If Tavayogi started performing the Yagam to pacify mother nature after she threw a rage in the form of the tsunami in 2004, in later years the ritual was to become an annual event as a cure-all panacea meant to cure all diseases and prolong life, and to provide solutions to all problems. He would get me to carry out a similar ritual but on a much modest scale by lighting a smaller version of the Yagam called a Homam in my home ground. The benefits of lighting this fire are many as the sacred texts and researchers have revealed. I had compiled them in a book "Feeding the Flame" available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bduv5PhFtuqncAherXq8WMPJ80yXFd7n/view
Agathiyar who saw my reluctance to engage in rituals although I was adhering to Tavayogi's instruction and carrying them out explained that the puja and homam are done not for my personal gains but for the good of Prapanjam and all in it. Later he tells me that he is the Prapanjam and that the Prapanjam is in him. When I ask that he take care and bless all of the Prapanjam, he tells me that the Prapanjam shall operate accordingly to the causes and the corresponding and equivalent efforts placed in correcting it. I understood that although he is in charge, we are the determining factor in deciding its fate. We can either save or destroy it. By taking great care, we can prevent its extinction. And by placing concerted efforts to heal it, we can rejuvenate it. We are both the cause and the effort. Many saints have devoted their lives to its service, working towards its upkeep, and restoring its depleted energies.
In the past, we have had saints give us Kavasams or very potent songs that acted as an armor, which when recited daily apparently help protect both the Prapanjam and the individual who is part of it from all dangers, sorrow, and misery and bring onto us joy, bliss, and good health.
The Kandhar Shashti Kavacham is such a potent devotional composition in Tamil by Devaraya Swamigal, that it is still recited by many. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanda_Shasti_Kavasam we understand the arrangement in this song that follows a certain pattern. After the Introduction, Meditation follows. The main content has the author invite the Lord to the devotee using mantras. Similarly, when a seeker comes to a guru, he is initiated into a mantra of the deity who the guru worships, hence establishing a lineage here. This mantra is both a physical and subtle link with the deity. The mantra is a tool to reach out and get connected with the deity. Once recited, the devotee gains the attention of the deity. Having caught his attention, the devotee then goes on to praise the deity with a prayer, puts forward his wishes or asks that they are granted or just sits in silence without any desires, in his presence, just sharing the moment and space with the deity.
Having invited the Lord through his mantra, his presence is strongly felt. The Lord turns his gaze on the devotee. The author of this song strings the sounds of the Lord's footsteps and anklets into mantras. The author is thankful for the swiftness of the Lord in coming to the rescue of his devotee. He surrenders to the Lord and offers prayers unto Him, Praising the Lord. He asks that the Lord protects each individual part of his body and at all times. He asks that the Lord help eradicate the vicious effects of demons and devils. At the same time, he asks that he is released from the vicious cycle of birth and death. He asks that he is protected from wild and venomous animals, and freed of diseases. He asks to maintain a cordial relationship with others. He continues to praise the Lord by his various names and his divine deeds. He worships the Goddess Saraswathi and describes the divine power of the Sacred Ash (Vibuthi) and its effects. Praisings the Lord, he seeks asylum and refuge in him. The author describes the procedures for reciting the song and spells the divine effects of the song. He lists the effects of the song on the evil elements. He then praises the divine deeds of the Lord and with a final salutation, he surrenders himself unto the Lord.
