THE SIDDHA PATH SIMPLIFIED 2

If the world was rumored to be flat in the past; if the acceptable normal blood pressure for a 60-year-old is 135/90 these days as blood pressure rises with age; the Siddhas too are willing to accept us with open arms walking right into our homes these days bringing their messages. Agathiyar told us that the days of seeking asylum in the jungles are over and that they have made it easy to attain their state right in our homes. While we must acknowledge that there is a great division among spiritual paths, where we have seen men drop their hold on all belongings and affection for their body and the world in an instant, the Siddha path instills in us and often reminds us of our responsibilities towards family and society. As my wife says similarly of the Siddha path that is a simple path to follow, and that there is no need to leave the family, indeed it can be pursued with the family, and while living in society. 

The Siddhas divided the journey into four major divisions. Traditionally we worship at home and in the temples. Cleaning the altar, cleaning the lamps, topping up oil for the lamp that is lit, replacing the burnt wick, decorating our favourite deities, be it picture frames or statues, with attire and garlands, offering food and fruits, lighting incense sticks and camphor are some of the ways we begin worship at home. We go to the neighborhood temples regularly to charge ourselves. Occasionally the thought arises to provide free food for fellow devotees at the temples. We might make pilgrimages to other places of worship too. By these actions, we compliment ourselves in being devotional and believe that the deities shall shower us with their blessings and take care of us and our family. It stops at that. This is the general state of devotees currently. We see God as living in the pictures and statues at the temples. We were introduced to this first stage on the ladder by our parents, and they by their parents, becoming an ancestral practice and tradition followed without question. 

Rarely then does a guru come by to lead the devotee further on his/her journey. With the coming of the guru, things change drastically. He comes to break the norm. He opens our eyes to things we never considered important or realized existed. He brings us to question the purpose of life, why we took birth, and where we as a soul are heading. He brings us to go a step within and brings us to observe our souls. He brings us to terms with our purpose as an individual, our purpose as a soul; and what we are to do with these two wonderful vehicles gifted to us. If we were self-centered before and were only concerned about feeding the body, dressing it up to look good, we are now brought to the realization that we are not merely physical beings but that there is a soul and spirit dwelling within us. The guru takes up the task of enlightening us about the soul. Meanwhile, he brings us to perform further rituals to gain the grace of the deities or divinity and bridge the two kingdoms, man and his God. We have entered the second stage of our spiritual journey now. 

Venturing further into the third stage, having adopted Yama or restraints or observing ethics of behavior and Niyama or given observances, the guru then makes this body a perfect vehicle fit to embrace the energy and love of the divine through having us indulge in the practice of Asana or physical postures and Praṇayama or the control of the prana (breath). Thus starts a solo journey. Asana, Pranayama, and later Pratyahara, or withdrawal of the senses fine-tunes this body and its mental state. Dharaṇa or concentration; Dhyana or meditation follows. The end product shall be Samadhi or meditative absorption.  

We have arrived at the gates to the fourth stage now. As Richard Shankman defines this state in his book "The Experience of Samadhi", Shambala publications, 2008, as "an abiding in which mind becomes very still but does not merge with the object of attention, and is thus able to observe and gain insight into the changing flow of experience", one gains Gnana. He sees, feels, and understands everything. The spirit of God comes within to stay now. The physical body becomes a temple now replacing the external man-made temples. The divinity lives in the inner reaches of the Self, taking lock, stock, and barrel of all that once we thought was us. Unexplained movements, that are beyond our control, unexplained tears for no reason, and unexplained cries of joy and esctacy are felt and experienced. God now shows himself as manifesting in all of his creations. We in a way become him, represent him, become an image of him. Man attains the state of the divine. This is made available and possible by the grace of the guru and God.

If Godmen are known to make people dependant on them forever, right from procuring advice, dishing out talisman and cures to the extent of enslaving them, keeping them bound and tied at all times, at times promoting the move to have them desert their families, etc the Siddhas try tirelessly to bring us to attain their status, never having us to be tied to all the above forever. Agathiyar says he vets through each soul destined to come to the path, taking them in, polishing them to shine like diamonds, and finally have them strung as garlands of jewels for Lord Shiva, adding that these souls shall shine in the night sky as stars. I am reminded of a lone Swami Dayananda whom Tavayogi and I met in a bungalow away from the public. Prior to visiting him Tavayogi and I meet a couple of Swami, one a head of a religious organization running a temple and another a head of a spiritual organization running an ashram. Next, we dropped in on Swami Dayananda who only had an attendant drop in to serve him his needs once a day after work. As both he and Tavayogi engaged in a talk I picked up my camera to take a shot of him. He stopped me. Later as we were nearing the end of our visit he gestured to me and told me to take his photo telling me that he would be a star on the night sky on my next visit. I noticed that Tavayogi did a rare thing that of touching his feet before we took leave. Later as we drove back to his ashram, Tavayogi brought up this matter. He asked if I had noticed him touch Swami Dayananda's feet? He explained that if the earlier heads were caught up in heading the temple and contesting to lead the ashram respectively, Dayananda was a true Gnani. That was my first lesson in identifying Godmen something we always took for granted. 

Agathiyar tries his best to bring us out and rescue us from the clutches of our self-made illusion or Maya that lures man to commit not sins or atrocities in their eyes but mistakes that are meant to happen, to teach the souls lessons that they yearned to experience and learn in this birth. We followed the path as outlined by our gurus and upagurus. Then the divine came to personally guide us further. Whether we achieve what we set out to attain is immaterial for at least we have covered much ground on this journey. We leave it to the divine to shower his grace further on us and bring us to whatever state deemed fit for us in this birth. If life spares us we might achieve more in the near future. Otherwise we shall come back and continue from where we left off. Throughout the journey we did not try to comprehend and understand before embarking on the task given by the gurus and the Siddhas. Instead rather than questioning we took it up, be it a ritual, practice, medicine or treatment. Soon they filled us in on its benefits that we could then relate to, as we had seen and experienced it. For instance Agathiyar advocated the need to carry out rituals on a full moon or the Pournami puja listing its benefits many years later after we took to doing it and it became a part of our lives. We are told that the enlightened Siddhas continue to do this puja even till this day in honor of and looking up to Lord Shiva for his grace and compassion towards humanity and all of his creation. Supramania Swami told me to carry on my tapas for only then could he rise in his stature accordingly. The disciple shall lift the stature of his guru just as the guru comes to lift the disciple spiritually. The Siddha puja contributes to elevate the stature of the Siddhas besides helping gain their grace. The temples are periodically strengthened by the many rituals conducted and by the presence of devotees in large numbers. Besides getting recharged we help sustain the temples by our contributions. 

And so Agathiyar asked us to put forth a prayer to Lord Siva recently asking his grace to bring an end to the pandemic that has come to threaten our lives and obstructing us from going about life as we used to. Taking heed of his request that was a prompting from all our prayers to him to help us in our time of needs, I called for a quick prayer and meditation session recently that was well received by devotees of Agathiyar. My message to them was,

An individual could appease his individual karma through remedies and individual prayer. We are currently victims of collective karma. Only collective prayer could possibly address collective karma. Hence, the need has arisen to come together in a single and specific thought. As coming together physically might not be possible during these times of the pandemic, collective thought shall break through the barriers laid on our path and bring success in all our noble endeavors. As every conscious thought is registered in the cosmic consciousness. It gains momentum and strength and power by the grace of the divine beings and comes back to us to heal us and the world, shall we all come together tomorrow Sunday 13.12.2020 at 12 noon Malaysian Standard time to sit silently and place our requests before Lord Siva as per Agathiyar's directive? This is in line with Agathiyar's directive that we come together in asking and to move Lord Shiva who is known to grant boons irrespective of our spiritual status, to shower his grace and kindness in removing entirely this pandemic that has shown its ugly face. Agathiyar said he too shall try his best in convincing Siva. Maybe the divine hand can go back in time and make some adjustments and bring a positive outcome. 

Let us keep our fingers crossed that all shall be well. If the Movement Control Order (MCO) is lifted entirely, with Shiva's grace, we shall gather at AVM on Thursday 28 January 2021 to celebrate Agathiyar's Annual Vizha. Agathiyar has a saying. It goes, "Man would only believe if it happens; the Siddhas on the other hand asks us to believe and it shall happen." 

A truth dawns on us as we travel the Siddha path. We are the world. We help shape it. We contribute to making the cosmos expand, feeding it, and feeding of it. Hence we now understand why we are often reminded to not only take from mother earth but to give back too. As Agathiyar says that each of us has come for a purpose, let us play our role well and leave in peace. Let us be focussed on the task given, and contribute our part to making the world a better place for us, our family, society, and all of his creation. 

I take this opportunity to thank all the people and their establishments including the forerunners in creating the Internet, manufacturers of the hardware, programmers of software, and Apps including Google and YouTube who made it possible for me to share my thoughts that are Agathiyar's too with readers of this blog. 

There was a time when Agathiyar got us all to do charity, where our hearts melted and compassion for others, man, animals, and plants raised in us. Today after wanting us to go within he tells us not to get overworked and uptight and let not issues that prevail around us disturb our peace, serenity, and tranquility that prevails during those silent and quiet moments of meditation. He asks us to bring and carry that composure at all times. Jnana Jothiamma was asked to refrain from using social media for it shall divert her from her purpose in going within and disturb her tapas. 

When the grace of the Siddhas fall on us our fate is rewritten and the planets that determine the right moment for us to gain either windfall or have us endure troubles accordingly to our karma balance sheet, with their grace, turn favorable towards us becoming gurus themselves. As the junior Tiru Gnanasambanthar reminds the senior Tirunavukarasar to ward off all fears that the time was not right to begin a journey, assuring us that the moment the grace of Lord Shiva falls on us none of the planets shall harm us, we are told to carry out what we came to do without being distracted of other going on for everything is eventually his play. 

