SIVARATHRI PUJA

PRELUDE TO SIVARATHRI PUJA

On this night (Mahashivaratri), the northern hemisphere of the planet is positioned in such a way that there is a natural upsurge of energy in a human being. This is a day when nature is pushing one towards one’s spiritual peak. It is to make use of this, that in this tradition, we establish a certain festival which is night-long. One of the fundamentals of this night-long festival is to ensure that to allow this natural upsurge of energies to find their way you remain with your spine vertical. You stay awake.

After many millennia in meditation, one day he (Shiva) became absolutely still. That day is Mahashivarathri. All movement in him stopped and he became utterly still, so ascetics see Mahashivarathri as the night of stillness.

By Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/spirituality/The-Time-of-Shiva/2015/02/14/article2665859.ece

Stalin has painstakingly prepared numerous posters announcing the prayers or pujas conducted at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia. I would like to place on record my heartfelt thanks to him for taking much time in composing, editing and posting these posters.

Bala Chandran too has digitally composed many posters. My thanks to Bala too.

TWELVE BEAUTIFUL YEARS PART 2

I am blessed. My family is blessed. My friends are blessed. All those who come to know Agathiyar are blessed. This I realized after coming to Agathiyar. Agathiyar officially invited me to his marga or path through a Kaanda Nadi reading in 2002. 

The Kaanda Nadi is written by Siddhas, Agathiyar being one of the foremost Siddhas. A Siddha has written that the mention of Agathiyar’s name itself is sufficient, for all the other Siddhas shall turn round to grant their blessings too. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal adds that the Siddhas are pleased and will want to know who is the atma or soul who has uttered Agathiyar’s name. Tavayogi mentions too that it is not easy to come to Agathiyar’s fold.

Similarly I am surprised how difficult it is for some to become a vegetarian, for they have to battle itself out with themselves and others around them. On the contrary when Tavayogi asked my wife to make a decision, on the spot, to become a vegetarian if she wanted to be initiated, she readily agreed. I had become a vegetarian some 17 years ago, for no particular reason - a decision made overnight.

It is said that the Siddhas wait patiently for a potential candidate to come by. Sometimes they seek out the candidate and coax him to come into their fold. A story is told by Dharmalinga Swamigal of a Siddha who approached a potential disciple. When asked to follow him, the disciple who was caught in maya or illusion that the world is real, asked to postpone saying that his parents want to see him married. The Siddha left. After some time, the Siddha came for him again. Again the disciple asked for postponement sighting the reason that his parents want to see their grandchild. After many years the Siddha approaches him again yet, only to be told that he needs to get his child married off. The Siddha decides he has to break his disciple's illusion, asked him for a young tender coconut to quench his thirst. The disciple volunteers to climb the coconut tree to get him a fruit. Midway the Siddha yells at him to stop. He asked his disciple whether he was holding on to the tree or the tree was holding on to him. Just as Pattinathar’s illusion was shattered when his son left him a broken needle and a note saying “Even a needle with a broken ear would not accompany you to your grave”, immediately the disciple’s illusion was shattered and the disciple followed his guru. 

Once someone has stepped forward to want to know about Siddhas, the Siddhas will start to lead them on. At the very start, the aspirant is shown his past through the Nadi reading so that he understands why he has taken the present birth. Tavayogi says for advanced souls they get to see their own past during meditation. Tavayogi recalls that he had met and receive initiation from Agathiyar in the past birth.

The past is revealed and appropriate measures or atonements (parikaram) is given to correct, lessen or completely eradicate his past faults. One who has parikaram mentioned in his Nadi reading ought to be grateful for he has been given a chance to undo his wrongs. Understand that there had been cases where the seeker had been provided no parikaram or escape route but to have to go through all the sufferings or in the worst scenario, refused a reading.

The ever compassionate Siddhas show us an escape route, a way out of our sufferings. They make us understand that all our sufferings is a result of our past actions. Tavayogi says that just as what we are undergoing is a result of the past, what we do in the present will determine our future. So they caution us on our thoughts, deeds and actions.

