THE MAGIC IS IN YOU

The magic is in us. The Guru helps us to realize it. He helps bring it out. Sometimes we take so much time in preparing for the journey that we never actually get started, be it being going on a journey or starting a practice. We are so concerned about the method that we deliberate it for days, postpone it till we are clear about all things related to it, or fear to execute it for lack of knowledge. For one who plans ages to make a move, Agathiyar got me up in a jiffy and running behind Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham Thirukovil in Kallar, Coimbatore, hot on his heals a month after he left for India, concluding his visit to officiate a Peedham in Malaysia in 2005. 

Bill Gates once mentioned that if he was to wait for the perfect version of his Windows, only releasing it once it's flawless or perfect, it will take ages. He chooses to release it, testing it and waits for the feedback to come in. He then comes out with patches, or minor upgrades or revamps the version entirely. When starting us to do charity, Agathiyar told us to go to the ground and begin doing it rather than sit around a table to discuss the method. He tells us to execute the method. If it fails to bring results we can then drop it. He would not mind for we had engaged in doing it. A lady from New Delhi frequents Nadi Nool Aasan Ramesh traveling all the way to Malaysia just to have her Nadi read when she has many options back home. Once she climbed all the way up the 272 steps and further into the cave where Lord Muruga resides in Batu Caves, bringing along fruits and grains to feed the birds, fishes, and monkeys. She managed to feed the first two but surprisingly the monkeys which usually cause fear and chaos, snatching away bags that devotees carried with them, were not to be seen anywhere. She left the fruits at a spot and returned disappointed. On her next visit for a Nadi reading, she carried the guilt that she had not completed her remedy or parikaram in its entirety, was surprised to hear Agathiyar accept her remedies wholeheartedly. The important thing here is to execute the directive rather than ponder for days hence delaying it. 

Similarly, Tavayogi once told me to get started on performing the Homam at home. I hesitated since this was under the purview of the religiously trained priests. To start with I had no idea how to go about it. I feared I might do it wrongly and gain the wreath of the Gods. Tavayogi gave me the courage telling me that it's rather simple and laid out the means and the way and the method. I began doing it. He came along some years later and conducted it for us to see and fine-tune the method.

I had received an e-mail where a newfound friend wanted to know why the Agathiyar mantra I had received from Tavayogi, which I had mentioned in one of my books, deferred from the one he had received from a Siddha also in Coimbatore. Agathiyar had revealed another mantra of his to me in a Nadi reading that was to be chanted and shared with others too in one of my numerous Aasi Kaandam readings. I receive a call enquiring why there was a variation in the mantra and which was he to follow since his friend’s brother too had received a similar mantra from Agathiyar through the Nadi but with a slight variation. I recalled then a story I had read some time back. The story goes as follows:

A young monk after years of tutelage under his master finally was told by his master that he (the young monk) needed to take leave of the master to pursue his mission now, that of seeing the rest of the world and seeing that the teachings he had acquired as a monk at the monastery reach others beyond the walls of the monastery. The young lad gladly left to carry out his mission. Upon coming down the mountain where the monastery was perched on, reaching the foot of the mountain and the banks of the river that separated him from the village nearby, the young monk came across an old man chanting on its riverbank. Coincidently the old man was chanting the mantra he (the monk) had mastered at the monastery but with a variation. The young lad quickly apprehended the old man telling him that he was going about the wrong way of reciting the mantra and taught the old man the version that he had learned at the monastery. The old man listened attentively and repeated what the lad had recited. The young monk was proud that he had found his first candidate to whom he had passed on what he was taught.

Now the young lad had to hire a boatman to take him to the village across the river where he could continue his mission. About halfway through the boat ride across the river, the young monk noticed that the boatman had gone all pale and with his mouth wide open, was looking beyond him and towards the river bank where he had boarded the boat. The young monk turned around to find out what had caused the boatman to react thus. What he saw shocked him too. The old man whom he had met at the shores was now standing beside them and their boat. He was standing on the water's surface. The old man approached the lad and whispered to him that he had forgotten the mantra he was taught and requested that the lad repeat it. The young lad held the old man’s hand and asked for forgiveness for being egoistic and begged to follow the old man back and be taken in as his disciple.

Vivek Ravindranath, at https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Vedas-say-Dhyana-Moolam-Guru-Roopam-asking-one-to-meditate-on-Guru, explains the meaning and relevance of a verse on Guru Strotram, from a text known as Guru Gita, from the Skanda Purana,  that was in the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Uma (Shakti), that mentions the grace of a Guru.

"Dhyana Moolam Guru Murti.

Puja Moolam Guru Padam,

Mantra Moolam Guru Vakyam,

Moksha Moolam Guru Kripa"

He says in the Bhakti Marga, Kripa is key to salvation and names the kinds of Kripa.

Ishwara Kripa - Grace of God,

Shastra Kripa - Grace of the Scriptures,

Guru Kripa - Grace of the Guru,

Atma Kripa - Grace of the Self.

One Kripa will beget all others…. Advaita focuses on Atma kripa, Samkhya and Yoga focus on Guru Kripa, Purva Mimamsa on Shastra Kripa, and Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita focusses on Ishwara Kripa. But irrespective of the paths and darshanas, the role of the guru is pivotal in achiving self knowledge. So there can be many ways to achieve the ultimate Goal of Hinduism… the answer to “Who am I?” 

Vivek goes on to narrate a wonderful story to illustrates the pivotal role of the Guru.

The Stone Soup

A kindly, old stranger was walking through the land when he came upon a village. As he entered, the villagers moved towards their homes locking doors and windows. The stranger smiled and asked, why are you all so frightened. I am a simple traveler, looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "We are weak and our children are starving. Better keep moving on."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his cloak, filled it with water, and began to build a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a silken bag and dropped it into the water.

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes or watched from their windows.

As the stranger sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their fear.

"Ahh," the stranger said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat."

Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot. "Wonderful!!" cried the stranger. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."

The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . And so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for everyone in the village to share.

The villager elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell it and traveled on the next day.

As he left, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road. He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to a group, It was not the stone, but the villagers that had performed the magic."

"So just like that, we all have the recipe for the soup of the soul…within us… The guru just Gives us the stone of meditation… But the magic is not in meditation, it is in realizing the Magic of the self that was always right in us", ends Vivek Ravindranath. 

Ram Dass says "The very essence of the relationship between a guru and a devotee is a sense of complete utter trust" something Agathiyar and Lord Muruga are insisting now from us. Watching the series "The Messiah" we learn to simply trust in God.

The Messiah tells the minister who brought him over to his church: "There was a frost on the ground this morning. I watched a bird drinking the melting frost. (If it was a person) A person might have wondered where the frost came from in the middle of summer. But the bird drank what it could and left."

Minister: "The people, your followers, I don't know if you have seen, but there are so many now. They keep asking to see you, to know what's next."

I too posed the same question to Tavayogi in 2016 and recently to Mataji. 

The Messiah has an answer for me too.

Messiah: "Who can know what's next?"

Minister: "I thought you might?"

Messiah: "No, I don't. You brought me here Felix. What told you to do that?"

Minister: "I don't know, I just did it."

Messiah: "Just like the bird. Be like the bird Felix."

Being a bird we do not worry, think about tomorrow, do not stash away food, will live life moment to moment. Similarly, we have been told time again not to investigate the beginning and the end. Agathiyar has shut us all up asking us not to ask any further questions telling us that our experience shall teach us and we shall become wiser from going through it and living it. 

The Messiah wakes the minister, asking to move.

Messiah: "Felix its time to go."

Minister: "Go? Wait. Go where?"

Messiah: "What is your purpose? Why did God give you this life to live now? God is speaking to all of us, Felix. Let him speak to you. You decide where we go."

We are told that even if we do not understand everything and why it was happening, it is quite alright. But we need to have trust in God. 

When the minister and his family fail to understand many things, they confront the Messiah individually.

Minister: "What is my part in all this?"

Messiah: "Only you know that."

Minister: "And how do I know that?"

Messiah: "Pray."

Minister: "Pray! To whom? Aren't you supposed to be God?"

Messiah: "Do you believe that? Then kneel down Felix"

As the minister turns away in hesitation, the Messiah walks away. 

The minister comes back later. "I have been praying for answers. And there is a lot that I still don't understand. I realized one thing. I always assumed that since I come from humble beginnings so I must be a humble man. But I learned that my lesson is in humility. I'm God's servant. And therefore I am your servant. And I want to serve you the best way I can."

Messiah: "And how is that?" The minister arranges for a live show to be broadcast all over after getting the Messiah's consent. 

Ram Dass in his "Paths to God - Living the Bhagavad Gita" writes, "We trust that whatever the guru does will be for our own good. Then our life becomes completely transparent, they read your mind, they see you, you can't hide, it's all in the open now." Ram Dass adds "Maharajji knows about all my dirty laundry and he still loves me." The same goes with Agathiyar, Lord Muruga, Ma, and Aiya. 

