If before coming to know the Siddhas I was trying to figure out what is happening to our lives, why is humanity going through so much trouble and sufferings, after coming to the Siddhas we are told that our sufferings and misfortunes are a result of our past deeds that come back to haunt us. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance of our faults in our stars.
If before coming to the path of the Siddhas I thought that we were in charge of our lives, after coming to them they tell us that although we have free will and freedom of choice, they do overrule our choices in the end. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance that they rule over all things eventually.
If before coming to the Siddhas I was confused as to why there are so many paths, religions, sects, beliefs and teachings, after coming I realize that they are there for the sole purpose of evolvement of the soul on its journey back to its source. Here the Siddha path is one of many, that is all comprising yet unique and relevant for all ages and caters both for the householder and the mendicant. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance of all paths.
If before coming I distanced myself from the minor deities, respecting and acknowledging their existence but never wanting to cross paths with them, coming to the path I was forced to acknowledge their presence, role and influence in the "Occult Hierarchy and Spiritual Dynasty or the Inner Government of the World" as Pon Govindasamy aptly names this administrative machinery. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance of the divine in all forms.
If before coming to the Siddhas I was confronted with questions and doubts as to the many Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu pantheon, after coming to the Siddhas I came to know that they were manifestations of the one Erai, that carried a form according to the seer. Each deity has been designated specific job assignments in the divine administrative machinery. Agathiyar has continuously reminded us that he was prapanjam and all things within it, just as all things were within him. This statement of his breaks the notion that we hold dearly and close to our hearts that Erai has forms. We debate endlessly as to whether there was one or as many as 27 or even 37 Agathiyars who walked the face of the earth as researched by the pundits; whether he was a midget or a six footer; or whether had long tresses or was even bald. Agathiyar says, "En naamathil palar valnthaar", that many attained his state of divinity and were themselves seen as Agathiyar walking the earth. Agathiyar says that the forms depicted of him are not the true forms. The divine comes to us in the form we desire to see them or according to the need of the moment. The former was his message to us at AVM. The later statement was carried and depicted well in the movie "The Shack" where God comes as a mother to console her child who was emotionally hurt and in pain and at another time comes as a father when he needed a fatherly figure to help him do certain tasks. In many of our encounters with Agathiyar taking a physical form, he came as a lady. The divine messengers of Erai, confirming that what we saw and experienced was real, gave us a shocking piece of news when they acknowledged Agathiyar as a lady. Agathiyar has told us that he would come in any form of the numerous deities or gurus that we desire to see him in.
If before coming to the Siddhas I was confronted with questions and doubts as to the many Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu pantheon, after coming to the Siddhas I came to know that they were manifestations of the one Erai, that carried a form according to the seer. Each deity has been designated specific job assignments in the divine administrative machinery. Agathiyar has continuously reminded us that he was prapanjam and all things within it, just as all things were within him. This statement of his breaks the notion that we hold dearly and close to our hearts that Erai has forms. We debate endlessly as to whether there was one or as many as 27 or even 37 Agathiyars who walked the face of the earth as researched by the pundits; whether he was a midget or a six footer; or whether had long tresses or was even bald. Agathiyar says, "En naamathil palar valnthaar", that many attained his state of divinity and were themselves seen as Agathiyar walking the earth. Agathiyar says that the forms depicted of him are not the true forms. The divine comes to us in the form we desire to see them or according to the need of the moment. The former was his message to us at AVM. The later statement was carried and depicted well in the movie "The Shack" where God comes as a mother to console her child who was emotionally hurt and in pain and at another time comes as a father when he needed a fatherly figure to help him do certain tasks. In many of our encounters with Agathiyar taking a physical form, he came as a lady. The divine messengers of Erai, confirming that what we saw and experienced was real, gave us a shocking piece of news when they acknowledged Agathiyar as a lady. Agathiyar has told us that he would come in any form of the numerous deities or gurus that we desire to see him in.
If before I came to the Siddhas I was indifferent to others hardship and misfortunes, coming to the path softened my heart and I began to share their suffering. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance of our misfortunes as minute compared to the sufferings of others.
If before coming to the Siddhas, I thought rituals were the prerogative of temple priests and only conducted by them as mediums of God, after coming to the Siddhas we were asked to take charge and conduct select rituals ourselves. The Siddhas bring us to a state of acceptance that we are all indeed special and divine in nature and are fully equipped to approach them directly.
Coming to their path or fold, the Siddhas bring about radical changes in our accustomed thoughts and practices often breaking away from the norm that has been tainted or deviated beyond its true form in many cases. The faint at heart are advised to best keep away for we would not know what else they would divulge, that would yet break our hold or acceptance of things and their nature.
The Siddhas let us exhaust all our desires before coming into our lives. Once we stop all forms of seeking be it spiritual or material they show up right at our doorsteps to take us along on their journey, as Tavayogi told me, "Only now our true journey begins, Son" upon starting on our journey to the abodes of the Siddhas. The moment our journey stops their journey starts. We then start to bring their desires and wishes to fruition. They move us to do things for the welfare and good of humanity and all of creation. Our doings will move away from being self centered to include the prapanjam.
We do not think much about creation and where we came from or where we are headed until we have exhausted all avenues in solving life's pressing issues. Confrontation with life's taxing issues opens up portals for the divine to come down to our aid if the request is put in. This is in the form of genuine prayers. Till then we will try to figure out a way out of our troubles. When nothing moves something in us moves us to look up into the sky and towards the heavens for help. When the "I" leaves "He" enters. He takes charge of the show. Its then his show. As Mahakavi Bharathi wrote in his "Ninnai charan adainthen" that he gained complete satisfaction only when he dropped all his doing and did Erai's asking. This wonderful song can indeed become over daily prayer to Erai.
Erai is often equated to a thief (ullam kollai konda kalvan) for you won't know when he moves in to steal your heart. If I thought I had come to Erai only after I saw the Nadi, Agathiyar says otherwise that this relationship was existing all through my numerous lives - its only that I was not aware of the relationship. Erai journeys with us throughout our lives. He chooses to materialize when the time is right for us to drop all our doings, making us turn away from all our worldly concerns and turn towards the heavens first and later turn within for salvation.
Men who were grateful to Erai for showing the way built monuments to commemorate and show their gratefulness outwardly. These became temples later, where people congregate to show their gratefulness for life's blessings. Soon men came to worship Erai in the temples to help fulfill their never ending chain of desires, moving from thanksgiving to Erai for everything provided for in life to date, to asking for specific wants and needs and expecting it to take place within a certain period, or at time instantaneously.
Let us bring change in us. Let us drop our asking for more and more and rather show our gratefulness for all that we have. Let us learn to give back now after having taken much from the prapanjam.