This is the story of a student willing to travel the path of his Guru, a path filled with new discoveries and challenges. I was not a seeker. I was not yearning to know God. I was not pinning for him. I was not religious nor spiritual. I was from any ordinary family praying to the many forms of deities both at my family home altar and in the temples. I did not have any ambition be it materialistic nor spiritual. But when the opportunities came by where I could learn the Thevaram I took it up, following my young friends to an elderly teacher from Ceylon who held classes for us. I frequented the Buddhist Vihara next to my home and sat and listened to the many stories of Gautama Buddha narrated by a teacher every Sunday morning. Later as a teen, I took up a correspondence course with a Church based in Singapore learning the Bible. In college, a co-traveler on the 5am bus that took us to Ipoh from the small town of Tanjong Rambutan, used to speak about his Prophet and Islam. I grew up listening to these stories. Later as I started my career, I met senior consultants in the construction field, who dabbled in religion and spiritual matters. As a result of my interest to know more I began to read a lot. My friends who were following certain deities used to share stories about these deities coming in trances into others. I soon saw myself before them too, although I held my distance just as I had done so in my neighborhood as a kid and at other temples as a teen. I was fearful of them less they should strike me with their whip or weapons. I was extremely grateful to the divine for caring for me and my needs. But the many things I saw and heard did not tally with what I read and disturbed me. God who was described as an embodiment of love and compassion in the pages of these books seemed to me to be cruel and indifferent to the sufferings of others. I could not comprehend why God should turn his face away from fellow humans when he was showering me with goodness. These were the period when I had dreams upon dreams of Gods and Goddesses too. I was confused and had nowhere to turn to for answers. Then Lord Shiva came in a dream and asked me to go on a break, literally transferring me from that quiet environment in a fishing village that was soon to become a bustling Naval Base, to the capital city Kuala Lumpur. I stopped all forms of worship, not that I wanted too, but the small room I shared with my Muslim colleague in the city was not favorable for me to carry on my eternal worship twice a day at dawn and dusk as I had carried out in Lumut. After my marriage and having children I visited the temples for the sole reason that the community should know me and my family and vice versa.
All these changed after 14 years. The calling came for me to revisit the path. This time the path was chosen for me. Agathiyar asked me to come to the Siddha path after a Nadi reading. Just as my job and my home fell onto my lap the path was given to me too. How can I ever repay the kindness shown both by the divine and fellow humans? I took up the path and have begun to see results that I have shared in this blog. The reason I share them is not to blow my horn or to publish my achievements, but a means to return the favor and show gratitude to the divine and the Siddhas who have saved me since day one. Today I understand the reason for us to have varied experiences and go through sufferings and misery. Today I understand that the greatest favor we could return is to speak about the greatness of the Gurus, the Siddhas and God. I believe this blog has served its purpose towards doing just that.
As I travel on this path, I cannot run away from observing other fellow seekers on the various paths. I know it is not right to judge another, but by looking and learning, the shortcomings and wrongs of others become a lesson to me not to indulge in similar wrongs or faults. It is shared not to belittle another or shame them.
The reasons are many for one to turn his sight on the spiritual path. For some its a form of escapism from the trials and tribulations of life; or curiosity; or love for the path etc. For others, it might be an "accident", a calling; a result of some link and unfinished business with their gurus or the divine, etc.
Worshippers, be it of Erai or the guru, tend to replace one with another, never ready to bring the change within or transform oneself. Just as it is in going to the temples, once they come to worship the Siddhas, it ends there. They have replaced the deity in the temple with a Siddha, that's all. The change is only in the form of the deity and its worship.
In current times there is a fad where many want to be associated with a Guru, an ashram, or society, etc. They soon find their way to one. Stepping onto the spiritual side we are shocked to learn that the seekers still hold on to all that they cherished and survived in the luxurious material plane, be it the thoughts, the likes, and desires, etc. They bring them into the spiritual world too. Blessed are those to turn a new leaf working on their weaknesses and strengthening the good points. Some giving up on material life and wanting to leave the social community that surrounds their home, neighborhood, and workplace find themselves in yet another society or social order that comes to replace the former where they realize that they need to start anew, adapting himself to the new environment. Here they meet fellow aspirants and seekers from different backgrounds and with different ideologies, desires, and wants. He with the rest who congregates at this new place of study and learning serves the Guru and fellow mates. He listens to discourses and talks given by the Guru. He carries out the chores given to him. He is asked to reflect and contemplate on what the Guru has taught. Occasionally he finds a moment to question the Guru and have his doubts clarified. There are some who never want to leave the feet and the presence of their Guru once they are committed to their master. They serve him for life, till whoever leaves the mortal frame first. When most of Ramalinga Adigal's closest followers left after Adigal merged with the source, Kalpattu Aiya and a couple of others stayed on to toil and continue Adigal's work at Satya Gnana Sabai and Dharma Salai in Vadalur. The most compassionate Adigal came back to appear before Kalpattu Aiya in 1902, some 28 years later. Seeing his master appear in flesh and blood brought Kalpattu Aiya to a state of extreme bliss where he shed his mortal frame. Gnanabharathi wrote in his book "Tamil Mannin Thanthai" that Adigal stayed on for 3 days to look into the last rites of his most beloved student.
Having described an ideal guru, on the other hand, a good student too has certain responsibilities. He takes in the good and inspiring experiences, imbibes them, and works on his betterment and refrains from belittling or bad-mouthing the Gurus or their establishments. The student on his part needs to listen intently, adhere, and comply with the Guru's instructions. He needs to work hard and be patient. He has to prove his worth. A student with the caliber and potential and with the blessings of Erai and his masters soon shines as a Guru too bringing fame and glory to his masters.
