Man has neglected the very basic thing in life. His health. When his heath fails he seeks medical attention. When it comes to rituals man once again becomes dependent of others to perform them. In the face of other dangers or when tormented by woes and worries and troubles, he seeks another for a solution. I too had seeked helped in many instances from others in times of trouble. But all that has changed now. The day I took hold of Agathiyar, I only go to him for all my needs. I confront him, I argue with him, I cry to him, I beg him, I appeal - only to him for no one can possibly give more than he does. All the world's greatest saints survived because of him too. We ought to be grateful that the divine works through the medical profession and practitioners of alternative medicine in saving us. We ought to be grateful that we still have some genuine gurus to teach us a thing or too. We ought t be grateful that the divine comes as a stranger and a friend in times of our needs.
When I was called to the path I came empty. In the midst of my seeking to know more about the Siddhas I stood at the doorstep of several organizations. But I could not stay long enough to even be considered a follower. Agathiyar came to my aid. He blessed me with regular Aasi Nadi readings and showed me to two wonderful gurus, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi. They filled me up. I followed all of Agathiyar's dictates through the Nadi, and adhered to directives from both my gurus in physical form. Agathiyar taught me to perform libation or abhisegam on him while Tavayogi showed me lighting the sacred fire pit or Homa. My gurus taught me worship to the divine in many forms, always reminding me that they were all one. Tavayogi taught me pertinent Yoga Asanas and Pranayama. Both my masters and Agathiyar shared mantras to chant. They delivered many miracles to captivate my attention and revealed many secrets. They then sent seekers to my home to listen, watch and join in the puja sessions.
When I came to the path seeking for information on the Siddhas, I was saddened to hear many uphold the notion and opinion that coming to the worship of Siddhas destroys relationships and families. I refused to believe that such a wonderful Neri or path and its Siddhas would do damage to their offsprings and children. I rose to prove them wrong. Tavayogi told me to bring the family into the worship and not to ignore them. Agathiyar told me to take it up, together with looking after our responsibilities towards the family and society. He had in fact matchmade many couples bringing them together in matrimony. He had blessed couples with children too. We too made sure that the devotees spend their time with their families and take up the worship of Siddhas in the comfort of their homes. We proved the skeptics wrong.
When many seeked Tavayogi to officiate Peedhams in their homes and venues gathering small groups of seekers on the path of the Siddhas, I never intended to start one nor did I approach Tavayogi to officiate one at my home. When other organizations had a weekly routine where devotees would gather together on Thursdays to sing the praise of the Siddhas, although initially, I allowed the gathering soon I sent them off to worship the Siddhas in their own homes. I brought Agathiyar's bronze statue from my home to their homes and had them perform the homa and abhisegam with their family members participating together. The puja that initially took between two to three hours to complete soon shrunk to just minutes while the act of charity grew. Along the way, many came over to light a ghee lamp seeking that their wishes be granted by the divine. Many came with prayers asking to heal or save their family members. Many came to join in in the homa and abhisega, seeking solutions to their pressing needs of the day.
Today we conduct the homa and abhisegam only if the need arises and we ask that the devotee who has a prayer to offer, to do charity first before coming over to participate in the puja. We expect them to sit together with their families at their altar in their homes first before coming over to participate. They are asked to purchase all that is required for the puja. We have them come early and prepare and conduct the puja and rituals by themselves with a little bit of guidance from us. If the devotees have been singing the praise of the Siddhas in their own homes, they would be comfortable singing them during the puja. For those who have taken up doing homa, of course, we encourage them to conduct it in their home. We would like them and are trying to educate them to take their lives into their own hands and begin to talk to the divine, seek all that they wanted from him directly rather than engage another to be a medium. It is a known fact that mediums and middlemen are known to have manipulated people and the situation, cheating these desperate souls in times of trouble.
