The temples might not be conducive for us to have a private moment with our beloved Lord as people throng these popular destinations. Naturally, since we would want to have him all to ourselves we yearn for a private moment with him. Believe me, it does take place with the grace of the presiding Lord. Tavayogi says that when there is a strong yearning the divine will brings things together (எங்கே ஒருவனுக்கு தேடல் இருக்கிறதோ அங்கே இறைவன் கூட்டிவைப்பான்).
When after visiting Sri Jeganatha Swamigal's samadhi temple, we drove to another temple in the Tapah Hospital compound that Mataji had asked we visit too, just as we arrived at 12 noon, the gate and grills to the temple were being closed. I quickly alighted from the car while Mahin went on to park the vehicle. I rushed up to the temple priest and asked if we were late and he was closing up. "Yes", he replied as it was time for its closure. I then told him that it was alright and that we shall pray from outside. As we stood on the apron of the temple bordering the road, the curtain stood in our way as it was drawn shut too. Nevertheless, after Mahin, his wife Manimala, their children and my granddaughter arrived I called on the children to sing the Arutperunjothi mantra together. Just minutes into singing it, what do you know, the doors open ajar for us to enter. The temple priest invites us in opening the gated grill and drawing the curtains to all the sannadhis aside. It was indeed a miracle as Manimala had only moments ago asked with disappointment if we could not enter. We sang our hearts out rejoicing in the love and compassion shown by the Lord. Lord Vaitheeswaran and Goddess Tayal Nayaki who preside here had chosen to waive the rules for us. They pleased us further by having Sri Jeganatha Swamigal receive us, again. If previously he had come while we were in his samadhi temple, he now received us again in the place where he had worshiped Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam after arriving in this town many many years ago. He cleared the air and my doubt as to where he resided that day.
I could relate then to the famed late Jeeva Nadi Nool Aasan and Guru Hanumathdasan Aiya's experience in 2009. The Jeeva Nadi Guru and his friends had to look for a quiet spot where they could read the Jeeva Nadi, but it was pretty obvious that they would not find even a moment of peace and quiet in that chaotic place.
His story was posted in Velayudham Karthikeyan Aiya's blog "Siththan Arul". The translation of the original post in Tamil follows:
"We reached Tiruchendur as directed by Agathiyar. We took a room at a lodge, rested a while, refreshed ourselves, and headed for the temple. As there was a very large crowd, there was a lot of noise and din all around. With the question, of what to do now lingering in our mind, we decided to have Lord Murugan's darshan first. There too was a large crowd and much noise. There was not a moment of silence. I was irritated seeing the temple priests shouting as they went in and out. A priest came forward and asked if we wanted to do archanai and if we wanted to get a fast darshan of the Lord. We replied that we would just queue up with the rests, and moved away from there. The free queue surprisingly moved fast. But one could only go a certain distance to get a view of the Lord. Surprisingly the Lord created the space for them. As we reached the Lord, a temple official who had been hurrying the devotees till that moment, suddenly left. At that very moment, something incomprehensible happened. All the noise subsided. The arathi was shown to Lord Murugan. We had a clear view of the Lord's face. I took in the full view of the Lord and registered it in my mind's heart. Something entered me and I went into a state of extreme bliss. A priest came out from the inner sanctum and handed us the sacred ash on a leaf, surprising us again. As we came out looking for a quiet spot to sit and read the Nadi, the bliss in us lingered on. None of us could bring ourselves to speak throughout these moments. The feeling was so wonderful. We realized the reason for feeling blissful after Agathiyar explained it in the Nadi as I retired to my room after failing to find a quiet spot to read at the temple."
Agathiyar says that he was already waiting for them. Hanuman who was in the statue on the 9th tier of the Rajagopuram at the temple had paid his respects to Lord Murugan precisely the same time Hanumathdasan Aiya and his friends entered. He showed up at 7.22 am and was there for 2 hours till 9.22 am. That was when the Jeeva Nadi Guru and friends entered the state of bliss. Agathiyar reveals to them that when they had stood in front of Lord Murugan and offered their prayers, Hanuman and Agathiyan were present. It was indeed an auspicious moment where they received the Lord's grace and went into a state of bliss. It was all Lord Murugan's grace.
