THE LIFE & TIMES OF SRI JEGANATHAR, CHITRAMUTHU ADIGAL & SRI SARGURUNATHAR

When not much was known about Sri Jeganatha Swamigal except to those few around Tapah town in the state of Perak, Malaysia it took Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram, Kovai, Tamilnadu to come to our shores in 2007 and tell us about the history of Sri Jeganatha Swamigal. After roaming the length and breadth of India, Tavayogi wanted to go into samadhi. But Agathiyar had told him to come over to Malaysia where many were yearning to know the Siddha path. Tavayogi chose to speak about his Paramaguru Sri Jeganatha Swamigal in a venue dedicated to his guru Chitramuthu Adigal, the Arul Oli Mantram in Ipoh. We took the opportunity to record the revelation. It came as a gift to us for we came to know our guru lineage better. 

Several years later we were privileged to conduct puja and Yagam at Sri Jeganatha Swamigal's samadhi temple lead by Tavayogi and Mataji on their visit to Malaysia in 2016.

We were later blessed to conduct another puja and yagam in the Murugan temple at Tanneermalai or the Taiping waterfalls lead by Tavayogi and Mataji on this visit of theirs to Malaysia in 2016. This was a special occasion as we learned from Agathiyar in a reading for a devotee of his and someone from the AVM family from the Jeeva Nadi in possession of Tavayogi where Agathiyar passed on the message from Chitramuthu Adigal requesting us to carry out a Siddhar Puja at the temple grounds. We were elated to be given such a humongous task and a privilege to carry it out. We soon made plans and executed the puja to the satisfaction of our gurus. 

My friend sent me a link that shows an attempt by certain devotees of Sri Sargurunathar to trace his life history and document them. It is truly a commendable effort in documenting this great saint's life. My family and I were blessed to be brought to a couple of his ashram in Ooty by Tavayogi and Mataji when we visited the Kallar Ashram in 2013.

Let us watch the episodes together now.

In Tamil.

In English.

Siddha Heartbeat takes this opportunity to congratulate the producers of the series on YouTube tracing the life and times of Sri Sargurunathar. It is indeed a very commendable effort in bringing this saint before our eyes which we appreciate much.

EXPERIENCE IS THE KEY TO DISCOVERY 2

When I turned to books and the net for more information and understanding of the subject matter, it was interesting to learn about the body from the perspective of the Siddhas. How does the understanding defer from Allopathy? We are told that,

"Western medicine is symptomatic whereas Ayurveda looks at the root cause of the dis-ease. Ayurveda looks at the Roga (disease) and the Rogi ( patient) individually and provides a tailored treatment plan accordingly. The practitioner will identify your Dosha (Vata/Pitta/Kapha) and then prescribe your treatment. Western medicine practitioners are well trained to handle emergency situations and with the evolving high-quality biomedical technology, a plethora of treatments are available today. Ayurveda cannot be used alone during a casualty." (https://www.arogyaveda.org/post/ayurveda-vs-western-medicine)

It is interesting to note that the dosas are composed of the elements. Vata is composed of space and air; Pitta is composed of fire and water; Kapha is composed of earth and water. It is equally interesting to know that they carry attributes or qualities that govern our composure and emotions that stem as a result of a balance or an imbalance in our dosas respectively. 

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement — composed of Space and Air. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle and tissue movement, pulsation of the heart, and all movements in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, Vata promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, Vata produces fear and anxiety.

Pitta expresses as the body’s metabolic system — made up of Fire and Water. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism, and body temperature. In balance, pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta arouses anger, hatred, and jealousy.

Kapha is the energy that forms the body’s structure — bones, muscles, tendons — and provides the “glue” that holds the cells together, formed from Earth and Water. Kapha supplies the water for all bodily parts and systems. It lubricates joints, moisturizes the skin, and maintains immunity. In balance, Kapha is expressed as love, calmness, and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed, and envy. (https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide)

We are often told that we mirror what is in the universe too. From https://www.ayurvedacollege.com/blog/ayurveda-and-cycles-time-how-doshas-rule-day/ we learn further.

There is a natural ebb and flow within the natural world, including within your own body and mind. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are energetic forces that govern the tides of your life, and if you understand these forces, you can tune into the natural rhythms of the world, and make informed choices to help steer your life into healthful, harmonious directions.

We learn that there is a cycle of times as to how the dosas rule the day. Read further at https://www.ayurvedacollege.com/blog/ayurveda-and-cycles-time-how-doshas-rule-day/ It is true that the purging of the three dosas in me kept to regular hours and coincided with the cycle of times mentioned. 

Sharing my current state with Arivananthan, he made me realized a few things that Tavayogi, Ramalinga Adigal, and Agathiyar had told me earlier. When I had asked if Tavayogi would achieve a certain state of spirituality, he humbly replied that he could not as time had passed, telling me that it had to take place before 60 years of age. Arivananthan too told me the same. As to the word of caution by Agathiyar in doing the full set of exercises again, Arivananthan explained that we needed to find the right postures and pranayama techniques that are conducive to our body temperament as we age. I understood what was applicable to a 48-year-old would not be applicable when he turns 61. As for the obstacles to meditation that were placed promptly just as I was instructed to go within, Ramalinga Adigal told me that I have to live with it and that I shall soon get over it. Arivananthan tells me instead of ignoring them, to accept them and be at peace with them. This attitude shall help us overcome these obstacles. 

From https://www.kalindiyoga.co.uk/ we learn about the sheaths or koshas that are related too.

"The food sheath or Annamaya kosha pertains to our physical bodies made up of the material elements of the physical world."

As Ruzbeh N Bharucha mentions seven cosmic energies residing in the causal body, we learn that, 

"We are composed of five vital energies, all of which flow through the physical body via the astral plane; prana, apana, samana, udana and vyana". The pranamaya kosha that belongs to the astral body, contains the five organs of action (the karma indriyas); mouth, hands, feet, anus and genitals. Within this kosha, we experience hot, cold, hunger, and thirst etc."

"The mental sheath or Manomaya kosha sits in the astral body too. We can experience thinking, doubting, anger, lust etc. The elements are; mind (manas), subconscious (chitta), and the jnana indriyas (the organs of knowledge; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin)."

"The intellectual sheath or Vijnanamaya kosha relates to the astral body. It consists of the intellect (known as the buddhi) which analyses the information we receive. It also controls the ego (ahamkara), our self-assertive principle. It works alongside the five organs of knowledge, listed above. Discrimination and decision making are its manifestations."

"The bliss sheath or Anandamaya kosha is the only kosha that sits in the causal body. It's the part of us that experiences bliss, joy, and peace. This is the part of us that we tend to lose connection with as it's the most difficult body to feel. Our aim in yoga is to reach a connection with the anandamaya kosha - when we reach that inner place where everything is silent and calm, we have found our connection with anandamaya."

My friend in a very timely manner received a message this morning from his guru during meditation. How wonderful it was to read it because it pertains to today's post. I told him that his guru as always comes through him to give the final touch to these posts. He wrote,

I asked Her about bodily changes taking place in sadhana. She said that they are a consequence of sadhana, but, that no Master will let those changes cause bodily discomfort beyond what can be tolerated.

I am so elated that she echoed what Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal said, having briefly mentioned what was taking place and telling me that I have to go through them but rest assured that they would be at my side. She has answered the fear, questions, doubts, happenings, and changes, that arise as I battle with my body trying to understand why it is behaving the way it does, and struggle to settle into meditation. Amma continues, 

"That worship of the Supreme, done by this embodiment (the gross body), is Bhakthi Yoga. When sufficient, diligent progress is made on the Path, with the Grace and Blessings of the Masters, that worship turns inwards, towards the Source, the Self, it is the beginning of Gnana Yoga. As one goes further inward, the process of internalisation gets more intense. The embodiment ceases to be relevant to sadhana. The annamaya kosam exists merely as a shadow. The sadhana is continued by the sukuma sareera... a combination of manomaya kosam and pranamaya kosam (astral body). This retains the wisdom and karma of sadhana, transversing the many births the soul takes, until, one fine day, in the suitable birth, Gnana is given to the soul, by the Masters and Lord Shiva. Oneness becomes a reality. Though the soul retains its identity and performs gross deeds, with the instrument of the body, in addition to the subtle deeds performed, it is no more under the sway of Maya. (ஆணவமும் கன்மமும் உண்டு; மாயை இல்லை). The science and tantra of creation, sustenance, and dissolution becomes clear, as is the role played so far, and henceforth."

"Such a time period is measured by Prana. The external breath is not material or relevant to sadhana, though it is required in the beginning. When Prana takes control, the mind starts to die. Pulsations of the Prana is the only determinant that can be gauged but not controlled. If your sadhana is good, then, you feel the beat of Prana. The best way to know your progress is to be aware that as you enter deeper into meditation, the body reduces, and ceases to breathe. Watch this."

