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During storytime today with my grandaughter over WhatApp video call, I read her a story that popped up in my search on YouTube. As I began to read it to her, I realized that the story was indeed for me. I was having a tough time trying to put my act together in going within as recently my neighborhood has not been conducive with all the din, smells, and activities going around 24/7. At night I used to pick up my pillow and blanket and look around for a quiet spot to doze. This story taught me that the grass is seldom greener elsewhere. 

Those who aspire to become full warrior monks shall be put to test. It needs years of dedication to mastering the martial art at times as many as 10 to 11 years. 

If in an earlier post in comparison to life within the monastery walls and beyond that, I have to retract my earlier opinion after seeing these monks put in the years of practice. I realized that life is equally hard within the walls and beyond it. I realized the grass is never greener beyond the walls too. When the warrior monks spent years training both in Kung Fu and learning the Buddhist scriptures to qualify to become a Shaolin master, elsewhere on the globe we see people by just adorning attires and dashing their bodies with ash, become overnight Sadhus and monks. Even an astrologer who sits at the pavements looking at our palms and looking into our stars has to educate himself and train to read the lines on the palms and the corresponding stars in the skies. I know how difficult it is having learned to draw up astrological charts from scratch. The much bigger challenge is to correctly predict the happenings when explaining the Gochara Palan as the planets move. The granny who sits under the hot sun selling her wares or homegrown vegetables or cookies deserves more respect than those who adorn the garb of the mendicant and reach out to passerby for donations. But what we do is bargain with the granny who is trying to make a small income to survive, telling her that her goods are costly. On the other hand, we extend our debit and credit cards proudly at posh outlets without muttering a word neither asking for a discount or complaining about how much they charge. 

Similarly, if an avatar achieves emancipation it is no big deal. Or for a Siddhar who turns up mysteriously possibly originating by assembling the elements together in taking a form to walk the face of the earth, is not a big deal. But for Ramalingam, a commoner who was born to a couple and grew up with siblings like us to place a concerted and determined effort in reaching God and achieve that state proving to us that it was possible for any man to become divine and later turn into the very divinity is indeed the greatest achievement. Can we attain a similar feat?

We have been blinded to the extent that we do not recognize the genuine from the fake. We think that the grass is greener on the other side of the bank. We think peace and tranquility are to be achieved out there and over there. But Ramalinga Adigal brought peace and tranquility within him. If one stepping into Bhagawan Ramana's samadhi temple senses a serene and peaceful environment and feeling imagine how it would have been walking into the place when the saint was around in the physical form. While we go on searching out there, these saints turned their very place of residence into energy vortexes and pull others to it.

We are all a pack of spiritual tourists. Yes, we tour spiritual spots year in and year out. The din and bustle in the bus or car continue even after we step out of the vehicle upon arrival at these sacred spots. The conversation continues as we enter and make our way into the sacred caves or go within the inner walls of the temples. With man putting up more and more statues in these places it has become a museum rather than a place to sit and meditate, taking in the vibes and energy. All things are done these days to bring visual delight to us. The temples are brightly light and the divine flames are lost in these artificial lightings. To view the stars in the night skies we need to look at it from a place far away from the city lights. Only then shall the stars be seen. Most of these ancient temples relied on natural lighting to light up the place. The inner sanctum is always dark. The only moment we get a glimpse of the deity is when the camphor is lit and the flame showed. Devotees in never wanting to miss that fraction of a second are alert waiting in advance and anticipating for that moment. Things have changed now with the quality of devotees where rather than raising their hands into the air and bringing their palms together over their head in prayer in this rare moments of communion with ones God, they hold their smartphones taking pictures and videos.

Man has become disconnect from the divine. Yes, he is seen at these holy spots in large numbers but he fails to connect with the energies prevailing there. It is only in silence and in the darkness that the sound of silence is heard and the divine light is seen. With the advent of technology that we cannot live without these days, we could be selective in allowing them and not using them at least in places of worship. Self-discipline and understanding is a key factor here rather than to lay rules. But if man has lost his common sense and cannot think he then deserves to be treated like animals that are herded away. Rules are for those who do not have self-discipline. Neither does one who observes self-discipline need the cane. 

Life is like a fleeting dream. There is not much time left. Let us bring the much-desired change. Let us adopt certain practices when we travel to places of pilgrimage and abodes of the Siddhas, enter the sacred caves and the jungles. Let us respect the place. Let us drop all prior conversations. Let us absorb the prana and energies prevalent and in abundance in these places. It is always existing 24/7. How is it that many miss it then? It shall be made known to us only if we bring awareness to that moment. We need to bring awareness to it and get connected. Just as we are not aware of the mechanics that goes on beyond the touch of our finger on a touch screen or smart phone or the click of a mouse on an icon on the desktop, man has become fully automated. He is always in auto pilot mode. It is time we brought awareness to each moment. The divine only shows itself at these moments when man's senses are withdrawn from his surroundings and his inner thoughts. Or in exceptional cases, the divine itself comes to draw the curtain over the world around us leading us to have a spectacular experience that is out of this world deep within us.

FROM LOVE TO MARRIAGE

Listening to the lyrics ஆத்ம ஞானம் அடைந்த பின்னும்.. தேடினேன் தேவதேவா தாமரைப் பாதமே..by Vaali for the above song from the film Sri Raghavendra it kept me thinking. I was surprised to read the state of saint Raghavendra seeking the feet of his beloved Lord even after attaining Atma Gnanam or Knowledge of the Soul. I thought attaining emancipation was the wish of every saint and they never revert to a previous state. But it looks like just as we roll back the drivers in our computers to an earlier version, the saints chose to step back and revert to continuing to worship their Lord. In "The Concept of Bhakti" by P.Thirugnanasambandhan published by the University of Madras, 1971, we receive affirmation of this trend.

The liberated continues to be a bhakta, not of awe or reverence but out of fulness of love towards the supreme.

A story is told of three seekers who made it to the walls of the kingdom of God. The first seeker grabs the ladder perched against the wall and climbs it hurriedly in eagerness and anticipation of what he would see beyond the walls. Once on top of the ledge of the wall, his face lights up and he plunges over the side of the wall into the inner courtyard, without even looking back at the congregation that had by now gathered below. The next seeker climbs the ladder and reaches the top. He exclaims in joy and shouts out to the onlookers describing what he saw over the wall. He too takes the plunge. The third seeker goes up the ladder, perches on the top, tells the rest about what he saw, disappears beyond the wall only to return to the folks he left behind with the news and his experience while in the kingdom of God. I guess these saints choose to take a step back and remain with us for our sake so that they can convey what they saw beyond the wall. 

If that is the nature of a guru, we also learn that there are three grades of souls. One that does not have any thought of attaining liberation. The next studies the scriptures and holy texts and is satisfied and settle for that knowledge. Then there are those whose boundless and infinite love for the Lord drives them to a state of madness and divine love. When we speak about bhakti Bhakta Hanuman comes to the forefront. It is said that his love for King Rama was so intense that when he reaped open his chest, there stood Rama in all his splendor. Hanuman served Rama with dedication. This is devotion indeed. The development of bhakti or devotion is spelled out by P.Thirugnanasambandhan. Faith; followed by attraction; adoration; satisfaction; and surrendering all consequences to God are all the ingredients towards making the brew. Then love sets in. The love spoken of is intense and uninterrupted. We are told of the 5 stages of devotion and its nature. Fixation of thought on the Lord; becoming his servant for eternity; becoming the best of buddies or mate; loving him as a mother would towards her child, and loving him as the beloved. We are told of the classes of devotion and its execution, beginning with performing pilgrimages, and rituals to the worship of God and his symbols; followed by meditation and contemplation on him and finally realizing and seeing God and his presence in everything.

Meera sang and worship Krishna incessantly. She saw her Lord as the only savior. The love in her for her Lord culminates into a state equal to one that P.Thirugnanasambandhan describes as "Realizing the divine presence in himself as well as outside him he lives and moves and has his being in him." He writes that Saint Narada describes this as "a spark of devotion that radiates the entire inner and outer life of an individual."

Seeing him as all-mighty and all-powerful initially, the bhakta begins to see him as an embodiment of love finally. I too had fear of the deities initially seeing them as powerful beings able to place a curse on us or strike us off the face of the earth if we crossed the line. This fear subsided as we came to know them or rather as they became intimate and close. The relationship turned to companionship and later to that of a lover. Love starts to blossom and bloom from within. All else does not hold water against this love. Just as someone in love becomes blind to his surroundings and as to what others say, this love too is indeed blind. 

Andal shares her dreams with her companion where her Lord comes to take her hands in matrimony.

