SIVA SPEAKS FINALLY

Readers might have noticed my concern and worry displayed in the past three posts regarding what is going on around us for the past 1 1/2 years. The reason being many questions were not answered. Although we placed our prayers before Lord Shiva following Agathiyar's directive in December of last year so that the current pandemic should subside and we can carry out his annual Jayanthi in February of 2021 and life can get back to the usual and normal, where breadwinners can bring bread and butter to their dinner tables and most importantly children can play outdoors enjoying the world and its sights and sounds, there was no positive sign of the pandemic coming to an end. Besides asking that we follow the rules laid by the authorities, Agathiyar towards the end of 2020 had also asked us to pray to Lord Shiva so that the pandemic shall mellow in its intensity and go away and we can all gather to celebrate his Jayanthi. We called for a group prayer conducted at the same time from each individual's homes without the need to gather together physically.

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 Shiva 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 Shiva. Maybe the divine hand can go back in time and make some adjustments and bring a positive outcome. 

As the pandemic reaches its summit or peak we are lost for answers and means or solutions. It has been around for far too long. Friends and family members we know have slowly succumbed to it. The need has arisen to come together in these times of uncertainty and trouble to extend our support to each other. What we were facing currently is fear of the unknown, especially after the virus has mutated into several variants and is unseen by the naked eyes. And we need an immediate means or solution to healing the world. As we need to rid the fear and heal the world, I remembered Agathiyar tell Jnana Jothiamma to recite the Mrityunjaya mantra in the face of danger. It is supposed to remove the fear of the unknown and the fear in us. 

Oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe sughandhíṃ puṣṭivardhánam

urvārukam iva bandhánān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Another was the Dhanvantri mantra that heals. When my daughter broke her leg and was in a cast for nine months, she used to write it out in a notebook daily. She was healed.

Om Namo Bagavathe

Vasuthevaya Dhanvantare
Amerithe Kalasha Astheye
Sarvamaye Vinasaye
Thiriloganathaya Srimaha
Vishanve Namaha

As a follow-up to the group prayer that we were asked to conduct by Agathiyar earlier, we held another just recently pleading to Lord Shiva to shower his grace and mercy and especially answer and provide a solution to this ordeal. We asked that the devotees call upon all their gurus too to appeal to Lord Shiva. We needed to regain some strength to hold on further and see through this pandemic. Man has exhausted himself fighting this battle alone. It was time we sought divine help. The response was very good this time around compared to the handful who came together in December of 2020. 

A devotee wrote in "I am now not even surprised that, some 20 ...25 min back ...after my meditation I thought of writing to you the need of group prayers for relief from this pandemic. And here the thought gets manifested."

Another wrote: "We shall call upon compassion from Lord through our prayers sir. As appa said prayers are very effective. thank you sir and everyone in the group."

Yet another devotee wrote: "Let’s pray together until Siva heard and end this pandemic Anna."

Meanwhile, Master Uva suggested "My humble opinion is everyone doing daily meditation with their prayers. Invoke the Siddhar, Gurus, Mahans, Rishis, Munivars and Yogis in the prayers and meditate for 24 minutes. At the end of the meditation use the meditative energy to bless the entire world and everyone in it to be healed and recovered with Divine Healing Light. End it with prayers and blessings of the Siddhar, Gurus, Mahans, Rishis, Munivars and Yogis.  This is a Collective Way of Healing the World and Everyone."

Acharya Gurudasan who we call affectionately Master Gowri and who had coached and taught us Kriya Yoga many years back gave us some pointers too: "After the alternative nostril breathing (Nadi shodana) as shown in this video, we can practice Matreika pranayama which we learned in classroom sessions at Bala uncle's place."

"Instruction: Inhale through both the nostrils and exhale through both the nostrils. Inhalation and exhalation should be for the same length. No withholding of breath, no pauses. The pranayama should be a continuous cycle from one breath to the next."

"If we know ujjayi way of breathing using the throat, that will be even better. Helps bring in a lot of prana shakti. Which we can dedicate to the entire world."

Suren who was in touch with a Siddha physician based in Thanjavur shared the recipe for building up immunity.

