Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal came the first time to Malaysia in 2004. None of us knew him then. He followed a Nadi reader and found his way to a couple of temples to talk about the Siddhas before returning to Kallar after a brief stay. When he was back in 2005 to officiate the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in Batu Caves, I called the office of the Peedham and asked to see him. We met there for the very first time. A wonderful guru disciple relationship blossomed.
He was back in 2007 to officiate the three day First Conference of Siddha Philosophy. He came again in 2008 and 2010.
Each time he took the stage he would say the same thing, repeating the basics of Siddha path. When he spoke at the annual guru puja held at his ashram he would repeat the same speech. Although I only attended the puja in 2016, I knew of the contents of his speech as I would receive a copy of it to edit and post it on my channel on YouTube.
One day while he was alone I asked him why he kept repeating the same thing. I was hungry for more new information. His talks were boring to me.
He turned to me and asked "Are you following what I say?" I knew he did not direct that question to me but those who purportedly were on the path and came around again and again, cooking up more and more questions for him to answer, but never took his advise seriously or put into practice what he taught. He knew I respected and followed every command of his and Agathiyar. Rather then question the guru for hours, I would prefer to listen and carry out his commands. That is how Agathiyar kept giving more commands since he saw that we carried out every single task he gave us. Through doing his work we came to learn many things. The guru then carries us to greater heights.
He continued that he could only move on if we followed the basics. Hence the reason for him to keep on churning the same old stuff year after year.
We could claim that he is our guru, but he has to take us as a disciple first. Tavayogi told me they would watch and monitor us 12 years before accepting us as a disciple. They will see if we follow their teachings and put them into practice; only then will they go on to reveal more. It is only when we follow the teachings or directives and work towards the goals, that we will see results. Seeing these results of our efforts, the guru comes out with another directive or practice for us to follow. This is how the disciple is given an assignment, tested on it and raised to the next level of practice.
Agathiyar asked me to come to the Siddha path, worship the Siddhas and other deities, light a lamp in the home, light more lamps in the temples, sit and worship with the family, recite the names of the Siddhas, offer flowers and food, pray for the well being of all, feed the hungry, donate towards good cause, help others, uphold noble thoughts and virtues, never harm another, and be compassionate to animals. Agathiyar and Tavayogi brought us to places of worship and on pilgrimages, asking to perform prayers in these places and carrying out remedies to remove karma that veils and blurs our vision. All these were the entry level of Sariyai. All these acts were meant to open the heart. It takes years of pursuing on the path of Sariyai before the heart softens and relents to further directives from them.
When the heart opens, we will see things that at one time in the past, although was right before our eyes, but we were blind to it. When the veil or curtain is drawn aside, we see the sufferings of others and begin to feel their pain. We will want to end their pain and sufferings. We go out to assist them individually or seek association with others to reach out to them. These involves a concerted effort and a relentless soul to keep pursuing on this path. By taking upon ourselves to end the misery of just one soul, we can make a change in another's life. The divine then lends a hand to accomplish our acts of charity. Pursuing the path of Sariyai, we live in the world of Shiva, doing service to all of his creation.
"Shivagnana Siddhiyar Supakkam" speaks about this. The first stage Sariyai (Taatamaargam) is that of living in the world of Shiva, serving him as a servant would. But sadly with our arrogant attitude, thinking that nature and Shiva is indebted to us, forgetting that we only survive because of both, with the veil of ignorance covering us, we fail to see the truth, living life as we desire giving in to our enormous appetite for wealth and pleasures.
The stage is now set for us to progress to the next rung of the ladder. Agathiyar brings us to sit in our homes to conduct and perform rituals and prayers by ourselves, later giving us the courage to perform them in public places. He brings us to Kriyai. If in pursuing the path of Sariyai, we served in Shiva's abode, in Kriyai, we invite by invoking Shiva to move into our homes and begin to serve him now. Kriyai (Sarputramaargam) is adopting the role of the son, inviting the deities into the home, offering flowers, offering incense, articles for ritual ablution of the idol, food offerings, worshiping, praising and eulogizing God with love, and performing rituals and and keeping alive the sacrificial fire. By performing worship of Shiva daily, thus the devotees abides close to Shiva both in thought and deed.