வாரண மாயிரம் சூழவ லம்செய்து

நாரண நம்பி நடக்கின்றா னென்றெதிர்

பூரண பொற்குடம் வைத்துப் புறமெங்கும்

தோரணம் நாட்டக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                        

நாளை வதுவை மணமென்று நாளிட்டு

பாளை கமுகு பரிசுடைப் பந்தற்கீழ்

கோளரி மாதவன் கோவிந்த னென்பான் ஓர்

காளை புகுதக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                            

இந்திர னுள்ளிட்ட தேவர்கு ழாமெல்லாம்

வந்திருந் தென்னை மகட்பேசி மந்திரித்து

மந்திரக் கோடி யுடுத்தி மணமாலை

அந்தரி சூட்டக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                            

நாற்றிசைத் தீர்த்தங் கொணர்ந்து நனிநல்கி

பார்ப்பனச் சிட்டர்கள் பல்லார் எடுத்தேத்தி

பூப்புனை கண்ணிப் புனிதனோ டென்றன்னை

காப்புநாண் கட்டக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                         

கதிரொளி தீபம் கலசம் உடனேந்தி

சதிரிள மங்கையர் தாம்வந்து எதிர்கொள்ள

மதுரையார் மன்ன னடிநிலை தொட்டு எங்கும்

அதிரப் புகுதக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                            

மத்தளம் கொட்ட வரிசங்கம் நின்றூத

முத்துடைத் தாமம் நிரைதாழ்ந்த பந்தற்கீழ்

மைத்துனன் நம்பி மதுசூதன் வந்து என்னைக்

கைத்தலம் பற்றக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                        

வாய்நல் லார்நல்ல மறையோதி மந்திரத்தால்

பாசிலை நாணல் படுத்துப் பரிதிவைத்து

காய்சின மாகளிறு அன்னானென் கைப்பற்றி

தீவலம் செய்யக்க னாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                         

இம்மைக்கு மேழேழ் பிறவிக்கும் பற்றாவான்

நம்மையு டையவன் நாராய ணன்நம்பி

செம்மை யுடைய திருக்கையால் தாள்பற்றி

அம்மி மிதிக்கக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                          

வரிசிலை வாள்முகத் தென்னைமார் தாம்வந்திட்டு

எரிமுகம் பாரித்து என்னைமுன்னே நிறுத்தி

அரிமுகன் அச்சுதன் கைம்மேலென் கைவைத்து

பொரிமுகந் தட்டக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                       

குங்குமம் அப்பிக் குளிர்சாந்தம் மட்டித்து

மங்கல வீதி வலம்செய்து மணநீர்

அங்கவ னோடும் உடன்சென்றங்கு ஆனைமேல்

மஞ்சன மாட்டக் கனாக்கண்டேன் தோழீ!நான்.                        

ஆயனுக் காகத்தான் கண்ட கனாவினை

வேயர் புகழ்வில்லி புத்தூர்க்கோன் கோதைசொல்

தூய தமிழ்மாலை ஈரைந்தும் வல்லவர்

வாயுநன் மக்களைப் பெற்று மகிழ்வரே. 

Ramalinga Adigal too has God tell him to stand by for he was to be wed with the divine shortly. He jots this moment prior to the divine wedding, marriage, and matrimony in his song Peerataivu (பேறடைவு) at http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T338/tm/peerataivu

மணம்புரி கடிகை இரண்டரை எனும் ஓர் 

வரையுள தாதலால் மகனே 

எணம்புரிந் துழலேல் சவுளம்ஆ தியசெய் 

தெழில்உறு மங்கலம் புனைந்தே 

குணம் புரிந் தெமது மகன் எனும் குறிப்பைக் 

கோலத்தால் காட்டுக எனவே 

வணம்புரி மணிமா மன்றில் என் தந்தை 

வாய் மலர்ந் தருளினர் மகிழ்ந்தே. 

எம் பொருள் எனும் என் அன்புடை மகனே 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் உனக்கே 

அம்புவி வானம் அறியமெய் அருளாம் 

அனங்கனை தனை மணம் புரிவித் 

தும்பரும் வியப்ப உயர் நிலை தருதும் 

உண்மை ஈ தாதலால் உலகில் 

வெம்புறு துயர் தீர்ந் தணிந்து கொள் என்றார் 

மெய்ப் பொது நடத்திறை யவரே. 

அன்புடை மகனே மெய்யருள் திருவை 

அண்டர்கள் வியப்புற நினக்கே 

இன்புடை உரிமை மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் விரைந்தே 

துன்புடை யவைகள் முழுவதும் தவிர்ந்தே 

தூய்மைசேர் நன் மணக் கோலம் 

பொன்புடை விளங்கப் புனைந்துகொள் என்றார் 

பொதுநடம் புரிகின்றார் தாமே. 

ஈது கேள் மகனே மெய்யருள் திருவை 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் நினக்கே 

ஊதியம் பெறவே மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

உண்மை ஈ தாதலால் இனி வீண் 

போது போக் காமல் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

புனைந்துளம் மகிழ்க நீ என்றார் 

தீதுதீர்த் தென்னை இளந்தையில் தானே 

தெருட்டிய சிற்சபை யவரே. 

விரைந்துகேள் மகனே உலகெலாம் களிக்க 

மெய்யருள் திருவினை நினக்கே 

வரைந்து நன் மணஞ் செய் தொரு பெரு நிலையில் 

வைத்து வாழ் விக்கின்றோம் அதனால் 

இரைந்துளம் கவலேல் இரண்டரைக் கடிகை 

எல்லையுள் எழில் மணக் கோலம் 

நிரைந்துறப் புனைதி என்று வாய் மலர்ந்தார் 

நிருத்தஞ் செய் ஒருத்தர் உள் உவந்தே. 

களிப்பொடு மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவைக் 

கடிகை ஓர் இரண்டரை அதனில் 

ஒளிப்பிலா துலகம் முழுவதும் அறிய 

உனக்கு நன் மணம் புரி விப்பாம் 

அளிப்புறு மகிழ்வால் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

அணி பெறப் புனைக நீ விரைந்தே 

வெளிப்பட உரைத்தாம் என்றனர் மன்றில் 

விளங்கு மெய்ப் பொருள் இறை யவரே. 

கலங்கிடேல் மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவைக் 

களிப்பொடு மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

விலங்கிடேல் வீணில் போது போக் காமல் 

விரைந்து நன் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

நலங்கொளப் புனைந்து மகிழ்க இவ் வுலகர் 

நவிலும் அவ் வுலகவர் பிறரும் 

இலங்க நின் மணமே ஏத்துவர் என்றார் 

இயலுறு சிற்சபை யவரே. 

ஐயுறேல் இது நம் ஆணை நம் மகனே 

அருள் ஒளித் திருவை நின் தனக்கே 

மெய்யுறு மகிழ்வால் மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

விரைந்திரண் டரைக்கடி கையிலே 

கையற வனைத்தும் தவிர்ந்து நீ மிகவும் 

களிப்பொடு மங்கலக் கோலம் 

வையமும் வானும் புகழ்ந்திடப் புனைக 

என்றனர் மன்றிறை யவரே. 

தூங்கலை மகனே எழுக நீ விரைந்தே 

தூய நீர் ஆடுக துணிந்தே 

பாங்குற ஓங்கு மங்கலக் கோலம் 

பண்பொடு புனைந்து கொள் கடிகை 

ஈங்கிரண் டரையில் அருள் ஒளித் திருவை 

எழில் உற மணம் புரி விப்பாம் 

ஏங்கலை இது நம் ஆணை காண் என்றார் 

இயன்மணி மன்றிறை யவரே. 

மயங்கிடேல் மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவை 

மணம்புரி விக்கின்றாம் இதுவே 

வயங்கு நல் தருணக் காலை காண் நீ நன் 

மங்கலக் கோலமே விளங்க 

இயங்கொளப் புனைதி இரண்டரைக் கடிகை 

எல்லையுள் என்றுவாய் மலர்ந்தார் 

சயங்கொள எனக்கே தண்ணமு தளித்த 

தந்தையார் சிற்சபை யவரே.

We are here on a journey. This journey is a purposeful one. And what is that? We are here to attain Mystic or Divine Union. But just as someone hitches a hike knowing that we are on a journey to a common destination, others take a ride with us. So we take a diversion for their sake. We have a responsibility to see through. It comes via a marriage. A marriage that outwardly seems to bring two souls together to fulfill their obligations to family and society has a deeper meaning and is considered sacred. It is the start of a spiritually significant affair when the couple begins to observe religious rites with devotion and learn to serve God's creation with compassion, which then paves the way for their souls to become developed and enriched attaining soul power or Atma Balam. They then attract souls of similar nature into their homes and family coming as their children. The couple who are new parents now, with their involvement in rituals and charity provides a conducive environment for these souls to further evolve together.  Above and beyond our prayers, the Siddhas too are praying for a family in which these elevated souls could take birth and carry on God's mission or pani. Such families create a conducive venue for these elevated souls to grow further. These children then bring God's message. Agathiyar has told us that our children and grandchildren shall educate us too.

Once we have settled this responsibility, we are reminded of our true objective and focus in coming down, that of a merger and union of a different kind, "that is both mysterious and entirely personal" as Henry Wei writes in his book “The Guiding Light of Lao Tzu”, Synergy Books International. He quotes Rabindranath Tagore on the mystic union, as a marriage of souls between man and the divine.

The Paramatman, the supreme soul, has himself chosen this soul of ours as his bride and the marriage has been completed. The solemn mantra has been uttered. The union is already accomplished.

Henry quotes Plotinus in describing this unique experience of the union as "the flight of the alone to the Alone." Henry writes further that it is "an exceedingly exhilarating experience, superior in joy and sweetness to all other human experiences. After the experience, people become less subject to external events and circumstances for their scale of values have changed." 

Singing the praises, the majesty and glory of God imbibe in us positive energies that uplift our spirits. Hence the reason we are asked to engage in prayers or puja and bhajans. The Puranas speak of devotion by the Asuras too but with an intent to amass treasures, power, position, land, kingdoms, and other boons. They never did seek Gnana or divine wisdom. Ultimately all these brought ruin to them. Just as we have a groundbreaking ceremony before we erect a structure, worship is the start of all good things to come. As we travel further finally we are told of the need to lose our "separate existence in the wider existence of the Lord". When this happens all else subdues on its own. Our desires, likes, hopes, anger, jealousy, distrust, envy, etc. The battle is won even before we go to war. 

A LOVE STORY

Just as we come to establish relationships in life, first with our parents and siblings, then the circle of relatives and society, moving on to newfound friends in school and later at work and settling for a woman or man and building further the family circle and finally having children of our own who when they marry rope in another circle of relationships, this relationship is said to have a tie with the many past births and a bond going beyond the many births yet to come. Agathiyar told us in my daughter's Nadi reading that we were all together in the past and have come together again. Many devotees who came by and later became part of the AVM family too had known each other be it as husbands and wives or fellow seekers etc as revealed in each reading of theirs.

