Coming to the Kaanda Nadi and Agathiyar, first, he reveals who we are, who we were and where we are headed. Then he speaks about the past karma that we did which necessitated another birth - this birth - after taking numerous other births earlier. He then predicts what is in store for us in the future and the many possibilities available. He does not influence us nor compel us. The choice and the options are given for us to choose either to listen and follow accordingly or to turn a deaf ear and carry on with our lives. Nevertheless, he shall list a whole lot of remedies or parikaram to be executed in good time to see some positive changes if we desire. If we chose to follow diligently every command of his he comes again and again through the Aasi Nadi to guide us further. He comes to shelter us from the storm and rain. If we choose otherwise we are left to battle our foes and fight the war all alone.
He shall recommend several measures in the form of performing remedies to soften the effect of our past karma on us. He helps us shift our karma. He helps us dissolve them. He helps us thin it. He wipes it completely for some. For some, he would suggest rituals like personally lighting or conducting the sacrificial fire or Yagna or Homa. For others, he would ask them to sit in and participate in his puja conducted elsewhere. For others, he shall ask that they conduct specific pujas that of course would need them to engage the temple priests. Many will be sent on a pilgrimage of temples to pray and ask that they are pardoned and get the blessings of the specific deities. Many more will be asked to cook and feed the hungry. All these measures that he stipulates out of love and compassion for us are for our good and to uplift us from the pains of life, a result of bad karma or insufficient merits and good karma.
If money is used to settle our material depts, virtue settles karmic debts says Dr. Zhi Gang Sha in his book "The Power of Soul", Atria Paperback, NY, 2009. Hence the reason all saints, masters, and great men harp on building good virtues. Tiruvalluvar, Avvai and their sacred texts that have come to us over time ask us to uphold great virtues and to be exemplary models to others.
Tiruvalluvar gave us the "Tirukkural" reminding us to be righteous; be kind in speech; be grateful; maintain self-control; do not desire another man’s wife; be forgiving; do not envy; do not covet; do not slander; perform charity; be truthful; abstain from anger; and be courteous.
Avvai gave us the "Avvai Paadal", "Aatthi Chudi" and "Kondrai Venthan". Avvai in "Aatthi Chudi" has 109 advises for us, amongst them: do good; control anger; do not hinder aid to others; feed the hungry; help the needy; keep reading; do not be jealous of other’s achievement; help your relatives and friends grow with you; look after your parents; do not forget those who have come to your aid; do not secure what does not belong to you; do not venture into things that are degrading by nature; abstain from using harsh language; refrain from thinking degrading thoughts; do not harm others; give your best in every venture that you undertake; lead an honest life; respect others. Similarly Avvai in "Konrai Venthan", has 91 advises for us. Through her "Avvai Paadal", "Muthural", she has 30 advices and another 40 in "Nalvazhi."
Pathanjali gave us the "Yoga Sutras". Pathanjali lays out eight stages: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. They start with the very basic – characteristics of a good person. They speak about good morals and attributes.
Agathiyar through his Agasthiyar Gnanam spells out the attributes that one should seek and become. Svatmarama gave us the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika".
The virtues that we bring live too are registered in the Akashic records and the Soul says the Dr. Gaining virtues will help pay our spiritual debts in our Akashic book little by little he says. The dark records will then be erased too little by little. The lessons that are supposed to come to us and we are to receive in the form of sickness, broken relationships, financial challenges, and all other blockages, says the Dr, are canceled when we start to build and strengthen our vault of virtues.
Again the Dr reiterates that the only tool to escape from the hold of karma is to offer unconditional universal service. Let us not allow others to hijack our plans to achieve oneness with divinity. Let us not allow our weaknesses to take control of our mind, body, and soul. Let us instead work on gaining virtues and merits to offset our karma.
If money is used to settle our material depts, virtue settles karmic debts says Dr. Zhi Gang Sha in his book "The Power of Soul", Atria Paperback, NY, 2009. Hence the reason all saints, masters, and great men harp on building good virtues. Tiruvalluvar, Avvai and their sacred texts that have come to us over time ask us to uphold great virtues and to be exemplary models to others.
Tiruvalluvar gave us the "Tirukkural" reminding us to be righteous; be kind in speech; be grateful; maintain self-control; do not desire another man’s wife; be forgiving; do not envy; do not covet; do not slander; perform charity; be truthful; abstain from anger; and be courteous.
Avvai gave us the "Avvai Paadal", "Aatthi Chudi" and "Kondrai Venthan". Avvai in "Aatthi Chudi" has 109 advises for us, amongst them: do good; control anger; do not hinder aid to others; feed the hungry; help the needy; keep reading; do not be jealous of other’s achievement; help your relatives and friends grow with you; look after your parents; do not forget those who have come to your aid; do not secure what does not belong to you; do not venture into things that are degrading by nature; abstain from using harsh language; refrain from thinking degrading thoughts; do not harm others; give your best in every venture that you undertake; lead an honest life; respect others. Similarly Avvai in "Konrai Venthan", has 91 advises for us. Through her "Avvai Paadal", "Muthural", she has 30 advices and another 40 in "Nalvazhi."
