I did not do much for Supramania Swami in the 4 years I knew him. I only helped him realize his dream of building a temple for Lord Murugan which to our surprise was halted by a stranger vagabond. Swami gave me the full merits of his life's tapas or austerities telling me that that too should be left behind. I did not realize then that he was teaching me non-attachment to all things even our practice and its benefits.
When Agathiyar in my Nadi introduced Tavayogi as my guru, I read the Nadi to Supramania Swami on my second visit after 2 years in 2005 which was also the last time I saw him before he attained samadhi at 10.20 am, on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, four days after I spoke to him. Like a child, he was so excited to know about Agathiyar's Nadi and asked if he could have a reading too. He enquired about Agathiyar and the Nadi further from this ignorant child. That is when I told him that I had a vested interest in wanting to help him with the temple. I said to him that Agathiyar in the past had helped put up a shed and cared for Lord Murugan who was then a wondering sage called Supramaniar. At the end of his tapas and upon achieving the state of Light Supramaniar promised Agathiyar who too was a son and husband to commoners and not a Siddha then, that he shall meet him in another birth and deliver him to his state. I too had thought if I could achieve the same serving Supramania Swami. Hearing this story and my reason for serving him Supramania Swami immediately without second thought or hesitation gave me all the merits of his tapas. I understand pretty well today that the guru can hasten his student's spiritual progress and turn the dice around. Life would have been a struggle trying to achieve my targeted goal if not for the grace of my gurus.
Tavayogi who came along and took me as his student in 2005 said that he was surprised that we had come to Agathiyar without much struggle like he and others had to endure. I guess the grace of the guru helped me sail through the rapids or rather diverted me onto a river that was clear of rapids.
I only knew Supramania Swami for some 4 years and only met him twice. The rest of the time we would snail mail and occasionally he would talk from STD booths when he came in into Thiruvannamalai town. When I passed him a cellphone on my second visit we spoke regularly. He had briefly mentioned him and his 5 gurus on my first visit which was a mesmerizing 5-hour meet. I only came to know his full life history when I visited him again in 2005 when both his wife and son filled me in.
Supramania Swami was born on 17 July 1943 on Kritigai Natchathiram, a Monday in the Tirutani Murugan temple grounds. His mother was taking a kavadi when she had labor pains and delivered Supramanian. Supramanian’s grandfather Thuraisamy Pillai was a Vaisnavite from Aadi Peedham, Ladavaram near Tiruvannamalai. He was an accountant (Kanaku Pillai) at Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarer temple. Supramanian’s father Jayaram Pillai was a teacher at Reddi Kuppam, Anaikoyil. Supramanian’s uncles were teachers too.
Supramanian’s father became his first guru when he gave him an initiation or teecha on Lord Murugan. Later Supramanian moved to Thiruchendur where he made a livelihood selling flowers and garlands to support his mother and himself. He used to pull the temple chariot for seven consecutive years wearing sandals with nails on them. He put on the garb resembling Lord Murugan and took part in plays or dramas held at the temple grounds on festival days.
Supramanian was married at the age of 31.
He then started performing miracles. Attired in a banana tree bark, he would grab a handful of sand, which turned to sacred ash (Vibhuti), Kumkum, or Panjamirtham accordingly. This he gave to people, who were then cured of their ailments. He spent seventeen years atop Tiruvannamalai hill. During this period he indicated to the locals the site of a vel that was buried by a Siddha in the hills of Tiruvannamalai. As Ramana Maharishi says, “Just as a man who is drunk is not conscious whether his upper cloth is on his body or has slipped away from it, the Jnani is hardly conscious of his body, and it makes no difference to him whether the body remains or has dropped off”, Supramanian who was in a similar state of mind went about performing miracles and curing folks. Supramanian had no memory of what transpired during that period. He only heard about his antics after miraculously gaining his memory through consuming food given by a stranger woman. Although he came back to a state of normality after consuming the miracle food, his ability or Sitti of changing sand and earth to vibhuti prasadham continued for some time and stopped on its own after he had his second daughter.
I remember pretty well the last conversations I had with Supramania Swami over the phone 4 days before he attained samadhi.
I could not get through to Supramania Swami for some time then. That evening there was someone trying to call me on my phone numerous times. However, each time I answered the line went dead or disengaged. I then thought if it could be Swami trying to get through to me. When I called his phone, he answered. “I have not forgotten you,” he said. “How can I forget you; you have given me a place to stay", referring to the kudil that we had collectively built for him. He blessed me. Then he said, “I am seeing the Jhoti. At times, it stays on for half an hour. My time is nearing. Ask Ramesh (referring to the Nadi Guru I used to frequent) to see when my day will come so that I can send you word and you can be present.” I cried like a child. He told me he wanted to start a fast of silence (Mauna Virutham) beginning on 31 January 2007 for a forty-eight-day period. The day he chose to start the fast would be the eve of the day that Ramalinga Adigal became one with the light Arutperunjhoti.
