FIND YOUR PURPOSE; THEN STICK TO IT

After calling us to His path through a Nadi reading; sending us on a pilgrimage of temples to perform remedies for our past faults or karma; having us serve Him as a servant would, singing His praises, and worshiping Him, He had us perform His puja every Thursday, that was a day auspicious to the worship of gurus, on Full moon, and New moon days besides other auspicious days. He sent a guru in the physical form to officially initiate us into His path. The guru laid the bridge for us to connect with Him. The guru led us on an actual journey, walking the bridge, into the forest and hills seeking out His abodes "getting our feet wet". The guru led us on performing rituals, "getting our hands into the fire pit" in bringing Him over to our abodes. The guru got us to bend our rigid torso to the rhythm of Yoga asanas. The guru brought us to take notice of "the dance of life" - our breath. The guru in us opened our hearts to bring forth compassion towards other humans, animals, and plants, initiating us to carry out charity. Only after that did He show us his 5 tenets for humanity written and presented at the Tamil Sangam of the past, which revealed man's purpose in taking birth. It brought delight in us that we had followed and had fulfilled these tenets unknowingly. 

After 18 years of adhering to the above, he brought an abrupt stop to all these. There was no reason to read the Nadi anymore as he began to speak through his devotees. There was no reason to carry out remedies as the most compassionate father took care of our past errors and mistakes. There was no reason to patronize temples as he had moved into our homes and our hearts making it a temple. There was no reason to seek Him out as he had come to live within. There was no reason to chant mantras or conduct rituals as they were going on silently within. There was no reason to carry out charity as the merits of these deeds had come as an armor to us. As for the rituals he had us commit to carrying his annual vizha or fest only once a year that coincides with the day of Thaipusam. But just to please a couple of devotees he had them come around once a week to bathe and dress his murthi or statue at AVM. Even before the pandemic came to force us to stay indoors He had made us stay indoors. He closed the two WhatsApp groups Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) and its charity arm Amudha Surabhi (AS) but retained only the registered society Persatuan Teman Setia (PTS) to continue with its regular charitable programs. Not wanting to disrupt them in any way, He promised that others shall come to man the helm.

He now had us go within. He had us take the tools in Yoga and practice going within. To those who found it hard to let go of their hold on all the beautiful things that came with His worship, the regular gatherings, the chat, the group prayers, the satsang, the food, etc he reminded them too of their purpose now. For those, we were concerned about others left stranded in the midst of the journey He pointed out that one has to keep up and keep close to the guide or lose his way or be prepared to be left behind. They have to catch up and keep pace. The guide too is reminded to carry on without stopping or waiting for others to catch up for his journey then shall stall. I remember now how I used to run behind Tavayogi trying to catch up on him as he made quick paces through the jungle tracks and steps never for a moment looking back to check if I was following. Tavayogi was like a man possessed. But today I understand pretty well his urgency and the need to be focused on the path. 

He tells us that as we journey further the path narrows eventually allowing only one to trespass at any one time as opposed to the path of Bakti or devotion where people converge in large numbers all year round. It shall be a solo journey. 

Time and again we are reminded of what we are to do, to stay focus on why we came, and on our purpose here. When we tend to be led astray and begin to invest in the happenings around us He comes strongly to remind each individual of his purpose in coming here. Amidst all the prophesies dished out these days about the world coming to an end that we have been hearing from back then, some purportedly foretold by the Siddhas too, causing fear, uneasiness, and uncertainty, Agathiyar comes to tell us to keep to what we were tasked to do and never concern about those for it is Lord Siva's Leela and gameplay. To another devotee who was visibly disturbed by happenings in another group, He came on with some strong words telling him to be focused on his purpose even if the world was to end. He reminded me through my three-year-old granddaughter to take stock of my life and not "harass her". I used to disturb her when she watches her favorite cartoon "Masha and the Bear" telling her that I had seen this numerous times. She replies casually, "Go away. I want to watch." Then one day I uttered the same. She immediately became stressed out and told me, "You take care of your life; I shall take care of mine. (நீ உன் வாழ்க்கையை பார்; நான் என் வாழ்க்கையை பார்க்கிறேன்)". That stunned me. I knew then that Agathiyar was telling me to mind my business and do what I came to do. Having done charity in the past, even if we see an opportunity to do some good these days the opportunity slips from our hands. The opportunity is now given to another to do some good just as He reminded us that others will come this way to carry on these good deeds. For instance, as I was waiting for my wife to finish her appointment with the doctor, a saw this old man whom I had seen numerous times in my daughter's neighborhood, leaving the hospital grounds. He was old and was hunched. He always had a bandage wrapped over his right leg and carried a bag. I thought of asking him to wait a while, while my wife completed her checkup. I could then send him home. Just at that moment a car stops and the good samaritan after asking the old man some questions picks him up, keeping asking him if he knew his way back home. Just a couple of days back after I had my tooth extracted, as I drove out of the car park, I saw another man, his leg in a cast and walking with the aid of crutches, I stopped my car alongside. Before I could alight, there was a long queue of cars piling up. I had to move. 

Today a devotee reminded me of staying focused on our purpose when she sent in something she had read. I had already written about this some time back. But as the reminder was pertinent to our cause and timely I shall share her sharing and revisit my earlier post on it. This is an episode from Sadhu Om's life with Bhagawan Ramana.

நடராஜன் என்பவர் பகவான் ரமணரின் பக்தர். அவர் முதன்முறை அண்ணாமலைக்கு வந்தபோது பகவான் ரமணரின் அருட்காட்சி கிடைத்தது. அதன் ஈர்ப்பினால் மறுமுறையும் அண்ணாமலைக்கு வந்தார். விடியற்காலையில் எழுந்தவர், மலை மேல் சென்று ஏகாந்தத்தில் திளைத்திருந்தார். அவ்வப்போது தோன்றிய உணர்வுகளை கவிதையாக எழுதிக் கொண்டிருந்தார். நேரம் போனதே தெரியவில்லை. ஏழு கவிதைகளை எழுதி முடித்த பின் தான் உணர்ந்தார், ஆச்ரமத்தில் காலை உணவுக்கான நேரம் கடந்து விட்டது என்பதை. உடனடியாக ஆச்ரமத்திற்கு விரைந்தார்.

அங்கே எல்லோரும் உணவு உண்டு விட்டு ஒருவர் பின் ஒருவராக வெளியே வந்து கொண்டிருந்தனர். அதனால் நடராஜன் தயக்கத்துடன் ஒதுங்கி நின்றார். அங்கிருந்தவர்களில் ஒருவர், “ஏன் இங்கேயே நிற்கிறீர்கள் உள்ளே இலை போடப்பட்டு உங்களுக்கு உணவு தயாராக இருக்கிறது.. பகவான் சாப்பிட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார். உள்ளே செல்லுங்கள்” என்றார்.

நடராஜன் உள்ளே சென்றார். பகவான் சாப்பிட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தார். நடராஜனுக்கும் இலை போடப்பட்டிருந்தது. சாப்பிடுமாறு அங்குள்ளோர் வலியுறுத்தவே கூச்சத்துடன் அமர்ந்து உண்ண ஆரம்பித்தார். 

சிறிது நேரத்தில் உணவை உண்டு விட்டு கை சுத்தம் செய்வதற்காக பகவான் எழுந்தார்.

பகவான் எழுந்து நிற்கும்போது தாம் அமர்ந்திருப்பது சரியன்று என்று நினைத்தார் நடராஜன். அதே சமயம் இலையிலிருந்து எழுந்தால் மீண்டும் அமர்ந்து உண்பது நியதிப்படி சரியல்ல என்றும் எண்ணியதால் இருக்கையிலிருந்து சற்றே எழுந்திருப்பது போல் தன் உடலை உயர்த்தினார்.

அதைப் பார்த்த பகவான், “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்று சொல்லி விட்டு நகர்ந்தார். ”சாப்பிடுவதற்காக வந்த நீ சாப்பிடு. அதை விட்டு விட்டு இந்த மாதிரி எல்லாம் எழுந்து நின்று எனக்கு மரியாதை செய்ய வேண்டியதில்லை” என்று பகவான் சொன்னதாக உணர்ந்தார், நடராஜன். ஆகவே மீண்டும் சரியாக இலை முன் அமர்ந்து உண்ண ஆரம்பித்தார். அதே சமயம் பகவானையே பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருந்தார். சமையற்கூட வாசல் தாண்டிய பகவான் திரும்பி நடராஜனை உற்றுப் பார்த்தார். பின் மீண்டும், “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்று சொல்லிவிட்டுப் படி இறங்கினார். 

நடராஜனுக்கு ஒரே திகைப்பு. பகவான் எதற்காக மீண்டும் அப்படிச் சொன்னார் என்பது தெரியாமல் குழம்பினார். “ஓ.. நாம் சாப்பிடுவதை விட்டு விட்டு பகவானை வேடிக்கை பார்த்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம். அதைத் தான் பகவான் அப்படிச் சொல்கிறாரோ, ஒருவேளை கவிதை எழுதிக் கொண்டிருந்தோமே, அதைப் பாதியில் விட்டு விட்டு சாப்பிட ஓடி வந்து விட்டோம். அதைத் தான் சொல்கிறாரோ என நினைத்துக் குழம்பினார். பின் உணவை உண்டு விட்டு மீண்டும் மலைமேல் சென்று கவிதை எழுத ஆரம்பித்தார். 

மதியம் ஆச்ரமம் வந்தவர், உணவு உண்டு விட்டு பகவானின் ஹாலில் போய் அமர்ந்தார். அப்போது பகவான் இவரை மீண்டும் உற்றுப் பார்த்தார். பின் மறுபடியும், “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்று சொன்னார்.

நடராஜனுக்கு ஒன்றுமே புரியவில்லை. பகவான் ஏன் சொன்னதையே திருப்பித் திருப்பிச் சொல்கிறார் என்பதும் தெரியவில்லை. பகவானிடம் விளக்கம் கேட்கவும் தயக்கமாக இருந்தது ஆகவே அதுபற்றிச் சிந்தித்து பேசாமல் அமர்ந்திருந்தார்.

”ஓ.. நாம் எதற்கு அருணாசலம் வந்தோம்? கவிதை எழுதவா? இல்லை அருணாசலரை தரிசிக்க. பகவானின் உபதேசம் பெற. அதை விடுத்து எதை எதையோ செய்கின்றாய் என்பதைத் தான் பகவான் “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்று சொல்லி குறிப்பால் உணர்த்துகிறார் என்று நினைத்தார்.

சில நாட்கள் ஆச்ரமத்தில் தங்கினார். பின் தன் சொந்த ஊரான புன்னை நல்லூருக்குச் சென்றார். ஆனால் அங்கேயும் இருப்புக் கொள்ளவில்லை. “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்ற குரல் அவருள் ஒலித்துக் கொண்டே இருந்தது தன் வேலையை விட்டு இட்டு ஆச்ரமத்துக்கே வருவதாக பகவானுக்குக் கடிதம் எழுதினார். ஆனால் பகவானின் சம்மதம் கிடைக்கவில்லை.

தினந்தோறும் தனிமையால் அமர்வார். தியானத்தில் ஆழ்வார். பகவானைப் பற்றிச் சிந்திப்பார்.

ஒருநாள் “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” என்று பகவான் சொன்னதன் உண்மையான பொருள் அவருக்கு விளங்கியது. 