EXPERIENCE IS THE KEY TO DISCOVERY 1

All the reading and Satsang I did in my bachelor days brought on numerous questions and doubts that were not clarified. Then Lord Shiva came in a dream and asked that I keep my questions to a later date. At about the same time I was transferred bringing a stop to my home puja and temple visits too. There was a period of hibernation from all forms of worship and a stop to all my reading. Today I understand why the divine intervened that day and brought a stop to my endeavors. He wanted me to have practical knowledge rather than bookish knowledge. He wanted me to get on the ground and wet my feet and soil my hands. He wanted me to start the rituals by doing it myself rather than be a spectator. He wanted me to be officially introduced to my gurus, and directly learn the path, the method, and teachings from them by following them rather than picking them up from other sources. He wanted me to have the experiences that I had read about in the pages of the books before. 

Experience is the key to discovery. The Siddhas give us experiences and then educate us on it. Life then is a continuous process of learning. Learning is never complete as experiences don't end abruptly overnight either for the journey continues till our last breath. Goddess Ma told us that the Siddha path is one of learning. These shall become wisdom or Gnana for another. Agathiyar later, asks us to go within where the experiences one has in traveling within will become Gnana. The body provides us ample opportunities to experience life. 

As I battle with my body trying to understand why it is behaving the way it does these days and struggle to settle into meditation, Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came to briefly mention what was taking place. After I ventured to carry out yoga asanas and pranayama in 2007 it culminated in the three dosas becoming displaced erratically resulting in extreme discomfort and bodily aches in 2011. Agathiyar then put a stop to it, suggesting that I take certain herbs to bring some balance back to the three dosas. It was a traumatic period where I began to dread that the day would dawn as I felt the pain in my body and especially in my lower back especially in these hours before daybreak. I would drag myself out of bed and get ready to drive to work. I found some relief from following Agathiyar's recommendation and continuing with physiotherapy. Then one day a miracle took place. My physiotherapists asked me if I was doing the 5 exercises she showed me at home daily. I told her that I did. Surprisingly she asked me to do it in front of her. The moment I began to move into the first pose, something snapped in my lower back at the exact point of pain that I had endured for some three years. It was as if a knot gave way. It brought instant relief and joy. I cried out in relief. I was cured that day. 

But the pain recurred again in 2016. Dhanvantri came to heal it telling me that I had excess Vata in me. Tavayogi and Mataji who were visiting us in Malaysia then gave a herbal preparation to bring some relief. It went off just as it had come on. 

In 2018 the pain came back. Lord Muruga came through the Nadi and through a devotee simultaneously to heal by back with the feathers of the peacock and having me drink water charged with the Arutperunjothi mantra. Later I came to understand that he had healed my causal body or Karana Sarira, being the seed of the subtle or astral and gross body and where all illness, disease, and pain originates. The divine deals with the unseen and unknown while we see only the gross.

The causal body is the most subtle of the three and is contained within the other two. It is the body that transports the essence of the individual from one life into the next reincarnation.  It is composed of karma and samskara, which are, respectively, the record of the yogi's actions in all states of existence and the experiential impressions and imprints on the mind. (https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5802/causal-body)

We learn further from Ruzbeh N Bharucha's writings at https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/the-three-bodies-that-encase-the-soul-633928 of the three bodies and its nature. What is very obvious to us is our physical body made of matter, which is made of five elements namely Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Next, we are told of the subtle or astral body, made of three elements namely mind or manas, subconscious or Chitta, and the organs of knowledge; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin, or jnana indriyas. Finally, the causal body, that covers both these bodies, is made of three elements, namely the Prime Ether or Param Akash Tatwa, Prime Air or Param Vayu Tatwa, and Prime Fire or Param Agni Tatwa. The causal body drives the astral while the astral drives the gross physical body. 

It contains all our previous experiences, memories, habits and information on all the lives we have already lived. The astral and the causal bodies remain together at the time of death, both exiting the physical body. (https://www.kalindiyoga.co.uk/)

This is how we function. The Param Akash Tatwa binds and holds and determines the health of the individual. Hence the need to care for this and the overall causal body is of prime concern to us and the divinity in us. And so it happened that Lord Muruga dealt with my causal body and its ailment by stroking my back with a bunch of peacock feathers.

First, the disease attacks or gets ingrained into the causal body. That is because it’s the first layering of one’s body and also the most subtle. Closest to the soul is the Param Akash Tatva, then Param Vayu Tatva and then the Param Agni Tatva. (Source: https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/the-three-bodies-that-encase-the-soul-633928/the-three-bodies-that-encase-the-soul-425563)

Ruzbeh mentions seven cosmic energies residing in the causal body that is continuously charged by the cosmic energies in the atmosphere. Hence the reason for Lord Muruga to get all those gathered at my home to chant the Arutperunjothi mantra and have me drink the charged and energized water. The back pain subsided after some time. 

We learn that "Yoga's purpose is to maser (amplify) the energies of these three bodies, starting with the gross or physical, then the subtle or astral, and finally, the causal body." https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5802/causal-body)

Yoga, like "Ayurveda that looks at the root cause of the dis-ease", helps us to connect with our various bodies. "We can balance or heighten these elements through our asana practice." (https://www.kalindiyoga.co.uk/)

The causal body contains the anandamaya kosha (bliss), where the yogi experiences calmness, peace and joy. A yogi connects with the causal body through the last two of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, which are dhyana (meditation or concentration) and samadhi (superconsciousness or bliss). ( https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5802/causal-body ) 

My physical body or Kariya Sarira was merely mirroring the pain and discomfort. Its cause was somewhere else. I understood that if we want to know the attribute of the elements or dosas, we need to experience them. Today I understand what Agathiyar meant then, that the pain that I endeavored for some three years as superficial and only skin deep or ஸ்பரிச உணர்வு and why he brushed it off lightly - to my dismay. I know how painful it was. But I understand that he wants me to go beyond the pain, the physical and astral body, and its limitations. 

"Our astral bodies are our way of feeling pleasure or pain. It relates to our senses, five organs of action (known as karma indriyas), five organs of knowledge (known as jnana indriyas), five pranas and four elements of antahkarana (the inner instrument). This antahkarana is made up of the mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), subconscious (chitta) and ego (ahamkara). So in total there are 19 elements that make up our astral body - the body used for feeling and sensing." (https://www.kalindiyoga.co.uk/)

Earlier my friend had shared a message by Swami Satchidananda that explains the Antahkarana further. It is interesting to note that there is a solution to end one's karma too. 

“கரணங்கள் நான்கும் தனக்குள் ஒடுங்கிடில் கருமம் இல்லையென்று பாரு” - அகண்ட பரிபூரண சச்சிதானந்த சற்குரு சுவாமிகள்.

The Swami says that once the four Antakaranangal or அந்தக் கரணங்கள் (மனம், புத்தி, சித்தம், அகங்காரம்) subside, one's karma is conquered. 

அதாவது மனம், புத்தி, சித்தம், அகங்காரம் என்ற நான்கு அந்தகரணங்களும் அவற்றால் ஆட்டிவைக்கப்படும் பஞ்சஞானேந்திரியங்களையும் அடக்கினால் வினைகள் தீரும். வினைகள் தீர்ந்தால், நாம் எடுத்த பிறவியின் நோக்கம் புலப்படும் என்றார். அத்துடன் அகங்காரம் நீங்க சாந்தத்தைப் பற்றிக்கொள்ளுங்கள் என்றார். அடங்காமல் அலைந்துகொண்டிருக்கும் சித்தத்தை அடக்க, ஏகம் என்ற எங்கும் நிறைந்திருக்கும் சிவத்தைப் பற்றிக்கொள்ளவும் கூறினார். புத்தி தெளிவு பெற சத்தியத்தைப் பற்றிக்கொள்ளுங்கள்; பின்னர் மனம் தானாகவே இறையுடன் ஒன்றும் என்று போதித்தார்.

When the five organs of knowledge (the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin) or பஞ்ச ஞானேந்திரியங்கள் (கண், மூக்கு, செவி, வாய், மெய்) that is moved by the four Antahkaranas to perform subside as a result of subduing the former, the karma dissolves. Once the karma is shed we shall come to know the reason and purpose for our birth and this lifetime. Agathiyar told us that once we journey within and take on the new experiences we shall reach a state where we shall learn our purpose in coming here. To rid our karma we need to tackle the four Antahkaranas namely mind (manas), intellect (buddhi), subconscious (Chitta), and ego (ahamkara). Swami Satchidananda shows us the means too. By working on our ego or ahamkara by being cool in all matters and situations; bringing the subconscious or Chitta that roams about to sit still by taking the hand of the divine and that has to be only one; adopting honesty in life to have clarity in intellect or buddhi, eventually, the mind or manas shall automatically merge in God. 