As my friend wrote,

I am sure you have seen the picture of Lord Shiva sitting in dhyana. He has put forth the entirety of Creation as a thought/dream, and watches it play out. The moment He withdraws that thought, Creation comes to a standstill. The entirety of Creation is but a figment of His imagination. The Lord sitting in dhyana, is the first vibration of subtle form, Maheswara tattvam, which descended from Sadhakiyam. It was of great wonder as to what He was meditating on. I recently came across an answer to this ( I forget where). When the entirety of Creation meditates on Him, it is said that He continues to meditate, from the very onset of pre-time, before Mahakala and Mahakali, on the nature of Parabrahma, That which is, and, is not. Even Maheswara is absorbed into the Primal Consciousness, at the end of Time. What would then remain? Pure Consciousness, even before Its own vibration as Para. There would be no Nada or Bindu. What a state. It is said when the great saints came out of samadhi, they came out laughing. Probably, they realized no one was ever born, for anyone to die."

THE SIDDHA PATH SIMPLIFIED 1

I went and extracted another tooth yesterday, my second. It is said that if you live till the age of 120 new teeth shall grow to replace those that had fallen. I wonder if there is any living proof of this, of course then one has to have lived that long to see it happen. What a miracle the body and mind are? The body is said to have the ability to rejuvenate itself while the mind can do wonders and at the same time if led astray bring disaster. The child's mind is growing, absorbing information from all around him/her like a sponge and they do surprise us with a word or vocabulary or a sentence using it or uttering it precisely at the right moment. When I showed a photo of the earth and enquired to my 3-year-old granddaughter if she had seen the earth, she immediately quipped, "Yes" and continued, "In another book!" I did not expect that smart answer. 

It is revealed now that it was rumored and believed that the earth was flat in the early middle ages. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/busting-a-myth-about-columbus-and-a-flat-earth/2011/10/10/gIQAXszQaL_blog.html) We had earlier seen photos of the earth that were "a rendering of multiple images stitched together rather than a snapshot. (https://qz.com/458826/behold-nasas-first-image-in-decades-of-the-whole-earth/). We have not seen the earth in full view until now where images of it sent through satellites are made available to the public. We do see the moon that is pretty obvious with our naked eyes on certain days. If we see only one, we read that Yogi Ramsuratkumar saw seven moons in the sky. Similarly, we never saw our own faces and back until we see its reflection in a mirror or in still water or when someone describes us. Yet we believe that the earth and we exist. But sadly we never want to acknowledge God and his work. Has anyone ever seen God? Perhaps there are. What we common folks eventually get to see, realize and experience is his manifestations in all of his creation. Agathiyar answered a question from his devotee as to what was the true form of his, having seen him in numerous forms before. Agathiyar questioned her back, in all of these what do you experience? She answered "ஒரு உணர்வு" or a Vibration. He replied, "I am that!" He went on to list that he was in all, telling us that he was the universe, cosmos, and consciousness - the prapanjam. Coincidently Pa Vijay brings us this list of the various forms she saw him and Agathiyar's reply too in the lyrics he penned for a song for the film "Mookutti Amman". 

பார்த்தேனே உயிரின் வழியே
யார் கண்ணும் காணா முகமே
கல் என்று நினைத்தேன் உனையே
நீ யார் என்று சொன்னாய் மனமே தான் நீயா

எதில் நீ இருந்தாய்
எங்கோ மறைந்தாய்
உன்னை தேடி அலைந்தேன் எனக்குள்ளே தெரிந்தாய்
இது போதும் எனக்கு வேறு வரங்கள் 100 வேண்டுமா
இறைவா இதுதான் நிறைவா
உணர்ந்தேன் உனையே உனையே
மறந்தேன் எனையே எனையே

வேதங்கள் மொத்தம் ஓதி
யாகங்கள் நித்தம் செய்து
பூசிக்கும் பக்தி அதிலும் உன்னைக் காணலாம்
பசி என்று தன்முன் வந்து
கை ஏந்தி கேட்கும் போது
தன் உணவைத் தந்தால் கூட உன்னைக் காணலாம்
உன்னைக் காண பல கோடி இங்கு வாரி இறைக்கிறார்கள்
எளிதாக உன்னைச் சேர இங்கு யாரு நினைக்கிறார்கள்

அலங்காரம் அதில் நீ இல்லை
அகங்காரம் மனதில் இல்லை
துளி கள்ளம் கபடம் கலந்திடாத அன்பில் இருக்கிறாய்
உணர்ந்தேன் உனையே உனையே
மறந்தேன் எனையே எனையே

அகம் நீ ஜகம் நீ
அணுவான உலகில் அகலம் நீ
எறும்பின் இதய ஒளி நீ
களிரின் துதிக்கை கனமும் நீ
ஆயிரம் கை உன்டென்றால் நீ ஒரு கை தர கூடாதா
2000 கண் கொண்டாய் உன் ஒரு கண் என்னை பாராதா
உன்னில் சரண் அடைந்தேன்
இனி நீ கதியே.

(Source: https://www.tharunshiv.com/paarthene-mookutthi-amman-song-lyrics-with-meaning/#tlyrics)

Agathiyar pointed out that he was in the lyrics of the songs in the album we released jointly with Raagawave Production, "Agathiyar Geetham". 

If the world has become habitable it is because of a process or "chemistry of life that may have begun shortly after the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago, during a habitable epoch when the Universe was only 10–17 million years old," and largely because of "an extrapolation of conditions on Earth and the characteristics of the Sun and Solar System which appear favorable to life's flourishing" ("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_habitability), entailing a chained process that took place far away in space away from our eyes, nay even without our knowledge in the very first place.

If we were cured of our illness or troubles at the last port of call, it is largely because of all the prior and earlier contributions of the medical practitioners, be it allopathy or alternative treatments dished out and given to us at the numerous previous stops, entailing a chained process that took place within our body away from our eyes.

Similarly, if one's spiritual progress and advancement have borne fruit now, it is because the journey did begin way back in the past and continues to this day and shall continue henceforth just as the cosmos too hasn't stopped expanding out, expanding the soul gaining soul power or atma balam.

My friend wrote, 

The age of the universe is @ 13.8 billion years. The farthest galaxy from earth is MACS 0647 JD, which is supposedly 13.26 billion lightyears away. What would it be to be there this very instant and look back at earth? The Milky Way would be the farthest observable galaxy. Nothing will be seen beyond our galaxy, in the opposite direction,as light would not have reached the observer there. But, newer galaxies will be visible beyond MACS 0647 JD.

We assume that light is the fastest, in our galaxy. How false it is. The expansion of the universe is at a rate faster than the speed of light, as we are not able to see beyond. The cosmos continues to expand at a rate faster than the speed of light. Therefore, there can be no vault limit to the vastness of the cosmos.

In the Devi Mahatmiyam, it is said that the entirety of Creation is contained on the toe nail of the Divine Mother. It is also said that the lifespan of Lord Vishnu is the time taken by Shakthi to loosen Her Hair and knot it back again.

With this background, our existence is like a small viral particle that has probably not yet been seen. Yet, what an ego we possess. The desire and ownership we claim over animate and inanimate is beyond expressions. The work of the Masters and the Divine must necessarily, be gargantuan. If only we give up our ego,or, at least have a desire to give it up, the Great Ones can really make a God out of us... inner alchemy...புடம் போட்டு புனிதன் ஆக்குவிப்பது.  

We are often reminded that it would be futile to try to pinpoint the start and the end of life and to illustrate this we are often told the story of both Lord Vishnu's and Lord Brahma's futile attempt in trying to reach the feet and head of Lord Shiva respectively. Has anyone seen God? Perhaps some have. We only have begun to learn to see him in all his grandeur in his manifestation of all things. Just as our curiosity builds further in wanting to investigate this subject, Agathiyar drops a bombshell asking us of what use is knowing these secrets? Our attention is quickly diverted and brought to the present moment. We are asked to focus on our present purpose in life, all for a good reason. In simplicity lies bliss. 

Stacy Brookman writes at https://medium.com/real-life-resilience/the-beauty-of-simplicity-living-a-simpler-life-ce90c89eec7, "Living simply entails stripping away the nonessential and focusing your time and energy on the things that matter the most. When you simplify, you’re left with a life filled with meaning, a life that is lived on your own terms. You have the time and space to pursue your interests and to create the life you truly desire. It is often in the most simple things that we find true happiness."

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 3

My wife traces the moments before Agathiyar's arrival on our shores in 2010 and how he brought us into his path first by having us engage in Sariyai and Kriyai. Agathiyar through the Nadi guides and comforts us throughout these moments. Although tense at times, eventually, all turns out well. 

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 2

If Tirumular defines one who stays home to carry on his spiritual practices or Tapas or Tavam, as a Maatavar or Tapasi, PV Jagadisa Ayyar in his book "South Indian Customs", Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1985, refers to a wife who is a comrade and supportive of her husband's spiritual ventures as a Saha Dharma Charini which means the lady who performs the duty enjoined in company with her husband. Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni hailed his wife describing her as a Tapa Sakhi, meaning comrade in Tapas.

My wife too fits the bill perfectly. She has traveled with me, accommodating all my wishes and asking. Whatever I read I try it out. She ends up cooking it for me. Whatever practice or ritual I pick up, she accommodates well. Never once had she stayed away. When I was in hibernation for some 14 years, she never questioned me nor nudged me to revisit the temples. I would occasionally go over for the sake of my wife and our children so that they are not alienated from society. When I started back on worship, she joined me without question. When I began the worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, she would join in. When Agathiyar and Tavayogi started us on rituals, she prepared whatever was necessary and conducted the puja. She would clean up later. When Agathiyar brought over potential aspirants and devotees to our home she would entertain them with her talk and food. When I took up discipleship to my two gurus, she followed suit without question. She did all that was asked for. Agathiyar then decided to gift her with a Nadi reading for all her service towards him and his devotees. He bypassed the traditional means to get a reading - the need to give an impression of her thumbprint, sitting through hours, leafing through the bundles of Nadi trying to figure out which was ours, and finally settling to have the Maha Muni speak to us. 