“உடல் தாங்கி வந்திருக்கும் நீ இந்த உடலல்ல. ஆத்மா என்பதை உணர். அதற்காகத் தான் நீ வந்திருக்கிறாய் என்பதைப் புரிந்து அந்த உண்மையில் நிலைத்திரு” என்பதையே பகவான் உபதேசமாகத் தனக்கு உணர்த்தினார் என்பது புரிந்தது. அதன்பின் தன் சொத்துக்களை எல்லாம் விற்று விட்டு ரமணாச்ரமம் வந்தார். பகவானின் அனுமதி பெற்றுத் துறவறம் பூண்டார். ”சாது ஓம்” ஆனார். பகவானையே சரணடைந்து அருணாசலத்திலேயே வாழ்ந்து அங்கேயே நிறைவெய்தினார்.

பகவானைப் பற்றி ”ஸ்ரீ ரமண வழி”, ”உபதேச வுந்தியார் விளக்கவுரை”, ”ஸ்ரீ ரமண ஸஹஸ்ரம்”, ”ஸ்ரீ ரமண வருகை”, ”ஸ்ரீ பகவத் கீதாசாரம் பொழிப்புரை”, ”ஸ்ரீ அருணாசல ஸ்துதி பஞ்சகம் விளக்கவுரை”, ”குருவாசகக் கோவை உரை”, ”அநுவாத நூன்மாலை உரை”, ”ஸ்ரீ அருணாசல வெண்பா”, ”ஸ்ரீ ரமண கீதம்”, ”ஸ்ரீ ரமண வர்ணங்கள்” என பல நூல்களை எழுதியிருக்கிறார், சாது ஓம்.

அவர் வந்த வேலையைப் பார்த்து நிறைவெய்தினார்.

I carried his story at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/08/we-are-being-watched.html. A couple of weeks after arriving at Ramanashramam, Sadhu Om had a "rude awakening" as we learn about the Sadhu from http://sadhuom.net/, http://www.arunachalasamudra.org, and https://realization.org/

A couple of weeks later, Sadhu Om went back to Sri Ramanasramam to have the darshan of Sri Bhagavan. He sat on a rock on Arunachala composing poems on Sri Bhagavan under the title, வேட்கை (Vetkai or Divine longing). After composing the 7th poem, he realized it was breakfast time, and he quickly went to the Ashram dining hall. He entered the dining hall and seeing that Sri Bhagavan was eating there, he sat in front of Sri Bhagavan, and started eating. When Sri Bhagavan finished his breakfast, he got up from the seat. Seeing this, Sadhu Om also got up, although he had not finished eating. Sri Bhagavan looked at Sadhu Om and said, “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்” (Vandha Velaiyaip Paar) or "Look after the business for which you have come". Sadhu Om then sat down, but since he had gotten up while eating, he was reluctant to continue eating. Sri Bhagavan, after washing his hands, was walking alongside the dining hall. Seeing that Sadhu Om was reluctant to eat, he repeated the words, “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்”. Hearing these words, Sadhu Om started eating again. As Sri Bhagavan went near the entrance and was about to pass over the threshold, Sadhu Om turned back and looked at Sri Bhagavan. Sri Bhagavan also looked at Sadhu Om and uttered the same words, “வந்த வேலையைப் பார்”, for the third time in succession.

At this point, Sadhu Om realized that the words were Sri Bhagavan's upadesa for him, to look after the business for which he was born in this world. 

Cyndi Dale in her book "New Chakra Healing", Llewellyn Publications, 1996, gives us a wonderful and enlightening snapshot of the creation of purpose. 

Upon separating from the Divine Source, we each receive a torch representing one of the truths or principles of the universe. That torch becomes our essential purpose, and our soul's job was to carry our purpose forward until we achieved it. However, as our souls added new dimensions, including a mind and a body, it obviously became hampered by blocks and resistance. That is why our souls have entered one life after another; each life has presented the opportunity to live out different life task designed to clear any issues, beliefs, or experiences that prevent the achievement of the essential purpose. Living our purpose is the dynamic process whereby we heal our blocks and misperceptions while expressing our true selves. 

She says living our purpose is fully expressing our spiritual self in the material world. She adds that living our purpose is proof that we have achieved completion or பூரணம் (puranam), as Agathiyar says too. Thank you Cyndi for an enlightening piece. 

TD Jakes in his book "Destiny" asks us to find out our purpose in life and step into it. He says of himself, 

"... I have lived a life that I was drawn to. I have been pulled to a call that has drawn me from the mundane acquisition of lives mementos to the far more rewarding task of doing something with my life that only I could uniquely accomplish." 

If Agathiyar lists out man's purpose in coming in his 5 tenets, God told Neale Donald Walsch the same too, to "Awaken the Species", in his "Conversation with God". God says that we are here foremost to uplift the Self and others bringing an awakening. If the 5 tenets were the tasks given to man generally, we need to go further and find our soul's purpose in coming and be focused on carrying it out, never losing sight of it. When I ask Agathiyar to know the true and real purpose of me taking birth, he brought me to the portal or door of meditation. Traversing through the chakras, when one stands at the door to the last chakra, his true purpose in taking birth shall dawn on him, says Agathiyar. The effort has to come from us. It has to be earned. 

Cyndi Dale says it beautifully, 

"We are to look for the points of contact, the doorways or portals, the revolving doors that link the visible and invisible. To enter our revolving doors is to enter the realm of purpose. That purpose is our ultimate calling. It originates in our spirit or our essence, the self that was and is one with the Divine Source and the energy behind creation."

REVISITING THE BREATH 2

Agathiyar told us he was in us and all of creation as vibration or அதிர்வு. Tavayogi in giving us an idea of how creation took place in his book "Andamum Pindamum" and "Atma Thathuvam", quotes Supramaniar Gnanam 32, where it is revealed that in the beginning there was a sound that triggered a vibration and was felt in the Paraparam. This first vibration created from the first sound was known as Akaaram. The vibratory waves that prolonged and sustained this first sound came to be called Ukaaram. Maakaaram was the resulting vibration that contained these vibratory sounds. The three came together as "that", which was to become the source of all creation, known as AUM. 

"ஆதியிலே பரா பரத்திற் பிறந்த சத்தம்" என்ற வரியின் மூலம் முதன் முதலிலே ஒலி தோன்றியது. ஒலி உண்டாவதற்கு உரிய முதல் அதிர்வு நிலையே அ காரம் எனப்படுவது. இரண்டாவது அதிர்வு நிலை நீடிப்புக்கு உ காரம் எனப் பெயரிட்டனர். மேற்கண்ட இரண்டு அதிர்வு நிலைகளையும் ஒரு எல்லைக் கோட்டிற்குள் காத்து நிற்கும் அதிர்வு நிலையை ம காரம் எனப் பெயரிட்டனர்.

The principle factor that drives the universe, cosmos, and consciousness is A U, M that takes the form and sound of the pranavam. From https://www.ananda.org/yogapedia/aum/ we learn the same that "AUM is the vibration by which the Supreme Spirit brings all things into manifestation. Paramhansa Yogananda has explained that everything -  all matter, all energy, all thoughts -  exists in AUM." We read further that "AUM, therefore, encompasses the three vibratory energies required to create, preserve, and destroy, and each of these energies vibrates at a different frequency. The three letters of AUM represent these three vibrations inherent in creation.

ஆகவே அண்டத்தில் ஏற்பட்ட மூலமான அ, உ, ம என்ற மூன்றும் சேர்ந்து அண்டத்தை இயக்குகிறது. அதேபோல் பிண்டத்தில் ஏற்படுகின்ற அ, உ, ம அதிர்வு நிலையால் சரீரம் இயங்குகின்றது. 

அண்டங்கள், பிண்டங்கள், பேரண்டங்கள், பிரபஞ்சங்கள் அத்துனைக்கும் மூலகர்த்தாவாக இயங்குகின்ற அ, உ, ம சேர்வே ஓம் என்ற பிரணவம் ஆகும். 

Tavayogi quotes a song by Agathiyar as a reference to the above. 

ஓமென்ற பிரணவமே ஆதி வஸ்து

உலக மெல்லாந் தானிறைந்த யோமசத்தி

தானென்ற சத்தியடா எவரும் தானாய்

சதா கோடி மந்திரத்துக்கு உயிராய் நின்று

ஆமென்று ஆடினதும் ஓங்காரம் தான்

அடி முடியாய் நின்றதும் ஓங்காரம் தான்

நாமென்ற ஓங்காரம் தன்னிலே தான்

நாடி நின்ற எழுவகையும் பிறந்தவாறே.

- அகத்தியர் அந்தரங்க தீட்சாவிதி

மேற்கண்ட பாடல்மூலம் ஓம் என்கின்ற பிரணவம் தான் ஆதி என்பதும், அந்த ஆதி வஸ்துவே உலகமெல்லாம் நிறைந்து நிர்கின்ற ஆதி சக்தி. அந்தச் சக்தியே எங்கும் செயல்படுகின்றது. முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருப்பது ஓங்காரம்தான். இந்த ஓங்காரத்திலே இருந்துதான் எழுவகை பிறப்பு உண்டாயிற்று. இந்தப் பிரபஞ்ச மூல ஆற்றலானது ஆதியிலே பிரிக்க முடியாத ஆதி அணூ பரமாணு ஆகும்.

From https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-3/Reflection,-Refraction,-and-Diffraction we learn further.

Like any wave, a sound wave doesn't just stop when it reaches the end of the medium or when it encounters an obstacle in its path. Rather, a sound wave will undergo certain behaviors when it encounters the end of the medium or an obstacle. Possible behaviors include reflection off the obstacle, diffraction around the obstacle, and transmission (accompanied by refraction) into the obstacle or new medium. 

A reverberation often occurs in a small room with height, width, and length dimensions of approximately 17 meters or less. Perhaps you have observed reverberations when talking in an empty room, when honking the horn while driving through a highway tunnel or underpass, or when singing in the shower. 

Curved surfaces with a parabolic shape have the habit of focusing sound waves to a point. Sound waves reflecting off of parabolic surfaces concentrate all their energy to a single point in space; at that point, the sound is amplified. Parabolic-shaped satellite disks use this same principle of reflection to gather large amounts of electromagnetic waves and focus it at a point (where the receptor is located). 

We understand now why the inner sanctum of temples was small. The sannadhi of Agathiyar in Kumbeswar temple that houses a statue of Lord Ganapathy is pretty tiny too. The idea was to have the mantras chanted reverberate of its walls and reach beyond the space to the devotees gathered outside. The curved or towering vimana including the sanctum beneath or the shikhara over the garbhagriha chamber amplifies the chants tremendously. I felt this reverberation of the pranavam "AUM" at Agasthiyampalli sitting with Agathiyar in 2005. Later in 2016 during my visit to the famed Breehadeswar temple in Tanjai, sitting in the small space with Lord Dhakshanamurthy and chanting the pranavam created ripples and reverberation that was felt throughout my body. As we are part of the universe too, the physical body resonates with these vibrations, functioning effectively. 

As the body is relative to the universe, a study of either one will justify the other. Tavayogi spells out the existence of the Pranavam in the consciousness is also within us in our head. When my daughter as a child was complaining of pain in the throat, the doctors examined her and could not find anything wrong with her. We brought her to the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields. We were blessed to have the Chief High Priest the late Venerable Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera see us personally. After hearing our case, he placed his hand slightly above her head and hummed the "M" syllable and sound in the last portion of the pranavam AUM for some moments. She was relieved of the pain. Now we understand the significance of the pranavam AUM and what the Chief High Priest did. The mantra resonates within, healing the self, and is easily absorbed by others in our presence as in osmosis. 

