BRINGING BACK LOVE

I used to stand outside my home at night and look at the stars and the moon. I always admired the moon and its luminance in the night sky. As a child I would lay my head on my mother's lap as the whole family would gather on the verandah of our home in Taiping, looking at the moon and talking about almost anything, while the radio would blast away. Not that we were at loss of hearing but that the volume control knob on our radio had broken. It was fine to have the radio blasting in the day but at night I would stuff a pillow on its face (the speaker) to quieten it down. Sadly nobody looks at the moon these days. We are glued either to cable television or the internet.

Marianne Williamson in the opening paragraph of her piece, "Only Light Can Cast Out Darkness", from the book "The Shadow Effect", HarperOne, 2010, brings back our attention to everyday things that are in fact amazing and beautiful but hardly noticed by us these days. 

"In a world so filled with tender magic - from sleeping infants to children playing, to lovers smiling, to friendship that last, to flowers blooming, to the violet hope of sunrise, to the fiery magnificence of sunset, to the brilliance of the body, to the fragile glories of nature, to the wonder of animals, to our capacity to forgive, to the mercy of God, to the kindness of strangers, and a list that could go on and on until its clear that there really is no end to the manifold expression of love on earth."

from sleeping infants... 

to children playing... 

to lovers smiling ...

to friendship that last...

to flowers blooming...

to the violet hope of sunrise....

to the fiery magnificence of sunset....

to the brilliance of the body...

to the fragile glories of nature....

to the wonder of animals....

How is it that we have missed all these? Why is our life bogged down with work, stress, anger, pain, suffering and misery? What has gone wrong? Both light and darkness coexist. When light shines darkness vanishes. When darkness takes the upper hand light goes into hiding. We have a choice to see and follow either the light or darkness. Let us chose to see the bright side of things. Let us speak about the good side of people. Let us delve in the present moment. Let us delve in positive thoughts and with positive action that shapes our future making it more brilliant. A child is the perfect example of cheer and joy for he or she has not been tainted by the by-products of man. Sooner or later he or she will lose his/ her innocence having taken in all the world's activities as a sponge would.

We need to make choices in our lives so that we do not fall victim to the actions of man that are detrimental to the upliftment of his soul. Just as we have shadow governments, we need to shadow or follow our senses. An extra eye for detail giving the job at hand our best, a forethought of the consequences of our speech, a choice to shut off disturbing talks, a conscience that ticks us off, etc works towards saving our day.

Marianne Williamson goes on to ask "Why if God is love, does evil exist?" She says we're living at a time when a contest between the good and evil is both intense and continues to intensify. Whatever it is that is bent on destroying humanity, has taken a collective force like never before she continues. There is an urgent need to dismantle this force that is intent on destroying us all. This force is dark. It survives in the absence of light. Bring in the light and it disappears. We yearn to come to a state as in a stage and yearn for a state as in a country where peace and paradise prevail respectively. As Marianne Williamson says of this state and place "It was our spiritual beginnings, a dimension of pure love whence we come and to which we passionately long to return", so do all our sacred texts and scriptures decipher.

We need to bring back a long lost component of life - love. She says a loss of love justifies anger, justifies blame, and justifies an attack. Bringing ourselves aligned to God brings back love into our heart and soul. We then receive love constantly and extend it outwards, hence living in the light always. Withholding love for another is, in fact, equal to being separated from God. Agathiyar too has asked his devotees to join ranks and to come together in peace, forgiving each other or he shall depart from their homes and their hearts, exactly what Marianne Williamson says. She also says that how we deal with human imperfections is what decides whether we dwell in light or darkness. Agathiyar too tells us to cultivate the act of being patient with people and develop sagippu tanmai. She says that "God does not look at a person who has made a mistake the same way we do."  This is a lovely message for me too. Agathiyar knew what I did in all the births. Yet he was prepared to forgive. He asked that I forgive myself too. Then he asked that I forgive others too. 

Betty J Eadie in her book "Embraced by the Light", Bantam Books 1994, one that she wrote after having a near death experience writes,

"I saw my sins and shortcomings as tools to learning. Although the sin is blotted out the educational part of the experience remains." These were the exact words Agathiyar used too. He said all that had taken place was his doing too and that I needed the experience.

Betty writes that "The forgiven sin helps me to grow and increases my ability to help others."

She repeats what Agathiyar said, "If I am unable to forgive myself, it is impossible for me to truly forgive others."

His love is in us, we only needed to let it shine.

Agathiyar renewed my ticket. I boarded his train. Soon he picked up my family too. Bala Chandran followed and with him came a cabin full of devotees of Agathiyar. The ATM family is growing.