I had given Nadi Guru Sentilkumar a print of my right thumb in 2002 to help trace and locate my Kaanda Nadi the very first time. I followed the Nadi to the word, never for once doubting it. I did all the remedies and temple visits mentioned by Agathiyar. He was pleased and began to call me up for more readings through his Aasi Nool reading at regular intervals. Later my daughters too passed their left thumbprint to Nadi Nool Aasan T.Ramesh in 2007 and 2009 respectively, to help locate their Nadi from the large numbers of Nadi that are brought over to Malaysia each time the readers came over. The question and answer session would further help identify and single out our individual Nadi. If everyone including me, who went for a Nadi reading for the first time at least is ask to provide a thumbprint and the birth details to facilitate finding his or her Nadi leaf, that is not the norm I was soon to find out. If Agathiyar decides he does provide a reading minus these formal procedures. Agathiyar made an exception in my wife's case.

I had always wanted to bring my wife to locate and have her Nadi read. If I had gone to the Nadi reader the first time after hearing the Siddhas ability to look into the past, present, and future from my colleague, I brought my daughters to help decide on the next course of action after they had completed their tertiary schooling. Then I wanted to know who my wife was as she attended to me and the family and took in the added responsibility of seeing through the weekly Siddha puja and entertaining the devotees gathered without fail. Besides that as both my daughters had seen their Nadi and as I shared my regular Nadi readings with her, I thought my wife too would like to hear her Nadi revealed by Agathiyar too. So we sought an appointment with the reader. But as a result of some minor confusion regarding the date and time of the appointment my wife and I were turned back. The reader never called us for her reading but instead called me over for my regular Aasi Kaandam reading that was waiting to be read. As he left the room and went into the adjacent room that stored the library of Nadis he returned with an expression of astonishment. He held in his hands a Nadi that was about to reveal about my wife. I too was surprised. Agathiyar began to address my wife in her absence, without the need for her to give her thumbprint and without the usual trend of question and answer to locating her Nadi. It was all so mysterious. He shelved all the protocol because she had served him untiringly all the years. Agathiyar chose to address my wife, without even she being present there, and without having her left thumbprint taken! Agathiyar made an exception in her case and we understood pretty well why she was special after he revealed about her in the Nadi. Agathiyar was fully contented with my wife's service to him! He praised her for all her efforts in carrying out worship and prayers for him. The whole revelation was for her that day. She was not present, I had not gone to seek her reading, the Aasan did not ask for her thumbprints nor birth details. But the most loving father chose to address his child that day without going through the process or even calling for her presence and attendance. The Nadi Nool Aasan was stunned while I was very happy for my wife. I keep repeating it because I presumed an event of this nature had never happened in all the years of the Aasan reading the Nadi for the public.

Agathiyar through this incident has shot down all the misconception and condemnation of the Nadi and its readers telling us that if he chooses he will give a reading without the thumbprint, without the need to know and chart the horoscope, without reading one's face or reading one's mind, without the need to question and gather the facts from the client and disclose it to him as his Nadi revelation which are the most common accusations hurled at the Nadi and its readers. 

I am blessed to have her. She has stayed with me in the worship of the Siddhas since the beginning, attending to all the needs of Agathiyar and his puja. She takes care of every small detail and prepares everything necessary to perform and fulfill the rituals. She attends to all the guests and prepares food for them. Then she washes up and waits eagerly for the next round of puja. 

From all the readings ad revelations Agathiyar gave about my family, I am humbled as he drives the point in me that nothing was my doing or effort. He said I came to the path of the Siddhas because of my daughter; he then calls me to it only when I was 43 years of age, something that I should appreciate. Tavayogi told me "Be grateful that at least he had made the calling then, although pretty late in life." Then Agathiyar tells me that if I have traveled this far it is because of my wife. He then sends me to my guru Supramania Swami who decides to gift me the 40 years of tavam or merit gained as a result of his tavam or penance and austerities. Then he sends Tavayogi to me to show me the finer points of the Siddha worship, and Yoga. Then Agathiyar brings along Ramalinga Adigal to fine-tune our practice in the absence of both my gurus in physical form. Ramalinga Adigal connects us with consciousness too. Finally, Agathiyar comes to dictate every post written on this blog. Now tell me what is truly mine? Nothing!

THE SIDDHA FAMILY 1

Here is some consolation for those keen to take up the Siddha path but are reluctant to do so for fear of having to leave the family as instilled by others or seen by example.

Tavayogi writes in his ""Andamum Pindamum", Agathiyar extols that it is possible to be with the family, take up the proper practices, and attain Gnanam and bliss. Similarly, Tirumular defines one who stays home to carry on his spiritual practices as a Maatavar or Tapasi, one who does great Tapas or Tavam. The family man engaged in trying to attain Siva Gnanam supersedes those who have renounced the world.

இல்லறத்திலே இருந்து கொண்டே முறையான பயற்சி செய்து ஞானம் பெற்று பேரின்பம் அடையலாம் என்று அகத்தியர் கூறியுள்ளார். அதே போல திருமூலர் வீட்டிலே இருந்து பயற்சி செய்பவனே மாதவர் என்கின்றார். மாதவர் என்றால் பெரிய தபசி என்று பொருள்படும். சந்நியாசம் ஏற்று சிவஞானம் பெற முயற்சி செய்பவரைவிட இல்லறத்தே இருந்து கொண்டு சிவஞானம் பெற முயற்சிப்பவர்களே மிகச் சிறந்தவர்கள் ஆவார்கள்.  

Maybe this is why the Shiva family has been portrayed as one big family.

A marriage that outwardly seems to bring two souls together to fulfill their obligations to family and society has a deeper meaning and is considered sacred by various communities. It is the start of a spiritually significant affair when the couple begins to observe religious rites with devotion and learn to serve God's creation with compassion, which then pave the way for their souls to become developed and enriched attaining soul power or Atma Balam. They then attract souls of similar nature into their homes and family coming as their children. The parent's involvement in rituals and charity provides a conducive environment for these souls to further evolve together.  Above and beyond our prayers, the Siddhas too are praying for a family in which these elevated souls could take birth and carry on God's mission or pani. These children then bring God's message. Agathiyar has told us that our children and grandchildren shall educate us too.

Jayaram V summarizes the concept of marriage beautifully at https://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_marriage.asp

According to Hinduism, marriage (vivaha) between two persons is a sacred relationship that is not limited to this life alone. It extends across seven or more lives, during which the couple helps each other progress spiritually. The adage that marriages are made in heaven is very much true in the case of Hinduism. Two souls come together and marry because their karmas are intertwined and they have to resolve many things together upon the earth in order to ensure their mutual salvation. The relationship between a couple is essentially a relationship of the souls. It is not necessary that their gender roles are fixed forever. Sometimes they may switch roles and the husband may become the wife and the wife the husband. Sometimes they may also temporarily part their ways and come together again after one or two lives in a grand reunion.

PV Jagadisa Ayyar in his book "South Indian Customs", Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 1985, writes that,

The exchange of garlands in a marriage is a ceremonious representation of bestowing a portion of their spiritual force to their life partner. In the plan laid down by the wise men of old, two souls drawn together by love and sincerity do not part till both reach the level at the same time. This idea is conveyed in the Hindu marriage ceremonials and the Hindu marriage itself is considered a sacrament and not a contract. All the subsequent rites (in marriage and beyond) are observed to be continued thereafter day after day till perfection in evolution is attained in both taking many births, even if need be as husband and wife. The aim of performing religious rites in the company with his wife or (her husband) is for the spiritual evolution of both. In fact, a wife is said to be a Saha Dharma Charini which means the lady who performs the duty enjoined in company with her husband.

In the book "Nayana, A Biography of Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni (from the original Telugu texts by Gunturu Lakshmikantam), Dr. G Krishna mentions that Ganapati Muni had described his wife as a Tapa Sakhi, meaning comrade in Tapas just as Arundhati was the Tapa Sakhi of Vasistha and so were the wives of many of the Rishis. They never considered their wives as hindrances to their Tapas. The Siddhas never shun marriage. Although they were immersed in austerities and worship, meditation and solitude, and research and discovery, they took on a wife for their combined religious and spiritual accomplishments. 

Looking at Ramakrishna Paramahansa's life, we are shown that husband and wife can indeed live together as spiritual companions.

By his marriage, Sri Ramakrishna admitted the great value of marriage in man's spiritual evolution, and by adhering to his monastic vows he demonstrated the imperative necessity of self-control, purity, and continence, in the realization of God. By this unique spiritual relationship with his wife he proved that husband and wife can live together as spiritual companions. Thus his life is a synthesis of the ways of life of the householder and the monk. (Source: http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/gospel/introduction/relation_with_wife.htm)

Shri Ramkrishna turned his mind to the fulfillment of imparting religious and spiritual teachings to her. About the experience of this period Sarada Devi used to say afterwards: “I felt as if a vessel full of divine bliss was permanently installed in my heart...I can not adequately describe the heavenly joy which filled my heart...!” (Source: https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/the-story-of-a-holy-wife)

Just like Ganapathi Muni and Ramakrishna, Lahari Mahasaya too was a householder. Lahiri Mahasaya’s wife Ma Kashi Moni shares life with a saintly man.

It was years before I came to realize the divine stature of my husband. One night, in this very room, I had a vivid dream. Glorious angels floated in unimaginable grace above me. So realistic was the sight that I awoke at once; the room was strangely enveloped in dazzling light. My husband, in lotus posture, was levitated in the center of the room, surrounded by angels who were worshiping him with the supplicating dignity of palm-folded hands. Astonished beyond measure, I was convinced that I was still dreaming (until Lahari told her that she was not).