Sophy Burnham in her book "The Art of Intuition - Cultivating Your Inner Wisdom, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2011, upon meeting the Dalai Lama, quotes CG Jung, 

Such is the power that one energy field exerts upon another. For aren't we spiritual beings walking around in our light shields, merging and melding with one another by thought and energy?

It is said of the Buddha that his presence was felt even before he stepped into a village. Then again I am amazed at these people for they had the ability to feel and realize the presence of a saint approaching them.

In the context of Yogam, Tavayogi explains that the breath that flows through the left nostril is known as Akaaram and that running through the right nostril is Ukaaram, creating vibrations in Edakala and Pingala respectively. This vibration creates further ripples in the midst of the head and is called Maakaaram, The spot where these three sounds and their related vibrations congregate is known as Suzhumunai. 

நமது மூக்குத் துவாரத்தின் இடது நாசியில் ஓடுகின்ற இடகலையின் அதிர்வு நிலை அ காரம் எனவும் வலது நாசியில் ஓடுகின்ற பிங்கலை அதிர்வு நிலை உ காரம் எனவும் கூறப்படுகின்றது. நாம் பேசத் துவங்கும்போது இரண்டு நாடிகளும் அதிரும் இதனால் மண்டை ஓட்டின் நடுவில் ஒரு ஒலி அதாவது அதிர்வு தோன்றும். அதுவே ம காரம் ஆகும். இந்த மூன்று அதிர்வுகளும் சேர்ந்த இடமே ஓங்காரபிரணவம் ஆகும். இதுவே நடு ஒலியின் பிறப்பிடமான சுழிமுனை ஆகும். இது இயங்குகின்ற உச்சி முடிவே மண்டை ஓட்டின் நடுவிலுள்ளே கபாலமாகும். 

It is interesting to note that Akaaram is linked to the left eye and Ukaaram with the right.

அதுபோல் அ என்ற எழுத்து இடைநாடி இடது கண்பார்வையோடு பொருந்தியது. உ என்ற எழுத்து பிங்கலை நாடி வலது கண்பார்வையோடு பொருந்தியது. ம என்பது உச்சியில் அல்லது சிரசில் உள்ள அதிர்வுநிலை. இதுவே சுழிமுனை நாடியில் உள்ள ஆத்ம ஒளி.

Just as the sound created as a result of the merger of the "A" from the left nostril, and "U" from the right nostril, in the space "M" at the spot of Suzhimunai results in the emergence of the pranavam sound "AUM", the "A" linked to the left eye and the "U" linked to the right merging in the space "M" at the spot of Suzhimunai results as "Light" or as Tavayogi says "Atma Oli"?

As our search expands on this subject, we are mysteriously led to Agathiyar's "Gnana Saitanyam" wherein in the very beginning itself the Maha Muni explains this subject without hiding it in the deep reaches of this song composition that numbers in 51 verses. We find both a video of the song and a comprehensive translation by Dr. K.Loganathan that further aids our understanding. The Dr. quotes Agathiyar, 

"My son! These truths have been hidden by the Siddhas from the reach of ordinary people. For unless they become BEING orientated and have trust in HIM, He will not instruct on these secrets assuming the form of Guru. I Akattiyar, disclose now these secrets of Sivayoga for the benefit of those good sons of mine."

It is emphasized here that the study of scriptures, memorizing reciting and so forth in ritualistic manner is quite useless unless real metaphysical journeys are entered into and something that's possible only if BEING helps along as the Inner Guru. An important precondition for this help to become available is the Openness and Fluidity of the mind. A mind that is NOT OPEN, fluid and flexible , because it is NOT READY to LEARN and reform itself is denied this kind of help. 

ஆமெனவே இடகலை அகாரஞ் சந்திரன்

அருளாம் உகாரம் பிங்கலையாஞ் சூரியன்

தாமெனவே ஓங்காரக் கம்ப நுனி உச்சி

சாதித்தார் சுழுமுனையில் மகாரம் நிற்கும்

நாமெனவே நாத விந்தால் சுழினை பாரு

நன்றாம் இரவி மதியும் ஒன்றாய்க் கூடும்

பாமெனவே அமுர்ந்தங் கபாலத்தேறும்

பருதிநிகர் செந்தீ ஒளி வீசுந்தானே

தானென்ற அகாரமதே விந்துவாகும்

சாதனை உகாரமதே நாதமாகும்

வானென்ற சுழினையதே மகாரமாகும்

மைந்தனே இதை மறைத்தார் சித்தரெல்லாம்

தேனென்ற குருகாட்டத் தெரியுமல்லால்

சிவம் அறியாப் பாவிகட்குத் தெரியாதப்பா

நானென்ற சிவயோக மார்க்கந் தன்னை

நன்மை உள பிள்ளைகட்குச் சொன்னேன் பாரே!

சொன்னபடி இன்னமொரு சேதி சொல்வேன்

சோதிதனிலே தினமுந் தொடர்ந்து ஏறு

என்ன படித்தாலும் குருவில்லாச் சீடன்

என்ன பிரயோசனமாம் மலைந்து சாவான்

பொன்னதனைக் கம்மாளர் உருக்கினாற் போல்

புருவநடுத் தமர் திறக்க இருகண்பூட்டு

கொன்றுவிடுங் கருவியெல்லாம் சணத்தில் மாளும்

கூத்தன் நின்ற சுழினைதனைத் திறமாய்க் காணே

வாரான பெரியோர்கள் பாஷையெல்லாம்

மகாரமதுகே யாகும் மனம் வேறில்லை

கூரான இருவிழியால் அடிமூலம் பார்

குறிதோணும் வெளிதோனும் தோஷந் தீரும்

பேரான அட்டசித்தி வசமே யாகும்

பிரியமுறும் மருந்தெல்லம் சித்தியாகும்

ஏராத வாசியது ஏற்றினால்

எமன் இல்லை வினை இருளுமில்லை எண்ணே

Read the whole text at https://sites.google.com/site/meykandasastras/saitanyam-akattiyar/a1-saitanyam-1.

REVISITING THE BREATH 1

We were all in the state of samadhi once upon a time in our mother's womb. We were sustained by the very consciousness or prapanjam. There was no breathing externally as we do now. The first breath was only taken once we came out to the world and the cycle never stopped since then. But when our time is up and we have exhausted our given amount of breath it leaves us never to return. We then die. We have lost touch with our origin and source of energy and became dependant on food, water, heat, air from our surrounding earth, water, fire, and air. We had stopped tapping the pure energy from consciousness after taking birth. With the guru as the guide, upagurus who come to our aid at the right time, Yogam as a tool, and the grace of the divine, we are set back on track and shown the path back to consciousness. 

Agathiyar in asking us to engage in rituals paved the way to bring the blessings and grace of the divine upon us and bridge the two worlds, man and his God, first. Rituals are only good till we gain their grace. Once their grace falls on us we can safely let go of them. Agathiyar then sets us upon another course, Yogam giving us the tools too in the form of techniques. But before we step into it, the body has to be cleansed of toxins and rid of poisons accumulated over the years. Siddha practitioners can recommend purgatives for this purpose. This eradication of filth is amplified tremendously once the clearing starts to happen spontaneously and on its own with the grace of the divine. Then through a proper and Satvic diet, our body is refurbished and strengthened and further prepared internally to "receive the shock that comes our way", a result of energy transfers from the cosmos or prapanjam that comes with the practice of Yogam and beyond.

If Agathiyar Kuzhambu and other herbal preparations detoxify us, the Neti pot is used to clear nasal congestion and drain away mucus. With the yogic breathing technique, Nadi Suddhi, the nostrils, and the airways are cleared further. Prana that is inhaled expands and moves within expanding accordingly to our effort and practice. Once the house and its pathways are cleared, prana flows uninterrupted at all times. The divine aids in channeling the prana energy correctly to reach all parts of the body. Only then can we go within safely to meditate without distractions or harm. 

Agathiyar in asking us to go within asked us to use the breath as a tool. He told us to observe the breath. Ramalinga Adigal too came to remind us of that. In bringing us Shiva's first of nine techniques concerned with the breath,  from the "Vigyan Bhairav Tantra", Osho in his "Book of Secrets" reveals, that Buddha too once said, "Be aware of your breath as it is coming in and going out." 

Initially, Agathiyar in the Nadi asked us to look for a quiet place to practice conditioning the breath and breath control as in pranayama and through the technique of Nadi Suddhi, clear the nasal tracts and nerves. Later Tavayogi came to show us relevant Asanas and Pranayama techniques that helped firm up the body and its internals. Acharya Gurudasan from Bangalore who was in Malaysia then introduced us to Kriya Yoga too, helping us fine-tune our earlier practices. As we took up the practice of Yoga guided by the Siddhas in the Nadi initially and later from Tavayogi and Acharya Gurudasan and recently directly from the Siddhas, we have come to see extensive changes within. 

Techniques in pranayama had us actively change the flow of the breath going in and out through each nostril. After this rigorous practice, Agathiyar asked to wind down and just sit and focus on the breath. We were asked to become aware of a drift of coolness that fills the chest and a sense of calmness that comes over us. We were told to just watch the breath move in and out at this instant. Slowly we are led within by just becoming aware of the breath and observing it. 

If initially we were asked to place effort in bringing ourselves to first sit down for at least 12 minutes at a time, and try to go within with the aid of the pranayama techniques given, with more practice and effort in bringing our attention to the breath, it begins to nudge us at the Ajna center. With further practice in sitting and observing the breath, it begins to nudge us even as we are attending to other chores asking for immediate attention. It can happen any time and you shall be forced to pay attention to it leaving all things aside for the moment. These days with the grace of the Siddhas that comes as a result of our worship, we are brought to notice the breath as it continuously nudges us. We are forced to heed and take note of it and sit immediately even in the midst of our daily activity. 

We begin to understand the science behind breathing once we put it into practice. Osho clarifies that contrary to our belief that the incoming breath and outgoing breath are running parallel as in parallel lines, they actually are one single breath, that in actuality flows in a circle. There is a point where the incoming breath stops momentarily to make a U-turn, becoming the outgoing breath. We are asked to observe this gap or interval. Eventually, we shall take notice of the gap or interval between two breaths without effort. Osho quotes Shiva, "If you can feel the gap Shiva says, the beneficence, then nothing else is needed. You are blessed, You have known; the thing has happened." Quoting another stanza of Shiva, Osho says one who observes and realizes this point of turning becomes a realized soul. At this fusion point where the breath is static, neither going out nor coming in, we are centered or have arrived in our center. Agathiyar calls this spot or center சுழிமுனை (Suzhimunai). Each shall realize his center, he says. It is the place where arises an energy and a vibration or உணர்வு  that comes with it. "Know it to be your Suzhimunai," says Agathiyar. 

Osho asks us to observe the child's breath. He says children are in their center and at their center. The reason being children give themselves up completely in all their doings and at all times. Hence we should learn to follow children giving ourselves up in totality. We should begin to learn from them rather than try to change them to suit our ways. 

