I had been asked why is it staunch devotees of Agathiyar and the Siddhas once they move on to Ramalinga Adigal's teachings begin to elude or worst still ridicule the Siddhas knowing pretty well that Adigal himself has claimed he became a Siddha in his song "Eravu Vidinthathu Enai Adi Vaithe" from Thiru Unthiyaar. In yet another song "Yenna Punniyam Seitheno" from Yenna Punniyam Seitheno, both from his Thiruarutpa, Adigal sings that Erai comes as a Siddha to grant him the state of deathlessness.
Once the head of an Agathiyar ashram ridiculed me for worshipping Agathiyar as a statue, reciting off hand Sivavakiyar's songs to prove his stand. I who normally back off from engaging in direct confrontation, took my stand too that day and told him that he might not need idol worship as he was a polished veteran who had been in the path some thirty years but I was only a five year old toddler walking the path, pretty new to the Siddha worship and I pretty much needed it. Moreover it was Agathiyar who instructed me to the worship. Since what I said did not register in his brain, I opted to shut my eyes and remained silent, giving him the silent treatment. I let Agathiyar deal with him, Sivavakiyar and his stand on the matter. I do not know what transpired after that but when I opened my eyes later he was nowhere to be seen. I believe something must have taken place that day since I saw him attend and witness the homage done to Agathiyar's idol in conjunction with his Guru Puja Vizha at a temple the following weekend. Who can fathom the workings of the divine?
Coming to the worship of Siddhas, the many miracles shown made me excited and in my state of frenzy I spoke to every Tom, Dick and Harry about the Siddhas, their Nadi and all I had seen. To my utter dismay they seemed disinterested; while many began avoiding me some began to stay away from me. I was initially agitated and angry trying to comprehend and understand why a wonderful path to Erai was not accepted by those close to me and in my circle too. I stayed long enough with several groups, observed, listened and learnt what not to do. I was blessed to be shown how people, both the organisers and the public, conducted themselves. I was blessed to see how Gurus handled situations, the devotees and the public. But I was not captivated by them for reasons I cannot figure out. I stayed away and traveled the path alone, solely taking the advice of the Siddhas through their Nadi revelations.
Soon it dawned on me that the Siddha path was not something to be sold in the marketplace or revealed in the streets and pavements. When there were times we saw Erai as someone in the heavens and beyond our reach, the Siddhas made us perform idol worship and their accompanying rituals serving Erai in the capacity of a devotee, bakta and servant. Soon Erai came to materialize in the images, idols and in suksma form. They stood next to us and we next to them, becoming sameebiyam! We are awaiting anxiously to take the next step, taking on their divinity or tanmai. With their blessings we are yearning to merge with them finally in the state of sayujyam. If our desires and theirs merge we will get to see the light!
அறியா பயணம்
அனு பல்லவி
அறியா பயணம் தொடர்ந்தோமே நாம் இங்கே .. அழியா நிலை பெற்றோமே
மௌன ஞானம் நீயும் அளிக்க .. கருணை விழி நீ திறக்க
என்ன தவமோ என்ன வரமோ .. உனது பதம் சரண் அடைய
ஈசா அகத்தீசா... தரிசனம் நீ தந்தாய்
பல்லவி
போற்றிட போற்றிட துன்பங்கள் விழகிட .. போற்றிட போற்றிட நோய் விலக
போற்றிட போற்றிட துயர் மறைய .. அருள் பொழிவாய் குருவே
தந்தன தந்தன கவசமாய் நின்றிட .. தந்தன தந்தன திரைவிலக
தந்தன தந்தன ஞானத்தை பெற .. ஒளியாய் மாறினோம்
அறியா பயணம் தொடர்ந்தோமே நாம் இங்கே .. அழியா நிலை பெற்றோமே
அறியா பயணம் தொடர்ந்தோமே நாம் இங்கே .. அழியா நிலை பெற்றோமே
சரணம் 1