The Kandhar Guru Kavasam is another gem. God who senses the spiritual maturation of the devotee's soul sends forth a Guru or saint to help the truth-seeker attain self-realization and thus, free himself from worldly existence attaining moksha. The fundamental foundation and element or way for this to take place is through bhakti or devotion to God. Kandhar Guru Kavasam is a song that arose from deep devotion from within Saanthaanantha Swaamigal that invokes the true Guru and God within us, in this case in the form of Lord Murugan. The author beseeches the Lord's grace to help us attain our true nature, realizing the Oneness of the Guru and God. (Ref: http://www.skandagurunatha.org/works/skanda-guru-kavasam/)
The Shanmuga Kavasam is another gem. See a translation at http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Shanmuga_Kavacham
There are numerous other songs that were specifically written to keep the dark forces at bay, to heal illnesses, etc, including, Vinayagar Kavasam, Siva Kavasam, Sakthi Kavasam, Edumban Kavasam, Kadamban Kavasam, Kandhar Kavasam, Karthigai Kavasam. As we are facing the pandemic of Covid-19, could the recitation of these Kavasams help keep the dreaded virus away? Let us recite them with faith and belief that it shall keep us safe and save the planet too. Could performing the Yagam or its smaller version the Homam help to keep the virus at bay? We did a homam recently and asks that the divine intervene and bring it under control and eventually wipe it off the face of the earth, believing that Tavayogi would have done the same if he was around in the physical form.
If the above saints and gurus gave us wonderful and potent songs that shielded us from the evil forces and from harm's way, others came to sacrifice their lives in the service of mankind, uplifting both body and soul. Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar is one of them. He turned his attention to serve food to the hungry in the footsteps of Ramalinga Adigal who set up the Satya Dharma Salai some 153 years ago. Today he feeds the masses with contributions from wellwishers and the public. He had given up his life to the worship of the Siddhas and to serve the hungry, bringing in hundreds of devotees to follow him in carrying out similar deeds in their vicinities. I was personally given a tour of the facilities, activities, and extent of feeding carried out at this mission by the late Mr. Nadarajah back then in 2003. I was truly impressed just as he was thankful for the monetary assistance extended towards this noble cause by the Malaysians. Returning to Malaysia, I continued frequenting the local chapter of this mission, based in Dengkil.
A friend passed me the Nadi reading for Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar that carried a message from Supramaniar (Lord Muruga) on ways to combat the Covid-19 virus too.
Take Trikadaku Churanam (Sukku or Dried Ginger, Milagu or Black pepper, Thippili or Long pepper fruit) as it is good for the respiratory system and to cure colds and cough. Prepare and consume with it, the following concoction - Gather 10 Tulasi or Holy Basil leaves, 4 pieces Milagu or Black pepper, 4 pieces Kirambu or Clove, and 2 betel leaves and boil it in water till it's half the original amount and consume mornings and evenings. This will boost and improve our immune system hence preventing us from falling victim to it. Besides adopting the strict measures as laid out by the medical team and the authorities, we could adopt these measures too.
The Shanmuga Kavasam is another gem. See a translation at http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Shanmuga_Kavacham
There are numerous other songs that were specifically written to keep the dark forces at bay, to heal illnesses, etc, including, Vinayagar Kavasam, Siva Kavasam, Sakthi Kavasam, Edumban Kavasam, Kadamban Kavasam, Kandhar Kavasam, Karthigai Kavasam. As we are facing the pandemic of Covid-19, could the recitation of these Kavasams help keep the dreaded virus away? Let us recite them with faith and belief that it shall keep us safe and save the planet too. Could performing the Yagam or its smaller version the Homam help to keep the virus at bay? We did a homam recently and asks that the divine intervene and bring it under control and eventually wipe it off the face of the earth, believing that Tavayogi would have done the same if he was around in the physical form.
If the above saints and gurus gave us wonderful and potent songs that shielded us from the evil forces and from harm's way, others came to sacrifice their lives in the service of mankind, uplifting both body and soul. Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar is one of them. He turned his attention to serve food to the hungry in the footsteps of Ramalinga Adigal who set up the Satya Dharma Salai some 153 years ago. Today he feeds the masses with contributions from wellwishers and the public. He had given up his life to the worship of the Siddhas and to serve the hungry, bringing in hundreds of devotees to follow him in carrying out similar deeds in their vicinities. I was personally given a tour of the facilities, activities, and extent of feeding carried out at this mission by the late Mr. Nadarajah back then in 2003. I was truly impressed just as he was thankful for the monetary assistance extended towards this noble cause by the Malaysians. Returning to Malaysia, I continued frequenting the local chapter of this mission, based in Dengkil.