Coming to have faith and belief in God, ironically for one who made us and sustains us, we serve him with fear and respect as a servant in the path of Sariyai looking towards his needs both in the temples and our home altars. 

Then we come to him as a student. The relationship of guru and disciple takes hold. The guru shows us devotion towards the guru and the Parambara or lineage. Agathiyar told me that Supramania Swami who had five gurus showed me devotion to the guru. This relationship is said to have continued through several births and shall continue yet through the many births to come. Supramania Swami told me were had to come together for a reason and purpose again. A guru from the past pleaded to Agathiyar to save his disciple from her ailment in her present birth. This revelation was made by Agathiyar in the Jeeva Nadi reading read by Tavayogi for a devotee when Tavayogi was in Malaysia in 2016.

With time and trusts, the guru-disciple relationship develops into that of a companion where the disciple follows the guru wherever he goes and the guru sheds and shares some sacred and intimate truths with him. When Agathiyar visits Krishnaveni Amma at Kalyana Theertam it is said that Shirdi Sai accompanies him. Amma had shared this revelation with her aid Swami Venkatesh. When Agathiyar comes to AVM he tells us that Ramalinga Adigal who he calls by the name Vallal was always with him. Vallal had addressed us refering to Agathiyar many times too. 

There is yet one role that we have to take up further that of a lover. Speaking about love stories one cannot forget the movie that goes by the same name "Love Story" starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw that was a hit when it made waves in the cinemas back then in 1970. I remember watching it at the theatre. I can easily relate the theme song by Andy Williams with my love for Agathiyar.

When we extend this love for another individual to include others it becomes compassion. Extending this love towards the unseen creator it becomes bakthi or devotion. Just as a lover goes all the way to fulfil the love of his life's desires and wants, a devotee can never depart from the one who has stolen his or her heart. When a lover merges with the object of his/her love, his or her identity drops. He or she is one with God. If we approached God with fear and devotion initially to move towards becoming a student, the fear and devotion having shifted for the guru now, with his love and affection we are later roped in to become a companion. Many saints of the past finally stood at the state and stage of becoming a lover delivering and showing their love for God through their renditions and songs. 

Everyone knows the love story between Meera and Sri Krishna. She was a contemporary of King Akbar and his court musician Tansen and poet-saint Tulsidas. Born in a Rajput family in Rajasthan in 1498, she was devoted to Lord Krishna. She faced many objections to her love and devotion for her Lord Krishna. Dubious plots to kill her made her leave for Vrindavan. During the final moments of emancipation with her Lord she was heard crying out, ""O Girdhari are you calling me, I am coming" and stepped into his sanctum and disappeared. Her clothing was draped around the statue of Lord Krishna. One can never forget the mesmerizing songs by M. S. Subbulakshmi who sang and carried the character of Meera. Although I remember seeing the 1945 movie back then I only came to know that it was directed by an American Ellis R. Dungan. From https://en.wikipedia.org/ we learn that Ellis Roderick Dungan was well known for working in Indian films, predominantly in Tamil cinema, from 1936 to 1950.

Read more about Meera at https://english.newstracklive.com/news/valentine-day-2020-lord-krishna-and-meera-bai-love-story-sc91-nu-1070313-1.html Listen to these mesmerizing bhajan songs at https://mio.to/album/Meera+%281945%29

In present days we have lyricists pen beautiful songs portraying this love for God. One such modern-day rendition that spells the love of Radha for Lord Sri Krishna follows.

Another beautiful song is the love for Lord Muruga.

The saint in his or her prime state would see the divine as a child like Krishnaveni Amma did. A senior devotee calls for Lord Muruga to come to play with her in the following song.

Lord Muruga is said to have played lots of games with the old and aged Avvai. Here Avvai pacifies Lord Muruga who leaves home over a fight over a fruit. But it was ஞானம் விளைவிக்கும் விளையாட்டு where at the end of the game one becomes wiser. Isn't that why we are all here too? To learn and become wiser from all the experiences that we gain in life. 

Gowri Arumugam penned the following song for her album "Agathiyar Geetham" placing herself in the shoes of a childless mother and praying that Agathiyar be born as a child to her. 

Waiting Room

While we are in the Waiting Room, let us eavesdrop on a conversation between a soul and god. My daughter brought this to my attention, to ponder.

Awessum Frankie gives a transcript of the above conversation with God.

Atom: So, we waiting for what?

God: Excuse me?

Atom: So you sittin here telling me, this place is a waiting room, right? What are we waiting for?

God: Rebirth

Atom: Rebirth? Like reincarnation?

God: If that's what you wanna call it

Atom: What the .... you mean, “If that's what I wanna call it?” Either this is what it is, or this is what it ain't

God: Sure

Atom: Chu mean? Ugh, this .....

Atom: A'ight, lemme get this straight: every time I die, I come here, we talk, and you send me back to earth to be reborn?

God: You know the last time we had this conversation it was in mandarin and you were 13

Atom: Mandarin?

God: And a girl

Atom: What? Nah, bruh, you ...... wit' me. Like, Jesus Christ

God: He was here too

Atom: What? Wait, wait, so the Christians got it right?

God: Well I’m about to reincarnate you, Atom. I’d say everyone kinda got it right

Atom: This is a whole lot to take in

God: I know. Trust me, I’ve been there

Atom: So, how many times have I been reincarnated?

God: Many, many, many, many, many times

Atom: If it’s so many times, why don’t I remember?

God: If we stayed here long enough, the lives you have lived, and the knowledge from each of them would return

Atom: What?

God: I’m actually about to send you back to 1736 as Bryan Fairfax, the 8th lord Fairfax of Cameron

Atom: Word, ayy, that sounds important

God: Oh, yes. You own 40,000 acres

Atom: Goddamn! Oh, I’m sorry

God: Ha, it's quite alright

Atom: Well, at least I’m not poor no more

God: Well, sure. With all that land and the hundreds of slaves you’ll own

Atom: Slaves?! Aw, hell nah! No, no, no, no, look, look, look: how you gonna take a black man, send him back in time, and now I gotta own slaves?

God: Well, if it's any consolation, your son Tom, the 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, sets them free

Atom: No! That does not make me feel better at all. Wait, hold up, I just realized you said you’re gonna send me back in time?

God: Well, I’m not really sending you back in time. That doesn’t exist where I come from, only in your universe

Atom: Well, where are you from?

God: Honestly, Atom, even if I explained where I came from, or told you about the others like me, you just wouldn’t understand

Atom: But if there's others like you, how can you be god?

God: Atom, I said you wouldn’t understand

Atom: So what's the point of doing all this?

God: Really?

Atom: What?

God: A little cliche, don’t you think? Essentially asking me the meaning of life

Atom: Well, I figured I would ask before you send me back and I can’t remember none of this

God: Atom, come here. The meaning of life, the reason I created this place, is so that you can grow and mature

Atom: Like the human race? Like this is how the human race is supposed to grow and mature? Mature into what? We can’t even get along

God: No, Atom, you! It’s for you, you to mature

Atom: I don't understand

God: I created this place for you, Atom. This entire place was made for you. Every time I send you back, every life you live, you grow and mature and understand the grand meaning behind all of this just a little more each time

Atom: Just me? Wait, what about everybody else?

God: Atom, there is no one else

Atom: I don't understand

God: Atom, you are every human being who has ever existed since the dawn of your kind on earth

Atom: Wait, I'm everyone?!

God: Ah yes, now you are beginning to see it

Atom: So I’m like, everyone that ever existed on Earth, ever?

God: Earth? Ha, that’s cute. Earth was just your birthplace. Let us not forget all the stars humanity will colonize over the millennia

Atom: Wait, that is so much. Too much to take in. I’m every human being that ever lived?

God: Or ever will live, yes

Atom: I’m Jesus?

God: And all of his disciples

Atom: I’m Hitler?

God: And the millions he murdered

Atom: That's deep

God: You see Atom, every act of hatred and violence you committed against another, you were committing against yourself and every act of love and hand of kindness, you also extended unto yourself

Atom: God, why do all this?

God: Someday, long from now, you will become like me. You will mature to become what I am

Atom: I’m a god?

God: No, not yet. You see, I was once where you stand right now. It is not until you have lived every human life inside of your universe that I may take you from this place. Once you have walked in the shoes of every race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, loving and hateful person, it is only then that you will understand how precious life truly is

LOOKING UP TO THE SAINTS

Life shall not be one of smooth sailing. The captain of the ship who sails the seas knows of the impending changes in the weather and the rough seas ahead. One sailing the river is prepared to face its treacherous rapids. One trekking the jungles is forever on the lookout for ferocious wild animals and poisonous reptiles. So too as Avvai said we have to be prepared for bad days too. Worship to God does not give us automatic immunity to diseases and illness, accidents and mishaps, or sufferings and misfortunes. Just because we are in the worship of the Siddhas it does not mean that we are spared the cane or free from dangers that lurk around. When my daughter broke her legs she had to be in a fiber cast for nine long months. When my other daughter had a procedure done for her eyes she had to maintain a certain sleeping position for several months. I had to endure 2 1/2 years of pain in my lower back before it was cured by the divine through many others first and through various means in stages, before the grandmaster, Lord Murugan came to lay his hand on the spot and heal it for good. 

