Monday, 19 August 2019

COMING TO UNDERSTAND IDOL WORSHIP 2

How can I not come to the defend of idol worship when Agathiyar himself tells me to do it? Inviting me to his path he beckons me to have his statue made, giving very specific instructions. I have it done at Bronze Creative in Swamimalai; have an puja conducted at Adhi Kumbeswar temple; have him flown to Malaysia; and we gather with family and friends performing libation with nine items and chanting his name 100,000 times - all according to his asking in the Nadi.  

I never desired to worship his idol. I never decided to start worship of Siddhas? I was instructed in the Nadi and I followed without questioning. As simple as that. I carried out his desires. Hence it all fell into place. If I had desired them, I would most likely have faced numerous hiccups, delays, obstacles and financial losses. He saw to it that everything fell into place right from scouting on the net for a manufacturer of bronze sculptures based in Swamimalai, to switching the mode of freight in bringing him to our shores - from taking the ship as originally planned to arriving by plane instead. We laid our eyes on his photo only the day before his arrival, as that photo that was required for the airport and custom clearance, was made available to me too. He made known of his arrival during the maiden puja at my home with a handful of family members and friends. He stole the show, none of which was decided nor finalized by us. Now why would he put me through this if he felt idol worship was not necessary? 

On the day of his arrival, 2 January 2010, after he touched the ground at 11am, I was called for a Nadi reading at 12 noon. He shared a secret that day too. He told me he will come in the statue and that I needed to give him uru and uyir (spirit and life). He said he will momentarily enter my body while my soul will reside in his idol. He will walk this ground and bless those who came to receive him during the puja. Now why would he put himself through this if he felt idol worship was not necessary? 

Since then he came often to guide us through his numerous Aasi Nadi readings. There is a need to walk you through the pages of these Nadi readings now since it has come to pass.

Even before he chose to come as a statue to my home, he made me go to numerous temples on the pretext of carrying out remedies to appease/ reduce my past karma. To prepare me for the journey he started me on performing certain pranayama practices in the Nadi. I began to carry out certain remedies in Malaysia before leaving for India the following year. After traveling extensively to numerous temples he brought me to my guru Supramania Swami in Tiruvannamalai just as he had mentioned in the Nadi reading. Not stopping at that he asked that besides donating towards temple building funds, he asked me to build him a temple too. Now why would he direct me to build a temple and install his idol if he felt they were not necessary? 

Three years on he brings me to meet my second guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in Malaysia. Agathiyar tells me to devout my life to his path. He assured that he will see to it. He sets me off on another journey. This time it is quite different in the sense that he chose the destinations and alerted me to look out for him and the miracles he was to perform, quite unlike the earlier journey in 2003 that was mapped out by my karma. This time I was directed to spend some days in the home and ashram of both my gurus, something I never even dreamed off. I was blessed and privileged to have Tavayogi take me along to these places identified by Agathiyar. He opens his eye in his granite statue at Agasthiyampalli as he had indicated and later to my surprise he opened both his eyes in his statue at Papanasam. He tells me that he is overjoyed by the simple Siddha puja we do at home. Now why would he perform these miracles at his abodes and temples and in his idols if he felt they were not necessary? 

I was introduced to doing charity or feeding (Annadhanam) at Kallar ashram, carrying it out for the very first time. I had the opportunity to stay overnight in caves too something I had never done in my life. 

In 2007 Agathiyar had the other Siddhas come through the Nadi too, beginning with Bhogar, Sugabrahmar, Bhrigu, Kakabusandar, and Thirumular. They asked that we carry on the Pornami puja  that ushers the Siddhas to our homes without fail. They tell me that an ashram life was not necessary as all the years puja had brought the Siddhas to my humble home. The Siddhas extol the merits and benefits of performing puja at home too. Agathiyar blesses me to write. The Siddhas speak highly of my gurus. Agathiyar teaches certain meditation techniques while asking me to continue my home puja. Bhrigu comes again to divulge further yoga practices and the appropriate food to counter the effects of these practices. He introduces the Arutperunjhoti mantra. He forewarns me of the bodily changes that would follow too. Throughout these practices he reminds me not to stop my puja. Agathiyar extols the greatness of the Light and starts me on worshiping the agal lamp. Thirumular extols the names of the Siddhas and defines them as Maha mantra too. Agathiyar tells me since man becomes what he shall desire, hence the Siddhas have us chant their names that will pave the way for us too to become them. Agathiyar recommends some remedies to be done at certain temples in India to soften the ill effects of the the planets. This is done by the Nadi reader as my proxy. Agathiyar reveals the time of his "birth" or Jenitta Neram and ask us to conduct his Vizha accordingly. 

Moving on to 2008 and beyond, Agathiyar shares his joy at watching me garland him at his temple, minutes before the reading, Agathiyar speaks about the treasure I received from Tavayogi, the pranayama and asana techniques he showed us on his visit to Malaysia. Patanjali speaks about yoga and the chakras and advises on my diet. Agathiyar speaks about the breath or Vaasi. Agathiyar speaks about my practice and its results. Throughout these I am told never to stop my puja. 

An indication of Agathiyar's temple was mooted again since its mention in my first Nadi reading in 2002. He holds talks through the Nadi with my brother-in-law to allow him a space in the Raghavendra Mrithiga Brindavanam that he was working to built. Agathiyar provides the specifications for making his idol in the following reading. He shares some meditation techniques and practices. Days before his arrival as a statue, Agathiyar excitedly briefs me about the benefits of his coming to Malaysia. He tells me to have a rehearsal of his Jayanthi puja all to myself at dawn before carrying out the Vizha in the midst of others later in the morning. The day he sets foot on this land he calls for a Nadi reading assuring me that all shall be well and fine and speaks further about his Vizha. After the Vizha as if conducting a postmortem on the event he sings his joy and appreciation for us in having carried out his directives. He promises me a gift in return in the years to come. Agathiyar gives me another pranayama technique. Agathiyar is overjoyed by the preaching and writings and the moves taken to spread his path. He list an extensive list of the benefits of Pournami Puja.

The readings went on throughout the years 2010 till 2019. In all these readings, Agathiyar asked us to hold on to puja never to stop till he says. Now why would he keep insisting that we carry on his idol worship and its related rituals if he felt they were not necessary?