All the years of worship our ancestors carried out has helped us to be where we are today. Beginning from our parents or Thanthai and Thaai; our grandparents or Paattan and Paati; our Great Grandparents or Poottan and Pootti; our Great Great Grandparents or Ottan and Otti; our Great Great Great Grandparents or Seyon and Seyol and extending way beyond our Great Great Great Great Grandparents or Paran and Parai; the entire lineage of ancestors had toiled for a better future for us both materially and spiritually.
Then there are the long list of numerous deities going by various names and forms: village deities or grama devatai, guardian spirits or kaval deivam, ancestral deity or kula deivam, all worshiped since the days of our ancestors, who bless all our new ventures, guard us from danger and look after the simple daily needs and day to day affairs of their devotees.
Then there were "Hero stones (Nadukkal or Veerakkal) provided for the males who sacrifice their life for good causes and Sati stones for females who sacrificed their life for certain specific purpose, especially for chastity and purity", which later came to be provided for all as Kallarai or Tombstones.
As for saintly figures who pass away, a Shivlinga is usually erected above their tomb and worshiped.
After coming to worship the Siddhas, I tend to ask myself if Siddha worship was indeed ancestor worship. The saints who guided our ancestors in their search for Erai, come back to guide us in the present day.
All the various faiths we had taken up and the devotion poured in all the numerous lives we took, has led us to where we are today. My brother in law who was a Buddhist monk in Ceylon in his last birth, today worships Sri Raghavendra and has built a beautiful Mritiga Brindavanam for him. All the faith and belief my ancestors poured and that I picked up from them has kept me well all these years. So when people of other faith come along to preach to try to convince me to convert, I reply that it was these very gods and deities that I prayed too who have kept me well and alive till my 58th birthday, and I ask them why I should convert to another faith when all was well? What more could their faith give me that my path has not already provided? Would not the switch to another faith at this moment of time amount to ungratefulness on my part to my saviors?
All the various faiths we had taken up and the devotion poured in all the numerous lives we took, has led us to where we are today. My brother in law who was a Buddhist monk in Ceylon in his last birth, today worships Sri Raghavendra and has built a beautiful Mritiga Brindavanam for him. All the faith and belief my ancestors poured and that I picked up from them has kept me well all these years. So when people of other faith come along to preach to try to convince me to convert, I reply that it was these very gods and deities that I prayed too who have kept me well and alive till my 58th birthday, and I ask them why I should convert to another faith when all was well? What more could their faith give me that my path has not already provided? Would not the switch to another faith at this moment of time amount to ungratefulness on my part to my saviors?
The irony of life is that while some pursue on the same path reaching out and advancing further with each birth, remaining on the same path birth after birth, others might branch out to other faiths and beliefs before coming back to an earlier path. For all I know, as I hold on to Agathiyar firmly, posting about his lilas on this blog, I might come back in the next birth to refute, tarnish and do damage to the very Siddha path that I had traveled on, even tear down a monument or shrine of his that I had built in the former birth. Life is full of possibilities and mystery.
Agathiyar tells us at AVM that we had all at one stage in our past lives taken him and worshiped and served him, hence the bond continues to this birth. In this birth he brought us to perform Sariyai and Kriyas and is slowly taking us away from all forms of external worship to go within. He has moved numerous chess pieces so that we could move along rapidly without any dangers or hindrances. He is guiding us as a shadow would follow. After coming to his fold he has changed our understanding of the many concepts and beliefs we had inherited from our forefathers and had held firmly to, that society too holds so dear to the heart, bringing us to a new understanding of these practices and beliefs.
Just as the kaval deivam or guardian spirits foretold Jnana Jhotiamma that they would back off but remain with her, once she was handed over to Agathiyar, Agathiyar too has informed us, that for those who sincerely and diligently take on the path of the Siddhas, they will take charge henceforth and relieve the responsibility from our Kula Deivam.