Ram Dass touches on a profound truth that the world is his stage and we the players: "I used to sit in front of Maharajji... I felt like he had created me out of his mind in order to play with me." After I finished carrying out the many remedies given out by Agathiyar in my first Nadi reading, that served to appease the Gods and settle the score to those souls to whom I had caused hurt and harm in my earlier births, he surprised me further by saying that it was all his doings and that I needed these experiences. Recently he tells me that all the promise of gifts directed at me was to test if I fell for them and the rewards that came with it: attention, respect, fame, authority, power, richness etc. I guess I passed his test by turning them down. To another devotee, he tells her that he had placed obstacles and delayed her ventures, for love towards her. This brings me back to the days of my pursuit of knowing God and how I was angered seeing devotees of his suffer because of others' doings and at times the "cruel" hand of the divine too. When the Gods told us that it was their doings, I could not accept the fact that the divine that is supposed to be loving, caring and compassionate could have a hand in harming his children. Subsequently to save me from turning into an atheist Lord Shiva came in a dream and asked me to take a break and cool down, by telling me to keep my questions and doubts to a later date.

Today Ram Dass answers these questions: "A guru will say or do something that causes a certain flip to happen which leads that person to the next stage. The guru is just there doing whatever the dharma of the moment demands. There is no ploy or deceit. Neither a plan. Just plain living in the moment." Today I understand all delays are his for our own good. All failures are his; so are all gifts a way of putting us to test to see if we fall for the lure of power and wealth, both of which corrupt the mind and soul. Today I have come to realize that at times they turn us down or fail us in the moment of our need only because they see through the past, present and future and chose not to involve and change the cause of happenings for our own good. This only happens when we surrender to them and let them take charge. As long as we hold on to the steering, they take a ride with us, choosing to remain silent or invisible. "The love for a guru is a process of surrendering," says Ram Dass of his love towards Maharajji. "I learned to let go into whatever he thinks best for me. I surrender to his version of my storyline in place of my own." Instead of writing our own script for life let him write out the script of our life. It would definitely be a good story. For that to take place we need to allow ourselves to be touched and allow access to the divine to begin tuning us as a suitable receptacle of theirs to carry out their work. 

"To be touched by a Master’s hand only requires inner attunement, not a physical touch. We want to become attuned so we can be receptive to the Guru’s touch." Read more: http://yogananda.com.au/c/Preeti_love.html

Ram Dass describes the path that he adopts and follows too. "Guru Kripa or the method of the guru is one form of bhakti practice. It is the specific form of bhakti that focuses on the guru, and on the guru's grace or the guru's blessings. The relationship with the guru is totally an internal matter with its essence being love. The guru is a being who awakens incredible love in us and then uses our love to awaken us out of the illusion of duality. Quoting Ramana, Ram Dass explains further.

The glance of grace from the master is enough to awaken the devotee from the sleep of ignorance to the knowledge of the real. The guru as a separate entity exists only within the illusion of separateness ... the minute the method of the guru has worked, it's awakened you, and it ceases to be anything at all. It has an automatic built-in self destruct mechanism you use it until it opens you in a certain way and then you see through it and let go of it. The guru becomes irrelevant.

When the disciple is ready the master is ready also, we are often told. "When the disciple is ready to receive only then does the master point the way. The master knows that if he had pointed the way earlier, the disciple would not have seen it, would not have taken note of it," says Rohit Mehta in "The Creative Silence" The Theosophical Publishing House, 1957.

Just as Tavayogi said we become what we desire to be, Ram Dass guides us into Guru Kripa:  coming to the guru, invite him into our hearts, install him in the altar within the heart, offer yourself to him, sing, chant, pray, love him as you love yourself, open up to him, watch and slowly become - Him.

DRAWING ON EXPERIENCES 3

Not having any idea of who the Siddhas were and how to go about their worship, when Agathiyar asks me to come to the worship of the Siddhas in the Nadi, by his grace Sivabalan handed me a painting of Agathiyar after the reading. Unknowingly I held my guru in my hands that day. Never did I imagine that 8 years later I shall hold a bronze statue of his in my hands too. Today I realize that if Agathiyar wants us to do something that he would give us the means and show the way too.

The Nadi reader Sentilkumar performed a puja for the Nadi as requested by Agathiyar, several days later at Sivabalan's home. I was then introduced to the Siddhas formally, when he led the prayer reciting the names of the Siddhas. That was to be my very first Siddhar puja. I began reciting these names in my home since then. Today Agathiyar tells me the significance of these names, that there are themselves the Maha Mantra or Mantras of great magnitude.

Seeking to know more about their puja I arrived at the Agathiyar Sanmarga Sangam in Dengkil, which I remembered, seeing their members on the streets and at religious events, soliciting funds and donations to help and feed the poor. I remembered the receipts they issued carried the picture of Agathiyar and the founder of the mission whom I came to know later as Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar. Anbarasan, Jayanthi ma, and Manivannan ushered me and my wife whenever we frequented the mission and feed us well too. I bought many video CDs of the guru and books from them and learned many things about the Siddhas and their worship, watching and reading these materials. I saw the extent of their service and the love they carried in providing for the unfortunate both in Malaysia and India. This mission was a stepping stone and catalyst for me to become informed about the Siddhas. I frequented this mission.

Visiting the Agathiyar Gurukulam in Kampung Laksamana I saw that the movement and its members had moved on to Ramalinga Adigal and his Jhothi Vazhipaadu. They gathered to recite the Agaval and worship ArutperJhoti Andavar. As my wish was explicitly to know about the Siddhas, I turned my attention elsewhere.

Equipped with whatever little knowledge I gained I traveled to India in 2003 for the first time to carry out my remedies or parikaram. I wanted very much to meet Rengaraja Desigar, the head of the mission at Ongarakudil. As I stepped into their premises, the late Nadarajah ushered me and Deva, my chauffeur. Stating my wish to see the mission head, Nadarajah told me that Rengarajar will give an audience at 6pm to the public. Meanwhile, Nadarajah served us tea and brought us on a tour of their temple/ashram complex. He briefed us that the guru wanted everybody who came by to know the extent of their service and work. I was surprised to see the magnitude of the storage facilities, the preparation of food and their service in feeding the hungry. I was blessed to see Rengarajar earlier than said when by Agathiyar's grace a couple of entrepreneurs from Bombay had just left after seeing him regarding certain fixtures for the ashram. Nadarajah rushed me to see Rengarajar who was now sitting alone in a room. After a quick introduction from Nadarajah, the guru moved on to ask about my itinerary from Deva. Then he turned to me and asked about the city I lived in. This went on for some time. There was no mention of the Siddhas. My thirst and hunger to know about them as they say from the horse's mouth was not quenched. I was disappointed. I then asked him to bless me. Nadarajah whispered to me that as Rengarajar was hard of hearing I had to speak up. I did asking the same a couple of times. But he did not respond. Finally, he told me coming there itself was a blessing. This was a blow to me. Many questions ran through my mind. Was not I eligible to be there? Was it wrong of me to be there? Did I drop in by chance or accident? No, I didn't. I had not decided to addon to this destination during my travels. On the contrary, I had planned from the very beginning, while drafting my itinerary, to meet him in person. I passed on a small donation to him and took leave of him. I was invited to spend the night over at the ashram by Nadarajah but as I had an earlier commitment to carry out a remedy at the Paalur Sani temple, I had to turn down the offer. As I returned to the hotel, I was embroiled in thoughts of why the guru refused to bless me, a very simple thing that was asked of him. This question was to bug me for the next two years. 

Meanwhile, a couple of days later as I had finished my Girivalam or circumambulating the Holy hill of Tiruvannamalai, I landed at the home of my very first guru Supramania Swami, unknowingly and mysteriously. I had gone there on the pretext of charting my daughter's horoscope, something mooted by my wife during departure from Malaysia. Deva recommended him when I ask to see an astrologer in Chennai the next day before I returned to Malaysia. Supramania Swami was Deva's uncle too. 

Two years later I meet my second guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram in Malaysia. He offered to initiate me and I took up the offer with my wife. Several weeks later, Agathiyar surprised us both, Tavayogi and me, when he asked that Tavayogi initiate me again. He did as told.

It was only in August of 2008 that Agathiyar explained in the Aasi Nadi reading the circumstances surrounding my visit to see Rengajah Desigar and why I was not blessed. I understood that one had to have a calling to visit gurus of such nature. Mere desires of ours will bring us there but it would not be fruitful or productive. One has to be fated for such events to take place at a specific time. Agathiyar told me to go again saying "Thy shall gain his blessings now." I never went. I was happy with my two gurus.

Today I understand that I had an obligation to fulfill with Supramania Swami hence I landed at his doorstep several days after meeting Rengarajar. I was to help Supramania Swami fulfill his 40 years wish to build a temple. Although the venture was stopped by the mysterious hand of the divine, we went ahead to purchase land and build him a small lodge or kudil. I realized that my destiny was with Tavayogi who was to nurture me further on the path of the Siddhas, taking me on an exploration of the abodes and caves of the Siddhas, something that would not be possible under the care of Rengarajar or even Supramania Swami. 

Meeting Tavayogi at the local affiliation of his Kallar Ashram, the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham based in Wisma Keringat in Batu Caves brought me to meet Appana Nagappan, Perumal, Sathya, Bala, and several others. Bringing along the leaflet that I had kept with me, given by Nadi reader Sentilkumar, upon my first Nadi reading, I showed it to him and asked to confirm if it was his. He told me that it was him and that he was to build a temple for Agathiyar at Kallar. He showed me photos of the activities conducted and invited me over. I took up the offer and arrived in India shortly, hot on the heels of his.

