SETTING OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT

Life is a matter of setting our priorities right. A young entrepreneur would set his goals on achieving a mark, a success in his endeavors. An educationists would set his goals on achieving the highest order that an institution could confer on him. For Ramalinga Adigal his priority was to defeat the fear of death. He asks in a stanza of what use is taking a birth if not to overcome the fear of death. Bhagawan Ramana too had a sudden fear of death experience back in his home in Madurai, which was to be the turning point in his life. After this experience his search began. He left Madurai for Tiruvannamalai. The blog https://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/ramana-maharshi/death-experience/ carries this story.

Just as Ramana describes the moment,

"It was quite sudden. I was sitting in a room on the first floor of my uncle’s house. I seldom had any sickness and on that day there was nothing wrong with my health, but a sudden, violent fear of death overtook me. There was nothing in my state of health to account for it; and I did not try to account for it or to find out whether there was any reason for the fear. I just felt, ‘I am going to die,’ and began thinking what to do about it", 

I too have had three moments similar to this where a sudden thought and feeling of fear of death overcame me in the middle of the night. Nothing I did could help subside the fear. If Bhagawan used the moment of fear to go within and investigate the cause of his fear, unfortunately I gave in to fear. Eventually it went away, all three times and I dozed off.

Bhagawan later described his condition,

One of the features of my new state was my changed attitude to the Meenakshi Temple. Formerly I used to go there occasionally with friends to look at the images and put the sacred ash and vermillion on my brow and would return home almost unmoved. But after the awakening I went there almost every evening. I used to go alone and stand motionless for a long time before an image of Siva or Meenakshi or Nataraja and the sixty-three saints, and as I stood there waves of emotion overwhelmed me.

(Source: https://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/ramana-maharshi/death-experience/)

I have had moments of ecstasy come over me since then too. Many in the ATM family too have had a similar experience of ecstasy and bliss for reasons unknown. We would shed tears of joy continuously for some time and be drenched in joy and happiness not akin to the pleasures of the world and senses, but rather much more enveloping and penetrating. I encountered many more moments of bliss in the company of my gurus, at the temples, in my home and in the midst of prayers. Sometimes I would wish that if only I could touch others and transmit this bliss to them too.

Another rare moment of incomprehensible awareness took place as a kid. I still carry memories of me floating close to the ceiling of our family home in Taiping, looking down at my family sleeping below. I had this experience daily for some time, a memory that I remember vividly till this day.

Lately we have had visitations from the divine too. Although it is exciting to be connected momentarily with Erai and his forces, I understand that even this has to be dropped. Agathiyar along the way gives many gifts to his devoted devotees and worshipers to use for the good of humanity and his creation. Although these gifts are acceptable one is reminded not to indulge in it forever, at the expanse of losing one's sight on the most precious gift of all times - having him. I have negated many gifts and treasures for the sole reason that I wanted him, only him.

I have stopped seeking living gurus after having two wonderful souls to guide me, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi. My reason in dropping the search and meeting other gurus was that "What is it that they can give me that my Moola Guru Agathiyar cannot give?" Even the greatest of the masters is alive because of the divine wish! I asked Agathiyar to stop asking me to meet them and go more places of worship. I told him that I had him. Let him deliver me, giving me further states of illumination right within the four walls of my room, provided if I deserve it; provided if I was ready for it; and provided if he wishes it. I would not despair if I do not receive anything too. I am satisfied with what he has showered upon me all this while. This not a statement made in arrogance but one truly sincere, humble and down to earth.

ATM is neither a cult on Siddha worship or the only means to Godhead. ATM preaches the worship of Siddhas, one of various paths to Erai. We do not find faults in other forms or ways of worship. It is just that this path was chosen for me and for others too in the ATM family. Agathiyar sent a train to fetch us to the kingdom of Erai. We chose to board it. We could embarked midway or at any other station. This usually happens if we succumb to the gifts that he showers on us. Captivated by the likes of power and authority that comes with these gifts; the attention from the continuous flow of seekers, followers and disciples seeking advice and direction: and with healing the sick and suffering who turn up, we tend to stall at that stage, serving them forever. We fall for the trap.

