It was a very unique journey, somewhat unexpected. Sailing through life like all others, I took up worship continuing from my parents and from my childhood home, bringing it into my room as a bachelor, engaging in serious worship both at dawn and dusk. The tradition of visiting temples was continued too daily. Then it all came to a standstill adhering to the wishes of Lord Shiva in a dream. 13 years later in 2001, he comes to take me back into his fold, through an initiation into the Vasudeva mantra and worship of both Silent Guru Lord Dhakshanamurthy and the Navarathri Goddesses, mystically and mysteriously planned and arranged by Agathiyar without my knowledge and without divulging the reasons and the hand behind this divine scheme or play until many years later. The following year Agathiyar comes in the Nadi as the Moola Guru and shows me, two gurus, in physical form whom I come to meet in later in 2003 and 2005.
My home, that I named Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) taking after the name of the place where Tavayogi erected a shed and started preaching the Siddha way, came to be the venue for the worship of the Siddhas where many were sent over by Agathiyar to watch, participate, learn and start the rituals and worship in their own homes. We were actively engaged in Sariyai and Kriyai then.
The home was officially renamed by Lord Muruga as Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM) in anticipation of its role switching from a place of rituals to that of tavam or meditation. Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam continued to be its domain.
Later Agathiyar in anticipation of us venturing further into Gnanam, named it Gnanakottam. Agathiyar has asked to bring potential seekers to sit in meditation now preparing them to go within. Although he has brought us to reduce the frequency of performing rituals he has specifically asked never to stop holding the Annual Agathiyar Jayanthi Vizha or celebrations for him that fall on Thaipusam. Immediately after his recent Vizha on Thaipusam, he came to express his happiness in watching us carry out his Vizha. What surprised us most and brought extreme joy to us was when the various other establishments devoted to him and their devotees were celebrating his Vizha, he chose to be with us, spending some 2 1/2 hours with us before he told us he was required to go. Ramalinga Adigal too surprised us and elevated us to a state of bliss, by accompanying Agathiyar gracing our home to be part of the celebrations for Agathiyar, blessing the handful who had gathered in this small home, while devotees were gathered in large numbers at Vadalur on that day of Thaipusam to celebrate the day he merged with Arutperunjhoti.
My home, that I named Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) taking after the name of the place where Tavayogi erected a shed and started preaching the Siddha way, came to be the venue for the worship of the Siddhas where many were sent over by Agathiyar to watch, participate, learn and start the rituals and worship in their own homes. We were actively engaged in Sariyai and Kriyai then.
The home was officially renamed by Lord Muruga as Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM) in anticipation of its role switching from a place of rituals to that of tavam or meditation. Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam continued to be its domain.
Later Agathiyar in anticipation of us venturing further into Gnanam, named it Gnanakottam. Agathiyar has asked to bring potential seekers to sit in meditation now preparing them to go within. Although he has brought us to reduce the frequency of performing rituals he has specifically asked never to stop holding the Annual Agathiyar Jayanthi Vizha or celebrations for him that fall on Thaipusam. Immediately after his recent Vizha on Thaipusam, he came to express his happiness in watching us carry out his Vizha. What surprised us most and brought extreme joy to us was when the various other establishments devoted to him and their devotees were celebrating his Vizha, he chose to be with us, spending some 2 1/2 hours with us before he told us he was required to go. Ramalinga Adigal too surprised us and elevated us to a state of bliss, by accompanying Agathiyar gracing our home to be part of the celebrations for Agathiyar, blessing the handful who had gathered in this small home, while devotees were gathered in large numbers at Vadalur on that day of Thaipusam to celebrate the day he merged with Arutperunjhoti.
During the last Sivarathri puja, Ramalinga Adigal came to guide and teach us to connect with the consciousness or Prapanjam. The following month in March of 2020 he came to pass us the good news that Agathiyar shall lead us to the Light. A few days later he came and surprised us by composing and singing a song that described the process where Arutperunjhoti comes within to draw aside the curtain or veil that keeps us separated, contrary to the notion that after having the veils drawn aside a darshan of the light is held.