Agathiyar goes on to relate the irritation and sadness they had initially encountered due to the massive crowd and antics of the priests upon entering the temple grounds. Even Agathiyar agrees that the temple should be quiet, blissful, and peaceful. Agathiyar adds that he was aware of the wrongs but ask them to drop the negative perception that they originally had on arrival at the temple as he too agreed that one cannot change the world (human behavior).
I too had my fair share of a similar experience that had me in disbelief that it was happening in such auspicious and sacred places on my maiden pilgrimage to India. I was disappointed at the behavior and attitude of a particular young priest. He tried to fleece me of my watch. With no other option, I stomached it and conducted the prayers at the Adi Lingam sanctum. I walked out of this temple disgusted. I told myself I was not coming back to this temple.
I had very much wanted to come to Vadalur, after reading about the amazing Siddha, Ramalinga Adigal. Devendran and Mahendren from the tour agency, waited on me as I took my time to look around and discover the mansion temple that Ramalinga Adigal had envisioned and built. As prayers were only conducted three times a day (and lasted half an hour each time), I had to wait for the next prayer between 11.45 am and noon. The priest came in at 11.45 am. He opened a door to let him inside and stayed inside for some time. Then he emerged to open the huge timber door to the sanctum to expose a black curtain drawn closed. As the flame from the camphor was shown to this curtain, devotees gathered quickly to witness this brief ceremony. There was neither interaction nor eye contact between the priest and the devotees. Some of the attendees sang the Arutperunjhoti Mantra. That was that. It all ended in a flash.
I whispered to a devotee that I intended to make a donation and she brought me to the administrative office. I was disappointed with the attitude of the official at the office. Seeing my purchases of several books that I had picked up at a stall outside Satya Gnana Sabai, he asked me disapprovingly if I had purchased them from there. and went on to point out that he too sold books. As we left the temple grounds, people crowded around the car asking for alms. I told myself this was not supposed to happen, not at Vadalur, a sacred place where Ramalinga Adigal had gone all the way out to eradicate hunger by building the Dharma Salai and feeding the hungry. I was disappointed with the management and sad on seeing the fate of these people.
The first and only place that came to my mind when Agathiyar asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas was the local affiliate of Ongkarakudil in Dengkil as their volunteers could be seen in every nook and corner sourcing funds from the general public to carry out their charity programs both here and in India. Frequenting the Agathiyar Sanmarga Sangam later, I was moved by the late Manivannan to see the patron of this Sangam Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar on my visit to India in 2003. When I was at Ongarakudil though I was accorded all the respect and had a rare audience with him thanks to the late Amarar Nadarajah, as I did not receive the traditional blessing that I asked for from its presiding patron and founder, I asked myself if I had intruded into the sacred space of the Siddhas without their permission. I asked myself if I was not fit to be there. I asked myself if I was not worthy of stepping into this place. I felt hurt. Indeed. The time was not ripe. I too had to wait till Agathiyar himself revealed Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's state of divinity to me in subsequent Nadi readings. I guess Agathiyar preferred that I hear it from him rather than his followers. I carried these questions and the hurt in me for two years when finally Agathiyar addressed the matter in the Nadi. He told me that one should know ahead about the saint of his nature thoroughly before going over. I had jumped the wagon of devotees heading there after Agathiyar asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas. But Agathiyar assured in later readings that I shall be well accepted when I visit him again. But I never went back as I had held on to Supramania Swami. Tavayogi and Agathiyar. I guess there is a specific time to meet such Mahans and that we cannot simply intrude into their space. Later I read that Ramadevar Siddhar had laid down some strict rules before anyone could see Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar.
Reading about a devotee from Hyderabad who asked that Yogi Ramsuratkumar bless him, the Yogi surprisingly did not do so. Later the Yogi told his aids that the devotee had already had the blessing from a Guru in Kerala and he did not want to disturb the energy.
After my experiences put me off from wanting to visit Chidambaram and Vadalur, I told myself that the Lord Nadaraja and Ramalinga Adigal were not there respectively. I said the same too when I arrived at Sri Jeganathar Swamigal's samadhi temple and Mauna Swami's samadhi temple in the midst of its lengthy renovation. But true to what the Divine Kali had told a devotee that though she was not in her temple she would arrive there for a true devotee, Sri Jeganatha Swamigal came to receive us. I guess we have to mature spiritually for the divine to come before us and bless and shower their grace on us.