As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword, Agathiyar wants me to continue writing, sharing the joy of arriving there. I think I shall write until my last breath. He keeps telling me and my wife to our disbelief that we have already arrived. This is because we too like many others have fallen for the intense hype surrounding the Siddhas and the secrecy of their teachings that is made out to be. We just cannot accept that it is simple and is made available to all those who reach out. Just as moss accumulates on the surface of the water in the pond, so too many foreign and false teachings have come by in time pushing the truth into the abyss. Individuals with personal agendas and wanting fame and authority complicated matters as they hid the truth in layers upon layers of veil and sheaths and delayed the process further by placing numerous obstacles on the path that otherwise should be instantaneous and spontaneous. Our Karma too had a place in it. The Gods too had a hand in it. The Siddhas too played to the tune of God and men. It needs genuine seekers to brave the storm and dive deep within this ocean of Maya and bring out the Ambrosia and as Jesus said, "Behold I make all things anew", that makes us anew. Agathiyar recently hosted a divine play with Lord Siva and Indra bringing us to experience the extent Maya, which was mentioned in passing by Tavayogi as he left my home after his very first visit, would go to to confuse, derail and delay our journey of knowing the Self.
Setting the bush on fire and burning the house that Maya built, we arrive at a distinct state of peace within. These profound feelings in this state were expressed through the numerous songs of Ramalinga Adigal compiled as the Thiru Arutpa, throughout the many phases he went through and in finally arriving at Arutperunjothi's doorway, where the Jothi enveloped him. Like the Siddhas, his journey brought him from form to formless and beyond. Arriving there we come to learn that it is all the divine's play, toying with us, and our desires, wants, aspirations, ambitions, likes, and dislikes and bringing us to fall prey to Maya and the game of Indra. When acceptance and satisfaction replace denial and greed, we arrive at the state of Shanti, or peace with ourselves.
But as it is said, though now regarded as a false story, that Nero played the fiddle when Rome was on fire, nevertheless how can we be at peace when the whole world is in turmoil? How can we be selfish and close our eyes to what is taking place all around us? Just when we are confused given the word of caution and fear amidst meddling in others' Karma, as to whether to lift a hand in helping another and if we do, where to draw the line, Mother Teresa comes along to end the scaremongering. When the dying were left on the streets, they needed someone like Mother Teresa to come along and take it upon herself to provide shelter and care in their last moments. She brought a change in their lives. Although she faced numerous obstacles in her bid to save lives, she pushed her safety and personal interests aside and kept doing what she wanted. Though she did not do it for fame, she is remembered until today.
When the priestly class stood aloft from the others, governing them in religious matters, it needed someone like Bharathi to rise in their midst and grow up among them to break the taboo and bond and reach out for the hands of every man in the street. Today his poems and songs are remembered and sung by the masses.
So too, it is with talking about one's experiences traveling both the religious and later spiritual paths to Self-discovery. If the orthodox schools kept it a safely guarded secret close to their hearts and eventually brought them with them to their graves, the Siddhas were purportedly said to phrase them as Paripasai which was difficult to decode and comprehend. Even Mantras given to one were forbidden and not to be uttered to others. It needed someone like Ramalinga Adigal to break the hold of tradition on us and expose it, making the way and the methods accessible to even the common man. Now it is whether we want to follow these saints and attain their state?