When I thought the best way to repay him for all the kindness, compassion and blessings he had showered on me was to be born again and again and serve him as I do now, Agathiyar made me reconsider by asking me if that is what I wanted? I knew at that very moment that it was not the right thing to ask, as he went around asking what we wanted.
Contemplating on what to ask since he would come around asking again, I then remembered Tavayogi lamented that all those who came to meet him for advice and to seek Agathiyar's Jeeva Nadi, vomited their worries, troubles, problems, sufferings, and miseries, while yet many others wanted more money and riches, positions and posts, glamour and fame, even asking to forecast numbers, special draws and lottery. None asked for Gnanam he said. Speaking about this to another devotee over the phone, I told him that we should ask for Gnanam not knowing the least what it meant. I was surprised that the next time he came Agathiyar told me that I had asked for and wanted Gnana. He heard our conversation over the phone! I knew then that this was what one should ask of the Mahamuni, neither petty things as others did nor asking to serve him forever as I did earlier. Agathiyar went on to explain about Gnanam. Agathiyar told me that, "Gnanam is not gifted but has to be earned and experienced. When one goes within, as the journey brings upon these subtle experiences these shall translate into and become Gnanam. It defers for each person. As such I cannot possibly define it."
Ramalinga Adigal comes to affirm the same telling me it needs effort. The effort placed in going within brings new experiences quite unlike that we have seen in our daily lives. He charts the journey beautifully:
நீ என்னிடம் கேட்டது ஞானம். ஞானம் என்பது நான் தருவதல்ல. நீ கற்பது. ஒருவன் தனக்குள் உள்வாங்கி அவனுள் பயணம் துவங்கும் நேரம் அப்பயணம் தரும் பாதிப்பே ஞானம். அவை ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் மாற்றம் பெரும். ஆகையால் அவை நான் இதுதான் என்று சொல்ல இயலாது.
Ramalinga Adigal comes to affirm the same telling me it needs effort. The effort placed in going within brings new experiences quite unlike that we have seen in our daily lives. He charts the journey beautifully:
- An understanding of the structure of the body that is a needed prerequisite to an understanding of the inner journey (உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்களைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டாயா?);
- the subtle experiences that result from bodily changes (தேக மாற்றம் உணருகிறாயா?);
- understanding the inner journey (உன் உள் பயணத்தை அறிந்துகொண்டாயா?);
- becoming aware of the breath and its movement (பிரணவத்தின் சக்தி உணருகிறாயா?);
- merging with the breath (உன் பிரணவத்தால் ஊடுகிறாயா? அல்லது பிரணவம் உன்னுள் ஊடுகிறதா?);
- remaining in this state of bliss (இன்பத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து கொண்டுவா),
- and finally ablaze in effulgence (உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்).
In a post titled "Secrets of the Siddhas - Health, Longevity and Enlightenment" on Fb, R. Kuppusamy Aiya gives us a glimpse of this series of transformations as expounded by Ramalinga Adigal.
Vallalar knew what the Body of the Future Man would be like. He said this impure body with all its excretions through the nine apertures in the body would be transformed into a pure body (Sudha Deham) with no waste matter at all. Instead the pure body will be producing its own food called nectar. It will not rely upon external food or atmospheric air for its breath or on books for its knowledge. This pure body can last for hundreds of thousands of years in an uncorrupt manner. This pure body belongs to a Siddha.
But this is not the final body. This pure body has to be transformed into a lighter body. It is also called Space Body or Pranava Body or Omkara Body or a Mantric Body or a Sound Body. This body belongs to the Gods and Goddesses. It can be seen and heard but not touched, for it has no physical substance. It can be sensed and perceived only by the mind’s eye. It can last for millions of years but even this is not the final body. This too could meet with death.
The deathless body belongs to God alone. It is the purest of the Pure Body. It is made up of pure light - not a physical light but a light emanating from total compassion or grace towards all beings in creation. This body is indestructible.
The Siddhas reincarnated their spirit with the soul within their own body by eliminating the worldly substances in it. Attaining death without dying, or சாகாமல் சாகும் கலை, a status attained by the Siddhas is a loss of substances related to earth except for the form of their profile. Substances of perishable nature will get replaced by substances of cosmic nature and thus complete the transformation known as Kaaya Siddhi - retaining one's body forever. P.Kartigayan defines it as "possessing the blood of Gods in a lustrous body. This state is attained by altering the natural physical fabric through science that prevailed then." Hence the reason for both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal to keep on asking if we have understood this science of உடற் கூற்று தத்துவம் as expounded by Tavayogi in his books.
The Siddhas held the view that "if one "ate" the cosmic substance for immortality, the body will slowly acquire similar cosmic qualities and their mere touch can turn on miracles." For this purpose, the Siddhas discovered Karpam that was of dual nature, strengthening both the spirit and the body.