A friend passed me the Nadi reading for Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar that carried a message from Supramaniar (Lord Muruga) on ways to combat the Covid-19 virus too.
Take Trikadaku Churanam (Sukku or Dried Ginger, Milagu or Black pepper, Thippili or Long pepper fruit) as it is good for the respiratory system and to cure colds and cough. Prepare and consume with it, the following concoction - Gather 10 Tulasi or Holy Basil leaves, 4 pieces Milagu or Black pepper, 4 pieces Kirambu or Clove, and 2 betel leaves and boil it in water till it's half the original amount and consume mornings and evenings. This will boost and improve our immune system hence preventing us from falling victim to it. Besides adopting the strict measures as laid out by the medical team and the authorities, we could adopt these measures too.
Tavayogi had given up a lucrative business and family in Tirupur, Tamilnadu, to become a monk or turavi, voluntarily. At our first meeting in Malaysia, he showed me photos of the activities and the extent of work he was doing to feed the native children in the vicinity of his dwelling a makeshift ashram at Agathiyar Vanam, Kallar. When I asked Tavayogi if we could carry out an annadhanam to feed the hungry on my visit to his Ashram, his face lighted up immediately. He took me to the marketplace at Methupalaiyam and we made several purchases. The current head of the Ashram Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar was then a housewife. She and the villagers gathered together to prepare and cook. I was given the privilege to serve the children. I saw the joy in their eyes partaking the simple food that was served.
I was a self-centered person until I came to these masters who gave up their family lives to serve others. When Tavayogi took up monkhood, Agathiyar came to console his daughter through the Nadi telling her that if he was to stay with the family he would only be serving his immediate family, but taking on his new role he would become a father to many. After adorning the kavi attire and roaming the length and breadth of India, he settled in a shed at the foot of the Kallar hills, that he called Agathiyar Gnana Peedham. He engaged in preaching about the Siddhas, conducted puja to them and serve food to the hungry. He made numerous trips to Malaysia between 2004 and 2016, bringing the word of the Siddhas and their teachings to our shores. He taught me to worship the Siddhas through the ritual of lighting the sacrificial fire. Rather than preach to us he made me carry out these rituals, he brought me to the abodes of the Siddhas in the jungles of India, he brought me to their caves, practically tracing back his path and walking it again this time with me. I was privileged to walk the path of Tavayogi.
Recently Agathiyar said that his path, that is the Path of Living the Siddha Way or Siddha Neri Vazhkai Murai was not being followed by people these days. The Siddhas experimented on them and shared their Jnana or wisdom having documented them for the generations to come. Many read this literatures, talk and discuss about it but do not adopt what has been said in their lives. We were blessed to have Agathiyar send us these gurus and other upagurus who help us walk the path, coming as signposts and milestones initially, and eventually leading and accompanying us too.
Ramalinga Adigal, who walked the face of this earth 146 years ago was the pearl and shining star among all saints revealing lives secrets and giving us the means to save our souls and also take the body along, beating and cheating the cycle of birth and death like the Siddhas before him. If the Kavasams of the saints protected the body from harm's way, Ramalinga Adigal perfected the art or science of retaining the physical body intact, defeating death, and had the free will to chose when to leave. He mastered the elements and freed it back to its core entity, becoming merged in everything. He invited seekers and devotees to take up his path of Suddha Sanmargam that could assure them of this mastery.
Ramalinga Adigal, who walked the face of this earth 146 years ago was the pearl and shining star among all saints revealing lives secrets and giving us the means to save our souls and also take the body along, beating and cheating the cycle of birth and death like the Siddhas before him. If the Kavasams of the saints protected the body from harm's way, Ramalinga Adigal perfected the art or science of retaining the physical body intact, defeating death, and had the free will to chose when to leave. He mastered the elements and freed it back to its core entity, becoming merged in everything. He invited seekers and devotees to take up his path of Suddha Sanmargam that could assure them of this mastery.