My friend wrote,

Every part of Creation is, and should be a vibration... There has to be a primal, fundamental vibration which should be Paraparai. Everything else has to be a harmonic of this basal frequency. Based on such a frequency and its myriad variations, there is a difference in name and form. In truth, there can be no difference at all. This should be the Oneness of the entirety of Creation. The perception of these differences are subject to the evolution and transformation of the individual ego... the less the ego the more the differences. I guess, in samadhi, the ego ceases to exist, and there is complete Oneness. The Great Ones have destroyed their ego, but retain their individuality. They have been graced with the knowledge of Paraparai, and have the ability to change the vibrational frequency of any other individual or a group, to attend to the genuine needs of their disciples for the betterment of the collective whole. It is thus clear, that individual souls are a minute, yet significant part of the collective whole, or, otherwise there can be no completeness. 

I guess, without sounding egoistic, God and the individual souls are very important to each other, and play an intricate dance... one with awareness, and, the other, in ignorance. God, by His Grace, desires us to get that awareness, and be with Him.... The state of ஈசத்வம். Therein lies the work of the Great Ones. That is their desire to raise us to their state.

I had been out this evening. On the road, Amma (Krishnaveni Amma) spoke to me. " Do you know the state of Pure Consciousness... Paraparam? That state is before the primal vibration of Paraparai. It is a state before the Primal Intent. There is no existence of the Five Great Acts of God. Therefore, there is no Intent. Every intent comes with its own vibration. His Pure State is without intent, without vibration. The anthakaranas are also states of intent/vibration. Even Shakthi is unable to fathom His Completeness. His Primal State cannot even be experienced. Such is He."

If I may relate my understanding of the above with an episode from Agathiyar's puraanam, "Siva as paraparam. Agathiyar as paraparai. When the intent arose to bring a much-needed balance to the world Agathiyar who was Siva till then was summoned. He emerged as a vibration that moved south." My friend chipped in, "Lord Agathiyar came from the Heart of Lord shiva...அகத்தின் தீ அவர்."

As their grace deepens, a slight throb is felt at this spot on the head at exactly the anterior fontanel or the soft spot located in newborns. This throb nudges us to take notice of it and become aware. One who arrives at his center becomes total says Agathiyar. He calls this the state of பரிபூரணம் (Paripuranam). 

The science behind breathing slowly dawns on us as we practice. The breath that chose to move either in Ida and Pingala every two hours once, with practice it now travels through the Sushumna or central Nadi, where we observe the breath flows clear in both nostrils. Soon this happens spontaneously too. We feel a cool draft of air passing through both nostrils and we are called to sit and meditate at this moment as meditation shall come easy then. A cool sensation drifts through the entire body. Prana or the life force then travels to the Ajna where it knocks and nudges its door. When the divine grace comes to open the lock or கண்புருவப்பூட்டு when we are ready, it continues to travels steadily to the higher reaches of the head and stalls at the Suzhimunai, now knocking and nudging on yet another door - the 10th. Again with their grace, the door is opened to let in the cosmic consciousness and energy in torrents. 

Just as the initiation mantra is given to create the first link between us and the deity or the guru, the idea of getting us to do pranayama is to create a link or channel between us and the cosmos, universe, and consciousness or prapanjam. Once the link is established we are to enhance and expand the intake and the amount of prana by tapping from it. Ramalinga Adigal came to initiate the means to tap the prapanjam. Soon consciousness begins to flow in uninterrupted. Tavayogi says that as the consciousness or prapanjam begins to fill the entire body, our dependency on external breath and breathing declines. We are told that of the initial 16 angulam, a measurement that is regarded as an inch in present times, of prana taken in, 12 is retained and 4 wasted. With practice and time, soon the intake reduces and so does our dependency on it. As we sit for long hours breath is not wasted as in doing an activity. Finally, the breath that comes in never leaves. We read that Sahaja Kumbhaka, the intermediate state where breath retention becomes natural and where it happens on its own, takes place. Hence we understand the reason the Siddhas do not advocate holding of the breath during our practice unless instructed to do so. Agathiyar only instructed us to hold the breath for the length of chanting our initiation mantra recently when he thought it was the right time to do so. We understand from our reading again that Kevala Kumbakam the extreme stage, where the breath is suspended at will comes next. Attaining the state of Kevala Kumbakam, he then goes into samadhi, fully feeding on consciousness and one with the prapanjam. If he chooses he breaks away from his state of samadhi to walk the earth again performing miracles. 

All these now happen without our doing, effort, or attempt. As Tavayogi says our effort towards reaching the goal is only till the second chakra or Svathisthana, and that from there on the divine shall lead us, with their grace, breathing has become spontaneous. Yogam too comes spontaneously. With Yogam comes numerous enhancements. All the senses are enhanced. Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch perform at their optimum now. A major transformation happens both within and without. But it is hidden from the eyes of the public. Although this blog title carries the tagline "An Avenue that Showcases the workings of the Siddhas", Agathiyar tells us that most things shall be kept a secret. 

THE SIDDHA PATH SIMPLIFIED 2

If the world was rumored to be flat in the past; if the acceptable normal blood pressure for a 60-year-old is 135/90 these days as blood pressure rises with age; the Siddhas too are willing to accept us with open arms walking right into our homes these days bringing their messages. Agathiyar told us that the days of seeking asylum in the jungles are over and that they have made it easy to attain their state right in our homes. While we must acknowledge that there is a great division among spiritual paths, where we have seen men drop their hold on all belongings and affection for their body and the world in an instant, the Siddha path instills in us and often reminds us of our responsibilities towards family and society. As my wife says similarly of the Siddha path that is a simple path to follow, and that there is no need to leave the family, indeed it can be pursued with the family, and while living in society. 

The Siddhas divided the journey into four major divisions. Traditionally we worship at home and in the temples. Cleaning the altar, cleaning the lamps, topping up oil for the lamp that is lit, replacing the burnt wick, decorating our favourite deities, be it picture frames or statues, with attire and garlands, offering food and fruits, lighting incense sticks and camphor are some of the ways we begin worship at home. We go to the neighborhood temples regularly to charge ourselves. Occasionally the thought arises to provide free food for fellow devotees at the temples. We might make pilgrimages to other places of worship too. By these actions, we compliment ourselves in being devotional and believe that the deities shall shower us with their blessings and take care of us and our family. It stops at that. This is the general state of devotees currently. We see God as living in the pictures and statues at the temples. We were introduced to this first stage on the ladder by our parents, and they by their parents, becoming an ancestral practice and tradition followed without question. 

Rarely then does a guru come by to lead the devotee further on his/her journey. With the coming of the guru, things change drastically. He comes to break the norm. He opens our eyes to things we never considered important or realized existed. He brings us to question the purpose of life, why we took birth, and where we as a soul are heading. He brings us to go a step within and brings us to observe our souls. He brings us to terms with our purpose as an individual, our purpose as a soul; and what we are to do with these two wonderful vehicles gifted to us. If we were self-centered before and were only concerned about feeding the body, dressing it up to look good, we are now brought to the realization that we are not merely physical beings but that there is a soul and spirit dwelling within us. The guru takes up the task of enlightening us about the soul. Meanwhile, he brings us to perform further rituals to gain the grace of the deities or divinity and bridge the two kingdoms, man and his God. We have entered the second stage of our spiritual journey now. 

Venturing further into the third stage, having adopted Yama or restraints or observing ethics of behavior and Niyama or given observances, the guru then makes this body a perfect vehicle fit to embrace the energy and love of the divine through having us indulge in the practice of Asana or physical postures and Praṇayama or the control of the prana (breath). Thus starts a solo journey. Asana, Pranayama, and later Pratyahara, or withdrawal of the senses fine-tunes this body and its mental state. Dharaṇa or concentration; Dhyana or meditation follows. The end product shall be Samadhi or meditative absorption.  

We have arrived at the gates to the fourth stage now. As Richard Shankman defines this state in his book "The Experience of Samadhi", Shambala publications, 2008, as "an abiding in which mind becomes very still but does not merge with the object of attention, and is thus able to observe and gain insight into the changing flow of experience", one gains Gnana. He sees, feels, and understands everything. The spirit of God comes within to stay now. The physical body becomes a temple now replacing the external man-made temples. The divinity lives in the inner reaches of the Self, taking lock, stock, and barrel of all that once we thought was us. Unexplained movements, that are beyond our control, unexplained tears for no reason, and unexplained cries of joy and esctacy are felt and experienced. God now shows himself as manifesting in all of his creations. We in a way become him, represent him, become an image of him. Man attains the state of the divine. This is made available and possible by the grace of the guru and God.

If Godmen are known to make people dependant on them forever, right from procuring advice, dishing out talisman and cures to the extent of enslaving them, keeping them bound and tied at all times, at times promoting the move to have them desert their families, etc the Siddhas try tirelessly to bring us to attain their status, never having us to be tied to all the above forever. Agathiyar says he vets through each soul destined to come to the path, taking them in, polishing them to shine like diamonds, and finally have them strung as garlands of jewels for Lord Shiva, adding that these souls shall shine in the night sky as stars. I am reminded of a lone Swami Dayananda whom Tavayogi and I met in a bungalow away from the public. Prior to visiting him Tavayogi and I meet a couple of Swami, one a head of a religious organization running a temple and another a head of a spiritual organization running an ashram. Next, we dropped in on Swami Dayananda who only had an attendant drop in to serve him his needs once a day after work. As both he and Tavayogi engaged in a talk I picked up my camera to take a shot of him. He stopped me. Later as we were nearing the end of our visit he gestured to me and told me to take his photo telling me that he would be a star on the night sky on my next visit. I noticed that Tavayogi did a rare thing that of touching his feet before we took leave. Later as we drove back to his ashram, Tavayogi brought up this matter. He asked if I had noticed him touch Swami Dayananda's feet? He explained that if the earlier heads were caught up in heading the temple and contesting to lead the ashram respectively, Dayananda was a true Gnani. That was my first lesson in identifying Godmen something we always took for granted. 

Agathiyar tries his best to bring us out and rescue us from the clutches of our self-made illusion or Maya that lures man to commit not sins or atrocities in their eyes but mistakes that are meant to happen, to teach the souls lessons that they yearned to experience and learn in this birth. We followed the path as outlined by our gurus and upagurus. Then the divine came to personally guide us further. Whether we achieve what we set out to attain is immaterial for at least we have covered much ground on this journey. We leave it to the divine to shower his grace further on us and bring us to whatever state deemed fit for us in this birth. If life spares us we might achieve more in the near future. Otherwise we shall come back and continue from where we left off. Throughout the journey we did not try to comprehend and understand before embarking on the task given by the gurus and the Siddhas. Instead rather than questioning we took it up, be it a ritual, practice, medicine or treatment. Soon they filled us in on its benefits that we could then relate to, as we had seen and experienced it. For instance Agathiyar advocated the need to carry out rituals on a full moon or the Pournami puja listing its benefits many years later after we took to doing it and it became a part of our lives. We are told that the enlightened Siddhas continue to do this puja even till this day in honor of and looking up to Lord Shiva for his grace and compassion towards humanity and all of his creation. Supramania Swami told me to carry on my tapas for only then could he rise in his stature accordingly. The disciple shall lift the stature of his guru just as the guru comes to lift the disciple spiritually. The Siddha puja contributes to elevate the stature of the Siddhas besides helping gain their grace. The temples are periodically strengthened by the many rituals conducted and by the presence of devotees in large numbers. Besides getting recharged we help sustain the temples by our contributions. 