After he slowly descended to the floor, he touched Ma Kashi Moni's forehead.  She continues to narrate the ensuing experience.

Vision after vision broke as oceanic surf on the shores of my soul. The panoramic spheres finally melted in a sea of bliss. I lost myself in ever-surging blessedness. When I returned hours later to awareness of this world, the master gave me the technique of Kriya Yoga.

Lahari initiated her into Kriya Yoga immediately. As for choosing that particular moment, Lahari has this to say to her.

“The time was not ripe.” Lahiri Mahasaya smiled consolingly. “Much of your karma I have silently helped you to work out. Now you are willing and ready.”  

When women were considered unfit to worship Agni, study the Vedas, and recite Vedic Mantra, and were denied the benefits of Upayana, Ganapati Muni himself used to initiate women into Mantra Japa. Many were the women who were initiated into Gayathri Vidhya, which was considered exclusive to men. Ganapati Muni held the view that women should not be barred from any spiritual or religious chores. Visalakshi, wife of Ganapati Muni took to the worship of Agni whenever Ganapati Muni was outstation. 

Visalakshi paid equal attention to house-keeping and Mantra Upasana. Ganapati did not share the belief that a woman was the source of sin and Maya. Women were not treated as objects of pleasure by our ancient rishis. They were as qualified as men to discharge spiritual responsibilities. The study of scriptures had convinced him that the ancient rishis had practiced austerity and attained self-realization without giving up family life and responsibilities. The ancient rishis by their exemplary behavior became spiritual preceptors to their wives and helped to establish a well ordered society.

The Siddhas are known to be radical in outlook and broke the norm of the day. They re-ordered society by breaking the prevailing false beliefs, practices, customs, and traditions. Although society observed them, the Siddhas stood aloft. They were more concerned in freeing the soul from age-long shackles that kept man rooted in superstition and Maya. They were more concerned about the growth of souls and the objective of reaching their source. 

We can understand now why the very first day I met Tavayogi he asked that I bring my wife along when I returned to receive initiation in the evening. Later he told me that it was not enough that I came into the path and that I had to bring the family too. My wife and I both received initiation into the path of the Siddha. 

The uniqueness in our culture is that we show our appreciation towards God by giving him a place in our homes and a place in our hearts too; bringing him to live among us through rituals; and creating festivals for him and bringing him to join in these festivities, almost daily celebrating with him. One such festival is where the marriage of the Gods is enacted out at the temples with the local community taking sides, either that of the bride or the groom. God is indeed deeply rooted in all our customs and traditions, faith, and beliefs. This is a show of appreciation for the one who created us, who helps sustain us, and eventually leads us back to his abode.

After being part of Sariyai from birth following in the footsteps of our parents, and turning our sight on Kriyai with the coming of the Guru, and taking on the practice of Yoga asanas and Pranayama, Ramalinga Adigal has come to help us bring the consciousness or prapanjam within. Tavayogi wrote, Yogam was a gift initiated for mankind to tap into consciousness and live a peaceful and blissful life. As Yogam flourishes Gnanam is attained. 

பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ஆற்றலை மனிதன் பெற்று உணர்ந்து மன நிம்மதியோடும் பேரின்ப நிலை அடைந்து பேரானந்தத் தோடும் வாழ வேண்டும் என்பதற்க்காக ஏற்பட்டதே சித்தர்கள் கண்டுபிடித்த யோகம். யோகம் கைகூட கைகூட ஞானம் தானாகப் பிறக்கும்.

JOIN THE SIDDHA FAMILY

I remember when I came into the path I received much negative feedback from those on the path and the many who had left it. Among them was that the Siddhas would split up families. Looking around me, it seemed true too. But I was out to prove them wrong. Tavayogi in wanting to initiate me asked that I bring my family along. He initiated me and my wife that day. Soon my family came to the fold of the Siddhas too. 

Recently Agathiyar removed the fear if there was any in his devotees about having to give up family life if they tread on the path of the Siddhas. He told us that there was no need to leave the family to achieve ones dream on the Siddha path. 

Reading through Tavayogi's "Andamum Pindamum" we are reminded of Agathiyar's words in a song from his "Agathiyar Paripuranam."

திறமாக இல்லறத்தேயிருந்து கொண்டு 

சிவபூசை குருபூசை செய்து மைந்தா 

பாரமான பரா பரமே கெதி யென் றெண்ணி 

பலகாலம் பூரணத்தில் பதிவாய் நின்று 

உரமான அவனவன் செய் நடத்தை பார்த்து 

உறுதியுடன் கண்காட்சி நன்றாய் பெற்று 

அறமான இல்லறத் தோடொத்து வாழ்ந்து 

அமர்ந்திருப்பார் சிவநிலை யறிந்தோர் தானே

Today the Siddhas are part of our family. They come when needed. They are constantly overlooking all matters. They are constantly looking over our shoulders too. What better company do we need than that of the Siddhas? Coming to us as God initially, then as Guru, today they stand alongside us as a companion and friend. 

When many rushed to open up Peedhams or centers in affiliation to his ashram in Kallar, I was not keen to do so. Our worship of the Siddhas was home-based and within the family until Agathiyar chose to send over aspirants on the path. The AVM family flourished until Agathiyar put the breaks on it too. He taught us to drop our dependency on an association but instead asked us to have faith in our inner strength. 

When many temples were springing up for Agathiyar, I held my grounds on not wanting to indulge in a costly affair. Although Agathiyar, and Lord Murugan had mentioned on many occasions that I build a temple I stood my ground. We moved on, the notion and idea having dropped for good I suppose. He taught us to drop our dependency on an external temple but instead asked us to set one up within us.

Taking up the worship of the Siddhas we built up the puja to run over several hours. Then the elaborate puja rituals slowly were laid off as we were moved to observe silence. The bliss that we felt in doing puja was then felt in sitting in silence. He taught us to drop our dependency on rituals but instead asked us to run them within us. 

The Yoga Asanas and pranayama that was shown to us by Tavayogi has helped tremendously in cleansing and fortifying the body. This has helped tremendously in bringing in the prana in large volumes. This has helped in revitalizing the chakras to the extend that I was asked to call off the practice. Today this treasure that Agathiyar said Tavayogi had gifted us has taken a dip as Agathiyar asked to only continue with certain techniques that he said I shall come to identify as necessary. He taught us to drop our dependency on the external breath but instead have the consciousness or prapanjam fill us. 

With the grace of Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal, and my two gurus in physical form, and the upagurus sent by Agathiyar, we are taking large strides towards achieving the goal set for us with the least effort on our part. The grace of the divine opens up all the doors as we are hurried along with some sense of urgency. 

It was all possible by the grace of the divine, the Siddhas, and the gurus. And it is all happening within the confines of our homes away from the public eye. It is all happening without the need to venture outdoors into the jungles, the hills, and mountains. As Agathiyar told my wife the mountain came to us. It was achieved by merely listening to the Siddhas, worshipping them, and putting into practice whatever told. 

All this was possible with association with the Siddhas. The journey started with the recitation of the names of the Siddhas. That was sufficient enough to bring on their grace. Seek the Siddhas and all their wealth shall be showered upon us. 

Join the Siddha family. Download the book of praises.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QaxhGnoGPmwj6tuVNIskqcnX9olOB93L/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B7kzGJNwYvixQlfijE1ZLhsPnm_rvAyW/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dp5hxfCGULlttFkbZo0j-5Et03tqqAw5/view?usp=sharing

THE WAKE UP CALL

Agathiyar called me to the path through the Nadi. Calling me over to India he left me to venture further under the tutelage of two wonderful gurus in physical form. My first guru Supramania Swami accelerated my journey by passing me his merits gathered over 40 years. Tavayogi picked me up from there and left me to venture further without shadowing me or shackling me. When many took the opportunity to have Tavayogi officiate Peedhams or organizations affiliated to his parent Ashram in Kallar I was never mooted to start and head one. I preferred to continue with my home puja. But Agathiyar opted to send potential candidates on the Siddha path over to my home to learn the worship of the Siddhas. Agathiyar brought together potential souls to work his miracle in 2013. Soon the group grew in numbers. For the sake of identifying and sharing its location, I named my home Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia that was endorsed by Agathiyar on many occasions. Soon we started a WhatsApp group to share the times of Puja. Later as we engaged in charity we started another group dedicated to the cause and named it Amudha Surabhi. Initially, bringing us to Kriyai from Sariyai that was the foundation of all of us on the religious path, he slowly groomed us under the watchful eyes of Tavayogi. After accomplishing the given tasks in Kriyai, he put a stop to it asking us only to hold his annual vizha or celebrations. Today we understand that he had us carry out Sariyai and Kriyai to gain the grace of the divine and the trust of the guru. If we had only taken up Yogam we would not have had their grace. Their grace comes with devotion from the heart. With devotion and their grace, compassion arises, blooms, and fruits in us. With them showering their grace the next leg of the journey into Yogam would be a smooth transition. With Yogam, Gnana shall then come easy. If we had not engaged in Kriyai we would be devotees all lifelong dependent on others for our religious needs. Similarly, if we were not switched to Yogam we would have remained as priests, shaman, or medicine man, for the rest of our lives.  If we had only taken up Yogam we would only remain excellent teachers. Hence, all four stages are required to make it into a Siddha. Can we possibly achieve the goal set by Agathiyar? 

With the passing of both my gurus in physical form, these days Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal with the rest of the Siddhas come to continue the guru-disciple tradition. 

Agathiyar's objective is to make each of us a Siddha like him nothing less. He had been kind and gentle with us for some 6 years waiting for us to pick up his teachings. With whatever tools and knowledge gained over the years he expected us to bring them into our homes and family. He expected us to bring one and all to live the life that he wants of us and envisions for us. Then late last year, he brought a stop to the congregation and ended the honeymoon years. As all good things have to end if we are to move higher on the spiritual ladder Agathiyar made me push the detonator and end the groups. In early 2020 he let them be free to explore the inner frontiers. He had us go our own way with Yogam. If Sariyai and Kriyai needed us to come together, Yogam was a solo effort that needed discipline on the part of its adherents. 