In September 2019 Agathiyar asked me to start back on the yoga asanas and pranayama that I had learned from Tavayogi in 2007 and put into practice. But he cautioned me that it was not necessary to do the whole set of asanas and pranayama but select those that he told me I shall come to know. Besides these practices, he gave me a single dose of his Agathiyar Kuzhambu to consume. It was like the end of life for me as I began to call out to all the Gods and Goddesses for help. I threw up, I peed, I excreted all at once. I was crawling, and dragging myself from the toilet to the washroom numerous times. However deadly the session was, when it subsided I felt relieved and "alive" with a feeling of joy running through my body. I was relieved to recall Siddhar practitioner Arivananthan who prepared the magic portion on the instruction of Agathiyar, tell me one takes this purgative only once in six months. But my joy was short-lived. Agathiyar told me to take another formula that I could prepare myself and that had an equally potent effect. I managed for some 51 days before giving up. I think the duration I took it was sufficient for Agathiyar did not mention it again until.... lately when the three dosas were expelled on its own accord without taking the purgatives. I asked him to end it, and he tells me it was no easy task to clear the body of the impurities. He tells me it was not easy clearing the junk that I had accumulated and stored for some 61 years now. I shall have to bear with it. 

IT IS ALL ABOUT EXPERIENCING

The reason I wrote, "My Story" in the last blog post is that when I came to the path, there was no written document on the experiences of devotees, seekers, aspirants, and sadhakas upon being introduced and coming to the path of the Siddhas. All we had were the autobiographies and biographies, articles, and books on those who had already achieved a standing in the religious and spiritual world. These were of Siddhas, Yogis, saints, masters, and gurus. There was no sharing of the journey by the common man, the freshie, the newcomer, the new seeker, and the follower. 

When Pandit Gopi Krishna wrote his autobiography "Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man (later renamed Living with Kundalini)", "he presented his personal account of the phenomenon of his awakening of Kundalini", it was a welcome change, coming from an ordinary man.

"In the introduction to Krishna's book, Frederic Spiegelberg writes: Being exposed to Gopi Krishna's experiences is like meeting a space traveler who seemingly for no purpose has landed on a strange and unknown star without the standard equipment of the professional astronaut, and who simply reports about the bewildering landscape around him, colorfully, truthfully, without really knowing exactly what he has found. We have here, in this wholly unintellectual personality, a classical example of a simple man, uneducated in Yoga, who yet through intense labour and persistent enthusiasm, succeeds in achieving, if not Samadhi, yet some very high state in Yoga perfection, based entirely on his inner feeling development and not at all on ideas and traditions. . ." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopi_Krishna_(yogi)

Similarly, there was no documented guideline on the worship of Siddhas. What was available were tiny bits of information, songs, methods given to small groups of followers by their respective gurus, masters, and leaders of associations in the name of Siddhas. I began to compile, for a start, all the songs that I managed to find from books, the net, and audios that I could use to sing during my puja to the Siddhas. That is how "Siddhar Vazhipaadu - The Complete Book of Hymns to the Siddhas" came about.

 

We used it during our Koottu Prathanai or Joint or Group prayers. Soon others appreciated this small endeavor of mine and brought these songs into the temples and their homes. My family and I were blessed to have had the opportunity and privilege given by Tavayogi to sing from this compilation some songs in praise of the Siddhas at his Kallar Ashram once in 2013 and again with the AVM family in 2016.

I began to plan my maiden trip to India in 2003 after Agathiyar asks me to go over and carry out my remedies as suggested in my Nadi reading. I opened up Google maps and traced the temples he had designated that I visit. I also took notes of the temples along the route to the mentioned temples. This was the start of my documentation on paper. After visiting each temple I would write briefly about my experiences either as I was driven around or after I returned to the hotel. Coming back home I posted my travels in India on several websites and travel blogs. I continued writing on my experience on all aspects of Siddha worship on my website indianheartbeat. When I traveled with Tavayogi to the abodes of the Siddhas on my second trip to India in 2005, I took notes again and wrote about it. Soon as I found blogging was more user friendly in terms of embedding media, I opted to blog. Hence Siddha Heartbeat was "heard" for the first time. 

Jnana Jyothiamma was an ardent reader and strong follower and contributor to this blog. Having been born in Kerala, studied in Tamilnadu, and settled in the USA, she made her way to Tavayogi's Kallar Ashram in late 2011 after reading my piece on my maiden travels. This is Jnana Jyothiamma's first mail to me on 30th June 2011. 

"Greetings to you Sir, I am Mrs Menon. I was reading an article from Agasthiar.com. ..... I read all the articles posted on Sadhguru Venkataraman's site.... when one link led to another and then to another another and finally saw this link ........ My travels with Supramania Swamy. This interested me a lot .... I had for a very long time trying to find out visit Saint Agasthiar's cave. What is this person who is mentioned as Tavayogi. Is he a guide or an Enlightened Master. Then I saw this link which shows...."email me ". Hence I thought I would email and find out the details of all that is mentioned here. I would also like to know who shanmugam avadaiyappa is / regards Mrs Menon." 

Her love for Agathiyar at AVM was so great that she traveled to my home in 2013 and again in 2014. After her initiation at Kallar, Agathiyar took her into his fold and nurtured her further. She was the right candidate, whom Agathiyar chose to do his work. I shared her travels in my blog, for hers was an account of an ordinary person and a devotee turned sadhaka and daughter of Agathiyar whom he began grooming to become a Guru right in front of us. I had written a biography on her having compiled every detail of her experience with Agathiyar that she shared with me, first through the e-mails, and later through Skype. But I hesitate to publish it for her end came too soon even before the predictions Agathiyar gave regarding her materialized. I did not want it to be seen as a prophecy that went wrong and have Agathiyar stand in a bad light. I learned later that she had torn all her writings on her side, thus giving me more reason not to release it. I understood that she did not want the name, glamour, and honor that Agathiyar was to bestow on her but opted to be at his feet forever. Hence, he took her back into his arms. Read about her visit at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2013/09/jnana-jyothi-amma-visits-malaysia.html

Going by the messages and emails I received, I am happy that this blog has served a small group of devotees of Agathiyar yearning to know about Agathiyar, the Siddhas, and the path and wanting to start worship to them and perform rituals. I am grateful to Agathiyar to have used me as a tool to share his messages that come in numerous ways and means. I too am learning with you readers what is being revealed and shared. The revelations amaze me too. It is all news to me too. 

The blog only speaks about the compassion of the Siddhas in wanting to see all of us rise up and become one of them. The intention in sharing is not to beat the drum about our achievements but to share the possibilities and the means out there for all of us to at least attempt or try. The tagline for this blog states, "An Avenue that Showcases the Workings of the Siddhas", and there is a short note that confronts anyone wanting to comment, "These blog postings are purely about devotion (Bakthi) and miracles and are those of beginners who have taken the first step in exploring the mysterious and mystical world of Siddhas", asking those who have advanced spiritually to refrain or reserve their comments. This blog is about exploring the path of the Siddhas by individuals who are ordinary people. It is about losing our way and getting back on track with the Siddha showing the way. It is about making mistakes and learning lessons from them. It is about falling and hurting ourselves and given a hand to get up again. It's a journey of individuals trying to figure out and piece together the many pieces picked up on the journey. It is about understanding the messages, the teachings, the practices, and methods. It is a documentation of the adventure and experiences of individuals walking the path. These are simple stories and encounters of individuals that are shared for the benefit of, again, beginners on the initial, preliminary, or primary stages of discovering the Siddha way. We try to relate the workings of the Siddhas with what we encounter while taking their path. It is not about established doctrines or the revelation of the secrets of the path. It is neither a Gospel nor a Holy Book. Hence there is no need to debate, refute, or accept the experiences shared in these pages, for as we all know experiences vary from person to person. I had to clarify on the onset about the nature of the blog to its readers so that they can move on if they were seeking to know the doctrines, ideologies, and secrets of the Siddhas. Here we try not to even touch on the history of the Siddhas for it is debatable as it borders touching on the fringes of mysticism, legends, myths, Puranas, and heavenly stories. We have stayed clear of issues that are debatable preferring to talk about personal experiences with the Siddhas and the miracles shown, with the belief that no one would or ought to debate or argue about another's experiences.

MY STORY

My life's journey began some 61 years back. I can hardly remember the years when I was an infant and a toddler. I need to be told how I was and what I did then by my mother and siblings. The years as a kid stays in my memory. The teen years too are fresh in my memory. The years as a young adult and later an adult too. Then I took on the role of a husband when my wife came along. I am grateful to her to want to live with me. Then I was elevated to the role of a father with the coming of my daughters. They gave me the position of a father that brought me a new status in society. I am grateful to them. Today my granddaughters have elevated me and my wife even higher to the status of grandparents. I am grateful to them too. 

Taking birth, growing up with siblings, making friends in the neighborhood and school, and later in college, we travel the road that takes shape with each step we take. I never had any inkling where I was headed. I never had any ambitions. I never drew a blueprint for life. I never planned. But yet everything happened in due time on its own course. The schooling, the college, the job, the bike, the wife and marriage, the car, children, the home, and the Path all fell into place. I never anticipated that the divine shall visit us and eventually come to stay with us. As a kid my parents used to share stories of how the Gods walked the earth, coming into the homes and dreams of devotees and perform miracles. Seeing it happen even now gives us goosebumps. I was saved by the Gods, I am told. As an infant, I was cured of continuous purging, on the condition I was given to the Chinese deities in adoption. My Godfather shadowed me since then, although I never realized his presence till I was told by a priest in a Chinese temple. 

