Here was I happily compiling a series of videos entitled Passing the Baton on puja, yoga, and singing of Bhajans and uploading to my YouTube Channel when Agathiyar comes along to actually set the pace for passing the baton.
He told my daughter and son in law that henceforth they shall carry on the puja for Agathiyar just like what we did at AVM. At the same time, he told me and my wife that there would be no puja at AVM thenceforth. Instead, we and all those who come over shall sit in Tavam or meditation. He said his room shall be close only to open up for the forementioned purpose. This reminds me of the room at the old Kallar Ashram that housed the six-tier granite structure or "Aaru Aataara Peedham" that was out of bounds to all except those who meditated. Agathiyar had indeed lifted us to yet another stage having us forego the puja and rituals and pass them on to the younger generation. Similarly, he told me as my age had caught up with me that he could not yield me to his needs. Hence, he had to work on Mahindren who was in his early thirties. Even this is a bit late in age to start he added to a teen who came before him. He told her to start the practice of Yoga now as he was having a tough time trying to work on Mahindren's body too. This reminds us of what Agathiyar had said of Jnana Jothiamma that her body could not accept the intense transformation that came about late in her life after her visit to Kallar ashram.
On another note, he told me and my wife that his bronze statue at our home AVM shall move to Mahindren's home relieving us of the duties that comes with caring for an idol. It has been a wonderful twenty-one years of worship to Agathiyar in general and thirteen years of worship to him in the form of the statue at AVM. It gives us great pleasure to know that Agathiyar is going somewhere where he shall be cared for. Mahindren is known to bath and dress Agathiyar's statue at AVM. He still conducts Homam in his home. Agathiyar has chosen an ideal place to move into. Agathiyar tells us that Tavayogi too was truly happy to see these developments take place.
During these years of worship where Agathiyar sent over many to watch and participate we have seen a myriad of personalities of curious onlookers, newcomers, strangers, and devotees whom we can categorize into sectors just like Tavayogi showed me living gurus whom he labeled accordingly to their desires and wants. Call it flaws with devotees but by addressing these flaws we might get to see ourselves in the shoes of these devotees. There are those who drop off their family and do some other errands or might rush off to meet ride off to meet another or a living visiting guru or wait elsewhere till the puja is over. Then there are those who do attend but chose to talk aloud to others or chose to answer calls on the phone, distracting those who are keen to follow. Then there are those who sit with us but refuse to open their mouth in chanting or singing or seem to do it within themselves. I ask myself what is so difficult in spelling out the name of God, deity and guru? Swami Haridhos Giri would tease those who do not join in his bhajan saying that some monster is sitting on their shoulders preventing them from raising their hands in singing the praise of Hari. That is how he got all the attendees to raise their hands and join him in singing while he was performing a bhajan at the Sri Subramaniya Swami Devasthanam, Sungai Petani many years ago.
Do not be shy in singing the praise of God. Say it now before it is too late says Agathiyar in his song Hariguna Maalai.
நாராயணா ஸ்ரீமத் நாராயணாபத்ரி நாராயணா ஹரி நாராயணா
நாராயணா ஸத்ய நாராயணா
சூர்ய நாராயணா லக்ஷ்மி நாராயணா
நொந்துடலும் கிழமாகித் தளர்ந்தபின்
நோயில் நடுங்கிடும் போது – ஜீவ
நாடிகள் நைந்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
கசிந்துன்னைக் கூவுகின்றேன் அருள்
செய்திடுவாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
நீடு கபம் கோழை ஈழை நெருக்கி – என்
நெஞ்சை அடைத்திடும் போது
நாவும் குழறியபோது – மனம் உன்னை
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நான்
அன்றுனைக் கூவிட இன்றழைத்தேன் எனை
ஆண்டருள்வாய் ஹரி நாராயணா
ஐம்பொறியும் கரணங்களும் வாயுவும்
ஆடி அடங்கிடும் போது – எந்தன்
ஆவி பிரிந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
நம்பி உனைத் தொழுதே அழைத்தேன்
ஜகன் நாயகனே ஹரி நாராயணா.
உற்றவர் பெற்றவர் மற்றவர் சுற்றமும்
ஒவென்று நின்றழும்போது – உயிர்
ஓசைகள் ஓய்ந்திடும்போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – இன்று
பற்றி உனைப் பணிந்தே அழைத்தேன் – ஆபத்
பாந்தவனே ஹரி நாராயணா
என்பொருள் என்மனை என்றதெல்லாம் இனி
இல்லை என்றாகிடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – நீ
அன்று வரும் பொருட்டின்றழைத்தேன் அருள்
அச்சுதனே ஹரி நாராயணா
வந்தமெதூர் வளைத்து பிரித்தெனை
வாவென்றிழுத்திடும் போது – மனம்
எண்ணிடுமோ தெரியாது – அந்த
அந்தியம் நீ வர இன்றழைத்தேன்
ஸச்சிதானந்தனே ஹரி நாராயணா
Agathiyar in slowly relieving me of all my responsibilities since late 2019, has asked me to zip up too. He said that henceforth if I needed to speak it would only be through this blog as the written word.