And so Agathiyar asked us to put forth a prayer to Lord Siva recently asking his grace to bring an end to the pandemic that has come to threaten our lives and obstructing us from going about life as we used to. Taking heed of his request that was a prompting from all our prayers to him to help us in our time of needs, I called for a quick prayer and meditation session recently that was well received by devotees of Agathiyar. My message to them was,

An individual could appease his individual karma through remedies and individual prayer. We are currently victims of collective karma. Only collective prayer could possibly address collective karma. Hence, the need has arisen to come together in a single and specific thought. As coming together physically might not be possible during these times of the pandemic, collective thought shall break through the barriers laid on our path and bring success in all our noble endeavors. As every conscious thought is registered in the cosmic consciousness. It gains momentum and strength and power by the grace of the divine beings and comes back to us to heal us and the world, shall we all come together tomorrow Sunday 13.12.2020 at 12 noon Malaysian Standard time to sit silently and place our requests before Lord Siva as per Agathiyar's directive? This is in line with Agathiyar's directive that we come together in asking and to move Lord Shiva who is known to grant boons irrespective of our spiritual status, to shower his grace and kindness in removing entirely this pandemic that has shown its ugly face. Agathiyar said he too shall try his best in convincing Siva. Maybe the divine hand can go back in time and make some adjustments and bring a positive outcome. 

Let us keep our fingers crossed that all shall be well. If the Movement Control Order (MCO) is lifted entirely, with Shiva's grace, we shall gather at AVM on Thursday 28 January 2021 to celebrate Agathiyar's Annual Vizha. Agathiyar has a saying. It goes, "Man would only believe if it happens; the Siddhas on the other hand asks us to believe and it shall happen." 

A truth dawns on us as we travel the Siddha path. We are the world. We help shape it. We contribute to making the cosmos expand, feeding it, and feeding of it. Hence we now understand why we are often reminded to not only take from mother earth but to give back too. As Agathiyar says that each of us has come for a purpose, let us play our role well and leave in peace. Let us be focussed on the task given, and contribute our part to making the world a better place for us, our family, society, and all of his creation. 

I take this opportunity to thank all the people and their establishments including the forerunners in creating the Internet, manufacturers of the hardware, programmers of software, and Apps including Google and YouTube who made it possible for me to share my thoughts that are Agathiyar's too with readers of this blog. 

There was a time when Agathiyar got us all to do charity, where our hearts melted and compassion for others, man, animals, and plants raised in us. Today after wanting us to go within he tells us not to get overworked and uptight and let not issues that prevail around us disturb our peace, serenity, and tranquility that prevails during those silent and quiet moments of meditation. He asks us to bring and carry that composure at all times. Jnana Jothiamma was asked to refrain from using social media for it shall divert her from her purpose in going within and disturb her tapas. 

When the grace of the Siddhas fall on us our fate is rewritten and the planets that determine the right moment for us to gain either windfall or have us endure troubles accordingly to our karma balance sheet, with their grace, turn favorable towards us becoming gurus themselves. As the junior Tiru Gnanasambanthar reminds the senior Tirunavukarasar to ward off all fears that the time was not right to begin a journey, assuring us that the moment the grace of Lord Shiva falls on us none of the planets shall harm us, we are told to carry out what we came to do without being distracted of other going on for everything is eventually his play. 

As my friend wrote,

I am sure you have seen the picture of Lord Shiva sitting in dhyana. He has put forth the entirety of Creation as a thought/dream, and watches it play out. The moment He withdraws that thought, Creation comes to a standstill. The entirety of Creation is but a figment of His imagination. The Lord sitting in dhyana, is the first vibration of subtle form, Maheswara tattvam, which descended from Sadhakiyam. It was of great wonder as to what He was meditating on. I recently came across an answer to this ( I forget where). When the entirety of Creation meditates on Him, it is said that He continues to meditate, from the very onset of pre-time, before Mahakala and Mahakali, on the nature of Parabrahma, That which is, and, is not. Even Maheswara is absorbed into the Primal Consciousness, at the end of Time. What would then remain? Pure Consciousness, even before Its own vibration as Para. There would be no Nada or Bindu. What a state. It is said when the great saints came out of samadhi, they came out laughing. Probably, they realized no one was ever born, for anyone to die."

THE SIDDHA PATH SIMPLIFIED 1

I went and extracted another tooth yesterday, my second. It is said that if you live till the age of 120 new teeth shall grow to replace those that had fallen. I wonder if there is any living proof of this, of course then one has to have lived that long to see it happen. What a miracle the body and mind are? The body is said to have the ability to rejuvenate itself while the mind can do wonders and at the same time if led astray bring disaster. The child's mind is growing, absorbing information from all around him/her like a sponge and they do surprise us with a word or vocabulary or a sentence using it or uttering it precisely at the right moment. When I showed a photo of the earth and enquired to my 3-year-old granddaughter if she had seen the earth, she immediately quipped, "Yes" and continued, "In another book!" I did not expect that smart answer. 

It is revealed now that it was rumored and believed that the earth was flat in the early middle ages. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/busting-a-myth-about-columbus-and-a-flat-earth/2011/10/10/gIQAXszQaL_blog.html) We had earlier seen photos of the earth that were "a rendering of multiple images stitched together rather than a snapshot. (https://qz.com/458826/behold-nasas-first-image-in-decades-of-the-whole-earth/). We have not seen the earth in full view until now where images of it sent through satellites are made available to the public. We do see the moon that is pretty obvious with our naked eyes on certain days. If we see only one, we read that Yogi Ramsuratkumar saw seven moons in the sky. Similarly, we never saw our own faces and back until we see its reflection in a mirror or in still water or when someone describes us. Yet we believe that the earth and we exist. But sadly we never want to acknowledge God and his work. Has anyone ever seen God? Perhaps there are. What we common folks eventually get to see, realize and experience is his manifestations in all of his creation. Agathiyar answered a question from his devotee as to what was the true form of his, having seen him in numerous forms before. Agathiyar questioned her back, in all of these what do you experience? She answered "ஒரு உணர்வு" or a Vibration. He replied, "I am that!" He went on to list that he was in all, telling us that he was the universe, cosmos, and consciousness - the prapanjam. Coincidently Pa Vijay brings us this list of the various forms she saw him and Agathiyar's reply too in the lyrics he penned for a song for the film "Mookutti Amman". 

பார்த்தேனே உயிரின் வழியே
யார் கண்ணும் காணா முகமே
கல் என்று நினைத்தேன் உனையே
நீ யார் என்று சொன்னாய் மனமே தான் நீயா

எதில் நீ இருந்தாய்
எங்கோ மறைந்தாய்
உன்னை தேடி அலைந்தேன் எனக்குள்ளே தெரிந்தாய்
இது போதும் எனக்கு வேறு வரங்கள் 100 வேண்டுமா
இறைவா இதுதான் நிறைவா
உணர்ந்தேன் உனையே உனையே
மறந்தேன் எனையே எனையே

வேதங்கள் மொத்தம் ஓதி
யாகங்கள் நித்தம் செய்து
பூசிக்கும் பக்தி அதிலும் உன்னைக் காணலாம்
பசி என்று தன்முன் வந்து
கை ஏந்தி கேட்கும் போது
தன் உணவைத் தந்தால் கூட உன்னைக் காணலாம்
உன்னைக் காண பல கோடி இங்கு வாரி இறைக்கிறார்கள்
எளிதாக உன்னைச் சேர இங்கு யாரு நினைக்கிறார்கள்

அலங்காரம் அதில் நீ இல்லை
அகங்காரம் மனதில் இல்லை
துளி கள்ளம் கபடம் கலந்திடாத அன்பில் இருக்கிறாய்
உணர்ந்தேன் உனையே உனையே
மறந்தேன் எனையே எனையே

அகம் நீ ஜகம் நீ
அணுவான உலகில் அகலம் நீ
எறும்பின் இதய ஒளி நீ
களிரின் துதிக்கை கனமும் நீ
ஆயிரம் கை உன்டென்றால் நீ ஒரு கை தர கூடாதா
2000 கண் கொண்டாய் உன் ஒரு கண் என்னை பாராதா
உன்னில் சரண் அடைந்தேன்
இனி நீ கதியே.

(Source: https://www.tharunshiv.com/paarthene-mookutthi-amman-song-lyrics-with-meaning/#tlyrics)

Agathiyar pointed out that he was in the lyrics of the songs in the album we released jointly with Raagawave Production, "Agathiyar Geetham". 

If the world has become habitable it is because of a process or "chemistry of life that may have begun shortly after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago, during a habitable epoch when the Universe was only 10–17 million years old," and largely because of "an extrapolation of conditions on Earth and the characteristics of the Sun and Solar System which appear favorable to life's flourishing" ("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_habitability), entailing a chained process that took place far away in space away from our eyes, nay even without our knowledge in the very first place.

If we were cured of our illness or troubles at the last port of call, it is largely because of all the prior and earlier contributions of the medical practitioners, be it allopathy or alternative treatments dished out and given to us at the numerous previous stops, entailing a chained process that took place within our body away from our eyes.

Similarly, if one's spiritual progress and advancement have borne fruit now, it is because the journey did begin way back in the past and continues to this day and shall continue henceforth just as the cosmos too hasn't stopped expanding out, expanding the soul gaining soul power or atma balam.

My friend wrote, 

The age of the universe is @ 13.8 billion years. The farthest galaxy from earth is MACS 0647 JD, which is supposedly 13.26 billion lightyears away. What would it be to be there this very instant and look back at earth? The Milky Way would be the farthest observable galaxy. Nothing will be seen beyond our galaxy, in the opposite direction,as light would not have reached the observer there. But, newer galaxies will be visible beyond MACS 0647 JD.

We assume that light is the fastest, in our galaxy. How false it is. The expansion of the universe is at a rate faster than the speed of light, as we are not able to see beyond. The cosmos continues to expand at a rate faster than the speed of light. Therefore, there can be no vault limit to the vastness of the cosmos.

In the Devi Mahatmiyam, it is said that the entirety of Creation is contained on the toe nail of the Divine Mother. It is also said that the lifespan of Lord Vishnu is the time taken by Shakthi to loosen Her Hair and knot it back again.

With this background, our existence is like a small viral particle that has probably not yet been seen. Yet, what an ego we possess. The desire and ownership we claim over animate and inanimate is beyond expressions. The work of the Masters and the Divine must necessarily, be gargantuan. If only we give up our ego,or, at least have a desire to give it up, the Great Ones can really make a God out of us... inner alchemy...புடம் போட்டு புனிதன் ஆக்குவிப்பது.  

We are often reminded that it would be futile to try to pinpoint the start and the end of life and to illustrate this we are often told the story of both Lord Vishnu's and Lord Brahma's futile attempt in trying to reach the feet and head of Lord Shiva respectively. Has anyone seen God? Perhaps some have. We only have begun to learn to see him in all his grandeur in his manifestation of all things. Just as our curiosity builds further in wanting to investigate this subject, Agathiyar drops a bombshell asking us of what use is knowing these secrets? Our attention is quickly diverted and brought to the present moment. We are asked to focus on our present purpose in life, all for a good reason. In simplicity lies bliss. 

Stacy Brookman writes at https://medium.com/real-life-resilience/the-beauty-of-simplicity-living-a-simpler-life-ce90c89eec7, "Living simply entails stripping away the nonessential and focusing your time and energy on the things that matter the most. When you simplify, you’re left with a life filled with meaning, a life that is lived on your own terms. You have the time and space to pursue your interests and to create the life you truly desire. It is often in the most simple things that we find true happiness."