I believe we can take in these experiences and bring ourselves to break away from them and continue the journey, not losing sight of the journey that we had initially set to take. There are more things to come and to be seen. If we negate and refuse all the good stuffs that come our way known as siddhis, we shall reach the gate of our heavenly father's kingdom. Even then one has to be extremely careful not to lose sight of the majestic palace of our father. Entering his palace we gain another set of siddhis that is hardly spoken about. Ramalinga Adigal sings about this in his Agaval. The initial siddhas are gained as a result of our efforts while the later siddhis are showered on us by the heavenly father. We need to seek the later.

Looking at the fables, myths, puranas and stories of lore from the Indian subcontinent, we gain insight into these gifts often showered on staunch devotees of Gods and Goddesses, who upon receiving them turn arrogant and begin to take control of the world and its running, nay even the Gods and Goddesses too. King Ravana was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. None of us could ever match his devotion towards Lord Shiva. Yet we consider him as the bad guy. Lord Shiva having being cooled down by Ravana's extreme tapas and austerities and devotion, granted him a boon. Once he began to understand the vast powers that came with the boon, he became arrogant. We seek permission to quote from https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/rise-and-fall-of-ravana/49116 on the process that took place in the rise and fall of King Ravana.

Born in the lineage of one of the most learned and wise sages of all times, Rishi Pulatsya, Ravana had all the bearings which could make him a legend. That said, Ravana had his own share of sins that he committed, and before he could have had realized his sins (maybe he would have never had), he met his inevitable death when Rama's arrow pierced his navel.

Not exactly a hero which he could have been, he definitely had the knowledge to be one. But, his ego, his illusion of immortality, and the belief that he would never be punished for his sins made him fall in the battle of Ramayana. Certainly an interesting character, where on one hand he stopped any kind of animal sacrifice in his kingdom and was pious and ascetic, on the other hand he had a long list of curses received from many celestial figures including Nandi.

Be it his son, his wife, his brothers or his sister, Ravana loved his family the most in the world. He loved and respected his wife Mandodari and also used to take her advises on matters of high importance. And though, people may claim he didn't love Vibhishana as much, he loved him until he asked Ravana to give up war against Rama, when Ravana considered his kingdom the greatest of all.

Though he placed his duties as a Brahmin and a king above his family, when Kumbhakarna was tricked by Brahma in receiving an eternal sleep as boon, Ravana performed some further penance and pleaded Brahma to amend the boon, which he then changed to 6 months of continuous sleep.

Ravana performed one of the most difficult penances of all times to Brahma standing on one feet for hundreds of years, and after the penance got successful, Brahma granted him Amrut which he placed in his navel. He had asked Brahma (the boon) to be superior to devas, other Rakshasas, serpents, beasts, celestial beings, as he disrespected mortals. This illusion of immortality sowed the first seeds of arrogance in Ravana.

After being granted Amrut by Brahma, Ravana started a penance to Shiva where he sacrificed his head 10 times, Shiva each time replacing his head. After the penance, Shiva blessed Ravana with 10 heads, after which he was known as Dashanan. On a separate note, the 10 heads of Ravana represented the 4 Vedas and 6 Shastras which he had mastered, the heads symbolically representing his knowledge in all the 10 directions. By now, Ravana had become so powerful, that he defeated all the deities of heaven, and gained control over the setting and rising of sun.

The great Shiva devotee that Ravana was, he wanted Shiva to move his abode from Kailash to Lanka. When Shiva didn't oblige, he even attempted to lift the entire Kailash mountain with his hands. This was one distinct attribute of Ravana, the arrogance. When Shiva pressed his toe on Kailash, Ravana's fingers got stuck beneath the mountains, and he sang an entire Stotram, Shiva-Tandava-Strotram to appease him. This was a contrasting, yet another distinct attribute of the same person, his knowledge, his wisdom. On Shiva's insistence, he had even mastered all the Vedas and their knowledge.

Lanka was built by Vishwakarma and was acquired by Kubera, Ravana's half brother. When Ravana returned from his penance, he won the complete control over Lanka from Kubera and the kingdom flourished under his rule. It is believed that even the poorest of houses had vessels made up of gold and hunger vanished from the country. The rise of Lanka speaks volumes about him being a wise and a just ruler.

