MORE REVELATIONS 2

God tells Neale and us that "The soul that is the source of the energy of the essential essence is indeed God in us." God tells us further, "That the soul is the expression of the being that is God or God being manifested." We learn further from CWG, that when an action is done with a purpose or it follows the soul's agenda the cells in our body come into an alignment that facilitates the mission, "acting co-jointly, in unison and in harmony with each other." In other words, the actions in the elemental level extend into the cellular level producing the desired results. Just as the cells come into alignment for specific tasks within one's body, the cosmos too aligns itself for a bigger purpose. This explains why Agathiyar tells us that there is a need to carry out certain tasks at the stipulated moment never sooner or later. He says task done then would guarantee the desired results, "குறித்த நேரத்தில் செய்யும் அனைத்தும் ஜெயம்." Imagine if you arrive a moment later where the planetary positions that keep shifting have moved, the personals who could have eased your tasks and assisted you have moved on, the doctor who is supposed to see you, leaves, and so many other possibilities. When Supramania Swami passed away or rather went into samadhi as Agathiyar revealed in my Nadi a few days later, he said that his samadhi was timely, never sooner nor later. Later his son informs me that his dad had made a note of the exact date and time of his demise in his diary and had also mentioned how to see to his last rites. Two years prior to his leaving the mortal body, he told me that he would pass away at the age of 76. Everything fell into place.

Again we draw on Bharathi's line "தன்செய லெண்ணித் தவிப்பது தீர்ந்திங்கு, நின்செயல் செய்து நிறைவு பெறும்வண்ணம், நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா, நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்", from his poem, "நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா" on how he finally understood that attempts and efforts placed towards following and doing his heart's desire only caused agitation and frustration as he kept seeing failures. On the contrary, when he surrendered to God and did his asking, working towards the divine purpose instead, he gained utmost satisfaction and regained his peace.

We are told that "each element of life down to the tiniest sub-molecular particle is a part of the mind of God." Each element that is minding its business doing what it came to do, when summoned by the force of the thought arises to the call. For this cause or purpose, the elements come into alignment and form a force to be reckoned with. This explains the body's miraculous nature of healing itself. Miracles happen when the divine lends a hand in bringing things to come together, in space-time, and as the karma comes to fruition. "The vibrational influence of the force of thoughts" moves us to perform even the biggest challenges in life. "The thought has a pull over elements bringing it into alignment."

Man can achieve what he desires. Desires exist in the souls we are told. "The soul is the local expression of God's desire which is to experience itself." The day we lose ourselves and begin to see the soul in us, we shall know the reason and purpose we took birth says Agathiyar. These are the awakened ones as God calls them in Neale's CWG. The awakened in turn begin their mission in "Awakening the Species" as Neale titled his fourth book. As Agathiyar listed out man's purpose in taking birth in his 5 tenets, the awakened among us need to turn to begin our mission in awakening other fellow humans, and the animal, plant, and mineral kingdom. Is this the inner meaning to the reason animals and plants are depicted alongside statues and paintings of Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon? Could this be the reason to adorn them with vast and extensive jewelry and gems as we see in temples? Could in giving life and improving the status of man, animal, plants, and minerals, man and animal came to serve the Gods? Plants and their flowers were stringed as garlands around the deities? And the reason the gem-studded minerals were offered to the Gods?

From CWG, we learn that "Desire is the creator of intention. Intention is the creator of thought. Thought is the creator of action. Action is creator of outcome." Thought can also result from the body's desire we are reminded, that gives a contradictory outcome to that which the soul desires. In any action, that emerges as a result of our bodily desires, the mind's desires, or the soul's desires, we convert pure energy into solid matter. Hence before we leave our footprint behind in the form of karma, both good and bad, isn't it wise to arrest them at the stage of thoughts?

Just as I finished typing the above line, my daughter walked in with my granddaughter of three years old returning from their appointment at a medical center. On the 29th of last month, my granddaughter complained of stomach pain. Her parents took her to a private clinic nearby as it was a Sunday. The doctor told them she had wind in her stomach and was about to have a fever. She gave her medicine to deworm her, another for pain, wind, and fever. The next day we took her to the government clinic nearby. The doctor told us that the wind had subsided. But she was twitching in pain at intervals the next few days. Her stool was dark and loose. Her fever had subsided. On Wednesday we decided to refer her to the pediatrician at a Medical Center nearby and have him "look" inside her stomach for the cause of the pain. The ultrasound test showed that her lymph nodes around her intestines were swollen.

As part of the immune system, lymph nodes help to protect the body against infection and disease. They store lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that fight infections. When infection occurs, the number of white blood cells increases and the lymph glands swell and become painful. The lymph nodes that are closest to the infection will be the most affected. If the lymph glands of the mesentery react to an infection in the abdomen or the intestine, they will swell and become painful, causing abdominal discomfort. Mesenteric adenitis usually results from a viral or bacterial infection. (Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles)

The doctor gave her a dose of antibiotics. Today he certified that she had recovered fully. Each doctor did his or her part in clearing a portion of the ailment. I cannot but stress my gratefulness to Agathiyar for keeping a lookout over me and my family and his devotees. He had mentioned earlier that she would not be well for some time but will recover with his grace. It did take place as he had predicted. He could have prevented the occurrence but he chose to have us see through the happening under his watchful eyes. Tavayogi always asked us to ask God to give us the strength to overcome our illness, difficulties, and sufferings and give us the solution, ability and might to overcome them rather than have the obstacles go away. A precise and right prayer is always answered. 

MORE REVELATIONS 1

While we are trying pretty hard to figure out and comprehend the tattvas that Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal have asked us to understand first before engaging in meditation, in "Conversation with God - Book 4", Neale Donald Walsch and God draw a similar line of query and answer. God tells him "An awakened species sees the unity of all life and lives into it." They know "experientially that there is only one thing and all things are part of the one. Because they exist in another dimension they can view the sub-molecular structure of all things. They observe that there is only one energy in the universe that is the source and force that mixes up the foundational elements of which it is comprised, adding and subtracting, creating all things in existence through alchemy, hence altering the vibrational frequency of these variously combined elements to generate differing expressions of the essential essence." Whew. What a revelation. Thank you, Neale and God.

We learn that "the elements are both conscious and make choices", in other words as Neale puts it, "consciousness exists at the elemental level." Could this be the reason why early man and even some remote civilizations today still pay respect and homage and worshipped nature and everything around them, both living and dead, solid or liquid, seen and unseen? Agathiyar is said to have fed these elements in keeping creation or prapanjam alive. From https://blog.good-will.ch/WordPress/2010/10/23/rishi-agastya-a-little-miracle-and-some-stories/  we read rather quite an interesting piece of information about how Agathiyar fed these elements by serving people food. Could these elements be the host of Buthas or பூதம்  that is said to reside and live in and of us?

Last week I came across a transcription of a seminar given by Sri Kumar in the Nilagiri Hills in 1996 about Agastya, Master Jupiter. ..... He has great, round eyes, is often traveling with his disciples and loves to cook and to serve. Through serving food he likes to spread himself into the people and thus to adjust any imbalances in the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. In the scriptures there is the story that once a group of disciples in the Himalaya had the questions who is the one fasting most, and Maitreya told them, “It is Agastya, he never eats.” They wanted to see Agastya and went to him. Agastya said: "Observe me for three days.” They were very surprised to see him cooking, eating and serving. He was not missing any meal, and every meal was from our standpoint very excessive in its quantity. After three days the group asked: "We have not understood your way of fasting.” He answered: "In so far as you don’t feel that you are eating, it is fasting.” He does not think he is eating. He lives in tune with the universal consciousness and in such a tune-up the food is given to all the elementals around him with himself as the channel. 

The lighting of the sacred fire or Yagam or its smaller version the Homam too is said to feed and appease the Gods and Goddesses and all the beings of the other realms and worlds. We are told that however devastating a wildfire could be to man, and nature that is "the general realm of living plants and animals, and in some cases to the processes associated with inanimate objects—the way that particular types of things exist and change of their own accord, such as the weather and geology of the Earth", forest fires are surprisingly compared with a Yagam. Is it then nature's way of correcting and bringing a balance to the eco-system? Is nature feeding the elements in the absence of man observing the age-old tradition of lighting the sacrificial fire? 

In CWG we learn further that "the elemental level is consciousness in action. Every cell in our body acts with intelligence or awareness of its inherent function." Similarly "every element of the universe is imbued with this foundational intelligence. Every ounce of this life be it the cell, the particle, or the sub-molecular element, is embued with foundational intelligence. The element itself is this intelligence in particle form." Amazing. This explains the secret of the body in healing itself. In the event, we wound ourselves, 

"the wound will bleed. The blood will start to clot within a few minutes or less and stop the bleeding. The blood clots dry and form a scab, which protects the tissue underneath from germs.

Not all wounds bleed. For example, burns, some puncture wounds, and pressure sores do not bleed. Once the scab forms, your body's immune system starts to protect the wound from infection.