"Sitharata - 25g, Tipili - 10g, Val melege - 25g, Jathikai - 25g, Athi maduram - 25g, Jathi pathiri - 25g, Adatudai - 50g, Musu musukai - 50g, Sukku - 25g, Malli - 100g, Melege - 25g, Small siragam - 25g, Thulasi - 50g, Elakai -25g, Patai - 25g, and Kirambu - 25g. Make each as powder. Then heat it for a while. And then mix all of it. Take 1/4 teaspoon and mix it with 1 tumbler water. Boil it until it becomes 1/2 tumbler. Can mix with honey or kalkandu if needed. Kabasura kudineer also recommended. 3 day continuously and 10-day gap"

I had intended to revive the lighting of the Homam as I feared that my grandchildren shall be left out from the worship and rituals of the Siddhas. Suren had agreed to get me a new Homa Kundam in town as I had passed on mine to my niece who showed interest in doing it at her home. But as if to remind me of his directive to end all activities, Agathiyar arranged for me to have a cataract operation while my daughter went for another procedure in her eyes. So I could not light a Homam in my home to appease the Gods and to bring them to shower their grace and show mercy on us. I opted to do libation to him instead. Ramalinga Adigal had told me to bathe Agathiyar once a week some time back telling us that it shall cool him as he was too energized due to his continuous and deep tavam or meditation. We did as told. Now taking the cue from him, I started cooling him down the past few days by bathing Agathiyar's Murthy or statue several times a day. By this, I hoped that Lord Shiva/Agathiyar's anger, if any, as some quarters deemed it to be, shall subside. But we found out later that Lord Shiva was never angry. Neither is Agathiyar. 

Just as I thought that I could not carry on with the fire ritual Mahindren decided to carry it out in his home with his family instead. He told me that if Tavayogi was around he would have gone to the ground and lighted the Sarva Dosa Maha Nivarana Yagam now. This Yagam was an annual event at Kallar coinciding with Agathiyar's Jayanthi and Guru Puja that falls at the end of the year or the beginning. As Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar is currently rushing to complete the samadhi structure of Tavayogi before 26 May 2021 where she intends to hold its kumbhabhisegam or inauguration, I thought that she was not in a position to carry out a similar massive Yagam at this juncture. But amidst the tight schedule, she did manage to hold some prayers too.

மேட்டுப்பாளையம் கல்லாறு மலை அடிவாரத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடத்தில், உலகை அச்சுறுத்தி வரும்  கொரானா  தொற்று பூரணமாக விலகி உலகம் அமைதியாகவும் ஆரோக்கியமாகவும் திகழ வேண்டி  சனி பிரதோஷ தினத்தில் கோமாதா பூஜை நடத்தப்பட்டது.

முன்னதாக கன்றுகுட்டி மற்றும் பசு மாட்டிற்கு மங்கல திரவியங்கள் கொண்டு குளிப்பாட்டப்பட்டது. மங்கள வஸ்திரங்கள் மற்றும் மல்லிகை பூ மாலைகள் அணிவித்து , மஞ்சள் குங்குமம் பசுவின் உடல் முழுவதும் பூசப்பட்டது. 

அகத்தியர் ஞான பீட பீடாதிபதி சரோஜினி மாதாஜி கோமாதா போற்றிகள் கூறி மலர்களாலும் அட்சதையாலும் அர்ச்சனை செய்தார். வைரஸ் தொற்று விலகி உலகத்தில் அமைதி நிலவிட சங்கல்பம் எடுக்கப்பட்டது. மகா தீபாராதனை செய்து பசுமாட்டிற்கு பழங்கள் வழங்கப்பட்டது. ஆசிரமவாசிகள் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள் கோமாதாவிடம் ஆசிகள் பெற்றனர்.

Aiya Thamaraiselvan too conducted puja towards the wellbeing of all at his Vaalai Parameshwari temple.

வணக்கம் அய்யா வாலை பரமேஸ்வரி  ஆசிர்வாதத்தாலும் சகல சித்தர்கள் ஆசியாலும் இந்த இக்கட்டான சூழ்நிலையில் மக்கள் மீண்டுவர குரு வழியில் பயணிக்கும் அனைவருக்கும் பாதுகாப்பான வாழ்வு அமையவும் தாய் அருள் செய்யட்டும்...... 

I was extremely happy that Mahindran had the thought to carry out the Homam. It seemed very appropriate that prior to his decision, Agathiyar had established his home and the homes of another four as his Vanam too, following in the footsteps of AVM. He began the Homam at 10.30am this morning. It took him two hours to recite the Mrityunjaya mantra and the Dhanvantri mantra which he included during the Homam, each 108 times. At the end of the ritual, Lord Shiva rose to address them.

