Sri Sri Daya Mata in the Preface to "God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita", published byYogoda Satsanga Society of India", 1999, very beautifully sums up Agathiyar's 5 tenets for mankind in a single phrase: "No Siddha leaves this world without having given some truth to mankind. Every free soul has to shed on others his light of god realization." Agathiyar had summed it up under 5 tenets that each human has to adapt and accomplish here on the face of the earth. A summary of the 5 tenets translated by Vashisht Vaid into English and posted in his blog https://holysageagathiyar.com/ is given as follows.
Man has to first and foremost understand his purpose in taking birth. With his purpose known then, he shall come to thank the divine creator or energy that brought forth his birth through consultation with the lunar forefathers and their angelic hierarchies that co-exist with us down here. With the constant showering of his blessings that come to us by way of living a purposeful, meaningful, and fruitful life, the soul grows in strength gaining Atma Balam. Showing appreciation to the divine that gave us an opportunity to take birth again to sort out our lives, we then thank all the caretakers both seen and unseen, in the present and the past. After knowing ourselves through their blessings and grace showered on us, there is an obligation on our part then to "dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings." The final task is to extend this aid and help, towards "the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, existing upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, dutifully supporting the manifested matrix or prapanjam."
Man has to first and foremost understand his purpose in taking birth. With his purpose known then, he shall come to thank the divine creator or energy that brought forth his birth through consultation with the lunar forefathers and their angelic hierarchies that co-exist with us down here. With the constant showering of his blessings that come to us by way of living a purposeful, meaningful, and fruitful life, the soul grows in strength gaining Atma Balam. Showing appreciation to the divine that gave us an opportunity to take birth again to sort out our lives, we then thank all the caretakers both seen and unseen, in the present and the past. After knowing ourselves through their blessings and grace showered on us, there is an obligation on our part then to "dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings." The final task is to extend this aid and help, towards "the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, existing upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, dutifully supporting the manifested matrix or prapanjam."
When we speak of the Mahabharata as an actual battle that took place in the past in the land of Bharata, Paramahansa Yogananda in his "God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita", sees it as a battle taking place within us. Kurukshetra, the battlefield is the man's body. The battle was fought to "reclaim the kingdom from ego and its army of evil mental tendencies" says Yogananda. He says it's only possible to combat and overcome the enemy within through Yoga meditation.
Agathiyar is said to have sat still in tapas for 12 years under the bottom of the sea.
Arunagiri was told to sit quietly by Lord Muruga. He did for the next 12 years. He emerged as a saint rid of all the impurities both in body and mind, becoming purified in body and soul.
Gnanabharathi in his book, "Tamil Mannin Thanthai" traces the account of the 12 year period of disappearance in Ramalinga Adigal's life which Adigal describes as a period of much pain and difficulty before emerging renewed in the streets of Chennai.
Tavayogi told me that the guru shall observe his student for 12 years before parting with him the secrets. The Kumbabhishegam in temples is done once in 12 and the Purna Kumbha Mela too is celebrated every 12 years once.
Tavayogi told me that the guru shall observe his student for 12 years before parting with him the secrets. The Kumbabhishegam in temples is done once in 12 and the Purna Kumbha Mela too is celebrated every 12 years once.
Arjuna is said to have gone into exile for 12 years for breaking a mutual agreement with his brothers and later another 13 years with his brothers after their defeat in a dice game. Another version of the story goes that Arjuna was ordered by Shri Krishna to spend 12 years in Tapasya or austerities. (Source: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/)
What is the significance of the need to sit for twelve years be it at the feet of the guru or in silent contemplation?
Yogananda explains that when our bad habits take the better of us and are established firmly in us, first starting as a habit and finally becoming our character when it is firmly lodged in us, these habits tend to "banish the free will of wisdom for 12 years." "Complete physiological and mental changes" are required, including taking on good habits, to bring a reversal, he says. This takes 12 years to bring a notable effect and change in the brain structure. He adds that we need "a million years to purify the brain to express the cosmic consciousness within." Hence the need to take rebirth numerous times I guess.
Yogananda explains that when our bad habits take the better of us and are established firmly in us, first starting as a habit and finally becoming our character when it is firmly lodged in us, these habits tend to "banish the free will of wisdom for 12 years." "Complete physiological and mental changes" are required, including taking on good habits, to bring a reversal, he says. This takes 12 years to bring a notable effect and change in the brain structure. He adds that we need "a million years to purify the brain to express the cosmic consciousness within." Hence the need to take rebirth numerous times I guess.
"It is also believed that spiritual progress happens in practitioners in the cycle of 12 years i.e., it takes 12 years of disciplined practice to change a habit." (Source: https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/)
Ramalinga Adigal to attempts to shut the mind that distracts him from attaining the Holy feet of his Kula Deivam, God and Sadguru Lord Muruga in his நெஞ்சொடு புலத்தல் or Nensoṭu pulattal. G.Vanmikanathan or G.V.Pillai describes the confession of Adigal as "a struggle with the heart". He is facing his greatest enemy, not from outside but from within. As both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal ask us to go within the ugliest thoughts, feelings are surfacing from the deep recesses of the heart as the purification of the heart, mind, and soul takes place after having us go through a thorough cleansing of the physical body. Vanmikanathan observes that Adigal uses "the terms nenju (heart), ‘manam’(mind), and ‘ullam’ (mind) all interchangeable terms and refer to the mind only."
வாவா என்ன அருள்தணிகை மருந்தை என்கண் மாமணியைப்
பூவாய் நறவை மறந்தவநாள் போக்கின் றதுவும் போதாமல்
மூவா முதலின் அருட்கேலா மூட நினைவும் இன்றெண்ணி
ஆவா நெஞ்சே எனைக்கெடுத்தாய் அந்தோ நீதான் ஆவாயோ.
