Back in those days where information was scarce, my source of learning was from direct tutelage under individuals. There was this grand old man Coomaraswamy Aiya who tutored us on singing the Thevaram and explained its meanings to my neighborhood friends and me in his home. Then there was this Malini Akka who coached us in singing the songs from the Buddhist texts and told us stories and parables from Buddha's life at the Bodi Langka Ram Buddhist Temple right next to our home. Then as I grew up I enrolled for a correspondent course from a Church based in Singapore. Moving on to my college days I was tutored by a Muslim man of Pakistani origin who worked as a gardener at the college, as we traveled by bus all the way to the college. During my working days I continued the mode of prayer as taught to me in our family home, at our altar, now having my own altar and numerous pictures of deities in my bachelor home. I continued frequenting the temples of all the faiths. I dropped by on smaller temples in the outskirts of town and homes of friends on festive occasions, having being invited.
After a long time of hibernation, some 14 years, staying away from all forms of worship I came back to worship when I was given the mantra of Sriman Narayana and a picture of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. A year after I read the nadi. I was asked to worship the siddhas besides all the other deities. Thus my journey on the worship of Erai continued taking another huge step, into the mystical world of the siddhas.
Similarly one is drawn towards Erai at one point in life for various reasons. Erai and his mystifying ways might arouse the curiosity of many to explore and investigate him. Misery and hardship in life can drive one to seek solace in the presence of Erai. A sudden illness or an approaching death might trigger some to seek a miracle. Surviving a near death experience might instill in some a sense of gratitude and make them come to Erai. Some might thrive for years seeking to know Erai but Erai keeps eluding them while others might be brought face to face with Erai without them seeking or any effort on their part. Some might stumble on him by "accident" while as for others, they might not even acknowledge his presence much less care to know him. Yet the most compassionate Erai brings everyone under his fold.
After a long time of hibernation, some 14 years, staying away from all forms of worship I came back to worship when I was given the mantra of Sriman Narayana and a picture of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. A year after I read the nadi. I was asked to worship the siddhas besides all the other deities. Thus my journey on the worship of Erai continued taking another huge step, into the mystical world of the siddhas.
Similarly one is drawn towards Erai at one point in life for various reasons. Erai and his mystifying ways might arouse the curiosity of many to explore and investigate him. Misery and hardship in life can drive one to seek solace in the presence of Erai. A sudden illness or an approaching death might trigger some to seek a miracle. Surviving a near death experience might instill in some a sense of gratitude and make them come to Erai. Some might thrive for years seeking to know Erai but Erai keeps eluding them while others might be brought face to face with Erai without them seeking or any effort on their part. Some might stumble on him by "accident" while as for others, they might not even acknowledge his presence much less care to know him. Yet the most compassionate Erai brings everyone under his fold.
No one has seen Erai say the very sacred scriptures and texts that also speaks about him. We are often told the story of how both Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma who challenged each other that they would be the first to see the feet and crown of Lord Siva respectively only to fail to see it. Yet we are told stories upon stories about the entire pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. How can the sacred texts or one speak about something that is not seen or realized? Yet there are many saints who have revealed and divulge these sacred and precious moments of contact with Erai through their songs and writings and in their discourses. These personal encounters of theirs tend to inspire us and attract us to, wishing that we too could come close to what they have experienced.
But we are cautioned and told that we must be prepared to make the sacrifices they made. Be prepared to leave the family and friends and a good career and fat salary, to walk the path of these saints. Be prepared to live a life similar to theirs. Be prepared to work and slog for it. So what about those who want to enjoy life and all it offers and at the same time be with Erai too? Is this not possible then? Can't we have the best of both worlds? Why are there others insisting that you need to leave behind everything you own to reach out to Erai?
The confusion rises when we are drawn towards both worlds at the same time. We want a glimpse of Erai and also are not prepared to become detached with worldly life and its pleasures. The lure of the pleasures of the material world and the lure of the promised land come into conflict. These is where the saints tell us that the pleasures of the world are momentary and ask us to seek that which is permanent. Tavayogi told me to try and keep engaged and prolong the numerous short moments of bliss that we derive on this path. It is the beginning to longer moments and the said permanency.
Agathiyar tells us that we are placed here to experience the pleasures of the world. He tells us to live a fulfilling life and to walk with pride. He tells us that we are here to make mistakes and learn from them. He is willing to pardon us and similarly he tells us to forgive others too. While taking on all that life has to offer, he reminds us to allocate some time in contemplating on Erai, our creator. He has never asked any of us to leave or desert the family. He brings us to serve the family and society. He expects us to contribute towards the society. We are not asked to frown upon the society. There is nothing inferior in their ways if they opt to stay with the family, make an earning, and cherish and enjoy life. Just because you have chosen to take up a spiritual path it doesn't mean that all the others cannot be saved and are going to hell. We cannot shun society and its huge mix of people, beliefs and faith.