As Agathiyar brought us to cover the terrain that stood between us and the divine, taking the tools of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam, and Gnanam externally, he was preparing and initiating an internal transformation that is parallel and undergoing simultaneously. If our actions and thoughts saw a drastic and obvious change, the inner transformations were more subtle in nature, only known to the aspirant and seeker. Dr. Geeta Anand explains the process from the context of the Siddhas in her http://agatthiyarjnanam.blogspot.com/
Gross or material body or Sthula deha is made up of five elements, five subtle qualities, five senses of knowledge, five senses of action, manas, chittam, buddhi, and ahamkara totaling twenty-four principles. This body is made up of seven types of dhatus or materials: rasa, raktha, maamsa, majjai, asthi or bones, seminal fluid or suklam and medas or fat.
It is the material body that binds a soul to a particular place, time and situation. It possesses the three faults or dosha namely vata (vali), pittha (azhal) and kapha (aiyam). It undergoes five types of modifications, aging, getting white hair, diminishing sight, disease, and death.
Such a body made up of the seven dhatus should be first turned into Yoga deha or sareera by lighting the fire of kundalini. Hata yoga strengthens the material body and removes the screen between the body and the mind. It removes the duality of body and mind. Tirumandiram recommends the eight components or aspects of ashtanga yoga namely yama, niyama, aasana, pranayama, dhaarana, dhyana and Samadhi to attain the Yoga deha as Deha siddhi.
When one attains the Yoga deha or Deha Siddhi, further yogic practices raise the kundalini shakti, which then pierces the six chakras granting numerous powers or Siddhis, bringing him a Siddha deha. When kundalini unfolds from its dormant state and ascends through the chakras it starts absorbing the element that each chakra represents. Thus, it absorbs the twenty-four principles into itself. When it reaches the Ajna chakra the yogin’s body becomes Siddha deha. The twenty-four principles do not affect the Siddha deha as it is not made of them. A yogi who has attained a Siddha deha is not controlled by time, space and external causes. He takes any form anywhere at any time. He does not depend on his senses for cognition.
Next comes the process of converting the Siddha deha that is made of the Siva Sakti principle, into Mantra deha or Pranava deha. Tantra Sastras say that Siva and Sakti are present in the sahasrara and Muladhara respectively and on the right and left part of the body. The apana vayu that flows through the Pingala nadi on the right side of the body is considered the flow of Siva. The prana vayu that flows through the ida on the left part of the body is Sakti. The letters A, U and M of the Pranava represent the Soorya, Chandra and Agni or Pingala, Ida and Sushumna nadi respectively.
When the aspirant practices breath regulation he changes the direction of the breath and makes it flow through the Sushumna instead of the Ida and Pingala thus bringing the left and the right part of the body into equilibrium or samarasa. This is called the union of Siva and Sakti. The sound, OM (when A, U, M combines) occurs within the yogi’s body and his Siddha deha becomes Pranava deha. A yogin who possesses the Pranava deha is a Jivan Mukta. They are souls who have attained liberation while still in the body form. Even when their senses are engaged with the external world their consciousness is constantly immersed in self-awareness enjoying the bliss. They are not affected by the “I-sense”. They remain as a witness. A Jivan muktha’s body is deathless. His gross body becomes effulgent Divya deha.
Divya deha or Gnana deha is a body made of space. Those with Divya deha have merged with the supreme space. He attains Para mukthi with that Divya deha. He goes beyond time and remains as an embodiment of Sivam. It is believed that Jivan mukthas are still remaining in this world.
The process of reaching the Divya deha from the Yoga deha or the Siddha deha is called laya. Laya is the process of merging of all the principles with each other and ultimately with Sivam. This is also called apancheekaranam or reverse manifestation. When kundalini goes beyond the Ajna, to the other chakras, the sense of duality ceases to exist. When it reaches the Sahasrara the yogin attains the Divya deha. He consumes the divine nectar that flows down. His body becomes deathless. This body is called the golden body or ‘ponnaar meni’. The kechari mudra helps the yogin consume the divine nectar. The yogi attains kaya siddhi.