A devotee who lost two family members due to the covid virus sought Agathiyar for answers in the Nadi. Upon perusal of a past reading, they were reminded that it had already been mentioned by Agathiyar of the sufferings they are going through precisely in the Nadi then. Though Agathiyar spoke about the danger he never gave a solution or remedy back then. I guess it had to take place. But the most compassionate Agathiyar came in a timely manner in a recent Nadi reading for them telling them to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on a pradosham day. It so happened that pradosham was the next day. Further to that, he told them to undertake certain puja for Ma Kali in their home. He simplified the puja so that they could do it. Today she messaged me that they had done the said puja and saw some improvement in their mother's health. That is the compassion of Agathiyar. He does not remove the obstacles but provides the solutions to overcome them; showing the means; sending us to the right people for treatment and at the right time; and hastens the recovery and the healing process, etc. Similarly, in these times of the pandemic, Lord Shiva told us that the pandemic is here to stay for yet some time. But he gave us two mantras to recite, the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra to remove fear and the Dhanvantri Mantra to shield us.

Just as each man has to go through his suffering, death too is unavoidable. These are laws of the divine and nature's law respectively. As long as man is held captive within this body he shall perish one day. The Siddhas delve long on this subject and found a way to remain forever, either in the same body as in Samadhis, or merging with the elements. In both cases, they could revive themselves and appear from these Samadhis or reassemble the elements together and take on a form to walk the earth again respectively. They gave such importance to the physical body not in feeding it with trash but with sattvic food that purified the core elements. The human body that is considered "Asudha Deham" or "Irul Deham" takes on the delusive body or "Marul Deham" upon its interaction in this world of Maya. With some preparation and practices and through several techniques and special care, the Kalivu or "dirt", "toxins" or impure Maya are removed. The body goes through a purification process. The veils fall away one at a time as we progress, releasing the body from the shackles of its own limitations and begin to grow a spiritual growth. A Sudha deham is achieved, void of all physical impurities.

With the gross impurities eradicated first with proper diet and by consuming life-giving herbs or Kaya Kalpam, and countered with the practice of pranayama, the inhaled and energized prana feeds the body reducing the need to sustain on water and food. With yoga, the psychic heat or Tava Kanal emerges within. The heat of the tapas done clears the blockages in the nerve channels. The pranayama fans the fire from the furnace within further to burn and consume all subtle impurities further. The elements within and at its core are purified. The body then sheds whatever remaining subtle impurities it possesses with the advent of the Third Eye. Swami Saravanananda in this book, an English translation of Ramalinga Adigal’s "Aruperunjhoti Agaval" published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras describes this.

Slowly his body through the intensity of concentration of the mind begins to generate the flame of lapses, popularly known as psychic heat. Slowly the quantity of psychic heat is increased due to intense meditation and concentration on the universal effulgence. The extreme heat generated in the body produces smoke at first; this smoke gathers up in volume and escapes through the junction of the parietal bones of the skull (Brahma Randhra). The psychic smoke clears off and enhanced illumination results. This light (Tegas) is also called as the aura or nimbus.

When the impure body called Asudha Deham and its elements is purified, it becomes a Sudha Deham. With compassion and love that arise within or blossoms from within, his body transforms into that of Anbu Deham or body of Love. In this stage, one experiences the Uyir or Spirit or begets Uyir Anubavam. The divine then comes within as we have cleared the house of all things negative and energized it with prana and lit and brightened the home up with Love. The divine takes its abode permanently in us. We speak his language and he speaks ours. The thoughts and wavelength are the same. The vibration and its related energies become one though on a smaller scale. The Jothi or light shines emitting its aura for miles on. 

With the descent of sufficient Divine Light the psychic head begins to emerge. According to Vallalar, this psychic head (a crown or diadem of light) is made up of a special and highly refined type of brain called Omkar brain.

Hence we understand the reason the saints spot long and matted hairs. Hence we understand the reason why no one is allowed to touch their heads and feet or come too close for comfort. 

As soon as it emerges, it draws more cosmic light; the more the light the greater the growth of the psychic head. With the advent of psychic head, more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow. This expanding and ever prospering body, is called the subtle body or the body of Omkar or Pranava body.

With the Pranava Deham comes the grace of God showering upon him Arul Anubavam or the experience of his Grace. "The Pranava Deham" continues Swami Saravanananda, "grows to the size of the universe becoming now the casual body or a body of gnosis or Gnana Deham, which is the natural abode of the soul. With the functioning of the third eye, the transformation of the Pranava body is completed and the next and final stage of transformation into the Gnostic body (Gnana Deham) starts."

With the gaining of the Gnana Deham he experiences Bliss or Inba Anubavam. 

Just as Sister Maria sings to Captain Georg von Trapp's children that "When you read you begin with A-B-C, When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi", for one to attain this state, he has to start at the very beginning. Devotion. 

Devotion comes with worship. Worship has to be picked up either from the parents or from a guru. Devotion is the starting point of this long and tedious journey. Swami Saravanananda explains that it is no mere feat or one that can be accomplished overnight, "According to Vallalar, it takes a long time to perfect the Pranava body; the minimum period required is twelve years and the maximum is 108 years." Again we are cautioned about the pain and agony of the process by Swami Saravanananda, "During this period, the body and mind undergo untold stress." 

Taking the achievement of the most recent Siddha Ramalinga Adigal who came with a specific purpose and  achieved what he set out to do in his life, the young Ramalingam amazes us when as a nine-year-old he stood before Lord Murugan at the Sri Kandaswami Temple in Kandhakottam, Chennai stating his stand in wanting to achieve the highest degree of accomplishment in all his ventures and questions the Lord when it shall be attained? He had such a determination where before his, ours pales out.  We are an undecided lot. We want everything and are easily swerved or persuaded away from the goal for other attractions that come our way. 

திருஓங்கு புண்ணியச் செயல்ஓங்கி அன்பருள்
திறலோங்கு செல்வம்ஓங்கச்
செறிவோங்க அறிவோங்கி நிறைவான இன்பம்
திகழ்ந்தோங்க அருள்கொடுத்து
மருஓங்கு செங்கமல மலர்ஓங்கு வணம்ஓங்க
வளர்கருணை மயம்ஓங்கிஓர்
வரம்ஓங்கு தெள்அமுத வயம்ஓங்கி ஆனந்த
வடிவாகி ஓங்கிஞான
உருஓங்கும் உணர்வின்நிறை ஒளிஓங்கி ஓங்கும்மயில்
ஊர்ந்தோங்கி எவ்வுயிர்க்கும்
உறவோங்கும் நின்பதம்என் உளம்ஓங்கி வளம்ஓங்க
உய்கின்ற நாள்எந்தநாள்
தருஓங்கு சென்னையில் கந்தகோட் டத்துள்வளர்
தலம்ஓங்கு கந்தவேளே
தண்முகத் துய்யமணி உண்முகச் சைவமணி
சண்முகத் தெய்வமணியே.

Many years later taking on the divine stature of Ramalinga Adigal, he pleads to the Lord as to when is the day he shall merge in him in divine silence? 

இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ
அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ
அறியேன் எங்கோவே
துன்று மல வெம்மாயை அற்று
வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து
சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம்

Saint and poet Nakkirar too in his song to Lord Vinayagar asks to grant an audience with his guru, where the guru and disciple shall share that space, sitting in divine silence.

மோனா ஞான முழுதும் அளித்து

சிற்பரிப் பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண

நற்சிவ நிட்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து

குருவுஞ் சீடனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து

இருவரும் ஒரு தனியிடந் தனிற் சேர்ந்து

தானந்தமாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்

ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து

ஈசனிைணயடியிருத்தி

மனத்தே நீயே நானாய்

நானே நீயாய்க்

காயா புரியைக் கனவெனவுணா்ந்து

எல்லாமுன் செயலென்ேற உணர

நல்லா உன்னருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்

காரண குருவே கற்பகத் களிேற

வாரணமுகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி

Having had the experience finally, Ramalinga Adigal pens the 1596 lines that have come to be known as the Tiruagaval, a gem that is to be treasured. It is akin to an autobiography or spiritual diary just that it is in prose or poetry form. In several verses from this treasure, he shares those moments of bliss that overcame and took control of him. 

725. தோலெலாங் குழைந்திடச் சூழ்நரம் பனைத்தும்

மேலெலாங் கட்டவை விட்டுவிட் டியங்கிட

726. என்பெலா நெக்குநெக் கியலிடை நெகிழ்ந்திட

மென்புடைத் தசையெலா மெய்யுறத் தளர்ந்திட

727. இரத்த மனைத்துமுள் ளிறுகிடச் சுக்கிலம்

உரத்திடை பந்தித் தொருதிர ளாயிட

728. மடலெலா மூளை மலர்ந்திட வமுதம்

உடலெலா மூற்றெடுத் தோடி நிரம்பிட

729. ஒண்ணுதல் வியர்த்திட வொளிமுக மலர்ந்திட

தண்ணிய வுயிர்ப்பினிற் சாந்தந் ததும்பிட

730. உண்ணகை தோற்றிட வுரோமம் பொடித்திடக்

கண்ணினீர் பெருகிக் கால்வழிந் தோடிட

731. வாய்துடித் தலறிட வளர்செவித் துணைகளிற்

கூயிசைப் பொறியெலாங் கும்மெனக் கொட்டிட

732. மெய்யெலாங் குளிர்ந்திட மென்மார் பசைந்திடக்

கையெலாங் குவிந்திடக் காலெலாஞ் சுலவிட

733. மனங்கனிந் துருகிட மதிநிறைந் தொளிர்ந்திட

இனம்பெறு சித்த மியைந்து களித்திட

734. அகங்கார மாங்காங் கதிகரிப் பமைந்திடச்

சகங்காண வுள்ளந் தழைத்து மலர்ந்திட

735. அறிவுரு வனைத்து மானந்த மாயிடப்

பொறியுறு மான்மதற் போதமும் போயிடத்

736. தத்துவ மனைத்துந் தாமொருங் கொழிந்திடச்

சத்துவ மொன்றே தனித்துநின் றோங்கிட

737. உலகெலாம் விடய முளவெலா மறைந்திட

அலகிலா வருளி னாசைமேற் பொங்கிட

738. என்னுளத் தெழுந்துயி ரெல்லா மலர்ந்திட

என்னுளத் தோங்கிய என்றனி யன்பே

See the complete Agaval at http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T316/tm/arutperunjjoothi_akaval

We have a wonderful translation of the above verses made available at http://www.ramalinga.com (now defunct).