Those who understand what Agathiyar is trying to do here will appreciate his every move. Many have yet to make the move into Yogam. Sadly many still are dependent on the congregation and feel lost after it was dissolved. Many are pining for the group to be revived again. If the group was in existence it would have made them all the more dependent and perhaps forever dependent on the support that is provided. They would never venture on their own. It would have made them spectators to the many events held and never nudge them to start heading the enterprise in their homes and altars. 

Betty J Eadie who came back from a near-death experience to reveal the secrets of heaven in her book "The Awakening Heart - My Continuing Journey to Love", a Pocket Star Book, 1996 wrote that just as we have choices here, we are also given choices in our father's kingdom. While some souls respond to God's call, volunteering and choose to listen and accept his will before coming to earth, others receive a calling after they arrive, when their hearts open to God, through intense sufferings or through miracles, and eventually, they become vessels of God themselves. There are instances though where the soul cannot make a decision to come down, the wise men up there shall give them a gentle push. 

So did Agathiyar give a gentle push to his devotee who then had a fall. But as he promised his devotee is recovering fast. The Siddhas work in mysterious ways. They shall push us till we achieve. If they had shown one and all the magic externally by ways of miracles in days of past, to those few who are committed to their cause, they are pushing them hard these days to go within and witness the magic within. Suddenly there seems to be an urgency to get us to evolve on the spiritual ladder. Let us take the cue from them and persist on the path. There is no time to linger around, take a rest, or deviate from the cause. Let us be focused and the journey ahead. Those who resist are left to venture on their way with the Siddhas knowing pretty well that they shall come by one day. 

GAINING MORE INSIGHT 6

What drove me to take things into my own hands and indulge in worship back in those days of my bachelorhood was an incident that made me ponder as to why we should rely on others to bridge God and us? I had happened to step into a temple as an argument was going on between the priest and his wife outside their living quarters. Seeing me enter the priest rushed to me inquiring if I wanted to do an offering or Archanai? I was a regular at this temple but this time around I chose to turn it down. I was questioning his state of mind then and ask myself if an offering done by him on my behalf would have good vibes? I took up doing puja immediately doing them at dawn and dusk daily, learning from whatever books I could lay my hands on. That was the start of my inward journey and of losing my dependency on others to bridge the way to God and me. I took control of my religious life and decided what I wanted to do with it. After some 8 years of worship, although I was blessed with a good life, I became rather disorientated as to why God seemed to "torture" and "punish"" people and have especially his devotees or bhaktas take on the pain and suffering? God who was described as the most compassionate worked otherwise in their lives.  I had no answers. Seeing my sorry state, I was asked to take a break by Lord Shiva in my dream. It took me 13 years to get back on track and begin my worship again in 2001. The following year I was told about karma and how it affects all including me in my Nadi reading. I began to understand the reasons for others' sufferings and never questioned it again. I engaged in Siddha worship henceforth after the Nadi reading.

I have come to understand that man could not possibly get total relief from their sufferings by merely visiting temples. Who can we approach at the temples for a solution to our problems? The priest? the chairman? the committee? or the deity? when some are embroiled in battles of their own makings. We are often shown to a general ritual that encompasses the warding off of all ill effects and that brings on good times, for a fee of course. We must understand that we are suffering because of our past deeds. Hence to cleanse or rid their bad effects we have to lose something else, in this case, cash and money. Only time shall tell if the ritual did work out in our favor and did help us to beget the grace of the divine. 

Of course, we can feel our burden lessened by "talking" to God in these temples and gain an assurance that he shall take care of our problems and troubles by performing simple rituals before him. We are told that God who resides in the statues also comes into us as vibration provided we have prepared this body and mind to receive it. We bring back the good vibes generated in these temples through the continuous performing of rituals that energize the deity, temple, and its grounds. But there is no magic that can undo the wrongs we have done in our lives. No deity, Godman, or guru can relieve us of them. We have to live with them. The only consolation is that with devotion comes the grace of God. With his grace comes a discount voucher. We can use this voucher to get a discount on the karma that lingers over our heads. That is all. Only on rare occasions do we see the divine work its miracles and completely wipe the slate clean, leaving no imprint. 

Hence we tend to notice that there is a spike in the Siddhas coming in numerous ways to aid man in these trying times. The Siddhas have come to speak to devotees in meditation, in dreams, through another, and of course through the Nadi. Even if we wish to have a Nadi reading, one also has to have a calling to have a Nadi reading, we were told by Agathiyar in the past. Both the seeker and the reader too have to be in tune with the divine and be in a state of mind conducive for the message to come across accurately. Those who come with faith and sincerity shall have most of their questions answered and shall be given solutions. Those who come with hidden agendas either to discriminate, judge, find faults, cause harm, negate, or tarnish the good name of the Siddhas and their vehicle of communication, the Nadi, or the readers, shall be identified and recognized and made known to the reader. The Siddha shall go along with their game, taking them for a ride too. Henceforth they shall have no mercy shown. Those who have had previous readings done are reminded to take heed of the Siddhas advice. We hear that many a time Agathiyar had stopped communicating through the Nadi when man refused to change and amend his ways. 

Agathiyar in a recent post on Sitthan Arul at https://siththanarul.blogspot.com/2020/12/969.html gives us a message and a reminder in the context of those approaching him for a Nadi reading that comes as a warning and also clears the air on what the Siddhas expect from us. We are told not to take for granted, neither see it as a right to have a reading by the Siddhas. We are told that it is a privilege that we have to earn first. 

Agathiyar with a tinge of sadness says, "Even after many years, there is no reduction in their karma (the seekers), neither is there any change in them, as they continue to ignore all my advice and lead a disastrous life gathering more karma. It is important to understand that every life is here to settle its score of karma. Hence it is best that one does not harm the other. "Only with honesty and sincerity and devotion shall one step before me for a (Nadi) reading. I shall only address those who have followed all previous advice and have had their fate give way to them. Get your house in order first before approaching me for a reading", states the Maha Muni sternly. He also had a stern reminder for those who use his name and indulge in wrongdoings, or commercialize his good name, reminding them that he knows who they are and that he will come after them. We have been asked to keep this in mind till the end of life.

"அப்பனே! எமது ஆசியை, அருள் வாக்கை கேட்க முன் வந்திருக்கிற சேய்களின் கர்மா, அவர்களின் மனஎண்ணம், இவைகளில் இத்தனை வருடங்களாகியும், முன்னேற்றமே இல்லை. எத்தனையோ அறிவுரைகள் கூறிய பின்னும் தவறாய் வாழ்க்கையில் வாழ்வது, அதன் வழி கெட்ட கர்மாவை சேர்த்துக் கொள்வதில் திறமையானவர்கள் ஆகிவிட்டார்கள். பிற உயிர்களும் நம்மைப்போல் கர்மாவை கழிப்பதற்காக இந்த பூமியில் வந்தவர்கள்/வந்தவைகள்தான்  என, எந்த கெடுதலும் செய்யாமல் வாழ்வது மிக முக்கியம். ஆகவே, அருள்வாக்கு கேட்க விழைபவர், வாழ்க்கையை தவமாக நேர் முறையில் வாழட்டும். அதன் பின்னர் அவர்கள் விதி விலகி வழிவிட, அப்படிப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு யாம் வாக்குரைப்போம். அதுவரை எம்மை நாடும் சேய்களின் கர்மாவை அவர்களே சரி செய்துகொள்ளட்டும். எமது நாமத்தை கூறிக்கொண்டே தவறு செய்கிறவர்கள், எமது நாமத்தை கூறி, வியாபார பொருள் போல் உபயோகிப்பதையும் யாம் அறிவோம். அவர்களுக்கான பலனை, யாமே முன் நின்று கொடுப்போம்.

நிழல் ஒளியுள்ளவரை
உயிர் மூச்சுள்ளவரை
ஆசை அறுந்து போகும்வரை
குரு கடைசிவரை
இறை உள்ளொளி வரை
இதை உணர்ந்திடு மானிடா!"

To a question by a devotee on what could these seekers have done to gain the wrath of Agathiyar, I reminded him that it was not our concern and asked him to instead concern on our purpose in coming here. We should focus on his message for humanity that came across. We are supposed to lead an honest life and besides attempting to come out of the web spun by us in the past that has come to haunt us as our individual and collective karma, we are to help others, man, animal, and all under God's creation to raise their level and standing in evolution. To a devotee who was saddened by the dissolution of the AVM and AS Whatsapp group I reminded him too to focus on what he came for and his purpose. Agathiyar knows best. Regarding the question of whether others are continuing puja etc, I told him it was not for us to worry for it was between them and Agathiyar. We are not to judge another. A devotee had questioned Agathiyar why he had let those who stooped low to accumulate wealth through thieving means especially siphoning money from temple trust and endowment boards, Agathiyar replied that it was not for her to question nor judge. Agathiyar replied that he had done his share of service to him as his devotee in a past life and that he was rewarding him with a good and prosperous life now. But if he chooses to do harm in this life he shall answer for it in his next.

Again we get his message through from the following excerpt posted on Sitthan Arul.

பாவத்தை செய்தவன் சந்தோஷமாக இருக்கிறான் என்று எண்ணாதே. அவனுக்கு பகவான் எந்தசமயத்தில் எப்படி தண்டனை தருவார் என்பது யாருக்கும் தெரியாது. சித்தர்களும் முனிவர்களும் தான் இதனை முன் கூட்டியே அறிவார்கள்.

Although Agathiyar answers our questions from his perspective, we are asked not to rejoice in seeing another get hurt or punished. We should instead pray and ask that the divine make them realize their greed, mistakes, arrogance, and turn a new leaf. 