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 3

My wife traces the moments before Agathiyar's arrival on our shores in 2010 and how he brought us into his path first by having us engage in Sariyai and Kriyai. Agathiyar through the Nadi guides and comforts us throughout these moments. Although tense at times, eventually, all turns out well. 

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 2

If Tirumular defines one who stays home to carry on his spiritual practices or Tapas or Tavam, as a Maatavar or Tapasi, PV Jagadisa Ayyar in his book "South Indian Customs", Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1985, refers to a wife who is a comrade and supportive of her husband's spiritual ventures as a Saha Dharma Charini which means the lady who performs the duty enjoined in company with her husband. Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni hailed his wife describing her as a Tapa Sakhi, meaning comrade in Tapas.

My wife too fits the bill perfectly. She has traveled with me, accommodating all my wishes and asking. Whatever I read I try it out. She ends up cooking it for me. Whatever practice or ritual I pick up, she accommodates well. Never once had she stayed away. When I was in hibernation for some 14 years, she never questioned me nor nudged me to revisit the temples. I would occasionally go over for the sake of my wife and our children so that they are not alienated from society. When I started back on worship, she joined me without question. When I began the worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, she would join in. When Agathiyar and Tavayogi started us on rituals, she prepared whatever was necessary and conducted the puja. She would clean up later. When Agathiyar brought over potential aspirants and devotees to our home she would entertain them with her talk and food. When I took up discipleship to my two gurus, she followed suit without question. She did all that was asked for. Agathiyar then decided to gift her with a Nadi reading for all her service towards him and his devotees. He bypassed the traditional means to get a reading - the need to give an impression of her thumbprint, sitting through hours, leafing through the bundles of Nadi trying to figure out which was ours, and finally settling to have the Maha Muni speak to us. 

I had given Nadi Guru Sentilkumar a print of my right thumb in 2002 to help trace and locate my Kaanda Nadi the very first time. I followed the Nadi to the word, never for once doubting it. I did all the remedies and temple visits mentioned by Agathiyar. He was pleased and began to call me up for more readings through his Aasi Nool reading at regular intervals. Later my daughters too passed their left thumbprint to Nadi Nool Aasan T.Ramesh in 2007 and 2009 respectively, to help locate their Nadi from the large numbers of Nadi that are brought over to Malaysia each time the readers came over. The question and answer session would further help identify and single out our individual Nadi. If everyone including me, who went for a Nadi reading for the first time at least is ask to provide a thumbprint and the birth details to facilitate finding his or her Nadi leaf, that is not the norm I was soon to find out. If Agathiyar decides he does provide a reading minus these formal procedures. Agathiyar made an exception in my wife's case.

I had always wanted to bring my wife to locate and have her Nadi read. If I had gone to the Nadi reader the first time after hearing the Siddhas ability to look into the past, present, and future from my colleague, I brought my daughters to help decide on the next course of action after they had completed their tertiary schooling. Then I wanted to know who my wife was as she attended to me and the family and took in the added responsibility of seeing through the weekly Siddha puja and entertaining the devotees gathered without fail. Besides that as both my daughters had seen their Nadi and as I shared my regular Nadi readings with her, I thought my wife too would like to hear her Nadi revealed by Agathiyar too. So we sought an appointment with the reader. But as a result of some minor confusion regarding the date and time of the appointment my wife and I were turned back. The reader never called us for her reading but instead called me over for my regular Aasi Kaandam reading that was waiting to be read. As he left the room and went into the adjacent room that stored the library of Nadis he returned with an expression of astonishment. He held in his hands a Nadi that was about to reveal about my wife. I too was surprised. Agathiyar began to address my wife in her absence, without the need for her to give her thumbprint and without the usual trend of question and answer to locating her Nadi. It was all so mysterious. He shelved all the protocol because she had served him untiringly all the years. Agathiyar chose to address my wife, without even she being present there, and without having her left thumbprint taken! Agathiyar made an exception in her case and we understood pretty well why she was special after he revealed about her in the Nadi. Agathiyar was fully contented with my wife's service to him! He praised her for all her efforts in carrying out worship and prayers for him. The whole revelation was for her that day. She was not present, I had not gone to seek her reading, the Aasan did not ask for her thumbprints nor birth details. But the most loving father chose to address his child that day without going through the process or even calling for her presence and attendance. The Nadi Nool Aasan was stunned while I was very happy for my wife. I keep repeating it because I presumed an event of this nature had never happened in all the years of the Aasan reading the Nadi for the public.

Agathiyar through this incident has shot down all the misconception and condemnation of the Nadi and its readers telling us that if he chooses he will give a reading without the thumbprint, without the need to know and chart the horoscope, without reading one's face or reading one's mind, without the need to question and gather the facts from the client and disclose it to him as his Nadi revelation which are the most common accusations hurled at the Nadi and its readers. 

I am blessed to have her. She has stayed with me in the worship of the Siddhas since the beginning, attending to all the needs of Agathiyar and his puja. She takes care of every small detail and prepares everything necessary to perform and fulfill the rituals. She attends to all the guests and prepares food for them. Then she washes up and waits eagerly for the next round of puja. 

From all the readings ad revelations Agathiyar gave about my family, I am humbled as he drives the point in me that nothing was my doing or effort. He said I came to the path of the Siddhas because of my daughter; he then calls me to it only when I was 43 years of age, something that I should appreciate. Tavayogi told me "Be grateful that at least he had made the calling then, although pretty late in life." Then Agathiyar tells me that if I have traveled this far it is because of my wife. He then sends me to my guru Supramania Swami who decides to gift me the 40 years of tavam or merit gained as a result of his tavam or penance and austerities. Then he sends Tavayogi to me to show me the finer points of the Siddha worship, and Yoga. Then Agathiyar brings along Ramalinga Adigal to fine-tune our practice in the absence of both my gurus in physical form. Ramalinga Adigal connects us with consciousness too. Finally, Agathiyar comes to dictate every post written on this blog. Now tell me what is truly mine? Nothing!

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 1

Here is some consolation for those keen to take up the Siddha path but are reluctant to do so for fear of having to leave the family as instilled by others or seen by example.

Tavayogi writes in his ""Andamum Pindamum", Agathiyar extols that it is possible to be with the family, take up the proper practices, and attain Gnanam and bliss. Similarly, Tirumular defines one who stays home to carry on his spiritual practices as a Maatavar or Tapasi, one who does great Tapas or Tavam. The family man engaged in trying to attain Siva Gnanam supersedes those who have renounced the world.

இல்லறத்திலே இருந்து கொண்டே முறையான பயற்சி செய்து ஞானம் பெற்று பேரின்பம் அடையலாம் என்று அகத்தியர் கூறியுள்ளார். அதே போல திருமூலர் வீட்டிலே இருந்து பயற்சி செய்பவனே மாதவர் என்கின்றார். மாதவர் என்றால் பெரிய தபசி என்று பொருள்படும். சந்நியாசம் ஏற்று சிவஞானம் பெற முயற்சி செய்பவரைவிட இல்லறத்தே இருந்து கொண்டு சிவஞானம் பெற முயற்சிப்பவர்களே மிகச் சிறந்தவர்கள் ஆவார்கள்.  

Maybe this is why the Shiva family has been portrayed as one big family.

A marriage that outwardly seems to bring two souls together to fulfill their obligations to family and society has a deeper meaning and is considered sacred by various communities. It is the start of a spiritually significant affair when the couple begins to observe religious rites with devotion and learn to serve God's creation with compassion, which then pave the way for their souls to become developed and enriched attaining soul power or Atma Balam. They then attract souls of similar nature into their homes and family coming as their children. The parent's involvement in rituals and charity provides a conducive environment for these souls to further evolve together.  Above and beyond our prayers, the Siddhas too are praying for a family in which these elevated souls could take birth and carry on God's mission or pani. These children then bring God's message. Agathiyar has told us that our children and grandchildren shall educate us too.

Jayaram V summarizes the concept of marriage beautifully at https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_marriage.asp

According to Hinduism, marriage (vivaha) between two persons is a sacred relationship that is not limited to this life alone. It extends across seven or more lives, during which the couple helps each other progress spiritually. The adage that marriages are made in heaven is very much true in the case of Hinduism. Two souls come together and marry because their karmas are intertwined and they have to resolve many things together upon the earth in order to ensure their mutual salvation. The relationship between a couple is essentially a relationship of the souls. It is not necessary that their gender roles are fixed forever. Sometimes they may switch roles and the husband may become the wife and the wife the husband. Sometimes they may also temporarily part their ways and come together again after one or two lives in a grand reunion.

PV Jagadisa Ayyar in his book "South Indian Customs", Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1985, writes that,

The exchange of garlands in a marriage is a ceremonious representation of bestowing a portion of their spiritual force to their life partner. In the plan laid down by the wise men of old, two souls drawn together by love and sincerity do not part till both reach the level at the same time. This idea is conveyed in the Hindu marriage ceremonials and the Hindu marriage itself is considered a sacrament and not a contract. All the subsequent rites (in marriage and beyond) are observed to be continued thereafter day after day till perfection in evolution is attained in both taking many births, even if need be as husband and wife. The aim of performing religious rites in the company with his wife or (her husband) is for the spiritual evolution of both. In fact, a wife is said to be a Saha Dharma Charini which means the lady who performs the duty enjoined in company with her husband.

In the book "Nayana, A Biography of Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni (from the original Telugu texts by Gunturu Lakshmikantam), Dr. G Krishna mentions that Ganapati Muni had described his wife as a Tapa Sakhi, meaning comrade in Tapas just as Arundhati was the Tapa Sakhi of Vasistha and so were the wives of many of the Rishis. They never considered their wives as hindrances to their Tapas. The Siddhas never shun marriage. Although they were immersed in austerities and worship, meditation and solitude, and research and discovery, they took on a wife for their combined religious and spiritual accomplishments. 

Looking at Ramakrishna Paramahansa's life, we are shown that husband and wife can indeed live together as spiritual companions.

By his marriage, Sri Ramakrishna admitted the great value of marriage in man's spiritual evolution, and by adhering to his monastic vows he demonstrated the imperative necessity of self-control, purity, and continence, in the realization of God. By this unique spiritual relationship with his wife he proved that husband and wife can live together as spiritual companions. Thus his life is a synthesis of the ways of life of the householder and the monk. (Source: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/gospel/introduction/relation_with_wife.htm)

Shri Ramkrishna turned his mind to the fulfillment of imparting religious and spiritual teachings to her. About the experience of this period Sarada Devi used to say afterwards: “I felt as if a vessel full of divine bliss was permanently installed in my heart...I can not adequately describe the heavenly joy which filled my heart...!” (Source: https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/the-story-of-a-holy-wife)

Just like Ganapathi Muni and Ramakrishna, Lahari Mahasaya too was a householder. Lahiri Mahasaya’s wife Ma Kashi Moni shares life with a saintly man.

It was years before I came to realize the divine stature of my husband. One night, in this very room, I had a vivid dream. Glorious angels floated in unimaginable grace above me. So realistic was the sight that I awoke at once; the room was strangely enveloped in dazzling light. My husband, in lotus posture, was levitated in the center of the room, surrounded by angels who were worshiping him with the supplicating dignity of palm-folded hands. Astonished beyond measure, I was convinced that I was still dreaming (until Lahari told her that she was not).

