THE YOGI

Truman Caylor Wadlington writes in the opening paragraph of his introduction to his book "Yogi Ramsuratkumar - the Godchild of Thiruvannamalai", 

Dense is the veil of illusion which drabes the formless spirit. He who lifts even a fringe of the veil is blessed forever for then the call of the divine is faintly heard. As if coming from afar, the voice whispers words of wisdom to the sleeping soul of a man, till finally, the soul awakens from its ageless slumber to become a dawning sun of spirit shedding a light of love upon all things. 

What a lovely and beautiful way to open the subject that evades most of us and is least comprehended by even those walking the path, including me. Such wonderful writing from Truman. This book is one of the best I have read about a saint besides the autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda. These wonderful books help keep us on the path, give hope and aspiration to take up the path of the saints if not fully at least to have a glimpse of the divine and drench and soak in its joy and bliss. I am desperately trying to piece together all the teachings that come my way from books, people, saints, and gurus and foremost Agathiyar on the subject of awakening the soul. 

Truman describes beautifully the Yogi's journey, and if I may borrow some words from him, "from a boy playing along the banks of the river Ganges; having drawn to the call of the alluring voice from within the silence of his heart; following the command that issued from within; faced with the veil of illusion; combating the darkness; destroying the illusive forms which shrouds the face of reality; and taking light as his ally and building within himself the temple of the indwelling god, that is the vehicle of higher consciousness, the subtle form of the soul; and coming face to face with having to shatter even the final form, so rare, so beautiful; and arriving at the ageless wisdom of the formless spirit, dwelling beyond the illusive forms hanging as the cosmic veil before reality - that is what the Yogi went through.

Truman writes "By a process of reorientation he reached the point when both the light and the path entered Father's house, he himself becoming the light and the path. He saw. He knew. He participated in the great plan. He related himself to the Divine Purpose and he made the Purpose his as far as he could grasp it. Then the light which he had generated within himself and was learning rapidly to use as an instrumental force revealed to him the higher way of the Higher Evolution. The mutations and transformations which he subsequently passed through led him step by step into the life of service."

He writes that "the light illuminates the way for humanity and revealing to men the path which they can and must travel. Suffusing the light of the Divine wherever darkness prevails he endeavours, unseen, to bridge the gap between matter and spirit."  Similarly, Agathiyar came as the light. Ramalinga Adigal came as the light. Both Supramania Swami and Tavayogi came as the light to me.

Truman describes the Yogi as a theoretician and a practitioner of evolution, a seer of wisdom and a giver of wisdom. Just as Tavayogi says that the Siddha cannot be restraint, Truman too describes this Godchild in such manner.

Illumined men do not necessarily act in accordance with any fixed rules, but always out of the free spontaneity of their divine nature, swept clean of all dross and impurity. Conventional morality is conducive only to the continuance of the established order, whereas the supra-ethical morality of the men of liberated consciousness calls forth higher values and further vistas of human progress.

He is a divine theurgist living and working not solely in this dense physical world but simultaneously in the supra-physical levels of his own being and in the subtler worlds of the spiritual universe. Mankind is to his work a medium for the out flowering and self-manifestation of the divine on earth. He stands hand in hand with an allied fraternity of perfected men. none of these men have forsaken or abandoned the world out of which they emerged to godhood. They wield the elemental formative energy of the divine for use in a collective transformation of an infantile humanity to the pedestal of divinity. They invoke the creative energies to descend into the world of men and transform this world into a perfect medium of integral spiritual life. 

Traveling with the Siddhas brought us to witness many miracles, healings, and instructions given. Initially disturbed by this sudden intrusion of our privacy, we begged that it should all stop. They listened. But as there was an urgent need for the divine to manifest in many ways to bring his devotees out from the maya or illusion that they were caught in, and to redeem their souls, they made us realize that they were only using the venue and the body, neither harming us nor creating a following. Then Lord Muruga and Agathiyar came and asks us to stand aside and watch, and give way to the Siddhis that they wish to perform or show us. These days we give in to Agathiyar's plans too, giving up our own likes and dislikes. And so there has been a continuous stream of visitations. I shall share one such visitation that took us all by surprise.