A brief stay at his ashram and traveling places with him, bringing me to the jungles, falls and caves of Kuttralam, and the caves of Uthiyur, visiting the ashrams in Ooty and several other temples in Tamilnadu was indeed an unexpected turn of events and was all too much to absorb. I was told that it was all Agathiyar's doing in subsequent Nadi readings upon my return to Malaysia. Agathiyar told me that there was an urgency in me having to get to know him, hence the reason for the journey taking place.

While my solo maiden visit to India was practically a tour of temples, fulfilling the needs of the Nadi and the parikaram, my second visit two years later was an exploration of the world of Siddhas, undertaken together with Tavayogi, learning first hand and gaining experiences for the self. It was a revisit and a culmination of past nostalgic moments for Tavayogi himself, reminiscing his time traveling the length and breadth of India earlier. 

Meanwhile, I learned guru bhakti or devotion to the guru from Supramania Swami, who had five gurus. I saw the magnitude of his bhakti towards his last guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar when he brought the Yogi from his samadhi to sit and chant his name with us in the privacy of Supramania Swami's kudil at Tiruvannamalai just some distance from the Yogi's ashram. If Supramania Swami had given me a Diksha mantra before we parted the very first time, he gave me the merits of all the years of his austerities or tavam as I parted with him on my second visit. He soon went into samadhi, passing away in the kudil that we built for him.

Tavayogi who made several visits to Malaysia after that groomed me into doing the homa and abhisegam besides passing on teachings and Yogic practices. Taking my family along in 2013 and later traveling with the AVM family in 2016, we were given the privilege to perform puja and conduct the yagam respectively at the Kallar ashram. This is the biggest recognition for a student from his guru.

Both my gurus in physical form have since left their mortal bodies. Equipped with these experiences, we began to sail the Nile with the Siddhas, with Agathiyar and the deities coming to guide further. True to what Ma said that the Siddha path was one of experience and learning and gaining wisdom or Gnana, when I look back over the years, I come to understand clearly that this is how it had been all this while. It is only one who has experienced the divine who can take the stage to talk about him. As Tirumular, Ramanujar, Ramalinga Adigal, Supramania Swami, Tavayogi and Rengarajar set out to share the bliss that they derived, that could not be contained and had to be spilled over to others, I too take delight in sharing whatever little experiences of mine with readers of this blog. Sharing my experiences through this blog, I encouraged many others on the path of devotion to take a spot on these pages and on my YouTube Channel http://youtube.com/c/ShanmugamAvadaiyappa too with the intent that it might induce and encourage others to explore the path by their own means and in their own good time. 

DRAWING ON EXPERIENCES 2

If it looks like I had shuddered and chickened out, stepping back and giving up on the numerous opportunities given to me to serve and give back to society by way of setting up a Peedham, or through the gift of healing others, or through reading the Nadi and guiding others, as mentioned earlier, I would like to state here that I gave up all these offers for him. I only wanted him. I feared that by accepting the gifts I shall be caught in the net of forever serving or carrying out these tasks, missing the very thing we came for - realization. Even if I were to withdraw from my assigned tasks the people would not allow me.

Agathiyar was not angry at me at having refused all his attractive offers. Neither did he coax me into accepting them. He drops the offer and moves on to the next the very moment I make my intention known to him. Refusing all his offers has today brought him to me. He has given him to me. What else can one ask for?

Now I am prepared to carry out his command for he and Lord Muruga tell me that I shall do things differently. I wondered how could one show Lord Muruga in a different light when he asked that I build a temple for him. I was pondering and questioning silently "Isn't the existing temples sufficient? Why do we need another?" when he replied that he was aware of that but I shall show him in a different light. As I did not make the move hence they have not entirely dropped the idea but have only shelved it, for the time being, I guess waiting for the right moment.

Wondering what he meant by "I shall do things differently" brought me to look back at all our doings and analyzing them. Then it all fell into place. We at ATM began to sing a large number of selections of songs in praise to the Gods and Goddesses and the Siddhas in the early years having compiled a compendium of songs running into 400 plus pages. We used to conduct the homam reciting the names of the Siddhas that ran into hundreds. We used to conduct libation or abhisegam for Agathiyar with as many as 16 items. These elaborate rituals undertaken by us and still carried out by many at numerous ashrams/temples/centers have dwindled to mere minutes for us. These days the homam is done only if and when necessary and the libation carried out with water. 

When others still go to print and distribute costly leaflets, pamphlets, and brochures that announced their events and solicit donations thinking as a businessman would, investing a small amount to gain multiple times, they forget that they spend a hefty amount on design and printing costs and go out seeking donations, a part of which is spent to replenish the money spent earlier for print. We prefer to take to the social media and safe costs, diverting the cost of print to the very event without soliciting donations from others. As Agathiyar has told us to walk tall and with pride, we have moved away from the traditional and conventional old school of thought and took to modern-day technology. When some told me to take to print my numerous books I decided that it would cost a fortune to print, distribute and market them. I took to the net and offered them as a pdf file free of charge and of course without incurring any cost on my part.

We have dropped our dependancy on the Nadi for the latest updates as the divine chosed to speak to us directly through other devotees. 

Agathiyar has given me the courage to experiment and modify the means and the ways often endorsing our moves or preferring to remain quiet. 

Agathiyar continues to carry out his Siddhis as he told us it shall go on for some time. We brace ourselves to more interesting and amazing miracles to take place around us. Stay with us.

DRAWING ON EXPERIENCES 1

Drawn by a love for the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon I used to pray and worship at home and in the temples as a child. My family would make a joke out of my innocent act of turning towards my home and lifting my arms in prayer as I departed my home for school each day. It never struck me why I did that till now. Could my home in my hometown than be a temple as Agathiyar tells me my present home too is?

As I grew up, I enrolled in a correspondence course in Christianity, receiving material from the Church based in Singapore that I read, answered and returned. My friends and I read the Thevaram from a Sri Lankan man who taught us at his home. I took up classes conducted at the Buddhist temple next door, listening to the many interesting parables and stories from Buddha's life with awe and wonder.

Taking the bus as early as 5 in the morning to reach the Polytechnic I studied in, which was an hour's drive away, and walking a further half an hour, I used to be accompanied by a gardener of Pakistan origin who kept the college grounds tidy and neat. Enroute he used to share and brought me the marvels of the Islamic age and religion.

Finding ways to kill my boredom in the small coastal town of Lumut in the '80s, I took up to reading spiritual books and frequenting the temples in the locality besides engaging in fierce worship both at dawn and dusk each day. All these came to a stop when Lord Shiva came in a dream and told me to shelf all the doubts and questions I had. I saw that the suffering of the people around me and the written word in the scriptures that God was all-forgiving and compassionate, did not tally in real life. Staying with the Malays I discovered a very cultured race and envied them.

I was very conveniently transferred out of that sleepy town then to the bustling capital city of Kuala Lumpur where I remained cooped up in a tiny room with my Malay colleague. 14 years went by as I moved out of that small apartment and rented a home closer to my new place of work, ushered in my new wife and raised my first child. Blessed to own my own home, we moved into our present home across the city. Yet I stayed away from all worship and reading. With the coming of my other daughter, I began to frequent the temples again at least for their sake.

I was acquainted with the late Dr. Krishnan, consulting him for astrology and Siddha medicine. I was enlightened by the dear Dr. that curses could interfere with one's blessings, preventing them from reaping the fruits of their efforts and resulting in the predictions failing to materialize.

Then my life took a huge leap forward with the coming of Agathiyar into my life through a strange and mysterious initiation, given through my nephew. A year later I was blessed to read my Kaanda Nadi and was told of the reasons why people suffered. I came to know about karma and the extent of curses. I was initiated into the worship of the Siddhas by the Nadi reader Sentilkumar when Agathiyar told me to come to his path. Dr. Krishnan most kindly initiated me through the phone as I sat in prayer at home giving me the mantra of Agathiyar to recite with a Yantra given earlier.

Seeking further information on the Siddhas I visited several popular establishments, existing in the name of Agathiyar. Traveling the path Agathiyar brought me to witness many turmoils in numerous establishments aligned with him and trouble brewing in societies and associations affiliated in his name. I saw from a save distance the problems in these and began to learn to keep my distance and analyze what went wrong. I took it as was a lesson for me so that I do not repeat them although I had no intention to start one. People who started with good intent to serve Agathiyar were distanced and dispersed to join or form other groups. It was a bitter pill to swallow. I saw and observed only to draw back and venture on my own, gathering information from books and the net. Then Agathiyar points me to Tavayogi asking me to get initiated again. With him accepting me into his fold, the earlier Nadi reading in its entire content in which Agathiyar told me to align with a Peedham in Malaysia was erased, saving me from getting attached to a body. These experiences brought me to refuse the gift of starting a Peedham/ashram/temple as offered by Agathiyar and Lord Murugan.

