hour of need and help lessen the force of karma, thus saving our lives, bringing us out of danger or lessening the impact of the fall.

“The best way, therefore, to improve your lot is deliberately to act in such a way as to counteract the evil effects of past deeds. Especially if this course of action springs from inner attunement with God, or is adopted under the wise guidance of one who knows God, it will serve as an antidote to all baneful actions of the past.”
“Cooperate with His will by offering up to Him all the strength of your human will.”
Man is the only creation of Erai who can change his fate and destiny by working on his karma. In short, we can either take it lying down or as the blog mentions "arouse our will to escape from this universal bondage by using our inner spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure." 
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