Describing in exquisite way the phases of the transformation of his body, Ramalinga says that dermis and epidermis have become extremely soft; all the nerves, muscles and tendons have slackened little by little; the bones, membranes and cartilages have become very flexible; the blood has coagulated; the semen has concentrated being solidified; the brain and all its parts have been opened like a bud. All over the body an Elixir flows; the face glistens; the respiration is smooth and refreshing; from the tear glands abundant tears sprout; the mouth is half-opened tremulous and the ears are filled of sweet melodies. The entire body is refreshed and all its visible parts flourish in ecstasy. The heart swells palpitating Love. The ego vanishes, as the emotional and mental defects. A tender, loving and compassionate quietude dominates the entire organism. The ardent desire to receive the divine Grace overflows. The Supreme Love fills the body, which is the temple of the divine Life.

Devotion first arises from within us and takes on an external journey and finally brings us back internally and to go within again closing the circuit as Tavayogi wrote while autographing my copy of his book "Andamum Pindamum", 

Sadly our devotion currently begins and ends with the temple. Standing before the deity we raise our hands in prayer and carry out some simple rituals or practices following others like sheep. The devotion expected of us if we are to pursue the path of the saints goes beyond merely bringing our palms together in prayer. This is the reason Tavayogi on the offset had told us to come out of Bakthi and move into Gnanam. Marshall Govindan in his book "Babaji and the Eighteen Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition", 1991, Kriya Yoga Publications (Reg), 196 Mountain Road, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec, Canada, reproduced with permission via e-mail), explains the nature and extent of this devotion as exemplified by Ramalinga Adigal.

He (Ramalinga Adigal) sings that one has to think incessantly, until he feels and melts with love for God. In such a melting mood one bursts into tears and sings praise of god and soothing warmth is produced in the aspirant. When this universal love and sacred warmth develops, the body as well as the soul became prepared for the descent of the grace, in the form of light.

Marshall Govindan says, "The transformation of the mortal human body into the perfect body (Suddha deham), is achieved by universal spiritual communion and devotion to god." Rao Saheb K. Kothandapani Pillai BA in the foreword to Dr. C Srinivasan's "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Saint Ramalingam", writes, "These transformations occur in the body of the aspirant according to the intensity of spiritual warmth produced in him. The body is deprived of all its dross or impurities and made pure, fit for divine absorption (Sudha deham)."

In a piece from the internet that did not carry its source, we come across the following interesting piece on the transformation that is much spoken about by the Siddhas.

The inward journey begins the very moment he becomes aware of the divine presence working through him. He then surrenders to the will of God, hence surrendering the sheath of his intellect or Vinjnanamaya Kosham. When the transformation from the influence of the mind-stuff begins moving towards the full surrender to the divine, the individual has begun to be liberated, becoming literally a beacon of bliss-light. As the divine attributes of the atman or self that manifest in the very subtle sheath of bliss (Anandamaya Kosham) that surrounds the soul (atman) come to be known, transforming the very subtle part of the being, he verily becomes a guide, a guru and a saint. He moves from an ordinary man to become a saint.

All his experiences and knowledge are then tailored to teach him the higher and deeper aspects of the self or Atman. The teachings that were focussed on gaining experience in life and knowledge for living in the physical world, shifts to that of knowing the soul and one's true purpose and mission.

He becomes well informed and knowledgeable not through the normal means of attaining them but is informed by the divine attributes within him. The divine attributes of the atman or self manifest in the very subtle sheath of bliss or Anandamaya Kosham that surrounds the soul or atman.

When the transformation of that very subtle part of the being has been given fully to the divine, the individual becomes literally a beacon of bliss-light. Simply being in the presence of such a being is uplifting. Such an elevated individual is often acknowledged as a saint.

Before he attains this state he has to put in sufficient spiritual practices, bringing an awareness of the divine working through them. Once aware of the divine presence, "he has already begun the transformational process and surrendered the sheath of the intellect (Vinjnanamaya Kosham) where the analytical or intellectual component of the being is fully informed by the divine light attributes, accumulating experiences and knowledge enlightened by the higher deeper aspects of self. Such Sage has digested and integrated the informed divine light into the analytical aspects of the being.

The guide, guru, saint, and sage understanding that all his actions henceforth are that willed by the divine, brings these actions to life without having the guilt of accumulating fresh karma and the need to take on another birth as a result. He is a "buddha" breaking all conventional rules. He becomes a Jivanmukta or one who is freed while living.

From http://www.ramalinga.com we come across a translation of Ramalinga Adigal's song pertaining to this transformation.

"I have realized here the triple indestructible body of Sudha Deha (the pure physical body), a perpetual and blissful Pranava body (Pranava Deha) and an all-pervading and ever-growing or ever-prospering Knowledge-body of the divine Conscious Force (Gnana Deha) in order to make the play of self-giving of myself everywhere."

"The Lord revealed me the chain of Cause and Effect that are spoken of in the respective scriptures of the Vedas and Agamas. I have seen and realized Him here in the world and enjoy the Bliss. I have happily partaken of Amrita (of Bliss) in the Realm where there is neither day nor night (the Truth World of eternal Light)."

"I have discarded all the devious ways and taken to the good Path of Purity, Truth and Harmony, and joined the rank and file of Its Sangha or fellowship. The heavenly beings happily praise it as the Good Path, because it has a firm foundation."

"Oh my shy people of the world! Be careful to see that your heart remains vigilant and watchful without allowing it to indulge in wastefulness (wasting the opportunity). As the Lord has given me today Amrita of Bliss as food, know it to be the day which He has chosen for His manifestation here in the play of Knowledge and Perfection."

Just reading him stating his achievements brings joy and bliss in us. Imagine if we could reach his state of achievement. Our feet would not touch the ground then. As Ramalinga Adigal pleads to us not to waste this given opportunity in attaining this state that he has shown is achievable, in the lyrics of the following song too the seeker is afraid that if the Lord shy away and doesn't show himself it is a wasted birth.

BRINGING BACK A BALANCE

All this while we have tried to reach out to God in the most common places of worship that are the temples. These temple visits were introduced by our parents who took it up from their parents and ancestors before them. But as access was not given to a few at one time before, these clans and communities took to devotion to the lesser deities who they saw as more approachable and direct. Ordinary men and women who had lived and served the local community and had risen to the state of gaining the communities respect began to be worshipped. They were either warriors in battle or battled for a cause. 

The story of one such man from this clan is told. Although Nandhanar's community was deeply engrossed in the worship of this village, ancestral and lesser deities, giving sacrifice and consumed meat, he wanted to step into the forbidden temple of Chidambaram and see Lord Shiva. But he was forbidden by his master and the priestly community due to the caste classification that prevailed then. His passion and yearning grew day by day that one day he gathered others too and walked all the way to Chidambaram, defying all the odds that were against him. Just as it is said that music melts the rock mountain as in Agathiyar's tale where he is challenged by King Ravana to a duel of a different kind - that of playing a musical instrument; just as the oil lamps light up and burn brightly at the King's court as in Tansen's (Tan Sen or Ramtanu Pandey) story where Tansen sings the Alaap and a certain Raaga or melody and later brings down the rain to pour heavily with another Raaga, the Nandhi that stood before Nandhanar and Lord Shiva at the temple gave way upon Nandhanar singing his heart out in devotion to the Lord residing in the temple. 

Returning home to his master, he is taken to tasks for ignoring the ban on leaving for Chidambaram. He is tasked by his cunning master who knew all too well that it was an impossible feat, yet asked Nandhanar to plow the fields, sow the seeds, and to bring a yield and harvest within a period of time before he could visit Chidambaram ever again. But the divine came to take up the given chore and all those present were witness to an abundant yield overnight. Nandhanar was identified and shown to others as a saint that day. His master released his servant to become a free man. Nandhanar left for Chidambaram. If Lord Siva performed a miracle that showed Nandhanar was no ordinary man, the temple priests were made known of Nandhanar's arrival at the temple grounds and were waiting in a dream. They were told to receive and usher Nandhanar and his entourage of people from his community.

When I was a kid there was a place of worship for Maduraiveeran in the backyard of the house that we had rented the garage to stay in. I remember picking and placing flowers inside the small dome-shaped structure that surprisingly did not have any statues. When I was an infant my parents fearing that they would lose me too after losing two of my brothers earlier sought the Chinese medium who was an immediate neighbor of us. The Chinese Gods saved me from death by asking my parents to give me in adoption to them. My purging stopped immediately. Until the age of 13, I frequented the Chinese medium whenever I fell ill. He would go into a trance and strike a sword on his bare back. He would write Chinese characters onto a yellow strip of rice paper with red ink. He would burn the paper and collect the ashes in a glass of water and ask me to drink it. I was always cured. Since then the Chinese Gods too have been looking over my shoulder. At 13, I was bitten by a dog and had to go to the Government hospital for the very first time for an injection. 

After we moved out from there, I had to seek the hospital for all my needs. When the deity Muneeswarar was invoked regularly in a neighbor's house some distance away from the new home we rented later, I stood afar and watched for fear as he swung his whip around. Of course, when they cooked the meat of the goat that was sacrificed I would go over then to partake it. 