The day I saw Tavayogi at a local center for the first time, someone asks me what my problem was. I did not have any. I came to see and verify if it was indeed Tavayogi's pamphlet that I had kept with me for some three years on, given by Senthilkumar.  The man explained that people came to the path only when in trouble. Today I tend to agree with him too. Many came seeking Supramania Swami and Tavayogi for relief from their illness, disease, sufferings, troubles, worry, and problems including wanting a way to settle their accumulated debts. Many came to them for advice on dealings and business ventures including career and marriage. They accommodated one and all, giving them sound advice after revealing the causes and dishing out the remedies. Supramania Swami would chart their horoscopes and hand out talisman and other remedies. Tavayogi would listen intently and find a moment to inform them the reason for all suffering was Vinai or karma. If they were interested to know further and wanted to know ways and means to escape from the clutches of karma, he would tell them to come to prayer or worship. If they wanted to know who to pray to, he would only then mention, telling them to pray to the Siddhas.

This was what we too began to dissipate to those seeking solace and answers, learning from Tavayogi. But my involvement giving advice on their problems and pointing the way to others lead me into trouble with their family members. When I referred to Tavayogi on what went wrong he asked me why I got myself involved. He asked me to point to Agathiyar instead. This taught me to shut up. I learned my first lesson the hard way. This and other similar experiences brought me to refuse the gift of healing from the Siddhas.

Similarly, many came seeking the Nadi readers and Agathiyar and his Nadi for the same reasons. Some refused to believe what was told instead ridiculed the Nadi. Some failed to carry out what was told and turned a deaf ear. For some, when the results did not show as they had wished for, they took their anger on the Nadi reader, Nadi, and the Siddhas. Many took his word as Gospel, including me and carried out all his asking seeing results. These experiences made me refuse the gift of the Nadi that Agathiyar wanted to present to be used for myself and the benefit of others too.

All that I saw and experienced taught me lessons in life and made me wiser regarding my choices and asking in life. I fear to ask these days for it shall be granted. Then we have to bear the burden and responsibility of it till the last day. I would rather refrain from asking and refuse what is offered too and be at peace with myself. 

THE LEARNING PROCESS

We begin learning from young, trying to reach out, hold things, sit, crawl, stand, balance, take a step, run, utter a syllable, talk, etc. Once we accomplish that we begin to take in the spectacle of the world around us and that what it has to offer. The light, the sounds, the various sensations, all appeasing the senses. We pick up the basics in life, correct living (and the wrong too), morals, virtues, etc from the parents and observing and interacting with others too. Then we look towards our teachers to fill us in on academic subjects. Soon taking on a career and a relationship, we learn the hard way many of life's lessons. We take on responsibilities towards our work, family, and society. Finally burnt out and exhausted we turn our attention to what a handful have chosen to live for the rest of their lives - either spiritual escapism or a much-deserved retreat. Some join the ranks of those who journeyed to know the divine early in life.

Very few we are told come for the sake of knowing God. Many tend to deviate having being distracted by the conduct and actions of the gurus, or the flaws in the administration of such places, losing sight of their very purpose in coming there. Some losing their patience, or seeing that their troubles are not addressed either by the guru or the divine, begin to move or shift to greener pastures, seeking solace and solution elsewhere. Those who stay behind are those who believe that faith and patience can bring the guru or divine to help them tear down the veils of Maya or illusion and appease their genuine hunger or thirst to know the self, that they are one with the guru and the divine.

But I was spared all the trouble. Going through the memories and experiences on this unique journey that Agathiyar asks to come on,  that is carried in the numerous postings of this blog, I have to admit that I agree with what Agathiyar, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi told me that they had easily come to settle in our home and our hearts, compared with what others had to go through. I have to admit that I do not deserve the love, compassion, and care of the divine, Agathiyar, and my physical gurus. I do not deserve to have rubbed shoulders with them or be placed where I am today.

I had never traveled wide and far, visiting the holy sites or samadhis that are energy centers. Those few that I visited were to rid my karmas, again done for the selfish self and motives.

I had never knocked on doors but walked by staying only a while before Agathiyar asks that I drop anchor on the banks of Kallar river. He pointed me to Tavayogi.

I had never put in much effort in the many practices, ventures or tasks given, either through my gurus or the Nadi. What was given to me were pretty simple tasks that neither hurt me nor put me in danger. I followed and did them, at least for a while. But Agathiyar came on to appreciate that that was sufficient. Most of the time he would ask that we start on it and comes along later to bring us to end it. 

I had never extended sufficient help and aid and charity to my gurus in physical form to help sustain them and their establishment nor the poor and suffering community, to eradicate poverty. Whatever little I did was not sufficient to address the gigantic magnitude of poverty that our fellow humans go through daily around the world. Our help is localized and very negligible in the eyes of the divine and compared to statistics on poverty worldwide. We could not possibly achieve much by feeding the hungry occasionally, as and when driven to do it. Yet Agathiyar came out in support and admiration of our tiny service.

Rather than claim that I had seeked out the divine, had a burning desire or yearning to know the divine and its lila or play, and having placing much-concerted efforts towards achieving it, I should say that the divine came seeking to save this soul from plunging further into the fire pit of destruction or sinking further into the quicksand or drowning deeper into the turbid waters, all creation and a result of one's want and desires.

Yet the divine and Agathiyar chose to be with me. He came as my parents, my teachers, the books and other literature, the Nadi, Nature, the Guru, the upagurus, the word, the light, and many other forms. How does one thank him then? All the garlands and jewelry would not suffice for it too is created and given by him. Even the very breath that keeps us alive is his. We are lost for words and ideas in thanking him. We can only surrender all that is lawfully his. Hence by doing so the identity and ego that we have held on to all these years of upbringing and living die with it. We become empty. We ourselves become a beggar, a word that Yogi Ramsuratkumar uses to address himself to others. We then come to the end of the journey. Mission accomplished and there is nothing further to do or to be given or gained. He becomes us. We become him. We come to a state of being - being him.

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF LIFE

BE CONTENTED

What are we here for? Each person might have a reason for himself, both known to him and unknown. I too did not know my reason to be here and what I was to achieve or become till my physical gurus and Agathiyar came along. I was deeply attracted to the devotion of the Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu pantheon since young though, for reasons I did not know till later. 

While many have lured us with words, visuals, ideas, insights, presentations, and interpretations of various paths and ways to various states of spiritual advancement; giving us the myriad ways and means and practices to achieve them, labeling these with majestic and bombastic words, accompanied with visual graphics and eyecatching media, Agathiyar came silently and swept me off my feet when I least expected. All I had then was faith and patience. When he brought the good word through my nephew after a long break of 14 years, staying away from all forms of learning and devotion, I had faith and worked on the task given with patience.

While others need to toil and work their way up the spiritual ladder Agathiyar has made it easy for us to accomplish and come to the state that everyone unknowingly seeks - the state of peace within and without. He paved the path of worship to the Siddhas and the deities, nothing new but something that we had carried out all this while. But it was only after coming to the fold of the Siddhas that the progress was actuated and accelerated. Although the divine had its eyes and ears on us and its hold on us, it was only after coming to hold the hands of the Siddhas that we could actually feel the hold and grip of theirs. From Sariyai or simply put visiting the temples, he brought us to engage actively in Kriya or the rituals that were once the domain of the priestly lot. He then came down as a friend in need, and soon moved house taking up residence in our home and hearts. He came down from his Godly state and moved in with us, walking with us, eating with us, sleeping with us. His touch slowly changed us and bestowed us with wonderful thoughts and things. He revealed his 5 tenets that summed up the purpose in coming here ending all the years of speculation, assumption and false notions. He offered to bring us to greater heights in the public arena, but we chose to refuse the gifts fearing that fame and power would corrupt us too. Today he stands among us instead, leading us to greater heights - within. Even if we failed to touch, achieve or reach the measure or yardstick that he has placed for us, we shall not despair but remain contented. 

Accepting that we are not ready to fully evacuate our place in this materialistic world, he brings us to escape into the moment and be with him frequently. If only we could spend more time in his thought and presence but life has to move on and we have to attend to other things and our responsibilities, bringing bread and butter to the dining table. Not ignoring our duty towards family and society, we often take a stroll with him in the woods, running away from the madness all around us at least for these precious few moments. 

THANK YOU

We are told that the soul is here to gain experiences and leave enriched by the wisdom gained from learning these experiences. If one has learned a lesson he goes on to newer frontiers and dimensions of life, otherwise, he comes back again to relive the same life, the same experiences, again and again. This is the web that we are caught in time and again. The saints and Siddhas help us to realize this and bring us out of this web of illusion. 

Leaving me to do my thing, Agathiyar came to take hold of me when I turned 43. Till then, enriched with knowledge from the texts and discussions with other learned devotees, and knowledge gained from the lives of devoted baktas, I became a rather confused watcher or witness, unable to comprehend the workings and doings of the divine in others lives. One question that stood on my mind always was "If the divine was said to be most compassionate, why does he let people suffer, in some instances is the cause too, bringing undue suffering upon them." The scales did not tally. God did not equate to love then, in my eyes. In theory, the divine was loving but it was not to be in reality.  