A couple of Agathiyar's devotees came daily to bath and cloth Agathiyar, after Ma asked that we conduct libation or abhisegam for him. At times someone might give out an instruction that appears as out of the norm, making us wonder if it was him or a divine entity who spoke. That day to ascertain that it was her buddy and not the divine in her friend, she asks in English, "Are you okay, bro?" Her friend replied "Okay." She thought she had cunningly outwitted the divine energies thinking that they never spoke English.

After both of them had dressed up Agathiyar's statue and as we sat to start the puja, the divine came in another and addressed us, "The beggar has come!" in English. My wife recognized these words immediately as that of the Yogi, who always addressed himself as a beggar. We sat in stupefied amazement and surprised. Yogi Ramsuratkumar was addressing us - in English! breaking the belief of the poor girl who thought that the divine only speaks Tamil! We were blessed to have the Yogi visit us that day, although just for a moment.

I had been doing some reading on the places of interest in Thiruvannamalai prior to my maiden visit to India in 2003. Agathiyar had wanted me to be at Thiruvannamalai on the last day of my pilgrimage, asking me to circumambulate (Girivalam) the holy hill of Arunachala. The other condition was that it had to be a full moon day. So my itinerary was planned to accommodate Agathiyar's instructions. On Day 9 of my pilgrimage to India that was to be the pinnacle of my Journey, I started for Tiruvannamalai at 7.15 am, on 9 September, stopping over at Viradeswarar Temple in Tirukovilur at 10.40 am. I continued our journey to Tiruvannamalai at 11 am, reaching the temple at 1.15 pm. We were at the temple grounds until 1.50 pm. I had a beautiful Darshan, and pretty close one too of Lord Annamalaiyar and Goddess Unna Mulaiyal. I worshipped the underground (patala) Shivalingam where Ramana Maharishi had meditated. I left for the hotel at 2.30 pm. The full moon began at 10.47 pm and lasted until 10.48 pm the next day (10 September 2003). At 5.30 pm, I walked to the temple from the hotel. I joined the long queue to get another Darshan of the Lord before embarking on the Girivalam. It was a long queue indeed, for I only saw the Lord at 9 pm. At 9.40 pm, I started on the Girivalam path finishing back at the temple grounds at 6.30 am on 10 September. I stopped over at the following places of worship:

Tuesday, 9th September

9.45 pm Agni Lingam in the temple grounds
10.40 pm Seshadari Ashram, Amman Temple, Dhakshinamurthi Temple
10.45 pm Kali Temple
11.30 pm Ramana Ashram

11.40 pm Seeking to visit Yogi Ramsuratkumar's samadhi temple, I asked for directions but realized that I was taken further and further away from the Girivalam route. I then decided that I shall come back to visit the Yogi's ashram the next day after daybreak and returned to the Girivalam route to continue my parikaram. 

11.55 pm Murugan Temple, Sakti Temple, Adi Sankara Madam, tank

Wednesday, 10th September

12.10 am cemetery, Yama Lingam
12.20 am Mrityam or Jaya Lingam, Ganesa Temple
12.35 am a tank, Dhurvasa Temple, Nandi Temple
12.50 am a tank, Jothi Vinayagar Temple
1.20 am Vallalar Temple, Annamalaiyar Temple, Unna Mulaiyal Temple
1.30 am Anjaneyar Temple
1.40 am Palani Andavar Temple, Raja Rajeswari Temple, Nandi Temple
1.50 am Adi Mudi Siddha Samadhi, Kautamar Rishi Temple, Surya Lingam Temple, Rama Temple, Varuna Lingam Temple, Adi Arunachaleswarer Temple
2.45 am Manikavachagar Temple, Ganesa Temple, Sakti Temple, Sudhananda ashram
3.10 am Vayu Lingam Temple
3.20 am a tank, Ramachandra Swami Ashram
4.20 am Kuberan Lingam Temple
4.40 am Eduku Pillaiyaar Temple, Panja Muka Darshan Temple, Brahma Rishi Temple, Esaki Temple
5.00 am Arthanathiswarar Temple
5.10 am Seenivasa Perumal Temple, Cemetery, Ammani Ammal Peedham, Esanya Lingam Temple
5.30 am Esanya Samadhi, Annamalaiyar Temple
5.55 am Draupadi Amman Temple
6 am Durga, Anjaneyar, and Perumal Temples and
finally, Erathai Vinayagar Temple at 6.30 am ending the Girivalam at the Eastern Gopuram.