In later years as a teen, I could not run away from them when they suddenly began using my brother too. We knew he could not speak the Chinese language. What surprised us was that he spoke the language when they came. Though it was a small Hindu temple for the lesser deity Macha Muneeswarar, the Chinese used to frequent the temple. Hence the reason the deity spoke in Chinese. He spoke to the Chinese through my brother. 

Then when I started working I came to learn more about these deities from my colleague who helped run a temple for Mariamma in an estate. He used to invite me to go over and listen to what they have to say to me or Arul Vaakku. As I feared to be in their presence, I told him that I shall come if Lord Murugan is called. The day never came for me to meet Lord Murugan. When Kaliamma suddenly came through someone while I was at another colleague's home, I could not run away. The moment she placed her palm on my head a surge of energy that felt hot passed through me and I blacked out. I found myself lying on the floor as I came around. 

When my nephew found a guru for himself during his university days, he invited me and his parents over to the temple run by his guru. They summoned their Paramaguru that day. But before he came the entire entourage of deities and energies or Sakthis came first through several others. Finally, the Paramaguru came oblivious to many without making a scene. We were only aware of his arrival after being told. He spoke softly and gently. I went there to thank him for having brought Agathiyar's message to me, relaying it to my nephew several months earlier. Agathiyar used Paramaguru Gopal Pillai as a channel to convey the mantra and message to me. My nephew passed it to me one Saturday afternoon in 2001. He told me not to question the source nor share whatever that took place then. An energy traversed through him. "He" asked me to repeat the Vasudeva mantra. Reciting that mantra and worshipping a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy that was passed on later by my nephew laid the way for me to meet my first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai during my maiden pilgrimage to India a couple of years later.

The following year of 2002, I had a calling to read the Nadi having come to know of its existence some five years earlier through a Siddha physician and astrologer the late Dr. Krishnan. My life changed for the better, as I traveled taking up the calling from Agathiyar in the Nadi to come to his path. From Sariyai that revolved around the whole pantheon of Gods and Goddesses in the temples, that was introduced, shown, and inculcated in me by my parents, I came to know the Siddhas through the Nadi. I came to their worship. They then showed me to Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram, a guru on the path of the Siddhas. He introduced me officially to Agathiyar and his worship and path and in doing rituals or Kriya. He introduced me officially to Yoga too. Finally, he set us on a quest to attain Jnana.

Meanwhile, Agathiyar too on his part introduced us to perform Abhisegam or libation to his statue in my home, besides lighting the sacrificial fire or Homam that Tavayogi had introduced. Agathiyar brought new seekers to my home after revealing himself as their guru in their Nadi readings, to watch and learn the worship of the Siddhas. Soon the Siddhars stepped into my home too. Although they never showed themselves to me nor my family they appeared to others who came by our home. Agathiyar slowly brought me to meet the lesser deities too whom I had shunned and stayed away from. He showed me their other side, that of compassion and love as opposed to the fear that they generated by their presence earlier. I began to receive them in my home with open arms. 

My home took on the name Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) as the group of seekers who began to gather to carry out Siddhar Puja at my home since 2013 grew in numbers and in size. We ventured to carry out regular charity programs through the charity arm Amudha Surabhi (AS) too. Then he had me draw my fingers and close AVM one fine afternoon of September 2019. Agathiyar had me simultaneously pull the plug on AS too. He told us the reason later. He wanted us to move on and never rest on our laurels. He was extremely satisfied in having us come to worship the Siddhas and reach out to them and in having come to doing charity and reach out to the poor and hungry. Now he insisted that we moved on and not wait for others, for our journey shall then be stalled. Suddenly there was a sudden urgency in having us pick up from where we left in Yoga. Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came again and again asking if we were doing the asanas and pranayama practices shown by Tavayogi. They gave us more practice. They asked if we had studied Tavayogi's books too and asked that we understand the Tattvas well. They asked that we put the brake on our activities limiting them to the essentials and learn to go within. 

Three months later the Coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, China, in December the same year. It has come to shut the world of humans down. The irony is that all else manifests and exists as usual except man's life has been jeopardized to the extent that he has to stay indoors now. Life goes on for plants and animals except for man who is now afraid to take a breath. Has man become an endangered species now? Has man specifically being targeted by the divine? Is it to teach him a lesson and place a wake-up call and reminder, to wake up from his sleep and negligence towards living in harmony with the rest of the world? Are those who are listed and fated to survive given a second chance or a new lease to bring a change for a better world, not in discovering more inventions, gadgets, etc that would simplify his needs, and others like arms and weapons that bring harm and danger in the wrong hands, but to find an amicable solution to live alongside with nature? Is this an indication to go back to the basics of nurturing and caring for the very nature that keeps us alive? The water that nourishes us, the animals and plants; the earth that grows our fruits and vegetables and grazes our animals; the air that keeps all living things alive; the skies that sustain us through its rain clouds and numerous layers that both protect and saves us from harm; and the fire and heat both external and internal that is an indication of life itself, have been jeopardized over time by man in his mad search and greed for wealth, luxuries and comfort in lives. Is it payback time for us? Have we taken too much from nature and not given back enough to it? Has the scale of balance been jeopardized? Is it time to bring a balance back to the formula? We are reminded of Lord Shiva summoning Agathiyar to bring on a balance to the world in the past. Does Lord Shiva have to send Agathiyar again to correct what has gone wrong?

In the following wonderful documentary, a "thought experiment to discover what difference we make on our planet, the answer is that the earth can get by without us but we cannot survive without the earth." It is said that it will take 200 years for the world to recover once mankind is erased from its face. And it shall take even longer to erase all traces of man-made structures from the face of the earth. "Plants and animals have scrubbed and clean up every mess we left behind. The earth cleans given a few centuries. All we had to do was to get out of the way."

 

When I went in for a Nadi reading in 2005 after meeting Tavayogi for the very first time in Malaysia, Agathiyar asks that I align with the local affiliate of Tavayogi's Peedham at Batu Caves to learn the path. But he also told me to get initiated that same night of the reading. This surprised both Tavayogi and me for I had already been initiated by him with my wife and several others the very day he saw us. Why would Agathiyar want me to get another initiation? But I listened and followed his directive. Tavayogi though surprised initiated me again. The moment I was initiated again, the Nadi reading that was recorded on an audio cassette that I carried with me as I had come over straight to see Tavayogi after the reading, was erased mysteriously. When I returned home that night and played it to refresh myself on what Agathiyar had said I found out that except for the introduction that was given by Nadi Nool Aasan T.Ramesh, the rest of the contents of the recording was erased. What was left was a hiss and the sound of raw empty tape being played. When I went back to him, Agathiyar surprised us by providing a rereading that had certain things added on, and others dropped. Agathiyar had modified the reading and hence my fate and destiny after I received my reinitiation that night. The portion where I was to look towards the local Peedham to learn about the path was dropped and replaced. I was now told to head for Tavayogi's Ashram and stay with him some four-five days. Many new places of pilgrimage were added on that I was to visit too. Tavayogi obliged by bringing me there. Besides, that Agathiyar arranged for Tavayogi to bring me into the jungles and caves and abodes of the Siddhas, walking on a real adventure on the path of the Siddhas. As Tavayogi put it, "Only now the real journey begins, my son."

In the following documentary, a wonderful observation and experience are shared from someone who walked the talk. George Thompson made me realize how similar we think. He relates the ancient wisdom and practices of the Tao Te Ching to the current times of the pandemic. His observations and learnings teach us many a thing. 

After many years I decided to share my Nadi readings on my channel on YouTube, keeping many personal things, of course, personal. I then thought that I should reveal how the deities, Siddhas, Gods, and Goddesses came by sharing those moments in this blog. Then I thought it was time to share some rare footage of these moments too where someone thought of recording them. I compiled them and unlisted the video at https://youtu.be/f0OxkG5xF8Y This video is only for readers of this blog. Please do not share the link elsewhere or with others. Let them come to this blog and see for themselves. This video has to be watched in a larger context and only after reading these blog posts to understand how the deities manifest. If it is seen as an individual video apart from the context of this blog, people might see it in a different light.

Just as I was contemplating sharing the audio recordings that were made when the deities and Siddhas spoke to us, I guess Agathiyar decided otherwise. These conversations with God were erased. He erased all of them. How did this happen? I had transferred the earlier audio recordings that were in audio cassettes to digital. I organized these and those that we recorded onto audio Cds later, categorizing them and listing them chronologically. I linked these audios as hyperlinks to the written version. As all these audio recordings and the Nadi readings in writing were scattered in numerous external hard disks, and as there were many copies and versions of them, all these were brought together in an album that I named "My Nadi Library" on my laptop. I did the same for all the Arul Vaaku or the audio recordings of their conversation with us too. Now I had no backup elsewhere as I had moved all these files to my laptop to facilitate the process of sorting them out, tidying, and organizing them. Having done that, I completely forgot that they were still on my laptop. I had not transferred them back to the external hard disk or the cloud. When my Acer laptop sound crackled as I played videos from YouTube or when new tabs and windows were opened or when new devices were installed or recognized, and when the recordings of my readings from Kids storybooks that were told to my granddaughter over Skype were smeared by this crackling throughout the session, I tried the numerous tips given on the net. Changing the audio settings, installing the latest drivers or rolling them back, were of no avail. manipulation the configuration to did not see results. I decided to reset and install Windows fresh. Usually, I was careful before I formatted any disk, having done them numerous times, checking that I do not leave any files that I wanted behind. This time too, I ran through the folders, and finding nothing worth saving, I went ahead to reset my laptop. Oops, I only realized several days later that my Nadi folder was on my laptop. How did I miss that? 

