A dear friend from the African continent on reading my last post messaged me asking some pertinent questions.
Quick question aiya....you mentioned his tests and how he sometimes slides an attractive gift or offer in... I experienced it too but it was easy to see the lure.
However how does one distinguish from what one can and should accept from him and that which is bound to set us back?
For example ...You mentioned, The mediumship to the Nadi; mediumship to healing...did he approach it as an offer or an fulfillment of purpose or an instruction?
Can one decline and how?
Hence in serving him how does one choose or decide which offers of work to accept in serving humanity or others without compromising one's already fragile growth on the path...
All the doubts and queries she raises are true and make sense.
Agathiyar says there is no right or wrong. Neither does he differentiate or endorse the right from the wrong. We only have choices. We only know if we had made the right choice after seeing the results or outcome of our selection. It is we who determine if an action is right or wrong after going through or gaining the experience and learning a lesson from it. We become wiser from learning the lesson. This becomes a lesson to others then. People seek us out for advice for we have been there, have had the experience.
Agathiyar says there is no right or wrong. Neither does he differentiate or endorse the right from the wrong. We only have choices. We only know if we had made the right choice after seeing the results or outcome of our selection. It is we who determine if an action is right or wrong after going through or gaining the experience and learning a lesson from it. We become wiser from learning the lesson. This becomes a lesson to others then. People seek us out for advice for we have been there, have had the experience.
It is really really difficult to see through his game. We are told repetitively that it is all his game, play or lila. Should we then step back and just watch, submit to him, surrender to him, and leave things as it is? That would mean accepting one's karma and living with it. Or should we look for ways to come out of the predicament by placing a concerted effort in reversing the situation? When I ask him to take care of the prapanjam or matrix and all that belongs in it, he tells me karma and the concerted efforts of ours shall determine the future of it.
What about us who are hale and healthy and are in a position to help others? Should we look upon the sufferings of the others as his/her karma that he/she has to live out or choose to see the divine in others and go the extra mile to assist or bring a change as in their lives hence serving humanity? But being humans the ego in us wants to go into action, doing things that bring acclamation that the ego yearns and seeks. The inflated ego continuously seeks attention. Coming to the Siddhas, we see the ego break and crumble. We are continuously reminded to carry out good deeds without the sense of "I am the doer."
Imagine if I had shoved aside Agathiyar's call to come to his path? Where would I be then? I had a choice that day when he came through my Nadi. I used my free will to make a decision and make a choice. I chose to follow him. I accepted to go his way because I did not have any idea or previous knowledge or experience about it. It was something entirely new to me, although these days he says that it was because we had worked on it in our past lives. I did not have a reference point or a yardstick to gauge if traveling the path would assist or hinder my existence. Neither did Agathiyar promise heaven and earth. I simply took the plunge, not knowing the consequences. I depended entirely on guidance from him and other upagurus whom he sent my way. I worked on my karma that was revealed by him by going on a pilgrimage and carrying out remedies and atonements, thus serving to free me from my past baggage, setting my personal being and individual self free. I took up the numerous tasks given by both Tavayogi and Agathiyar, which made me come out of my individual selfish self and brought me to play my part or role towards contributing to healing the prapanjam or matrix and in serving humanity. It was giving back to nature in a sense, after having taken from it and lived on it. After 17 years, I believe strongly that it was right of me to heed his call and follow him because I am seeing the results of my decision made that day. All my efforts besides bringing joy in me served to uplift others. But I have to remind myself always that those actions I executed were on Agathiyar's behalf using us as a tool, instrument, medium or vessel. I was and am not bonded in any way to my actions. I did them because it was required of me. I moved on after accomplishing them. I did not wait to look for appraisals, gifts or recognition in the society. Nobody I helped is obliged to me and neither am I obliged to them. There is no repayment in this sense that warrants another birth.