On another note, Agathiyar asked us to accept any losses that might come our way for the following reasons. In the event one is cheated or conned by another, it only means that the victim has gained the thief's good merits or karma and the thief on the other hand has taken on the bad karma of his victim. 

ஒரு நல்லவனை ஒரு தீயவன் ஏமாற்றுகிறான் என்றால் நல்லவனின் பாபத்தை எடுத்து கொண்டு தீயது செய்கிறவன் தன்னிடம் இருக்கின்ற சிறிதளவு 

புண்ணியத்தை அந்த நல்லவனிடம் ஒப்படைகின்றான் என்று பொருள்.

This came as a revelation and an answer to the disturbing question in all our minds for days after we had offered worship to Agathiyar. It was the exciting days after the arrival of Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue at my home and we were busy conducting homam or lighting the sacred fire, libation or abhisegam, and Siddhar Puja or worship of the Siddhas. Soon several devotees invited me to bring his statue over to their homes and to conduct similar rituals. I happily complied with their wishes. But an unexpected event took place several days after we had performed and conducted the puja in the home of one devotee. Thieves had broken into their home and ran off with cash, jewelry, and their car. It was devastating to them seeing the extent of loss that they succumbed to. As usual, family, relatives, and friends started to question him how is it that this untoward incident could have happened immediately after Agathiyar's arrival in their home and after a puja was conducted for him. Furthermore, as they were staunch followers of Agathiyar, the question arose how did he allow it to happen under his watchful eyes? I too did not have an answer till I read the above explanation. 

Similarly, a man passed away after 5 years of struggle. Although his closest relative, a couple who were staunch followers of Agathiyar did their best in consulting the Nadi and carrying out all the remedies given on behalf of the dying man, he did leave them. Family and friends came down hard on the couple asking what happened? Why did not Agathiyar save him even after all the remedies and prayers were done? There is never a Nadi for a dead man but Agathiyar made an exception calling in the couple for a reading. In the reading, Agathiyar asks what did he tell them to convey to the man? He had asked that man to be strong and not to give up while Agathiyar moved the chess pieces manipulating his fate and while the couple took measures to appease and modify the part about his karma. Sadly Agathiyar revealed that the man had given up. His soul pleaded to be taken away. "So what am I to do?" asked the Maha Muni. "Should I appease you, asking that he stay alive or give in to the soul that had tired out?" Hence the spirit left his body relieving him of his soul.

எல்லவற்றுக்கும் காரணம் உண்டு அதைப் புரிந்து கொள்ளும் சக்தி உனக்கேதடா? 

As Agathiyar says, we shall never understand the underlying truth in all our life's happenings. The Siddhas know but only chose to reveal if one goes on his knees and pleads. Most of the time they prefer not to interfere with the divine laws in place. We need to come to terms with our karma, accept them and bear with them while in the meantime promising that we shall change for the better, and increase the positive karma by doing charity and prayers.

Although it might seem that we are highlighting the flaws of others it is not our intention to do so but to learn not to do what others have done that might get us into the bad books of Agathiyar. 

GAINING MORE INSIGHT 5

In these present times when we run away from taking responsibility for our shortcomings, mistakes, wrongdoings, misappropriation, judgment, etc, and never apologize for our wrongdoings, the nature of the divine guru Agathiyar shines forth as a beacon of light. In my first Nadi reading telling me that I had done much harm to others in the past and also my past births, he also told me that he was responsible for it. He wanted me to have that experience too. But as the karma was done I had to repay and repent for having done it. He sent me to several places to carry out remedies that were in the form of puja and doing charity. He was there to see it through and showered me with gifts too. When he made me push the button and deactivate the AVM and AS WhatsApp group he took responsibility for it. When a devotee misunderstood his message, he like a gentleman apologized. When he had to be stern with another he had me "take the cane' but apologized to me for having me do it. Recently when a devotee fell and hurt his shoulder Agathiyar told him that it was his doing too and apologized. He assured him that he would recover fast. That is the nature of our most compassionate father Agathiyar. How can we not listen to him? 

Annie Besant in "Avataras", The Theosophical Publishing House, 2002, asks "What brings forth an Avatar?" 

The un-manifest takes the manifested form when righteousness is at its lowest ebb and evil reigns in the world. The needs of the world or cosmic necessities and the needs of its inhabitants propels the divine to descend.

She explains that the divine can choose to come as avatars or upon being called over, for a bigger purpose. The divine answers prayers put forth by the world's population. The Avatars come for a common purpose usually for the upliftment of souls collectively or to release these souls from the shackles of tyranny and cruelty.

On the other hand, we learn that heavenly beings and angels accompany individual souls to have them see through their purpose. They accompany individual souls in their journey, caring, educating, and bringing greater awareness to them. They accompany these souls to help awaken them, rejoicing on seeing progress in the soul, encouraging, motivating, and reminding them that they were not alone. These spiritual beings are prepared to do their part too in God's plan. They help reconnect us to our spiritual self whose memories we have lost. They are akin to the Siddhas.

Complimenting the Avatars and the guardian angels, the Avesa are perfected men through whom God permeates and manifests bringing greater good to society and the world. The difference between them is that while ego is nil in the former two, a portion of the ego remains in an Avesa.

Just as Agathiyar said he had orchestrated all my experiences, Betty J Eadie in her book "Embraced by the Light" says our guardian angels do the same. They come along with us creating opportunities for us to learn and progress spiritually. There is a reason why we are here now this instant. We are here now for our individual spiritual development and also collectively contribute to the well-being and awakening of others. God will shape our purpose says Betty. It is not entirely necessary for us to know our purpose in its entirety. Just working on the task given to us from moment to moment is sufficient in justifying and fulfilling God's wish. Even the best-laid plan of ours is considered meager with God's plan. 

Betty says that she could connect with the divine and naturally be in touch with her spirit through prayer and moments of stillness. Gratitude helps appreciate the abundance that God has given and brings about love. Soon we move on from self-centeredness to envelop all. As God gives us only that much that we can handle, so as the spirit becomes stronger he gives us greater challenges. The spirit becomes stronger as a result of these challenges gaining Atma Balam. The people we need are sent to us at the right time for the right purpose. The like-minded fellowship comes about, again strengthening the spirit. The power of prayers is felt by all in the congregation or assembly.

Agathiyar told us he was in us and all of creation as vibration or அதிர்வு. Tavayogi gives us an idea of how creation took place in his "Andamum Pindamum" and "Atma Thathuvam". He quotes Supramaniar Gnanam 32 where it is revealed that in the beginning there was a sound that triggered a vibration and was felt in the Paraparam. This first vibration created from the first sound was known as Akaaram. The vibratory waves that sustained this first sound came to be called Ukaaram. Maakaaram was the field that helped contain these vibratory sounds. The three came together as "that", which was to become the source of all creation, known as AUM. As we are part of the universe too, the physical body resonates with these vibrations, functioning effectively. 

"ஆதியிலே பரா பரத்திற் பிறந்த சத்தம்" என்ற வரியின் மூலம் முதன் முதலிலே ஒலி தோன்றியது. ஒலி உண்டாவதற்கு உரிய முதல் அதிர்வு நிலையே அ காரம் எனப்படுவது. இரண்டாவது அதிர்வு நிலை நீடிப்புக்கு உ காரம் எனப் பெயரிட்டனர். மேற்கண்ட இரண்டு அதிர்வு நிலைகளையும் ஒரு எல்லைக் கோட்டிற்குள் காத்து நிற்கும் அதிர்வு நிலையை ம காரம் எனப் பெயரிட்டனர்.

As the body is relative to the universe, a study of either one will justify the other, Tavayogi spells out the existence of the Pranavam in the consciousness is also within us in our head.  In the context of Yogam, Tavayogi explains that the breath that flows through the left nostril is known as Akaaram and that running through the right nostril is Ukaaram, creating vibrations in Edakala and Pingala respectively. These Nadis vibrate creating further ripple-like vibrations, called Maakaaram, in the midst of the head. The spot where these three sounds and their related vibrations congregate is known as Suzhumunai. 

நமது மூக்குத் துவாரத்தின் இடது நாசியில் ஓடுகின்ற இடகலையின் அதிர்வு நிலை அ காரம் எனவும் வலது நாசியில் ஓடுகின்ற பிங்கலை அதிர்வு நிலை உ காரம் எனவும் கூறப்படுகின்றது. நாம் பேசத் துவங்கும்போது இரண்டு நாடிகளும் அதிரும் இதனால் மண்டை ஓட்டின் நடுவில் ஒரு ஒலி அதாவது அதிர்வு தோன்றும். அதுவே ம காரம் ஆகும். இந்த மூன்று அதிர்வுகளும் சேர்ந்த இடமே ஓங்காரபிரணவம் ஆகும். இதுவே நடு ஒலியின் பிறப்பிடமான சுழிமுனை ஆகும். இது இயங்குகின்ற உச்சி முடிவே மண்டை ஓட்டின் நடுவிலுள்ளே கபாலமாகும். 

It is interesting to note that Akaaram is linked to the left eye and Ukaaram with the right.

அதுபோல் அ என்ற எழுத்து இடைநாடி இடது கண்பார்வையோடு பொருந்தியது. உ என்ற எழுத்து பிங்கலை நாடி வலது கண்பார்வையோடு பொருந்தியது. ம என்பது உச்சியில் அல்லது சிரசில் உள்ள அதிர்வுநிலை. இதுவே சுழிமுனை நாடியில் உள்ள ஆத்ம ஒளி.

ஆகவே அண்டத்தில் ஏற்பட்ட மூலமான அ, உ, ம என்ற மூன்றும் சேர்ந்து அண்டத்தை இயக்குகிறது. அதேபோல் பிண்டத்தில் ஏற்படுகின்ற அ, உ, ம அதிர்வு நிலையால் சரீரம் இயங்குகின்றது. 