The Siddha transforms his material body or Stula deha, composited of these 24 principles into a supreme vehicle that carries him towards liberation. The light of the divine comes within first, cleanses the vehicle and paves the way for the seeker to meet his creator, currently veiled from him, and merge with him. For the veil to drop we need to increase the intensity of the jhoti, says Ramalinga Adigal, constantly reminding us to chant the Maha Mantra Arutperunjhoti. He assures us that together with a constant prayer to the Guru Agathiyar, one shall have him come and deliver us, drawing the veil aside. Again Adigal tells us to stick with Agathiyar and his path. We took Tavam and Dhanam, or Prayers and Charity as Agathiyar and Avvai and many others after them have mentioned as two effective tools to earn the grace of Erai, traveling this far.
As Agathiyar brought us to cover the terrain that stood between us and the divine, taking the tools of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam, and Gnanam externally, he was preparing and initiating an internal transformation that is parallel and undergoing simultaneously. If our actions and thoughts saw a drastic and obvious change, the inner transformations were more subtle in nature, only known to the aspirant and seeker. Dr. Geeta Anand explains the process from the context of the Siddhas in her http://agatthiyarjnanam.blogspot.com/
Gross or material body or Sthula deha is made up of five elements, five subtle qualities, five senses of knowledge, five senses of action, manas, chittam, buddhi, and ahamkara totaling twenty-four principles. This body is made up of seven types of dhatus or materials: rasa, raktha, maamsa, majjai, asthi or bones, seminal fluid or suklam and medas or fat.
It is the material body that binds a soul to a particular place, time and situation. It possesses the three faults or dosha namely vata (vali), pittha (azhal) and kapha (aiyam). It undergoes five types of modifications, aging, getting white hair, diminishing sight, disease, and death.
Such a body made up of the seven dhatus should be first turned into Yoga deha or sareera by lighting the fire of kundalini. Hata yoga strengthens the material body and removes the screen between the body and the mind. It removes the duality of body and mind. Tirumandiram recommends the eight components or aspects of ashtanga yoga namely yama, niyama, aasana, pranayama, dhaarana, dhyana and Samadhi to attain the Yoga deha as Deha siddhi.
When one attains the Yoga deha or Deha Siddhi, further yogic practices raise the kundalini shakti, which then pierces the six chakras granting numerous powers or Siddhis, bringing him a Siddha deha. When kundalini unfolds from its dormant state and ascends through the chakras it starts absorbing the element that each chakra represents. Thus, it absorbs the twenty-four principles into itself. When it reaches the Ajna chakra the yogin’s body becomes Siddha deha. The twenty-four principles do not affect the Siddha deha as it is not made of them. A yogi who has attained a Siddha deha is not controlled by time, space and external causes. He takes any form anywhere at any time. He does not depend on his senses for cognition.
Next comes the process of converting the Siddha deha that is made of the Siva Sakti principle, into Mantra deha or Pranava deha. Tantra Sastras say that Siva and Sakti are present in the sahasrara and Muladhara respectively and on the right and left part of the body. The apana vayu that flows through the Pingala nadi on the right side of the body is considered the flow of Siva. The prana vayu that flows through the ida on the left part of the body is Sakti. The letters A, U and M of the Pranava represent the Soorya, Chandra and Agni or Pingala, Ida and Sushumna nadi respectively.
When the aspirant practices breath regulation he changes the direction of the breath and makes it flow through the Sushumna instead of the Ida and Pingala thus bringing the left and the right part of the body into equilibrium or samarasa. This is called the union of Siva and Sakti. The sound, OM (when A, U, M combines) occurs within the yogi’s body and his Siddha deha becomes Pranava deha. A yogin who possesses the Pranava deha is a Jivan Mukta. They are souls who have attained liberation while still in the body form. Even when their senses are engaged with the external world their consciousness is constantly immersed in self-awareness enjoying the bliss. They are not affected by the “I-sense”. They remain as a witness. A Jivan muktha’s body is deathless. His gross body becomes effulgent Divya deha.