Day 10, after lunch that day, I went back to Ramana Maharishi’s ashram and sat at his samadhi. Later I left For Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s ashram, which I did not get to visit earlier during the girivalam. Unfortunately, Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s ashram was closed for lunch. My endeavor to be in the presence of the Yogi was not to be, it seemed. But what I did not realize was that I had to meet the Yogi's student and disciple first before coming to him.

Just before I left Malaysia for India, my wife reminded me that we had not consulted an astrologer on the astrological chart for our second daughter. Since I was going to India, she asked me to look into it. Her timely request was to be the first twist in my journey. Since I had the rest of the day to myself, I asked if Devendran, who was assigned to me at the eleventh hour by my tour agent, replacing Raji, knew any astrologer. This switch was the second twist. He tells me his uncle is one and stayed nearby. This was the third twist. We drove some eight kilometers out of Tiruvannamalai to meet Devendran’s uncle. What I did not know then was that seeing Supramania Swami over an astrological chart was only a reason to meet my Guru in waiting. Devendran introduced me as a tourist from Malaysia who was there for his (my) daughter’s astrological chart reading. I mentioned my name to Devendran’s uncle. He did not say anything but instead led us to his prayer room, lighted the camphor or arati and I worshipped it. He had Devendran bring his deerskin and had his son Ramajayam bring out all the almanacs or panjangam and placed them on the floor outside his home. I prepared myself to listen to the astrological revelation of my daughter’s future. However, what he did was to talk about my future and me.

He started off the conversation, breaking the ice, by mentioning to me that he had been going around Mount Tiruvannamalai on full moon days, for the past thirty years now, but could not do it the night before due to ill health. This was the fourth twist. The miracle was that even though he was ill and unable to go on Girivalam that night, I was brought to him.

He began mentioning his masters. He had had five of them. Amongst them was his own father, Jayaraman Pillai, Pundi Mahan (Atru Swami), Sathanandha Swami of Salem (author of the Kandhar Guru Kavasam), Kolli Malai Swami and Yogi Ramsuratkumar (Visiri Swami) himself!

As we sat together in the open air in that small home in a village known as Nachaanthal, oblivious to what was happening around us and the surrounding; unaware that many curious neighbors and kids had dropped by to view this ‘rare visitor’ from Malaysia, Supramania Swami revealed new happenings that were about to take place in my life. He could tell a number of intimate things about the life and mission I was to face. As he was narrating, I could not help but break down. I cried like a child. I cried for blessings I had received from God until that very moment. I realized how much God loved me then. As I kept on crying, Supramania Swami surprised me further with more predictions. I cried aloud again.

When Devendran did mention to Swami that it took me nine hours compared to three hours for others to go around mount Tiruvannamalai, Swami replied, “Of course it would take that long for he (referring to me) had been stopping over at all the places of worship and ashrams.” Now how did he know that?

I was blessed to receive Guru Upadesam and a teecha Mantra to be recited. He asked that I chant the Mantra for half an hour each day reminding me, “Just as a silversmith polishes his wares we too shall slowly work on it till we achieve it.” “Take him back with you”, was his parting words to me referring to Lord Annamalaiyar. As we left his home, he stood there, hands together in prayer for me. He was praying for my safe journey. I in return stood there with my palms in prayer to him too, not knowing what was appropriate for the moment. We left him as night fell over this small village known as Nacha Ananthal. I reached the hotel at 8 pm. I spent some five blissful hours in his presence that day!

