If Vedantins were solely concerned about the spirit and the soul, the Siddhantins cared for the physical body too. Geetha Anand writes in her blog http://agatthiyarjnanam.blogspot.my/ that "the Siddhas did not believe in attaining moksha after death. There is no guarantee that one will actually achieve it also! They believe that the body should be used properly as a moksha sadhana." So they paid attention and worked on their body as did they on the soul and spirit.
And so calling us to his path, Agathiyar slowly brought us to understand the way and the means to attaining, or if not at least to attempt to attain by striving and putting in some effort in this birth and coming back to work further on this ideal. For this purpose, he brought us in contact with Supramania Swami, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and their respective spiritual lineages. Agathiyar himself introduced us to his spiritual colleagues too. All these masters guided and led us through actual practices rather than give discourses. Soon they introduced us many Upagurus too from whom we learned the intricacies of these practices and began to fine-tune them. Just as it is found that when the lightning strikes the earth a streamer arises from the ground to meet it, with Agathiyar’s enormous mercy and grace showering on us and the little compassion that has risen in our hearts, when these two, their grace and our efforts meet there blossoms a shower of divine energy that readily begins the transformation in us.
Taking directives from Agathiyar and the Siddhas all this while we were surprised when Ma told us that the Siddha path was one of learning or படிப்பினை (and henceforth gaining experience). This learning (and the relative experience gained from it) will become knowledge to others she said. Making mistakes is a learning process she added, telling us it was fine to make mistakes and that it was part of the process. She asks us to share the experience. Recently Agathiyar too has spoken of our experiences as a lesson or பாடம். He went further to mention that there was another experience that one needs to seek, that which is a result of an inner journey and tells us that the experience shall vary from person to person.
Bringing us to understand that karma and effort determine the direction of the prapanjam or matrix, Agathiyar led us on a Pilgrim's Journey, satisfying the need to atone for our past misdeeds and actions, and fulfilling the numerous remedies given out to raise the merits or Punya through good deeds, to counter if not overshadow the baggage of karma we brought down on us. If going on a pilgrimage and fulfilling the countermeasures dished out was one way to redeem our soul, including the all-powerful act of charity, that is feeding the hungry or annadhanam, he then brought us to personally sit to carry out the homam, that burns a substantial portion of our karma. Then by his grace, he comes as a guru to whom we are destined to be a student, serving and learning further. The guru begins his work on us cleansing this vessel externally first, our habits, behavior and characteristics and soon working on our mind and the luggage that it carries along with it, the ingrained perspective of the world around us. If we are willing to wait and serve him patiently for at least 12 golden years, and pass all the test and examination that he places in our path, we qualify to redeem the soul from the clutches of darkness, whereby a drastic transformation awaits the student. This time it is an internal journey, a pilgrimage within that rids us of all the gross matter and filth and dirt, cleansing the very cells and paving the way for the decent of Erai and his messengers. This personal inner experience or true Gnana as he defines it will differ from person to person. Agathiyar added that this Gnana cannot be conferred on a person, as in giving out titles and honorary awards, but has to be earned through the concerted efforts of each individual.
We can only walk this far with a group or a gathering of fellow students or disciples. There then comes a moment when each one of us shall have to begin to walk alone. Taking all that he had acquired under the tutorship of the gurus and upagurus, now he has to step alone into the unchartered frontiers, discovering for himself the truth. He begins to verify the truth in the statements of those who had ventured before him. He is lucky if he comes upon signboards or signages along the way that helps hasten his internal journey.
Hence Mahindren in his article that Siddha Heartbeat posted earlier, understood the purpose in me dissolving the groups, Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) and its charity arm Amudha Surabhi (AS) for it was the right time, the perfect moment for each one of us in AVM to embark on his/her solo journey within.
டிசம்பர் 20, 2013 எனது சரியைக்காணப் பயணத்தின் தொடக்கம். அன்று தான் நான் முதல் முறையாக அகத்தியர் வானம் மலேசியாவிக்கு எனது நண்பர்களோடு சென்றிருந்தேன்.