Once the heart opens, the divine begins to work on us. For this purpose he sends a guru to guide and mold us. But we have to take him and his work seriously, follow his talks, teachings, techniques and practices. He came as Tavayogi, Acharya Gurudasan, Master Uva and Master Arunan to teach us Yogasana and Pranayama. These made our body fit and an ideal vessel for better things to come our way.
"Shivagnana Siddhiyar Supakkam" clearly establishes this path. Yogam (Sagamaargam) is observing Ashtanga Yogam, taking control of the senses, regulating the breath, realizing the essence of the six adhara kundalini chakras and worshiping their presiding deities, ascending to Brahma Randhra and inducing the lotus bud to blossom, stimulating the sun mandala there and taking on the resulting ambrosia spread all through the body, worshiping and meditating on the effulgent Shiva, these devotees get the form of Shiva.
The final path, Gnanam (Sanmaargam), - taking in the wisdom from all the holy scriptures, the devotee merges with Shiva.
P. Thirugnanasambandhan in his "The Concept of Bhakti" published by the University of Madras, 1971, clearly leads us into these stages.
"The soul inspired by the highest goal of communion with God passes gradually from one stage of spiritual enlightenment to another. Starting from the first rung of the ladder, as the servant of God, the soul practices Carya, consisting in external duties such as cleaning and lighting God's temples, adorning the images of God with garlands, praising God and attending to the needs of devotees. For these deeds the soul is rewarded with Saloka or dwelling in the region of God."
"From being a servant, the soul in the Kriya stage becomes a son of God, and renders more intimate service than before, such as invoking God's presence, serving him with love and praise and other acts of service like Sivapuja, besides attending to the burning of incense, collecting flowers etc. the reward for service of this type is Samipya or dwelling near God."
"In the next stage of Yoga, the Sakha Marga the soul becomes the friend of God and thus is nearer God. Withdrawing its senses from the material objects, it concentrates on the contemplation of Siva. This is rewarded by Sarupya, which is to have the same form as Siva but not the essence."
"The soul has to progress further in the Jnana Marga to reach the final goal of Sayujya from where there is no return. Sayujya is a state of union of God and soul, a mysterious union of either, so that God and soul exist with their respective attributes, the former as the source of bliss and the latter as the recipient of the same."
And when does all these take place? Siddha Sugabramar in his "Gnana Suthiram" reveals when this happens.
When the Parama Guru arrives,
The path of Sariyai shall arise,
Slowly when the path of Sariyai is trod,
Kriyai path shall arise shortly,
Upon walking the path of Kriyai,
Son, the Yogam path will clearly arise,
Walking the path of Yogam,
The Jnanam path shall appear.
Tavayogi quotes Thirumular on when these happen to take place.
பக்தன் கிரியை சரியை பயில்வுற்றுச்
சுத்த அருளால் துரிசற்ற யோகத்தில்
உய்த்த நெறியுற் றுணர்கின்ற ஞானத்தாற்
சித்தங் குருவரு ளாற்சிவ மாகுமே
Both Thirumular and Tavayogi put it beautifully. Pursuing the practice of both Sariyai and Kriyai, and when the Divine showers his grace, he brings the devotee to the state of Yogam (Union). With the Gnana that is experienced as a result, together with the grace of the Guru, the Sittam becomes Shivam then. For all these to happen one needs to be a devotee or bhakta first. Tavayogi had mentioned to us that our efforts was two stages, then the divine comes to take us to the higher stages.
Tavayogi has established these four stages outwardly as structures that serve these purposes. His old ashram in the Kallar Hills very clearly depicts this although in his new ashram grounds it is not too obvious. Upon arriving at the old ashram one is greeted by the dining hall and its adjacent kitchen, where food is cooked and served to visitors to the ashram. Coming to Tavayogi's ashram, and having satisfied our thirst and hunger, we are taken to worship the Siddhas. In this hall the sacrificial fire is lit and rituals conducted. The visitor gets his first exposure to Siddha puja. Yoga lessons are carried out in another sector of the ashram at Kallar. Moving within further into the ashram we come to a place of quietude and serenity where is housed a granite structure, the Aaru Aadhara Peedham that depicts externally the the six adhara kundalini chakras, that is within. On its summit is lit a lamp.
