We need to know why we are here. We need to understand the game here. All that we are and see are made of Tattvas. It is by way of these tattvas that we gain insight into the truth of our being and the reason to be here. From the gross, we move back into the subtle from whence we came forth. I have come to understand that this is the true journey as hinted by Tavayogi to me when I took my very first step following him places, though I thought it was the external journey and pilgrimage that he meant then. Many years later Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came to ask that I read up on the tattvas that Tavayogi had written about in his book "Andamum Pindamum". In understanding these tattvas that give form to all of creation we are brought to understand the subtler breath and energies that traverse through the gross. Eventually, the inner journey takes us to come face to face with our soul. But the play of the divine is such that besides creating, sustaining, and destroying all of his creation he does veil them too and have us seek and search and comes to draw the veil aside with his grace later. If earlier we saw his creation and later saw him in all of creation when His grace falls on us we merge in him. From the many, we arrive at The One. To come to this realization the physical body has to serve the soul through acts of high virtue that add on merits, and avoid the vices, to garner a better and higher birth in the scheme of evolution.
Manickavasagar in his திருவாசகம்/போற்றித் திருவகவல், sings that there are unseen energies that veil us (ஆறு கோடி மாயா சக்திகள் வேறு வேறு தம் மாயைகள் தொடங்கின). Once this veil is drawn aside by the grace of God one realizes that all that he believed existed were false and that they only seemed real in this realm of illusion or maya, just as a dream would seem real to us in sleep. On coming face to face with truth, reaching the source that is Sivan, we settle back into our original potential state until an unexhausted desire or vasana carried over has to see the light of the day and justifies another birth. When the partnering associates come together and agree upon that it is then time to reincarnate in the world to see through the fruition of these desires, we are born in this world again in another body and take on another journey walking through the maze of life.
As Agathiyar brought us to release our hold on Sariyai and Kriyai and slowly led us to go within, he told me that there was a need to learn about the உடற்கூறு தத்துவம் first, before we could step into Yogam, asking me to refer to Tavayogi's "Andamum Pindamum" and "Atma Gnanam".
மனிதனான ஜீவனிடம் அனுபவமும் சிந்தனையும் கூடி அறிவு பெருக்கம் ஏற்பட்டு தன் காரண நிலை நாடி ஆராயும் போது புறநிலை நாடி ஆராயும் பொது அந்நிலையில் தத்துவ விளக்கம் ஏற்படுகிறது, wrote Tavayogi. Translated it means that with sufficient experiences and inquisition comes a flood of knowledge. Researching the subtle unseen causes and their effects that are visibly seen in the external, clarification of the tattvas arises.
பரமாணுவினால் பஞ்சபூதம் உண்டானது. இவ்வுலகம் ஐம் பெரும் பூத அணுக்களால் ஆனது. இந்த ஐம்பூத அணுக்களில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு அணுவிலும் 96 தத்துவங்கள் அமைந்துள்ளன. இந்த தத்துவங்களே மனித சரீரத்தில் செயல்படுகின்றன. From the first atom, the Paramanu, the Panchabhutam, or 5 others, came forth, writes Tavayogi. The world emerged from these 5 atoms coming together. Each atom carried 96 Tatvas. These Tatvas function in our bodies too.
The Siddhas are known to have recorded their knowledge of the 64 kinds of learning, 18 Puranas, 48 branches of scientific knowledge and the said 96 tattvas naming it Siddhaveda, after extensive discussions held amongst them at Alagan Kulam and presenting their work to Lord Dhakshinamurthi for his perusal says P.Karthigayan in his well-researched book, "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016.
He mentions that these 96 principles tattvas animate us on life's stage, eventually ending their act, leaving and going their way at the end of the divine play. While Karthigayan classifies these 96 principles as being divided into internal and external or as the soul and the body, with 36 in the former and 60 in the latter, Tavayogi classifies them into three distinct groups, first 30, second 30, and last 36, grand total 96.
As the body is relative to the universe around us, a study of the former will justify a study of the cosmos too. Tavayogi gives us an idea of how creation took place in his "Andamum Pindamum" and "Atma Thathuvam". He quotes Supramaniar Gnanam 32 where it is revealed that at the beginning there was Sivan. From it emerged a sound. The vibration that resulted was Sakti. This first vibration created from the first sound was known as Akaaram. The vibratory waves that sustained this first sound came to be called Ukaaram. Maakaaram was the field that helped contain these vibratory sounds. The three came together as "that", which was to become the source of all creation, known as AUM. From that sound emerged Sivam or a spark, light, (or the divine spirit, says Karthigayan), neither with a form nor formless.