குரு நான் என்று அறிமுகம் செய்தவர் .. ஊழ்வினையை அறிய செய்தாய்
யாகம் அதில் சுடர் ஒளியாய் ... வினையாவும் நீயே ஏற்றாய்
ஞானம் அது வழங்கிட வந்தவர் ... ஞான கோட்டம் வந்தமர்ந்தாய்
அன்னம் இட அமுத சுரபியாய் .... பசியாவும் தீர்த்தாய்
இவ் வாழ்வின் பயன் கண்டோம் .. இனி ஏது துயரம் அப்பா
உந்தன் நாமம் இங்கு சொல்ல சொல்ல ... மனம் சாந்தம் நிரம்பி இங்கு வழியுதே
அட உன்மேலே ஆசை அப்பா .. என் மெய் எல்லாம் குளிர்ந்ததப்பா
மதி நிறைந்து ஒளிர்ந்ததப்பா .. நீயே பரமானந்தம்
போற்றிட போற்றிட துன்பங்கள் விழகிட .. போற்றிட போற்றிட நோய் விலக
போற்றிட போற்றிட துயர் மறைய .. அருள் பொழிவாய் குருவே
தந்தன தந்தன கவசமாய் நின்றிட .. தந்தன தந்தன திரைவிலக
தந்தன தந்தன ஞானத்தை பெற .. ஒளியாய் மாறினோம்
சரணம் 2
ஓர் மகனாய் உன்னிடம் வந்தேன் ... சாலோக்கிய நிலை அறிந்தேன்
சரியை பின் கிரியை உணர்ந்தேன் .. சாமீப்பியமாக நின்றாய்
யோகத்தால் அமுதம் பரவிட ... சாரூப்பிய படி அடைந்தேன்
ஞானத்தின் கதவு திறந்திட இனி .. சாயுச்சியம் எந்நாளோ
இந்நிலையை நான் அடைய ... சற்குருவாய் வந்தாய் அப்பா
உன்தன் அழகை இங்கு ரசிக்க ரசிக்க .. மனம் பரவசமாகி மகிழுதே
அட உன்மேலே ஆசை அப்பா .. என் மெய் எல்லாம் குளிர்ந்ததப்பா
மதி நிறைந்து ஒளிர்ந்ததப்பா .. நீயே பரமானந்தம்
போற்றிட போற்றிட துன்பங்கள் விழகிட .. போற்றிட போற்றிட நோய் விலக
போற்றிட போற்றிட துயர் மறைய .. அருள் பொழிவாய் குருவே
தந்தன தந்தன கவசமாய் நின்றிட .. தந்தன தந்தன திரைவிலக
தந்தன தந்தன ஞானத்தை பெற .. ஒளியாய் மாறினோம்
அறியா பயணம் தொடர்ந்தோமே நாம் இங்கே .. அழியா நிலை பெற்றோமே
மௌன ஞானம் நீயும் அளிக்க .. கருணை விழி நீ திறக்க
என்ன தவமோ என்ன வரமோ .. உனது பதம் சரண் அடைய
ஈசா அகத்தீசா... தரிசனம் நீ தந்தாய்
போற்றிட போற்றிட துன்பங்கள் விழகிட .. போற்றிட போற்றிட நோய் விலக
போற்றிட போற்றிட துயர் மறைய .. அருள் பொழிவாய் குருவே
தந்தன தந்தன கவசமாய் நின்றிட .. தந்தன தந்தன திரைவிலக
தந்தன தந்தன ஞானத்தை பெற .. ஒளியாய் மாறினோம்
I learnt to not rush newcomers to the path to comply with our believes. I had on numerous occasions streamlined the AVM Whatsapp group membership dropping many who wanted to stay but did not attend nor contribute towards our activities. This was done only after having had them around for umpteen years and noting that there was no contribution in any form nor support for our vision and mission.
Soon I began to realise that Agathiyar and Lord Murugan were working with selected individuals, forming an inner circle as GK puts it, to do their work. We are honored to do his asking. We are honored to be given an opportunity to serve Erai and his creation. We are honored that the Siddhas have placed divine responsibilities on our shoulders, serving mankind and giving us the coveted role of Erai thondan, servant of Erai.
In moving up the spiritual ladder we begin to see the many forms Erai that prior to it, although right in front of our eyes, it was oblivious to us, masked or veiled. The Siddhas bring us to see the myriad forms as one progresses along steadily.
There is no reason to belittle the believers as they too shall have the curtain of illusion drawn aside one day, evolving eventually. There is no reason to belittle the forms of Erai too, or the urgent need to remove or erase all signs of their existence once it has served its purpose. Just as we leave markers and signs for others to follow, out of compassion and love for mankind, rest assured that there are many others following behind at their own pace and time and they surely need all available forms of assistance and aids.
A well documented journey of a pioneer or seeker in his steps will help rekindle the fire of devotion and austerities in others. So my humble requests is to ask you to begin writing, compiling your journeys for the generation to come will step into your shoes and minds and get a glimpse of your thoughts although you will not be around then. As Carl Sagan puts it beautifully,
“What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."
[Cosmos, Part 11: The Persistence of Memory (1980)]”