Lord Shiva came in a dream to save me from going cuckoo or becoming a lunatic. He put a stop to all questioning, saying, "Leave your questions to a later date." I dropped everything then, the questions and doubts, including all the lengthy worship at dawn and dusk and all the readings and discussions too. The divine arranged for me to move town, to the capital city and to a new environment and friends. I married and had a child. Fourteen years went by without worship except for the occasional temple visit for the sake of my young children who were growing up.

Then the divine took me by storm on a stormy Saturday evening. My nephew delivered a message and a Vasudeva mantra that came by rather mysteriously that evening. He was sanctioned to pass on the initiation that fateful day. I received it without question as told. Years later he tells me that it was from Agathiyar. Agathiyar had prepared me to meet my guru by first having my nephew pass me a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy and worship him. He had me observe certain restraints during the Navarathri festival that came along too. 

A year later I was told to come to the path of the Siddhas and worship them besides Agathiyar, Ganapathy and Shiva. I was told to go on a pilgrimage of temples in Malaysia and India performing the remedies given in the Nadi. I was told that I would meet my guru Supramania Swami who turned up on my last leg of the pilgrimage in a village some 8 kilometers away from Tiruvannamalai. Two years later he shows me to Kallar's Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal too in Malaysia. After the physical demise of these gurus, they and the Siddhas and the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses have come to take us into their care. The postings in recent months carried further revelations from them through several means including the Nadi and through chosen devotees, prompting me to make this blog private. But Agathiyar kept referring his devotees to the blog and the messages, which prompted me to make it public again, realizing that he wanted his messages to be deciphered by his devotees.

Often I had questioned myself if I was doing mischief and harm in having people believe that Agathiyar was speaking through me or these writings. I needed to be convinced that it was he who spoke or wrote and not me. Then I stood before him asking for confirmation. He replied from within that it was he. He replied through the Nadi again that it was he. 

Along the way, he offered many gifts of appreciation for my devotion, among them the Nadi to be read and referred for myself and others too. He offered to heal others working through me. He offered to move me to bigger premises and expand the following further. I refused all offers fearing that I would stagnate on that level the moment I fall for these treasures and never move up the ladder to bigger things that I do not know about either. I just wanted him. I turned down all the offers that he placed on my path. 

As I traveled with him he enriched me with numerous experiences, lessons and Jnana or wisdom gained from observing the lives of others on the path and the others. Today I stand clear of the many temptations that crop up in the lives of others that bring along its fair share of problems. He has brought me to a state of satisfaction and peace within. No more seeking. No more searching. No more asking. No more wants. No plans.  Total surrender to him. He charts the path and the way. It is his will that we see in our actions. It is his initiation to do things and not our desire that moves us. 

When others who have seen results following other saints or paths share their joy with me and ask me to come along and meet the saint, or go over to these holy spots, or receive initiations, or participate in their lengthy rituals etc, I decided to end these repetitive invitations from them these days by telling them that my search has ended and that I was contented with what I was doing currently. I am not being egoistic but Agathiyar has given me the courage to do so. I ask others what can another give me that Agathiyar hasn't given me or what can another give me that Agathiyar can't. Whatever my needs I shall ask of Agathiyar. I shall knock his door. He can give them in my very home, within the four walls in private without show or an assembly. Even if he does not shower me with all the greatness I am contented with his presence and show in times of challenge. I am indebted to both my gurus in the physical forms and their lineages. I am indebted to my parents and my ancestors. I am indebted to nature that sustains this place that we call home. I am indebted to the nameless and formless divinity that has created and is sustaining all his creations through numerous laws of nature and the many mechanisms put in place for us to work out our desired experiences, learn a thing or two and gain wisdom before moving on to newer frontiers. My mantra these days is only this: THANK YOU!

KUNDALINI YOGA

When Ma the Goddess came to address us, one day, on her own accord, she spoke highly of the Siddha path, telling us that it was the path of learning and that one's experience will become another's Jnana (often implied as wisdom). We are reminded by the Siddhas that if we never learn from our experience, we shall come back, again and again, taking rebirths until we understand and gain wisdom from all our actions and experiences. Swami Tadatmananda too clearly tells us that it is not enough that we gain knowledge but we need to put it into an experience. Our experiences will become learning. But it does not end there. We should gain wisdom from these. Rather than merely explaining the knowledge from the sacred Yoga Upanishads to us, he puts himself through the practice of awakening the mysterious kundalini and shares his experience which together with his previous understanding of the sacred texts, transforms into and becomes Jnana to us.

Yogananda

LOOKING OUT & LOOKING WITHIN

This wonderful series of talks and visuals lead us to understand what Tavayogi and the saints have always told us that what was out there was also within. We become speechless and can only stand back and admire the divine's creation and the work of nature, narrated and shown to us so beautifully by  Daniel Schmidt.

SURVIVING POVERTY

BACK TO BASICS

Agathiyar asks me to study the nature of the body or udalkooru thathuvangal recently referring me to Tavayogi's teachings. The Siddhas are known to have recorded their knowledge of the 64 kinds of learning, 18 Puranas, 48 branches of scientific knowledge and the said 96 tattvas naming it Siddhaveda, after extensive discussions held amongst them at Alagan Kulam and presenting their work to Lord Dhakshinamurthi for his perusal. Hence in trying to comprehend this subject, I am sharing what has been made known by other authors too in this post.

We are an assembly of body, soul and spirit says P.Karthigayan in his well-researched book, "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016, with the soul being the bridge that connects the body or udal with the spirit or uyir. We are made of 96 principles or thaththuvas or tattvas we are told, that animate us on life's stage, eventually ending their act, leaving and going their way at the end of the divine play. These 96 principles are divided into internal and external or as the soul and the body, with 36 in the former and 60 in the later. The nature of the soul is described by Karthigayan as "We have another body inside the one we possess with pride and that it has all qualities of our outer body except its physical self, which we either bury or burn." Karthigayan writes that the soul continues to live with the same qualities that it acquired in its body where it previously dwelt. This would mean that the physical body has to serve the soul to garner, gain, and inherit virtues, that add on to its merits, and together with avoiding the vices, it, in turn, garners a better birth for the spirit to enter, taking another birth once the present or former comes to an end, where both the body and soul are detached.

We now turn our attention to Tavayogi's teachings in his "Andamum Pindamum" and "Atma Thathuvam" for more details. The first vibration created from the first sound was known as Akaaram. The vibratory waves that sustained this first sound came to be called Ukaaram. Maakaaram was the field that helped contain these vibratory sounds. The body resonates to these vibrations, functioning effectively. It is interesting to note that Akaaram is linked to the left eye and Ukaaram with the right. Tavayogi explains that the breath that flows through the left nostril is known as Akaaram and that running through the right nostril is Ukaaram, creating vibrations in Edakala and Pingala respectively. As we speak these Nadis vibrate creating further ripple-like vibrations, called Maakaaram, in the midst of the head. The spot where these three sounds and their related vibrations congregate is known as Suzhumunai. Just as we alternate between daylight and darkness each day, the breath too alternates between the left and right nostrils once every two hours. 

Tavayogi says Akaayam or space or ether was split into two halves with the first half becoming the soul, while the second half split further into four portions. The first quarter teaming up with Vaayu resulted in Manas; the next quarter became Buddhi and Arivu when teamed with Agni or Fire; the third quarter teaming with water gave forth to Siththam; and finally, Ahangkaaram came to be in coalition with Earth filling the fourth quarter.

Vaayu or air was split into two halves too. Viyaanan became the first half while the second half was subdivided further into four variations. Vaayu with Akaayam became Samana Vaayu; Vaayu with Agni or Fire gave forth to Uthaana Vaayu; the third portion of Vaayu teamed up with Water to become Prana Vaayu;  and the fourth, Abaana Vaayu was a result of Vaayu teaming with Prithvi or Earth.

Agni or Fire too was split into two halves, the first half becoming the eyes while the second half was split further into four. Teaming with Akaayam it gave rise to the ears; the second teamed with Vaayu to take on the form of the skin; the third teamed with Water to become the mouth and tongue; and teaming with Earth, the nose was formed too.

Water split into two halves giving rise to the Tanmaathirai namely taste in the first half and split further into four portions in the second half. Teaming with Akaayam, hearing came about. Teaming with Vaayu touch was sensed. Sight came to be, teaming with Agni and finally, smell came forth with the addition of Earth.

Earth too split into two halves. The first half became the Anus. The second half split further took on the following: Speech in combination with Akaayam; Hands were formed in combination with Vaayu; Legs came to be formed combining with Agni; Teaming with Earth the organs of pleasure came to be.

These 25 tathvas formed the body and its related organs. Any alteration to these proportions resulted in chaos and trouble within the body. Just as creation is the effect of Panchabhoothas, the body too is a product of these five elements made in the ratio 1 1/2 part earth; 1 1/4 water; 1 part fire; 3/4 air; and 1/2 sky totaling 5 in any given circumstances. If the body is composited of these five elements in their ideal ratios to sustain itself with good health, the functions of the body are dependent on 96 principles or tattvas, of which 36 formulate the soul and the rest the body, that in turn are dependent on the five elements that make the body. The Siddhas remind us to ensure the ratio of these elements is maintained well to prevent ailment and in worst cases death. How can then one watch 24/7 over these tathvas? Through watching the breath, say the Siddhas. It is rather timely that Agathiyar too has brought us to watch the breath. They realized that the only "apparent difference between the living and the dead was the function of respiration." This observation mooted the Siddhas to find ways to increase and retain the prana that attaches itself to air and energizes all of creation including both the world around us and us. Tavayogi too once told me "Breath is God." Agathiyar has mentioned in numerous incidences that he gave his breath to save his devotee. Korakar in his "Chandraregai 200", mentions the means in retaining the breath within and subduing the mind at the same time, making this body God's dwelling.