Although we are not to seek the fruits of our efforts, we are rewarded without us asking. Shivavaakiyar reveals the rewards while treading the path.
Upon entering Sariyai, Salokyam shall one receive,
Through Kriyai, Saameepam shall he reach,
In Yoga, Saarupam shall be attained,
Jnanam, these four, Saayutchyam shall one attain.
Ramalinga Adigal sings of the fruit of his initial labour in moving towards Erai and the subsequent move by Erai to come down and within to lift him up to the state of an Adigal.
அடியனாக்கிப் பிள்ளையாக்கி நெயனாக்கியே
அடிகளாக்கிக் கொண்டாய் என்னை அவலம் நீக்கியே
From a servant who visits Erai's abode daily; to his child who now resides with the father; then as a companion who is always at his side; and finally an apostle of his; this was the transformation that takes place.
The eight fold path or stages of Patanjali's Astanga Yogam very closely follows the four Marga or path and stages of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam and Gnanam. P. Karthikayan clearly defines the stages that Patanjali speaks about and how each stage prepares one to move one to higher states.
Iyamam and Niyamam socially prepares a person to mingle with society and a new way of life. Aasanam and Pranayaamam physically prepares a person to make this body a temple for Erai to reside in. Prathyaagaaram and Thaaranai mentally prepares a person bringing him to enter new horizons, frontiers, realms and dimensions of perception. Dyaanam and Samaadhi spiritually prepares a person to be a receptacle to receive energy or Sakti, grace or Aasi, divinity or Arul, and finally the much awaited wisdom or Gnanam.
Meanwhile the soul registers all these subtle but obvious changes taking place within the body. The soul takes on the vision of Erai, dropping its personal and individual desires brought along with it. Compassion builds in us melting the heart. The spark from the Holy spirit that we carry in us gains luminescence. The eyes sparkle. The fire that was once a small flame in us burns to consume us. A strong aura builds around us. The breath that we took in small amounts expands to immense proportions. Prana flows abundantly. The spirit grows to an extent that it ruptures and reaches new heights of heightened bliss that results in loud laughter and tears of joy. The body trembles and perspires. Every cell vibrates with energy, joy and bliss. The body radiates an aura that is sensed by others. These bliss is passed on to those who are receptive enough. One begins to communicate with nature in very subtle ways. He feels inseparable from nature.
When bliss consumes him, it is time for him to go within to contain the energy and convert its outward expression into strengthening the spirit further. The spark now becomes the subject of contemplation. It grows in intensity further. It takes the nature of its source. He becomes divine. He becomes the divine.
When wisdom from the consciousness enters, more doors are opened up. Wisdom and knowledge rushes in. Everything is felt and known. Creation and its governance is known. From a stage where we are shown and taught, we rise to the stage where all is known and felt.
This is where we connect with the spirit. We begin to become a watcher. We can bring forth the soul and identify the body as separate. If joy and happiness arises due to rewards in the material world, bliss arises from connecting momentarily, initially, with the spirit of the source. Tavayogi tells us the trick is to prolong these moments. Bliss touches the soul. The soul records these satisfying moments. Sitting in bliss for longer hours, the awareness of the body and worldly troubles drop on its own. This detachment strengthens the desire to remain a watcher. A liking for these develops to a desire for more. There is no activity on our part. When activity seizes no fresh karma is created. The fire of tapas burn and extinguish the existing karma that came along and those that we created midway. Time goes by without any realization of it moving. One sits in a state that defeats death. The spirit in him grows and grows taking on the image of the source. He becomes one with the source. All the saints were testimony to this.