After having performed simple home puja daily at dawn and dusk with devotion and reading and discussing religion for some 8 years between 1980 and 1988, there came a period of hibernation of 14 years forced on me between 1988 and 2002, to save me from becoming a lunatic. Then the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon came into my dreams every night. I did not know why? Then I suppose it was time for me to know the Siddhas. But before that, I had to clear the path for my guru to arrive. For one who had left all forms of worship and beliefs, I was given a Vasudeva mantra that came quite unexpected in 2001. Armed with the mantra and a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy that was given too, I renewed my worship, including to Goddess Ma in all her forms during Navarathri. A year later I was moved to read the Nadi in 2002. Agathiyar addressed me asking me to worship him and the Siddhas besides Lord Ganapathy and Lord Shiva. The following year in 2003, after completing my remedies or parikaaram as suggested in the Nadi, I met Supramania Swami in Tiruvannamalai just hours before I returned to Malaysia. He was to become my first guru. Three years on in 2005, Agathiyar brought Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham, Kallar, Kovai to Malaysia. I took initiation from him after he listened to my sharing of the Nadi reading where Agathiyar asked me to come to the path of the Siddhas. Thus started a journey into the unknown, at least for me. Tavayogi introduced me to Agathiyar and moved back into the shadows. Tavayogi was akin to the saint in Osho's story "The Holy Shadow". He showed me rituals, much the same that he did at his Kallar Ashram. I performed them in my home with my family. Tavayogi taught us several yoga asanas and pranayama in 2007 that I put into practice and saw its results. 

"Good respiratory health depends on whether or not the body effectively removes mucus from the lungs and airways."* Although "The lungs are self-cleaning organs that will begin to heal themselves once their exposure to pollutants stops, for example, when someone quits smoking"*, the pranayama exercises we do serve to enhance our breathing capacity and aid in clearing the lungs. Mucus is got rid of, and the wind is expelled. Coughing that accompanies the exercise is "the body’s way of naturally expelling toxins that it has trapped in mucus."* Further mucus is drained using the traditional Neti pot or other modern means. We tend to breathe better as the passages are cleared.  

Soon in 2013, Agathiyar sent devotees of his over to watch and learn the worship of Siddhas. My wish then was for them not to congregate each Thursday at my home but to learn the method and begin doing these rituals in their homes instead. The highlight of my worship to the Siddhas was the day I moved away from the shadows of my guru when Tavayogi gave me and my family the privilege to sing the names and praises of the Siddhas at his ashram during our visit in 2013. Later in 2016, he gave the AVM family the privilege to lead the recitation of the songs again during Agathiyar's Jayanthi and Annual Guru Puja. Although they have left their mortal frames, my gurus have since then been with us in the subtle form, guiding and looking over our shoulders. 

The mantra initiation that Tavayogi gave connected us with Agathiyar. The rituals that Tavayogi showed us served to clear our homes for the arrival of the Gods and Goddesses and the Siddhas and saints into our homes. The recitation of the names of the Siddhas paved the way for them to visit us bridging the two realms, heaven, and earth. The Homa opened up a portal, bridging our plane and dimension with the realm of the Siddhas. Internally, the Yoga that Tavayogi taught us served to rid the body of toxins accumulated over the years, bringing a sluggish body into top form. Once the respiratory system is strengthened, the energy channels are activated either from their sleep or rejuvenated if sluggish. The Yoga Tavayogi taught cleared the way for the divine energy dormant in all of us to awaken and travel its way naturally, clearing all blockages along its way, by its own force. The intense heat or Tava Kanal that is generated subtly as a result of regular puja, performing rituals, conducting Homa or lighting the sacred fire, or the touch, look, or presence of the guru, or adopting the practice given during initiation or Yogic exercises or all in combination initiates this movement and sustains it till the second chakra. Henceforth the divine takes charge. During this process, excessive discomfort and extreme and acute pain is experienced as blockages are cleared. The three dosas go haywire. It can be frightening and worrying at times but with the faith in the guru and assurance given by him and knowing well that his ever-watchful eyes are watching us, we come through the ordeal well. The herbs that Agathiyar recommended aided in stabilizing the 3 dosas. All these were only revealed to me after having gone through the ordeal for some three years. Agathiyar asked me to drop all forms of practice in 2011. 

He started me back on it after 8 years in 2019. But this time around he left it to me to figure out the parts or portions of the asana and pranayama practice that Tavayogi taught, that would be suitable at this moment in time. I have since started doing some of it. Besides yoga he got me to take his magical portion Agathiyar Kuzhambu, a purgative, that did "wonders" in expelling the three dosas, Kapha, Pitta, and Vata that were in excess. Mucus and phlegm are expelled from the respiratory system through the nose, throat, and mouth. Toxins from the solid organs namely the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, and the hollow organs that make up the GI tract are expelled through vomit. In defecating, all food residues and the excess wind is expelled - all three dosas expelled simultaneously. Later he gave another simple but yet equally effective formula to drink to detoxify. I struggled to take it for 51 days and gave up. The numerous other Kaya Kalpa medicines that he had channeled to us through good samaritans served to strengthen and fortify the body further. 

Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, and the Siddhas kept reminding us to kindle the flame that we lit in our homes to burn bigger and brighter to prepare for the arrival of the parent flame Arutperunjothi. When the coast was clear and the body prepared, at least to a certain level of acceptance, it was time for the divine to come within as Light with assistance from Ramalinga Adigal. The divine, its light, and energies, begin working within to make it a perfect vessel and dwelling of his on earth initially and transforming it slowly into a vessel that is suited to travel beyond the worlds. They are still working on us trying to bring a transformation within, telling us that it would not be easy to shed all the impurities that have come to become flesh and blood in us. I am still throwing up and discharging the three dosas Kapha, Pitta, and Vata and the rest of the accumulated waste and toxins, but without the need to take purgatives or other laxatives. It seems to happen on its own and at regular times now. 

Curious to know I served the net and came across a table of cycles of times the dosas rule at https://www.ayurvedacollege.com/blog/ayurveda-and-cycles-time-how-doshas-rule-day/ It confirms what I am going through currently. It begins with Kapha forming in the throat towards the evening that is spat out. Kapha I learn is dominant from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm when the water and earth elements accumulate. Pitta comes to the fore and is quite easily expelled too through vomit between the hours of 10:00 pm to 2:00 am when the elements fire and water accumulate. Wind and bodily aches trouble me naturally as the space and air elements accumulate between 2:00 am to 6:00 am when Vata reigns. Yoga helps expel the wind though I have to bear the bodily aches. Meditation has become a challenge for me these days because of this imbalance. Asking for mercy and to expedite the process Agathiyar told me that it was not so easy to bring the change. I have to bear the dislodging, desludging, and expulsions for some time longer I suppose. But all this is happening now at the appropriate moment and in a very timely manner where I am at home the whole day and it does not disrupt my life, career, or family as I have retired and stay with my wife. In warning me that there was more to it, that the body will emit a foul smell and become constipated, Agathiyar brought the shutters down and closed the door to all the regular rites, rituals, and puja and the devotees who frequented AVM and reinstated asana and pranayama and initiated us to go within. He only asked that we do not fail to celebrate his annual Jayanthi puja that falls on Thaipusam day each year. He did allow Malarvathy and Mahindran who took up the initiation he offered, to come by on Thursdays and bathe and dress him up though. Agathiyar has roped in Ramalinga Adigal to help us with meditation, asking us to sit quietly and observe the breath as soon as we are done with the rigorous and active aspect of the pranayama techniques taught.

A reader emailed me in 2010 the very first time, saying, "Sir, I read with interest your search on the path. It is, indeed, a very rewarding and rich experience. I do take this opportunity to wish you more Grace and Fulfillment in the times to come." This friendship bridge survives to this day. He has been enlightening me with many revelations, some that I have shared with readers of this blog. Recently he shared another message from his guru in the silent hours of his meditation. 

I was with Amma this evening. I may be a bit disjointed. Please bear with me. She started teaching me about breath. There are three types of breath... Active Breathing, Passive Breathing and No Breathing. Passive breathing is self-explanatory... takes place inspite of and despite our awareness, such as in sleep. Active breathing is among the various methods one does to regulate breath... the science of breathing... pranayama, in other words. Both of these help in better vitality to the body. The siddhars, on pursuing their sadhana, along the lines of Ashtanga Yoga, enter samadhi. In this state, breathing ceases. Yet, vitality remains. Life, as we know it, exists. How does the body get this vitality? She said that vitality pervades throughout Creation, as Prana. Even inanimate objects, like a stone, needs this vitality, and "breathes". She referred me to Siddha Avvaiyar's விநாயகர் அகவல். "கருத்தினில் கபால வாயில் காட்டி".  The top of the skull, has a hollow depression in new born children, called the anterior fontanelle. This remains open for a period of a year, and finally, fuses to become solid all around. In sadhana, the anterior fontanelle reopens, melted, as it were, by the psychic heat that is generated. Then, this vitality or prana, does not need the vehicle of breath/air to enter and replenish, regenerate and maintain life. It will enter through this ingress.