Looking at the worlds saints we tend to accept this as it is not much about discourses or teachings but the show of love. Tirumular says Love evolves into Sivam.

அன்பு சிவம் இரண்டு என்பர் அறிவிலார்

அன்பே சிவமாவது ஆரும் அறிகிலார்

அன்பே சிவமாவது ஆரும் அறிந்தபின்

அன்பே சிவமாய் அமர்ந்திருந் தாரே.

 to the kindness of strangers...

Marianne Williamson says we are a tool placed on the face of this earth to help transform it through our higher thought forms, lifting the frequency of the planet. The great saints of days gone by have all regarded the human birth as rare and that which can be transformed into the essence of Erai. Besides bringing transformation in us, we can also transform the earth either into paradise or into a dungeon. The choice is in our hands.

ATM'S NATCHATHIRA MAALAI 2019

Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM)'s family got together recently to deliver a string of devotional melodies in an event Natchathira Maalai 2019. 

Event co-ordinator Vinthamaray Stan. Camera & Editing by Harikrishnan Subramaniam of Sage Studios Kuala Lumpur.

CONNECTING WITH ERAI

Most of us most of the time turn to Erai only when times are tough and rough, when we are pronounced ill with a terminal disease, when we want to pass an examination or get the desired job or want other favours. Prior to these events Erai does not exist or is kept in the closet. We take the trouble to walk up to his residence during these trying times and use our touch and go card to gain access to the door that is shut and ask for his sympathy and grace. Once the barrier is lifted and we get to walk past the hurdles we throw away the very card that gave us access to him and forget about him until we are faced with the next round of trouble. 

Why is it then that we don't keep him as a life long companion which would make sure that he is always around us to fall back, to seek counsel, or to lay our tired torso on his lap? Why is it we don't have him as a companion through thick and thin, a divine companion who sees our troubles ahead of us and advises accordingly? 

What then do we need to do to gain his companionship? To gain his companionship one has to prove his worth. He needs to acknowledge His existence first. Then be grateful for his own existence. Then serve Him well in all capacities; first as a creation of His, then as His servant, a son, companion, lover and finally see Him as his own child and care for Him. This bond that is built will never perish in time and space.

Let us bond with him by starting to pray to him, thank him, serve him, talk to him, share both our sorrows and joy with him, listen to him, heed his advise, drop our own likes and dislikes, and finally drop our desires for his desire. All things will work out well then. Bharathi spells this out in his "Ninnai saran adainthen kannama."

தன்செய லெண்ணித் தவிப்பது தீர்ந்திங்கு
நின்செயல் செய்து நிறைவு பெறும்வண்ணம்
நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா
நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

Before we can get connected with Erai, we need his ID. We need to identify him. Although he is all omnipresent and the prapanjam, for our purpose he takes on numerous forms. Pick a form that goes well with you. Then purchase a password or a sacred mantra from someone who has been there or treading the path. This mantra will get you connected either through the slower dial-up mode or get you connected instantaneously through fibre optic, depending on your past merits. Dial-up daily just as you check your Whatsapp messages every five minutes. He shall eventually turn his glance on you. Once his glance falls on you, be assured that you would be sky-rocketed to another level much closer to him. You have bypassed the long winding public queue to arrive at the express lane. It is just a matter of time before you are called in for an audience with him. While waiting, use this time wisely. You could engage in either of these activities and reap the benefits that come with it.

1.Annadhanam

What is the significance of providing food to the masses? Why does Ramalinga Adigal expound the greatness of feeding and showed us the way, through the daily feeding at his Satya Dharma Salai in Vadalur? Why did the natives of Punjab serve food to their devotees very much earlier than Ramalinga did, way back in the 1600's? Why did Tavayogi introduce me to carry out annadhanam at his Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham in Kallar? Why did Supramania Swami wish to carry out this noble deed, a wish that I and Jnanajhoti Amma finally fulfilled with Devendran after Swami's samadhi? Why does Tavathiru Rengaraja Desigar advocate only this tool to all his devotees, asking to carry out this noble feat on a regular basis Ongkarakudil in Turaiyur respectively? There must be something to it?

I came across a beautiful explanation, at http://www.indusladies.com/forums/queries-on-religion-and-spirituality/129675-importance-of-annadhanam.html where Lord Krishna says: 

"The World, both animate and inanimate, is sustained by food. The giver of food is the giver of life and indeed of everything else. Therefore, one who is desirous of well-being in this world and beyond, should make special endeavors to give food. Also, food should be offered with venerable hospitality to the old, the child, and the tired traveller."