Suddha Sanmargam affirms that the end or goal of human life is to achieve knowledge and unitive experience of ARUTPERUMJOTHI, and, thereby, to attain a blissful state of deathless embodied existence, by means of a transfiguration of the physical body, or the possession of a new “supraphysical” body, free of all limitations and afflictions. (Source: https://thewayoftruetheism.wordpress.com/)
This is an enlightened and blissful life led by an embodied individual transfigured by his or her unitive experience and knowledge of ARUTPERUMJOTHI, not an obliteration or cessation of individual life and consciousness in a vacuous state of Nirvana or Moksha.
This “great life without death” is the state of enlightenment or liberation envisaged in Suddha Sanmargam. The attainment of this “great life without death” is a function, not of our own efforts, but of the incomparable compassion of ARUTPERUMJOTHI. The point of effort, in this context, is self-purification, to become completely receptive to the omnipotent compassion of ARUTPERUMJOTHI.
Just as Tavayogi pointed us to the path and the source behind all of us - Agathiyar, and stepped back, never intended and wanting us to worship him, in https://thewayoftruetheism.wordpress.com/ we understand that Ramalinga Adigal too abstained from portraying himself as a guru and prevented others from worshipping him. He showed them to ARUTPERUMJOTHI instead.
Such are the possibilities of deep faith, belief, and sincere prayers, together with our concerted and singular efforts in seeking a solution that it brings the results that we desire with a little help from the magic hand of the divine. After taking these steps and efforts, and with total surrender to the divine and continuous prayers, a magic takes place, a miracle takes place.
Suddha Sanmargam is unlike the extant religious traditions. There are no “holy scriptures” of Suddha Sanmargam. It is a pathway to immortality revealed by ARUTPERUMJOTHI to a pioneer, Chidambaram Ramalingam. Of course, the later prose and poetry of Ramalingam constitutes an eloquent and reliable source of Suddha Sanmargam, but they are not like religious scriptures and ought not to be treated as such. Obviously, and unlike the alleged status of the Vedas, they are not “authorless revelations”. They express the aspirations, experiences, and enlightenment of Ramalingam.Agathiyar in my Nadi mentioned ARUTPERUMJOTHI Mantra as the Maha Mantra some years back and asks to chant. Recently we saw the efficacy of this mantra when Lord Muruga came simultaneously through the Jeeva Nadi and through a devotee, beautifully synchronizing the narration and explanation of the procedure and the action of healing my lower back pain which many hearing the symptoms equated it with the Sciatica nerve. Although medically I was fine having given a clean slate, Agathiyar and Lord Muruga mentioned reasons and explanations for the excruciating pain that was beyond my knowledge. Lord Muruga used a bunch of peacock feathers and stroked by back with it. He asks to place a vessel of water and asks those present to chant the Maha Mantra ARUTPERUMJOTHI and have me drink it. I was cured by his grace. I was urinating every few minutes throughout that night. It was as if the floodwaters retarding structures had been opened.
There is no formal “lineage” of Suddha Sanmargam. Ramalingam did not establish himself as a “Guru” and claimed no disciples. He was averse to the appellation of “swami”. When some of his friends intended to publish a collection of his poetry under the name “Ramalinga Swami”, he forbade them to do so and said that the title “swami” smacked of ostentation and pretense. He did not wear ochre robes. He was not affiliated with any monastic order, or any religious order or institution. He addressed the members of the Sangha or community of Suddha Sanmargam as his friends, not disciples. He did not set himself up as a savior or “avatar”.
The goal of Suddha Sanmargam is to realize ARUTPERUMJOTHI, not to worship Ramalingam as a “savior” or “avatar”! In fact, such worship of Ramalingam is not even prescribed as a means in Suddha Sanmargam! Ramalingam himself was avowedly and deeply distressed at the fact that many of his followers tended to deify and worship him instead of striving to worship and realize ARUTPERUMJOTHI!
Such are the possibilities of deep faith, belief, and sincere prayers, together with our concerted and singular efforts in seeking a solution that it brings the results that we desire with a little help from the magic hand of the divine. After taking these steps and efforts, and with total surrender to the divine and continuous prayers, a magic takes place, a miracle takes place.