After he slowly descended to the floor, he touched Ma Kashi Moni's forehead.  She continues to narrate the ensuing experience.

Vision after vision broke as oceanic surf on the shores of my soul. The panoramic spheres finally melted in a sea of bliss. I lost myself in ever-surging blessedness. When I returned hours later to awareness of this world, the master gave me the technique of Kriya Yoga.

Lahari initiated her into Kriya Yoga immediately. As for choosing that particular moment, Lahari has this to say to her.

“The time was not ripe.” Lahiri Mahasaya smiled consolingly. “Much of your karma I have silently helped you to work out. Now you are willing and ready.”  

When women were considered unfit to worship Agni, study the Vedas, and recite Vedic Mantra, and were denied the benefits of Upayana, Ganapati Muni himself used to initiate women into Mantra Japa. Many were the women who were initiated into Gayathri Vidhya, which was considered exclusive to men. Ganapati Muni held the view that women should not be barred from any spiritual or religious chores. Visalakshi, wife of Ganapati Muni took to the worship of Agni whenever Ganapati Muni was outstation. 

Visalakshi paid equal attention to house-keeping and Mantra Upasana. Ganapati did not share the belief that a woman was the source of sin and Maya. Women were not treated as objects of pleasure by our ancient rishis. They were as qualified as men to discharge spiritual responsibilities. The study of scriptures had convinced him that the ancient rishis had practiced austerity and attained self-realization without giving up family life and responsibilities. The ancient rishis by their exemplary behavior became spiritual preceptors to their wives and helped to establish a well ordered society.

The Siddhas are known to be radical in outlook and broke the norm of the day. They re-ordered society by breaking the prevailing false beliefs, practices, customs, and traditions. Although society observed them, the Siddhas stood aloft. They were more concerned in freeing the soul from age-long shackles that kept man rooted in superstition and Maya. They were more concerned about the growth of souls and the objective of reaching their source. 

We can understand now why the very first day I met Tavayogi he asked that I bring my wife along when I returned to receive initiation in the evening. Later he told me that it was not enough that I came into the path and that I had to bring the family too. My wife and I both received initiation into the path of the Siddha. 

The uniqueness in our culture is that we show our appreciation towards God by giving him a place in our homes and a place in our hearts too; bringing him to live among us through rituals; and creating festivals for him and bringing him to join in these festivities, almost daily celebrating with him. One such festival is where the marriage of the Gods is enacted out at the temples with the local community taking sides, either that of the bride or the groom. God is indeed deeply rooted in all our customs and traditions, faith, and beliefs. This is a show of appreciation for the one who created us, who helps sustain us, and eventually leads us back to his abode.

After being part of Sariyai from birth following in the footsteps of our parents, and turning our sight on Kriyai with the coming of the Guru, and taking on the practice of Yoga asanas and Pranayama, Ramalinga Adigal has come to help us bring the consciousness or prapanjam within. Tavayogi wrote, Yogam was a gift initiated for mankind to tap into consciousness and live a peaceful and blissful life. As Yogam flourishes Gnanam is attained. 

பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ஆற்றலை மனிதன் பெற்று உணர்ந்து மன நிம்மதியோடும் பேரின்ப நிலை அடைந்து பேரானந்தத் தோடும் வாழ வேண்டும் என்பதற்க்காக ஏற்பட்டதே சித்தர்கள் கண்டுபிடித்த யோகம். யோகம் கைகூட கைகூட ஞானம் தானாகப் பிறக்கும்.

JOIN THE SIDDHA FAMILY

I remember when I came into the path I received much negative feedback from those on the path and the many who had left it. Among them was that the Siddhas would split up families. Looking around me, it seemed true too. But I was out to prove them wrong. Tavayogi in wanting to initiate me asked that I bring my family along. He initiated me and my wife that day. Soon my family came to the fold of the Siddhas too. 

Recently Agathiyar removed the fear if there was any in his devotees about having to give up family life if they tread on the path of the Siddhas. He told us that there was no need to leave the family to achieve ones dream on the Siddha path. 

Reading through Tavayogi's "Andamum Pindamum" we are reminded of Agathiyar's words in a song from his "Agathiyar Paripuranam."

திறமாக இல்லறத்தேயிருந்து கொண்டு 

சிவபூசை குருபூசை செய்து மைந்தா 

பாரமான பரா பரமே கெதி யென் றெண்ணி 

பலகாலம் பூரணத்தில் பதிவாய் நின்று 

உரமான அவனவன் செய் நடத்தை பார்த்து 

உறுதியுடன் கண்காட்சி நன்றாய் பெற்று 

அறமான இல்லறத் தோடொத்து வாழ்ந்து 

அமர்ந்திருப்பார் சிவநிலை யறிந்தோர் தானே

Today the Siddhas are part of our family. They come when needed. They are constantly overlooking all matters. They are constantly looking over our shoulders too. What better company do we need than that of the Siddhas? Coming to us as God initially, then as Guru, today they stand alongside us as a companion and friend. 

When many rushed to open up Peedhams or centers in affiliation to his ashram in Kallar, I was not keen to do so. Our worship of the Siddhas was home-based and within the family until Agathiyar chose to send over aspirants on the path. The AVM family flourished until Agathiyar put the breaks on it too. He taught us to drop our dependency on an association but instead asked us to have faith in our inner strength. 

When many temples were springing up for Agathiyar, I held my grounds on not wanting to indulge in a costly affair. Although Agathiyar, and Lord Murugan had mentioned on many occasions that I build a temple I stood my ground. We moved on, the notion and idea having dropped for good I suppose. He taught us to drop our dependency on an external temple but instead asked us to set one up within us.

Taking up the worship of the Siddhas we built up the puja to run over several hours. Then the elaborate puja rituals slowly were laid off as we were moved to observe silence. The bliss that we felt in doing puja was then felt in sitting in silence. He taught us to drop our dependency on rituals but instead asked us to run them within us. 

The Yoga Asanas and pranayama that was shown to us by Tavayogi has helped tremendously in cleansing and fortifying the body. This has helped tremendously in bringing in the prana in large volumes. This has helped in revitalizing the chakras to the extend that I was asked to call off the practice. Today this treasure that Agathiyar said Tavayogi had gifted us has taken a dip as Agathiyar asked to only continue with certain techniques that he said I shall come to identify as necessary. He taught us to drop our dependency on the external breath but instead have the consciousness or prapanjam fill us. 

With the grace of Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal, and my two gurus in physical form, and the upagurus sent by Agathiyar, we are taking large strides towards achieving the goal set for us with the least effort on our part. The grace of the divine opens up all the doors as we are hurried along with some sense of urgency. 

It was all possible by the grace of the divine, the Siddhas, and the gurus. And it is all happening within the confines of our homes away from the public eye. It is all happening without the need to venture outdoors into the jungles, the hills, and mountains. As Agathiyar told my wife the mountain came to us. It was achieved by merely listening to the Siddhas, worshipping them, and putting into practice whatever told. 

All this was possible with association with the Siddhas. The journey started with the recitation of the names of the Siddhas. That was sufficient enough to bring on their grace. Seek the Siddhas and all their wealth shall be showered upon us. 

Join the Siddha family. Download the book of praises.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QaxhGnoGPmwj6tuVNIskqcnX9olOB93L/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B7kzGJNwYvixQlfijE1ZLhsPnm_rvAyW/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dp5hxfCGULlttFkbZo0j-5Et03tqqAw5/view?usp=sharing

THE WAKE UP CALL

Agathiyar called me to the path through the Nadi. Calling me over to India he left me to venture further under the tutelage of two wonderful gurus in physical form. My first guru Supramania Swami accelerated my journey by passing me his merits gathered over 40 years. Tavayogi picked me up from there and left me to venture further without shadowing me or shackling me. When many took the opportunity to have Tavayogi officiate Peedhams or organizations affiliated to his parent Ashram in Kallar I was never mooted to start and head one. I preferred to continue with my home puja. But Agathiyar opted to send potential candidates on the Siddha path over to my home to learn the worship of the Siddhas. Agathiyar brought together potential souls to work his miracle in 2013. Soon the group grew in numbers. For the sake of identifying and sharing its location, I named my home Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia that was endorsed by Agathiyar on many occasions. Soon we started a WhatsApp group to share the times of Puja. Later as we engaged in charity we started another group dedicated to the cause and named it Amudha Surabhi. Initially, bringing us to Kriyai from Sariyai that was the foundation of all of us on the religious path, he slowly groomed us under the watchful eyes of Tavayogi. After accomplishing the given tasks in Kriyai, he put a stop to it asking us only to hold his annual vizha or celebrations. Today we understand that he had us carry out Sariyai and Kriyai to gain the grace of the divine and the trust of the guru. If we had only taken up Yogam we would not have had their grace. Their grace comes with devotion from the heart. With devotion and their grace, compassion arises, blooms, and fruits in us. With them showering their grace the next leg of the journey into Yogam would be a smooth transition. With Yogam, Gnana shall then come easy. If we had not engaged in Kriyai we would be devotees all lifelong dependent on others for our religious needs. Similarly, if we were not switched to Yogam we would have remained as priests, shaman, or medicine man, for the rest of our lives.  If we had only taken up Yogam we would only remain excellent teachers. Hence, all four stages are required to make it into a Siddha. Can we possibly achieve the goal set by Agathiyar? 

With the passing of both my gurus in physical form, these days Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal with the rest of the Siddhas come to continue the guru-disciple tradition. 

Agathiyar's objective is to make each of us a Siddha like him nothing less. He had been kind and gentle with us for some 6 years waiting for us to pick up his teachings. With whatever tools and knowledge gained over the years he expected us to bring them into our homes and family. He expected us to bring one and all to live the life that he wants of us and envisions for us. Then late last year, he brought a stop to the congregation and ended the honeymoon years. As all good things have to end if we are to move higher on the spiritual ladder Agathiyar made me push the detonator and end the groups. In early 2020 he let them be free to explore the inner frontiers. He had us go our own way with Yogam. If Sariyai and Kriyai needed us to come together, Yogam was a solo effort that needed discipline on the part of its adherents. 

Those who understand what Agathiyar is trying to do here will appreciate his every move. Many have yet to make the move into Yogam. Sadly many still are dependent on the congregation and feel lost after it was dissolved. Many are pining for the group to be revived again. If the group was in existence it would have made them all the more dependent and perhaps forever dependent on the support that is provided. They would never venture on their own. It would have made them spectators to the many events held and never nudge them to start heading the enterprise in their homes and altars. 

Betty J Eadie who came back from a near-death experience to reveal the secrets of heaven in her book "The Awakening Heart - My Continuing Journey to Love", a Pocket Star Book, 1996 wrote that just as we have choices here, we are also given choices in our father's kingdom. While some souls respond to God's call, volunteering and choose to listen and accept his will before coming to earth, others receive a calling after they arrive, when their hearts open to God, through intense sufferings or through miracles, and eventually, they become vessels of God themselves. There are instances though where the soul cannot make a decision to come down, the wise men up there shall give them a gentle push. 