You also may see some clear fluid oozing from the wound. This fluid helps clean the area. Blood vessels open in the area, so blood can bring oxygen and nutrients to the wound. White blood cells help fight infection from germs and begin to repair the wound. Tissue growth and rebuilding occur next. Over the next 3 weeks or so, the body repairs broken blood vessels and new tissue grows. Red blood cells help create collagen, which are tough, white fibers that form the foundation for new tissue. The wound starts to fill in with new tissue, called granulation tissue. New skin begins to form over this tissue. As the wound heals, the edges pull inward and the wound gets smaller. A scar forms and the wound becomes stronger. As healing continues, you may notice that the area itches. After the scab falls off, the area may look stretched, red, and shiny. The scar that forms will be smaller than the original wound. It will be less strong and less flexible than the surrounding skin. Over time, the scar will fade and may disappear completely. Scars form because the new tissue grows back differently than the original tissue. If you only injured the top layer of skin, you will probably not have a scar. With deeper wounds, you are more likely to have a scar. (Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000741.htm)

At times a little help is required to help mend things. When my daughter broke her leg, after four months of patiently waiting, sitting it out in a fiberglass cast, for her right tibia and fibula bones to mend on its own, we were given the sad news that her's was a rare case of non-union of the bones that happens in 5 % of the patients. The good doctor at the general hospital suggested a new and alternative treatment as we did not want a titanium bone plate placed in her body. With a genuine effort to bring relief to patients and ingenuity in healthcare, the trained medical professionals together with lots of prayers on our part, and with God's grace, the ACP injection or Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy administered on her worked wonders. After she received three injections over the next few days, miraculously there was positive growth of new bone cells in the region of the broken bones. Nature only needed the doctor to extract her blood, separate it using centrifugal force, and injecting her plasma into the affected area, and help boost her internal system to come forth and do the rest of the healing, "using the body’s own healing processes to speed up or complete the recovery process from injury."

"The process involves a simple blood draw and office based injection and uses only the patient’s own blood, the risks are very few. After the blood is drawn, it is spun rapidly in a device called a centrifuge. This separates out the platelets and the special molecules they contain. The molecules are then injected directly into the site of injury. The hope is that high concentrations of these naturally occurring substances will speed up healing - http://www.drchristo.com/autologous-conditioned-plasma-injections.html.)

This and similar miracles take place daily in our body with minimum interference from us and without our realization. Often we take these for granted. What then is this intelligence that comes to the fore and takes charges of matters when the need arises? 

If the body has its chemistry in healing from within, when one's self-esteem is low another could help him by "lending" his spirit or "fire" for a faster recovery. Words of encouragement, support groups, group prayers, evangelism, a simple talisman given, or a dash of the sacred ash, together with help from the invisible hand of the divine and its angels, all go a long way in building up their spirit to battle the illness. Agathiyar told us that upon hearing our pleading to safe Tavayogi from the impending danger to his life, gathered the Siddhas and held a Yagam. Tavayogi survived the ordeal. Later upon surrendering the running of the ashram and the Jeeva Nadi to Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar he surrendered himself to the recurring ordeal and went into samadhi.

We are told that "thoughts are cells communicating with each other." We are brought to understand that the energy of our thoughts has an influence over the cells of our body. We now fully understand why Agathiyar asks the next of kin and relatives of a dying man to keep reminding him to lift his spirits while his family went ahead to carry our remedies that Agathiyar stipulated in the Nadi. Sadly the man who was bed-ridden for some five years gave up on himself. He surrendered and lost the battle. All the remedies and Agathiyar's grace could not help because he had given up the spirit and fire to live. While the remedies to a certain extent could move the "matrix", it was his spirit's and his soul's desire to live that could bring about a total recovery in him. In another instance, Agathiyar, upon speaking to the soul of my mother-in-law who was ill, in turn, asked her to talk to her soul and reply whether it wanted to live or leave. He gave her an extension of life.

Whenever someone complains of ailments I always point them to my mother and ask them to speak to her. My mother who is in her nineties is a spirited lady. I thought seeing her in high spirits would infuse some strength in them hopefully. On 6 December 2015, we received disturbing news that my mother was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It came as a surprise and shock to the family as she was healthy although she was approaching her 90's. She had complained of breathing difficulties and asked to be admitted. On my arrival at the private hospital, I was informed by my siblings that as her vital organs were failing, she was in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). She was conscious and could take sips of water and bits of food although she was all wired up. The doctors and hospital staff attended to her well, caring for her with all the love and attention for it is not every day you get to receive a patient who has reached the prime ripe age of ninety. The family prayed to God and the Siddhas to spare her life. We included her in our prayers asking for her speedy recovery. By God's grace, my mother began to recover fast. She was moved to the ICU from the HDU the following day. To our delight and joy, her condition became stable and she was transferred to the normal wards shortly. On 14 December 2015, to our relief, she was discharged and sent home. 

Similarly, an aunt of mine and another aunt of my wife's both had a stroke around the same time. My aunt who kept her appointments with the physiotherapists began to walk again and took charge of her life again. My wife's aunt who shunned physiotherapy and instead sought alternative therapies, seeing no results became disappointed and gave up hope and soon passed away.

I came to know this morning that a devotee of Agathiyar whom we met at Kallar Ashram in 2016 was recovering from a stroke. Speaking to her I was amazed at the spirit she carried with her. She who pens her sadness and misery, her anger and confusion in the form of songs to the divine, tells me that after this unprecedented incident some 15 days back, she has resolved to spread the kindness and compassion of the divine to others. She quoted Mahakavi Bharathi's lines "தீக்குள் விரலை வைத்தால் நந்தலாலா உன்னைத், தீண்டுமின்பம்  தோன்றுதடா நந்தலாலா" from his poem, "காக்கைச் சிறகினிலே நந்தலாலா", telling me that she had grown up reading such fine poems of the poet that gave her the strength to see through all the sufferings and poverty in life. I saluted her for her bravery and spirit. Surprisingly when I went through some 3 years of pain in my lower back as a result of my yogic practices, the reason only revealed by Agathiyar later, he added that I should learn to see the bliss in pain too. If only he knew the pain! But then of course, he knows. Ramalinga Adigal sings that only God knows the pain and suffering he went through during the 12 years of austerities or tapas.

Unlike both my mother and she, sadly many give up on themselves becoming fully dependant on a shaman or the drug or a miracle cure. With drugs and remedies only half the battle is won. One needs to have a high spirit to combat, overcome, and come out of his illnesses. Telling ourselves repeatedly that we shall regain our health helps. But again sadly those who come to visit the sick bring in the negative vibes via their thoughts, speech, and energy that further makes the sick lethargic and lose whatever little hope they have. When visiting the sick please only tell them that they would recover soon and well and that you shall pray for them. Give them words of encouragement and leave. Never turn into becoming a doctor yourself proposing another alternative treatment or medicines. Let the doctors do their job, do not interfere by suggesting other drugs, and methods. Neither comment on the treatment nor suggest another hospital. Asks of what mishap took place from other family members and not from the patient. Imagine how many visitors he has to answer to. He has to relive that tragic moment, again and again, to explain what took place. That's the least good you could do for the sick. This is also the reason the Siddhas always give promising words of encouragement in all our endeavors, even if they knew it might not work out in our favor. But at the end of the day the experience, good or bad, stays with us and we become wiser in our next choice, endeavor or investment.

THE GIFT OF BREATH

Science tells us,

"Everything in the Universe is made up of matter and energy and that Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. There are 4 fundamental states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Matter is made up of particles called atoms and molecules. Atoms are particles of elements – substances that cannot be broken down further. There are currently 109 known elements, but obviously, there are more than 109 different substances in the universe. This is because atoms of elements can combine with one another to form compounds." (Source: https://kidskonnect.com/science/matter-energy)

We learn from Ruzbeh 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 is made of five elements. Swami Sivananda Paramahamsa says all the 5 elements originate from the Akshara, Brahmam, or Self. Could we deduce then that we are made of one element that is in different states? Next, we are told of the subtle or astral body, made of three elements. Then the causal body, which covers both these bodies is made of three elements too.

Energy on the other hand 

"is the ability to cause change or do work. There are two main types of energy: potential and kinetic. Potential energy is energy that is stored, while kinetic energy is energy in use. In physics, energy is a property of matter. It can be transferred between objects and converted in form. It cannot be created or destroyed. Energy is used in science to describe how much potential a physical system has to change." (Source: https://kidskonnect.com/science/matter-energy)

Ruzbeh mentions the seven cosmic energies residing in the causal body that is continuously charged by the cosmic energies in the atmosphere. Energy animates us. The reservoir of energy when amplified can do wonders. The Siddhas understanding this practiced pranayama for this purpose. This is where Ramalinga Adigal came into the picture to help us tap into these energies, expanding the existing quantum of energy residing within us. Giving certain techniques to exemplify this energy  Agathiyar tells us that he is only passing on to us whatever they had put into practice and seen results.

Osho says in his "The Revolution, Discourse #3 that,

The word ’breath’ means life. In Sanskrit the word for breath is prana: prana means life. In Hebrew the word for breath means spirit. In all the languages of the world, breath is thought to be synonymous with life or spirit or soul. 

Fritjof Capra in https://ethical.net/ethical/science-spirituality-and-religion/ helps define spirit.

"... the original meaning of spirit in many ancient philosophical and religious traditions, in the west as well as in the east, is ‘breath of life."