But much has changed in present times as the heads of ashrams or spiritual bodies lament about the quality of seekers. Tavayogi used to lament that no one came to ask for Gnanam these days. Most who stood before him only asked to solve their problems and troubles. Agathiyar lamented that few kept to his path and the way of living. Other masters too are known to have voiced out this sad trend during their speeches too.
What the Siddhas seek of us is to become like them in all ways. A true Guru dispels ignorance in his student, brings him to the true knowledge and raises him to a state equivalent to him if not higher, and steps back to watch his student perform his role in public with joy and satisfaction. This is the true nature of a Guru.
All these changed after 14 years. The calling came for me to revisit the path. This time the path was chosen for me. Agathiyar asked me to come to the Siddha path after a Nadi reading. Just as my job and my home fell onto my lap the path was given to me too. How can I ever repay the kindness shown both by the divine and fellow humans? I took up the path and have begun to see results that I have shared in this blog. The reason I share them is not to blow my horn or to publish my achievements, but a means to return the favor and show gratitude to the divine and the Siddhas who have saved me since day one. Today I understand the reason for us to have varied experiences and go through sufferings and misery. Today I understand that the greatest favor we could return is to speak about the greatness of the Gurus, the Siddhas and God. I believe this blog has served its purpose towards doing just that.
As I travel on this path, I cannot run away from observing other fellow seekers on the various paths. I know it is not right to judge another, but by looking and learning, the shortcomings and wrongs of others become a lesson to me not to indulge in similar wrongs or faults. It is shared not to belittle another or shame them.
The reasons are many for one to turn his sight on the spiritual path. For some its a form of escapism from the trials and tribulations of life; or curiosity; or love for the path etc. For others, it might be an "accident", a calling; a result of some link and unfinished business with their gurus or the divine, etc.
Worshippers, be it of Erai or the guru, tend to replace one with another, never ready to bring the change within or transform oneself. Just as it is in going to the temples, once they come to worship the Siddhas, it ends there. They have replaced the deity in the temple with a Siddha, that's all. The change is only in the form of the deity and its worship.
In current times there is a fad where many want to be associated with a Guru, an ashram, or society, etc. They soon find their way to one. Stepping onto the spiritual side we are shocked to learn that the seekers still hold on to all that they cherished and survived in the luxurious material plane, be it the thoughts, the likes, and desires, etc. They bring them into the spiritual world too. Blessed are those to turn a new leaf working on their weaknesses and strengthening the good points. Some giving up on material life and wanting to leave the social community that surrounds their home, neighborhood, and workplace find themselves in yet another society or social order that comes to replace the former where they realize that they need to start anew, adapting himself to the new environment. Here they meet fellow aspirants and seekers from different backgrounds and with different ideologies, desires, and wants. He with the rest who congregates at this new place of study and learning serves the Guru and fellow mates. He listens to discourses and talks given by the Guru. He carries out the chores given to him. He is asked to reflect and contemplate on what the Guru has taught. Occasionally he finds a moment to question the Guru and have his doubts clarified. There are some who never want to leave the feet and the presence of their Guru once they are committed to their master. They serve him for life, till whoever leaves the mortal frame first. When most of Ramalinga Adigal's closest followers left after Adigal merged with the source, Kalpattu Aiya and a couple of others stayed on to toil and continue Adigal's work at Satya Gnana Sabai and Dharma Salai in Vadalur. The most compassionate Adigal came back to appear before Kalpattu Aiya in 1902, some 28 years later. Seeing his master appear in flesh and blood brought Kalpattu Aiya to a state of extreme bliss where he shed his mortal frame. Gnanabharathi wrote in his book "Tamil Mannin Thanthai" that Adigal stayed on for 3 days to look into the last rites of his most beloved student.
Then there are other seekers who are sent away by their gurus to others to pick up from there sometimes by force. Then there are yet others, in whom the thirst for more knowledge drives them to leave. With the Guru's blessings, he goes in search of fresh pastures to gain more knowledge. On his way, he comes by many experiences meeting numerous Gurus, fellow students, and others who cross paths with him.
At other times the guru sends his student away to contemplate in silence and receive the answers for himself from within.
Here is where we realize the humongous responsibility of a Guru in leading these students. Here too we see the untiring service that the Guru provides day in and out in having to receive his visitors and sit and listen to each individual's story; in spending hours answering the questions and clearing the doubts of both his students and visitors.
At other times the guru sends his student away to contemplate in silence and receive the answers for himself from within.
Here is where we realize the humongous responsibility of a Guru in leading these students. Here too we see the untiring service that the Guru provides day in and out in having to receive his visitors and sit and listen to each individual's story; in spending hours answering the questions and clearing the doubts of both his students and visitors.
Having described an ideal guru, on the other hand, a good student too has certain responsibilities. He takes in the good and inspiring experiences, imbibes them, and works on his betterment and refrains from belittling or bad-mouthing the Gurus or their establishments. The student on his part needs to listen intently, adhere, and comply with the Guru's instructions. He needs to work hard and be patient. He has to prove his worth. A student with the caliber and potential and with the blessings of Erai and his masters soon shines as a Guru too bringing fame and glory to his masters.
But much has changed in present times as the heads of ashrams or spiritual bodies lament about the quality of seekers. Tavayogi used to lament that no one came to ask for Gnanam these days. Most who stood before him only asked to solve their problems and troubles. Agathiyar lamented that few kept to his path and the way of living. Other masters too are known to have voiced out this sad trend during their speeches too.
What the Siddhas seek of us is to become like them in all ways. A true Guru dispels ignorance in his student, brings him to the true knowledge and raises him to a state equivalent to him if not higher, and steps back to watch his student perform his role in public with joy and satisfaction. This is the true nature of a Guru.