கிரியை எனபது வெறும் பூஜை என்பது அல்ல, பிறருக்கு தொண்டுகள் செய்வதும் தான் என உணர்த்தி, பாலச்சந்திரன் தலைமையில் நாங்கள் ஆறு பேர் (பாலச்சந்திரன், நான், தயாளன், சுகுமாரன், மலர்வதி, சஹாலினி) சேர்த்த ஒரு குழு அமைத்து எங்களால் ஈன்ற தொண்டினை செய்து வந்தோம்.
இவாறு அகத்தியரோடு பயணம் சுமுகமாய் போக, யோகத்தின் பயிற்சி ஆரம்பமானது. இங்குதான் அகத்தியரோடு பயணம் குழுவாக அல்ல தனி மனித பயணம் என உணர்த்த ஆரம்பித்தார். ஆறு வருடமாக குழுமுறையில் செய்தவையாவும் இப்பொழுது தனித்து செய்ய வேண்டும். தொண்டுகள் இதில் அடங்காது. தனி மனித பயணம் என்பது தன்னை தானே அறிந்துகொள்வது.
எவ்வாறு நான் என்னை நானே அறிவது என்ற கேள்விக்கு அகத்தியர் அப்பா சொல்லியது தியான முறை. நம்மை நாம் அறிவதற்கு சித்தர்கள் சொல்லித்தருவது தியான பயிற்சி. நம்மை தனிமை படுத்தி தினமும் ஒரு முறையாவது இறைவனை நோக்கி மன அமைதியோடு தியனம் செய்து வந்தால், அதன் பலனாக நம் பிறப்பின் நோக்கமும், அதன் பயனும் அறிவோம் என்று உணர்த்தினார்.
And so calling us to his path, Agathiyar slowly brought us to understand the way and the means to attaining, or if not at least to attempt to attain by striving and putting in some effort in this birth and coming back to work further on this ideal. For this purpose, he brought us in contact with Supramania Swami, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and their respective spiritual lineages. Agathiyar himself introduced us to his spiritual colleagues too. All these masters guided and led us through actual practices rather than give discourses. Soon they introduced us many Upagurus too from whom we learned the intricacies of these practices and began to fine-tune them. Just as it is found that when the lightning strikes the earth a streamer arises from the ground to meet it, with Agathiyar’s enormous mercy and grace showering on us and the little compassion that has risen in our hearts, when these two, their grace and our efforts meet there blossoms a shower of divine energy that readily begins the transformation in us.
Taking directives from Agathiyar and the Siddhas all this while we were surprised when Ma told us that the Siddha path was one of learning or படிப்பினை (and henceforth gaining experience). This learning (and the relative experience gained from it) will become knowledge to others she said. Making mistakes is a learning process she added, telling us it was fine to make mistakes and that it was part of the process. She asks us to share the experience. Recently Agathiyar too has spoken of our experiences as a lesson or பாடம். He went further to mention that there was another experience that one needs to seek, that which is a result of an inner journey and tells us that the experience shall vary from person to person.
Bringing us to understand that karma and effort determine the direction of the prapanjam or matrix, Agathiyar led us on a Pilgrim's Journey, satisfying the need to atone for our past misdeeds and actions, and fulfilling the numerous remedies given out to raise the merits or Punya through good deeds, to counter if not overshadow the baggage of karma we brought down on us. If going on a pilgrimage and fulfilling the countermeasures dished out was one way to redeem our soul, including the all-powerful act of charity, that is feeding the hungry or annadhanam, he then brought us to personally sit to carry out the homam, that burns a substantial portion of our karma. Then by his grace, he comes as a guru to whom we are destined to be a student, serving and learning further. The guru begins his work on us cleansing this vessel externally first, our habits, behavior and characteristics and soon working on our mind and the luggage that it carries along with it, the ingrained perspective of the world around us. If we are willing to wait and serve him patiently for at least 12 golden years, and pass all the test and examination that he places in our path, we qualify to redeem the soul from the clutches of darkness, whereby a drastic transformation awaits the student. This time it is an internal journey, a pilgrimage within that rids us of all the gross matter and filth and dirt, cleansing the very cells and paving the way for the decent of Erai and his messengers. This personal inner experience or true Gnana as he defines it will differ from person to person. Agathiyar added that this Gnana cannot be conferred on a person, as in giving out titles and honorary awards, but has to be earned through the concerted efforts of each individual.