Day 11, Thursday, 11 September, 6.30 am, I walked to Annamalaiyar Temple to have his Darshan again. His pull on me was tremendous that I had to visit him several times. There was no crowd any longer on the temple grounds. I took my time to pray and look around. I returned to the hotel after breakfast. Devendran turned up at the door to my hotel room at 10 am. We went over to Ramana Maharishi’s ashram. At 10.40 am, I sat at Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s Samadhi finally, after missing out to see him twice. No one was around then, except for an employee from the ashram stationed to distribute prasadham to devotees at the entrance. It was beautiful here. The calmness away from the hectic atmosphere in most of the major temples that I had visited earlier. I went over to Kuberan Lingam at 11.30 pm, following Supramania Swami’s instructions and left for Chennai at 11.40 am. After Tiruvannamalai and the Darshan of Supramania Swami, nothing was important anymore.

When I was with Supramania Swami on my second visit to India in 2005, I was blessed to witness a miracle in his (Swami’s) kudil. After all the formalities, later that night at 7.30pm, Swami led me on a prayer. His wife and son had gone out. He started chanting his guru, Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s name (Nama japam). It went, "YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA, YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA, YOGI RAMSURATKUMARA JAYA GURURAAYA". As it was a simple mantra, I followed suit and chanted along. After about a few minutes into the recitation, I heard a third voice - that of a male chanting together. In that quiet and silent hours of dusk, I could hear Swami’s voice. I could hear mine. I heard another voice that seemed deep and strong. But how could that be? There was no one else in the kudil. Yet I could hear distinctly another voice. So who was this third-person chanting with us? I kept my eyes closed throughout the chant. The mysterious voice continued chanting with us. Eventually, after about twenty minutes, there was an air of silence. Thinking that Swami had ended the japam I opened my eyes just in time to see him walk out of his prayer room.  I followed him. Imagine, I had wanted to ask him about this third voice throughout the japam, but completely 'forgot' about it as I stepped out of the room.

Later upon returning to Tiruvanamalai and Swami's kudil again, after visiting Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal at his Kallar Ashram, Swami surprised me asking, “Did you hear the voice?” triggering my memory back to the first day at his kudil. I recalled and remembered then that I had heard a third person sing along with Swami and me. I immediately asked him who it was. He gave a loud laugh and answered, “That was Visiri Matai” referring to his guru Visiri Swami (Yogi Ramsuratkumar). Although Swami had five gurus he, chooses to invoke the Yogi at prayer. Was it his wish that I should witness this miracle take place and should know the greatness of the Yogi? Such was the extend of devotion towards his guru by Supramania Swami that he could call upon him (Yogi Ramsuratkumar who had gone into samadhi on 20 February 2001) to appear among us. And such was the grace of the Yogi that he chooses to appear before his disciple. Swami told me too that the Yogi, after having attained samadhi, had appeared one late night, at Swami’s home in his village of Nachanananthal. The Yogi presented a painting of himself to Swami before disappearing into the darkness, his laughter echoing in the air. The painting adorned his altar.

Just before I returned to Malaysia, I accompanied Swami to the Yogi’s ashram on a Pradosham day. Swami sat in front of the Nandi and was absorbed in watching the abhisegam for a long time. His gaze was fixed on the inner sanctum throughout the Pooja. What was he watching, I wondered without moving neither a limb or muscle?

Although Supramania Swami was laid to rest in Tiruvannamalai on the path of Girivalam after he went into samadhi on 7 February 2007, but the Guru-Disciple relationship between us continued beyond the physical realm as I was soon to find out. One day as my wife and I concluded our puja, my cellphone rang for a moment and stopped. As I picked it up I realized it was Supramania Swami's number. But I knew that his family had terminated his line after he passed away. How was this possible then? When I finished relating this incident to my nephew who also knew Swami, some days later, there was a call while I was on the line with him. To my surprise, it was Swami's number, again. Puzzled I reconfirmed with Swami's son about the line and he assured me that it was terminated. I called the number several days later. It was now used by a businessman in Coimbatore. How do you explain this? Just as the Yogi came to his home in the middle of the night several months after his demise and handed him his painting before leaving, Supramania Swami appeared in the sukshma form or subtle form, announcing his arrival at my home, through this miracle. Some months later Agathiyar confirms through the Nadi that this miracle did indeed take place.