The spirit becomes the witness. The soul documents the experience. The physical body acts out the experience. The body that is a pack of meat is only a vehicle for one to gain experience, both pleasurable and sorrowful. If left unfulfilled these desires that register in the soul, will initiate another birth to work it out. With bliss that derived from interacting with the divine through thoughts and deeds these experiences too are registered in the soul, but is carried along after death and justifies a divine birth. The bliss settles in the spirit expanding it to the size and nature of its source. In due time we see the spark of the Divine has grown to replicate the source. The spark of spirit that attains radiance helps the soul realize its Erai nature, the Buddha nature.
An infant, toddler and a child does not incur a high cost to maintain. Its spirit knows only Bliss. It has not been accustomed to the pleasures of the senses yet. Yet it is happy by nature. It knows no pain, fear or grief. In simple terms, a child exhibits divinity in its core.
Then sadly all these changes one day. It is said that once one attains puberty his past karma that was dormant till then is activated leading him and moving him to perform accordingly. When one grows up and desires in him grows he becomes a liability. The external or superficial look of the body is given prominence and he begins to spend time and money to upkeep it. He devours food more that is needed, hence bringing more harm than good. In his rush to accumulate treasures he submits to stress and brings harm to his body.
The body naturally needs no or zero maintenance or low or minimal maintenance. But with a greater and bigger appetite the need to satisfy its satires grow and costs to maintain it grows corresponding and multiplies. It becomes a slave to our desires. When it can no longer me pushed to satisfy the worldly desires, we turn to external means and ways to keep the engine going and working. A high maintenance cost is incurred. In indulging in ways that harm the physical body, the deterioration is hastened. The spirit is neglected. The spark either remains dim or it diminishes bringing an end to life.
Srinatha Raghavan who posted on fb, a wonderful conversation that he had with an astrologer he met, shared the difference between fate and destiny that was explained by the retired scientist from the prestigious TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research).
I asked, "Then isn't our Future predetermined?" To which He replied, "A part of it is fixed, what we call Fate and a part of it is in your hands, what we call Destiny."
"What's the difference?" I asked.
"Fate is like Laws and Destiny akin to Rules, the former is fixed and predetermined and rarely can be broken, but the later can be broken through effort and if not broken, then at least bent as per situation" He said.
"What do I need to do, to know the difference?" I inquired.
He smiled and said, "Know yourself well and everything else will be known as well!"
I could relate this to another metaphor. Fate is when you work out your past desires that the soul or your SIM carries. Destiny is when you allow the spark of spirit to grow and consume you hence changing your fate and thus bringing a new destiny for you.
Sixteen years of apprenticeship to Agathiyar has shown me how he has, as the astrologer says, "Bent the rules as per situation." Agathiyar has brought me joy and bliss. I am surprised to see much change in me. I am surprised to see my thinking and perspective has changed. Agathiyar opened my eyes and heart. He opened a whole new world out there. He brought many good souls together to unite and carry out his agenda. He made us drop our individual pride and wants and brought us to think about others who were less fortunate then us.
Many doors opened. Many hearts opened. Resources started to flood in. People started to flood. Our task and responsibilities increased. But it gave us joy and peace to work on his mission. He took care of our individual needs while we attended to the needs of others. He kept encouraging and motivating us.
Today both Agathiyar and Lord Muruga have brought us to an understanding of the importance of the physical body to carry out his mission. To bring the consciousness within this tiny frame the body needs to be fit, hence the need to tone the body and make this fortress strong, fit to contain the energy that begins to build up in it.
From a name we gave our home so that others could easily identify and locate it in Whatsapp and Google Maps, Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia was given a new identity recently by Lord Muruga in a Nadi reading. It is now Agathiyar Tapovanam, an acknowledgement from the Divine for our work.
Just as there is a moral mentioned at the end of each of Aesop's fables, I attach below encouraging words from readers of this blog and the AVM members, that keeps me going.
Thank you so much for another entry! I was taken a back when u wrote abt reducing your writing frequency... I'm still at toddler stage in Siddha Margam but your writing brings nourishment , immerse joy & enlightenment in me. Please continue writing for us!