So did Agathiyar give a gentle push to his devotee who then had a fall. But as he promised his devotee is recovering fast. The Siddhas work in mysterious ways. They shall push us till we achieve. If they had shown one and all the magic externally by ways of miracles in days of past, to those few who are committed to their cause, they are pushing them hard these days to go within and witness the magic within. Suddenly there seems to be an urgency to get us to evolve on the spiritual ladder. Let us take the cue from them and persist on the path. There is no time to linger around, take a rest, or deviate from the cause. Let us be focused and the journey ahead. Those who resist are left to venture on their way with the Siddhas knowing pretty well that they shall come by one day. 

GAINING MORE INSIGHT 6

What drove me to take things into my own hands and indulge in worship back in those days of my bachelorhood was an incident that made me ponder as to why we should rely on others to bridge God and us? I had happened to step into a temple as an argument was going on between the priest and his wife outside their living quarters. Seeing me enter the priest rushed to me inquiring if I wanted to do an offering or Archanai? I was a regular at this temple but this time around I chose to turn it down. I was questioning his state of mind then and ask myself if an offering done by him on my behalf would have good vibes? I took up doing puja immediately doing them at dawn and dusk daily, learning from whatever books I could lay my hands on. That was the start of my inward journey and of losing my dependency on others to bridge the way to God and me. I took control of my religious life and decided what I wanted to do with it. After some 8 years of worship, although I was blessed with a good life, I became rather disorientated as to why God seemed to "torture" and "punish"" people and have especially his devotees or bhaktas take on the pain and suffering? God who was described as the most compassionate worked otherwise in their lives.  I had no answers. Seeing my sorry state, I was asked to take a break by Lord Shiva in my dream. It took me 13 years to get back on track and begin my worship again in 2001. The following year I was told about karma and how it affects all including me in my Nadi reading. I began to understand the reasons for others' sufferings and never questioned it again. I engaged in Siddha worship henceforth after the Nadi reading.

I have come to understand that man could not possibly get total relief from their sufferings by merely visiting temples. Who can we approach at the temples for a solution to our problems? The priest? the chairman? the committee? or the deity? when some are embroiled in battles of their own makings. We are often shown to a general ritual that encompasses the warding off of all ill effects and that brings on good times, for a fee of course. We must understand that we are suffering because of our past deeds. Hence to cleanse or rid their bad effects we have to lose something else, in this case, cash and money. Only time shall tell if the ritual did work out in our favor and did help us to beget the grace of the divine. 

Of course, we can feel our burden lessened by "talking" to God in these temples and gain an assurance that he shall take care of our problems and troubles by performing simple rituals before him. We are told that God who resides in the statues also comes into us as vibration provided we have prepared this body and mind to receive it. We bring back the good vibes generated in these temples through the continuous performing of rituals that energize the deity, temple, and its grounds. But there is no magic that can undo the wrongs we have done in our lives. No deity, Godman, or guru can relieve us of them. We have to live with them. The only consolation is that with devotion comes the grace of God. With his grace comes a discount voucher. We can use this voucher to get a discount on the karma that lingers over our heads. That is all. Only on rare occasions do we see the divine work its miracles and completely wipe the slate clean, leaving no imprint. 

Hence we tend to notice that there is a spike in the Siddhas coming in numerous ways to aid man in these trying times. The Siddhas have come to speak to devotees in meditation, in dreams, through another, and of course through the Nadi. Even if we wish to have a Nadi reading, one also has to have a calling to have a Nadi reading, we were told by Agathiyar in the past. Both the seeker and the reader too have to be in tune with the divine and be in a state of mind conducive for the message to come across accurately. Those who come with faith and sincerity shall have most of their questions answered and shall be given solutions. Those who come with hidden agendas either to discriminate, judge, find faults, cause harm, negate, or tarnish the good name of the Siddhas and their vehicle of communication, the Nadi, or the readers, shall be identified and recognized and made known to the reader. The Siddha shall go along with their game, taking them for a ride too. Henceforth they shall have no mercy shown. Those who have had previous readings done are reminded to take heed of the Siddhas advice. We hear that many a time Agathiyar had stopped communicating through the Nadi when man refused to change and amend his ways. 

Agathiyar in a recent post on Sitthan Arul at https://siththanarul.blogspot.com/2020/12/969.html gives us a message and a reminder in the context of those approaching him for a Nadi reading that comes as a warning and also clears the air on what the Siddhas expect from us. We are told not to take for granted, neither see it as a right to have a reading by the Siddhas. We are told that it is a privilege that we have to earn first. 

Agathiyar with a tinge of sadness says, "Even after many years, there is no reduction in their karma (the seekers), neither is there any change in them, as they continue to ignore all my advice and lead a disastrous life gathering more karma. It is important to understand that every life is here to settle its score of karma. Hence it is best that one does not harm the other. "Only with honesty and sincerity and devotion shall one step before me for a (Nadi) reading. I shall only address those who have followed all previous advice and have had their fate give way to them. Get your house in order first before approaching me for a reading", states the Maha Muni sternly. He also had a stern reminder for those who use his name and indulge in wrongdoings, or commercialize his good name, reminding them that he knows who they are and that he will come after them. We have been asked to keep this in mind till the end of life.

"அப்பனே! எமது ஆசியை, அருள் வாக்கை கேட்க முன் வந்திருக்கிற சேய்களின் கர்மா, அவர்களின் மனஎண்ணம், இவைகளில் இத்தனை வருடங்களாகியும், முன்னேற்றமே இல்லை. எத்தனையோ அறிவுரைகள் கூறிய பின்னும் தவறாய் வாழ்க்கையில் வாழ்வது, அதன் வழி கெட்ட கர்மாவை சேர்த்துக் கொள்வதில் திறமையானவர்கள் ஆகிவிட்டார்கள். பிற உயிர்களும் நம்மைப்போல் கர்மாவை கழிப்பதற்காக இந்த பூமியில் வந்தவர்கள்/வந்தவைகள்தான்  என, எந்த கெடுதலும் செய்யாமல் வாழ்வது மிக முக்கியம். ஆகவே, அருள்வாக்கு கேட்க விழைபவர், வாழ்க்கையை தவமாக நேர் முறையில் வாழட்டும். அதன் பின்னர் அவர்கள் விதி விலகி வழிவிட, அப்படிப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு யாம் வாக்குரைப்போம். அதுவரை எம்மை நாடும் சேய்களின் கர்மாவை அவர்களே சரி செய்துகொள்ளட்டும். எமது நாமத்தை கூறிக்கொண்டே தவறு செய்கிறவர்கள், எமது நாமத்தை கூறி, வியாபார பொருள் போல் உபயோகிப்பதையும் யாம் அறிவோம். அவர்களுக்கான பலனை, யாமே முன் நின்று கொடுப்போம்.

நிழல் ஒளியுள்ளவரை
உயிர் மூச்சுள்ளவரை
ஆசை அறுந்து போகும்வரை
குரு கடைசிவரை
இறை உள்ளொளி வரை
இதை உணர்ந்திடு மானிடா!"

To a question by a devotee on what could these seekers have done to gain the wrath of Agathiyar, I reminded him that it was not our concern and asked him to instead concern on our purpose in coming here. We should focus on his message for humanity that came across. We are supposed to lead an honest life and besides attempting to come out of the web spun by us in the past that has come to haunt us as our individual and collective karma, we are to help others, man, animal, and all under God's creation to raise their level and standing in evolution. To a devotee who was saddened by the dissolution of the AVM and AS Whatsapp group I reminded him too to focus on what he came for and his purpose. Agathiyar knows best. Regarding the question of whether others are continuing puja etc, I told him it was not for us to worry for it was between them and Agathiyar. We are not to judge another. A devotee had questioned Agathiyar why he had let those who stooped low to accumulate wealth through thieving means especially siphoning money from temple trust and endowment boards, Agathiyar replied that it was not for her to question nor judge. Agathiyar replied that he had done his share of service to him as his devotee in a past life and that he was rewarding him with a good and prosperous life now. But if he chooses to do harm in this life he shall answer for it in his next.

Again we get his message through from the following excerpt posted on Sitthan Arul.

பாவத்தை செய்தவன் சந்தோஷமாக இருக்கிறான் என்று எண்ணாதே. அவனுக்கு பகவான் எந்தசமயத்தில் எப்படி தண்டனை தருவார் என்பது யாருக்கும் தெரியாது. சித்தர்களும் முனிவர்களும் தான் இதனை முன் கூட்டியே அறிவார்கள்.

Although Agathiyar answers our questions from his perspective, we are asked not to rejoice in seeing another get hurt or punished. We should instead pray and ask that the divine make them realize their greed, mistakes, arrogance, and turn a new leaf. 

On another note, Agathiyar asked us to accept any losses that might come our way for the following reasons. In the event one is cheated or conned by another, it only means that the victim has gained the thief's good merits or karma and the thief on the other hand has taken on the bad karma of his victim. 

ஒரு நல்லவனை ஒரு தீயவன் ஏமாற்றுகிறான் என்றால் நல்லவனின் பாபத்தை எடுத்து கொண்டு தீயது செய்கிறவன் தன்னிடம் இருக்கின்ற சிறிதளவு 

புண்ணியத்தை அந்த நல்லவனிடம் ஒப்படைகின்றான் என்று பொருள்.

This came as a revelation and an answer to the disturbing question in all our minds for days after we had offered worship to Agathiyar. It was the exciting days after the arrival of Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue at my home and we were busy conducting homam or lighting the sacred fire, libation or abhisegam, and Siddhar Puja or worship of the Siddhas. Soon several devotees invited me to bring his statue over to their homes and to conduct similar rituals. I happily complied with their wishes. But an unexpected event took place several days after we had performed and conducted the puja in the home of one devotee. Thieves had broken into their home and ran off with cash, jewelry, and their car. It was devastating to them seeing the extent of loss that they succumbed to. As usual, family, relatives, and friends started to question him how is it that this untoward incident could have happened immediately after Agathiyar's arrival in their home and after a puja was conducted for him. Furthermore, as they were staunch followers of Agathiyar, the question arose how did he allow it to happen under his watchful eyes? I too did not have an answer till I read the above explanation. 

Similarly, a man passed away after 5 years of struggle. Although his closest relative, a couple who were staunch followers of Agathiyar did their best in consulting the Nadi and carrying out all the remedies given on behalf of the dying man, he did leave them. Family and friends came down hard on the couple asking what happened? Why did not Agathiyar save him even after all the remedies and prayers were done? There is never a Nadi for a dead man but Agathiyar made an exception calling in the couple for a reading. In the reading, Agathiyar asks what did he tell them to convey to the man? He had asked that man to be strong and not to give up while Agathiyar moved the chess pieces manipulating his fate and while the couple took measures to appease and modify the part about his karma. Sadly Agathiyar revealed that the man had given up. His soul pleaded to be taken away. "So what am I to do?" asked the Maha Muni. "Should I appease you, asking that he stay alive or give in to the soul that had tired out?" Hence the spirit left his body relieving him of his soul.

எல்லவற்றுக்கும் காரணம் உண்டு அதைப் புரிந்து கொள்ளும் சக்தி உனக்கேதடா? 

As Agathiyar says, we shall never understand the underlying truth in all our life's happenings. The Siddhas know but only chose to reveal if one goes on his knees and pleads. Most of the time they prefer not to interfere with the divine laws in place. We need to come to terms with our karma, accept them and bear with them while in the meantime promising that we shall change for the better, and increase the positive karma by doing charity and prayers.

Although it might seem that we are highlighting the flaws of others it is not our intention to do so but to learn not to do what others have done that might get us into the bad books of Agathiyar.