Whenever Jegan Shanmugam comes over to AVM we get him to sing a song for us. We get Vinthamaray to sing for us too. These days the divine puts in a request for songs too. They have become more specific on their choice of songs too. Once the divine requested Vinthamaray an Ambal song or song in praise of Mother Goddess. She sang "Sundari Soundari Niranthariye." Our favourite and the divines were always her renditions of Ramalinga Adigal's "Vennilaa Kanni" - "Thannai Arinthu Inbamura Vennilave."
Jegan comes prepared with new songs too. He had introduced us to songs like the Nadesar Paathu, and Agathiyar's "Narayana Hari Narayana" too. Recently he sang the first song he trained in Sanggeeta class, "Janani Janani" and another from the movie "Sarvam Taalamayam" The divine then asks us to render a song from Vallal (Ramalinga Adigal). We chose to sing "Ambalatharasay." As the divine blessed Jegan he requested him to sing a song on Narayana. It was both amusing and amazing to realize that the divine listens on to all the songs we dish out and sits in our presence and answers all our prayers. We are blessed indeed.
And so as Suren and I spoke over the phone, I mentioned that captivated by the song "Varuvaaya?" from "Sarvam Taalamayam" I watched the movie, something I hardly do these days. It was a wonderful depiction of the Guru/ Disciple relationship that we could also relate to the spiritual arena. We could not but come together in unison on appreciating our relationship with Agathiyar too. We reflected on the greatness of Agathiyar and the amount of love and compassion he has for all of us.
Just fresh from a Nadi reading that Agathiyar provided through Mataji Saroji Ammaiyaar of Kallar Ashram while visiting AVM, on 24 December 2019, we reflected, analyzed and tried to understand the message that Agathiyar brought across to the AVM family.
Today we understand why Lord Muruga told us that we would do things differently. When everyone rushed to Tavayogi to ask him over to officiate a peedham or society that they desired to start, on his numerous visits to Malaysia several years back, I refrained from asking for I had no intention of starting one. I had seen and heard enough problems and troubles in the existing movements, groups, peedhams, and ashrams. When both Lord Muruga and Agathiyar asked me to start one, I defied them for the very first time. I told them I had no interest and that all was going well with the way things were. I was satisfied with my home puja and the occasional gathering of his devotees on auspicious days. The divine listened and shelved the plan to move and expand. The elaborate rituals that we undertook after gathering much information on the Siddhas, dwindled to mere minutes as we were moved to go within. The large gathering of devotees dwindled too as Agathiyar told, leaving behind only the cream.
When I did ask her the night before her arrival at ATM if she wanted us to do puja or if she would like to address the gathering, Mataji left it to me entirely to decide the program for the day. I thought that since she has seen and participated in countless pujas and has spoken in all the venues and temples she visited during her tour of Malaysia, let us give her a break and she should rest that day, just seeing and exchanging talk with devotees of Agathiyar. Upon her arrival, we invited her to light an Aganda Deepam and she sang a couple of couplets on Agathiyar, the Siddhas and Jhoti.
After 61 Nadi readings and numerous instructions from the divine during their quick and short manifestations through devotees, Agathiyar has groomed us well, guided us well and brought us to a state of satisfaction and contentment. But as a student I did ask if there was more to be done, asking for further directions from Tavayogi on his last visit to Malaysia in 2016. He replied simply implying that Agathiyar would direct us. Similarly, I did ask Mataji for further directions too on her recent visit, as she spent some quality time with us at AVM. She told us as did Agathiyar that we needed to shift to meditation or Dhynam. We took the opportunity to ask her to lead us on meditation which she did. Coming out of meditation she told us that Agathiyar has a message for us and went on to read the Nadi. We were surprised that Agathiyar too gave us our next tasks that of going deeper into meditation. He then addressed all the devotees gathered and left abruptly for his abode in Pothigai.
During Mataji's recent visit to AVM, with four heads of respective ashrams and peedhams including her, joining us, one would expect that these heads would be invited to take the stage and talk, preach and advise the gathering, we chose to let a devotee share his experience while on a pilgrimage to Sabarimalai instead. We made a difference here that the attendees appreciated. We have been breaking the norm and practices but the divine has never apprehended us for doing so but instead has appreciated our moves, thoughts, and perspectives positively.
Reflecting on the days happening and the years of worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, I asked Suren to note all that we spoke that night and pass it on for me to post it on this blog. Surendran summarized the talk beautifully. I present his text to you.
Agathiyar is so humble and is with full compassion. The person who gave Lord Rama a mantra can also guide humans like us. That shows his humility and compassion towards mankind and how much he can bring himself down just for our sake.
Agathiyar who has been here for 4 yuga, never ever brushed off anyone who is new to this path. He has always been motivating us to make sure we too experince god one day. Not once he has pinpointed on the differences between him and us. He has only mentioned how much we have progressed. Like how parents who will clap hands for their infants for simple efforts and achievement made, thats how Agathiyar is guiding and motivating us from behind even though our achievement might not be as great as his. Its all due to his blessings. That shows his humility. Whatever he has asked his devotees to do is for the betterment of the devotees and not for any of his personal gains.
In case a communication need to be set between us and him for a favor, wouldn't be begging to him be a better approach rather then complaining or demanding to him? What right do we have to complain or demand when we are the ones who are indebted to him. We always seek him with many wishes. Why not one day, one of our wish to him be to become like him, humble as him, compassionate as him, inteligent as him?
As a guru he has done his part. As a devotee, its our part to talk about his contributions and greatness rather then saying how much he has said and praised us. The first person who we should say all that is to he himself and hopefuly he will be happy that we have have been always grateful to him.
Agathiyar has always praised us and his disciples but never has he praised himself nor has he told us what hurdles and effort he took to fulfill our wishes. Whenever Agathiyar has something to say to his devotees he always wish and shows his gratitude to the lord or to his guru first. The way Agathiyar handles his disciples and devotees and how much respect he has for the lords and his guru are so captivating that he can be a good role model for anyone - the way he manages all his devotess, the respect he has for the lords and gurus, the way he explains about something on a different tone, on a difference level of depth which suits the people who listens it. He knows that we are in maya and worldly affairs but he still open his eyes and guides us in this worldly affairs.
On God - There is no object that can be used to describe the ultimate. The ultimate can only be experienced. To experience god more deeper, we have to prepare ourself for it. (Our camping base)
On Existence - the labels are purely maya. We have always existed, just that we don't realize our true nature and the real existence. With birth or without birth, we existed. Just that with birth we existed - covered by illusions. Realization happens when we know we are in existence forever.