"இருத்தி முத்தி இனிது எனக்கு அருளி
என்னை அறிவித்து எனக்கு அருள் செய்து
முன்னை வினையின் முதலை கலைந்தே..."

To my limited understanding, it appears that once the alternate channel for ingress of prana opens, vitality remains forever, realization dawns, liberation from the cycle of birth and death occurs, and with Divine Grace, the root cause of birth cycles, karma vinai ends.

I had suggested that he begin blogging and share these wonderful messages but he chooses to stay away from the limelight and attention. I guess I shall continue dispensing the messages he receives and shares with me through this blog posting for the time being. Thank you, dear friend.

*https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324483#is-it-possible-to-cleanse-your-lungs
**https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide

STORYTIME

My granddaughter used to walk up to me and ask what I was doing on my laptop? I would reply that I was blogging. She would then ask why are you writing a blog? I would reply so that others shall read. Yesterday I decided to read something from my blog to her. I chose to read the story of the saint known as "Holy Shadow" that I posted last since she is fond of stories. 

Let me tell you one very famous Sufi story, “The Holy Shadow.” There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words — he gave, he forgave — yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.

The angels said to God, “Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”

God replied, “Ask what it is that he wishes.”

They said to the saint, “Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?”

“No,” answered the saint. “I would rather God do that.”

“Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?”

“No, that is the angels’ mission. It is not for me to convert.”

“Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?”

I had hardly completed reading the third question from the angels when she told me this (story sounds like) is like "Green Eggs & Ham." This three-year-old could relate the mode of the story with that of Dr. Seuss's famous story. This story was a family favorite with us reading it to my elder daughter and later younger daughter when they were kids and now to our granddaughter.

 

It amazes me how quickly these kids can grab the nuances of things told. We have to prepare ourselves to learn a lot from them.

SHADOW OF GOD

In an earlier post, we learned from Osho in his "Book of Secrets" that life has two banks to it, both opposites and contradicting each other and that, "They appear to be contradictory, but they are co-operative." Life as we know is "a rhythm between opposites: male and female, positive and negative, day and night, birth and death. Life cannot exist without this rhythm between the opposites." But he says "The appearance is false. For those who have come to surpass this duality, "Life contains all. Tantra is neither for this nor for that – Tantra is for all. Tantra has no standpoint of its own really. All standpoints that are possible are contained in it. It is big. It can contradict itself because it contains all. It is not partial, it is the whole. Hence it is holy." An enlightened man sees it as such. 

A friend wrote,

There is no duality. Duality is but an illusion. There is no day nor night, no sunrise or sunset, no darkness nor light, no cold nor hot. If the objectives don't exist, how can subjectives of right and wrong, sin and virtue, known and unknown exist. Darkness and cold cannot be measured. All that takes place is the Will of Lord Shiva, which He executes by His Will and Grace. It is only the ego which thinks it is right or wrong, accurate or not.

To one who has dropped the veil, the opposites both seem co-operative, supportive of each other. Hence he is not disillusioned or disturbed. He does not complain, argue, or debate over it. Knowing that it is holy neither does he touch it, mend it nor manipulate it. To one who is enlightened, he does not play god. 

We saw in the last post that Saint Manickavasagar's humble prayer and asking is the greatest prayer. 

You know what I want,

You give me all I want,

You who are not reachable to Brahma and Hari,

Have come to embrace me,

However your grace shall be,

I shall accept it,

If there is a gift,

That too I shall leave it to you.

வேண்டத் தக்கது அறிவோய் நீ,

வேண்ட முழுவதும் தருவோய் நீ,

வேண்டும் அயன், மால்க்கு அரியோய் நீ,

வேண்டி என்னைப் பணிகொண்டாய்!

வேண்டி நீ யாது அருள் செய்தாய்,

யானும் அதுவே வேண்டின் அல்லால்,

வேண்டும் பரிசு ஒன்று உண்டு என்னில்,

அதுவும் உன் தன் விருப்பு அன்றே!

See the full song குழைத்தப பத்து - ஆத்தும நிவேதனம் at https://ta.wikisource.org/wiki

The friend shared this wonderful story that was forwarded to him some time back and I had posted it earlier at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/06/going-beyond-accepting-offers.html. But as it is so good and as it tallies with Saint Manickavasagar's prayer it is posted in full again. It is a story told from Basanth Rahul's "Choose Peace", a compilation of 20 similar inspiring stories. This story was originally told by Osho in his "Yoga the Alpha and Omega Vol-9". (https://www.spiritual-short-stories.com/the-holy-shadow-story-by-osho/) 

In elaborating one of Patanjali's sutra "Tad Vairagyatapitosh Bikshaye Kaivalyam", 

By being non attached to even these powers,

The seed of bondage is destroyed.

Then follows Kaivalya, Liberation. 

Osho explains,

"There should be an avoidance of any attachment or pride to invitations from the Superphysical Entities in Charge of various planes because this would bring the possibility of the revival of Evil. It is very satisfying, gratifying, to have spiritual powers, and it gives you such a subtle joy of the ego, so pure, that you cannot feel any sting in it. You are trying to find out the whole; and the whole is possible only when all sorts of egoistic trips are dropped and sacrificed. When you are not, God is"

Osho goes on to relate the story. God had asked a Sufi saint what he wanted through his angels. 

Let me tell you one very famous Sufi story, “The Holy Shadow.” 

There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words — he gave, he forgave — yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.

The angels said to God, “Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”

God replied, “Ask what it is that he wishes.”

They said to the saint, “Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?”

“No,” answered the saint. “I would rather God do that.”

“Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?”

“No, that is the angels’ mission. It is not for me to convert.”

“Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?”

“No,” replied the saint. “If men should be attracted to me, they would become estranged from God.” 

“What is it that you desire, then?” asked the angels.

“What can I wish for?” asked the saint smiling. “That God gives me his grace; with that would I not have everything?”

The angels said, “You must ask for a miracle, or one will be forced upon you.”

“Very well,” said the saint. “That I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.”

The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him or to either side, so that he could not see it, it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow. When the saint walked along, his shadow, thrown on the ground on either side or behind him, made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried-up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women.

The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. The people, respecting his humility, followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name, and called him “The Holy Shadow.”

This is the ultimate: one has to become the holy shadow, just a shadow of God. This is the greatest revolution that can happen to a human being: the transfer of the center. You are no longer your own center; God becomes your center. You live like his shadow. You are not powerful, because you don’t have any center to be powerful. You are not virtuous; you don’t have any center to be virtuous. You are not even religious; you don’t have any center to be religious. You are simply not, a tremendous emptiness, with no barriers and blocks, so the divine can flow through you unhindered, uninterpreted, untouched — so the divine can flow through you as he is, not as you would like him to be. He does not pass through your center — there is none. The center is lost.

This is the meaning of this sutra: that finally, you have to sacrifice your center so you cannot think in terms of the ego again, you cannot utter “I,” to annihilate yourself utterly, to erase yourself utterly. Nothing belongs to you; on the contrary, you belong to God. You become a holy shadow.

It is told that the angels came from heaven to see how the saint could be so godly in the above story. The following story, can in turn be related to the above since it asks us to bring ourself to do things that capture the attention of God and have God come to us rather than we search for him. This story too was shared by the friend and was posted earlier at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/06/make-him-come-to-you.html. Since this story can be related to the saint in the "Holy Shadow" I post it in full again.

புதிதாக தன்னிடம் வந்து சேர்ந்த சீடனிடம் குரு கேட்டார், “ஆன்மிகத்தின் நோக்கம் என்ன என்று சொல்ல முடியுமா?”

புதிய சீடன், “இறைவனை அறிவது தான், அடைவது தான் ஆன்மிகத்தின் நோக்கம்...”

“அப்படியா?”

“என்ன அப்படியா என்று கேட்கிறீர்கள்... அப்படித்தானே இருக்க முடியும்?”

“சரி. இத்தனை நாள் ஆன்மிகத்தில் சாதகம் செய்து வருகிறாயே இறைவனை அறிந்தாயோ?”

“இல்லை. ஆனால் முயன்று கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்.”

“நல்லது... உண்மையிலேயே இறைவனை அறிந்து கொண்டுவிட முடியும் என்று நம்புகிறாயா?”

சீடன் சற்றே யோசித்துவிட்டுச் சொன்னான்.

“நம்புகிறேன்... இருப்பினும், கொஞ்சம் சந்தேகமாகவே இருக்கிறது.”

“எதனால் இந்த சந்தேகம் வருகிறது?”

“பலர் பலவிதமாக இறைவனைப் பற்றிச் சொல்கிறார்கள். மிகவும் ஆராய்ந்து பார்த்தால் தெளிவை விடக் குழப்பமே மிஞ்சுகிறது.”