All those who own establishments and preach about these saints, their lives and achievements, keep coming back to society for donations to keep their activities going, to pay for the maintenance of their ashrams or temples, to keep the rituals going, and to continue feeding the devotees and hungry all year round etc. How can we ridicule and condemn those living in the society when it is this very society that helps sustain these movements? It is akin to strictly keeping meat eaters away from an organization but willingly accepting donations from them.
Confronted with a sudden urge to jump the bandwagon, to want to identity with a following, some make the move at the expense of the family and children, without realizing that it is a completely different scenario with others on the path as what works for one might not work for another. In their rush to walk "Towards Union with God", they leave their family and society in a haste, shedding their family and social responsibilities overnight.
Confronted with a sudden urge to jump the bandwagon, to want to identity with a following, some make the move at the expense of the family and children, without realizing that it is a completely different scenario with others on the path as what works for one might not work for another. In their rush to walk "Towards Union with God", they leave their family and society in a haste, shedding their family and social responsibilities overnight.
When my father wanted to give up family life, opting to join an ashram, the guru sent him back to settle his responsibilities after some time. Then we have also heard how the masters come knocking on the doors of potential students, grabbing than from right under the noses of their family. Agathiyar consoled Tavayogi's daughter of the need for her father to put on the robe of a mendicant. He was to serve the society.
This is where the ancient society of ours had divided man's life into four distinct stages: based on their needs for survival as in the children; wants and ambitions as in youth; desires for the pleasures of the world and seeking them as in adults; and a sudden yearning for the divine as in old age. Everyone crosses these borders when the time was right, having satisfactorily lived each stage to the fullest without any regrets. But bear in mind that there could be exceptions as in child prodigies and born saints or with those who had been through the regime in the past births and take off from where they left at a tender age. Then there are also those in whom the divine comes as a bolt of lightning and brings them to recollect their past, taking them away with him that instant. Considering all the above maybe I need to post a warning here before we move on.
Warning: This post is to be read and understood only for those who seek to walk "Towards Union with God." Others who are pretty much into material life and its comforts and are satisfied and happy are best advised to stay away least it should create further confusion and clash of desires and interest. This is why Tavayogi never spoke about the deep secrets of the siddhas, like the Kundalini, the very first question put to him by many upon meeting him. It is also the most frequently asked query by many. When he repeated the same old message in his numerous talks, about the greatness of the siddhas, I asked him why does he not move on and teach us these secrets. He turned to me and asked if we were following all his dictates. If we had then he would move on. But sadly people came, sat, questioned, and left to come again and go through the same routine. They never engaged or put into practice what was told by him.
Towards Union with God
G.Valmikanathan in his book ‘Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingam’, published by Sahitya Akademi (e-book at http://www.vallalar.org) traces Ramalinga Adigal’s brilliant journey on the pathway to God dividing it into three major portions beginning with the purgative way, the illuminative way, and finally the unitive way.
He explains the way and the process.
The purgative way
The purgative way
The purgative way is that part of the long path which, one treads towards the godhead and in which one purges oneself of all desires and attachments, of all imperfections, of all acts of commission and omission of shortcomings in renunciation, of shortcomings in the total love of god in the passion for the apprehension of the godhead.
This is where householders will find it a difficult task having to balance the family, career, social responsibilities and the craving for the divine. We are often told to live like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Progress on this part of the path is solely dependent on our efforts. Here is where we tend to slack, lag behind or totally give up for lack of discipline and true yearning. Here lies all the veils that are often spoken of. This is the first two stages, the Muladhara and Svathisthana, spoken of by Tavayogi where our effort is required to progress further.
The illuminative way
The illuminative way
The illuminative way is that part of the path, which comes after the purgative way, and in which one gains illumination, knowledge, and gnosis.
This can come through a guru or direct from Erai. The knowledge or arivu to differentiate right from wrong, to see the world and its happenings from a different perspective, and the dawn of gnanam that follows where nothing is learnt but all is perceived. Arriving at this part of the path, our efforts seize and we are totally dependent on Erai's grace to move further. Tavayogi tells us that from here on the siddhas will pick us up and lead us on.