Pathanjali gave us the "Yoga Sutras". Pathanjali lays out eight stages: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. They start with the very basic – characteristics of a good person. They speak about good morals and attributes.
Agathiyar through his Agasthiyar Gnanam spells out the attributes that one should seek and become. Svatmarama gave us the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika".
The virtues that we bring live too are registered in the Akashic records and the Soul says the Dr. Gaining virtues will help pay our spiritual debts in our Akashic book little by little he says. The dark records will then be erased too little by little. The lessons that are supposed to come to us and we are to receive in the form of sickness, broken relationships, financial challenges, and all other blockages, says the Dr, are canceled when we start to build and strengthen our vault of virtues.
Again the Dr reiterates that the only tool to escape from the hold of karma is to offer unconditional universal service. Let us not allow others to hijack our plans to achieve oneness with divinity. Let us not allow our weaknesses to take control of our mind, body, and soul. Let us instead work on gaining virtues and merits to offset our karma.
For those of us who have completed these remedies and taken the stand that we would not accumulate fresh and new karma through our deeds and look towards Agathiyar for further guidance, Agathiyar now sets us on doing charity and feeding the hungry, this time not to save ourselves from the effects of their past karma, but to help eradicate the karma of the receivers. Those whom we feed will tend to win their war against the ill-effects of their bad karma through assistance from us and through the food that we serve them. We become the tools of the divine to answer their prayers.
Hence the act of feeding others has a twin purpose in that it cuts through karma for the giver and the receiver alike. While the giver, besides shedding his karma, gains merits and plus points, the receiver sees his hunger, illness, and sufferings go away. With compassion on the part of the giver to do more the life of the receiver changes for the better. The giver begets satisfaction at having done something purposeful.
Then we are told that doing charity and dharma will ensure success in our austerities or spiritual practices tavam and tapas. The benefits acquired through the years of tavam can be accomplished easily through doing charity. For some, they need not engage in subjecting themselves to tedious and long hours of strict regimes. They only need to opt to do charity and they shall gain the same results expected from the former. Some are asked to cook and serve people while others are asked to serve the master or guru that is said to be sufficient. As the Gods are pleased by this divine act of charity hence there is a need to be focused on one path that of charity. Following the path of Dharma and taking it as a tool, tavam is assured says Lord Muruga. Dharma can be equated to Tavam. Karma is shattered using Dharma as a tool. Just as karma is worked out by traveling to places of worship perched on hilltops, and in places least accessible, having to endure long walks and climbs, similarly participating in the preparation, cooking, packing and distributing food to the hungry helps shed our karma too. The essence and benefits derived from doing these acts of charity and dharma enter the body subtly. The soul of the one receiving the food rejoices and the soul of the one giving food attains an equal state as well. Siva then comes within to execute the work. With the blessings of the receiver and the essence of the act on the part of the giver, the soul of the giver grows and expands in magnitude.
The Dr summarizes our journey here saying that the physical journey is to serve the soul journey. The soul needs to grow and expand or gain soul strength or Atma Balam. It grows proportionate to the extent of charity and service done. The more you serve, the higher the soul standing exerts the Dr. The higher the soul standing, the more soul power you receive to serve. When the soul begins to grow compassion or daio arises. With it, Sivam comes within. With the coming of Sivam within one cheats death or Kaalan. Furthermore, we are told that the state of mukti comes easy for those engaged in charity.
Then we are told that doing charity and dharma will ensure success in our austerities or spiritual practices tavam and tapas. The benefits acquired through the years of tavam can be accomplished easily through doing charity. For some, they need not engage in subjecting themselves to tedious and long hours of strict regimes. They only need to opt to do charity and they shall gain the same results expected from the former. Some are asked to cook and serve people while others are asked to serve the master or guru that is said to be sufficient. As the Gods are pleased by this divine act of charity hence there is a need to be focused on one path that of charity. Following the path of Dharma and taking it as a tool, tavam is assured says Lord Muruga. Dharma can be equated to Tavam. Karma is shattered using Dharma as a tool. Just as karma is worked out by traveling to places of worship perched on hilltops, and in places least accessible, having to endure long walks and climbs, similarly participating in the preparation, cooking, packing and distributing food to the hungry helps shed our karma too. The essence and benefits derived from doing these acts of charity and dharma enter the body subtly. The soul of the one receiving the food rejoices and the soul of the one giving food attains an equal state as well. Siva then comes within to execute the work. With the blessings of the receiver and the essence of the act on the part of the giver, the soul of the giver grows and expands in magnitude.
The Dr summarizes our journey here saying that the physical journey is to serve the soul journey. The soul needs to grow and expand or gain soul strength or Atma Balam. It grows proportionate to the extent of charity and service done. The more you serve, the higher the soul standing exerts the Dr. The higher the soul standing, the more soul power you receive to serve. When the soul begins to grow compassion or daio arises. With it, Sivam comes within. With the coming of Sivam within one cheats death or Kaalan. Furthermore, we are told that the state of mukti comes easy for those engaged in charity.