If only now did I realize the reason Tavayogi kept asking us to move away from Bakti and come to Gnanam was to have us step away from Dvaita and arrive at Advaita, similarly, I have come to realize, after some 24 years following the Siddha path, that this path is very much dynamic and gives instant results compared to the rigid temple worship. The reason is that we have the Siddhas to help us, rather than facing the onslaught of difficult times alone. They show us the way to overcome them, giving us practices and tools. Since I began worshiping the Siddhas, there has never been a moment when I did not feel their presence and touch in my life. I am truly grateful to them. I often ask myself if I deserve their grace. But as Yogi Ramsuratkumar said, once we come under the wings of a guru, "even if we want to escape from the Guru, the Guru will not leave us. Like a frog in the mouth of a King Cobra, the disciple cannot escape from the Guru." Thenceforth, our lives are in their hands. They change our fate and determine our destiny anew. They make known our new purpose and lead us towards fulfilling it. This is often doing their work here and in the afterlife.
Agathiyar has played a major role in the lives of Gods, Avatars, and Saints of the past and still does in the present Era.
Adi Sankara
Agathiyar, together with Upamanyu, Dadhichi, and Gautama, arrived at the young (Adi) Sankara's humble dwelling one fine day. Sankara and his mother were honored to receive the four great sages. Sankara's mother was overjoyed that they could see the sages in this age of Kali. She asked to know what was in store for her child and why he was extraordinarily gifted with proficiency in the Vedic studies and carried all the great qualities at such a very young age. Agathiyar, as desired by the other rishis, replied. Sankara's father had performed austerities to propitiate Lord Siva for a son in the past. At the end of the austerities, as a boon, when given a choice of a long-lived but worthless son or a short-lived son but with much greatness, he chose the latter. Hence, Lord Siva himself took birth as Sankara. Sankara's mother now wanted to know how long her son will live. Agathiyar replies that though her son was destined to live only sixteen years, it was decided to extend by another sixteen years. As the most compassionate Agathiyar began to reveal Sankara's future, the other rishis, fearing that Agathiyar would disclose too much, got up to depart. Hence Agathiyar stopped at that, and the rishis left Sankara's dwelling. The revelation by Agathiyar reminding Sankara of his mission prompted Sankara to leave his home and become a wandering ascetic. (Source: Madhava-vidyaranya in his book "Sankara-Dig-Vijaya").
So it seems that with these Siddhas, life, one's lifepan and timeline is not rigid but fluid and could be changed if they will.
Sri Rama
During the Treta Yuga, when Sri Rama was wandering as a hermit, many Rishis yearned for Sri Rama to grace their ashrams. As these Rishis were engaged in severe austerities or Tapas, they could not leave their dwellings to meet Sri Rama. Although during the Yutta Kaandam, Agathiyar managed to bring along some Rishis with him to have the Darshan of Sri Rama and to serve him, there were many more yearning for his Darshan but could not make it as they were engaged in austerities at Thandakaranyam. They were disappointed. Sri Rama, on his part, could not visit every single ashram of these Rishis as he had to move on to Kishkinta, Sundara, and Yutta Kaandams. Hence, he could not grace the ashrams of hundreds of Rishis. Agathiyar asked Sri Rama how he was going to satisfy their wishes. "Could you satisfy their wishes before this incarnation is over?" he asked. Sri Rama agreed that he could not do so before his time was up. He was saddened that he was the cause of disappointment to these Rishis. Agathiyar then reveals to Sri Rama his next incarnation that of Sri Krishna in Dwabara Yuga. He tells him that "These Rishis, who had cherished to have your Darshan and serve you, will take rebirth as Gopikas and through play and devotion and service to you, attain bliss and fulfillment." These wishes of the Rishis became Vasanas and got attached to Sri Rama. Hence, Sri Rama had to exhaust these Vasanas by granting their wishes in his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.
"This is the secret (mystery) behind incarnations and rebirth", reveals Agathiyar. Whatever unfulfilled desires of the Rishis during the reign of Sri Rama's Avatharam, gain fulfillment during his next incarnation as Sri Krishna. (Source: Posts of 17.7.2014 of Siththan Arul by Sri Velayudham Karthikeyan.)
King Ravana
Looking at the fables, myths, Puranas, and stories of lore from the Indian subcontinent, we gain insight into the gifts often showered on staunch devotees of Gods and Goddesses, of whom some, upon receiving them, become divine in nature while some others sadly turn arrogant and begin to take control of the world and its running, nay even the Gods and Goddesses too.
King Ravana was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. None of us could ever match his devotion towards Lord Shiva. From https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/rise-and-fall-of-ravana/49116, we learn about the rise and fall of King Ravana due to his arrogance.
"Born in the lineage of one of the most learned and wise sages of all time, Rishi Pulatsya, Ravana had all the attributes that could make him a legend. Not exactly a hero, which he could have been, he definitely had the knowledge to be one. But, his ego, his illusion of immortality, and the belief that he would never be punished for his sins made him fall in the battle of Ramayana. Certainly, an interesting character, where on one hand, he stopped any kind of animal sacrifice in his kingdom and was pious and ascetic, on the other hand, he had a long list of curses received from many celestial figures, including Nandi. That said, Ravana had his own share of sins that he committed, and before he could realize his sins, he met his inevitable death when Rama's arrow struck him."
Even the Gods and Goddesses, we are told, were never spared. Arrogance on their part brought them to earth to live a mortal life and conduct extreme austerities, yagna, rituals, and meditation before they were accepted back into their fold. Similarly, it is with the numerous other stories of devotees who were lifted to an elevated stage in life, akin to ma manithan, deivam, mahan, gnani, muni, Siddha, rishi, etc, but due to arrogance fell in disgrace and fell into oblivion. If the sheath of Maya or illusion does terrific havoc to even the masters and gurus, we could very easily succumb to it too. The day we stop listening to the words of the wise is the day we fall into disgrace. My prayer always was, "Lord, please help us be aware of the mischief done by Maya who lurks in the dark and at every corner of our spiritual journey, waiting to disrupt or bring to a standstill our intended journey, a return to your house, our home." And so did Lord Muruga come along to forewarn me of the veil of Maya and reveal the divine play of Lord Siva, Agathiyar, and Indran some time back.
While awaiting the journey to his home and kingdom, Agathiyar entered our humble home in the form of a bronze statue, turning my home into Agathiyar Vanam. He later brought all the Siddhas along. Lord Siva and the other deities came soon because Agathiyar was there. They then brought the heavens down and their kingdom too. Today, my home is their temple. So, how does this temple look, you might wonder? Let me give you a glimpse of it. Is it not different just as Lord Muruga had said that I would show him and do it differently?