Then we have the planetary transits and progression that is said to effect the lives of those on the face of the earth every instant. Lord Murugan says that if he wills the planets will switch their roles, becoming Gurus and more benign to us. We are told of the circumstances behind the emergence of the Thirumurai, Kollaru Thirupathigam by Thiru Gnana Sambandar and its relevance in combating the ill effects of the planets. When the Pandya king had submitted his subjects and himself to convert to another faith, the queen summoned for both Thiru Gnana Sambandar and his older contemporary Thirunavukkarasar to help change their fate and the country's. The Nayanmars were then in Thirumaraikkadu (Vedaranyam). The elder citizen had certain apprehensions about the day and time of starting the journey to the king's kingdom, when the young Sambandar sang a prayer or Pathigam, which speaks of the ineffectiveness of ill effects of planets, evil mantras, wild animals and everything else that was harmful, the moment one holds tight to the feet of Lord Shiva.
Then we have also read about how the Siddha Idai Kaadar came to save the day for many. When Idai Kaadar foresaw the future and the coming of a severe drought and famine and the untold sufferings that it would bring to humanity, he began to feed his cattle Erukku, a milky plant that sustains the worst of droughts. He then mixed the grains, Samai and Varagu with moist soil and pasted it on the walls of the cottages in anticipation of the worst drought man had even seen. While the climate took its toll on nature and man Idai Kaadar's cattle survived on the Erukku, the only plant that survived the drought. As eating Erukku triggered an itching sense in the animals they headed for the walls of the cottages for a good scratch. The samai and varagu that dropped was collected and ate with milk. As the drought continued, most of the life stock was wiped out except that of Idai Kaadar's. It is said that the nine planets or Navagraha were surprised to see the surviving cattle and wanted to know the secret of Idai Kaadar. The Siddha fed the visiting planets with the milk and grain and while they were napping he rearranged the positioning of the planets in a beneficial way for humanity and creation. Rain poured and the water tanks, ponds and lakes filled up bringing the drought and famine to an end.
Taking on the songs of the saints brought us to experience their strength and extent of devotion in us too. As Tavayogi said listening to these songs would bring Gnana to one, the numerous songs of the saints does lead us there. Nadi Nool Aasan Taranibalan Aiya too mentioned to me just as I stepped down from the stage after the launch of our Agathiyar Geetham Audio Cd, that there are two kinds of music: one was for the ears (Sevikku Esai) while the other for Gnana (Gnanathukku Esai) and compared all the tracks on the album to the latter and as that which reaches out to the soul and triggers ecstatic emotions from within.
Many have given feedback on the album:
Good day uncle...just have to say the cd songs..just keep my tears flowing..there is so much of TRUTH in all the songs...only one with lots of pain confusions..will get connected n value this songs...tx uncle..
Namaste Aiya! Agathiar Geetham is part of our daily routine. My son is taking his 10th board exams and he listens to the music and studies. It has be on constantly in our home. Mesmerising and addictive! I am so grateful for your spiritual gyan that is imparted constantly. We are blessed! Aiya.
பெறுதற்கரிய பேறு பெற்றேன்.
யாரப்பா .. நீ கொஞ்சம் சொல்லப்பா
ஞானப்பா .. உன் பிள்ளை நான் அப்பா
அகத்தியர் கீதம் ..ஒவ்வொரு பாடலில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு சொல்லும்
ஓராயிரம் அர்த்தம் கொள்கின்றது. இசையின் இன்பம். தமிழின் பேரின்பம் என ஒவ்வொன்றும் அதிசயமே.
தினமும் என்னை திக்குமுக்காட வைக்கும் AVM க்கு நன்றிகள் கோடான கோடி.@gowri amma..so superb voice..
Excellent work, Aiya. You've put a lot of effort in producing this album.
When I was asked to come to the worship of the Siddhas in 2002, Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's numerous publications came in handy and guided me along. I took on reciting his prayer as mine and saw its result when Tavayogi volunteered to take me to all the Siddha sites that I should visit, stipulated in the Nadi by Agathiyar.