Agathiyar mentions that one has to borne his past seven years of karma in the present birth. It is also said that the past karma of the parents and forefathers too are borne by the child, agreed by both parties even before conception of the child. Betty J. Eadie, author of "Embraced By The Light" says that we should not fret and complain as we had agreed to take on this role and all that comes its way even before our birth, at the level of the atma or soul. On taking birth we tend to forget this deal that we had made.

Neale Donald Walsch in his series "Conversations with God" and "The Little Soul and the Earth" mentions the same, that we have worked out all things at the level of the soul and wait for it to take shape and happen or act it out on the physical plane - earth.

We have come with a baggage of karma, that we have to unload, unfold, lay out and sort, and pay-off or settle before eventually leaving empty handed. Agathiyar says that is the goal of taking birth. That should be our goal. 

After having taken the necessary actions to remedy our past karma, the Siddhas advise us further through their Aasi Kaandam or Jeeva Nadi. I had fulfil my atonements as mentioned in the Nadi both at home and in India. Returning from India Agathiyar blessed me with his first Aasi nadi and I had the privilege to read another 48 Aasi Nadi to date.

My children have had their Nadi read too. My wife was gifted with a reading too out of the conventional way of having to provide a print of the left thumb. Instead Agathiyar had a reading for her without the need for a print.

My friends have had an equal share of experiences with the Nadi and the Siddhas. Bala Chandran Gunasekaran was so captivated with the Nadi that he later brought more than 200 seekers for a reading and has many others waiting for an appointment. Both Bala and Surendaran Selvaratnam have had numerous readings too, including having read the Jeeva Nadi in possession of Tavayogi at Kallar. They have been closely guided by Agathiyar and the Siddhas through these readings.

Tavayogi initially was guided by the Nadi and has since been gifted with a Jeeva Nadi of his own. Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar has had numerous readings that are published daily. Jnana Jhotiamma has had the privilege too to read her Nadi at Kallar. She is still guided by the Nadi.

It has been a beautiful journey indeed, one that I shall cherish forever.

TWELVE BEAUTIFUL YEARS PART 1

Poster courtesy of Bala Chandran Gunasekaran 

Much has happened since I wrote FIRE OF DEVOTION - A STUDY ON THE WORKINGS OF THE SIDDHAS.

I was introduced to the Siddhas through the Nadi reading traced through my right thumbprint. Never did I expect that the Siddhas would bless me with numerous Aasi readings later. My Nadi reading stands at 50 to date, read on 21 September 2014. My children had a reading each too, located through an imprint of their left thumb. But Agathiyar made an exception in my wife's case, where my wife was 'gifted' a reading too, without the necessity to provide the thumbprint.

I am glad I heeded Agathiyar’s words asking me to come to his path. Along the way Agathiyar introduced me to my very first guru, Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai. Later I was introduced to Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram. Tavayogi reminded me it was not enough that I came to the path but also bring my family along. Tavayogi initiated my wife the same day he met her.

As I searched for material on the Siddhas, I realized there was not much information. I began to compile hymns of praise to the Siddhas and I uploaded it to Scribd. I have in my hands additional hymns on Agathiyar and the Siddhas having come across these in various mediums. I shall need to update my book AGATHIYAR PUSAI - THE COMPLETE BOOK OF PRAISE TO AGATHIYAR soon. 

I am focused only on my blog Siddha Heartbeat and YouTube and have actually neglected updating the rests of the webpages and sites. Many kind souls have written in appreciating the blog postings.

My family and I, with some great friends, have been conducting puja or prayers at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia. I am blessed to have a family that shares the same faith and belief. Agathiyar has also introduced me to many of his disciples.

With Agathiyar's arrival in the form of a bronze statue, we started performing Homam or lighting the sacrificial fire, and conducting abhisegam or libation too. Lately I have started streaming live the Siddha Puja conducted, mooted by Stalin. This live telecast has been appreciated by many too.

It has been a beautiful journey one lazed with mystery, mysticism, astonishment and amazement. Agathiyar has shown many miracles directly and also indirectly through others.