Nadi Shastra talks about Ravana being an expert in the Ayurvedic texts. He also attended medical conferences held in those days. Ravana was a great musician. As per legends, when he started playing his Veena, even Gods would appear to listen to his music. He was an equally fierce warrior and a great administrator. While he was moments away from his inevitable death, Rama had asked Laxman to pay respect to Ravana and learn the methods of proper governance and administration, when Ravana eventually obliges Laxman with his knowledge.

Rama needed a bridge to be built across the ocean to reach Lanka, in order to defeat Ravana. The night before they started their preparations, he decided to conduct a Yagna to worship Shiva at Rameshwaram. As he was going to fight one of his most powerful adversaries, he needed the most scholarly priest to conduct the Yagna for him. He was informed that Ravana himself is the most learned scholar of all times. An invitation was sent to Ravana, who accepted it, arrived at Rameshwaram and conducted a Yagna with all holy rites. Interestingly, the Yagna could be considered successfully completed only when Rama would sit with his wife Sita in the ceremony, who was held captive by Ravana in Lanka. Ravana not only brought Sita to the Yagna, he presided over the proper arrangements and completion of the Yagna. After the Yagna got over, Rama sought Ravana's blessings in defeating him, to which Ravana replied, Tathastu or "So be it."

As per Jains, Tirthankars are human beings who achieved enlightenment and showed the world the right path. As some souls are never released from the cycle of birth and death, and in repetitions, these 24 Tirthankars are born as humans and show the world the path to liberation. Ravana, as per Jainism, is one of the 24 Tirthankars, a list which includes Krishna and Mahaveer themselves. Jains, however, do not worship Ravana, because before he could have realized his destiny and given up on war, he was killed. They believe that in the next cycle of Tirthnankaras, Ravana will be born and lead humans this time. Had Ravana not been killed by Rama, maybe he could have realized his evils and shown the path or liberation to the world.

From the face of it, Ravana was all set to become one of the greatest and divine figures of Indian mythology. In spite of his arrogance and ego, his knowledge and wisdom could eventually have placed him as one of the most revered names of Hindu mythology. And though, he is still worshiped at a number of places in India for the same reason, he never did really reach a position and stature that he deserved. Why a wise man like Ravana was doomed to meet such a fate in the hands of Rama. What was the flaw in the plan?

It was his love for Surpanakha, that caused his inevitable downfall. Though he had previously murdered her husband as well, when he had tried to overthrow Ravana in greed for power, he loved and adored his sister. Add to that, his arrogance, which forced him to seek some revenge against the men had who insulted his sister, formed the ingredients of his fall. What would have happened had Surpanakha not proposed to Laxman, or had Laxman not cut her nose? (What would have happened) Had Ravana not reacted strongly and had decided to negotiate with Rama and Laxman? (What would have happened) Had Ravana accepted the peace proposals sent by Rama in the form of Angad, Hanuman? (What would have happened) Had Ravana listened to Mandodari like he always did, when she asked him to let Sita go back to Rama? The epic would have been written differently, or we would have had another divine figure in the Hindu mythology to look up to.

Even the Gods and Goddesses, we are told, were never spared. Arrogance on their part, brought them to earth to live a mortal live and conduct extreme austerities, yagna, rituals and meditation before they were accepted back into their fold. Similarly it is with the numerous other stories of devotees who were lifted to an elevated stage in life, akin to ma manithan, deivam, mahan, gnani, muni, siddha, rishi, etc, but due to arrogance fell flat on their faces and fell to the ground; fell in disgrace and fell into oblivion.

I have asked the ATM family to help keep each other in check lest we too should fall out of the mercy of Erai; lest we shall fall out, out of arrogance. If the sheath of Maya or illusion does terrific havoc to even the masters and gurus, we could very easily succumb to it too. The day we stop listening to the words of the wise is the day we fall into disgrace. My prayer is, "Lord please help us be aware of the mischief done by Maya who lurks in the dark and at every corner of our spiritual journey, waiting to disrupt or bring to a standstill our intended journey, a return to your house, our home."