I till this day cannot comprehend why I called Swami's number on 3 February 2007 having been told that he was going into silent mode. Surprisingly Swami answered his phone. When I apologized for calling him and making him break his fast, he replied, “No harm done. I shall talk to you.” He told me he had started the fast on wheat porridge, chapatti, and milk since the last full moon day, 1 February 2007, and would end his fast on Pangguni Utiram day – a fast that would now last 60 days. He did not speak to anyone, only writing out on paper if required. But he made an exception for me. I realize now as I pen these words that that is the grace and compassion of the guru. He told me I am letting loose of my senses. He asks me to meditate and be focused. He asks that I gather some funds from my nephew Thayalan and his father Arumugam so that he could feed a thousand devotees when his fast ends on 1 April 2007. This annadhanam was finally carried out in 2013 spearheaded by Jnana Jothiamma who carried it out upon our asking, without Supramania Swami's presence in flesh but in spirit then.
When I was with him in 2005, he mentioned that his lifespan was only 65. Supramania Swami went into samadhi at 10.20 am, on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, four days after I spoke to him, at his kudil in Tiruvannamalai. He was 65.
Ramajayam tells me he found Swami’s diary after his samadhi. Strangely, Swami had written the exact date and time of his departure. This entry was dated 23 May 2005. He had also written down how to attend to his body once he passes away. Although he did not have a following, mysteriously a Swamiji to whom Ramajayam served as a driver then in Tiruvannamalai sent twenty of his followers or sadhus from his movement to take care of Swami’s last rites. Supramania Swami was laid to rest the same day within eight hours of his passing away as requested by him (Swami). When I was with him in 2005, he had indicated the spot where he was to be buried at his kudil to me. That was his wish. I was saddened that he was laid to rest elsewhere. But it happens to be that although he had mentioned that he was to be laid to rest at the kudil, the Lord and his messengers decided to provide a better place of rest for their deserving disciple. Agathiyar, on 10 February 2007, told me in my Nadi reading that Swami had gone into Samadhi at the right moment; he had been laid at the right spot and that his samadhi shall gain fame. On 24 July 2007, Agathiyar again mentions Supramania Swami telling me that he was the first guru I went searching for and that he was a true guru. Agathiyar asked that I chant Swami’s name and miracles shall take place in my home. True to his word, Supramania Swami appears in my home in Malaysia after going into samadhi. Just as his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar appeared and chanted with us after going into samadhi, Supramania Swami too showed his presence at my home after his samadhi. Although we could not see him, the signs that Supramania Swami appeared in my home were there.
The day was 17 September 2007. It had been some time now since Supramania Swami went into samadhi. We had just completed our daily prayers for the evening. The smell of jasmine, sandalwood or sandanam, sacred ash or vibhuti, frankincense, and other fragrances always lingers in my home during prayers. However, on that day, peculiarly there was the strong aroma of tobacco in the air. The thought of Supramania Swami immediately came to my mind. For some reason, Supramania Swami came to my mind. Was Swami at my home in Malaysia? As this thought rang in my mind my handphone rang simultaneously and stopped. On picking up the phone there was a miss call from the number that Swami used. I knew that number was no more in use too. Thinking about this miracle for the next few days, I decided to call up Swami’s number. A man answered. He asked me who I was and to whom I wanted to talk. I introduced myself and I asked if he had called me a couple of days before. However, he answered that he had not made any calls to Malaysia. Then I asked if Supramania Swami was around. He answered that he did not know of any Supramania Swami. I enquired about his location. He mentions it was Coimbatore. Then I ask if Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal was there. The reply was no and he did not know Tavayogi either. Several days later, I called my nephew Thayalan and explained what had transpired. Upon ending my call, I realized there was a miss call while I was on the phone with Thayalan. Again to my amazement, the same number appeared. I called Swami’s son, Ramajayam. He confirmed that the number his father used had been terminated. What a marvel! Later Agathiyar reveals in the Nadi that the miracle indeed did take place. Supramania Swami had come that day!
I have come to realize that God works in mysterious ways. When I arrived in India Deivanthiran, who came to fetch me at the airport in Chennai told me that he had taken over the task of chauffeuring me around since Raji who was assigned to me earlier had come down with a high fever suddenly. Was that a coincidence or was it the work of fate or God's mysterious doing that Raji should suddenly take ill? Was it a coincidence or was it the work of fate or God's wish that Deivanthiran should take me to meet Supramania Swami? Only on the last leg of my pilgrimage when I asked him about wanting to see the horoscope for my second daughter, was I to find out that Deivanthiran had a brother-in-law who was an astrologer. That turned out to be Supramania Swami. I am forever grateful and indebted to Supramania Swami who opened my eyes to devotion (Bakti) towards God and Guru through his exemplary lifestyle. Later I came to know that Swami was a full-fledged Jnani when the stranger who stalled our temple project asked him, "Why are you reverting to Bakti when you are in Gnana?"
As the day for paying homage to the gurus, Guru Purnima is just around the corner, I have no way to show my gratitude to my gurus for all they have done for me and my family and everyone else. The greatest dharma beyond that of feeding the hungry is spreading the greatness of the guru and his word, says Agathiyar. This is the least I can do for these great souls who came into my life.