Similarly when my daughter was offered to participate in a four-month student exchange program between the two universities in Malaysia and South Korea last spring and as she prepared to go, having renewed her passport, having had a medical checkup done, and awaiting the need for the final approval from the numerous authorities that governed and gave the go-ahead in view of the ever-increasing concern over the large cases of Covid, the university and the students jointly requested for a delay in enrolling the students. Meanwhile, as we could go ahead with applying for the Visa, we arrived at the Embassy only to find out that my daughter had left her passport behind at home. She had scanned the document the night before and left it behind. She is known to be careful in all her ventures drawing up checklists and reminding each other of appointments etc. But that morning she picked up her things and left minus the passport. She did not go through the checklist again that morning. And I who always asked her, reminding if she took all her things surprisingly was silent all the way to the Embassy. She was in tears and asked me "How could I have forgotten the most important document?" I knew that this was an act that went beyond our means. We returned home to come another day. But it was a blessing in disguise. The university subsequently informed her that they shall send all the students next fall. Several days later as my daughter complained about her sight, it was diagnosed that she had to undergo a procedure. We wonder what she would have done if she were to find out about her eye problem abroad. We were thankful to Agathiyar for having stepped in. She has been listed again to go. She is all prepared to go with the green light given. She leaves next month.

When my collection of Nadi readings were erased, I did try to recover the files using tried and known softwares that I used successfully to retrieve lost files, but this time around as I had formatted and Windows had created new partitions during the reset all was lost. I took it that Agathiyar wanted me to move on and not to dwell on the Nadi readings and Arul Vaakku forever though they are the spoken words of the Gods. I guess now we know the reason why most of the sacred texts from the past were lost in time acclaimed to numerous causes. We hear that they were swallowed by the rising floodwaters. Fires had consumed others. Termites had eaten them. Others deteriorated over time. And since those said to be remaining are hidden from man's eyes, could they have been intentionally wiped out? We hear that Saint Arunagiri had written some 16,000 songs but what is available to us is merely 3,000. It is said that numerous texts were dumped into the seas. We learn from the history of China of "the purported burning of texts in 213 BCE and live burial of 460 Confucian scholars in 212 BCE by the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty. This was alleged to have destroyed philosophical treatises of the Hundred Schools of Thought." 

Maybe it was meant to be so. As man has to move on for his soul to experience further and progress, could we conclude that maybe these old texts hold on and bind men to the past? Just as the waters of the flowing stream and river touch a particular spot on its banks momentarily before moving on Agathiyar decreed that we come to learn and experience a thing, a subject, a teaching, a practice, etc and move on without hanging around for too long and becoming stagnated as the water in the ponds does. He knew when to start an engagement and when to end the attachment to it. He wanted us constantly to rediscover life and not settle for the pleasures that it brought. He wanted us instead to taste the everlasting bliss within that no one could take away from us, not even death! 

Similarly, the Nadi readings and the Arul Vaakku were given for that period in time when we needed it most. Agathiyar broke our hold on it. He did not want us to forever rely on this means but to venture into new territories, new means, and ways to communicate with him. 

If these erasures were "accidental" and unintentional, I did draw closure to many of the websites and YouTube channels I had created and maintained after coming to Supramania Swami and Tavayogi. But when someone posted a nasty piece in an Fb posting of Supramania Swami by a friend, and I happened to read it, I decided to deactivate all my social media accounts. When I informed Tavayogi during his visit to Malaysia, he asks "Why son, Let it be. It helps to spread the path." I began to immobilize and recreate from scratch all that I had erased earlier. In my days of searching, I used to read a lot and take notes. One fine day as I was clearing my stuff and my home, I dumped everything. There went all those notes I had painstakingly taken over the years. If I had them with me it would definitely fill these ages today. 

All these remind me of how painstakingly the Buddhist monks would knowingly create a Mandala only to destroy it later. It was done to show the impermanence of things. When Mukunda before coming to be known as Paramahansa Yogananda was told by his guru Sri Yukteswar to wear a silver and lead astrological armlet at one time, he replied that he did not believe in astrology. But the guru explains the reason.

The stars are about to take an unfriendly interest in you, Mukunda. Fear not; you shall be protected. In about a month your liver will cause you much trouble. The illness is scheduled to last for six months, but your use of an astrological armlet will shorten the period to twenty-four days. (Source: http://www.crystalclarity.com/yogananda/chapter-16/)

Society has drawn a line between the two of us - God and man. God is revered in temples and places of worship. We have been kept away from him for far too long by protocol, rules, regulations, that were laid by its guardians. We stood our distance out of the legacy and fear that was instilled in us by others. He has now come to show us that he dwells in the most unlikely of places too - in our homes, living with us, eating with us, jamming with us, etc. As Ramalinga Adigal came into our home and told us, "உங்கள் இதயத்தை திறந்து வையுங்கள். வழி விடுங்கள்", now we need to open up our hearts and give way to him, rediscover him in the deepest and darkest chamber of our hearts. 

After having reached out to him through all the various means of worship and rituals and the numerous means of communication and after having invited him to reside in our homes and our hearts we need to see him within us now. We need to see him as us and vice versa. That is the ultimate goal. That is emancipation or Mukti. One can have the most exalting mystical experiences. But that is not the end. The aim is not that of gaining Siddhis but to begin the transformation within the body identifying with each of the five elements that make up the physical body and return these elements to their rightful place in the prapanjam. If we fail in this quest we shall either end up dead and buried in the soil or dead and burned in the flames to be partly blown away by the wind and have the rest of the ash left to dissolve in the waters of the flowing rivers or the seas. If we succeed in this venture to transform the body, the prapanjam shall then abide by our wishes. We can reassemble another physical body without the need to take birth through the normal human process. This is what the Siddhas have done. This is what Ramalinga Adigal did too. 

TAO TE CHING & BRINGING A BALANCE BACK

A wonderful presentation from someone who walked the talk. George Thompson's views are shared by me too. He made me realize how similar we think. He relates the ancient wisdom and practices of the Tao Te Ching in times of this pandemic beautifully. His observations and learnings teach us many a thing. 

THE FUTURE IS HERE RIGHT NOW

Where do you draw the line between the past, present, and future? Which is the moment of transition into the present from the past and the present into the future? When I raise my fingers to tap the keyboard I am already creating my future. I am writing my own future right this moment in engaging in an activity or moving. Stop all activity of body and mind and there is then only mere existence in the now that will swiftly become the past. There is then only mere existence in the future that has become the now and the present which will shortly be pushed to the past. The future is now. Right now. Right under our feet. We are disillusioned thinking the future is tomorrow, next month, a few months from now, or a few years from now. The future has already arrived at our door waiting for us to let it in. We are currently manifesting in the future. 

Times are flying. Now we know the urgency shown by the Siddhas to ride the wind and crest the waves.

When you have a guru for God's sake, for heaven's sake, for goodness sake, and for Pete's sake do not go anywhere else. Someone insisted that I follow him for a Nadi reading. He thought I would be the best person to translate the Nadi into English. I had to oblige him though I had always kept away from sitting at these sessions and listening to others' personal affairs revealed. Surprisingly although he had seen the Nadi previously at other venues, he was asked to give his thumbprint again. We started from scratch answering Yes or No to the brief introductions that appeared in every Nadi leaf reading. Finally, he settled for one that he thought described him well. But the reading disappointed him I could see. I too was disappointed for I had envisioned more for him. Many years later he tells me that he has a guru abroad. It saddened me to know that he had put aside his guru and went for the reading. 

When someone asked to know something I referred him to another person well-versed in it providing the telephone number too. But he chose to Google and find out about the person. Finally, he told me that he would ask his guru in meditation if he should contact the person.

I know of some who went all the way to a village to find out about a Nadi reader who was in town in Malaysia. They missed the message in the Nadi but were more concerned about the authenticity of the reader. Once back from their research they got a good scolding from Agathiyar in another Nadi reading elsewhere.

A devotee rushed in as we were in the midst of celebrating Agathiyar's annual fest, handed me garlands, and left telling me that there was a visiting Swamiji in town and that he had to rush to meet him. If he had adopted Agathiyar as his guru he would have given priority to his event rather than go after a visiting Swamiji. 

If we have a guru either living or in the subtle form do not seek elsewhere. Reach out to the guru. This is a test of our faith in our guru. Many seek elsewhere while professing that they have a guru. If you have a guru stick to him at least till his demise. Go looking for another if you feel a void in his absence. But if you had been a faithful student you shall never miss your guru even if he is no more in the physical form. The guru-disciple relationship goes beyond time and space. We saw how a guru from a past birth pleaded to Agathiyar for him to save his disciple who sat before Agathiyar as Tavayogi read the Jeeva Nadi for her. 

As Guru Purnima starts tomorrow we could do justice to our gurus by remembering them forever and not switching camps. The guru never dumped us. Please do not dump the guru or his path for another. Srinatha Raghavan says it beautifully.

Never entice/encourage anyone to leave their own path to follow yours, because not everyone can find your path acceptable, the way you have accepted it. 

A few Sadhakas, associated with a well established Paramparas, expressed a keen desire to follow the Tantra path which was recently introduced. Their desire was genuine and strong, yet there was something that prevented me from obliging their request. 

We clarified, "This path was conceived for Spiritual Orphans like myself who don't have any support of any Paramparas. But as you are already associated with a beautiful path and parampara, I urge you not to abandon it for another, no matter how enticing or exciting it looks to be. Ultimately we all are walking towards the same destination, but the path we choose may be different. As you are already walking the path since many years now, it is unwise to ask you to retrace your steps, so you can choose another path. I suggest you to continue walking your existing path, as your Gurus and Paramagurus have invested a lot in it. Abandoning now will be a grave disrespect to them and to the path."