கடவுள் உண்மை

பான்மையுறப் பதினெண்பேர் நாதாக்கள் தாம்
பாலிதங்களான தொறு ஞான சூட்சம்
மேன்மையுட னோதிடுவேன் வாசி கூட்டி
முக்கோணம் அதனுள்ளே வட்டம் சோதி
ஆன்மமுடன் நீ பார்த்து அசையா துற்றால்
ஆதாரமாக மனம் அசையா  துய்யும்
வான் மதியும் ரவியடங்கும் வட்டத் துள்ளே
வாசிவெளி யாகாது ஞான வீடே 192

வீடான வீடதுவும் சொந்தமாச்சு
வெளியாக ஓதிவைத்தேன் வினையம் ஏக
நாடான நாடதனிற் கடவுளென்று
நானிலத்தி லாட்டு வித்தல் காற்று காற்று
கோடான கோடி தெய்வம் காற்றுக்கே தான்
கூறி வைத்தா ரல்லாது வேறொன்றில்லை
ஆடாத ஆட்டமெல்லாம் காற்று மாகும்
அதுவகன்றா லகிலமுத லழிந்து போமே 

Kalanginathar too reiterates the technique in his "Upadesa Gnanam 34".

ஆவியென்ற பிராணமது புருவமீது
அடங்கினால் மறுபிறவி யுண்டாம் பாரு
ஆவியென்ற பிராணனது முக்கோணத்தில்
அடங்கினால் மறுபிறவி யில்லை யில்லை  21

Agathiyar who is most compassionate revealed to us that his Diksa mantra, when recited with the breath held in retention or kumbaka, shall pave the way for one to see bodily changes take place, from the Asuddha Deham becoming pure or Suddha Deham and later the Pranava Deham and finally Oli Deham.

Akaayam is said to initiate kaamam, kurotham, mogam, matham, and macharyam. Vaayu brings us to stand on a spot, walk, lie-down, arise and run. Agni initiates fear, laziness, hunger, sleep, and punarchi in us. Water initiates the production of blood, brain stuff, saliva, fats, and semen. The Earth element initiates the growth of hair, skin, nerves, bones, and flesh.

When Agathiyar asks that we learn about the body, we are also learning about the universe as well, since what is above and out there is also within us, we are told. Tavayogi quotes Supramaniar Gnanam 32 where it is revealed that at the beginning there was Sivan. From it emerged a sound. From that sound emerged Sivam or a spark, light, (or the divine spirit, says Karthigayan), neither with a form or formless. The vibration that resulted was Sakti. The three came together as "that", that was to become the source of all creation, known as AUM. From https://www.ananda.org/yogapedia/aum/ we learn the same that "Aum is the vibration by which the Supreme Spirit brings all things into manifestation. Paramhansa Yogananda has explained that everything -  all matter, all energy, all thoughts -  exists in AUM." We read further that "AUM, therefore, encompasses the three vibratory energies required to create, preserve, and destroy, and each of these energies vibrates at a different frequency. The three letters of AUM represent these three vibrations inherent in creation."

Tavayogi traces a similarity between what is out there in the cosmos and within us. Fire is to Soul; The Sun is to Life; The Moon is to Manas and the other Anthakaaranam namely manam, buddhi, chittam, ahungkaaram; and the Stars to the Organs of Sight and others. Manam deduces something from all that it gathers through the organs of senses. Buddhi verifies what is received. Ahungkaaram initiates the follow-up action. Chittam has the final say fulfilling the desire. Astanga yoga plays its part in bringing discipline to the mind or manam.

If Akaaram is the spirit, and Ukaaram is the body then Makaaram is the soul that fastens the spirit to the body as Karthigayan states, then since the soul is the bridge that links both the physical body with the spirit, it is of utmost importance then that we strengthen the soul as Agathiyar asks of us through his five tenets that he revealed at the Tamil Sangam.

The Siddhas stress that death is a result of our carelessness or indifference towards this body and life and "imply that we can overcome death if we care to care for our body." Ramalinga Adigal implores us to join him in defeating death singing countless songs in his Thiruarutpa. 

ஆடேடி பந்து ஆடேடி பந்து

ஆடேடி பந்து ஆடேடி பந்து.

வாழிஎன் தோழிஎன் வார்த்தைகேள் என்றும்

மரணமில் லாவரம் நான்பெற்றுக் கொண்டேன்

சூழியற் செஞ்சுடர் தோற்றுறு கீழ்பால்

தூய்த்திசை நோக்கினேன் சீர்த்திகழ் சித்தி

ஊழிதோ றூழிநின் றாடுவன் நீயும்

உன்னுதி யேல்இங்கே மன்னரு ளாணை

ஆழி கரத்தணிந் தாடேடி பந்து

அருட்பெருஞ் சோதிகண் டாடேடி பந்து. 

Thus singing he goes on to render the song titled Panthaatal. Read and listen to the full song at http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T346/tm/aateeti_panthu

A NEW YEAR BEGINS AS WE TAKE A NEW STEP FORWARD

A dear friend and reader of this blog made me cry today the first day in 2020 through her New Year message to me that carried and showed her gratitude to Agathiyar. I shall append the conversation below.

Dearest Shan aiya. We welcomed the New Year in prayers to our dear father Agasthiyar and one of the many things I thanked him for was showing me the way to you. There are no words to express my gratitude. I began the last decade in blissful ignorance but I begin this new decade little wiser from having met your teachings. Your writings and guidance aiya has brought us to see, hear, touch, taste, smell and appreciate. Thank you does not suffice. We must return the goodwill to the universe through the practice of your teachings. As much as we crave and yearn your posts I also pray that this new year answers the call of all your spiritual aspirations. Happy New Year aiya and to aunty Mages. 

Ma u made me cry. It's all his ma. The teachings, the guidance, the words everything. He made me realize many things that he wanted me to share with others too. 

You are right aiya. It is all his work. But you did your work with such love, kindness, compassion, patience and devotion to your learners. We were/ are so fortunate for that alone. You did not beat us up ever. I had two such amazing masters aiya...you and swami. You both have changed the tempo of the beating of my heart completely and forever. We are so blessed and grateful aiya. 

I m glad u came by. I m glad u n others n me have taken the flight. Agathiyan Airlines. 

Of course aiya...there is no other. Once you on the flight...you are in safe hands. There was no other airline for me aiya. It was your school of aviation and fathers Airline.

What a boost for the soul akin to chicken soup for the soul. So does Agathiyar throw in words of motivation often to keep our spirits up. We can truly turn to him in our times of needs as attested by many on the path. Man at times needs a miracle to happen; to save his day, or save a life. Agathiyar is always there for his children. Here is where their Siddhis come into play. 

Ram Dass in his "Paths to God - Living the Bhagavad Gita", speaks about reasons the gurus engage in an outward show of their Siddhis. "Most of the time gurus use Siddhis to break a person loose at the point where he or she is ripe for a certain change to happen" adds Ram Dass. When a devotee is ripe the guru uses his Siddhis to impress him and bring him into the path, as what Supramania Swami and Agathiyar did. When we are ready all that is needed is a tap. Siddhis are generally used to shake up people and to bring them out of their dream state into reality. But at times the gurus turn us down or fail us in the moment of our need only because they see through the past, present and future and chose not to involve and change the cause of happenings for our own good. 

"The love for a guru is a process of surrendering," says Ram Dass of his love towards Maharajji. "I learned to let go into whatever he thinks best for me. I surrender to his version of my storyline in place of my own." Instead of writing our own script for life let him write out the script of our life. It would definitely be a good story. 

Just as Tavayogi said we become what we desire to be, Ram Dass guides us into Guru Kripa:  coming to the guru, invite him into our hearts, install him in the altar within the heart, offer yourself to him, sing, chant, pray, love him as you love yourself, open up to him, watch and slowly become - Him.

Ram Dass in his "Paths to God - Living the Bhagavad Gita", describes this path, one that he adopts and follows too. 

Guru Kripa or the method of the guru is one form of bakti practice. It is the specific form of bhakti that focuses on the guru, and on the guru's grace or the guru's blessings. The relationship with the guru is totally an internal matter with its essence being love. The guru is a being who awakens incredible love in us and then uses our love to awaken us out of the illusion of duality.

Quoting Ramana,

The glance of grace from the master is enough to awaken the devotee from the sleep of ignorance to the knowledge of the real. The guru as a separate entity exists only within the illusion of separateness ... the minute the method of the guru has worked it's awakened you, and it ceases to be anything at all. It has an automatic built-in self destruct mechanism you use it until it opens you in a certain way and then you see through it and let go of it. The guru becomes irrelevant. It became less and less rooted in dualism as time went on.