We can only walk this far with a group or a gathering of fellow students or disciples. There then comes a moment when each one of us shall have to begin to walk alone. Taking all that he had acquired under the tutorship of the gurus and upagurus, now he has to step alone into the unchartered frontiers, discovering for himself the truth. He begins to verify the truth in the statements of those who had ventured before him. He is lucky if he comes upon signboards or signages along the way that helps hasten his internal journey.
Hence Mahindren in his article that Siddha Heartbeat posted earlier, understood the purpose in me dissolving the groups, Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) and its charity arm Amudha Surabhi (AS) for it was the right time, the perfect moment for each one of us in AVM to embark on his/her solo journey within.
டிசம்பர் 20, 2013 எனது சரியைக்காணப் பயணத்தின் தொடக்கம். அன்று தான் நான் முதல் முறையாக அகத்தியர் வானம் மலேசியாவிக்கு எனது நண்பர்களோடு சென்றிருந்தேன்.
கிரியை எனபது வெறும் பூஜை என்பது அல்ல, பிறருக்கு தொண்டுகள் செய்வதும் தான் என உணர்த்தி, பாலச்சந்திரன் தலைமையில் நாங்கள் ஆறு பேர் (பாலச்சந்திரன், நான், தயாளன், சுகுமாரன், மலர்வதி, சஹாலினி) சேர்த்த ஒரு குழு அமைத்து எங்களால் ஈன்ற தொண்டினை செய்து வந்தோம்.
இவாறு அகத்தியரோடு பயணம் சுமுகமாய் போக, யோகத்தின் பயிற்சி ஆரம்பமானது. இங்குதான் அகத்தியரோடு பயணம் குழுவாக அல்ல தனி மனித பயணம் என உணர்த்த ஆரம்பித்தார். ஆறு வருடமாக குழுமுறையில் செய்தவையாவும் இப்பொழுது தனித்து செய்ய வேண்டும். தொண்டுகள் இதில் அடங்காது. தனி மனித பயணம் என்பது தன்னை தானே அறிந்துகொள்வது.
எவ்வாறு நான் என்னை நானே அறிவது என்ற கேள்விக்கு அகத்தியர் அப்பா சொல்லியது தியான முறை. நம்மை நாம் அறிவதற்கு சித்தர்கள் சொல்லித்தருவது தியான பயிற்சி. நம்மை தனிமை படுத்தி தினமும் ஒரு முறையாவது இறைவனை நோக்கி மன அமைதியோடு தியனம் செய்து வந்தால், அதன் பலனாக நம் பிறப்பின் நோக்கமும், அதன் பயனும் அறிவோம் என்று உணர்த்தினார்.
Bringing us on his path, by calling out to us, Agathiyar waited patiently for us to drop our individual and personal desires and willingly submit to his wishes, in other words asking for total surrender. Having come to surrender to him, he then began to chart both our external and internal journey, bringing us within and closer henceforth. He carefully charted the ways and means for us to tread the path, leaving a milestone at every mile of our journey, waiting for us to catch up on him and encouraging and continuing us on yet another phase of the journey, an inner journey.
Thus, the Siddha, instead of fighting the body and its natural tendencies, transform it using the same principles into a supreme vehicle that carries them towards liberation. Besides working on the physical body, Agathiyar brings us to work within on the chakras too. From https://pranashakty.org/jothi/suddha-deham/ we are enlightened further on the sequence in the changes of the physical state of Ramalinga Adigal upon undertaking the worship of the divine.