“நல்லது... எப்போது நீ உள்ளது உள்ளபடி சொன்னாயோ அதுவே நல்லது. சீடனே, இப்போது நான் வேறு விதமாகக் கேட்கிறேன். நீ ஆண்டவனைத் தெரிந்துகொள்ள, அடைய விரும்புகிறாயா...?”

“ஆமாம் குருவே.”

“உன் விருப்பத்தின் காரணமாகத்தான் நீ ஆன்மிகப் பயிற்சியில் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கிறாய். அப்படித்தானே?”

“ஆமாம் குருவே.”

“அன்புள்ள சீடனே! நீ இறைவனைத் அடைய, ஓர் எளிமையான மாற்று வழியைச் சொல்லித் தருகிறேன்...”

“மிகவும் சந்தோஷம் குருவே. இந்த வழிக்காகத்தான் நான் காத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்.”

“ஆனால் இந்த வழியில் நீ இறைவனை அடைய முடியாது. ஆனால் இறைவன் உன்னை வந்து அடைவான்.”

“இது குழப்பமாக இருக்கிறதே.”

“ஒரு குழப்பமும் இல்லை... ஒரு அரசன் இருக்கிறான். பல்லாயிரக் கணக்கானவர்களுக்கு அவன் ராஜா. அவன் அருகே நெருங்குவதோ பேசுவதோ அறிவதோ எளிமையான விஷயம் அல்ல. முடியவும் முடியாது.”

“ஆம்.”

“ஆனால் ராஜாவை சந்திக்க வேண்டும் என்கிற பிரஜை, ஓர் அருமையான காரியத்தைச் செய்கிறான்...அவன் தேசத்தில் உள்ள மக்கள் எல்லோருக்கும் பயன்படும்படியாக உழைக்கிறான். பல அறச் செயல்களைச் செய்கிறான். இந்தச் செய்தி ராஜாவுக்குப் போகிறது. உடனே ராஜா பிரதிநிதிகளை அனுப்பி தன் அரசவைக்கு அவனை வரவழைக்கிறார். அல்லது அவரே நேரில் அவனைப் பார்க்க வருகிறார். அவனோடு உரையாடுகிறார். பாராட்டுகிறார். பரிசுகள் தருகிறார். இது நடக்கும் இல்லையா?”

“நடக்கும் குருவே.”

“இப்போது ராஜாதான் இறைவன். நீதான் அவன். நீ என்ன முயற்சி செய்தாலும் ராஜாவைப் நெருங்குவது கஷ்டம். ஆனால் உன் செயல்கள் பலருக்கும் பயனுடையதாக இருந்தால் அந்த ராஜாவே உன்னைப் பார்க்க வருவார். எனவே, இறைவனைப் பார்க்கும் முயற்சியைக் கைவிடு. இறைவன் உன்னைத் தேடி வரும் தகுதியான செயல்களில் ஈடுபடு... இறைவனே உன்னை வந்து அடைவான்... சரிதானே...?”

“மிகவும் சரிதான் குருவே...”

“நல்லது சீடனே, இனி ஆன்மிகம் உனக்குப் கை கூடும். போய் வா...”

சீடன் தெளிவடைந்து குருவிற்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்தான்...

I have given a translation below. 

A guru asked a new student, "What is the aim of Spirituality?"

Student: "To know God."

Guru: "Is that so!"

Student: "Isn't that so?"

Guru: "Okay. Has all the years of sadhana brought you to know God?"

Student: "No. But I am trying."

Guru: "Good.. Do you really believe that you can get to know God?"

The student thought for a moment and replied, "I believe!... But I have my doubts too."

Guru: "Why do you doubt yourself?"

Student: "People talk of different Gods. When we go into it we come out more confused!"

Guru: "Good..I like that you speak the truth. Now I shall phrase it differently. Do you want to know God and reach him too?"

Student: "Yes"

Guru: "You have taken up certain practices on your own initiative, right?"

Student: "Yes"

Guru: "I shall teach you an alternative way to reach God."

Student: "Thank you. I was waiting for this."

Guru: "But in this way, you cannot reach God. On the contrary, God shall come to you."

Student: "This is confusing."

Guru: "No confusion at all. Let us say there is a king. He is king to many thousands of subjects. It is not easy to have an audience with him, speak to him, or to know him. It might even be impossible."

Student: "Yes"

Guru: "But a subject who wanted to meet the king did a wonderful thing. He does service and does things that brought benefit to the fellow-subjects. This news reached the king. The king might ask to see this subject of his or go to him. He would praise him. He might gift his subject too. This could happen, right?" 

Student: "It could."

Guru: "Now let us assume the king is God. You are the subject. By whatever means you attempt to get an audience it might be difficult. But when your efforts are towards the good of his subjects, God takes notice. He comes to visit you. Hence let go of your attempt to see God. Bring yourself to do things that capture the attention of God. God will come to you. Right?"

Student: "Absolutely right."

Guru: "Good. You shall be spiritually born. Go now."

The student leaves his Guru now fully enlightened.

THE ROAD TO TRANSFORMATION

As I was playing with my granddaughter imitating the act of biting, munching, chewing, and eating her, she stopped me saying, "This is meat, you should not be eating me!", pointing and referring to her body as meat. She knows that I only eat vegetables and not meat and eggs. I was taken aback at her intelligence to differentiate between plants and animals, vegetables, and meat. This 3-year-old has realized that we are all meat. Throw us to lions and tigers and they shall eat us because we are meat to them. I knew that instant that what Agathiyar told us about these children teaching us in the future was true.

Since this body is meat our biggest achievement then would be to transform this body that is meat into something else. Is this possible? Here is where we look towards the experiences and the teachings that came forth from Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal and the other Siddhas who through various ways, means, methods, techniques, and practices slowly began a transformation of the very body that they came with. They have proved that it is possible to transform this meat body into a light body. Agathiyar spells out the various stages. The body that is regarded as Asudha Deham, is first turned into a pure or Sudha Deham. Then the process continues where we arrive at the Pranava Deham and finally the Oli Deham or body of Light. All this is only possible with our concerted efforts in following the directives initially and later through the grace of the divine. With commitment together with a concerted effort on our part, the blessings and grace of the divine are bestowed through puja or prayers of the Siddhas, gurus, and masters who have attained the same. With the coming of a guru or upagurus guiding us with yoga asana and pranayama, changes both physical and subtle, begin to take place within us. As Tavayogi says the effort is only needed or required in starting the internal process of purification through several practices to reach the Svadistana chakra. Soon the rest of the chakras that are subtle in nature too are cleared by the very energy that is awakened in us. These initially bring an imbalance to the body and its related systems that appear as pain and discomfort, but by the guru's grace, it soon subsides. He steps in to continue his work of transforming our body. With the descent of Jothi, the Asudha Deham is slowly purged or rid off diseases of the body or உடல் பிணி;  discharges from the body or உடல் மாசு; and waste or toxins from the body or உடல் கழிவு. Together with consuming purgatives and Kaya Kalpa herbs, the body or Asudha Deham goes through a thorough purification and is strengthened. A Sudha deham is achieved, void of all physical impurities. Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal then point us to Yoga as a tool to bring us to move forward in this transition and transformation of the Sudha deham to becoming a Pranava deham. Coming to watch the breath now as we go within, the breath that initially traveled far begins to tap the door at the Ajna chakra. Soon it is stilled. With the impurities gone, and the breath stilled, the mind then settles. The door opens, and the veil that hindered and kept us away from the truth is drawn aside. Jothi Darisanam or the Light is seen within. The body is released from the shackles of its own limitations and begins to shine in its luminosity. This whole process that takes place within is shown externally as rituals in our temples.

All this looks too good to be true and seems like a simple accomplishment on paper. But going by the autobiographies or songs of the Siddhas and saints who have achieved the state, it is no ordinary feat. Ramalinga Adigal sings that only the divine knows the suffering he went through during the 12 year period. Jnana Jothiamma who was being transformed into one of them by the Siddhas, went through a difficult period as her body was purged of the "impurities" that she had consumed and taken over the years that had become flesh and blood. The more the impurities the longer the process of purging it. Agathiyar came to my aid telling me that I had remained stagnated for some time, giving me certain techniques to break the dam and release the water/energy to progress further. He gave me one single dose of his Agathiyar Kuzhambu and another concoction that I managed to take for some 51 days before I gave up. As the process seems never-ending, I asked him that the impurities should all be rid of in good time. But he says it was not going to be easy. Yet the most compassionate Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal told me they shall be at my side to see it through. Ramalinga Adigal came to aid us in bringing in the Light or Jothi. What else do we need? Even if we do not succeed we shall move on satisfied that we have come this far with his grace. As Tavayogi says there is always another time and moment, we shall come back to continue from where we left. After all, he is in charge. As a reader messaged me just moments ago, "Breath is always in God's control sir... my boss used to tell humans might forget to breathe so God took breath under his control.." How true. This shows our lives are entirely under his purview. As she says since we might forget to breathe like we forget to do other things, he has taken that task into his hands to keep us alive - not to do our thing but to do his willing. She sent me a wonderful song of Saint Manickavasagar that sums it all up. 