Today we conduct the homa and abhisegam only if the need arises and we ask that the devotee who has a prayer to offer, to do charity first before coming over to participate in the puja. We expect them to sit together with their families at their altar in their homes first before coming over to participate. They are asked to purchase all that is required for the puja. We have them come early and prepare and conduct the puja and rituals by themselves with a little bit of guidance from us. If the devotees have been singing the praise of the Siddhas in their own homes, they would be comfortable singing them during the puja. For those who have taken up doing homa, of course, we encourage them to conduct it in their home. We would like them and are trying to educate them to take their lives into their own hands and begin to talk to the divine, seek all that they wanted from him directly rather than engage another to be a medium. It is a known fact that mediums and middlemen are known to have manipulated people and the situation, cheating these desperate souls in times of trouble.
Besides puja we encourage them to feed the hungry. With puja and charity going hand in hand and with the grace and mercy of the divine and a little bit of assistance from the guru and the Siddhas, one's wishes are granted. Many take up the task of doing charity or feeding only to satisfy the asking or directive in their Nadi as a means to appease their karma and stop at that not taking it up as a life long practice. When we started charity on a wider scale, of course, there was then a need to officially register a movement PTS as we handled members and donor's contributions.
Then there are many other tools to keep man save. But these should be put to good use while one is hale and healthy and not when faced with danger. It is always better to prevent something from occurring rather than to treat it later. We have numerous Kavasams or songs that tend to protect one from harm's way. Adopting a life devoted to the daily worship of the divine will keep the dark forces and harm away. Treating the problem once it crops up will take time and energy and of course money.
Let us prepare for the rainy day rather than get caught in the rain or be surprised. Agathiyar himself sings the praise of Lord Narayana while all his senses are in a top form reminding himself and us too that we might not be in the state to even think about the divine much less pray or sing his praises in our illness or at our deathbed.
நாராயணா ஸ்ரீமத் நாராயணா
பத்ரி நாராயணா ஹரி நாராயணா
நாராயணா ஸத்ய நாராயணா
சூர்ய நாராயணா லக்ஷ்மி நாராயணா
நொந்துடலும் கிழமாகித் தளர்ந்தபின்
நோயில் நடுங்கிடும் போது – ஜீவ
நாடிகள் நைந்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
கசிந்துன்னைக் கூவுகின்றேன் அருள் செய்திடுவாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
நீடு கபம் கோழை ஈழை நெருக்கி – என்
நெஞ்சை அடைத்திடும் போது
நாவும் குழறியபோது – மனம்உன்னை
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நான்
அன்றுனைக் கூவிட இன்றழைத்தேன் எனை
ஆண்டருள்வாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
ஐம்பொறியும் கரணங்களும் வாயுவும்
ஆடி அடங்கிடும் போது – எந்தன்
ஆவி பிரிந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
நம்பி உனைத் தொழுதே அழைத்தேன்
ஜகன் நாயகனே ஹரி நாராயணா
உற்றவர் பெற்றவர் மற்றவர் சுற்றமும்
ஒவென்று நின்றழும்போது – உயிர்
ஓசைகள் ஓய்ந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
பற்றி உனைப் பணிந்தே அழைத்தேன் – ஆபத்
பாந்தவனே ஹரி நாராயணா
என்பொருள் என்மனை என்றதெல்லாம் இனி
இல்லை என்றாகிடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நீ
அன்று வரும் பொருட்டின்றழைத்தேன் அருள்
அச்சுதனே ஹரி நாராயணா
வந்தமெதூர் வளைத்து பிரித்தெனை
வாவென்றிழுத்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – அந்த
அந்தியம் நீ வர இன்றழைத்தேன்
ஸச்சிதானந்தனே ஹரி நாராயணா
Agathiyar places himself in our shoes and sees himself face old age and death. At that moment of inability, immobility, and gone senile, or with acute illness, he says he might not be able to utter the name of Lord Narayana, hence he reminds us to take the opportunity to sing the praise of the Lord right now at this very moment while we are hale and healthy, quite akin to saving for a raining day.