From https://www.ananda.org/yogapedia/aum/ we learn the same that "AUM is the vibration by which the Supreme Spirit brings all things into manifestation. Paramhansa Yogananda has explained that everything - all matter, all energy, all thoughts - exists in AUM." We read further that "AUM, therefore, encompasses the three vibratory energies required to create, preserve, and destroy, and each of these energies vibrates at a different frequency. The three letters of AUM represent these three vibrations inherent in creation.
In the context of Yogam, it is interesting to note that Akaaram is linked to the left eye and Ukaaram to the right. Tavayogi explains that the breath that flows through the left nostril is known as Akaaram and that running through the right nostril is Ukaaram, creating vibrations in Edakala and Pingala respectively. These Nadis vibrate creating further ripple-like vibrations, called Maakaaram, in the midst of the head. The spot where these three sounds and their related vibrations congregate is known as Suzhumunai. Agathiyar tells us to hold our breath in Kumbakam just sufficiently long enough to chant the first Diksa mantra.
If Tavayogi uses the terms Sivan, Sivam, and Sakti and Akaaram, Ukaaram, and Maakaaram, KR Sivakanthan in his "Sittargal Tathuvamum Yoga Neri Muraigalum", Tirunelveli Then India, Saiva Sitthantha Noor Pathippu Kazhagam, Chennai, 2003, in writes that all the above came forth from the Paraparam and Param. He speaks about the many other manifestations of the source. Creation began in Paraparam from which Param emerged. From Param came forth Sivan. Sakti emerged from it later, followed by Naatham. Vinthu emerged from Naatham subsequently. Sadasivam arosed from Vinthu, and Maheswaran from Sadasivam. Uruthiran emerged from Maheswaran, while Vishnu from Uruthiran, and Brahmam from Vishnu. Brahmam gave birth to the Panchabhootas, which came about or evolved from each other. The five elements saw their beginning from the sky, from which came forth the element air. This gave rise to fire. Water emerged from the fire, and earth from water. Finally, man, animals, birds, plants, mountains, and rivers rose from the earth. The reverse takes place at the end of the cycle, all returning to the form from which they came forth. Hence the body too is a product of these five elements made in the ratio 1 1/2 part earth; 1 1/4 water; 1 part fire; 3/4 air; and 1/2 sky totaling 5 in any given circumstances. The body that is a composite of these five elements in their respective and ideal ratios sustains itself and remains in good health if we take heed of this ratio. The Siddhas remind us to ensure the ratio of these elements is maintained well to prevent ailment and in the worst case - death. In the absence of water, the earth will fill its space; in the absence of fire the water will take its place; in the absence of air, the fire will consume its place; and in the absence of sky, the air will occupy its space, creating chaos in the body. When the sky is replaced with a vacuum, death occurs. All our aspirations and desires including that of merging with the divine are only possible with the aid of this body. Hence we can understand the determined efforts of the Siddhas to preserve the body and attain immortality.
An opportunity is given for us to make good the present life and change our ways while alive, failing which we pay for it or enjoy the perks in the afterlife in the astral planes, and come back to repent and rectify the remaining faults or exhaust the vasanas and desires that take on a new appearance known as karma, fate, and destiny in yet another birth.
How can then one watch 24/7 over these tattvas? Through watching the breath, say the Siddhas. For this purpose, they delivered Astanga Yoga and delivered the means to Kaya Siddhi, or physical immortality or the deathless physical state. Here then is the secret remedy to keep away death, for as long as we are aware of this ratio and maintain it, death that is only at arm's length can only watch us. The late Dr.Krishnan once told me that the body had the ability to heal itself. For others, they need assistance from the Prapanjam. Similarly, the Prapanjam too seeks our aid to renew itself as Lord Shiva and Prapanjam herself requested of us in the troubled times of the recent pandemic. Further possibilities are shown in the movie "Avatar" and "Avatar - The Way of Water."
The body becomes a receptacle for cosmic energy just as it stores physical energy that is called on when the need arises. Karthigayan writes, "They (the Siddhas) devised a systematic method for storing these physical and cosmic energies by attaining an appropriate body first and then attracting the cosmic force into it with the help of the mind."
As we are part of the universe too, the physical body resonates with these vibrations, functioning effectively. Agathiyar tells us that he is this very vibration. To connect with the Prapanjam one has to rise to this state of vibration. It is a journey back home to the source. Since one formula would not work out for all of humanity the wise of the olden days had us engage in Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam to arrive finally at the state of Gnanam. Gnanam is the dawn of divine knowledge that burns all our earlier readings and false knowledge to ashes, recreating truth from these ashes. The tattvas are the bridge to this knowledge. Once we reach the other shore the bridge is burned down. But the saints do land a hand to us to cross this river of ignorance and bring us ashore to the kingdom of truth.