In the book "Sidha Vedam" by Swami Sivananda Paramahamsa, published by Sidha Samaj, 1959, a conversation takes place between the teacher and the disciple. Swami Sivananda says "vayu that is the energy of life is the real food that gives heat and sustains the body." He says our aim is "to increase the wealth of this energy." 

Tavayogi regards the breath as God. Swami Sivananda calls the breath the karmic tread. "It is this that binds us to the world. This world is projected by it and sustained by it. Liberation lies in resurrecting the karmic energy from the bondage of the world making it flow inward and ascend to its original source brahmarandhra  and get merged in it." "This union of the vayu with its brahmarandhra is karma yoga", he says. He adds that "there is a flame burning at one end of our body. This flame lends its heat to every part of the body through the medium of vayu. That is how our body gets a warm temperature." This is the flame that sustains and keeps us alive. Just as the blacksmith blows air into the burning fire with his bellows we are asked to feed the flame by our breath. Ramalinga Adigal came and demonstrated this to us asking us to follow suit and practice. 

We learn from Krishnaveni Amma through my friend that,

I read your post on Jyothi. Sometime ago, Amma spoke about Lord Shiva as effulgence itself. That was how He stood at Tiruvannamalai,...A pillar of light. His true nature. But, how could the rest of Creation visualise Him? The light as we know it, is impure. The internal jyothi that the Masters want us to "see", is the same effulgence, and, is pure. Creation comes forth from the Divine Mother, and for any creation to take place, it needs space and time to incubate, mature and be released. Such is the nature of the Divine Mother. She is the heat, of that effulgence. Together, as Lord Arthanareeswara, they incubate and bring forth Creation. All possible forms and sources of light in the cosmos has heat, as an indispensable accompaniment. He,in His pure form , is pure effulgence. Out of His infinite Grace, He brings forth Shakthi, and begins Creation, for our salvation.

It looks like both Siva and Sakthi keep us alive then. 

We learn from P.Karthigayan's manual on the "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016 that the soul bridges the physical body with the spirit. He says the body is animated by 96 principles: 60 formulates the body while the other 36 the soul. A dead man's body is cold. The vayu leaves first, followed by the heat and every other element one by one. P.Karthigayan writes that the soul retains all our attributes and learning, absorbing everything like a sponge would, leaves the dead body, and thrives on after the death of the physical body. Physical death then is for the body and not the soul.  The Siddhas knew the means and way to defeat death. They went into the state of samadhi. My friend shares his guru Krishnaveni Amma's teachings, 

மனம் சுழுமுனையில் நிலை பெற்று இருக்கும் போது, மூலகனல் தவகனலாக பரிணாமம் பெற்று சித்தாகாஸத்தில் நிற்கும். அப்போது, நீர், நெருப்பு மற்றும் வாயு அந்த தேகத்திற்கு தேவை இல்லை. மனம் சித்தாகாஸத்தில் நிலை பெரும் போது, அகங்காரம் மற்றும் புத்தி செயலிழந்து இருக்கும்.  சித்தம் தெளிய உள்ளுணர்வு மட்டுமே ப்ரகாசிக்கும். பசி, தூக்கம், கழிவு, உள்மூச்சு மற்றும் வெளிமூச்சு அந்த தேகத்திற்கு தேவை அற்றதாகிவிடும்.  ப்ராணனின் இயக்கம் அடங்கிய நிலையில் மற்ற வாயுக்களும் செயல் இழந்து விடும். இதுவே சமாதி.

மரணத்தின் போது உள் உணர்வு இல்லை. உயிர்ப்பு இல்லை. மீண்டும் அந்த தேகம் உயிர்ப்பு பெறுவது இல்லை.

சாமாதியின் போது உயிர்ப்பு தற்காலிகமாக வெளி தோற்றத்திற்கு இல்லாமல் இருப்பது போல் இருந்தாலும் உள்ளே இருக்கும். உள் உணர்வு இருக்கும். மீண்டும் அந்த தேகம் ஆன்ம உணர்வு பெரும்.

My friend added that "I guess death is the cessation of animation, and samadhi is a temporary suspension of animation...."" Very true. In death neither is there life or feeling. It cannot be revived back. As opposed to death, in samadhi the person might seem lifeless to us by all medical means of identifying life in a body, but life lives on within and the soul does "resurrect" the body.

WITH A NEW PERSPECTIVE COMES A NEW UNDERSTANDING

So much has been said in this blog. It took me a while now to actually comprehend, digest, and understand them all. This blog provides scientific, religious, and spiritual schooling for me too. Each time I post the writings I go back reading them countless times trying to comprehend what has been said and written. I thank the authors of the numerous books and online sites from whom I have quoted extensively many relevant passages. They helped exemplify and clarify many matters that were vague initially. I could see many similarities between the many views of the authors and that of Agathiyar too. 

I had read all three books in the series "Conversation with God" by Neale Donald Walsch many years back but it remained only a text, as every book I read then did. They did not make much sense, instead created more doubts and questioning. Today as I read Neale's CWG Book 4, "Awaken the Species" I am beginning to understand his conversation with God, having had numerous conversations with Agathiyar through his Nadi and other mediums. I could relate Neale's conversation to the numerous teeny-weeny bits of messages that Agathiyar gave us and that are posted on this blog. All that I had read earlier, all the knowledge accumulated, all the thoughts I have had, and the experiences gained from various practices given, are slowly being confirmed and endorsed through revelations by the Siddhas and through numerous writers and authors. What did not make sense some years back is becoming clear now. I understood that all the messages, statements, and sayings of Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, and Tavayogi had to be injected in small doses to a moron like me over a long time to make me understand. It became clear about the numerous admissions by Agathiyar reading these same books now. All the books throw new light now. With experience and new and direct revelations, the perspective has changed over time, and everything is seen in a new light. 

Books aside, divinity has to be felt and experienced. But how many of us are receptive to it. You need to be a good receptacle to feel and tap its energy. Hence the divine has to take either a physical form and a language to express himself. I am beginning to realize that the truth is one but given out to many in many forms and languages, for expression is only possible in a physical form, that of matter. As God told Neale that we choose to be in physical form, "You are in physical form now because you choose to be" and that the physical body is taken up whenever there is a purpose, the divine too takes a form what we call an avatar to bring a mammoth change to humanity or comes onto others for a short duration to pass on his messages to an individual or a small group. Agathiyar upon preparing this vessel to receive the grace of the Divine, sent Ramalinga Adigal to aid us in bringing their energy down and within us. Their energy can traverse through us, a stone, metal, or any other matter. Some are extremely receptive and good conductors. What is required is an open mind, belief, and faith.

Agathiyar says there is no right and wrong. We shall come to determine right and wrong based on our experiences. In other words, it's all about perspectives. Our perspective of things and the world around us changes as we become knowledgeable about them and gain experiences and learn lessons. All these shall "maketh the man". As a child, we hold on to things. Later as adults, we ask ourselves, "Did we actually throw a tantrum for this?" or "Did we make a fuss over this?", since they become unimportant to us then. Similarly what we comprehend to understand and hold to be true in the spiritual circle too evolves and changes bringing a new understanding of all things spiritual. I have to admit that after 2407 posts on this blog, I too have come to see things from a different perspective, hence realize and understand them differently. So should I then say that all my previous understanding was wrong? It was right at that particular moment of space-time. I saw them that way with my limited knowledge and understanding. With time as we evolve meeting new people, experiencing and learning more, our evaluation and analysis differ, changing our understanding and acceptance or rejection of concepts, opinions, practices, and lifestyle. What is held close to our hearts is dropped for another with better understanding. What had been held to rigidly and followed will mellow or lose its hold on us with more revelations and new learnings. 

When we shift our perspective, all else changes. An electronic card viewed from its front would show the logo and name of the bank or institution; the card number; and its validity. When viewed from the rear, it shows the authorized signature, terms of usage, and a 24-hour customer service contact number. When viewed from the sides it only appears as a thin line. Similarly, our perspective of life varies from where we stand and watch. As we are elevated on the journey, our perspective too changes with new experiences, reading, and knowledge. As I stand today looking back at the continuously changing and evolving understanding of life, I cannot but totally submit in agreement to the one single word that we keep hearing and are continuously reminded of - surrender. In acceptance, we surrender. Acceptance ends all suffering. Even when faced with death, as God tells Neale that "Death is an ongoing evolutionary process", accepting death removes the fear of it. Acceptance makes us accommodate everything. Acceptance makes us humble and lose our ego. Karma erodes the moment we accept that it's all God's doing and surrender to him. Karma only has a hold as long as we believe we are in charge. By letting go a whole new set of experiences is given anew. A new dawn and an awakening then takes place. 

