Man intrigued by the huge volumes of Siddha songs and its accompanying literature that they have heard and read about takes the pursuit of these goals and comes to the path of the Siddhas wanting to know and learn about the eight siddhis, kundalini, deathlessness etc. Almost all the websites and blogs on Siddhas promote these as a fare and suggest that it is easily and readily available for all, and it comes with a price tag. Many years ago someone from India messaged me that he was willing to make me a Siddha. Another local was eager to teach me meditation. Another told me that even if I had Agathiyar and Erai as my guru, I needed a guru in the physical form and suggested that he would initiate me further. I stayed away from all of them.
A stranger who dropped by my home several years ago told me he was initiated and his chakras activated in a public park by a guru from India just minutes after introducing himself. There are far too many gurus going around giving initiations like passing goodies to children. An initiation is a sacred affair that takes place in a sacred space between the guru and the disciple. Then again the disciple should carry out what is stipulated during the initiation. Everybody wants to be a guru today trashing out mantras and techniques not knowing that he is taking on a huge responsibility towards the recipient. The recipient too in ignorance seeks out every guru who comes his way failing to understand that in the event something happens along the way of practice, would the guru be reachable? and can he untie the knot or misery and suffering? I received a mail from someone in New Delhi asking if Tavayogi could heal him. He had put into practice various techniques taught by many gurus from numerous paths and landed himself with energy blockages. Sadly after eight years, he was still in pain. Another local was suffering as a result of his practice and could not seek relief from his master as the master had turned cuckoo himself.
On the contrary, Tavayogi did not promise me the promised land. Neither did he teach yoga techniques to all. My nephew and I had to trick him into parting with his knowledge asking him to show us these asanas and pranayama. The day I met him for the first time he told me that he was doing charity back home at his Kallar Ashram and invited me over. He lighted the spark of giving in me that day. Later that evening he initiated me and my wife together with six others into a simple basic mantra of Agathiyar asking us to chant it. Nothing mystical nor did it create any immediate change in me then. Since we were asked to chant the mantra, I figured that we still needed to place some effort to attain Erai's grace and that the guru does not do wonders in us by his mere glance or touch as we have read elsewhere. The problem with us is that we read so much and come with an expectation that we too would feel those mystical experiences felt by others, thinking that it is a standard outcome upon initiations by the gurus.
But it was not to be the way with Tavayogi. He reminded me of the orthodox ways of the masters that the student would have to wait twelve years to actually receive any true teaching. Meanwhile, he did pass on a couple of mantras and techniques over the years I knew him, asking to again put them into practice. He performed the Homam and I picked it up from there. He showed us the asanas and pranayama and I picked it from there. He taught me to feed others which I continued to carry out. He showed me the way and stepped aside letting me work on my efforts in my own time and work towards earning the fruits of my efforts. There was no blueprint shown to me of the path and what to expect. Neither did he stipulate a time frame to achieve the spiritual goals as there was none. He gave me the tools and expected me to figure out how to use them wisely. He gave me total freedom to experiment neither dictating the path nor worst still breathing down my neck.
He planted a seed within me and stepped aside and watched the seed grow freely without interfering often only nurturing it with his presence or thought. Only after committing myself to the path fully did he reveal certain aspects of Agathiyar, and cleared the air about wrong conceptions and opinions regarding the Siddhas and the path. He let Agathiyar and his mantra work in us to bring changes within. He reached out for my hand, lifted me only to hand it to Agathiyar. Agathiyar held fast to my hand never to let go of it.
Tavayogi did the right thing. If he had not handed me to Agathiyar I would have been devastated when he passed away. He made sure I was not attached to him but the path and Agathiyar. When he was in pain in the final months of his departure from the mortal frame, I was prepared and could let him go. I did not shed a tear. I was not lost after his departure My spiritual practice and rituals continued. I kept doing what was taught by Tavayogi and Agathiyar. I did not seek another guru in the physical form to continue my spiritual journey or to replace him.
But it was not to be the way with Tavayogi. He reminded me of the orthodox ways of the masters that the student would have to wait twelve years to actually receive any true teaching. Meanwhile, he did pass on a couple of mantras and techniques over the years I knew him, asking to again put them into practice. He performed the Homam and I picked it up from there. He showed us the asanas and pranayama and I picked it from there. He taught me to feed others which I continued to carry out. He showed me the way and stepped aside letting me work on my efforts in my own time and work towards earning the fruits of my efforts. There was no blueprint shown to me of the path and what to expect. Neither did he stipulate a time frame to achieve the spiritual goals as there was none. He gave me the tools and expected me to figure out how to use them wisely. He gave me total freedom to experiment neither dictating the path nor worst still breathing down my neck.
He planted a seed within me and stepped aside and watched the seed grow freely without interfering often only nurturing it with his presence or thought. Only after committing myself to the path fully did he reveal certain aspects of Agathiyar, and cleared the air about wrong conceptions and opinions regarding the Siddhas and the path. He let Agathiyar and his mantra work in us to bring changes within. He reached out for my hand, lifted me only to hand it to Agathiyar. Agathiyar held fast to my hand never to let go of it.
