The guru disciple relationship is nothing new. The guru comes to us even before we are born. He blesses us while we are in the womb of our mother. He guides us as we walk the path. He continues to guide us after leaving the mortal frame. When we too are ready to join him he takes us into his arm and into Erai's kingdom.
Erai is with us all along too. He gives us the first breadth and comes again saving us from death by giving us his breadth again for some. Traveling with us on the physical plane, after death of the physical body, he continues to travel with us accompanying the soul to make its journey back to the Erai's plane. Some great souls continue their tavam for some time before they join other souls in serving Erai and mankind in subtle ways.
While some souls linger around due to their strong attachment to unfulfilled desires, forcefully fulfilling these desires through other means and forms in the world, the soul that has lived out its desires both in the physical plane and the subtle plane seizes to exist, finally returning to its source, a place of inaction, void and formless.
Desires are the reason for birth. Desires keep everything in motion. The world came to be because of a divine desire. We came to be because of our previous unfulfilled desires. These desires are carried by the soul. It takes form and is lived out accordingly through several births. Drop all individual desires and you return to Erai's kingdom. That will end this cycle of birth and death.
Desires are the root cause of all sufferings. By dropping individual desires and taking on the desire of Erai, we fulfill his desire, acting as an apostle of his. If rather then serve our individual needs we care for the needs of others, our problems take a backstage or disappear for the moment at least. Just as pain is not felt when we divert our attention to more pressing needs, when we engage in serving others who are less fortunate then us, we would be relieved of our worries. We would come to understand that our sufferings are less compared to others around us.
When I used to spent my time with Tavayogi who was visiting Malaysia in 2005, one person by the name of Bala asked me repeatedly what was my problem even after I told him I had none. I was getting irritated. Finally he revealed that people always came to the path of the Siddhas with their problems. After 13 years I am beginning to see some truth in his words. When they approached Tavayogi telling him that they were suffering, he used to turn to me and tell me what they were going through was not suffering but mere problems that could be solved and overcome.
Today I understand that life is all about perspectives, how you see things. Someone sees life as a gift and the world around him as rosy. Another dreads living and hates everything. His sour and dreaded experiences in life tatters the pleasant and present moment, making it all the more miserable and unbearable while for others with pleasant experiences, they see the present moment as a gift and cherish it.
We should learn to speak to Erai. That is the reason we have altars for him in all homes. Rather then plan a travel to the most remote religious spots, shrines and temples, spending a hefty sum and time, visit your prayer room and altar and engage with Erai in the very comfort of your very home.
We have begun reminding new aspirants to leave their baggage outside before entering Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM). Rather then share their problems or unload them to us or others, we encourage them to speak directly to Agathiyar at ATM. Soon they would realize that he knows all and stop even this talk and instead just sit in silence in his presence.
We invite them to come and sit in silence and take in his energy that both soothes and heals all pain. We invite them to leave their baggage outside and come into his presence as a child would, be reborn as a child that has no worries and desires, at least for the few hours that they spend at ATM. We invite them to leave their baggage that they had unloaded at our doorstep behind as they leave for their own homes.
For those new to the path and seeking solutions we invite them to share their problems with Agathiyar personally and light a lamp, just as he had instructed. For those already in the path we invite them to leave their problems behind and sit in silence in his presence. They shall get their answers in due time, direct and unadulterated nor modified - from the very source.
Program for the 10th Annual Guru Puja at ATM.
6.30pm Kalasa Puja and Homam begins
6.50pm Abhisegam starts
7.10pm Alangaram starts. We shall begin meditation on Ramalinga Adigal's "Arutpirakasa Maalai."
7.40pm Vinnapam and lighting of Aganda Deepam.
8.00pm A surprise element with Agathiyar's grace if he should deem it fit and deserving of us.
8.30pm Potluck Annadhanam Dinner courtesy of ATM family members.