What surprised us most was Agathiyar's change of heart. Agathiyar who ask to come over to my home in the form of a statue, on transit to the Sri Jegathguru Raghavendra Mritiga Brindavanam in Ipoh, changed his mind and decided to stay at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia.

Agathiyar has come to stay put in our lives. We are blessed.

AGATHIYAR PUJA

Surendaran Selvaratnam and Mr & Mrs Balachander participated in Agathiyar's Puja held at the Sri Sakthi Karpaga Vinayagar Temple after joining us in prayer at Agathiyar Vanam in Malaysia recently. Suren shares some photos taken at the Puja.

Agathiyar 

Aditya Hrudayam

THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN HINDU SPIRITUALISM - The Wife as a Tapa Sakhi

I had carried the following post on Wednesday, 7 August 2013, THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN HINDU SPIRITUALISM - The Wife as a Tapa Sakhi

In the book on Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni entitled NAYANA, A BIOGRAPHY OF KAVYAKANTHA VASISTHA GANAPATI MUNI [1] (from the original Telugu texts by Gunturu Lakshmikantam), Dr G Krishna says Ganapati Muni had described his wife as a Tapa Sakhi, meaning comrade in Tapas just as Arundhati was the Tapa Sakhi of Vasistha and so were the wives of many of the rishis.

“They never considered their wives as hindrances to Tapas.”

Ganapati Muni advised that women should not be barred from any spiritual or religious chores when it was prevalent at that time that women were not considered fit to worship Agni, study the Vedas and recite Vedic Mantra and were denied the benefits of upayana. Ganapati Muni himself used to initiate women into Mantra japa. Many were the women who were initiated into Gayathri Vidhya, which was considered exclusive to men.

Visalakshi, wife of Ganapati Muni took to the worship of Agni whenever Ganapati Muni was out of station.

“Visalakshi paid equal attention to house-keeping and Mantra upasana. Ganapati did not share the belief that a woman was the source of sin and Maya. The study of scriptures had convinced him that the ancient rishis had practiced austerity and attained self-realization without giving up family life and responsibilities. Women were not treated as objects of pleasure by our ancient rishis. They were as qualified as men to discharge spiritual responsibilities. The ancient rishis by their exemplary behavior became spiritual preceptors to their wives and helped to establish a well ordered society.”

M. Govindan in BABAJI AND THE 18 SIDDHA KRIYAYOGA TRADITION, Kriya Yoga Publications, Quebec, Canada, 1991, (M.Govindan, 1991)says,

“The Siddhas never called for seclusion of oneself. On the contrary, Siddhas have asked us not to neglect our families and responsibilities but to attend to worlds, the material and spiritual.”

As M. Govindan says, “They challenge us not to turn our backs on the world in our quests for spiritual enlightenment.”

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal told me that I have to bring my family too into their (the Siddhas) fold. My family and I started by conducting prayers which included singing the praise of the Siddhas. Later when Agathiyar came to our home in the form of a bronze statue my family and I performed the bathing ritual or Abhisegam according to Agathiyar’s wishes. Then Tavayogi instructs us to carry out the Homam. Later he conducts the Homam in our home where we learn to fine-tune the procedures. Since then my family and I have been conducting these rituals on Pornami, Amavasai and every Thursday. We also conduct them on auspicious days including Shivarathri, Navarathri, Vinayagar Chathurthi and on Agathiyar’s Jayanthi and Guru Pujai.

Agathiyar is full of praise for my wife and children who do all the preparation in view of these prayers. The very action of performing service to Agathiyar brings merits in multifold. We are blessed indeed to be given an opportunity to serve Agathiyar!

