In the early days of my frantic search to know God, the only means I knew was from reading books. These were the years leading to the nineties. Then there was the internet that came in handy. But it was only in 2001 that the divine knocked on my door mysteriously. Till then I had never imagined that the Siddhas would extend an invitation to join their exclusive following. I never imagined that I would have a calling. I never imagined that I would get a calling to go over to India. I never imagined that I would hook up with two wonderful gurus in physical form. I never imagined that I would travel with them to places of significance to the Siddhas, saints, and gurus. I never imagined that the Siddhas would come down from their realm to ours. I never imagined that we could communicate with them. All this seems like a dream these days.
We have come to realize that what Agathiyar said, "Let it happen and I shall believe say men; belief and it shall take place say the Siddhas" is true from experience. Tavayogi used to say do not take the word of even the Siddhas blindly but realize the truth in it first. This realization comes from experience. The lessons learned from these experiences shall become Jnana or wisdom for others, we are often and regularly reminded, these days.
Andy Williams wrote and sang a song for the movie "Love Story" many years back. The lyrics would apply to us too, Agathiyar and me, by substituting the object of worship with Agathiyar.
Where do I begin
To tell the story of how great a love can be
The sweet love story that is older than the sea
The simple truth about the love she brings to me
Where do I start
With her first hello
She gave new meaning to this empty world of mine
There'd never be another love, another time
She came into my life and made the living fine
She fills my heart
She fills my heart with very special things
With angels' songs, with wild imaginings
She fills my soul with so much love
That anywhere I go, I'm never lonely
With her around, who could be lonely
I reach for her hand-it's always there
How long does it last
Can love be measured by the hours in a day
I have no answers now but this much I can say
I know I'll need her till the stars all burn away
And she'll be there
How long does it last
Can love be measured by the hours in a day
I have no answers now but this much I can say
I know I'll need her till the stars all burn away
And she'll be there
To tell the story of how great a love can be
The sweet love story that is older than the sea
The simple truth about the love she brings to me
Where do I start
With her first hello
She gave new meaning to this empty world of mine
There'd never be another love, another time
She came into my life and made the living fine
She fills my heart
She fills my heart with very special things
With angels' songs, with wild imaginings
She fills my soul with so much love
That anywhere I go, I'm never lonely
With her around, who could be lonely
I reach for her hand-it's always there
How long does it last
Can love be measured by the hours in a day
I have no answers now but this much I can say
I know I'll need her till the stars all burn away
And she'll be there
How long does it last
Can love be measured by the hours in a day
I have no answers now but this much I can say
I know I'll need her till the stars all burn away
And she'll be there
It is no surprise to us these days as all the saints too have loved their ideal form of God or Ista Devata. In "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swamigal" by Dr. C. Srinivasan, Ramalinga Adigal explains the eternal union and communion of the Supreme God.
The Lord Supreme who has established a fondling abode in me got Himself not only merged in me but got me merged in Him. He became one with me. He became Himself realized in me. The supremely sweet Lord dancing in the arena of pure knowledge and wisdom is in me in a state of blissful ambrosia.
In fact the Swami goes a step further to point out that it is only the love of God that has alchemised his body and brought him all bliss and eternal happiness. Love of God is not only the means for the realization of God but is an end in itself as God is love.
In "Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingar" by G.Vanmikanathan, Published by Sahitya Akademi, the author classifies Ramalinga Adigal's life into three distinct portions.
During the first period, he travelled on the toilsome Purgative Way, during the second period, he travelled up the not so arduous Illuminative Way, and during the last period, he travelled on the joyous Unitive Way.
In Upanishadic language, these three Ways are defined in the world-famous prayer,
From the unreal lead me to the Real,From darkness lead me to Light,From death lead me to Immortality.
Discrimination of the Real from the unreal is the keynote of the journey on the Purgative Way; the travel from darkness to Light is the journey on the Illuminative Way; the resurrection from death to a life of deathlessness, to amritvam, is the journey on the Unitive Way.
In this battle between evil and good, between the pull of the world and the pull of God, God won slowly and steadily. In the conflict of the unreal and the Real, the Real won.
The journey on the Purgative Way ends on a note of victory, over that self same mind which even less than ten decads earlier was obstinate, obstreperous, obstructive, obdurate. Ramalingar has received God’s grace in full measure and has come out victorious over his arch-enemy, the mind. God has taken His abode therein.
On this journey Ramalingar gained knowledge, gnosis, gnaanam. What is this gnaanam that Ramalingar gained? He learnt that God is love. He experienced through every fibre of his being the truth of the unique pronounce ment of Thirumoolar.
Ramalingar declares, “Such a One with three eyes dwells in my mind”. Ramalingar gained this illumination from this Dweller in the mind, from this One who does not desert one’s heart for even as long as it takes to wink, from this ullam-kavar-kalvan the Stealer of one’s heart. To this Stealer Ramalingar lost his heart and became his bride. It is this love-drama which is enacted in 24 decads in the language of bridal mysticism. This is the Bridal Mysticism which is a unique characteristic of the manner in which the saints of Tamilnadu apprehended the Godhead. Ramalingar plays the role of the bride and, of course, God is the bride groom.
Closer to home the divine wanting to hear the soulful songs of his devotees requested us to sing a song by Ramalinga Adigal. We sang his "Ambalatharase Arumarunthe." He was so delighted that he began to sway and rose to dance. It was a completely uplifting phenomenon, literally speaking too. We were blessed indeed to witness something of this nature. As we stood around him and he began to bless all those gathered, he placed another request to Jegan Shanmugam to sing his favorite song on Lord Narayana, one that Agathiyar himself had penned. Jegan sang to his pleasure. Jegan Shanmugam has rendered many devotional songs each time he drops by at AVM for prayers. Here are a wonderful collection and compilation of songs including Agathiyar's favorite.
Agathiyar has often requested similar songs from another devotee who sings beautifully, Vinthamaray Stan Santosh. His favorite was always Ramalinga Adigal's "Thannai Arinthu."
Both these talented singers had been roped in by Gowri Arumugam to sing with her and others in AVM and Raagawave Production of a compilation of songs on Agathiyar "Agathiyar Geetham." Gowri came out with this audio CD album, initiated and with the blessings of Agathiyar and Tavayogi.
We jokingly told ourselves that we have to prepare, rehearse and practice a long list of songs for we shall never know what song the divine would request from us on his/her next visit.