"He is the one who is the doorway," says Ram Dass. The guru does not see himself separate from his disciple. Once the awakening begins you can't help but feel a profound love for all the beings who have helped you along the way. This is what the Satguru does.

Along the way we meet upagurus, he says, who are like marker stones along the road that say go this way, go that way. "They are teachings rather then teaches," he says. "We can take a teaching here and a teaching there and then go our way, instead of getting hung up on them" he adds. 

Besides these gurus on the physical plane, "then there are the astral guides too, beings on all those other planes as well... helping us along in various ways... all wanting to help us get free."

Ram Dass says "The very essence of the relationship between a guru and a devotee is a sense of complete utter trust" something Lord Muruga is insisting now from us. "We trust that whatever the guru does will be for our own good. Then our life becomes completely transparent, they read your mind, they see you, you can't hide, it is all in the open now", he adds. As Ram Dass says "Maharajji knows about all my dirty laundry and he still loves me", the same goes with Agathiyar, Lord Muruga, Ma, and Aiya. 

My reader continued,

Where would we be without his compassion and kindness. I would be a floundering ignorant soul. Sometimes I still feel like that but I also feel him nearby going beyond to help and help and help. We are sincere honest devotees of Agathiyar. He must help us. We must find a way to get maya to surrender to Appa Agasthiyar and Lord Shiva and leave us alone. Mmmnn I wonder. Maya continues to play with us.

Very, very true. He is closeby, watching over us and watching us. Rest assured, Maya that throws in the illusions and veils shall eventually surrender to us.

We in this era can never go hungry since we have the refrigerator to stock up food grains, vegetable and meat. In the days of bygone man hunted only when there was a need, when he was hungry, just like the wildlife that lived alongside their prey without harming them unless they went hungry. But with the coming of refrigeration, we have begun to farm the domestic animals and slaughter them in huge numbers and store their meat to be eaten at leisure. This is only true of the developed nations while the third world is in dire need of help and food.

So is it with spiritualism that came to those who sought and performed severe austerities under the tutorship and watchful eyes of spiritual masters. These days spiritualism and rituals are readily accessible online, via correspondence, etc for a payment. When schools of yoga these days teach retention of the breath or kumbaka at the elementary level, we were told by the Siddhas not to hold the breath in kumbaka but to only inhale and exhale while doing pranayama. Today after 17 years of tutorship to him, Agathiyar tells us to hold the breath in kumbaka for the duration of his Diksha mantra. This shall bring one to the state of a light body, he adds. Meanwhile, he tells us that the rituals that we conducted for years are only necessary now when the need arises. We have been told to go within and observe the breath instead. It has been a very exciting journey with never a boring moment. A new year has begun and our journey has taken a new turn too. We are anxiously looking forward to whatever Agathiyar has in store for this year.

AGATHIYAR & THE GODS, AVATARS & SAINTS

Yogi Ramsuratkumar had the following advice for aspirants on his path.

All your tapas and efforts would make you reach Guru’s Feet. Once you reach your Guru your sadhana efforts end here. Thereafter you need not bother about your spiritual growth. The Guru will take care of you. The Guru will see that you reach God.

Even if you want to escape from the Guru, the Guru will not leave you. Like a frog in the mouth of a King Cobra, the disciple cannot escape from Guru.

The only thing the disciple should do is remember the Guru and the Guru Mantra all the time. That is sufficient. Do not try to practice any method to reach God. Remember your Guru. That’s enough.

Listen to your Guru and have faith in our Guru. Your Guru would take the responsibility of you and take you where you ought to reach. After reaching Guru’s feet, you need not worry about your spiritual growth.

Just remember my Name. That is enough. This name Yogi Ramsuratkumar is not this beggar’s name. It is my Father’s Name. My Father has invested in this Name. Whoever remembers this name my Father will come to their rescue. Catch hold of the Divine Name and go on doing your work in the world. That’s enough. Remember this beggar’s Name, Yogi Ramsuratkumar.

You need not do any other rituals other than chanting the Name Yogi Ramsuratkumar. The Name Yogi Ramsuratkumar is not this beggar’s Name; it is my Father’s Name. For this beggar’s friends, this Name Yogi Ramsuratkumar is enough. If you remember this Name, you need not worry about your spiritual growth. My Father will take care of you. My Father will see that you will reach my Father safely. For all other people, let them remember any other God’s Name which they like. My Father alone exists. Nobody else. Nothing else. In the past, in the present and in the future, My Father alone exists.

Have faith in my Father. Have faith in my Father’s Name. This name Yogi Ramsuratkumar is not this dirty beggar’s name. This is my Father’s Name. Remember this Name that is enough. This beggar is enough for you people. There is no need for you people to go anywhere in search of my Father. And my Father will take care of us. We need not bother about our spiritual growth.”

My first guru Supramania Swami had four other gurus prior to taking the Holy Feet of the Yogi. His father  Jayaraman Pillai, who initiated him into bhakti was his first guru. Kollimalai Swami, Pundi Mahan (Atru Swami), Sathanandha Swami of Salem (author of Kandhar Guru Kavasam), Kollimalai Swami and eventually Yogi Ramsuratkumar (Visiri Swami) nurtured him further. 

When nearing his samadhi and those administrating to the needs of the Yogi in his later years forbade Supramania Swami from seeing the Yogi, the Yogi asks for him and spoke a few words before leaving his mortal body. The Yogi came knocking on Swami's door days after his Maha Samadhi and passed him a portrait of his before disappearing into the darkness of the night at Swami's home in Nachaananthal, laughing all the way till the sound of laughter faded away too.

Coming to know Supramania Swami under strange circumstances in 2003 and later on visiting him again in 2005, he brings the Yogi from his Samadhi to join us in chanting his name or Nama Japam at Swami's small cottage or kudil at Thiruvannamalai.

I never fully realized the power of the name of the gurus or masters till then. Recently Agathiyar told us that chanting his Diksha Mantra shall pave the way for the physical body to become the light body, going through the phases of Asudha Deham, Sudha Deham, Pranava Deham and finally Oli Deham, something that was achieved by the most recent Siddha Ramalinga Adigal.

Agathiyar has played a major role in the lives of Gods, Avatars, and saints of the past and still does in the present Era. 

Agathiyar together with Upamanyu, Dadhichi and Gautama arrived at the young Sankara's humble dwelling one fine day. Sankara and his mother were honored to receive the four great sages. Sankara's mother was overjoyed that they could see the sages in this age of Kali. She asked to know what was in store for her child and why he was extraordinarily gifted with proficiency in the Vedic studies and carried all the great qualities at such a very young age.

Agathiyar, as desired by the other rishis, replied. Sankara's father had performed austerities to propitiate Lord Siva for a son in the past. At the end of the austerities, as a boon, when given a choice of a long-lived but worthless son or a short-lived son but with much greatness, he chose the latter. Hence Lord Siva himself took birth as Sankara. Sankara's mother now wanted to know how long her son will live. Agathiyar replies that though her son was destined to live only sixteen years, it was decided to extend by another sixteen years. As the most compassionate Agathiyar began to reveal Sankara's future, the other rishis fearing that Agathiyar will disclose too much, got up to depart. Hence Agathiyar stopped at that, and the rishis left Sankara's dwelling.

There were three factors that prompted Sankara to leave his home and become a wandering ascetic, writes Madhava-vidyaranya in his book "Sankara-Dig-Vijaya". First was the revelation by Agathiyar reminding Sankara of his mission; second Sankara gaining permission to become an ascetic from Sri Krishna and his mother, and above all his intense yearning for renunciation.

During the Treta Yuga, when Sri Rama was wondering as a hermit, many Rishis yearned for Sri Rama to grace their ashrams. As these Rishis were engaged in severe austerities or tapas, they could not leave their dwellings to meet Sri Rama. Sri Rama on his part could not visit every single ashram of these Rishis. Sri Rama could only meet Agathiyar, Bharatvajar, and Sabari. Sri Rama too had to move on to Kishkinta, Sundara and Yutta Kaandams. Hence he could not grace the ashrams of hundreds of Rishis. These wishes of the Rishis became Vasanas and got attached to Sri Rama. Hence Sri Rama had to exhaust these Vasanas by granting their wishes in his next incarnation as Sri Krishna.

Although during the Yutta Kaandam, Agathiyar managed to bring along some Rishis with him to have the Darshan of Sri Rama and to serve him, there were many more yearning for his Darshan but could not make it as they were engaged in austerities at Thandakaranyam. They were disappointed. 

Agathiyar asked Sri Rama how he was going to satisfy their wishes. "Could you satisfy their wishes before this incarnation is over?", he asked. Sri Rama agreed that he could not do so before his time was up. Sri Rama was saddened that he was the cause of disappointment to these Rishis. Sri Rama realized that he could not meet them and seek advice from Agathiyar.

Agathiyar reveals to Sri Rama, "In your next incarnation as Sri Krishna in Dwabara Yuga, these Rishis who had cherished to have your Darshan and serve you, will take rebirth as Gopikas and through play and devotion and service to you, attain bliss and fulfillment."