[1] Kavyakantha Sri Ganapati Sastri, a Vedic scholar of repute in his age with a deep knowledge of the Srutis, Sastras, Tantras, Yoga, and Agama systems, came to visit Ramana in 1907. After receiving instructions from him, he proclaimed him as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. Ramana was known by this name from then on. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

I came to the Siddha path after seeing the Nadi in 2002. Agathiyar in the Nadi asked me to come to his path.  I took heed of his words. With the initiation into singing the praises of the Siddhas and performing prayers from my first Nadi Guru Sentilkumar and with the painting of Agathiyar given to me by Sivabalan, I started my journey on this new, mysterious and mystical path. I seeked out several associations associated with Agathiyar and the Siddhas in Malaysia with the intention to know more about the Siddhas. 

After performing my atonement or parikaram in Malaysia, I traveled to India in 2003 to fulfill the rests. On the last leg of my pilgrimage I met my first guru Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai and his family. I did not mention about Agathiyar, the Siddhas nor the Nadi reading but he spoke of several matters that were mentioned by Agathiyar in my Nadi reading.

Later in 2005 I met my second and current guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigalar of Kallar in Malaysia. When I told him that I was asked to come to the Siddha path by Agathiyar in the Nadi reading, Tavayogi told me I had come to the right place and arranged to initiate me the same evening with others. 

He had asked that I bring my family to his talk later that evening. I did as told. He took an immediate liking for my two kids and told me that it was not sufficient that I come into the path or Marga but also bring the family along. Just before the initiation he offered to initiate my wife too. His only condition was that she became a vegetarian. She immediately and spontaneously accepted and was initiated together with eight others. 

Before the initiation my wife and children were in the dark as to what I was doing behind closed doors in my prayer room, although I had spoken about the Siddhas and the Nadi with whatever little knowledge I had then.

When Tavayogi took my family into his fold, they supported me in all my ventures on the Siddha path. I realized I was blessed that they stayed with me rather then go their own way in worship. 

Tavayogi came over to my home on my invitation. He suddenly, out of the blues, suggested we conduct a prayer which he then did. On another visit to Malaysia he came and conducted a homam or lighting of the sacrificial fire and abhisegam or libation of Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue at my home in 2010.

My wife took her new found job seriously and got about cleaning the home a day before the prayers and preparing for the prayers that was held on Guru Naal or Thursdays, Pornami or full moon, Amavasai or new moon and on other auspicious and festive days. I just took the stage and sang the praises of the Siddhas. After the prayers she washed up all the items. She enjoyed serving Agathiyar and the Siddhas. She looked forward to these days and was always reminding me least I should forget.

I had numerous Nadi readings with Nadi Guru Ramesh. Along the way I seeked Agathiyar's advise on the study that my elder daughter should pursue in college. She had her very first Kaanda Nadi read then, having given her imprint of her left thumb.

Later I requested a Kaanda Nadi reading for my second daughter too, giving an imprint of her left thumb too. I had made an appointment with Ramesh to have my wife's Nadi read too. But unfortunately due to some mis-communication on both our parts (Ramesh and me), my wife and I arrived only to be told that the time slot allocated to us was taken up by someone else. We never seeked another appointment. 

On 26 April 2012, Ramesh called me in for a reading. It was my 46th Nadi reading. As usual I sat in his room cum altar while he went over to the adjacent room for the Nadi. He came back with a surprised look on his face. He told me the days reading was for my wife. There was no imprint of her thumb requested, Agathiyar started the reading. It was amazing. Agathiyar was full of praises for my wife. I was extremely happy for her. 

Agathiyar had mention in my second daughter's reading that she was the reason I came to the Siddha path. My daughter had worshiped Agathiyar at Papanasam in her former birth. Now in the reading for my wife Agathiyar mentions that my wife was the reason I was where I am today.

I am indeed gifted and blessed to have my children and wife as part of my family and THE reason I am in this Margam. Agathiyar in numerous readings had mentioned about the importance of prayers and encouraged us to continue. We did as instructed.

I wish to share what Agathiyar said about my wife in the Nadi. 

AGASTHIYAMPALLI

Srimathi Vijayalakshmi Ravichandran has kindly shared her two day trip to Chidambaram and Agasthiyampalli, Vedaranyam. Agasthiyampalli is close to my heart for Agathiyar at Agathiyar Vanam in Malaysia is a replica of Agathiyar at Agasthiyampalli. 