REVISITING THE TATVAS AGAIN

I received a message from a friend and a reader of this blog after reading the post at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2020/05/understanding-tattvas-1.html

Aiyya I have been looking for this _ what you discussed in this post_ for more than two years!  In my ashi nadi agathiyar told me to learn dehatattwas primarily.  Hence, I have been asking many, searching nd Googling since then. At first I thought like _ y ? Did agathiyar meant that I should learn body anatomy and how it works etc. But how nd why _ I have the least intelligence when it come to such scientific studies. But still, I was dissatisfied because, by reading  these things doesn't make me knowledgeable at all. Still now I didnt understand a thing _ I am sure! I read that Body is made of panchabhootas etc etc but I don't get it. Actually,  still now, i didnt understand the instruction of agathiyar clearly _ is what i think. Yesterday  i happened to read the exact word in Baul philosophy and was alerted.  Oh. At last my search ended in your blog post!! Aiyya, please advise me _ how and from where can I learn about this? How can I learn about 96 principles of body? Tavayogi's book etc are in tamil. What shall i do?

This reader is a journalist in Kerala. She shares many pertinent points and articles related to my postings. I need to thank her for introducing me yet to another devotional tradition, the Baul philosophy. I began to read about them. A description that followed Unesco's film footage of the Baul's goes as following.

The Bauls are mystic minstrels living in rural Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The Baul movement, at its peak in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, has now regained popularity among the rural population of Bangladesh. Their music and way of life have influenced a large segment of Bengali culture, and particularly the compositions of Nobel Prize laureate Rabindranath Tagore. 

Bauls live either near a village or travel from place to place and earn their living from singing to the accompaniment of the ektara, the lute dotara, a simple one-stringed instrument, and a drum called dubki. Bauls belong to an unorthodox devotional tradition, influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism, Bengali, Vasinavism and Sufi Islam, yet distinctly different from them. Bauls neither identify with any organized religion nor with the caste system, special deities, temples or sacred places. Their emphasis lies on the importance of a persons physical body as the place where God resides. Bauls are admired for this freedom from convention as well as their music and poetry. Baul poetry, music, song and dance are devoted to finding humankinds relationship to God, and to achieving spiritual liberation. Their devotional songs can be traced back to the fifteenth century when they first appeared in Bengali literature. 

Baul music represents a particular type of folk song, carrying influences of Hindu bhakti movements as well as the shuphi, a form of Sufi song. Songs are also used by the spiritual leader to instruct disciples in Baul philosophy, and are transmitted orally. The language of the songs is continuously modernized thus endowing it with contemporary relevance. 

I was following a TV show "Rudra Veenai" several years ago. In it, a man is seen carrying a mystical veena from village to village, and "healing" the folks in multiple ways. He resembles the above description of the Baul's.

I wrote back to her that "I too have been trying to figure this out ma. I remember carrying many notes that I came across while searching for clarification in my subsequent posts. Pls, keep reading. You might find something there." To recap and refresh my memory too, I thought I should go through those posts. It might seem that I am revisiting this topic often. Initially, upon reading Paramahansa Satchidananthar's "Jeeva Bramakiya Vedanta Ragasiyam" or "ஜீவப் பிரம்மைக்ய வேதாந்த ரஹஸ்யம்" I was wondering why the author was repeating things throughout his book. Finally, he reveals that it's only with repetition that the matter will register in us. Similarly, Tavayogi would take the stage at various venues and repeat the same story again and again. Once I asked him why he was repeating the same things in his talk. He asked me in return as was his nature, if  I was following his dictates, referring to his audience. "It's only when you listen and follow that I can move on to the next stage", he added. 

Dr. Bruce Lipton says the subconscious mind learns through either of two ways, through hypnosis and repetition. Train the subconscious mind through repetition and practice he says. By repetition you talk to your subconscious he says. Repetition is a habit. The subconscious mind is habitual. Habit becomes a character. Character is embedded in the subconscious as vasanas or as in tracks on vinyl records. 

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Shaivism) we are told that "Tattvas are used to explain the structure and origin of the Universe." As the body is relative to the universe around us, a study of the former will justify a study of the cosmos too. 

The Siddhas categorized the human body into 96 tattvas that have come to be known as the Siddha Anatomy. From the first atom, the Paramanu, the Pancha Maha Bhutam came forth, writes Tavayogi. The world emerged with these 5 atoms coming together. Each atom carried 96 Tattvas. These Tattvas function in our bodies too. These tattvas form the basis for the growth, sustenance, and the proper functioning of all the regulatory systems within us for the continued dwelling and inhabitance of the spirit and soul within. We are said to be a combination of the same five basic primordial or primary elements that form the building blocks of all of creation, the Pancha Maha Bhutam namely earth, water, fire/energy, air/wind, and sky/space, in descending order of grossness. This is seen as the first layer of elements or Tattvas of creation. These principal forces of Nature are responsible for the creation and coming into being, development and continued sustenance, and completion of every creation of the divine that we have come to know. "Their personified forms are imagined to be in the form of their patron Gods who actually control these elements and their functions in creation," says Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia.

Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia compliments the above. "Brahm would be like the primary Atom which left to itself is neutral and inactive. It is only when certain changes take place in its core, such as the shift in the position of its electron, etc that the chain of reaction starts that would ultimately result in not only producing newer elements but releasing energy or absorbing matter from the surrounding atmosphere. The Varaha Upanishad, Canto 1 is entirely dedicated to enumerating the Tattvas, starting from a single universal element that is known as the Param Tattva, the Supreme Essence, to the 96 Tattvas. From these primary elements came forth the secondary elements that form the second layer of elements or Tattvas of creation. Finally came the tertiary elements - the various Anatahakarans, the various Vikaars and Vrittis, the three Gunas, etc, that would form the third layer of elements or Tattvas of creation."

Looking at the Varaha Upanishad, translated by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar, we learn more from the conversation between Sage Ribhu and Lord Narayanan at  http://www.advaita.it/library/varaha.htm

The great sage Ribhu performed penance for twelve Deva (divine) years. At the end of the time, the Lord appeared before him in the form of a boar. He said: “Rise, rise and choose your boon”. The sage got up and having prostrated himself before him said: “O Lord, I will not, in my dream, wish of thee those things that are desired by the worldly. All the Vedas, Shastras, Itihasas and all the hosts of other sciences, as well as Brahma and all the other Devas, speak of emancipation as resulting from a knowledge of thy nature. So impart to me that science of Brahman which treats of thy nature.”

The Lord acknowledges Ribhu and imparts his knowledge. 

Some disputants hold that there are twenty-four Tattvas (principles) and some thirty-six, whilst others maintain that there are ninety-six. I shall relate them in their order. Listen with an attentive mind.  

1. The organs of sense are five, viz., ear, skin, eye, and others.   (5)
2. The organs of action are five, viz., mouth, hand, leg, and others. Pranas (vital airs) are five; sound and other (viz., rudimentary principles) are five. (5 + 5 +5 = 15)
3. Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, and Ahankara are four; (4)
4. thus those that know Brahman know these to be the twenty-four Tattvas. (24)

It explains why the numbers vary accordingly, in the first instance 24.

1. Besides these, the wise hold the quintuplicated elements to be five, viz., earth, water, fire, Vayu, and Akasa; (5)
2. The bodies to be three, viz., the gross, the subtle, and the Karana or causal; (3)
3. the states of consciousness to be three, viz., the waking, the dreaming, and the dreamless sleeping (3)
4. The Munis know the total collection of Tattvas to be thirty-six (coupled with Jiva). (36)

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Shaivism) we understand that "The vibrant creative energy of Parashiva, known as Spanda, in wanting to execute his lila or divine play, moves him to manifest and descent to the state of jiva, through the 36 tattvas." This explains the number of Tattvas in the second instance 36. We then understand that the soul taking on the tattvas carries the above-mentioned number of tattvas.

Pa.Kamalakannan in one of his writings mentions that Sage Ribhu came down from the Himalayan mountain ranges and lead Ramalinga Adigal to his abode. What better place to understand this subject then to turn to Ramalinga Adigal himself. Browsing through the numerous e-books that I had downloaded and saved for further reading, I came across the following explanation by Dr. C. Srinivasan in his book "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami", published by Ilakkia Nilayam Trichy, 1968. Ramalinga Adigal lists out the three bondages that shackle man. Srinivasan explains.

The bondages of human beings are according to the Swami, with regard to the body or தேகப்பற்று, to the soul or ஜீவப்பற்று and to the enjoyment which one expects in these or போகப்பற்று. These bondages are thirty-six in number.

The Siddhas drew up a concise blueprint of the tattvas for mankind to understand and use this knowledge to gain ground and momentum in ascending the spiritual ladder back to the source of all creation. The reason we are asked to know the tattvas is to break their hold on us one by one and eventually for good, hence liberating ourselves - Soul Liberation or Atma Vidhuthalai. 

Brahma Thathvam or மலரோன் தத்துவம் that is made of 24 elements.

(5 Elements): 1. Space 2. Air 3. Fire 4. Water 5. Earth 

(5 Sense Organs): 6. Body (Skin) 7. Tongue 8. Eyes  9. Nose 10. Ears 

(5 Perception of Senses): 11. Sensitivity (Touch) 12. Taste 13. Sight (Vision) 14. Smell 15. Hearing 

(5 Motor Organs): 16. Mouth 17. Feet (legs) 18. Hands 19. Anus (Rectum) 20. Sex organ 

(4 Intelectual faculties) 21. Manam (மனம்) or Mind 22. Buddhi (புத்தி) or Intellect 23. Sitham (சித்தம்) or Subconscious mind 24. Ahangaram (அகங்காரம்) or Ego

Vishnu Thathvam or மாலோன் தத்துவம் that is made of 7 elements.