Today as we stand at the threshold of Gnana, he tells us that it is not something given or gifted but needs to be earned through concerted efforts and its resulting relative experiences bloom into Gnana. Of course, this is varied and different for each soul, he briefs us. To travel this internal journey, we are asked to strengthen the power of our soul or gain Atma Balam. Towards attaining Atma Balam, Agathiyar, holding our hands, has walked us through Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam, all these years. He had expressed his wishes for us to achieve the state of a Jeevan Mukta, and work towards bringing changes in our physical body too, transforming it from Asudha Deham to Sudha Deham and moving on to Pranava Deham and Oli Deham. He wishes us to go through this transformation that had taken place in him and many saints of the past. How compassionate of him to desire that we too should relive and undergo these transformations. Now it is for us to take the leap into the unchartered frontiers, that have been only vaguely described by past saints. Then we understand that no two experiences will be the same says Agathiyar.
Agathiyar has delegated many Siddhas, saints, gurus and upagurus, including nature and both the animal and plant kingdom, to come to our rescue in helping us build anew this body that is liable to conflicts and disease, strengthening this fortress that is very much necessary in our pursuit of the divine and bringing him within. We have the Siddhas, the Mahaans, the gurus in physical form and even a child to bring upon us enlightenment of the soul. I used to watch and wonder why my toddler granddaughter would spin and spin and run in circles. Soon I found out that the child inherently carries the knowledge needed for survival and advancement of its soul. What she did was akin to one of the 5 Tibetan Rites or Yoga practice that I happen to come across on the net later. Ramalinga Adigal had drawn up clearly the many milestones one has to encounter and move on, continuing the journey that brings one to the much-anticipated destination and kingdom of God.
Thus, the Siddha, instead of fighting the body and its natural tendencies, transform it using the same principles into a supreme vehicle that carries them towards liberation. Besides working on the physical body, Agathiyar brings us to work within on the chakras too. From https://pranashakty.org/jothi/suddha-deham/ we are enlightened further on the sequence in the changes of the physical state of Ramalinga Adigal upon undertaking the worship of the divine.
The most compassionate father Agathiyar for a start has us partake his herbal purgative, Agathiyar Kozhumbu, directed and prepared passionately by Siddha Practitioner Arivan. After having consumed the concoction, he tells us that it helps stabilize the three Dosas namely Vatham, Kapham, and Pitham.
Today as we stand at the threshold of Gnana, he tells us that it is not something given or gifted but needs to be earned through concerted efforts and its resulting relative experiences bloom into Gnana. Of course, this is varied and different for each soul, he briefs us. To travel this internal journey, we are asked to strengthen the power of our soul or gain Atma Balam. Towards attaining Atma Balam, Agathiyar, holding our hands, has walked us through Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam, all these years. He had expressed his wishes for us to achieve the state of a Jeevan Mukta, and work towards bringing changes in our physical body too, transforming it from Asudha Deham to Sudha Deham and moving on to Pranava Deham and Oli Deham. He wishes us to go through this transformation that had taken place in him and many saints of the past. How compassionate of him to desire that we too should relive and undergo these transformations. Now it is for us to take the leap into the unchartered frontiers, that have been only vaguely described by past saints. Then we understand that no two experiences will be the same says Agathiyar.
But it all has to begin from right below our feet, taking our first step, falling and getting up, making many attempts just as a toddler does, taking a break from the attempt only to rest but never giving up. What drives a child to carry out these feats if not an inherent knowledge that all things are possible? What drives a child to carry out these feats if not some past encounters with it? The Buddha-nature is inherent and alive in each of us. Sadly we are not awakened to the realization of its existence. We are veiled thickly by Maya or illusion that refuses to let the light in. Love for the divine breaks asunder this veil and one meets his creator.