"This is the secret (mystery) behind incarnations and rebirth", reveals Agathiyar. Whatever unfulfilled desires of the Rishis during the reign of Sri Rama's Avatharam, gains fulfillment during his next incarnation as Sri Krishna. (Source:  Posts of 17.7.2014 of Siththan Arul by Sri Velayudham Karthikeyan.)

Having seen the positive manner in which boons were used by many, looking at the fables, myths, Puranas, and stories of lore from the Indian subcontinent, we gain insight into these gifts often showered on staunch devotees of Gods and Goddesses, who upon receiving them sadly turn arrogant and begin to take control of the world and its running, nay even the Gods and Goddesses too. 

King Ravana was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. None of us could ever match his devotion towards Lord Shiva. Yet we consider him as the bad guy. Lord Shiva having being cooled down by Ravana's extreme tapas and austerities and devotion granted him a boon. Once he began to understand the vast powers that came with the boon, he became arrogant. We seek permission to quote from https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/rise-and-fall-of-ravana/49116 on the process that took place in the rise and fall of King Ravana.

Born in the lineage of one of the most learned and wise sages of all times, Rishi Pulatsya, Ravana had all the bearings which could make him a legend. Not exactly a hero which he could have been, he definitely had the knowledge to be one. But, his ego, his illusion of immortality, and the belief that he would never be punished for his sins made him fall in the battle of Ramayana. Certainly, an interesting character, where on one hand he stopped any kind of animal sacrifice in his kingdom and was pious and ascetic, on the other hand, he had a long list of curses received from many celestial figures including Nandi. That said, Ravana had his own share of sins that he committed, and before he could have had realized his sins (maybe he would have never had), he met his inevitable death when Rama's arrow pierced his navel.

Even the Gods and Goddesses, we are told, were never spared. Arrogance on their part, brought them to earth to live a mortal life and conduct extreme austerities, yagna, rituals and meditation before they were accepted back into their fold. Similarly, it is with the numerous other stories of devotees who were lifted to an elevated stage in life, akin to ma manithan, deivam, mahan, gnani, muni, Siddha, rishi, etc, but due to arrogance fell flat on their faces and fell to the ground; fell in disgrace and fell into oblivion. I have asked the ATM family to help keep each other in check lest we too should fall out of the mercy of Erai; lest we shall fall out, out of arrogance. If the sheath of Maya or illusion does terrific havoc to even the masters and gurus, we could very easily succumb to it too. The day we stop listening to the words of the wise is the day we fall into disgrace. My prayer is, "Lord please help us be aware of the mischief done by Maya who lurks in the dark and at every corner of our spiritual journey, waiting to disrupt or bring to a standstill our intended journey, a return to your house, our home."

SOME MOVING MOMENTS

Whenever Jegan Shanmugam comes over to AVM we get him to sing a song for us. We get Vinthamaray to sing for us too. These days the divine puts in a request for songs too. They have become more specific on their choice of songs too. Once the divine requested Vinthamaray an Ambal song or song in praise of Mother Goddess. She sang "Sundari Soundari Niranthariye." Our favourite and the divines were always her renditions of Ramalinga Adigal's "Vennilaa Kanni" - "Thannai Arinthu Inbamura Vennilave."

Jegan comes prepared with new songs too. He had introduced us to songs like the Nadesar Paathu, and Agathiyar's "Narayana Hari Narayana" too. Recently he sang the first song he trained in Sanggeeta class, "Janani Janani" and another from the movie "Sarvam Taalamayam" The divine then asks us to render a song from Vallal (Ramalinga Adigal). We chose to sing "Ambalatharasay." As the divine blessed Jegan he requested him to sing a song on Narayana. It was both amusing and amazing to realize that the divine listens on to all the songs we dish out and sits in our presence and answers all our prayers. We are blessed indeed.

And so as Suren and I spoke over the phone, I mentioned that captivated by the song "Varuvaaya?" from "Sarvam Taalamayam" I watched the movie, something I hardly do these days. It was a wonderful depiction of the Guru/ Disciple relationship that we could also relate to the spiritual arena. We could not but come together in unison on appreciating our relationship with Agathiyar too. We reflected on the greatness of Agathiyar and the amount of love and compassion he has for all of us.

Just fresh from a Nadi reading that Agathiyar provided through Mataji Saroji Ammaiyaar of Kallar Ashram while visiting AVM, on 24 December 2019, we reflected, analyzed and tried to understand the message that Agathiyar brought across to the AVM family. 

Today we understand why Lord Muruga told us that we would do things differently. When everyone rushed to Tavayogi to ask him over to officiate a peedham or society that they desired to start, on his numerous visits to Malaysia several years back, I refrained from asking for I had no intention of starting one. I had seen and heard enough problems and troubles in the existing movements, groups, peedhams, and ashrams. When both Lord Muruga and Agathiyar asked me to start one, I defied them for the very first time. I told them I had no interest and that all was going well with the way things were. I was satisfied with my home puja and the occasional gathering of his devotees on auspicious days. The divine listened and shelved the plan to move and expand. The elaborate rituals that we undertook after gathering much information on the Siddhas, dwindled to mere minutes as we were moved to go within. The large gathering of devotees dwindled too as Agathiyar told, leaving behind only the cream.

When I did ask her the night before her arrival at ATM if she wanted us to do puja or if she would like to address the gathering, Mataji left it to me entirely to decide the program for the day. I thought that since she has seen and participated in countless pujas and has spoken in all the venues and temples she visited during her tour of Malaysia, let us give her a break and she should rest that day, just seeing and exchanging talk with devotees of Agathiyar. Upon her arrival, we invited her to light an Aganda Deepam and she sang a couple of couplets on Agathiyar, the Siddhas and Jhoti. 

After 61 Nadi readings and numerous instructions from the divine during their quick and short manifestations through devotees, Agathiyar has groomed us well, guided us well and brought us to a state of satisfaction and contentment. But as a student I did ask if there was more to be done, asking for further directions from Tavayogi on his last visit to Malaysia in 2016. He replied simply implying that Agathiyar would direct us. Similarly, I did ask Mataji for further directions too on her recent visit, as she spent some quality time with us at AVM. She told us as did Agathiyar that we needed to shift to meditation or Dhynam. We took the opportunity to ask her to lead us on meditation which she did. Coming out of meditation she told us that Agathiyar has a message for us and went on to read the Nadi. We were surprised that Agathiyar too gave us our next tasks that of going deeper into meditation. He then addressed all the devotees gathered and left abruptly for his abode in Pothigai.

During Mataji's recent visit to AVM, with four heads of respective ashrams and peedhams including her, joining us, one would expect that these heads would be invited to take the stage and talk, preach and advise the gathering, we chose to let a devotee share his experience while on a pilgrimage to Sabarimalai instead. We made a difference here that the attendees appreciated. We have been breaking the norm and practices but the divine has never apprehended us for doing so but instead has appreciated our moves, thoughts, and perspectives positively.

Reflecting on the days happening and the years of worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, I asked Suren to note all that we spoke that night and pass it on for me to post it on this blog. Surendran summarized the talk beautifully. I present his text to you.

Agathiyar is so humble and is with full compassion. The person who gave Lord Rama a mantra can also guide humans like us. That shows his humility and compassion towards mankind and how much he can bring himself down just for our sake.

Agathiyar who has been here for 4 yuga, never ever brushed off anyone who is new to this path. He has always been motivating us to make sure we too experince god one day. Not once he has pinpointed on the differences between him and us. He has only mentioned how much we have progressed. Like how parents who will clap hands for their infants for simple efforts and achievement made, thats how Agathiyar is guiding and motivating us from behind even though our achievement might not be as great as his. Its all due to his blessings. That shows his humility. Whatever he has asked his devotees to do is for the betterment of the devotees and not for any of his personal gains.

In case a communication need to be set between us and him for a favor, wouldn't be begging to him be a better approach rather then complaining or demanding to him? What right do we have to complain or demand when we are the ones who are indebted to him. We always seek him with many wishes. Why not one day, one of our wish to him be to become like him, humble as him, compassionate as him, inteligent as him?

As a guru he has done his part. As a devotee, its our part to talk about his contributions and greatness rather then saying how much he has said and praised us. The first person who we should say all that is to he himself and hopefuly he will be happy that we have have been always grateful to him.

Agathiyar has always praised us and his disciples but never has he praised himself nor has he told us what hurdles and effort he took to fulfill our wishes. Whenever Agathiyar has something to say to his devotees he always wish and shows his gratitude to the lord or to his guru first. The way Agathiyar handles his disciples and devotees and how much respect he has for the lords and his guru are so captivating that he can be a good role model for anyone - the way he manages all his devotess, the respect he has for the lords and gurus, the way he explains about something on a different tone, on a difference level of depth which suits the people who listens it. He knows that we are in maya and worldly affairs but he still open his eyes and guides us in this worldly affairs.

On God - There is no object that can be used to describe the ultimate. The ultimate can only be experienced. To experience god more deeper, we have to prepare ourself for it. (Our camping base)

On Existence - the labels are purely maya. We have always existed, just that we don't realize our true nature and the real existence. With birth or without birth, we existed. Just that with birth we existed - covered by illusions. Realization happens when we know we are in existence forever.