அகத்தீசா உனது சீடர்களாகிய ஒன்பது கோடி பேரும் என்னை சூழ்ந்திருந்து நான் விரும்பியதெல்லாம் முடித்து வைப்பதோடு மட்டுமல்லாது உன்னுடைய மலையாகிய பொதிகைக்கு என்னை அழைத்துவர என்னை சீடனாக நீ ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். நான் உய்வதற்கு அருள் புரிய வேண்டும். உனது அருள் பூரணமாக பெற்றல் வேண்டும்.
As we tracked along the jungle paths, Tavayogi kept pointing to the sky telling me that the Siddhas were around and were ushering us and showering us with flowers. Although the invitation to come to Pothigai peak was out many years back, I have yet to step on the Holy peak. I told him I have him, and I was not going any place any more. When he asked that I visit living saints and get their blessings, I told him the same, that I had two great Gurus, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi, and that I do not want any Guru in the physical form anymore. Agathiyar respected my stand and never brought up these subjects. I also decided lately that I do not want to seek the Nadi anymore, but instead asked him to speak directly to me without a medium or person, that is only if I deserved it.
My second last Nadi reading from Agathiyar came ahead of the AVM family's trip to Kallar Ashram to participate in the inauguration of the new ashram complex and annual Guru Puja in 2016. The last reading, my 51st, came several days after Tavayogi recovered from an operation last year. Recently in January of this year, Bala Chandran coaxed me and in fact arranged an appointment for me to hear from Lord Muruga. It was my very first reading from Lord Murugan and was a beautiful one too.
Respecting my stand, since then if there was a need Agathiyar and Lord Muruga would pass on the message for AVM through Bala, Suren and others. Just a few days back Lord Muruga comforted us at AVM on losing our beloved guru Tavayogi who went into samadhi on 3 July 2018 at Kallar Ashram. Lord Muruga assured us that he was there for us and would lead us on after the demise of our guru. It was very comforting to hear his words.
When there are many out there trying their level best to prove the Nadi wrong, I made everything said in the Nadi, come to materialize by putting faith and effort in what was told to me, by working not against the Siddhas but cooperating with them, hence making all the prophesies of the Siddhas come true. We began to take charge of our fate and destiny by holding the hands of the Siddhas. The only exceptions where I did turn down their asking was in visiting more places and more living saints as mentioned earlier. I have one more request from Lord Muruga to fulfill, that of building a temple. I have made my stand that I am not keen to take up such a massive task. As the Siddhas are known to rewrite the future, hopefully they would drop the idea, as we know how they stopped Supramania Swami from continuing to build a temple for Lord Muruga, on the onset, after having mooted the idea to build one in the first place. As for Tavayogi he saw through the building of the new ashram amidst much problems.
Going on my maiden journey to India in 2003 was like a no nonsense, well researched, well planned and determined journey, focused on getting to all the places listed by Agathiyar in my Nadi on time and getting all the remedies or parikaram done.
Unlike the first, going on my second journey to India in 2005 was like a home coming, full of joy in meeting my guru Supramania Swami again, and stepping into the mystical and mysterious world of the Siddhas, akin to walking into and discovering a new world of myths and legends thanks to Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal.
My third journey came about after I received a scare from all those who visited Kallar Ashram that Tavayogi was not in the best of health and after Agathiyar too surprisingly asked me to go over to meet my Guru, although he (Agathiyar) had stopped calling me over till then. As we left with fear for India, we were only too glad to see Tavayogi greet us on arrival, hale and healthy. The five day trip in 2013 was well spent in its entirety at Kallar Ashram with a couple of visits to a temple and ashram accompanied by Tavayogi and Mataji, thrown in.
My fourth journey to India was in 2016 with the AVM family to carry out remedies or parikaram for some children in our entourage and to participate in the inauguration of the new temple/ashram complex and to participate in the annual Jayanthi and Guru Puja celebrations.
What a colorful journey it has been for us at AVM.