My mother used to tell me that the Gods had walked along parallel with people on the face of the earth back in ancient times. As the animals saw their presence and alerted their masters, the Gods took away their ability to talk, for they were sharing their secret visits with people. When it was decided that they should leave, the last was Lord Vishnu, who then gave each nation a tool and a way of worship.
Then we learn that the Avatars of Gods, the Siddha and Rishis, co-existed with Kings and their subjects in the kingdoms of the past.
Where are they now? We seem to look towards the skies and heavens these days. Are they still in touch with us? Can we connect with them and communicate? Can they come over, and can we go over? All these seemed possible in the stories we were told, heard, and read. But is it happening now and before our eyes? Are there people who have been there and back?
I never thought about these much, though I had read much back then. Back then, they were mere stories that entertained us, until after taking a step into the world of the Siddhas by coming to worship them, drawing the bridge down with rituals, bringing them within our homes, and experiencing their presence as energies around us, in devotees, and within us. Then we sensed these energies spiral in us as we took up Yoga. Finally, in walking into the last phase of Gnanam, it seems like they are dictating to us, bringing us all the ancient wisdom that they have, within reach.
We have heard and read that there are many dimensions, realms, planes, and worlds. In walking with Supramania Swami and Tavayogi the short distance, in this short period of time, I came to know that apparently these are true, for they have had several encounters with them. Soon, I too was shown them. In this blog, I have covered many of these wonders.
For instance, Bhagawan Ramana is said to have entered an opening in the Holy Hill of Arunachala and came across green meadows within the hill. So it seems that the hill is apparently hollow. I figure this was what was depicted in a scene from the movie "Baba".
Supramania Swami, who had left an opening for a window in a strategic place of his living room at his Kudil, which we built for him, later closed it up with a gunny sack. When I asked him the reason for doing so, as he had told me earlier that he would lie on his bed and watch the beauty of Arunachaleshwar through the opening, he now told me that he could no longer see the fiery hill. He said that he saw Siddhas and Rishis moving about doing their chores and carrying out their daily tasks and routine on the slopes and atop the Holy hill. He surprised me by saying that he saw me too. Swami brought his guru, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, who had gone into Samadhi, to chant his name along with him and me at his Kudil when I was there. The Yogi, on his part, surprised us by coming through a devotee, now bringing Supramania Swami along during a Sivarathri.
Tavayogi had seen Agathiyar appear before him in the form of Light several times and had conversed with him. After his demise, Dhanvantri tells us that he has attained Jothi and was always with us. Agathiyar later tells us that he had to come for us as Tavayogi was doing his (Agathiyar's) tasks in their realm.
Recently, I came across an interview given by Devi Ma in Whitefield, Bangalore, where she speaks about the existence of Siddhas in Siddhaloka. It was truly amazing. Roshan, who frequents AVM, was a devotee of hers and had previously spoken to me about her.
She is introduced to us in the podcast as a divine child since birth, and later became a medium to Agastiyar and LobaMa. Devi Ma has encountered all the gods and deities since her childhood. When she says that "They whom I know in the inner world are jovial and teasing, loving and caring," she reminds me of Jnana Jothiamma, sharing with me the story of Krishnaveni Amma of Kalyana Theertam, who would run after the mischievous young Lord Muruga on the rocks, chasing him with a stick.
Apparently, the Siddha Loka is a space where,
"There is just a crystal state (and) if you enter into the state, your mind is gone. You are just in peace, and there are no questions to ask."
I now tend to believe that I had stepped into it when I was at Palani all three times I was there, in 2003, 2005, and later in 2016, because my mind was gone. Since then, I had regarded Palani as a twilight zone.
Just yesterday, when I had Muralidaran Saminathan, a former colleugue visit me at my home, he told me the same that he had lost his mind at several places, several times during his pilgrimage to India with his family.
What he saw, just like me, was not what others saw. It was a different space. Just like I did not see Palani Muruga all three times, he did not see Chotanikarai Amman. It was as if we had stepped into a parallel world.