(...) 25. Kalai (கலை) 26. Viddhai (வித்தை) 27. Aragam (அராகம்) 28. Niyathi (நியதி) 29. Time (காலம்) 30. Mohini (மோகினி) 31. Purusha (புருஷன்) 

Suddha Thathvam  or சுத்த தத்துவம்  that is made of 5 elements.

(...) 32. Suddha Viddhai (சுத்த வித்தை) 33. Eswaram (ஈசுரம்) 34. Sadakkiyam (சதாக்கியம்) 35. Vindu (விந்து) 36. Nadam (நாதம்)  

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattva_(Shaivism) we understand that the tattvas are similarly divided into three groups but named as Asuddha (impure tattvas), Suddha Asuddha (pure-impure tattvas); and Suddha (pure tattvas).

The Asuddha tattvas include the universe and living beings that assist the existence of the soul. Asuddha tattvas numbering 24 are aspects of the Universe and physical body.  The five gross elements (mahabhuta) namely: earth, water, fire, air, ether, or space are part of the list of 24 principles. 

The Suddha Asuddha tattvas, 7 in total, are described as the "instruments" that assist the souls or Purusha in its liberation.  It pairs with Maya that hides the divine nature of created beings creating a sense of separateness from each other and the Divine too. Hence the need of the guru to come along and draw the curtain or veil aside to expose the truth.

Suddha tattvas that are 5 in numbers are functioning in the absolute level which leads to the Five Acts or Panchakritya namely: Creation; Sustenance; Destruction; Concealment; and Grace. Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia in his "The Mahavakyas of the Upanishads" writes that "These tattvas form the basis for the growth, sustenance, and the proper functioning of all the regulatory systems within us for the continued dwelling and inhabitation of the spirit and soul within."

As for the rests of the tattvas, 

1. With these Tattvas, there are six changes, viz., existence, birth, growth, transformation, decay, and destruction. (6)
2. Hunger, thirst, grief, delusion, old age, and death are said to be the six infirmities. (6)
3. Skin, blood, flesh, fat, marrow, and bones are said to be the six sheaths. (6)
4. Passion, anger, avarice, delusion, pride, and malice are the six kinds of foes. (6)
5. Vishva, Taijasa, and Prajna are the three aspects of the Jiva. (3)
6. Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are the three Gunas (qualities). (3)
7. Prarabdha, Sanchita, and Agamin are the three Karmas. (3)
8. Talking, lifting, walking, excreting, and enjoying are the five actions (of the organs of action) (5)
9. And there are also thought, certainty, egoism, compassion, memory (functions of Manas, etc.,), complacency, sympathy, and indifference; (8)
10. Dik (the quarters), Vayu, Sun, Varuna, Ashvini Devas, Agni, Indra, Upendra, and Mrityu (death); and then the moon, the four-faced Brahma, Rudra, Kshetrajna, and Ishvara. (14)

Hence adding up to 96 Tattvas in total. P.Karthigayan in his "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", explains that generally, these 96 principles tattvas animate us on life's stage, eventually ending their act, leaving and going their way at the end of the divine play. The Siddhas, instead of returning to dust like everyone else, reincarnated their spirit with the soul within their own body, attaining death without dying, or சாகாமல் சாகும் கலை. This was done by eliminating the worldly substances in it. What is retained is the form of their profile. All else is replaced. Substances of perishable nature will get replaced by substances of cosmic nature by altering the natural physical fabric through the science that was known to them and named Kaaya Siddhi. On completion of the transformation, their body is retained forever. Hence the need for us who are on their path to know and understand how the "house", that sustains our life spirit and soul, was built. Knowing this shall facilitate the dismantling of these 96 tattvas, reversing, replacing, and transforming the "house". 

THE CALL TO PRAYER

We want all kinds of assurances before coming to worship. Some need some kind of miracle to happen first before they can even bring themselves to believe in the existence of the divine. All the miracles shown by the Siddhas are initially to coax us to get on board the ship. It is akin to the carrot that is hung before the horse-cart. Once on board and realizing that there is no way to leave or abscond, at least until the next port of call, we are forced to toe the line. We follow the commands and carry out the given tasks initially with resistance but soon it turns to dedication. Then we begin to realize that being devoted to God and his service is not that bad after all. We work hard to keep the ship afloat now since we begin to have a sense of belonging. From Sariyai or the role of a servant, we have moved a step closer to that of a shipmate. From Kriyai we move on to Yogam where we are given a few moments to man the ship. Very soon we find that we are one with the ship, in heart, soul, and mind, synonymous with its name.

We spend years looking for the right guru and the right mantra. Then we want to know the right way to recite, say, or pronounce a mantra before even starting on it. When I invited my granddaughter to chant with me the name of the Siddhas, she followed. When she missed the pronunciation I let it be. I did not correct her. She will correct herself with practice. Perfection comes with practice.

We spend too much time investigating the method, the way, and the path before we even consider walking it or taking up a practice. Just jump into it and find out for yourself instead of asking around or others. 

Agathiyar called me to prayer on 14.12.2002 asking me to worship Lord Vinayagar, Lord Shiva, the Siddhas, and him in my first Nadi reading. He did not send me to others. Setting me on doing puja first, he sent my guru over. Setting me on doing puja, he only listed out the results that we could gain in doing puja in the 38th reading on 12.7.2010. 

உண்மையும் உத்தமமும் நிறைந்த பூசை
நிறைந்த இன்பம் தந்திடுமே மகத்துவப் பூசை
நிதானமானதொரு அற்புத பூசை
அறமுடனே அகிலம் காக்கும் பூசை
அருளான மாந்தரோடு செய்வாய் நன்றாய்
நன்றன புண்ணியங்கள் காக்கும் பூசை
நற்கதியும் பலர் அடைய செய்யும் பூசை
எண்ணாத சக்தி எல்லாம் தந்திடும் பூசை
எகாந்த நிலை அடைய வைக்கும் பூசை
வையகத்தின் மாந்தரின் அகத்தின் ஜோதி
வலமாக்கும் முழுமதி பூசை அப்பா
ஐயத்தை நீக்கிடும் பூசைதானே
ஆண்டவனை அடைய செய்யும் வழியும் இதுவே
வழி வகுக்கும் சேய்க்கும் மாந்தற்கும் தான்
வளத்திற்கும் அருளுக்கும் பொருளுக்கும்
அழியாத மார்கத்தில் இருந்த வண்ணம்
அகிலத்தில் நிலை பெற்று வாழ் வழிக்கும் பூசை
பூசையால் புண்ணியங்கள் கிட்டும் பூசை
பூர்வமும் போக்கிடும் பூசை அப்பா
இசையுடனே குடும்பவளம் தந்திடும் பூசை
எவை எல்லாம் வேண்டினும் தந்திடும் பூசை
தந்திடுமே தர்மம் தவ சிந்தை
தரித்திரியம் போக்கும் பூசை யாகும்
அந்தமும் ஆதியும் இல்லா
அகிலமதில் உயர்வு தரும் பூசை அப்பா
அப்பனே ஆண்டவனே உருகும் பூசை
அறிவிழந்தோன் அறிவாளி ஆக்கும் பூசை
ஒப்பில்லா மகத்துவம் கொண்ட பூசை
உயர்வோடு நீ எடுத்துச் செய்வாய் அப்பா
ஒப்பில்லா மாற்றங்கள் மகத்துவமும்
உயர் நிலை பூசையாலே இருக்குதப்பா

There are many in this world who utters my name (Agathiyar),
Puja done truthfully (to Sidhas) shall gain many benefits,
Puja shall bring much joy,
Puja done moderately but splendidly and honestly shall help protect the world,
Puja done with fellow devotees will bring many benefits,
Many shall rise in stature and power,
Puja will lead to a state of bliss,
Puja done on full moon days shall strengthen the Jothi within,
Puja will help remove doubts,
Through puja, one shall attain godhead,
Strength, grace, and wealth shall be gained,
Stay on this path of devotion and family bond shall be strengthened,
All that is asked for shall be gained,
Puja shall lead to meditation and charitable thoughts,
All ills shall be removed,
God shall listen to puja,
Idiots shall become geniuses,
The benefits attained from puja are indescribable for many changes shall take place.

Ramalinga Adigal's songs made their way into temples, schools, and homes. Dr. MP Sivagnanam writes, "After the publication of the volume of the songs of Divine Grace (Arutpa) they were recited in every nook and corner. The songs were widely and warmly received." By composing several songs in the traditional folk meter, Adigal took his songs to the rural folks in the villages, thus bringing his highly esoteric songs to the masses. Following in the footsteps of Manickavasagar and his composition Thiru Unthiyar, Ramalinga Adigal composed his Thiru Unthiyar. Ramalinga Adigal lists out the results of his puja through this song, calling us all to prayer too.

