"I believe there is God," said one and went about doing his thing. The other believed in his creator and took the path to find him, at least find proof of his existence. Some went further and took on the tasks given by Erai. Many settle for his gifts and retire from their search. Very few eventually locate and find him. Peter Steven Malakoff narrates in a video on the saint and poet Kabir Das "What Kabir talks about is only what he has lived through; if you have not lived through something, it is not true." How true is his observation. Similarly, Ramalinga Adigal's collection of some 6,000 + songs compiled as the Thiruarutpa is solely about his experiences with God. Manickavasagar and the other Nayanmars too sang about their experiences with God.
"If you have not lived through something, it is not true." It's only when one steps on the path and ventures to known his creator, whatever the path may be that he comes face to face with him. Not as an observer from afar; not as a listener to the many tales told of God; not unless he taste his sweetness within; not until he is touched by him, physically and emotionally; not until he makes contact with him in the very air that is all around and travels within.
And so Agathiyar brought me to his path and later many others joined me too. He picked me up from where Lord Siva left. After all the reading and discussions on matters both religious and spiritual, Lord Siva came to save me from falling into the dark dungeon of confusion that aroused from much learning. After a 14 year-long abstinence from both aggressive puja and much reading, he showed me my guru Agathiyar. Agathiyar came in the form of the Nadi that had me spellbound. I took up his calling to come to his path. He sent me two wonderful gurus in physical form. My journey of first, the discovery of the world of Siddhas, and later self-discovery began. What led to confusion without a guru's guidance and tutorship, in the years before coming to the Siddhas is beginning to shed light. The numerous books that I still saved from then, brings upon a new and fresh understanding.
It is exciting to understand things that were once confusing or a mystery to us. For instance from "The Resonance of Allah: Resplendent Explanations Arising from the Nūr, Allāh's Wisdom of Grace" by Muhammad Raheem Bawa Muhaiyaddeen we learn about the sense organs and the sensory feelings.
"If you have not lived through something, it is not true." It's only when one steps on the path and ventures to known his creator, whatever the path may be that he comes face to face with him. Not as an observer from afar; not as a listener to the many tales told of God; not unless he taste his sweetness within; not until he is touched by him, physically and emotionally; not until he makes contact with him in the very air that is all around and travels within.
And so Agathiyar brought me to his path and later many others joined me too. He picked me up from where Lord Siva left. After all the reading and discussions on matters both religious and spiritual, Lord Siva came to save me from falling into the dark dungeon of confusion that aroused from much learning. After a 14 year-long abstinence from both aggressive puja and much reading, he showed me my guru Agathiyar. Agathiyar came in the form of the Nadi that had me spellbound. I took up his calling to come to his path. He sent me two wonderful gurus in physical form. My journey of first, the discovery of the world of Siddhas, and later self-discovery began. What led to confusion without a guru's guidance and tutorship, in the years before coming to the Siddhas is beginning to shed light. The numerous books that I still saved from then, brings upon a new and fresh understanding.
It is exciting to understand things that were once confusing or a mystery to us. For instance from "The Resonance of Allah: Resplendent Explanations Arising from the Nūr, Allāh's Wisdom of Grace" by Muhammad Raheem Bawa Muhaiyaddeen we learn about the sense organs and the sensory feelings.
- Unarchi or awareness of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch is a result of unarvu. Unarvu results in unarchi. The sensory feeling or perception that one derives from the senses; sight, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching brings upon unarvu.
- Buddhi processes the information that is derived from the senses and the awareness retained from it and makes choices, identifies the cause or the object that brings on the sensory feeling and perception, and dictates the next cause of action, telling us whether to go with it or drop it or turn away, accept it or turn it down. But it is limited to accessing things it has perceived through the senses. This is limited.
- Mathi makes the assessment and judgement and evaluation as when man begins to enquire into the nature of his life, and questions his fate. Here too its assessment is limited to the observed phenomena or everyday knowledge. This too is limited.
- Arivu or subtle wisdom realizes that the answers to man's queation cannot be found in the world but only by going within. Arivu begins to investigate the soul. Agathiyar has brought us to this stage. This is the begginning of turning inwards and can be compared to pratyahara in yoga. But subtle wisdom is still limited to the functioning in the realm of the elements so it only can sugests possible solutions. This too has its limitations.
- Pahuth arivu or divine analytic wisdom or divine decerning wisdom as M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen describes it, provides clarity and possesses certainty of knowing, arising from the indwelling mentor or spiritual guide, who is in constant communion and connects to God. This divine analytic wisdom or divine decerning wisdom awakens the life of purity and transforms it into divine resonance.
- Per arivu or divine luminous wisdom or the ultimate wisdom is given by God. By the wisdom of God's light, he realizes he is in God and that God is in him giving the realization that nothing but God exists as Mahesh Yogi wrote. The soul is in constant communion with God. Taking on his form and thoughts the soul resonates the glory of God. When one receives his plenitude and completeness the divine uses him to do his work towards his creation.
On another note, we learn that:
- Poingnanam is false wisdom or the deluded sense of knowledge.
- Vingnanam or the subtle intellect is that from scientific wisdom or intellectual knowledge.
- Meignanam is the true divine knowledge that comes from God.
Similarly, the understanding that I derived from my little experiences coming to the path, that adorn the pages of this blog excites me in many ways too. I have come to realize that I am just a tool in their hands to convey these messages. These experiences too are given by them so that we could share them with others too. The understanding is given by them too, to be shared. The power of the vocabulary is from them too. I too sit back after having keyed in these words and take in the substance and essence of these messages. I read and reread them again and again enjoying each word, phrase, and subject matter.
These days we realize that we can connect with the writings of the saints and their songs. What were mere songs by saints and poets that were pleasant to the ears, today pierces the heart and soul. The experiences felt by the saints become ours too. We thank all these saints and poets for their soul-stirring renderings.
These days we realize that we can connect with the writings of the saints and their songs. What were mere songs by saints and poets that were pleasant to the ears, today pierces the heart and soul. The experiences felt by the saints become ours too. We thank all these saints and poets for their soul-stirring renderings.