Has any guru we know uplifted their followers to a state at par with them or trained or groomed them to take over the assets in the way of an ashram or Peedham, organization or movement, group or society, or gave way for them to take over while they are still around? Guhai Namasivayar of Thiruvannamalai after seeing his student Guru Namasivayar grow into a man capable of taking on the role of a guru, and knowing that there could not be two captains on a ship, sent him to Chidambaram. The latter, who reluctantly followed his guru's dictate, left only after laying a condition that his guru should be there when he arrived. The master showed himself at Chidambaram. Tavayogi we know passed on his legacy to Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar who had served him obediently all these years. Tavayogi groomed me to become a worthy student on the path. Supramania Swami, in saying that we cannot bring anything with us during our moment of departure and have to leave them behind, passed on his entire life merits gained from his Tapas and Tavam and austerities to me. Agathiyar some time back had identified several devotees and told them that they were guru material and had to discharge the roles as gurus, teaching what they had learned to date to the others. But sadly they did not pursue nor take his words seriously.
If a devotee who learned the Yoga techniques together with me from Tavayogi in 2007 but failed to pursue and practice them was told to relearn them from me in his Nadi reading some years later, and if Agathiyar sent several youths to my home after their Nadi readings, which became known as Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) upon their arrival in 2013, to witness, participate, and learn Siddha puja and rituals, in 2019 he asked that I teach one of these youths, Mahindren, the Yoga techniques I learned from Tavayogi. I did as told. Later in 2022, he had Mahindren teach them to others. Later Agathiyar instructed me to initiate a couple of seekers to the path. I did as told. I had previously turned down his offers and rewards that he was prepared to gift me for my efforts and obedience to him. He had given me the rare privilege to build him a temple which I did not pursue after 2002 after having failed to convince temple committees to give me a place to install his statue; a Peedham to call my own and run that did not interest me; the Nadi for me to refer to and for others too which I turned down; and the power of healing others that after we voiced our concern and worries he dropped. Later he dropped the temple matter too telling me that they had tested me. He then came through devotees to heal and pass on his thoughts instead. So when he finally came around asking me recently if he should make me a guru, for want of giving back something to him that he desired most rather than that which I desired to give him for all his compassion, love, guidance, and care, I reluctantly agreed to accept the role. But almost immediately after I gave my consent, he turned around the offer and offered me the role of a Siddha instead. I was dumbfounded. It brought back the memory of my very first encounter and meeting my very first guru Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai in 2003, some three years before I met Tavayogi in Malaysia. Swami with his eyes closed had gone on for some five hours telling me about his gurus and about my future too. I could only sit in silence and shed tears of bliss and joy. Later in 2005 when I was with him again, at his new kudil that we helped build by gathering donations, I could not fail to notice that he had closed with a gunny sack the very window that he had designed such that he could see the holy mountain of Arunachala while sitting on his jute bed from across the living room. I asked him the reason. He told me that he could no longer gaze at the mountain for it was fiery. He had to close up the window. He added that he saw Siddhas and Rishis going about their errands, routines, and work atop the mountain. He then surprised me saying that he saw me too on the mountain slopes. I could not make any sense of it then. So here Agathiyar has offered the highest portfolio that a man could receive in the cycle of evolution from man to God. From an ordinary man afflicted by the Karma of his past actions, he moves to shed them. He is then seen as a good man upholding good virtues, making a name, and standing for himself in the eyes of society. Society in turn, then confers on him the tag of being a Deivam or a divine person or soul. Some societies go to the extent of worshipping him in person and as a photo, painting, or building him a temple and placing his statue and worshipping it. He becomes God in their eyes. But the Siddhas uplift him instead to their state and prepare him to merge with the Divine instead. He goes beyond the memories society has of him, to forever remain by the side of the Siddhas as Agathiyar says of Ramalinga Adigal tagging along with him whenever he appears at AVM; as Krishnaveni Amma of Kalyana Theertam says of Shirdi Sai tagging along with Lord Murugan who plays mischievous games with her; as Supramania Swami coming to us on Shivarathri with his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar some years back; and most recently both Supramania Swami and Tavayogi gracing our 6oth wedding with Agathiyar conducting it. These sages and saints are given an honorable place in the court of Arutperunjothi Andavar. How I wish I could join them too.
From running around in God's court, taking a birth spending time in the womb of our mothers, and later spending time on their lap, we then spend time in the lap of Mother Earth. With the coming of the guru, we spend time on his lap. With him linking us to the Prapanjam we then spend time on her lap. When the time comes, she consumes us into her womb. We are back home. This is the cycle of life.