திரு உந்தியார்

1. இரவு விடிந்தது இணையடி வாய்த்த
பரவி மகிழ்ந்தேன்என்று உந்தீபற
பாலமுது உண்டேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

2. பொழுது விடிந்தது பொற்பதம் வாய்த்த
தொழுது மகிழ்ந்தேன்என்று உந்தீபற
தூயவன் ஆனேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

3. தூக்கம் தொலைந்தது சூரியன் தோன்றினன்
ஏக்கம் தவிர்ந்தேன்என்று உந்தீபற
இன்னமுது உண்டேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

4. துன்பம் தவிர்ந்தது தூக்கம் தொலைந்தது
இன்பம் கிடைத்ததென்று உந்தீபற
எண்ணம் பலித்ததென்று உந்தீபற.

5. ஞானம் உதித்தது நாதம் ஒலித்தது
தீனந் தவிர்ந்ததென்று உந்தீபற
சிற்சபை கண்டேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

6. திரையற்று விட்டது செஞ்சுடர் தோன்றிற்று
பரைஒளி ஓங்கிற்றென்று உந்தீபற
பலித்தது பூசையென்று உந்தீபற.

7. உள்ளிருள் நீங்கிற்றுஎன் உள்ளொளி ஓங்கிற்றுத்
தெள்ளமுது உண்டேன்என்று உந்தீபற
தித்திக்க உண்டேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

8. எந்தையைக் கண்டேன் இடரெலாம் நீங்கினேன்
சிந்தை மகிழ்ந்தேன்என்று உந்தீபற
சித்திகள் பெற்றேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

9. தந்தையைக் கண்டேன்நான் சாகா வரம்பெற்றேன்
சிந்தை களித்தேன்என்று உந்தீபற
சித்தெலாம் வல்லேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

10. முத்தியைப் பெற்றேன்அம் முத்தியினால் ஞான
சித்தியை உற்றேன்என்று உந்தீபற
சித்தனும் ஆனேன்என்று உந்தீபற.

Puja or worship to the deities is the stepping stone to further spiritual advancement. Worship breaks our ego. Ego is big. If for some it comes easy, many cannot bring themselves to fall at the feet of the divine or the guru or all other representations of him. In the beginning, we are trained to see or at least believe that God is in the stone, wood, metal, etc. When one begins to believe that the divine can materialize in all forms and worships him at the beginning of his quest, then at the final leg of his journey it would be easy to see the divine manifests in all of his creation. After attaining enlightenment he sees God in all spontaneously. Similarly in the beginning we are asked to tame the breath by various techniques. We are asked to practice alternate breathing. We are asked to observe the breath. Eventually, our attention is pulled to the breath spontaneously without the need for any of the earlier practices. The mantra japam or recitation of a mantra that is said aloud soon settles within, running throughout the day and night without our knowledge. What starts with practice should become spontaneous later. Then know that it is time to drop the particular practice and move on. Similarly whatever puja done externally continues within without we being aware of it.  

Rajiv Agarwal recounts his venture and journey to become enlightened at https://innerspiritualawakening.com/rajiv-agarwal/my-journey/. Moving deeper into his goal of attaining enlightenment, he began to have spiritual experiences.

It was during this time I started having fantastic spiritual experiences. Sometimes I felt so ecstatic that every cell in my body would explode with bliss. I felt that I was floating in an infinite ocean of ecstasy. I was absorbed in these expanded rapturous states of being for hours. A sense of immense sacredness and divinity infused my entire consciousness.

During these states, my body sometimes used to go in spontaneous states of yoga. Sometimes my body would become so flexible that I could bend spontaneously into difficult yoga postures. Many of these postures were completely unknown to me but the body automatically aligned itself to certain ancient forms.

Another curious thing happened with my breathing; I experienced spontaneous Pranayama and kumbhka (Ancient yogic breathing patterns and techniques). It is a cessation of breath, which leads to higher states of consciousness. I experienced both the outer and the inner cessation of breath. After I took a deep breath in, my breath used to stop for around a minute to minute and a half. During this time the mind felt utterly still and pure. After the inner cession, I would exhale, wherein my breath used to again stop for approximately a minute.

One day in a small town in the Himalayas, he begins to witness his consciousness when his consciousness shifts to envelop all there was.

As I looked within, I could feel my consciousness slowly expanding beyond my body. To my utter amazement, my consciousness expanded and slowly embraced the lake and the mountain ranges. As I looked at the clouds, I could see them become one with me. I was suddenly everywhere. The entire space was myself and everything under the sky was me. Every point of space contained me, reflected my consciousness, which was mine, but was also universal.  The entire creation melted into a luminous wave of consciousness. I was free from the bondage of individuality, from being a mere speck. I was the totality, but it was not me as a person. There was identity, but it was universal, all embracing. It was at this moment that the teachings of Nisargadatta, J Krishnamurthi, Advaita, Zen and Buddhism all unfolded and I realized what they were trying to point at. For years I had read them, contemplated their teachings, but now, at this moment, I was living them.

He says, "The spiritual awakening experience caused a permanent shift in my understanding. More than ever before, I wanted enlightenment. Enlightenment. This one word brought untold grief and suffering to me for the next few years." Wanting to make it his permanent state of being, he sought many masters but to no avail. They could not help him. 

I wasted years pleasing Gurus, hoping they would somehow help me in integrating and making this state permanent, that their grace would bestow enlightenment, the ultimate cessation of being. I knew if I witnessed my consciousness a little longer, meditated a little more, I would finally go beyond the veil of illusion and find my own true self. The more I chased enlightenment, the more miserable I became.

He thrived on thinking, 

"Till you reached perfection, everything else was an illusion. Either you were Enlightened and perfect, or you were still in duality, in illusion. It was a black and white situation, either you attained it, or you were imperfect." 

His world slowly fell apart. 

Then it struck me. I was looking for a perfect enlightened state in the future, a state which someone else had experienced. I had been caught in endless becoming, the desire to find a perfect state of being which I had read in books. And I had totally forgotten about what I had – the infinite bliss and peace which I had always experienced, the state of beyond mind and consciousness, the state of pure awareness.

At that moment, an intense joy overwhelmed me, shaking the very core of my being. The vast treasure of awakening had always been with me but my spiritual greed of becoming more, of wanting it to be permanent had made me blind to it. It was like having billions of dollars, and still being miserable because you are not as rich as Bill Gates. That day, I stopped becoming. I stopped seeking. I stopped being a miserable seeker. I had finally arrived.

Having drawn the curtain that was veiling him aside, he was truly awakened to the reality that day. He shares his moments after the awakening.

It took some years for this final shift to be totally integrated. Life has become immensely beautiful living in present conscious awareness. Stillness has become the background for all activities. Spontaneous states of bliss and ecstasy arise, carrying me to the infinite shore of immense joy. There is a sacred wonderment when beholding nature and life in all its diversity. There is a  shining darkness, an unfathomable silence, space which is empty, yet full. I call it what is, the sense of presence. And I would like everyone to experience these amazing higher states of consciousness at least once in their life time. Even the sun pales in front of the immensity of consciousness.

We are again reminded of Ramalinga Adigal's verses from his Arutpa. He did mention some 12 years of suffering, a result of spontaneous transformation within, where he says only the divine would know the nature and extent of the misery that unfolded during his tenure of seeking enlightenment. He finally lets go of all his efforts after placing the initial effort, letting the divine work it's way through him in its own good time without pressing it to do its work. "We will not worry no more, neither will we attempt to slog or work towards it no further. We shall withdraw within and wait for the guru's grace to work its beauty in us" he sings.

இனித்துயர் படமாட்டேன் விட்டே னே
என்குரு மேல்ஆணை இட்டே னே.
இனிப்பாடு படமாட்டேன் விட்டே னே
என்னப்பன் மேல்ஆணை இட்டே னே.

THE AWAKENING

Radhanath Swami in his book "The Journey Within - Exploring the Path of Bhakti", Mandala Publishing, 2016, shares the story of Parashara and Ananta. Parashara says to a disciple "When our eyes are opened by the words of the wise we see lessons in even the most common of things." This is the beginning of an awakening. 

God tells Neale Donald Walsch, "It is what you do, it is how you are in the world that will shake people awake that will startle them into seeing what their possibilities are." How very true. As Radhanath Swami says, "A great teacher brings his teachings thru example", Buddha, Ramalinga Adigal, and many more saints did not merely preach their ways or paths but lived it, showing us the outcome and results of their spiritual (ad)ventures, 

Ramalinga Adigal sings about his bodily transformation after the advent or coming of God. He practically held a conversation with God for he sings of the compassion and grace of the divine in wanting to grant him a state at par with Him. These saints came to jolt mankind from their slumber and prove that the most unimaginable was indeed possible. Their wish is for us to start the journey too and follow them. Ramalinga Adigal invited us telling us that his feat and achievements were true and that we too could achieve it. 

We could find many similarities between what Agathiyar told us and Neale Donald Walsch's conversation with God. When God tells him that "his function was to empower us to make happen what we wish to happen and not to make it happen for us", it reminds me of Agathiyar telling us that Gnanam or wisdom was not to be gifted by him, instead one has to earn it. Ramalinga Adigal came to reinforce this statement on us, telling us we need to place effort. Our progress shall be relative to our efforts. These saints empowered us with their grace and blessing to venture further, giving us techniques and tips to pursue and remove obstacles respectively. 