Agathiyar today tells us that it is only in the act of feeding that one does not need any prior knowledge or study of the scriptures and sacred texts. The guru or these texts are needed to show or describe the means to conduct a Yagna, Japa or performing the Tapas. Feeding helps sustain the world and keep away famine and drought. The day our hearts turn cold towards other beings, creature or man, is the day Mother Nature and the world turns a cold shoulder towards us. The day we fail to feed the hungry is the day famine and drought shall fall on the face of this earth. "Decimation" takes place. The act of doing charity and feeding by a handful sustains the earth. Let us join this handful.

Ram Dass of "Love Serve Remember Foundation" shares a beautiful statement from his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, that summarizes the need to feed people - "When I asked my guru to raise my kundalini, he said, "feed people."

2.Japa

You are blessed if you come by a genuine living guru who initiates you into a mantra of the divine. This mantra gets you connected to the personal form of God, usually the same form the guru worships to and in rare occasions another form of Erai more suited to your temperament. This is the bridge to Erai's kingdom, the vessel that takes you to his shore, or the path that leads you to the gates of his kingdom. This method though needs discipline and perseverance on our part to progress steadily and speedily.

3.Yagna

If the Guru desires he might introduce us to participate/ perform Yagnas or its smaller version of Homa. Tavayogi asked me to start performing a Homa at my home, following in the footsteps of his Kallar ashram where the Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam is conducted annually. He told me he was doing it to subdue the wrath of Mother Nature that was lashing her blows all across the world. I did as told without question. Agathiyar fills me in on the reason for me to carry on doing it, through his Aasi Nadi reading. He tells me that we need to do it for the good of the Prapanjam. Professor Anil Kumar and Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, too mention that the Yagna is never personal and is for the collective good of mankind.

We slowly moved on to perform Yagnas at temples too, with the approval of the divine and the temple committees.

Professor Anil Kumar provides a detailed account of the science of Yagna at www.saiwisdom.com. He explains clearly that there are three aspects to every spiritual activity that is: the ritual aspect of it or Karma; its inner significance or Jnana; and the third, devotion or Bhakti which forms the link between the two. The Professor says men who conduct the Yagna and the offerings form the Karma Kaandam, or the ritual aspect. He says one needs to have the element of devotion or Bhakti in him to conduct these rituals ‘with sincerity, with steadfastness, with determination, with all its purity and with all the austerities that must go into it’. The path of Bhakti then paves the way for Jnana, that in the words of the Professor renders ‘wisdom in all humility, in all its reverence because Jnana requires humility, reverence, receptivity, and sensitivity.’ 

Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya in his ‘FORM AND SPIRIT OF VEDIC RITUAL WORSHIP - PROCEDURE OF YAGNA’ reveals that Prajapati or Parameswara created man in his own likeness through a Yagna and ordained that both man and the Yagna had to contribute to the growth of each other, which all the more stresses the necessity of each individual conducting it.

4.Yogam & Gnanam

Having covered the ground on Sariyai and Kriyai we then step into Yoga that comes involuntarily by the grace of the Divine. Through a process of clearing the household or our body off the residues of karma accumulated in the causal body through several births and toxins accumulated in the physical body in this birth, we beget a perfected body to receive the divine. It is only a matter of time that the divine descends on us and begins to work his marvellous play or leelas and display of miracles, healing and uplifting both our souls and that of those around us.  

Finally, he brings us to sit in silence when the silent one or Mauna Guru reveals all that is to be known through those moments of silence.

SEEKING THE GRACE OF THE SIDDHAS

I often consult Suren if my writings are intruding into the faith and beliefs of others. He tells me "It is only your experience and what you learnt from it that you are sharing." Then Ma comes along to endorse that my learning through experience will serve as Gnana for others. She adds that the Siddha path is one of learning or padipinai. That was very consoling. Agathiyar had asked that I continue writing although I thought my perception and ideas and the frenzied urge to bring change in our mindsets were not compatible or welcomed in the current society. Hence I wanted to wind up and call it a day many a time. 

Along this path, Agathiyar has opened my eyes to many things, at times conforming with my thoughts and at other times disapproving it. But he lets me know of his stand just as I let him know mine. There is mutual respect between us. He remains silent when I disapprove of something and I chose to keep quiet when he states his mind.

When I asked Tavayogi why he kept repeating the talks he gave at the numerous venues including at his ashram he asked me if I had followed his teachings, asking and dictates. He was actually referring to the masses that sat before him and left only to forget to uphold what he had preached. He added that he could only move on if we followed what was said or taught. Similarly, we seek the grace of the Siddhas but are not prepared to sacrifice our time and money in the worship of them, in the rituals that they have laid out for us, or in the activities laid out for us towards performing charity. We are only too keen to get whatever parikaram done and over with and expect results overnight. We do not go beyond the stipulated parikaram to help the poor, to do daily puja, or to feed the hungry or provide clothing at other times. Once the parikarams are covered we stop engaging in these activities. The idea here is to continuously maintain a rapport with Erai so that he too continuously looks over our shoulders, keeping danger at bay. 