"மனிதர்கள் பிரபஞ்சத்தோடு இணைந்து பிரபஞ்சத்தைக் கவசமாய் பயன்படுத்தி பிரபஞ்சத்தைச் சுத்தம் செய்ய வேண்டும். பிரபஞ்சம் சுத்தம் அடையும் தருணம் இந்த நோய் முற்றிலும் குணமடையும். பிரபஞ்சத்தோடு இணையும்பொழுது உங்களில் ஏற்படும் அதிர்வுகள் அணுவாய் மாறிப் பிரபஞ்சத்தைத் தூய்மை செய்யும். அதுநாள் வரை இந்த நோய் நீண்டகாலம் இருக்கச் செய்யும். சிவன் நானும் உங்களோடு இணைந்து பிரார்த்தனைகளை முன்வேய்ப்பேன் பிரபஞ்சம் தூய்மை பெற. முடிந்தமட்டிலும் ஒவ்வொருவரும் இந்த ஹோமத்தைச் வாரம் ஒரு நாள் செய்து வாருங்கள். யாரெல்லாம் கலந்துகொள்ள முடியுமோ கலந்து கொள்ளதும். பூஜையில் இணைவோருக்கு இந்த நோய் பாதிக்காது.

உங்களின் பூஜையை நான் ஏற்றுக்கொண்டேன். ஷண்முகனிடம் இவற்றைப் பகிர்ந்துகொள்ளுங்கள். எழுத்து வடிவில் உலக மக்களுக்குக் கொண்டு சேர்க்கட்டும்." 

Lord Shiva says man now needs to join forces with the Prapanjam and use it as a force field or shield and engage in cleansing it. When it's cleansed the world will be completely rid of the virus. When we engage with the Prapanjam the vibration that takes place in us shall become atoms that shall cleanse the Prapanjam. The virus will be around till that day (till that is achieved fully). Shiva will join us in prayers to cleanse the Prapanjam. He asked that we try to do the Homan once a week. Those who can join do so, he says (In lieu of the lockdown). Those who engage in this prayer will be safe. He has accepted today's Puja. "Share this with Shanmugam", he says. "Let it be known to all through his writings."

Several months before, when Bhogar came and invoked Lord Shiva to come and bless us, he asks us to request Lord Shiva any boons. As we were in a state of shock and speechless as we never expected the Lord to arise and greet us, we stood in silence. Finally, I replied that there was nothing to ask as he had provided for us well. He left. I thought that by asking for something it would only mean that the good Lord had left a void or shortcoming. It would implicate that something was amiss whereas we always stood our ground and held that we were complete or puranam and that we were truly and fully satisfied with nothing further to add on or ask for. Of course, Lord Shiva who is known to give boons would oblige but I did not want to hurt him thinking that he had missed out on giving us something extra. Later when I shared his coming with my wife, who was out of town, she quickly quipped that I should have asked about the pandemic and when it shall end. 

What is there to say further. Lord Shiva has answered her question today. He has given the means and the solution. He wants us to work in unison towards healing the world. Just as we reverse our individual karma, we have to collectively reverse what we have done. We have to join forces with the Prapanjam and heal it by cleansing it. If Agathiyar had come to drive the point home that we need to adapt personal hygiene measures and cleanliness in our homes several years back, when a devotee questioned why her family was always sick, today we see the importance of hygiene and the need to keep our environment clean. Our ancestors most probably knew the need to adopt hygiene for they never shook hands but showed the gesture of Namasthe or Vanakam keeping their hands to themselves. They never used cutlery but laid the food on banana leaves and ate with their hands. 

In telling us that the vibrations that arise while engaging with the Prapanjam shall result in atoms needed to cleanse the Prapanjam, it makes sense. As an elephant can't possibly kill an ant, we need something the size of the virus to rid it. When a doctor revealed the size of the coronavirus by giving us an example of a strand of hair that is split again and again multiple times, I am reminded of Tavayogi who in explaining to us the size of an atom took the epitome of a hair too and spit it into multiple times. The atoms that we generate as we connect with the Prapanjam shall get rid of the virus.

If the Siddha puja that was done with the family expanded with the coming of devotees to AVM, and later entered their homes too, as they brought back the practice, and expanded into the corridors of the temples that were Siddha friendly, eventually, so too, what began with personal hygiene and cleanliness in our homes and surroundings, was turned towards paying attention to the body and ridding it of Kalivu or toxins. Then it went on to cleanse the mind, heart, and soul and today has expanded to engage in cleansing the Prapanjam. How lovely.