Divya deha or Gnana deha is a body made of space. Those with Divya deha have merged with the supreme space. He attains Para mukthi with that Divya deha. He goes beyond time and remains as an embodiment of Sivam. It is believed that Jivan mukthas are still remaining in this world.
The process of reaching the Divya deha from the Yoga deha or the Siddha deha is called laya. Laya is the process of merging of all the principles with each other and ultimately with Sivam. This is also called apancheekaranam or reverse manifestation. When kundalini goes beyond the Ajna, to the other chakras, the sense of duality ceases to exist. When it reaches the Sahasrara the yogin attains the Divya deha. He consumes the divine nectar that flows down. His body becomes deathless. This body is called the golden body or ‘ponnaar meni’. The kechari mudra helps the yogin consume the divine nectar. The yogi attains kaya siddhi.
The Siddha transforms his material body or Stula deha, composited of these 24 principles into a supreme vehicle that carries him towards liberation. The light of the divine comes within first, cleanses the vehicle and paves the way for the seeker to meet his creator, currently veiled from him, and merge with him. For the veil to drop we need to increase the intensity of the jhoti, says Ramalinga Adigal, constantly reminding us to chant the Maha Mantra Arutperunjhoti. He assures us that together with a constant prayer to the Guru Agathiyar, one shall have him come and deliver us, drawing the veil aside. Again Adigal tells us to stick with Agathiyar and his path. We took Tavam and Dhanam, or Prayers and Charity as Agathiyar and Avvai and many others after them have mentioned as two effective tools to earn the grace of Erai, traveling this far.
We learn from http://www.ramalinga.com, that Ramalinga Adigal had advocated compassion (paropakaram) and devotional meditation (satvicharam) as two effective tools to bring one to the illuminative way instantly, traversing the purgative way in a jiffy. Ramalinga Adigal now arms us with yet another tool, devotional meditation or ardent devotion to God. From external worship, he brings us to internal worship. What is the key to devotional meditation then? The key is having constant thoughts on God, begging for his Grace. Ramalinga Adigal shows us the way. In one of his songs, Ramalinga Adigal expresses that it is necessary to think incessantly on God until one melts in Divine Love. Then the crying happens unexpectedly and praises are sung to God. A smooth internal divine heat builds up within. When this universal love and this sacred heat is realized, both body and soul are prepared for the descent of the Grace in the shape of Light. Our devotion and love for God are reciprocated and returned when the divine having brought us to his fold, now stoops down and lifts us up to his state. From http://www.ramalinga.com, a detailed explanation is given on what happens during the stage of a union between God and man.
Then the Divinity descends and settles in disciple's Heart, who becomes entirely filled by Him. This points the disciple’s Heart as the End of the Path shown by Him. Captivated by the "Ardent Fire" of the Divine Essence, the disciple stops thinking, feeling, acting and even existing. He has become pure Love and Compassion, and this is what he spills on all the beings. When this happens, the material body constituted of impure elements is transformed into a “Body of Pure Light” that emits a golden brightness. Ramalinga affirms that, following the Divine Path of Truth and Purity, the most impure body will become a body pure and imperishable.
This is exactly what Tavayogi wrote when I asked him to autograph my copy of his book "Andamum Pindamum" - "Aandavan Uraigindra Edam Thangal Ullam, Athuve Payanathin Thodakkamum, Mudivum" when translated means, "Erai lives in your heart, from where the journey starts and ends too" - pointing to the disciple’s Heart as the Beginning and End of the Path shown by Him.
Coming to Sariyai with an identity we lose ourselves finally in Gnanam. If we had previously singled ourselves out in all things before coming to Gnanam, after entering it we realize the sacred connectedness of life. Just as a dream seems real when we are having it and remember it only as a memory, upon waking up, when the veil is drawn aside, we come to see that all things seem real only in the world of Maya, under the lenses of Maya. As Swami Vivekananda wrote in his "Raja Yoga - Conquering the Internal nature", Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1998, the truth dawns on us, when man realizes "the material out of which the whole of these grades of beings are composed and that when one lump of clay that has come to be known, we know all the clay in the universe." There is no individuality nor identity, form, or name.