அண்டங்கள், பிண்டங்கள், பேரண்டங்கள், பிரபஞ்சங்கள் அத்துனைக்கும் மூலகர்த்தாவாக இயங்குகின்ற  அ, உ, ம சேர்வே ஓம் என்ற பிரணவம் ஆகும். 

ஓமென்ற பிரணவமே ஆதி வஸ்து
உலக மெல்லாந் தானிறைந்த யோமசத்தி
தானென்ற சத்தியடா எவரும் தானாய்
சதா கோடி மந்திரத்துக்கு உயிராய் நின்று
ஆமென்று ஆடினதும் ஓங்காரம் தான்
அடி முடியாய் நின்றதும் ஓங்காரம் தான்
நாமென்ற ஓங்காரம் தன்னிலே தான்
நாடி நின்ற எழுவகையும் பிறந்தவாறே.

- அகத்தியர் அந்தரங்க தீட்சாவிதி

மேற்கண்ட பாடல்மூலம் ஓம் என்கின்ற பிரணவம் தான் ஆதி என்பதும், அந்த ஆதி வஸ்துவே உலகமெல்லாம் நிறைந்து நிர்கின்ற ஆதி சக்தி. அந்தச் சக்தியே எங்கும் செயல்படுகின்றது. முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருப்பது ஓங்காரம்தான். இந்த ஓங்காரத்திலே இருந்துதான் எழுவகை பிறப்பு உண்டாயிற்று. இந்தப் பிரபஞ்ச மூல ஆற்றலானது ஆதியிலே  பிரிக்க முடியாத ஆதி அணூ பரமாணு ஆகும்.

The principle factor that drives the universe, cosmos, and consciousness is A U, M that takes the form and sound of the pranavam. Sound and light then move all things. 

From https://www.ananda.org/yogapedia/aum/ we learn the same that "AUM is the vibration by which the Supreme Spirit brings all things into manifestation. Paramhansa Yogananda has explained that everything -  all matter, all energy, all thoughts -  exists in AUM." We read further that "AUM, therefore, encompasses the three vibratory energies required to create, preserve, and destroy, and each of these energies vibrates at a different frequency. The three letters of AUM represent these three vibrations inherent in creation.

GAINING MORE INSIGHT 4

When Agathiyar told us that he was in the form of vibration or அதிர்வு, we can now relate to the message my friend shared some time back.

Have you seen the dance of prana? I am sure you would have. When the dissociation is more intense, the prana becomes focused into streams... This you will experience when you raise yourself from the sixth to the seventh. You must ask our dear Lord for the exclusive experience... the id will be retained, to facilitate the same.

I had an intense experience as I stepped into a large chamber where right at the end of the hall a large statue of Lord Nataraja stood beaming with splendor. I had come to Ekambareshwar temple in Kanchipuram after Agathiyar in the Nadi told me to go as a part of my pilgrimage to remedy or rectify my past karma. I wrote after returning from the pilgrimage, 

"This was another of the Pancha Stalam that I was directed to visit. The main sanctum was packed with people witnessing a ‘private prayer’. As the atmosphere was extremely noisy, I decided to pray elsewhere. As I came around the temple complex, I came across a huge chamber on my left. As I stopped at the entrance to the chamber to have a look, I saw a huge and majestic statue of Lord Nadaraja within the chamber. A young priest who stood at its entrance quickly ushered me into the chamber. He walked briskly ahead of me and lighted the camphor. As I stepped inside this magnificent chamber, I felt I had stepped into another world and plane; another space and time; an entirely different atmosphere, something I had never felt before overcame me. I could feel a strong vibration come over me. Was this the bliss that is often mentioned by the Yogis and Gurus I wondered later? Was I being shown a small sample of the bliss that is often mentioned by them?"

"The young priest started chanting as he showed the sacred flame or arati. I stood in front of Lord Nadaraja, at close proximity, amazed, astonished, and emotionally shaken up, tears pouring down the cheeks, and eventually, I broke into a loud cry as he looked down on me. I had my Lord all to myself at that moment. Everything else stood still! Eventually, I became composed, thanked the priest, and made my way out of that mesmerizing and eccentric chamber of Lord Nadaraja."

Was that the bliss in the dance of Siva that I felt in me?

From https://gyanpro.com/blog we read that "CERN’s physicists observed and analyzed the cosmic dance of Shiva as the dance of a subatomic particle."

Fritjof Capra, a physicist, rightly said in his book “The Tao of Physics”, “Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but is also the very essence of inorganic matter,” "In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance" and that “For the modern physicists, then, Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter.” (Source: https://gyanpro.com/)

Read further https://detechter.com/the-scientific-symbolism-of-the-statue-of-shiva-nataraja-at-cern-switzerland/

A passage from https://www.myindiamyglory.com/ praises Fritjof Capra's findings,

Tavayogi wrote, "From the first atom, the Paramanu, the Pancha Maha Bhutam came forth. The world emerged with these 5 atoms coming together. Each atom carried 96 Tattvas. These Tattvas function in our bodies too."

பரமாணுவினால் பஞ்சபூதம் உண்டானது. இவ்வுலகம் ஐம் பெரும் பூத அணுக்களால் ஆனது. இந்த ஐம்பூத அணுக்களில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு அணுவிலும் 96 தத்துவங்கள் அமைந்துள்ளன. இந்த தத்துவங்களே மனித சரீரத்தில் செயல்படுகின்றன.

From https://thriveglobal.com/ we read,

The good news is that once you understand how the Universe works, you have the power to get the Universe to work for you! If you’re feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or dissatisfied with your life, the answer lies in raising your personal vibration to that perfect pitch where your intentions and desires resonate with the intentions and desires of the Universe. When you tap into this frequency, you reclaim the creative power that is your birthright. You will find yourself able to work in partnership with the Universe to manifest the life of your dreams. If everything in the Universe is energy, we need to learn how to redirect toward ourselves. How do we direct energy? We create intention. And we create intention through the vibrations of our desires and our thoughts. What we focus on becomes our reality. As the saying goes, where attention goes, energy flows. As Prentice Mulford, a contemporary of Emerson, wrote, our thoughts are “the unseen magnet, ever attracting its correspondence in things seen and tangible.”

My friend shared a message from Krishnaveni Amma during meditation some time back. She too asks us to understand and work in tandem with the universe. 

பஞ்ச கோசங்களும், ஆறு நிலைகளும், பஞ்ச பூதங்கள், ஆன்மா, சிவன்... இவைகளுக்குள் உள்ள உறவை உணர வேண்டும். மனம் ஏக சிந்தனையில் நிலை நிறுத்த முடியாது, உலகியலில் இருக்கும் போது. தனிமை என்பது ஒதுங்குவதில்லை. தனிமை என்பது பற்றற்ற நிலை. அதற்கு சொந்தம், பந்தம், பாசம், ஆசை, காமம் அறிந்து, அவைகள் அற்று இருக்க வேண்டும். தனிமையில் இருந்து உலகியல் சிந்தனை இல்லாமல் இருப்பது கடினம். அது தேவையும் இல்லை.

நீ பேரும் உருவமும் பெற்றது ஈசனின் சித்தத்தை செயல் படுத்தவே. பேரும் உருவமும் பெற்றால், காலத்திற்கு உட்பட்டு இருக்க வேண்டும். காலம் வரும் போது அறிந்து கொள்வாய். தற்போது  செய்வதையே தொடர்ந்து செய்.

Yogi Ramsuratkumar tells us to abide by the divine play. His mantra for us was, "Do all the work, in the world, but keep your mind always on the Almighty, the creator of all things and you can never go wrong." He says, 

We work from one spot, taking into consideration the entire cosmic movement. All are moving together towards one single point, always progressing. When this beggar gives word, it will take place, if it fits in with the harmony of the entire cosmos for its good. Mostly it happens and what we utter becomes true. But a rare few times, it may fail also, due to some sudden disharmony somewhere in the cosmos. And the failure is then for its greater good only. Though the failure is only apparent, but if the individual has got unshakable faith that works. Whatever happens, the faith should be unshakable. Faith must be total.

This Ashram is different from other Ashrams. The whole cosmic work will be done from this Ashram. Whether this beggar is in this body or not, the whole cosmos will be controlled from this Ashram. Who ever comes anywhere near the precincts of this Ashram, will not go empty handed. They will go, with full of Father’s Grace. That is the TRUTH.

My friend messaged me some time back,

Just a few queries.... you mentioned in passing, almost in a dismissive manner, the spontaneous kriyas that take place during your nithya karmas.

Why do they happen?

What is their source?

What do they signify?

What is their correspondence?

Please do enlighten.

I replied that "There are many things that take place. I just watch it happen. I know I am in safe hands. I do not need to know and I do not know. Maybe one-day Agathiyar will enlighten me too. I can only share what is taking place but not why it happens. That's a mystery to me too. Never wanted to go into the details. Just enjoying these moments. The blog is just a documentation of whatever I observe and feel on my personal journey. I try to understand by referring to other sources. If there are no answers no big deal. I move on. That's all."

As we accomplish our spiritual journey in stages, beginning with a yearning to know our purpose in life; then seeking someone wise to tell us why we came; following the path shown; practicing all that is said, given, and shown; experiencing hands-on the results; and partaking the benefits gained, we can then return to refer back to the elders and wise to verify or experiences or go back to the previous text and have a better or new understanding of the subject based on our experience. Finally, we settle in a sense of satisfaction and completeness. We can then help another soul that comes by sharing the path, the method, and the experiences. Only after we gain the said experiences can we share them with others. Otherwise, it would remain pretty academic. Similarly, a student has to put into practice what is told first, and only then would he understand better and appreciate the results as foretold by the wise or written in the books and scriptures. Otherwise, it would only be academic too. Although the guru, master, and teacher is needed to introduce the subject and show the way, path, method and provide the tools, the results are only known when one is prepared to take up the way and prepared to walk the path; travels the journey; sees the sights; endures the hardship; experiences the states of bliss; learns the lessons; and gains the relevant knowledge. All these become his experience and he returns wiser. There is no better teacher than one's own experience. He then can compare his achievements with others before him, verifying the truth. 