You know what I want

You give me all I want

You who are not reachable to Brahma and Hari 

Have come to embrace me

வேண்டத் தக்கது அறிவோய் நீ,

வேண்ட முழுவதும் தருவோய் நீ,
வேண்டும் அயன், மால்க்கு அரியோய் நீ
வேண்டி என்னைப் பணிகொண்டாய்!

However, your grace shall come 

I shall accept it 

If I were to ask for a gift

That too I shall leave it to you

வேண்டி நீ யாது அருள் செய்தாய்,
யானும் அதுவே வேண்டின் அல்லால்
வேண்டும் பரிசு ஒன்று உண்டு என்னில்,
அதுவும் உன் தன் விருப்பு அன்றே!

நூல்: திருவாசகம் (குழைத்த பத்து)

பாடியவர்: மாணிக்கவாசகர்

COMING TO TERMS WITH LIFE

It looks like I am a full-time blogger now, after having retired since 2016, and with the lockdown by the Government and further confinement by Agathiyar, I have all the time in my hands to read and share what I read with readers. If I had written in an earlier post stating my confusion as to the reality of things, "Life might just be confusing at times. When we are rooted deep into the affairs of the world, a Siddha comes by and reminds us of our commitment towards him and the divine and initiates the move to break away from it all. On the other hand for another who finds it hard to engage further in the same affairs of the world and desires to leave it all behind him, he is reminded of his responsibilities. Who could possibly fathom the workings of the divine?", I received some clarity from a post carrying a message from Osho's "Book of Secrets" at https://o-meditation.com/category/osho/on-tantra/the-book-of-secrets/

Life is a rhythm between opposites: male and female, positive and negative, day and night, birth and death. Between these opposites moves the river of life. The opposites are the banks – they appear to be contradictory, but they are co-operative. The appearance is false. Life cannot exist without this rhythm between the opposites. And life contains all. Tantra is neither for this nor for that – Tantra is for all. Tantra has no standpoint of its own really. All standpoints that are possible are contained in it. It is big. It can contradict itself because it contains all. It is not partial, it is the whole. Hence it is holy.

It is only contradictory in appearance we are told. The appearance too is said to be false. How well do we see the world as it is in its real form or is that an illusion or appearance too? There are so many factors that influence our sight, perception, and understanding. Beyond all these and even if we have perfect eyesight one needs good lighting to see things in the firsts place. 

"We can see different objects only in the presence of light. Actually when a beam of light falls on an object from the source of light then this light gets reflected in all directions after striking that object. The reflected light then reaches our eyes and we become able to see that object." (http://www.funscience.in)

"Not all objects give off light and so we see some objects because light reflects off their surface and into our eyes." For instance, as "The Moon does not make its own light – we can only see it when the Sun’s light reflects off its surface." (https://www.rmg.co.uk/) 

The images we see are made up of light reflected from the objects we look at. This light enters the eye through the cornea, which acts like a window at the front of the eye. The amount of light entering the eye is controlled by the pupil, which is surrounded by the iris – the coloured part of the eye. Because the front part of the eye is curved, it bends the light, creating an upside down image on the retina. The retina is a complex part of the eye, and its job is to turn light into signals about images that the brain can understand. Only the very back of it is light sensitive: this part of the retina is roughly the area of a 10p coin, and is packed with photosensitive cells called cones and rods. Cones are the cells responsible for daylight vision. There are three kinds, each responding to a different wavelength of light: red, green and blue. The cones enable us to see images in colour and detail. In darkness, the cones do not function at all. Rods are responsible for night vision. They are sensitive to light but not to colour. The brain eventually turns the image the right way up. (https://www.sightsavers.org/)

For the Siddhas, they seem to see the world entirely different, hence their indifference to things, events, and happenings. They seem to be not concerned with the going ones asking us to not join in the fuss and chaos that is taking place. Although the pandemic has taken many lives; although many diseases and plagues have taken lives too in the past, all many battles have been fought, although many have suffered in the aftermath of these battles, life still goes on. As my friend had shared a divine message with me, 

முனிவர் நமக்குச் சொல்கிறார்:

"இதை, நீ ஞாபகத்தில் வைத்துக் கொள். உன்னைச் சுற்றி இருப்பவற்றால் நீ எரிச்சல் அடைந்தால், உன் கவனத்தை உள்முகமாகத் திருப்பு. எரிச்சலுக்கான காரணம் நீயாகத்தான் இருப்பாய். உனது எதிர்பார்ப்பு அல்லது ஆசை வேறாக இருந்திருக்கும்; அல்லது ஏதோ ஒரு நிபந்தனையை உனக்குள் நீ விதித்திருப்பாய். அதுதான் உனது எரிச்சலுக்குக் காரணம்.. உலகத்தை நமக்கேற்ப நிர்ப்பந்தப்படுத்த முடியாது..அதை எதிர்த்துப் போராடும்போது நீ வெறுப்படைகிறாய்'' என்கிறார்,

that when translated means, "If you are irritated by things around you, bring your attention within. The reason for being irritated stems from you. Your expectation or desire might be otherwise or you might have had a condition laid out. This is the cause of your irritation. You cannot possibly condition the world to your liking. When you begin to challenge that you end up irritated."

As Mataji Saroji Ammaiyar says that at times we have to stomach things and happenings that are against our will or சகித்துக்கொள் we learn to surrender them to the divine and see them as the divine will instead. I had taken up several issues that I deemed needed action or attention, going through the proper channels. But when there is no action on their part, I took it up with others. When there is no action even then, I drop it telling myself that it is not meant to be or changed. I leave it as it is. But at other times and with certain issues, we see the fruit of our actions immediately. I suppose that they have consented to it. As Mahindran wrote after reading the previous post, "If we changed our thoughts that everything is god’s creation that every single thing up to atoms is HIS creation; when we settle into this mindset then nothing will bother us." Nothing misses from his glance and since he is aware of all happenings, nothing comes to fruition without his consent. After having placed all possible efforts towards warding off these dangers, if it still comes towards us to endanger us, then we understand it as the divine will and seek refuge with him. 

A friend messaged me, "Amazement at the work of the Masters, is all that remains. They know best, in terms of Time, Space, and Causation. Here, Causation has to be Divine, unlike what we experience as Cause-Effect Duality. Such duality is not for the Masters or Lord Shiva. Realization is at Their Will, Grace, and Blessing. That alone can and should be our goal, in prayer and sadhana." As Osho says, "Shiva is giving all the techniques without any systematizing. They cannot be systematized, because a system means that the contradictory, the opposite, must be denied", we find that we cannot deny the opposites and come to accept them as part of life. And as "The opposites are the banks – they appear to be contradictory, but they are co-operative," we shall come to terms with it and learn to live with it. In learning to live with it, we are unlearning all that we had absorbed earlier. As the friend says, "In terms of sadhana, as taught by our Masters, we need to unlearn. Knowledge is a burden, but Wisdom is Divine and sets you free", unlearning sets us free. We have to relearn to see everything as a whole. Only that is holy.

PREPARING OURSELVES WELL

We are here to figure out life. Today as my granddaughter picked flowers from her backyard garden and placed it at the altar she asked me why do we place flowers. I explained to her that it was our way of showing thanks and gratitude to God for giving and providing us everything including the flower. I thought this would suffice for now. Later on, when she grows up she can learn to surrender bigger things as a way of giving thanks. For this Gen Alpha, they do accept and follow but with reasoning, contrary to us Gen X and earlier who just followed the rituals told without questioning. It looks like I have to be prepared for more questions coming my way. 

But I am saddened for them. In the wake of the pandemic, children who should be outdoors exploring and with nature, are forced to stay indoors unless there is a need to be out. Our family optician says that the reason there is a surge in the numbers of children needing spectacles or corrective glasses or lens to see clearly is that their sight is limited within the four walls of their homes hence depriving their eye muscles of the much-needed exercise which is had by being outdoors where they watch both things near and far and beyond the hills and dales and the horizon. Another reason is the strain on these little eyes from continuously watching monitors or using gadgets up close. 

It has been almost a year now that the COVID-19 virus has been threatening us, while much research goes into discovering a vaccine and testing it as in all earlier infectious diseases. From https://news.yahoo.com/lung-damage-found-covid-dead-000255877.html we learn that the research teams discovered "real and vast destruction of the architecture of the lungs", with healthy tissue "almost completely substituted by scar tissue". It looks like this time around the "enemy" targets the lungs. The only known means to not contract the virus is to stay indoors. If it's not viable, avoid contracting it by keeping a safe distance from those who have contracted it and protecting ourselves by using safety gear and taking precautions when in public. These are the times when we tend to cherish all that the Siddhas and elders had us practice. Right from the traditional gesture of welcome or vanakam by bringing one's own palms together; eating with one's own hands rather than share cutlery; eating in banana leaves or plates made of stitched leaves that are hygienic, disposable, and eco-friendly; these practices have kept us safe. The pranayama exercises passed on from generations has helped strengthen the 'fort' and has kept those who put them into practice safe. The many songs penned to ward of danger and evil known as "Kavasams" have given us the strength to battle all ills and troubles. Like in the movie "Inception" an attempt is made in placing an idea into one's subconscious, by reciting these songs, faith, and belief is strengthened in us. From being initially a believer of a doctrine or method, when we walk the path and walk the talk, belief turns into faith. As we pursue and see results the faith is strengthened in us. We gain both physical and mental strengths and soon build our defenses to all forthcoming dangers.