Upon achieving Kaaya Siddhi, or physical immortality or the deathless physical state, one needs to pursue to attain Atma Siddhi that of purification of the mind by meditating on the original abode of the mind, the center of the forehead, called Lalaadam. Concentrating on this spot soon one is led into a thoughtless mental state that of Mounam, says Karthigayan. Prolonging this state is Thavam. Probing the questions in Thavam is Gnanam. By experiencing and learning lessons from these experiences life would be complete or puranam. As Karthigayan says "Probing the questions in Thavam is Gnanam", Agathiyar too forbade us to ask further questions since he told us we shall receive the answers to all our queries as we take the journey within. Karthigayan says, "It is believed that such questions will be answered by our own conscience through our spirit's connection to the cosmic library." When one gets connected to the cosmic library or Akasha or Akashic Records he taps into it where information comes in streams. As I sat before Supramania Swami in his village home some 8 kilometers away from the holy mountain of Arunachala, yet visible from his home, he sat for 5 solid hours engaged with this dimension and downloaded loads and loads of messages about me and other related things. He revealed the messages in my Nadi reading that was the purview of only Agathiyar, the Nadi reader, and me!
Which brings us to Sadhu Krishnaveni Amma's exposition of the age-old adage
திருவாரூரில் பிறக்க முக்தி
காசியில் இருக்க முக்தி
சிதம்பரம் தரிசிக்க முக்தி
திருவண்ணாமலை நினைக்க முக்தி
that was shared by a reader in a previous post.
- திருவாரூரில் பிறக்க முக்தி... another name for the place is Kamalaalayam... the temple of the lotus.... the aadhara chakra..In the muladharam... this essentially means that one must be born into the Siddha path.
- காசியில் இருக்க முக்தி... the Ajna chakra is also known as Kasi... One must remain constantly in the Ajna chakra.
- சிதம்பரம் தரிசிக்க முக்தி.... The place of the Lord is revealed when one remains absorbed in the Ajna chakra, and one Witnesses the Divine play of Shiva and Shakthi.
- திருவண்ணாமலை நினைக்க முக்தி... the Divine play results in an effulgence, which has no beginning or end, nor is it composed of the Pancha buthas.
If generally the names of the places mentioned in the adage are viewed as holy pilgrimage spots on the face of the earth, for the Gnani it is very much within him/her. Staying focussed in Kasi or the Ajna chakra gives rise to darshan of the divine play at Chidambaram. Remaining absorbed on the Ajna chakra results in an effulgence that is beyond the tattvas with neither beginning nor end. This is the sacred fire corresponding to the sacred mountain at Tiruvannamalai.
If initially, we thought that one comes to the path of the Siddhas as with other paths too, we are told that one is born into the Siddha path. If this is true then we must have taken many births before, not knowing the existence of such a path, must have got acquainted first in another and come to follow later, and finally privileged enough to take birth in the path of the Siddhas this birth.
அனைத்தும் எனக்கு மிகப் பழமையானவை. நான் அறிவேன். நீங்கள் அறிய மாடிர்கள். என்று அந்தத் திரை விலகுதோ அன்று அறிவீர்கள்.
Agathiyar says its a very old story. He knows. We don't. We are bound by ignorance and only when that veil is drawn aside shall we understand who we are and who he is. Agathiyar comes to show the way too. He tells us that for enlightenment to take place we need to strengthen our soul power (and the chakras) or Atma Balam. He reminds us not to engage in anything that disrupts or weakens the chakras. He asks us to maintain our composure and never give in to extreme emotions that are likely to disrupt the chakra's health and oscillation that we have painfully worked to strengthen. This monumental task that lies ahead of us is accomplished only by going within. As the layers are peeled and the curtains removed pure understanding dawns upon us on this internal journey. Maya that is also a product of creation leaves us for good, revealing the truth.
Ramalinga Adigal composed and sang the following verses to stress this point.
என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது....
என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது....
திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது....
என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது...
சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது... ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது
என்னுள் அது ஏறும் போது திரை அது விலகியது...
என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...
திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...
Tavayogi upon coming down the stairs at the famed Nattadreeswarar temple turned to me and said Agathiyar and (Lord) Siva are one. Agathiyar told me it is all Sivam. Ramalinga Adigal has on a couple of instances asked that we continue to hold on to the Holy Feet of "Appan Agathiyan" as he addresses Agathiyar. He went on to inform us that Agathiyar shall come within as the Jhothi to draw the veil aside. Agathiyar shall set aside the veil that hides Arutperunjhoti from us, he promises. Agathiyar shall lead us to Arutperunjhoti. Since we came to Agathiyar and his path, he will be the guiding light, he says. He asks that we continue on his path saying, "His holy feet shall be salvation for you. He is all. Go deeper. He shall take care. He shall bring you to the light."
அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. நீ பற்றிய பாதை அகத்தியனின் பாதை. நீ பற்றிய பாதம் அகத்தியனின் பாதம். நீ பற்றிய பாதம் உன்னை கரை தேற்றியது. இனி காண்பவை அவனை மட்டும். ஆழ்ந்து போ. அகத்தியன் பார்த்துக்குவான். அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்து செல்வான். திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனை சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் இருந்து வழி நடத்தி வருகிறார். அவன் வழியிலே நடந்து வாருங்கள். அத்திரை விலக்குவதற்க்கு அவன் அருள் புரிவான். அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்து செல்வான்.
Agathiyar remains a guiding light to us, then, now and forever.
Agathiyar remains a guiding light to us, then, now and forever.