Thankfully the Sadhaka understood my intent and humbly agreed to do so to the best of their ability. We also felt good as tradition wasn't broken. 

Never break what can continue to be unbroken...Traditions included.

When  I suggested to a visiting head of an ashram and Mataji too to shorten his puja and to shorten her duration of the annual festival for Agathiyar respectively, the former told me that it was a 300-year-old tradition that he did not want to break while the latter told me that she did not want to change whatever Tavayogi had started. I understood from Srinatha "Never break what can continue to be unbroken...Traditions included." But we were given leeway in all our outings. I guess the approach varies although we all worship Agathiyar and the Siddhas.

BLISS IN SHARING

We are one confused lot. It arises because we believe in everything and follow everything. It is all right to believe in everything but we need to just stick to one practice. We tend to chose and pick things including doctrines to suit our needs each time hence forever switching paths. Hence what we have is a mess in our hands, entangled in all sorts of beliefs and understanding. Only when this knot is removed, nay, it's a ball of string now rather than a knot, that the string can stretch out further. 

For instance, if we believe in fate and are willing to accept it then it is best that we leave our problems as it is, without interfering. For instance, the saints in wanting to end their cycle of birth do not lift their hands to change their fate. If they come down with an illness they submit to it. They null their senses and live with the disease. They know that their karma has to be lived out. Otherwise, they shall need to come back to payback. Hence in their determination to achieve their goals, they stomach all illnesses, humiliation, condemnation, etc. Except for their name, they do not leave a mark behind which could become a reason to come back or for their rebirth. They settle the score here itself. There is no heaven nor hell waiting for them elsewhere to gain rewards or be punished. They take on the punishment squarely here and right now. They take on the rewards too ending all the good merits that they have gathered in this life and the many previous lives. Supramania Swami left all his merits earned through his 40 years of tapas here. 

On the other hand, if we believe in our ability to steer our lives away and out of these problems, then go forward without hesitation. Find solutions and overcome them. 

If we believe in fate, destiny, and karma and its hold on us and want to change that forever then we need to look into the sacred texts, talks, and songs of the saints who beat them to their game and arose out of their clutches. 

But whatever we do, we need to take the bull by the horn and decide once and for all what we want in life and where we want to head. With us householders, we have to treat our illness so that we are alive to bring bread and butter to the dining table. We have to be hale and healthy. We have to be alert in mind. We have to think how wisely we can handle all the things that come our way as we try to raise a family. The Siddha path provides for both worlds. We are taught to take care of our bodies and mind and live with society. We are told to carry out our responsibilities and allocate some time to worship too. 

The Siddhas accept all forms of worship never deriding another. For instance when many are known to stay away from the worship of deities whom man classifies as lesser deities or Siru Deivam, Agathiyar brought us to know them too. They have a role and purpose too lending support to the system in place. He wanted us to learn that everything under his creation and all the forms he takes are crucial to our development, both material and spiritual. The worship of these deities is very prevalent in Malaysia having followed our ancestors who migrated over from the villages in the Indian subcontinent in the past. They are often found in shrines and small temples in rubber estates and tea plantations where the first Indians settled together. When the workers had to move out as the estates switched hands and made way for housing and administrative offices or highways etc, the deities were continued to be worshipped in their new homes. They are considered ancestors and forefathers; caretakers and guardians to these families. They had enormous powers to fulfill man's wishes too. So we take the hands of these deities, the Siddhas, the Gods, and the Goddesses to lead us to an understanding of life and bring us clarity and eventually gain salvation and emancipation or Mukthi and Siddhi.

As I studied in a missionary school the Saint Georges Institution I always dropped by at the school chapel and sat to listen to the school chapel choir sing the praise of the Lord. I have always enjoyed church worship too. I have enjoyed sitting in with devotees of Lord Krishna singing soulful bhajans too. All these involve devotees' participation. But in the temple, there is hardly any active participation from the devotees. Sadly it is passive in nature where the Othuvar sings and the rest of us listen, provided we do listen. Sariyai does start from here. But the temples do not provide the avenue for us to give ourselves in service. This major component that is a starting point in our journey is missing in our lives. There is a great divide here. 

To fill that gap Agathiyar brought us to start the worship of the Siddhas in our homes. We recited the names of the Siddhas. Bringing us to rituals or Kriyai, Agathiyar got us to carry out Abhisegam to his statue and lighting the Homam. In the beginning, it was similar to the rituals in temple worship just that it was now conducted by us and in the confines of our homes and done to our leisure. No strict rules were laid though. Just as Agathiyar had us do charity to one and all without evaluating their needs for a start, to bring us to sink and sync into the idea and thought of giving, he brought us into his worship bringing the seeker, aspirant, devotee, or the curious onlooker too. When we had made it a habit to give, looking out for instances to give and share, he slowly told us to give only to the needy and hungry. So too he closed his door on all bringing those who watched, learned, and participate actively at AVM puja to carry on in their respective homes. They were now "licensed to worship." Agathiyar's wish was to see each home become his garden or Agathiyar Vanam (AVM). 

Switching me to continue yoga from where I left and introducing it to the few who stayed back, through Mahindren, they drove us aggressively to practice it as if there was very little time left. We used to ask ourselves why the urgency in pushing us to go within. They brought us to adopt techniques to go within. It was like Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, a prominent Russian and Soviet agronomist, botanist, and geneticist engaged in the study of food grains and genetics to heighten food production in times of famine and drought, thrived on doing his work telling others "Too little time, too much to do." It was like Eliza, wife of Alexander Hamilton trying to make sense of her husband's urgency to do so much in a little time, "I try to make sense of your thousands of pages of writings, You really do write like you're running out of time." The Siddhas too each time they came pushed us all to sing with passion, rushed through the Abhisegam, asked if we did read the texts that they had referred us to, and instructed us to perform Yoga before them. There was both an urgency and a seriousness that we saw during the past year and a half. One wonders why?

On a different note, Balakumaran Aiya in revealing the video of what had taken place when Yogi Ramsuratkumar touched his head and back after he asked if there was God and if the Yogi could show him, gives us an idea of the often spoken about energies hidden deep within us waiting to be arisen by the touch of a guru. We are glad that he decided to release the video after 22 years. 

Can the touch of a guru be so powerful? Srinath Raghavan wrote about the touch of a guru on Fb.

We all live in a personal bubble of our own,
A bubble that is highly colorful but opaque,
So nothing outside its purview is ever seen by us,
We live and die our life, inside this fantastic bubble,
Thinking and believing whatever in it is the only truth,
Nothing outside can ever exist and it should not too,
We can very well break its brittle wall from inside,
But we choose not to, for the fear of being exposed to uncertainty,
When with the touch of the Master from outside, the bubble breaks,
That's when we will finally realize, how foolish and limited we were,
To have accepted the truth that's known to us, as the Final Truth...

~ Freedom is breaking the bubble and seeing and feeling the reality beyond your own.

Can the gaze of a guru be so powerful? Swami Muktananda describes how receiving the master's sandals and his master's gaze could transform him immediately. He mentions in his book ‘Secret of the Siddhas’, Siddha Yoga Publication, 1980, that,

His master gave him one word that completely transformed him. And he also mentions he had to spend such a long time with Bhagawan Nithyananda to receive it. Bhagawan Nithyananda, who always traveled barefoot, to everyone’s surprise once wore sandals. “Take these sandals, put them on,” he instructed Muktananda. Muktananda questioned his guru, “Gurudev you have worn these Padukas. How can I wear them?’’ But nevertheless, he did accept them. Then at that very moment, he saw a ray of light coming from Bhagawan Nithyananda’s eyes and it went straight into him. He could feel it too. 

Muktananda says, 

"That word (Guru Om), which I receive after so many years, spread through my body from head to toe like wildfire carried by the wind. It produced in me both inner heat and the coolness of joy. Before meeting my guru I had practiced many different kinds of yoga, but it was I who had practiced them. However, that word activated a spontaneous yoga within me. I was filled with amazement."

He says everything - postures, Mudras, and breathing processes - all these happened on their own. He became ecstatic.

After the awakening of the Shakti, this process of yogic movements began to take place within my entire body. The pulsation of his ecstasy pervades my entire body like the movement of the wind. The Kriyas were his, the yoga was his, and meditation took place because of him. The final message that I received was from him. The power of his word permeates each of my blood cells; the fluids of my entire body are his. That is why I am joyful. Gurudev entered me and replaced all my bodily fluids with his. He evicted me and took up residence in me. He annihilated my ego. By making my individuality his, he became me. This is the guru’s compassion. Only when I lost myself in the ecstasy of Bhagawan Nithyananda did I realize who he was.

 Margaret Simpson wrote on the moment of ecstasy experienced by Swami Muktananda,

It was searing red hot and so bright that it dazzled his eyes. Every hair on Baba’s (Muktananda) body rose in awe. He kept repeating, “Guru Om, Guru Om, ” He lost all sense of himself. He only came out of it when Nithyananda made a sound. As he set off for home that day carrying Bhagawan’s sandals on his head Muktananda was filled with wonder and gratitude. 

Just as Ramalinga Adigal sang ஆணிப்பொன்னம்பலக் காட்சி and finally after describing the journey inwards, adds that only God knows the bliss he experienced, "I saw my father's Abode. I stepped into his Abode. Who could possibly understand the Gift I was showered by my father Lord Nadarajah", Swami Muktananda wrote, "Only the guru can know that delight and taste the elixir that arises in every pore of the body." I guess now I understand why Tavayogi who never waited for me to catch up with him in our travels would stop to turn back and wait for me the moment something happens within me. It is as if he sensed it or he knew it was coming or maybe he gave that to me or made it happen. There was always that added sparkle in his eyes during these moments and a broad grin and smile. Yes, he knew.