When after three years I had my second reading done, Agathiyar asks that I see Tavayogi immediately and receive an initiation the same night. Again I had a choice. I took the jump. I headed for the Peedham where Tavayogi was housed during his visit to Malaysia and received an initiation without knowing what I was stepping into. If I had brushed it aside, pondered over it for days or postponed seeing him, where would I be? Having made a choice and seeing its results unfold, I believe that it was right of me to heed his call and get initiated, (although a second time) from Tavayogi without questioning him. Taking Agathiyar's hand brought me to a whole new world and a whole new perspective and understanding. Taking Tavayogi's hand brought me to learn the intricacies of the path that unfolded before me. Taking Supramania Swami's hand taught me to be an obedient servant of the Guru. Traveling with them brought me unique experiences that can never be bought or attained elsewhere. There were numerous lessons that these experiences taught to me, which prepared me for my inner journey.
Having traveled for some time, Agathiyar casually hinted that he would present the gift of the Nadi to me to use for myself and read for others too. This gift comes at a time when I began to understand the subject and the web that is spun around this highly debated oracle, object, and subject. Do I need it I ask myself? Of what use would it be on my personal journey of unfoldment? No. I did not have a need for it. I told him that I did not want it. If I had coverted or desired for it Agathiyar would have placed it in my hands and I would have been tied down for the rest of my life. For if I had accepted my journey would have ended there. Word would go around and people would come by daily to have a reading. Although it can be considered as a service to others, I would be caught in the web that is spun.
Then he came to heal others through me. I asked myself if I wanted that too? No. My wife and I did not desire that too. This came at a time when we knew pretty well the consequences of taking on this responsibility. Again we would be chained for life. For if I had given in to it, people hearing about this Siddhi would convene at my premise to be healed. I would be stuck there, with no means to escape from yet another web, although again it can be considered as a service to others.
Then he asks that we move to a larger premise. We refused to budge for all was fine as it was. My family and I engaged in the worship of the Siddhas in our home. Occasionally the crowd gathers to pay homage to him in our home. We are not obliged to others to open up our home. We can leave on a vacation anytime, without worrying or appointing a caretaker during our absence. We were not tied down to commitments towards the devotees. It was an ideal and practical solution. We refused to bring ourselves to commit to run an ashram, peedham, temple or otherwise since now we have had gathered numerous lessons from other's experiences in running these establishments.
I knew pretty well that I was not cut to lead an organization. Neither was I the candidate to sit at the front desk. I can never stomach nonsense. I blow my top. I can perform well behind the screen though. Knowing myself well, I turned down all the goodies and offers that Agathiyar shoved in my face. Instead, I sought out ways of uplighting the soul. So to answer the reader's question, "However, how does one distinguish from what one can and should accept from him and that which is bound to set us back? Can one decline and how? Hence in serving him how does one choose or decide which offers of work to accept in serving humanity or others without compromising one's already fragile growth on the path..." if you have had prior experience in the subject and knowledge of the pros and cons of it, deliberate carefully before you venture. Your past experiences shall be your teacher. Never let others decide your destiny, although you can listen out to their wisdom. What worked for them need not necessarily work for you. If you have no prior experience with the subject, take the dive and learn something new for yourself. That experience and the lesson gained from it shall enhance your life, soul, and spirit. If you have a failed relationship, don't sulk over it. Take on the experience and its lessons and move on. If you business fails. Do not regret the decisions you made. Take on the experience and its lessons and move on. Pardon me if I am wrong. Of course, you are going to quote Agathiyar that there is no right or wrong.
Agathiyar gave us his 5 tenets for life and living it purposefully. We are grateful to him for we had unknowingly engaged in all the tenets mentioned in it. Then he tells us that we have to move on again. It is not a life long venture but one that we need to know and carry out before moving further upstream. Life is all about learning anew new things and gaining experiences. These become lessons that fruit into wisdom. Having gained these experiences and the lessons that came with it, it was now time to move into another phase of life, settling down in quiet contemplation on the self - the self within us. Rather than have the divine judge us on judgment day, we run through our life in solidarity and analyze the right and wrong, learn the lessons, ask for forgiveness if the need be, and prepare to leave this mortal frame in peace without any attachment to our actions, deeds, and its merits. Once the turbid waters reside, and the pond is still, it is said that our Atma or soul comes forth and begins to speak to us. This internal journey shall eventually bring us face to face with the divine who comes to appear before us and makes known our life's purpose to us, the true purpose of each individual soul. This is true Gnana or enlightenment says Agathiyar. Rebirth takes place not after we die but in this very birth itself. A Gnani is born.