The unitive way
The unitive way
The unitive way is that part of the pathway in which the pilgrim marches on with buoyant and joyous steps, filled with hope and freed from doubt or misconception. The journey is characterized by a sense of urgency. The pilgrim, in this part of his journey, begins to walk fast, then breaks into a loping trot, and finally, gallops on with increasing tempo towards the beckoning smile and the outstretched arms, and is soon locked in an eternal embrace with the beloved, the eternal being, the godhead, the ground of all being. The journey on the unitive way is composed of several factors of experience. Recollection and quiet, contemplation, ecstasy and rapture, dark night of the soul, and unitive life.
This is where we see results. The transformation takes place rapidly without our doing. Erai gifts us a body that can sustain his majestic presence. Erai personally sees through the necessary transformation to become him.
G.Valmikanathan summarizes the myriad of experiences on these various parts of the path.
G.Valmikanathan summarizes the myriad of experiences on these various parts of the path.
Of these three sections of the pathway, the first is painful and dolorous, the second a strange mixture of sorrow and joy, the joy increasing in intensity as ignorance is slowly replaced by illumination, and the last section of sheer delight, of mounting bliss.
Having read on what to expect on this path of liberation, we walk through the website, http://www.ramalinga.com, where more light is shed.
He (Ramalinga Adigal) described a “Principle of Light” that is the unique one capable of producing this first transformation. This Principle has two important aspects: Compassion toward all the beings (paropakaram) and devotional Meditation (satvicharam). According to Ramalinga, the first of these aspects was the most important; if is acquired, the Grace will come easily.
The reason we are asked to be compassionate to all is that we are told that "God is present in all the beings and all the beings are in God." Here again we recall Agathiyar saying that he is in the prapanjam and that the prapanjam is in all. By showing compassion to another, the grace of Erai is acquired easily, bringing us to the illuminative way instantly.
Cultivating the human compassion for all the beings can be achieved the God's Grace (divine Compassion), similarly to the way in which a spark becomes a radiant Light. Likewise he (Ramalinga Adigal) taught that it was necessary to develop another aspect of the Principle of Light: the ardent Devotion to God.
Ramalinga Adigal now arms us with yet another tool. Besides compassion, he brings us to devotion to Erai. Agathiyar, Avvai and many others before him too have mentioned these two effective tools to earn the grace of Erai.
அரியது கேட்கின் வரிவடி வேலோய்மக்கள் யாக்கையிற் பிறத்தலும் அரிதே,மக்கள் யாக்கையிற் பிறந்த காலையும்மூங்கையும் செவிடும் கூனும் குருடும்பேடும் நீங்கிப் பிறத்தலும் அரிதே,பேடு நீங்கி பிறந்த காலையும்ஞானமும் கல்வியும் நன்குறல் அரிதே,ஞானமும் கல்வியும் நன்குறும் ஆயினும்தானமும் தவமும் தரித்தலும் அரிதே,தானமும் தவமும் தரித்தார்க் கல்லதுவானவர் நாடு வழி திறவாதே. - ஔவையார்
What is the key to devotion then? Ramalinga Adigal shows us the way.
The key is constituted by the constant thought on God, begging for his Grace. In one of his poems (Ramalinga Adigal) he expresses that it is necessary to think incessantly on God, until be melted with the Divine Love. Then the crying happens unexpectedly and praises are sung to God, being produced in the disciple a smooth internal heat. When this universal Love and this sacred Heat are realized, body and soul are prepared for the descent of the Grace in the shape of Light.
We can experience similar exalted states of devotion through the numerous heart melting compositions of Manikavasagar in his Thiruvasagam too.
From http://www.ramalinga.com, a detailed explanation is given on what happens during the stage of union between God and man.
When this happens, the material body constituted of impure elements is transformed into a “Body of Pure Light” that emits a golden brightness. Ramalinga affirms that, following the Divine Path of Truth and Purity, the most impure body will become a body pure and imperishable. Then the Divinity descends and settles in disciple's Heart, who becomes entirely filled by Him. Captivated by the "Ardent Fire" of the Divine Essence, the disciple stops thinking, feeling, acting and even existing. He has become pure LOVE and COMPASSION, and this is what he spills on all the beings. This Secret, which has been hidden and now is divulged according to the explicit wish of Ramalinga, points the disciple’s Heart as the End of the Path showed by Him.
This is exactly what Tavayogi wrote when I asked him to autograph my copy of his book "Andamum Pindamum" - "Aandavan Uraigindra Edam Thangal Ullam, Athuve Payanathin Thodakkamum, Mudivum" when translated means, "Erai lives in your heart, from where the journey starts and ends too."