A man who strives to achieve what he sets his mind on shall be joined by the divine resulting in his success. One such man was Captain Gopinath of Deccan Air. I just saw the movie Soorarai Pottru. The film was partly inspired by events from the life of Simplify Deccan founder G. R. Gopinath. (https://en.wikipedia.org/)

An awakening could also be a rude one. Pattinathar dropped everything that he had sought in his life after reading a note from his son, "Even the eyeless needle shall not come with you in at the end of lives journey." My father missed the bullets from the machine-gun of a Japanese fighter plane just as he stepped out of a bank. He hit the dirt, both his hands holding on to the cash that he had just withdrawn. He dropped his desire to accumulate wealth further spending his last days giving them away and staying satisfied and happy.

I was awakened one day to the fact that we could know our past, present, and future. How was that possible? This information came to me through my colleague who had himself seen his Nadi two years before we had this conversation about it. He was told of his past, present, and future then. It was amazing news to me. He helped me book an appointment with the Nadi reader. I soon saw myself arrive at Sivabalan's home. He had brought in the Nadi reader from India. My past, present, and future were told by Agathiyar. Since then Agathiyar had been speaking to me through his Nadi. He awoke me to the reality of things that surround us. He made me feel blessed for all that he had provided. He then had us travel on a journey of sheer amazement and discovery. He began to spell out the possibilities in life, man rising from the mundane world into the extraordinary world of the Siddhas. The journey continues to this day.

KNOW THY PURPOSE

TD Jakes in his book "Destiny" asks us to find out our purpose in life and step into it. He says of himself, "... I have lived a life that I was drawn to. I have been pulled to a call that has drawn me from the mundane acquisition of lives mementos to the far more rewarding task of doing something with my life that only I could uniquely accomplish." How wonderful. 

Agathiyar in his 5 tenets given to mankind list this as the first tenet - to know one's purpose in taking birth. For the present generation, who might not have access to genuine gurus, and are not into deep meditation, seeking to know our purpose from the Nadi written by the Siddhas might shed some light. I received my call and later was given numerous tasks to perform through these Nadi readings. I carried them out to their satisfaction I believe. 

If God told Neale Donald Walsch in his "Conversation with God" to "Awaken the Species", Agathiyar tells us in his 5 tenets the same too. He says that we are here foremost to uplift the Self and others bringing an awakening. 

Coming back from a journey experiencing near-death Betty J Eadie reveals the secrets and mysteries of life in her book "Embraced by the Light." She describes leaving her body, how she was taken on a tour of another realm and discovered the mystery and workings of life on earth. As the operation of the laws behind life on earth were explained to her, she seemed to understand these things almost instantaneously. She brings her understanding of the mystery that surrounds our birth, and its purpose that was revealed to her, into the pages of her book.

Betty understood the earth to be a place where we schooled, adds that whatever we become of here is meaningless unless it has brought benefit to others. In serving others we grow spiritually. If Betty says that we are here to school, Neale says that we are already well equipped with sufficient knowledge and have only to apply it here, giving life a purpose and making it holy.

I found her book interesting for I too came to understand likewise through the Nadi readings. We understood from Agathiyar each of us was brought together again for a purpose. We have been told that we are here for an experience, gaining which we return to god's kingdom. Just as Neale says life needs to have a purpose, Agathiyar has slowly revealed the reasons for taking birth, giving it a purpose too.

As Neale wrote, knowing who we are was not enough; we needed to become "it". This desire triggers a chain of events, a learning process takes place and several experiences are recorded, whereby the soul becomes enriched through these experiences. We, being light in essence, for want of experiencing it, had darkness and all opposites created for us. As all the souls are perfect, many wanted and volunteered to come down to help us gain the experience. Thus we had all known each other earlier. We had planned to be together here. Those who needed a particular experience chose to come early while others remained behind to join later.

Agathiyar adds that we needed to settle some of the past scores or karma too. Atonement and remedies were recommended to either payback, refund, replace, offset, reduce, or satisfy the many atrocities we had done earlier. Even after these revelations, many continue with their lives in the usual manner, without having had any impact made in their lives or without gaining a new understanding or perspective of life. For some, they turned over a new leaf after understanding the consequences of their actions and begin to watch their thoughts and actions carefully refraining from hurting others. Only a few handfuls are diverted from living a mundane life and made to live a life with a higher purpose, often given a mission to accomplish in this lifetime.

We are often told that this is the Era of Siddhas. The Siddhas tell us that children born now will serve to teach us, and thus awaken us. I already see that happening through my granddaughter. 

If initially, we come together for a common purpose, later we are drawn to specific tasks that have to be taken on solo. And so it seemed that Agathiyar had us go our way in exploring the inner caves of our hearts after having traveled to the caves and jungles in groups. When we are alone and to our self in these moments our purpose in taking birth shall dawn on us says Agathiyar. 

IF YOU ARE WITH GOD

If Christy Beam wrote in her memoir, "Miracles from Heaven", "Standing in the light of all he's given us, in the light of all that's happened I can't not tell you our story", Neale Donald Walsch writes about his conversation with God that "I could have kept this latest dialogue private but everything within me shouted, don't you dare." He felt that he should share keeping a promise to God. 

God always chose to speak to him at the time of his birth at 4.23am. He would begin to make entries into his laptop as the messages came in. When Neale says that it is not him as a singular who has had this conversation with God rather all of us in the plural, we can associate the dialogues or songs or pleadings of the saints asking for forgiveness and salvation was not for their individual self but of the whole of humanity. This is compassion beyond words towards all beings. Ramalinga Adigal's compassion went beyond the human race, the animal kingdom reaching the plant kingdom. He was saddened to see the plants wilt.

When the Siddhas speak of karma both personal and collective; when they share their grieve watching man deviate from the path of righteousness, bringing about his downfall, and bringing onto him untold miseries; they use a chosen few as a tool to forewarn humanity before they throw in the towel and let natures law take its cause. Although the current pandemic looks like it's the result of collective karma, a price we pay for our negligence and arrogance, going by a Nadi reading shared with me in July, the most compassionate Siddhas did not let us down, but tell us that they are watching it closely doing their best to help contain it in the ways they know. When God works through man, he then has access to all the wisdom, information, tools, and method. He has given us hope in battling the pandemic by working through his subjects from the frontliners right to the scientists. As Neale says "As we are one with God we do have the ability to create alternate endings to any story", mankind working in unison with the divine forces can bring forth a favorable outcome.  

God talks to those who listen. And so I listened to all of Agathiyar's directive as he was shown to me to be God by Tavayogi. The Nadi was the medium of communication with God for me. He spoke and I listened. I always went for the message rather than investigate the medium. If our inner chatter takes precedence, God's voice is never heard.  There were times when I had questions running in my mind as I heard him speak, he would address my doubts, almost immediately, surprising me. From a monologue, it soon became a conversation. Then he began to address us through others. He sat with us, he dined with us, he even conducted a meeting with us. All these surprised us as we were not ready for it. But he chose to come for the sheer reason that he knew we would listen. 

How would you feel to be in the presence of God? How would you react? What would be your response? Would you start the conversation or wait for God to do so? What would you tell him? Wm Paul Young in writing his work of fiction "The Shack" brings Mackenzie Allen Philip face to face with God where Mackenzie questions the injustice meted out to his family. Four years after his daughter's disappearance he is summoned to meet God through a note left in his letterbox. God wants to meet him at the very shack where evidence was found that Mackenzie's daughter may have been brutally murdered. With deep sorrow and confusion, he cries out to God "So where are you? I thought you wanted to meet me here. Well, I am here, God. And you? You are nowhere to be found! You have never been around when I needed you." 

The "dilapidated shack and it's dark and forbidding surroundings dissolved and is replaced with a log cabin and a picture-perfect postcard" surrounding.

Mackenzie begins to ask himself: What should you do when you come to the door of his house? Should you knock? Assuming God knows you are there should you simply walk in and introduce yourself? How should you address him? Should you fall down and worship him? 

Just as he decides to bang on the door in anger, the door flew open and God shows himself as a lady. She greets him and hugs him. During his conversation with God, Mackenzie learns that "God who is by nature completely unlimited and without bounds and always known for his fullness and perpetual satisfaction" has limitations when he takes what we call an avatar. Man as a "dependant, limited being if he is with God will find thrust and power to be at work within him and through him." He has God tell him, "Only as long as he has rested in a relationship with me, and in our communion - or co-union- could he express my heart and will into any given circumstances."

V.T. Neelakantan and Yogi Ramaiah have documented their conversations with Babaji too.

V.T. Neelakantan had been receiving frequent late night visitations by the same mysterious figure, Babaji, in his puja room in Egmore, Madras. Babaji soon revealed to Neelakantan that he was to work closely with Ramaiah to establish a yoga society in his name, "Kriya Babaji Sangah," and to write and publish his teachings in a series of books. Over the next two years, during late night visitations to V.T. Neelakantan's home, Babaji dictated several books to V.T.N.: "The Voice of Babaji and Myticism Unlocked," "Masterkey to Alls Ills," and "Death of Death." (https://www.babajiskriyayoga.net/english/articles/art25-yogi-ssa-ramaiah.htm)

Yogananda Paramahansa is said to have sat at his desk beside a window and stare into the openness and when inspired return to his pen and paper to jot down his conversation with God. 