Then he asks that we move to a larger premise. We refused to budge for all was fine as it was. My family and I engaged in the worship of the Siddhas in our home. Occasionally the crowd gathers to pay homage to him in our home. We are not obliged to others to open up our home. We can leave on a vacation anytime, without worrying or appointing a caretaker during our absence. We were not tied down to commitments towards the devotees. It was an ideal and practical solution. We refused to bring ourselves to commit to run an ashram, peedham, temple or otherwise since now we have had gathered numerous lessons from other's experiences in running these establishments.
I knew pretty well that I was not cut to lead an organization. Neither was I the candidate to sit at the front desk. I can never stomach nonsense. I blow my top. I can perform well behind the screen though. Knowing myself well, I turned down all the goodies and offers that Agathiyar shoved in my face. Instead, I sought out ways of uplighting the soul. So to answer the reader's question, "However, how does one distinguish from what one can and should accept from him and that which is bound to set us back? Can one decline and how? Hence in serving him how does one choose or decide which offers of work to accept in serving humanity or others without compromising one's already fragile growth on the path..." if you have had prior experience in the subject and knowledge of the pros and cons of it, deliberate carefully before you venture. Your past experiences shall be your teacher. Never let others decide your destiny, although you can listen out to their wisdom. What worked for them need not necessarily work for you. If you have no prior experience with the subject, take the dive and learn something new for yourself. That experience and the lesson gained from it shall enhance your life, soul, and spirit. If you have a failed relationship, don't sulk over it. Take on the experience and its lessons and move on. If you business fails. Do not regret the decisions you made. Take on the experience and its lessons and move on. Pardon me if I am wrong. Of course, you are going to quote Agathiyar that there is no right or wrong.
As to the question "Can one decline and how?", I have declined to follow many directives of Agathiyar not because I was arrogant and did not respect him but I had caught hold of his feet so tight that I did not permit anybody else to come in between us.
Initially, I followed all his dictates as I was new and discovering his path, I traveled to all the places he mentioned in the Nadi. But after he introduced me to Supramania Swami and Tavayogi and took me under his fold, I did not see the necessity to pursue his asking me to meet several other gurus and to go more places. I had arrived home. My search had stopped. I was contented with having him and both my gurus in physical form. He too stopped asking me to meet others and go places after that. Ramalinga Adigal acknowledged my hold on him recently, complementing my stand and asks that I continue holding on to his feet. What a blessing!
Agathiyar gave us his 5 tenets for life and living it purposefully. We are grateful to him for we had unknowingly engaged in all the tenets mentioned in it. Then he tells us that we have to move on again. It is not a life long venture but one that we need to know and carry out before moving further upstream. Life is all about learning anew new things and gaining experiences. These become lessons that fruit into wisdom. Having gained these experiences and the lessons that came with it, it was now time to move into another phase of life, settling down in quiet contemplation on the self - the self within us. Rather than have the divine judge us on judgment day, we run through our life in solidarity and analyze the right and wrong, learn the lessons, ask for forgiveness if the need be, and prepare to leave this mortal frame in peace without any attachment to our actions, deeds, and its merits. Once the turbid waters reside, and the pond is still, it is said that our Atma or soul comes forth and begins to speak to us. This internal journey shall eventually bring us face to face with the divine who comes to appear before us and makes known our life's purpose to us, the true purpose of each individual soul. This is true Gnana or enlightenment says Agathiyar. Rebirth takes place not after we die but in this very birth itself. A Gnani is born.