Although Agathiyar did not reveal, inform, indicate nor specifically spell out the danger and consequences of this impending disease, I guess he knew of the pandemic that would come our way for he had us disband the group of some fifty-odd devotees who gathered at AVM to pursue their journey alone now. As for me, he had me stay at home going out only if truly required of me since September of last year. He had me start again on the breathing techniques shown by Tavayogi in 2007 which I had pursued diligently until Agathiyar asked to stop when I was in pain and discomfort as a result of awakening "the sleeping giant" in me through the practice. This practice was tantamount to enhancing the lung's capacity. The breathing techniques given by Tavayogi brings in a tremendous amount of air and prana that comes with it. If continued for some time one can actually experience the prana fill and expand the body to the extend of exploding. Agathiyar then asked that we go within by quietly observing the breath settle after this practice is done. What is it with the breath that we are asked to observe it? 

Osho in his book, "The Book of Secrets", published by OSHO International Foundation, Switzerland, 1974 says the only constant is breath. It comes with us as we come into this world, and leaves us when the moment arrives to shed the body. While all else has to be acquired, fetched, or an effort placed to arrive at as in knowledge, eating, and drinking, or moving around, breath is never acquired nor needs a conscious effort on our part to drive and sustain it. 

We are breathing continuously from the moment of birth to the moment of death. Everything changes between these two points. Everything changes, nothing remains the same. Only breathing is a constant thing between birth and death. One thing is certain: between these two points of birth and death you must breathe. Breathing will be a continuous flow; No gap is possible. You are not required; breathing is something that goes on in spite of you. You cannot be alive without breathing. So breath and life have become synonymous.

Breathing is the mechanism of life, and life is deeply related to breathing. That is why in India we call it prana. We have given one word for both: prana means vitality, the aliveness. Your life is your breath. Your breath is a bridge between you and your body. Constantly, breath is bridging you to your body, connecting you, relating you to your body. Not only is the breath a bridge to your body, but it is also a bridge between you and the universe. 

Tavayogi told me once that the breath is God. Just as Tavayogi told us that what is out there in the universe is within us too, Osho explains how it is all linked. 

The body is just that part of the universe that has come to you, which is nearer to you. Everything in the body is part of the universe - every particle, every cell. Breath is the bridge. If the bridge is broken, you are no longer in the body. If the bridge is broken, you are no longer in the universe. You move into some unknown dimension; then you cannot be found in space and time.

We have been breathing and we will go on breathing - we are born breathing and we will die breathing - but we are not aware of certain points. There are certain points in breathing which you have never observed, and those points are the doors - the nearest doors to you from where you can enter into a different world, into a different being, into a different consciousness.

So, breath is also the bridge between you, and space and time. Breath, therefore, becomes very significant ... the most significant thing. If you can do something with the breath, you will suddenly turn to the present. If you can do something with the breath, you will attain the source of life. If you can do something with the breath, you can transcend time and space. If you can do something with the breath, you will be in the world and also beyond it.

We now understand why Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, and all the other Siddhas have been telling us to sit still and to observe the breath. It leads us within where then the mystery unfolds and is answered. Osho in the first chapter, states that "theories become meaningless, and that experience becomes the center." In explaining tantra, Osho says that it is neither intellectual nor philosophical. Doctrines are meaningless for tantra is concerned about the method and the technique and the path. In helping us find a technique Osho shares the following advice.

In these hundred and twelve techniques, all the types, all the possible types of humanity have been included. Please don’t be concerned with all the techniques, otherwise you will get confused. If you try many techniques you will get confused, because to try so many techniques you will need a very big mind which can absorb contradiction. That is not possible right now. One day it may become possible. One day it may become possible that when you don’t have the ego within, you can move to the opposite without any problem. You can become so complete, so total, that you can move easily with many techniques. Then there will be no problem.  

In these one hundred and twelve techniques, only one technique is for you. You simply find that which suits you, that which appeals to you. Towards it you will feel a deep affinity, an attraction; you will fall in love with it. Then forget all the remaining one hundred and eleven techniques. Forget them. You just stick to the one that works for you. But then there will also be no need! Right now, is the need. Find your technique. You are the lab; the whole experiment is to go on within you.

Osho adds that there is no change required or transformation taking place in understanding concepts and the philosophy behind things but in tantra, you need a change or rather a mutation. The yogic exercises given to us by the Siddhas have been tried and tested by them and are geared towards reaching a similar state of being as they are in. When Osho says, "I can be helpful to you in finding which technique will be suitable for you", he shows us that this is where the guru can play his role in giving an initiation into a path for an aspiring seeker and starting him off on the path. Along the way, the guru points out or shows the sadhaka techniques that would suit him whereby he shall see quick progress in his endeavors. When Tavayogi showed us the many asanas or Yogic postures and exercises and pranayama techniques, I tried them out. But I could not bring myself to carry out some of them at par with him and to his ability. When I raised this with him, he told me to do those that came easily and leave the others. Agathiyar too in asking me to revisit the techniques recently told me that I need not carry out all that was shown and said that I shall know which techniques to continue doing. 

But beyond and above the sadhaka's attempt and effort, the guru's grace can uplift him immediately to higher heights and levels of achievement just like one climbs the ladder instantaneously with the roll of the dice in the game of snake and ladder. Swami Muktananda mentions in his book ‘Secret of the Siddhas’, Siddha Yoga Publication, 1980, that he received one word from his master Bhagawan Nithyanandha, that immediately and completely transformed him. He says, 

Before meeting my guru I had practiced many different kinds of yoga, but it was I who had practiced them. However, that word activated a spontaneous yoga within me.

But first, we should stay alive to attain this state of spontaneous yoga. Let us take heed of all the guidelines, rules, and laws placed to flatten the curve, which we managed to do till some time back. Stay home. Stay safe. Stay alive.

Dr. Noor Hisham said the ministry is aiming to flatten the curve and reduce the R0 to 0.5 in the next two to three weeks.

“If we can flatten the curve and reduce the R0 from 2.2 to 1.0 in two weeks, then in another two to three weeks it is possible to go to 0.5. That is our target and we believe we can achieve it if we have full cooperation from Malaysians. The people can help us by staying home if there are no important errands outside. If they have to go out, they must comply with our standard operating procedure. That is the way to control Covid-19 and break the chain of its infection,” he said. (https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/11/05/we-can-flatten-the-curve-says-dg)

ANBE SIVAM

The moments I spent with Tavayogi is still fresh in my mind. So are the moments I spent with Supramania Swami. These were rare gifts showered on me by the divine. As Adi Sankara says, “Only through God’s grace may we obtain the three rarest gifts: Human birth; the longing for liberation; and discipleship to an illumined teacher”, I am blessed to have all three. And it all began after I read my Nadi. Today I realize that the very first Nadi reading was a reminder to me of my previous connection with Agathiyar. Although it was not obvious to me then, in subsequent readings, he revealed this relationship. All he told me in the first reading was to worship Lord Ganapathy, Lord Shiva, the Siddhas, and him. I did as told without question, learning Siddha worship from books on them and those who walked the path before me. Agathiyar then sent Tavayogi to our shores to officially start me on the journey. The initiation he gave linked me to Agathiyar. I followed him back to his Kallar ashram a month after he left Malaysia for India. He took me on a pilgrimage to places related to Siddhas. I can never forget the sparkle in his eyes each time I was shown a miracle and I turned to him. That sparkle accompanied by the smile would confirm that what I saw was true. He taught me the rituals, that bridged both our worlds. The Siddhas came and moved amongst us. Although we could not see them we felt their presence in all our undertakings. Today they come through devotees to guide us further in the absence of my gurus in physical form. All these are possible by the grace of the gurus and the divine. They live forever in our hearts and in our memory. Their essence and teachings live in us. The guru's fame never fades. The flame that they lit is kept alive by the love for them. Eventually, we have come to realize that Love is God or "Anbe Sivam."

THE DIVINE WILL

I was going through the comments posted by viewers of my YouTube channel after a long time when I had a pleasant surprise. A reader of this blog from Maharastra had made a video of his journey to Tamilnadu after reading the blog. He credited this blog for inspiring him to journey down south. I am glad that this blog has served him in his seeking.

Namaste. After reading d blog sidha' heartbeat, I got inspired to visit, shenbaga Devi temple Agashtiyaar and dakshinamurti caves. Finally made a video Of my visit last year.[March 2019] This is d link of d same of You tube https://youtu.be/we16WQt60WU