Tavayogi stole some time moving away from his Kallar Ashram to the nearby Sri Sargurunathar's ashram to write his first book "Andamum Pindamum".

Velayudham Karthikayan Aiya shared with me that he would feel a divine presence beside him in the early morning hours on Thursday's as he began to write his blog "Siththan Arul", guided by the Siddhas. 

God comes through saints and sages. God can come through even a rogue to pass us a message. God could come as an animal to lead us away from danger to safety. 

God is willing to see us. Nay god is willing to drop by if only we would let him in. Enough of the times when we had to rely on the "Godmen, managers, and agents of God" to pass our needs to God. God has come directly to us to aid us. Both the movies "PK" and "Mookutti Amman" daringly sent this message across to all viewers who are devotees of deities and gurus alike. 

Ramalinga Adigal invited us to his fold. Agathiyar invited us to his fold. God is claiming back his beloved children from the grip of manipulators. It was time for the veils, curtains, and screens to be dropped, and his children to get to know the truth. He is giving us a last chance to identify with him, tat tvam asi; tattvamasi; That thou art; thou art that; "an assertion that we are one with the universe."

There seems to be a certain urgency in seeing through this mission. Many among us have been drawn to perform the 5 tenets as extolled by Agathiyar in the Tamil Sangam of the past, hence uplifting their souls and that of other beings and matter, to a higher elevation besides gaining soul power or atma balam for the individual self. To recount the revelation, the first and foremost task for us is to understand our purpose in taking this birth. With our purpose known then, we come to thank the divine creator or energy that brought forth our birth through consultation with the lunar forefathers and their angelic hierarchies that co-exist with us down here. With the constant showering of his blessings that come to us by way of living a purposeful, meaningful, and fruitful life, the soul grows in strength gaining atma balam. Showing appreciation to the divine that gave us an opportunity to take birth again to sort out our lives, we then thank all the caretakers both seen and unseen, in the present and the past. With all their blessings and grace showered on us, there is an obligation on our part then to "dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings." The final task is to extend this aid and help, towards "the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, existing upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, dutifully supporting the manifested matrix or prapanjam."

After 10 years since his last conversation and book, Neale sat down to bring the train of dialogue he had with God in CWG Book 4. As Neale shares his sadness as to what was going around, telling God that "it feels like we're becoming less civil, less tolerant, less capable of controlling our indulgences, .." rolling out the current state of affairs, God asked him to pass on His third and final invitation, assuring him that there is nothing to worry about if he does what he was inwardly called to do. God gives him hope that we can actually "change things rather dramatically and tells him and reminds us too that this is both the perfect time to begin making these alterations and the perfect time for advancement. Our mission now is to awaken the species." But before that, we need to be awakened first. 

We have had conversations with Agathiyar through the Nadi. We know pretty well how hard Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, the Siddhas and our guru lineage is trying to awaken us from the deep slumber by making frequent visitations and pointing us ways to confront our weaknesses and obstacles on the path. They want us to keep trying as they stand watching over us. 

As God told Neale that "the fastest way to awaken more quickly was to be the cause of someone else's awakening", Agathiyar told us among the list of merits that come down to us as a result of our actions which were the worship of God and serving the guru; and performing charity and feeding the hungry; the most appreciated of the deeds was to spread the words and messages of the masters. As His message was given to Neale on 2 August 2016, we look back to the years before and after this date and can revel in joy at having reached the peak of our journey on the path of the Siddhas around this date too. We can revel in joy at having performed rituals to the command of our gurus; at having performed charity to the needy, feeding them and appeasing their hunger; and in bringing together devotees and those seeking to come to the fold of the Siddhas through these events. We are glad and proud that we have done our share, a small part towards the upliftment of humanity and all of God's creation.

Reaching Out to the Divine

Radhanath Swami in his memoir, "The Journey Within - Exploring the Path of Bhakti", Mandala Publishing 2016, writes,

We create our own destiny by the choices we make. But while we are free to make choices, once we have acted on them, we are bound to live with their consequences. That is karma. How we respond to challenges determines our destiny in this life and in the next.

Gnana Jothiamma shared the following several years ago.

Agathiyan tells us that he cannot do anything to completely help another get rid of the karma as it is a process. He only helps so much as to sustain one to be able to overcome the magnitude and intensity of the problem...People should understand the wrong notion they are sailing in...like thinking just with one reading and the pariharams mentioned ..that Agathiyan is completely wiping off the Karma.

Karma removal is a process..Agathiyan says...Only based on one Karmic merit..can that too be done.

But Agathiyan says ...that one who comes to him for help and relief with faith and devotion he would surely help that person ...step by step ...to free himself...

This is a very important thing to note... How one's karmic deeds follow one continuously for may births in spite of doing many pariharams in those births too...coz one needs to undergo the karmas ..before one gets full relief. Agathiyan concluded by saying that he will help anyone who looks towards him ..with faith and devotion.....by saying..."The moment you call out to me...I will come running towards you ..."

Rather than going into the complexities of life and the even more complex laws that govern us and runs behind the screen of life, trying to figure out and understand them, our ancestors gave us a simple tool - that of prayer and total surrender. Bharathi expresses this faith and surrender in the divine in the following song. Let's take heed of his advice to guide us through life. 

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

பொன்னை, உயர்வை, புகழை விரும்பிடும்

என்னை கவலைகள் தின்ன தகாதென..

In seeking Treasures, Status and Fame do not let Worries take hold of me Ma..

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

மிடிமையும் அச்சமும் மேவி என் நெஞ்சில்

குடிமை புகுந்தன, கொன்று அவை போக்கின

As Poverty and Fear have entered my heart and gained an upper hand, please destroy and remove them Ma

Bharathi finally realizes the vanity in his initial seeking and switches the tone.

தன்செய லெண்ணித் தவிப்பது தீர்ந்திங்கு

நின்செயல் செய்து நிறைவு பெறும்வண்ணம்

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

Rather than struggle to see my dreams come true,

I would do your asking and be satisfied Ma

He gains self-esteem in holding to the divine.

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

துன்பம் இனி இல்லை, சோர்வில்லை

சோர்வில்லை, தோற்பில்லை

நல்லது தீயது நாமறியோம்

நாமறியோம் நாமறியோம்

அன்பு நெறியில் அறங்கள் வளர்த்திட

நல்லது நாட்டுக! தீமையை ஓட்டுக

There are no Worries; no Fatigue; neither Failure henceforth

We shall not know between the Good and the Bad

Walking the Path of Love & Righteousness

We shall uphold the Good and drive the Bad away.

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன், கண்ணம்மா

நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்

The cinema industry has given some jewels in the form of songs that reached out to the divine for answers. Here are some of my favorites.

 

THE NEED TO DOCUMENT 4

Those who are familiar with Christy Beam's memoir or the movie "Miracles from Heaven" based on her true story will want to share their story too. She writes, 

"Standing in the light of all he's given us, in the light of all that's happened I can't not tell you our story."

Christy writes, 

"I didn't always see god's hand in the tangled threads of my life but now I do. He was there in our beginning and every time our world fell apart. He's with us now and into the unknowable future."

How many of us have actually given thanks to the Almighty? Most of the time we have only bribed him with our offerings in return for favors. Let us put in writing our appreciation to the Almighty. So start picking up that pen and write your story too so that it shall encourage others to share their life stories too. 

Someone asked me if God had asked us to worship Him? I replied he did tell me. Agathiyar had asked me to have his statue made and worship him through the Nadi. Someone else asked me what were the benefits we gained in worshipping him? Today I can boldly tell her that he has come to live with us. 

Recently YouTube sent me a message that a video of mine was flagged as inappropriate. Hence it has been age-restricted. 

Your video My Nadi in 2002 & the Journey was flagged to us for review. Upon review, we’ve determined that it may not be suitable for all viewers and it has been placed behind an age restriction.

They asked me to refer to the Community Guidelines. They told me I could appeal. I read through what was allowed and what was not allowed. I could not find any category to which I could relate my video. I wrote in that the video was wholly on my Nadi reading. I did not find anything offensive, obscene, or vulgar with it. I asked them how my video was deemed offensive. Upon reviewing it back they lifted the age-restriction. 

I am surprised to see thumbs down given to devotional songs by saints too. What is wrong with people? To those fond of giving the thumbs up or down, and commenting on other's views, what other better way to state your views than to write your own blog. To those who have to say something create your own space and start speaking your thoughts. 

I never wanted to be the person to bring the bad news although there are many who want to bring us the news first. That is what happens on social media too. There isn't joy in listening to the news too. When a colleague enrolled as a monk in an ashram in India many years back, he told me they were not allowed to follow the news although the chief monk kept track of the current affairs so as to advise accordingly visitors to the ashram. We can understand the need for him to do so. As for the rest of the monks they needed to be secluded so as to be at peace with themselves. Agathiyar strictly forbade Jnana Jothiamma from socializing on the numerous social media platforms telling her that it shall impair her tapas. In sharing, we should bring joy to others. It should never be to hurt or demoralize another. 

I set out to write more books back then, sharing my joy with those keen to read. Happy reading and Happy Thanksgiving.