Our first stop en route to Pondycheery was the SaiBaba Temple at Mylapore. Made it just in time for early morning aarthi at 5.30am. From there we reached Pondy, had a light breakfast at Adyar Ananda Bhavan and then walked down to ManakulaVinayakar Temple to have darshan of the Lord. The temple is being renovated and so was in a slight mess but nevertheless darshan was good. 

From there we walked to Mother's Home and Ashram at Pondy. Had a good darshan and meditation at Samadhi. 

Our next stop was Chidambaram and off we went.

This is the kali temple at Chidambaram. All visiting Chidambaram should first step foot at the Kali Temple, offer prayers at her holy feet and then only go to the main Chidambaram temple. Mother Kali here is in both forms, fully ferocious and absolutely at peace. The Mother is fourfaced in her peaceful form and this is the mother we set our eyes on the moment we enter the temple. The ferocious mother is in the corner and she's completely covered in red Kumkum except for her eyes. The preist said that She gets an oil abhhishekam and is always clothed in white saree. Though she looks ferocious, her heart is nothing but compassionate and having darshan of her ensures that all our negativities get destroyed. Lots of devottees since the next day was Thaipusam and Pournami being very auspicious.

We had excellent darshan at Chidambaram Nataraja temple. Had two tumblers of delicious payasam as we entered the shrine. Were blessed to watch the evening abhishekam of Swami who is in form of Spatika lingam. Then the depparadhana. Temple was crowded being auspicious Pournami setting forth. Was told that at night the shrine would be closed and the swami would be covered with rice or Annam. This ritual would go on till next day evening and none would be allowed to see the lord except for the deekshithars who had the right to perform the pujas for the Lord on that day.

From Chidambaram, we drove down to Vedaranyam cruising along long winding roads with greenery on both sides. The weather was pleasant and as we were nearing Vedaranyam suddenly a few spots of rain fell on our car and I did feel that Agastiar was giving His blessings to us. This is Shri Agastiar at Agasthiyampalli, Vedaranyam.

I had taken ghee with me and so I lit a lamp and it was placed behind Agastiar and immediately the whole place lit up with so many reflections and it was truly a magnificent sight. The caretaker had just washed the entire area with water and so it made it impossible to sit anywhere close inside the temple and moreover because of the water it was slippery too. The priest was brought by my son and he performed a small puja and deeparadhani. I had taken some oranges and lotus flowers and badam milk. We offered these to Shri Agastiar.

This is the caretaker Vairakannu. Such a nice man who showed and explained so many things in the temple. Hhe also istructed us on how we should circumbulate the temple and visit the various shrines. He was drawing water from the well and washing the entire place.

The above statement reminds me of how a priest ushered Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and me to Agathiyar's temple upon arrival and similarly told us how we should circumbulate the temple too.

This is the Punnai tree (below) on the left side of the temple as we enter. The old man Vairakannu who was there told me that this tree has both Shiva and Parvathi aspects as the branches on the left side of the tree had thorns while the right side branches had no thorns. I checked them out for myself and found them so. This is the right side branch which had thorns. 

Sage Agastiar made a Shiva linga with His own hands and did puja here for a long time and for water he created a small water body with His dandam and that is the well. Water from the well also has medicinal properties and cures ailments if drunk. I drank to my hearts content and even filled my water bottle to take home. A truly blessed trip on pournami.

Here you can see Vairakannu (below) holding forth a branch that has no thorns. He told me to run my hand through the entire branch to see for myself. He said the leave of this tree have much curative properties. He plucked a few leaves and told us to chew them down.

This is our little Vellai Polla Pillayar sitting ever so quietly under the Punnai tree keeping a watch on all who come to visit Him. There are some growths on the tree and Vairakannu told me that it's Agastiar's face, upper torso and his belly.

Here one can see Agastiar Muni with two of His disciples on either side. 

Another view of Agastiar's temple. On all four sides there are these forms of Shri Agastiar looking down at us with much compassion.