The Siddha path is one that stresses the practical aspect or sadhana rather than theoretical knowledge or exposition. Hence asking me to come to his path, Agathiyar got me on the go visiting several temples that he named. On the pretext of getting me to do parikara, he brought me to ancient temples that I guess I had been to in my past lives without my knowledge. Years later he tells me for instance that I was living at Papanasam, which I visited with Tavayogi in 2005, in a past life. My wife and I sold fruits within the temple grounds. Our usual routine would be to offer fruits to Agathiyar who resides in a separate sannadhi in the Kutraleshswar temple. My daughter would pick a fruit and feed the granite statue of Agathiyar daily.
Then Agathiyar introduced me to two gurus. Supramania Swami on my first visit revealed about me and why I had come. On my second visit 3 years later, he brought his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar who had gone into samadhi t his kudil to chant with us. Later he took me to the Yogi's samadhi temple and a couple of temples in Tiruvannamalai.
Then Agathiyar introduced me to two gurus. Supramania Swami on my first visit revealed about me and why I had come. On my second visit 3 years later, he brought his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar who had gone into samadhi t his kudil to chant with us. Later he took me to the Yogi's samadhi temple and a couple of temples in Tiruvannamalai.
Tavayogi brought me on a different journey, that of exploring the places where the Siddhas hid out, doing tavam, away from the public's eye. He brought me into the jungles, hills, and caves to have a first-hand experience rather than give discourses in the comfort of his ashram.
Once back home Agathiyar started me on doing puja, rituals, and charity. Agathiyar and Tavayogi taught us the practical aspects of Yoga Asanas and Pranayama. Having put us through the first phase, that of Sadhana, today he has brought us to the second phase that of going within. By going within, all pursuits cease. The pursuit of the Self itself brings an end to all external seeking and searching. It is only when we settle down in a place and bring the senses within that the lure of the external ceases. Hence the reason many seek solitude for a period of time at least until they learn to manage and gain the strength to come back into society to face the external lures of life with the right mind.
Once back home Agathiyar started me on doing puja, rituals, and charity. Agathiyar and Tavayogi taught us the practical aspects of Yoga Asanas and Pranayama. Having put us through the first phase, that of Sadhana, today he has brought us to the second phase that of going within. By going within, all pursuits cease. The pursuit of the Self itself brings an end to all external seeking and searching. It is only when we settle down in a place and bring the senses within that the lure of the external ceases. Hence the reason many seek solitude for a period of time at least until they learn to manage and gain the strength to come back into society to face the external lures of life with the right mind.
By asking us to do remedies for past karma, to right the wrong we did, to do charity and lots of puja, Agathiyar brought us through a process of purification and refinement in our thoughts and deeds. Today he brings us to perform inner purification and refinement by just sitting quietly and observing the breath. Here there is no effort on our part as previously done. Here the Siddhas shall conduct our breath henceforth. Having shown discipline and seriousness in all their undertakings and adhering to the words of the Siddhas, taking efforts to carry out the Siddhas willing, the seeker is relieved of placing further effort. Instead, the Siddhas have taken the reins, to lift us to greater frontiers. The process has already begun for some at ATM, as vouchsafed by them.
Being born in a world that itself is a long-standing illusion, since time immemorial, Sage Vasishta, the guru of Raghuvamsa, warns the young Prince Rama, barely 16 years of age, of the nature of this world - a world that is supported by both the rajasic and the tamasic and tells him of the need to carefully see through this illusion and shed these Gunas, adopting a sattvic way in all manners of life. Going on a pilgrimage of holy abodes throughout his kingdom, Rama returns to the palace. Soon he becomes disillusioned and finds himself disinterested in the princely life and all that it has to offer to him. He sought something else.
The guidance that Vasishta gives to Rama, who lived and ruled during the Tretha Yuga, applies to us in this age too. His purpose in coming is made known by the wise sage. Vasishta reveals the steps that shall bring one to the liberation of the soul that came to be attached to this body, to the young prince. One needs to lead the mind to a state of holiness first he is told. Learning of the Sastras keeps one firmly grounded in faith and belief in the divine. Dispassion comes next followed by seeking the wise and keeping their company.
We do not know our true value. But the Siddha who has been assigned to us and has followed us for ages knows our soul. He shall do all things in his might to help elevate our souls, giving us the right experiences to learn lessons from living in this world. He comes at the nick of time to save us from plunging too far down into the grasp of passion and getting caught in the web of the lure of the world. He lifts us from it, giving us just sufficient time to dwell on it, just giving us a taste of the experience, that is considered sufficient and moves us on to newer experiences. But the trouble with us is that we get hooked to these pleasures and they override all other preferences in life. If we take heed of the Siddhas who come along with their wisdom, it brings clarity to us, clarity that soon changes our fate and brings peace within.
If we make assessment and judgment based on other's actions, the Siddhas see only the soul. Our actions although shall disrupt our lives but it never has a hold on the soul. As Patanjali says, so does Vasishta say that the soul has no relation whatsoever with the body. Hence even if the body is tainted the soul remains pure. Hence the reason for the Siddha to continuously remind us that they only see the soul. The results of our actions that come as karma is only for the body to face as the body is the vehicle for the soul to have a learning. Living out the karma in its entirety, remaining unnerved and unattached to the pain, and torment, carrying the incurable illness and disease of the body, is how some saints lived their lives at times. Agathiyar too has often repeatedly told me to ignore the discomfort and pain in the body.
