AR Rahman in Kavithalayaa's "Harmony with AR Rahman" says "Intention for you to become great.. for that you have to start from scratch. Unlearn all the things that you have learned. And then start learning from a guru." How very true. His statements about music and learning from the guru carry a lot of deep meaning to one on the spiritual path too. He conveys his surprise observation that in all the dirt and clutter of a city, a person can internalize the spirit of music, referring to a musician he was to meet. Rahman sits on his knees and listens with intent, giving his full attention and in state of awe to musicians whom he meets and interviews just like a seeker hungry for more, and a disciple watching his guru play the instrument. Indeed he comes empty before these musicians, learning from them what they have to share. His posture and conduct in the presence of these musicians has to be exemplified by us seeking to know God from a guru.
We have picked up so many things along the way. Living skills, habits that become our characteristics, etc in the material world and simultaneously looking over our shoulders into the spiritual side we seek numerous paths and have had many encounters with pioneers and seniors ahead of us on the spiritual path and adopt their ways too. Besides these, we pick up much trash too. Then there comes a time with the grace of the divine he comes to us as a guru. That is when we need to drop all our earlier learning and follow him.
I guess I was blessed too to have been asked to drop all previous learning in the eighties by Lord Siva in a dream. After 14 years he prepares me to meet my guru in the physical form Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai by coming to me in a picture form first, to be worshipped as Lord Dhakshanamurthy. The following year I seek the Nadi and I receive a calling from Agathiyar to come to his path. Agathiyar then comes into my home and my heart and a beautiful journey started. Going through all that has been told to us by Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga, Lord Ganapathy, Ma, Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, Aiya, Supramania Swami, and Tavayogi, we have come to understand just a little better about life from a completely different perspective. What we see with our eyes is not entirely the full scenario nor the full story. It is not the full spectrum of light, "from infrared to near-ultraviolet, or all wavelengths that are useful to plant or animal life." Even if we have perfect eyesight we need light to reflect from an object to actually see it clearly. What we hear with our ears are only sounds that fall within 250 to 6,000 Hz, given our capacity to hear the full range of sounds ranging from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Sound needs a medium to travel. What we smell is not the full range of smells, "the human sense of smell is feeble compared to that of many animals" we are told. What we are able to touch and feel is only skin deep. Can we sense beyond that? What we have tasted is only the tip of an iceberg. Some can consume large amounts of sugar and still remain upright while many cannot. Science has shown us that with the aid of instruments we could farther the range of our senses.
Agathiyar having us come to his path reminds us not to be in denial of all these things unseen, unheard, and untouched, He asked us not to deny the smells and the tastes that our noses and tongue do not pick up. Similarly, we are reminded to respect each person's experience be it external or internal. Mankind is so varied in all aspects, be it biologically, in mannerism, etc. So is there a varied number of paths to reach God. When I was searching for more information on the Siddhas in the early years, some followers of the Siddha path saw worship at temples as taboo and tried to push their ideals on me too. Today there is a temple for Agathiyar in their Alma Mater center. A head of an ashram dedicated to Agathiyar condemned me for praying to an idol of Agathiyar. After his demise, there is now a statue of Agathiyar there too. Agathiyar dictated me to have his statue commissioned and made and today stands proudly at AVM and appears on billboards, book covers, name cards, and videos on YouTube. After 18 years of idol worship, he has weaned us from the bottle of milk, to drink the nectar of ambrosia instead; pushing us to go within and observe the breath.
We have picked up so many things along the way. Living skills, habits that become our characteristics, etc in the material world and simultaneously looking over our shoulders into the spiritual side we seek numerous paths and have had many encounters with pioneers and seniors ahead of us on the spiritual path and adopt their ways too. Besides these, we pick up much trash too. Then there comes a time with the grace of the divine he comes to us as a guru. That is when we need to drop all our earlier learning and follow him.
I guess I was blessed too to have been asked to drop all previous learning in the eighties by Lord Siva in a dream. After 14 years he prepares me to meet my guru in the physical form Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai by coming to me in a picture form first, to be worshipped as Lord Dhakshanamurthy. The following year I seek the Nadi and I receive a calling from Agathiyar to come to his path. Agathiyar then comes into my home and my heart and a beautiful journey started. Going through all that has been told to us by Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga, Lord Ganapathy, Ma, Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, Aiya, Supramania Swami, and Tavayogi, we have come to understand just a little better about life from a completely different perspective. What we see with our eyes is not entirely the full scenario nor the full story. It is not the full spectrum of light, "from infrared to near-ultraviolet, or all wavelengths that are useful to plant or animal life." Even if we have perfect eyesight we need light to reflect from an object to actually see it clearly. What we hear with our ears are only sounds that fall within 250 to 6,000 Hz, given our capacity to hear the full range of sounds ranging from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Sound needs a medium to travel. What we smell is not the full range of smells, "the human sense of smell is feeble compared to that of many animals" we are told. What we are able to touch and feel is only skin deep. Can we sense beyond that? What we have tasted is only the tip of an iceberg. Some can consume large amounts of sugar and still remain upright while many cannot. Science has shown us that with the aid of instruments we could farther the range of our senses.
Agathiyar having us come to his path reminds us not to be in denial of all these things unseen, unheard, and untouched, He asked us not to deny the smells and the tastes that our noses and tongue do not pick up. Similarly, we are reminded to respect each person's experience be it external or internal. Mankind is so varied in all aspects, be it biologically, in mannerism, etc. So is there a varied number of paths to reach God. When I was searching for more information on the Siddhas in the early years, some followers of the Siddha path saw worship at temples as taboo and tried to push their ideals on me too. Today there is a temple for Agathiyar in their Alma Mater center. A head of an ashram dedicated to Agathiyar condemned me for praying to an idol of Agathiyar. After his demise, there is now a statue of Agathiyar there too. Agathiyar dictated me to have his statue commissioned and made and today stands proudly at AVM and appears on billboards, book covers, name cards, and videos on YouTube. After 18 years of idol worship, he has weaned us from the bottle of milk, to drink the nectar of ambrosia instead; pushing us to go within and observe the breath.
Agathiyar has asked that we move away from Sariyai and Kriyai and pursue Yogam that would bring about Gnanam now. But when someone who desperately wanted to do a libation or abhisegam for Agathiyar searched high and low for a peedham or ashram society or association affiliated to the worship of Agathiyar, none of those were willing to accommodate his request. Finally, he called me, only God knows where he found my contact number, asking if he could do it at AVM. Although we have moved away from rituals, I invited him over. I allowed him and three more families who accompanied him to conduct the abhisegam from A-Z. After having showered Agathiyar with the goodies the four families never contacted me again. I was initially angry, adding them to the long list of devotees of Agathiyar who use others, coming for some specific and ulterior motive, and seeking help only to disappear later. But later I realized that it was Agathiyar's call and that Agathiyar at AVM wanted to bath in luxury that day, his third. That was the third lavish ritual of libation done for AVM Agathiyar, after the maiden abhisegam at Adhi Kumbeswar temple in 2009, and another in a mysterious location under a banyan tree some 200 km and 2 1/2 hours journey from Kuala Lumpur years later. Similarly, when I finally gave in to my niece who was asking me repeatedly if she could conduct abhisegam for Agathiyar I told her only on the condition that she purchase all the items and stuff and conduct the ritual by themselves. Again Agathiyar was bath in milk, chandana, and numerous other items to her satisfaction. Although I had left doing rituals I permitted those keen to do to use the venue and to bath Agathiyar. Maybe they still need rituals although we are done with it.