Many think that parikara or rituals can be privatised to others and they need only grace the puja, pray for the moment asking for all their hearts desires to be fulfilled, and keep checking the calendar for the desired results. One has to get his hands dirty, shop for the items, lay them out, and prepare and conduct the puja personally. The gist of doing all these parikara is to get us involved in these rituals so that we shall continue doing them, rather than think that remedies are one-off and discontinue doing them after seeing the results. While it is true that a parikara or puja is advocated for as a specific remedy for our past sins there is no harm in continuing basic puja and feeding or charity for these acts would enhance our merits to counter further day to day karma.

We can only see results if we work for it. There is no other way out. No amount of buying, outsourcing or privatising will help here. One has to prepare and conduct puja. One has to purchase or cook and deliver food himself. One has to attend in person and not send proxies. When we get involved on the ground these simple acts of puja and charity open up our hearts. The heart mellows. Compassion arises. The act of doing charity is then done at every opportunity available and not only when told by the astrologer reading the horoscope or when the Siddha instructs in the Nadi. 

This was what I was taught. This is what we teach at AVM. We never intended AVM (present day ATM) to be a place where everyone converges every Thursday to sing the praise of the Siddhas, and forget about them till the next Thursday arrives. Here we want each of us to engage in prayers in their own homes, in their own rooms, at their own altars. We want them to speak to Erai directly without a medium. We want them to start a relationship with Erai; first, as one of Erai's creation, then as his servant, then his son followed by his companion, moving on to becoming his lover and finally seeing him as his or her child. When we are so used to asking as in the relationships prior to arriving at that of Erai as a child, once we arrive at this parent-child relationship, we would go all the way out to provide for Erai. We would not neglect our child even for a single day, would we? This is the actual concept of temple and idol worship too. This is the ultimate relationship we are trying to build here - that of a parent-child relationship. Going through the songs of the great saints of the past, we come to see this distinctive relationship between them and Erai. From asking and receiving, we now stop asking but instead start to give. This attitude is then carried and upheld in all our daily routines too.

We at ATM have brought much change within us and in our routines, coming out from the conventional and run-of-the-mill thoughts. We have fostered a brotherhood (and sisterhood too) that requires us to close our doors to other's thoughts that could disrupt the peace and serenity of this family. We are under the tutelage and guidance of the Siddhas whose directives sometimes are not applicable to the common man. Hence to avoid providing an avenue for others not receptive of these thoughts and start a debate or quarrel or tarnish the acts in bad faith, there is now a reason and need for this blog to go private.

We are slowly learning to perfect our thoughts and deeds, bringing positive but very simple changes. At ATM we respect the early comers. Puja shall start the moment the first devotee arrives for it is not fair to those who have arrived early to wait for others who turn up late nor fair to hold up on the puja for a latecomer just to accommodate him.

A simple thing as a Whatsapp group is run tightly, making sure that only news of the group's events or opinions or articles of fellow members is posted. We do not share current news for it is available on the net for all to read. Neither do we share voice messages or bits of info from other groups or those in circulation, however informative it might be.

We never invite foreign or local speakers to address us. We avoid others of a different upbringing and perception to bring their faith or belief that might not be compatible with our society and thoughts. This is to avoid confusion in our circle over matters and information that could arise out of their visits or delivered by them.

Although we respect all we have never allowed another to take on the role of a guru at ATM, after Supramania Swami and Tavayogi. We have decided we do not want another guru in the flesh. We prefer to look up to Agathiyar to guide us from within, take us on further into the journey of self-discovery and self-realization and into the unchartered territories that have kept all the saints mesmerized and stunned.

This strict conduct of ours has kept this group intact and saved us from people who tend to instigate or poison others minds. On the spiritual path, we have to take all the precaution as it is likened to walking on a sword. A slip and we cut ourselves. These might all sound or be akin to a dictatorship but I believe we have to shield ourselves from the myriad of forces at work, both seen and unseen out there that work with the dark forces in disrupting the harmony and peace that we are praying for. For it is for a reason too that Rama was summoned to stand guard over the sacrificial fires that the Rishis kept feeding. 

And to those who sent in their email addresses and asked me to add them in so that they could continue viewing this blog and its postings, thank you very much for coming on this journey and staying with me. We shall explore it much further and much deeper with the grace and mercy of the Siddhas. We are learning from each other at ATM every day. Thank you for coming on this journey. I shall rest and lay down my mantle the day I see worship done in every home.