The moment you lose yourself that is bliss, immaterial where you lose the self or what you are engaged in, be it in yoga, meditation or prayer or something else for that matter. Since the bliss derived from our senses is short lived, we are constantly reminded to switch our senses to that which would bring lasting and endless bliss. For instance when Tavayogi taught me certain breathing techniques, he asked that I prolong that state of bliss that accompanies these practices. The idea here is to extend that bliss for a long duration.
I am honored to walk this earth where once upon a time Agathiyar, Supramaniar and many Siddhas, gods and goddesses walked too. It is said that the Kailash mountains had seen the entire gods and goddesses assemble for the wedding of Lord Shiva to Parvathi. As a result there was instability and Agathiyar was requested to set out for the south where upon reaching the south the earth regained balance. Before leaving to carry out his task, Agathiyar hesitated for he would then be the only one left out from witnessing the grand event. However Lord Shiva grants that both Parvathi and he will appear to him as bride and groom, wherever he chooses to see them hence comforting him. And so it is said that Agathiyar traveled far and met many personalities and taught them while on his way south. Arriving at Agashiyampalli he wished to see the divine pair in the state of matrimony. As promised the divine appeared before him. Agathiyar took in the divine sight and was immersed in bliss. This state of his on seeing Lord Shiva and Parvathi then is the state of the idol of Agathiyar at this temple which is said to be the very first temple built for Agathiyar by Kuberan in the Kali Yuga. We at AVM are blessed to hear from Agathiyar reveal this information since the idol worshiped at AVM is a replica of him at Agasthiyampalli and portrays the state of Agathiyar on seeing the divine sight.
Each of us is divine in nature we are told. Call it Buddha, god particle, jivatma, etc that which is within us all, is kept alive and burning by love. When Betty J Eadie in her book "Embraced by the Light", was shown the earth from god's kingdom, Christ pointed out to her that the lights she saw from above were not street lights but the flame of love in each soul on the earth. He told her too that the brightest were those of mothers, who carried unconditional love for their children. This flame is fanned by love. The more love shown towards others the bigger the flame in us grows. This flame then consumes ones karma, illnesses, sufferings etc. This love slowly evolves into compassion that encompasses all of god's creation. Ramdas of Kerala who had a darshan and blessing of Bhagawan Ramana before he found a quiet spot to contemplate and meditate for days in the Arunachala hill, on coming out of his deep meditation, was so engulfed in love that he grabbed the very first person he came across, who happened to be a beggar. When the beggar absconded from the grasp of the awakened saint, in fear, Ramdas hugged a tree instead. He is a true guru who loves all of god's creation.
We are told by our ancestors that for each of us born there is a star that appears in the sky. The brightest were those of mahans and saints. We are told that a comet fell through the skies when Bhagawan Ramana left his mortal frame. A Swamiji, Swami Dayananda who kept to himself in the confines of his room whom Tavayogi and I met in Ooty, told me that the next time I came there he would have left his mortal frame and taken his place in the skies as a star.
If Ramalinga Adigal coined the maha mantra "Arutperun jhoti Arutperun jhoti Taniperung karunai Arutperunjhoti", directing his followers to light an oil lamp and worship the light, moments before leaving the mortal frame, he had spent his early years though in singing the praises of Lord Vinayagar, Lord Muruga, Ambal, Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, Lord Shiva and Nadarajah. He evolved tremendously through the short span of 51 years. Before leaving us he gave us the Arutperun jhoti mantra and told us that there were still other frontiers that existed and needed to be explored that were beyond our imagination, beyond words and beyond mention.
Tavayogi showed us the path of the Siddhas, one of many paths to Godhead. He pointed to us that Agathiyar was Erai through the phrase "Arul gnana jhothiye agathin jhothi taniperung kadavule agatheesar aavaar" giving him a name and form as depicted in his Kallar Ashram. Slowly he brought us to understand that Lord Shiva and Agathiyar were one. Then he mentioned that the very breath was Erai (Kadavul). Then he revealed that Agathiyar was light too. He made us not to be attached to form or name knowing pretty well that a particular form and name was only a tool for us to progress on the spiritual path at that point of travel. The forms change, and so do the names.
Tavayogi showed us the path of the Siddhas, one of many paths to Godhead. He pointed to us that Agathiyar was Erai through the phrase "Arul gnana jhothiye agathin jhothi taniperung kadavule agatheesar aavaar" giving him a name and form as depicted in his Kallar Ashram. Slowly he brought us to understand that Lord Shiva and Agathiyar were one. Then he mentioned that the very breath was Erai (Kadavul). Then he revealed that Agathiyar was light too. He made us not to be attached to form or name knowing pretty well that a particular form and name was only a tool for us to progress on the spiritual path at that point of travel. The forms change, and so do the names.
Agathiyar too asked me to worship Lord Ganapathy, Lord Shiva, the Siddhas and him. Then when I took the firm stand that was to see them all as one, he told me that was the right stand and approach to adopt. Lord Muruga says he and Agathiyar are one. Sri Raghavendra says he and Agathiyar are one. Then we are told that Agathiyar is feminine. Agathiyar says that he is the prapanjam and that the prapanjam is within him too.
What we need to understand is that a particular name and form is applicable for a certain sector of society and for that period in time for their speedy progress in the spiritual path of their choice. Just as everything created is in a state of change, some visible and others although not visible to our normal vision, nevertheless takes place every second, everything is in a state of change each second.
Come to this path with an open mind without preconceived notions and opinions. Come empty and let the Siddhas fill us in. You will be surprised how they shall break all the beliefs we have carried this far.
Come to this path with an open mind without preconceived notions and opinions. Come empty and let the Siddhas fill us in. You will be surprised how they shall break all the beliefs we have carried this far.