Today we have a better understanding of what was said then, read then, and shared then. As the experience gained in the journey sharpened our understanding, we have come to see things from a different perspective. The experience gained gives meaning to all the knowledge acquired over the ages. Today we can safely venture to talk about the mystical happenings and Siddhis that are the by-product of the transformation that has taken place in us.

Going back again to the numerous texts, scriptures, talks, and speeches, we can piece together the puzzle and we now see the larger picture. As no one comes with a blueprint, we begin to draft our journey based on whatever sources on hand. With this rough sketch, we dared to venture. The experience along the way enriched us; the experience gained filled the missing gaps and spaces; the experience plotted and joined the missing routes and paths. The experience brought us to our destination. 

As we revisit Tavayogi's books we come to understand why Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal asked us, again and again, to study his texts again and again. What was incomprehensible then sheds light now. For those engaging in pranayama the following revelation will be food for the soul.

As the Yogis reduce the ordinary length of the breath that is expelled some 12 inches or angulam they gain Siddhis writes Tavayogi in his "Atma Darisanam".

• Reduce an inch, his interests in worldly affairs reduces,
• Reduce 2 inches he gains wisdom,
• Reduce 3 inches vivekam arises (pakuttarivu or the faculty of distinguishing things by their properties, nalla putti or good judgment, manattelivu or clarity.),
• Reduce 4 inches he would get to see things happening afar,
• Reduce 5 inches ........ (Missing)
• Reduce 6 inches he would get to see things happening in space,
• Reduce 7 inches his body gains kaya siddhi, becoming as strong as a fortress,
• Reduce 8 inches he gains the 8 siddhis,
• Reduce 9 inches he can travel to all the planets,
• Reduce 10 inches he can transmigrate into other bodies,
• Reduce 11 inches he sees his soul,
• Reduce all 12 inches, the breath stays within, he goes into the blissful state of samadhi, lives without the need for food.

With mastery in pranayama, man gains mastery over his body and mind.

Tavayogi explained that, if we time our breathing, an ordinary man would breathe 25 to 30 times in a minute or in 60 seconds; the sick would need to breathe more often in a minute, and Yogis would breathe less, 15 to 18 times a minute.

If we become aware of our breath and train ourselves through pranayama to breathe slower we shall add on additional years to our lifespan. Hence we can change our fate and destiny if we master our breathing. 

I saw the movie "In Time" yesterday. In it, people buy, steal, transfer, or gift others time adding on years and youth.

In 2169, people are genetically engineered to stop aging on their 25th birthday, when a one-year countdown on their forearm begins. When it reaches zero, the person "times out" and dies instantly. Instead of using paper money, a new economic system uses time as currency, and each person has a clock on their arm that counts down how long they have to live. Time has thus become the universal currency, transferred directly between people or stored in "time capsules". Several major areas called Time Zones exist within Ohio. Dayton is the poorest, a manufacturing "ghetto" where people rarely have more than 24 hours on their clocks; in New Greenwich, people have enough time to be essentially immortal. (Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/)

Seems to be an interesting concept. Buying commodity and everything else with time. The movie makes us think, and re-evaluate our priorities. How will we react if we know that our time is up? What if a watch or as in the movie the time is shown on our lower arms keeps ticking away reminding us of the precious few moments we shall have with family, friends, and God? Swami Vivekananda tells us to live life as if this was the last day given to us. If we adopt this concept, we shall make good use of time. Our time here will turn to become a purposeful one. 

GAINING MORE INSIGHT 3

If initially we sensed his presence around us, and later within us as bliss, or energy or vibration, during puja, while lighting the homa, while chanting his name and those of the Siddhas, and while chanting his mantra, as we slowly and gradually left all rituals behind and moved away on a journey that took us within as in Yoga, we have come to experience this same energy and vibration that once stood outside of us, now arise within us. 

As we took up the practice of Yoga especially pranayama guided by the Siddhas in the Nadi initially and later from Tavayogi and Acharya Gurudasan and recently directly from the Siddhas, we have come to see extensive changes within. Initially, we were asked to clear the nasal tracts and nerves doing Nadi Sudhi and were asked to either focus on a thought or a spot, and breathe in and out, and slowly move within by just becoming aware of the breath and observing it. If initially we were asked to place effort in bringing ourselves to first sit down for at least 12 minutes at a time, and try to go within with the aid of the pranayama techniques given, these days with practice and the grace of the Siddhas that comes as a result of our worship, we are brought to notice the breath as it continuously nudges us. We are forced to heed and take note of it and sit immediately even in the midst of our daily activity. 

As their grace deepens, a slight throb is felt in the sirasu or head at exactly the fontanels or the soft spot located in newborns. This throb nudges us to take notice of it and become aware. All these now happen without our doing, effort, or attempt. As Tavayogi says our effort towards reaching the goal is only till the second chakra or Svathisthana, and that from there on the divine shall lead us, with their grace breathing has become spontaneous.

Yoga asanas or postures too move into a spontaneous mode nothing like what we had practiced. The body gets twisted without our doing and we let out cries of joy for no reason. We are lifted off the ground as in levitation and thrown off the ground if we lose our guards. 

We were all in the state of samadhi once upon a time in our mother's womb. We were sustained by the very consciousness or prapanjam. There was no breathing externally as we do now. The first breath was only taken once we came out to the world and the cycle never stopped since then. But when our time is up and we have exhausted our given amount of breath it leaves us never to return. We then die. We have lost touch with our origin and source of energy and became dependant on food, water, heat, air from our surrounding earth, water, fire, and air. These, these days have become contaminated. We had stopped tapping the pure energy from consciousness after taking birth. With the guru as the guide, Yoga as a tool, and the grace of the divine, we are set back on track and shown the path back to consciousness. Rituals are only good till we gain their grace. Once their grace falls on us we can safely let go of them. 

Just as the initiation mantra is given to create the first link between us and the deity or the guru, the idea of getting us to do pranayama is to create a link or channel between us and the cosmos, universe, and consciousness or prapanjam. Once the link is established we are to enhance and expand the intake and the amount of prana by tapping from it. 

Initially, intake of air, breath, and prana is jeopardized due to our past lifestyle, diet, and mode of breathing. The Siddhas help us correct them if we are willing to make some changes and willing to sacrifice and break away from the unholy part of our alliance with our senses. We can easily follow the three dictates as depicted in "the Japanese pictorial maxim of three wise monkeys embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"."

Mizaru, who sees no evil, covering his eyes

Kikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears and

Iwazaru, who speaks no evil, covering his mouth. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/)

But we struggle with the tongue to reorientate it to accept only sattvic food. After having cleared past the first door at the mouth, we need to travel further inside and do further clearing of toxins or kalivu accumulated over time. This process of house clearing is initiated initially by consuming several herbs. This is amplified further once the clearing starts to happen spontaneously and on its own with the grace of the divine. The next door at the nostril, has to be cleared of mucus and accumulation of other fine debris. The Yogic breathing technique, Nadi Suddhi helps to clear the nostrils. The Neti pot is used to clear nasal congestion and drain away mucus. With the doors wide open now, the Prana that is inhaled expands and move within to clear further blockages in the passages and airways. The prana expands accordingly to our effort and practice. Once the house and its pathways are clear prana flows uninterrupted at all times. The divine aids in channeling the prana energy correctly to reach all parts of the body. Only then can we go within safely to meditate without distractions or harm. 

Having created a clear passage for it to travel, with their grace the breath that chose to move either in Ida and Pingala every two hours once, with practice now travel through the sushumna or central Nadi, where we observe that breath flows clear in both nostrils. Soon this happens spontaneously too. We feel a cool draft of air passing through both nostrils and we are called to sit and meditate at this moment as meditation shall come easy then. A cool sensation drifts through the entire body. All the senses are enhanced. Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch perform at their optimum. Prana or the life force then travels to the Ajna where it knocks and nudges its door. When the divine grace comes to open it when we are ready, it continues to travels steadily to the higher reaches of the head and stalls at the suzhimunai, now knocking and nudging on yet another door - the 10th. Again with their grace, the door is opened to let in the cosmic consciousness and energy. It begins to flow in uninterrupted. Tavayogi says that as the consciousness or prapanjam begins to fill the entire body, our dependency on external breath and breathing declines. We are told that of the initial 16 angulam or measurement of prana taken in 12 is retained and 4 wasted. Soon the intake reduces and so does our dependency on it. As we sit for long hours breath is not wasted as in doing an activity. Finally, the breath that comes in never leaves. Kumbakam happens on its own, the reason the Siddhas do not advocate holding of the breath. He goes into samadhi, fully feeding on consciousness and one with the prapanjam. If he chooses he breaks away from his state of samadhi to walk the earth again performing miracles. Yogi Ramsuratkumar performed these feats. Once after going into samadhi he stood at his disciple Supramania Swami's door knocking on it. My guru opened the door to be met by his beloved guru who passed a painting of his in his hands and turned to leave laughing all the way till he disappeared into the darkness. He did another feat when both Swami and I were chanting the Yogi's name. He joined in on the chanting for some 10 minutes. 

For those who say they have no time or find it a battle to settle down and sit quietly trying very much to concentrate and go into a meditative state, seek the divine guidance first before you attempt it on your own. You only need to open up and ask. Many cannot bring themselves to submit to the idea of God and guru due to their ego. In submitting our ego to both God and the guru the path is cleared for the transmission to take place. Our ego that appears and raises its hood shall continuously be trashed by the divine and the guru who watch over us. Once the grace of the divine touches us and comes within it all happens spontaneously from that moment on.