If we make assessment and judgment based on other's actions, the Siddhas see only the soul. Our actions although shall disrupt our lives but it never has a hold on the soul. As Patanjali says, so does Vasishta say that the soul has no relation whatsoever with the body. Hence even if the body is tainted the soul remains pure. Hence the reason for the Siddha to continuously remind us that they only see the soul. The results of our actions that come as karma is only for the body to face as the body is the vehicle for the soul to have a learning. Living out the karma in its entirety, remaining unnerved and unattached to the pain, and torment, carrying the incurable illness and disease of the body, is how some saints lived their lives at times. Agathiyar too has often repeatedly told me to ignore the discomfort and pain in the body.
Vasishta gives a full discourse to Rama on reflection of life and the nature of the true Self and its relation to the world that he sees as an illusion. Vasishta narrates the story of King Janaka to Rama. Janaka happened to come by a group of Siddhas singing in chorus. A Siddha is one fulfilled in his purpose, that he has no more to search and seek. It was the Siddha song called Siddha Geeta. Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha in translating this song in his book "Quietude of the Mind", Narayanashrama Tapvanam, Paralam, 1975, ends with a note.
The noble people should try to acieve the holy and benign happiness which emerges from the inner psychic quietitude. One whose mind is steeped in quietitude attains freedom from his desires. He will led to the most holy state of the delightful Self the state wherein he abides in his own innate nature, which is supremely peaceful and quiet.
By abiding more within himself than outside, he gains the inner spiritual communion. This inner communion will purify his being, sharpen his understanding, rarefy his thoughts and inquiry, eventually he realizes that there is nothing else, either as the cause or as the effect.End. This is the sublime teaching of the Siddha Geeta.
Hearing the Siddha song drove Janaka into deep thought and inquiry. As he sat at the verandah of his palace and gazed out into deep thoughts, he thought of how minute was his span of a life upon this earth compared to the ceaseless course of the eternal time. "My soul was ageless before it came here. After leaving here too is going to be endless. Yet I being a fool think this present or middle period upon earth to be the real. My fame, fortune, and riches are false. Where are the riches of the so-called monarchs who ruled this earth? All that was there at one time have gone to sheer dust later", laments the King alone.
Agathiyar in "Perunool Kaviyam 12000" reveals what took place.
கோனான ராசாதிராசர் தாமும் கொற்ற வனாராண்ட தொரு வழியுமாமே வழியான முனியுகத்தில் ராசரெல்லாம் வையகத்தையாண்ட தொரு தடமுமாகும் பழியான ரிடியினது சாபத்தாலே பாங்கான கோட்டையது மண்மேடாச்சு அழியாத ஆஸ்தான மண்டபங்கள் அவனிதனில் பிரளயத்தால் முடலாச்சு.
P Karthigayan in his book "History of Medical & Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", published by Notion Press Chennai, 2016 writes that there is literary evidence by Agathiyar about a hole on the surface of earth wherein the great kings of ancient periods, pre-14 yugas were buried with their country by natural calamities witnessed by Bhogar.
Siddhas report of having seen 17 yugas or eons come and go as we stand in the 18 yuga. P. Karthigayan says that Siddhas kept historical records in their literature as far back as the 15th yuga, the Kreda yuga. As for the period of time before the advent of the Kreda yuga, only puranas and epics give some clue. Anjana Rishi is said to have lived for 10 yugas and having witnessed many deluges. References and recent excavations suggest that Siddhas had lived at the time of the great dinosaurs some 23 generations before Tirumular. Karuvurar, Agathiyar and Subramaniyar have spoken about these 18 yugas too. Great spiritual masters of the past had belonged to ancient yogic cults that prevailed on the now submerged lands of the Indian Ocean, and are presently considered divinities of Hinduism writes Karthigayan.
Brooding long about life, Janaka realizes, "All my dangers and calamities are the net, woven by the hundreds of threads of my own desires and ambitions." Caught in this net, he says he had enough of this weaving, and enough of this bondage. "Let me take resolve to rest in my inner chamber. Now I have at last been awakened by this high souled Siddhas. From now on I shall heed my soul, follow the Atma, which is the only sure means to attain freedom and supreme bliss. Let me sit alone and withdrawn. I shall win quietude in my own soul and find all my peace and contentment therein." In these quiet moments, his minister came to announce the arrival of dignitaries from abroad. Janaka pondered for a while. He realized that the soul neither can benefit from action nor beget harm by inaction. It is pure and immortal. Like the soul in my body, let me sit quietly and still, alone and contented. He then decided, "However, let me rise up. Let the body pursue whatever it has been used to. To restrain it all of a sudden will be wrong and damaging. If the mind remains desireless the results of actions done by the body and its limbs will be taintless." Hence he made his way to meet his royal visitors. Having reflected thus at length Janaka attended to all his duties and work relating to his kingdom. He was neither over concerned nor worried. He was dwelling cheerfully in the present accepting whatever that came to him as an event or duty. From then on Janaka became a Jeeva Mukta.
The enlightened did not continue to stay on solitude or keep themselves shut away from others. The saints after enlightenment came back into the society but stayed aloof and did not allow matters of the world to disturb their peace. The Siddhas too live in our midst attending to their chores and occasionally aid us when we call for them.
Finally, Vasishta tells Rama, "Liberation, Oh Rama does not reign in the heaven above or in the patala below. It does not exist anywhere upon the surface of this earth either. Liberation or moksha is in truth the mind that has been rendered pure and transparent by the majesty of the full-grown wisdom. By cultivating detachment and indifference towards the entirety of desires and cravings the mind is naturally led to its own virtual extinction. The extinction of the mind is the outcome of liberation. Attaining supreme wisdom upon overcoming the state of delusion, he will realize that the real being in him is such that it is devoid of bondage and liberation which will be baseless. By virtue of his wisdom and realization, he will become contented and full that there is no seeking or achieving anything whatever."