வாயாத் துரிசற் றிடும்புலவோர் வழுத்தும் தணிகை மலைஅமுதைக்
காயாக் கனியை மறந்தவநாள் கழிக்கின் றதுவும் போதாமல்
ஈயாக் கொடியர் தமக்கின்றி ஏலா நினைவும் இன்றெண்ணி
மாயா என்றன் வாழ்வழித்தாய் மனமே நீதான் வாழ்வாயோ.
வாழும் படிநல் அருள்புரியும் மருவுந் தணிகை மலைத்தேனைச்
சூழும் கலப மயில்அரசைத் துதியாப் பவமும் போதாமல்
வீழும் கொடியர் தமக்கன்றி மேவா நினைவும் மேவிஇன்று
தாழும் படிஎன் தனைஅலைத்தாய் சவலை மனம்நீ சாகாயோ.
காயோம் எனநின் றவர்க்கினிய கனியாம் தணிகைக் கற்பகத்தைப்
போய்ஓர் கணமும் போற்றுகிலாய் புன்மை புரிந்தாய் புலங்கெட்டாய்
பேயோ எங்கும் திரிந்தோடிப் பேணா என்பைப் பேணுகின்ற
நாயோ மனமே நீஉனைநான் நம்பி வாளா நலிந்தேனே.
தேனும் கடமும் திகழ்தணிகைத் தேவை நினையாய் தீநரகம்
மானும் நடையில் உழல்கின்றாய் மனமே உன்றன் வஞ்சகத்தால்
நானும் இழந்தேன் பெருவாழ்வை நாய்போல் அலைந்திங் கவமே9நீ
தானும் இழந்தாய் என்னேஉன் தன்மை இழிவாம் தன்மையதே.
தன்னால் உலகை நடத்தும்அருட் சாமி தணிகை சாராமல்
பொன்னால் மண்ணால் பூவையரால் புலம்பி வருந்தும் புல்நெஞ்சே
உன்னால் என்றன் உயர்விழந்தேன் உற்றார் இழந்தேன் உன்செயலைச்
சொன்னால் நகைப்பர் எனைவிட்டும் தொலையாய் இங்கு நிலையாயே.
நிலைக்கும் தணிகை என்அரசை நீயும் நினையாய் நினைப்பதையும்
கலைக்கும் தொழில்கொண் டெனைக்கலக்கம் கண்டாய் பலன்என் கண்டாயே
முலைக்கும் கலைக்கும் விழைந்தவமே முயங்கும் மூட முழுநெஞ்சே
அலைக்கும் கொடிய விடம்நீஎன் றறிந்தேன் முன்னர் அறிந்திலனே.
இலதை நினைப்பாய் பித்தர்கள்போல் ஏங்கா நிற்பாய் தணிகையில்என்
குலதெய் வமுமாய்க் கோவாய்சற் குருவாய் நின்ற குகன்அருளே
நலதென் றறியாய் யான்செய்த நன்றி மறந்தாய் நாணாதென்
வலதை அழித்தாய் வலதொடுநீ வாழ்வாய் கொல்லோ வல்நெஞ்சே.
நெஞ்சே உகந்த துணைஎனக்கு நீஎன் றறிந்தே நேசித்தேன்
மஞ்சேர் தணிகை மலைஅமுதை வாரிக் கொளும்போ தென்னுள்ளே
நஞ்சே கலந்தாய் உன்உறவு நன்றே இனிஉன் நட்பகன்றால்
உய்ஞ்சேன் இலையேல் வன்னரகத் துள்ளேன் கொள்ளேன் ஒன்றையுமே.
கொள்ளும் பொழில்சூழ் தணிகைமலைக் கோவை நினையா தெனைநரகில்
தள்ளும் படிக்கோ தலைப்பட்டாய் சகத்தின் மடவார் தம்மயலாம்
கள்ளுண் டந்தோ வெறிகொண்டாய் கலைத்தாய் என்னைக் கடந்தோர்கள்
எள்ளும் படிவந் தலைக்கின்றாய் எனக்கென் றெங்கே இருந்தாயோ.
இருந்தாய் இங்கு கண்டவிடத் தேகா நின்றாய் அவ்விடத்தும்
பொருந்தாய் மீண்டும் புகுவாய்பின் போவாய் வருவாய் புகழ்த்தணிகை
மருந்தாய் நின்ற குகன்அடியை வழுத்தாய் எனையும் வலிக்கின்றாய்
திருந்தாய் நெஞ்சே நின்செயலைச் செப்ப எனக்குத் திடுக்கிடுமே.
Listen to the song at Source: http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T17/tm/n-enjsotu_pulaththal)
Gnana Bharathi writes that, drawn by the divine and having worshiped him since young, at 12 years of age Ramalingam followed a guru and traveled the hills and the plains to the abodes of the Siddhas. Coming to know that there was indeed a way to remain immortal he sat in tapas for 12 years under the tutelage of his guru. At the end of the 12-year tapas his body glittered like gold and his guru himself could not bring himself to see Ramalingam as he shone with blinding brightness. Ramalingam had attained a body that could not be affected by the five elements and could not be brought down by any other factors. His body was to know no hunger and thirst too, said his guru. His guru blessed him to teach the path to others so that they too could defeat death. Ramalingam was 24 then. Ramalingam came back to society. What he saw disturbed him a lot. He felt the sufferings of the innocent people who were being manipulated by certain quarters in all ways possible. Ramalingam began to teach people to worship the jhoti.
Sri Sadhu Om pens a wonderful reminder to the self in the following song echoing Yogi Ramsuratkumar's words: “Everything is perfect because everything happens by the will of my Father. So, nothing is wrong in this world. Everything is perfect”.