At that hour when death approaches me I am not sure if I will remember you, hence I am remembering you now Narayana, please take heed of my calling,
When kapam or phlegm arises and my tongue quivers, I am not sure if I will remember you, hence I am calling you now so that you would appear then to save me, Lord Narayana,
When vayu or the vital air comes to a halt, and all senses seize to function, and my soul begins to leave, I am not sure if I would be thinking of you, hence I call out to you now so that you come to my aid then,
When all that I thought was mine suddenly is of no significance and importance at the time of death, I am not sure if I will remember you my Lord, but nevertheless, I pray that you would come then Lord Narayana, hence I am calling you out now,
When Yama's servants appear to bind and take me away, I cannot promise that I would think of you, hence I call you now my Lord,
When my next of kin surround my death bed and wail and cry out, I don't know if your thought will arise in me, hence I cry out for you my Lord this very moment, so that you would appear to save me during my final moments! and so the song goes on.
This is what we should be doing daily for we might not be even able to say his name, let alone call out to him to save us in our hour of need. It is time to leave the classroom and get our hands dirty doing the practical and real thing. Of course, we understand if you are ill or your mobility is restricted or you are not in a financial position to help. But there are other ways to compensate.
பத்ரி நாராயணா ஹரி நாராயணா
நாராயணா ஸத்ய நாராயணா
சூர்ய நாராயணா லக்ஷ்மி நாராயணா
நொந்துடலும் கிழமாகித் தளர்ந்தபின்
நோயில் நடுங்கிடும் போது – ஜீவ
நாடிகள் நைந்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
கசிந்துன்னைக் கூவுகின்றேன் அருள் செய்திடுவாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
நீடு கபம் கோழை ஈழை நெருக்கி – என்
நெஞ்சை அடைத்திடும் போது
நாவும் குழறியபோது – மனம்உன்னை
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நான்
அன்றுனைக் கூவிட இன்றழைத்தேன் எனை
ஆண்டருள்வாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
ஐம்பொறியும் கரணங்களும் வாயுவும்
ஆடி அடங்கிடும் போது – எந்தன்
ஆவி பிரிந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
நம்பி உனைத் தொழுதே அழைத்தேன்
ஜகன் நாயகனே ஹரி நாராயணா
உற்றவர் பெற்றவர் மற்றவர் சுற்றமும்
ஒவென்று நின்றழும்போது – உயிர்
ஓசைகள் ஓய்ந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
பற்றி உனைப் பணிந்தே அழைத்தேன் – ஆபத்
பாந்தவனே ஹரி நாராயணா
என்பொருள் என்மனை என்றதெல்லாம் இனி
இல்லை என்றாகிடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நீ
அன்று வரும் பொருட்டின்றழைத்தேன் அருள்
அச்சுதனே ஹரி நாராயணா
வந்தமெதூர் வளைத்து பிரித்தெனை
வாவென்றிழுத்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – அந்த
அந்தியம் நீ வர இன்றழைத்தேன்
ஸச்சிதானந்தனே ஹரி நாராயணா
Agathiyar places himself in our shoes and sees himself face old age and death. At that moment of inability, immobility, and gone senile, or with acute illness, he says he might not be able to utter the name of Lord Narayana, hence he reminds us to take the opportunity to sing the praise of the Lord right now at this very moment while we are hale and healthy, quite akin to saving for a raining day.
At that hour when death approaches me I am not sure if I will remember you, hence I am remembering you now Narayana, please take heed of my calling,
When kapam or phlegm arises and my tongue quivers, I am not sure if I will remember you, hence I am calling you now so that you would appear then to save me, Lord Narayana,
When vayu or the vital air comes to a halt, and all senses seize to function, and my soul begins to leave, I am not sure if I would be thinking of you, hence I call out to you now so that you come to my aid then,
When all that I thought was mine suddenly is of no significance and importance at the time of death, I am not sure if I will remember you my Lord, but nevertheless, I pray that you would come then Lord Narayana, hence I am calling you out now,
When Yama's servants appear to bind and take me away, I cannot promise that I would think of you, hence I call you now my Lord,
When my next of kin surround my death bed and wail and cry out, I don't know if your thought will arise in me, hence I cry out for you my Lord this very moment, so that you would appear to save me during my final moments! and so the song goes on.
This is what we should be doing daily for we might not be even able to say his name, let alone call out to him to save us in our hour of need. It is time to leave the classroom and get our hands dirty doing the practical and real thing. Of course, we understand if you are ill or your mobility is restricted or you are not in a financial position to help. But there are other ways to compensate.