A young lad who had left home came across an abandoned Siva temple in Tiruvannamalai. He took it upon himself to clean it up and took up the chores of lighting the oil lamps and decorating the deities. Some time later, a stranger turned up. He brought him into the inner sanctum and asked if he would like to follow. He identified himself as Isaki Siddhar before he disappeared through the crack in the wall. Could the Siddha have stepped back into a parallel world from which he had come briefly?
Agathiyar had revealed to the famed Nadi reader of Chennai, Hanumathdasan Aiya, that Siddhas were living beneath the ground in a specific place in India.
Devi Ma continues that
"(When) you enter, it's a wonderful place with lots of trees and little animals like elephants, even lion and lots of birds. So beautiful. So you feel so happy when you enter the loka. Many people they doesn't know that there is a world (like this)."
Swami Muktananda describes the Siddhaloka, too, in the book "A Perfect Life" by Margaret Simpson, published by SYDA Foundation, 1996. She writes that,
"He was in Siddhaloka, the world of those who have completed the spiritual journey and become Siddhas. As he moved through this place, he saw many Siddhas all deeply absorbed in meditation. Some he recognized, others he did not."
"He also saw Bhagawan Nityananda and understood that in addition to being alive on earth in Ganeshpuri, he also lived in Siddhaloka."
"He felt full of peace, happiness, and love."
A Siddha appears to him later on his earthly place of meditation, telling him that
"You have just been to Siddhaloka. In that place dwell the great saints who have achieved liberation. There one eats joy, drinks joy, lives in joy, and continually experiences joy."
"Those who are following the Siddha path will attain full Siddhahood and will go to Siddhaloka."
If Swami Muktananda got an insight into Siddhaloka walking amongst them in his meditation, do some then get an insight into this world in their dreams? Kogie Pillai from South Africa had a dream after Tavayogi passed away. Lord Siva was ferrying him and several others in a boat across a sea towards a hill where Siddhas and Rishis were going about their daily routine.
Did Ramalinga Adigal walk into Siddhaloka when he later describes it as follows in the song titled "Aaniponnambala Kaatchi"?
"As I walked on the Path, there was a Platform. I climbed the Platform. There was a Room. As I approached the Room, there was a 7 tier Hall above it. I cannot bring myself to narrate what I saw in these 7 tiers. In one tier, the silver Pearl transformed into Blue Sapphire (Neelam), in another tier, the Blue Sapphire became Coral (Pavalam). In another tier, the Emerald (Maragatham) became Ruby (Maanikkam). Yet in another tier, it became a Pearl, and back to Coral in another tier. Then, on another tier, the gems became Gold. All these gems became Spadigams in yet another tier. Above these 7 tiers, there was a staff. Climbing the staff, what can I say of that which I saw? There were thousands of Sakthis everywhere, who came to entice me, but I remained undeterred and strong due to the Divine Grace. Due to his Grace, I saw the Jewel of the Crown. I saw a Peak atop the Crown, above this, there were 1008 Temples. As I entered through the Arch at the Temple without hesitation, within the Entrance, there stood both Sakthis and Saktas in millions. They began to question who this trespasser was as I moved on. At another Entrance, there stood five; the others showed the Way, yet to another Doorway. As I entered, a male and a female showed me to yet another Doorway. At the Doorway, my Mother, the Goddess Anandha Valli, stood to welcome me. I saw her and submitted to her Grace, and partook of the Divine Nectar. With her grace, I saw my father's Abode. I stepped into his Abode. Who could possibly understand the Gift I was showered by my father, Lord Nadarajah?"
I have fallen in temples and caves and cried out in bliss, but what surprises me is that nobody took notice of it or enquired, nor stood watching as a bystander. It was as if it were veiled from the eyes of others, be it at Palani, Egambareshwar Temple, Meenachi Temple, or elsewhere and locally at Jeganathar Temple, the Penang Waterfalls Temple, and the cave in Sungai Siput. Had I entered another portal or space?
And I happen to pick myself up each time coming out of it unscathed. Thank you, God. Thank you, Siddhas. I am alive today to pen all these marvels because of you.