Tavayogi did the right thing. If he had not handed me to Agathiyar I would have been devastated when he passed away. He made sure I was not attached to him but the path and Agathiyar. When he was in pain in the final months of his departure from the mortal frame, I was prepared and could let him go. I did not shed a tear. I was not lost after his departure My spiritual practice and rituals continued. I kept doing what was taught by Tavayogi and Agathiyar. I did not seek another guru in the physical form to continue my spiritual journey or to replace him.
And so it was that when people came up to him and enquired about the eight siddhis and about raising the kundalini in their very first meeting, he would refrain from answering these queries telling them not to play with fire. Understandably, Pandit Gopi Krishna went through a tough time trying to first identify what was going on in him initially and trying to adept and bring these energies under his control later. Those who allow the divine energies to used their body to communicate with devotees are also told to take control of the circumstances.
Many questioned Tavayogi about the Siddha path and deathlessness hearing the masses talk about it and means to achieve it. But sadly all those who speak about it too fall a victim to Lord Yama, dropping their mortal frame on the ground eventually, to have maggots feed on them. Tavayogi used to tell us that these accomplishments rarely come by and warn the commoner never to mess around with it. Hence the reason he did not have a large following around him for he chose not to reveal the secrets of the Siddhas as any orthodox master would before trying the faith and sincerity of the disciple. Many came to him and left quietly seeing that they could not milk this cow.
Many questioned Tavayogi about the Siddha path and deathlessness hearing the masses talk about it and means to achieve it. But sadly all those who speak about it too fall a victim to Lord Yama, dropping their mortal frame on the ground eventually, to have maggots feed on them. Tavayogi used to tell us that these accomplishments rarely come by and warn the commoner never to mess around with it. Hence the reason he did not have a large following around him for he chose not to reveal the secrets of the Siddhas as any orthodox master would before trying the faith and sincerity of the disciple. Many came to him and left quietly seeing that they could not milk this cow.
Contrary to all these hypes surrounding the Siddhas that has become promotional gimmicks to attract the commoner, the Siddhas themselves do not bring us to indulge in these mysteries on the onset. They actually begin working on us, our habits that make our character, bringing our thoughts to include the person next to us and the society around us, teaching us to be a better person first. One has to have high virtues and morals in life before he can even dream of becoming a guru or reach the state of the divine. Rather than talk about the bodily transformation that the saints underwent in pursuing the path leading to the kingdom of Erai, the Siddhas worked to mould us into a better person, carrying high virtues and morals. They fixed our attitude, charisma, habits and characteristics first. Honesty or Satyam was of prime importance to them. Hence the reason our ancestors laid down the numerous texts that helped polish and shine this soul of ours. Here is where the saints have laid down texts for the common man to follow like the Tirukural, and Athichudi and Kondrai Venthan etc. These texts teach us to live a truthful and honest life, to do good always and constantly remind us to shun from harming another. These are the basic foundation of religious and spiritual life. Without building and working on these values, all the spiritual knowledge accumulated would go to waste if we were to ere or harm another later in life.
Carrying these virtues with us, we then can venture further. That is how Agathiyar reorders our priorities in life. That is how Agathiyar brings about and performs the transformation in us from a common man to a divine man, a master (guru), a Rishi, a Siddha, a Gandharva, a Deva and finally brings us back home to the kingdom of Erai. To assist us further the Siddhas advocate the four stages namely Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam and Jnanam.
We come here empty but begin to fill our hearts (and stomach too) with all sorts of desires. We ape others and want what others have too. We put in the effort towards achieving it. Along the way, we drag Erai into the picture asking that he grant our desires and wishes. If things are slow to materialize or do not happen we are quick to blame Erai for not conferring us our wishes, without realizing that he is not in any way obliged to carry out our askings nor dance to our whims and fancies. It would be desirous to actually learn what he wants us to do and carry them out. Then he would be supportive of our ventures or rather his ventures.
We need to connect with Erai and find out our purpose in taking this birth and then work towards achieving it. This would suffice rather than seek to fulfil the never-ending desires that crop up every minute in us. Peace would only prevail when we begin to do his work rather than work for our individual gain.
As Ramalinga Adigal prays before Erai that Erai should instruct him what to do, let us come to the sacred temple of Erai with folded arms and bow and beg of him to tell us what to do next, rather than cherishing those wishes and desires of ours and praying that he closes the deals for us. This attitude and prayer is total surrender then.
We need to connect with Erai and find out our purpose in taking this birth and then work towards achieving it. This would suffice rather than seek to fulfil the never-ending desires that crop up every minute in us. Peace would only prevail when we begin to do his work rather than work for our individual gain.
As Ramalinga Adigal prays before Erai that Erai should instruct him what to do, let us come to the sacred temple of Erai with folded arms and bow and beg of him to tell us what to do next, rather than cherishing those wishes and desires of ours and praying that he closes the deals for us. This attitude and prayer is total surrender then.