So the ball is in our court. We have to take responsibility and take stock of our actions. It's time for us to get our act back. We all need to perform the fire ceremony in our little homes with our families. We need to reach out to the Prapanjam. There is a dire need to heal the planet. May the forces be with us so that we can carry out this new task given. Today we realize how the divine had us evolve slowly over the years to take on this task and responsibility. What was revealed to us through the Nadi readings as seekers in the initial years of our coming to the path of the Siddhas educated us on personal karma and its cause and effect. To reverse its effects we were sent on pilgrimages to temples and other places of worship. The hardship in making these pilgrimages diluted the karma to a certain extent and prepared us to receive the grace of God once we arrived at these energy vortexes. The divine could then come within and bring both the obvious and subtle changes within us. 

From worship of a personal God, they brought us to the worship of the Siddhas. We took up reciting their names in our homes. The Siddhas in return came as gurus in physical form to nurture and guide us further. Tavayogi came to initiate us into its rituals. He introduced lighting the Homam while Agathiyar had us commission his bronze statue and have us perform libation or abhisegam at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM). Later the small group of devotees who converged at AVM for prayers took to conducting charities too, initiated by upagurus Sri Krishna and Sri Dewi. While the rituals bridged both worlds that of man and the Gods, the charity programs opened our hearts to the plight of the unfortunate bringing compassion and love within. 

18 years on and three months before the emergence of the Coronavirus, Agathiyar put a stop to all our activities dissolving the group too, asking us to move on to another phase that of going within. He asked us to pick up from where we left the Yoga practices given by Tavayogi and Acharya Gurudasan. He and Ramalinga Adigal showed us pranayama practices that would eventually lead to the onset of meditation. They would both come and ask if we were doing it. They would ask us to do it in front of them. They made sure that we did these Yoga asanas and pranayama, at times, driving us hard. Ramalinga Adigal came to teach us to connect with the Prapanjam too and has since then at every instance of his arrival made us reach out to the Prapanjam and tap into its resources. The form, name, and gender of divinity became irrelevant as we got connected with the energy from the Prapanjam. There seemed to be a certain urgency in getting us to comply that we did not understand until the virus emerged. That is the way of the Siddhas and the Divine. No explanations and giving out of lecture notes. We had just to follow.

After Agathiyar acknowledged the homes of the five devotees as Agathiyar Vanam I am happy that they shall continue the tradition. The rituals shall continue at their residences henceforth. The baton has been handed over to the younger generation to take the lead. I can sit back and watch. 

APPEASING THE FIRE

We are often reminded that there is a lesson to be learned in everything. What are we to learn from this current pandemic? As much as I try to stay away from washing dirty linen in public, bringing up dark and negative narratives, or instill fear but it is a fact that only when the dark is encountered that the light is known. Where darkness prevails we know that there is light too. If only when one is jailed and put behind prison bars and his freedom caged, that he knows the true value of freedom. It is only when one is immobilized that he knows the might of his limbs. It is only when one loses his sight or hearing and regains it that he appreciates these organs. Similarly, it is only when we list the dangers out there that we know what to avoid. 

And so it seemed that we understood the reasons for each individual's sufferings in an earlier post. Having witnessed the suffering of individuals and people we know we were brought to know of the sufferings of nations through history. When nations were plundered and the innocent killed; when wars were fought over greed for want of more and to gain possession and control of land, sea, treasures, and subjects; when ethnic cleansing and many such horrors took place, we were moved to tears. We shed tears that man has yet to learn a lesson in compassion and love. How do we justify and accept these man-made horrors?

When the tsunami, hurricanes, and tornadoes, earthquakes, etc lashed us with their full might how did we justify and accept these tragedies? We blamed God and nature failing to acknowledge that we were party to the devastation. Even places of God and worship are not spared. We have seen stampedes and their accompanying death tolls in places of worship. No one seems to be spared. No place seems to be safe forever. The moment man sets foot there he brings his habits and destroys these Shangri-la. 

Now we are forced to see the Corona pandemic of this magnitude that the world had never seen before, that has enveloped individuals, families, communities and societies, nations, and the world at large in a dark blanket of uncertainties and fear. If we were indifferent to the sufferings of others earlier just because it did not happen right before our eyes, the current state of the pandemic that has plundered the whole world into a state of confusion, jeopardy, and fear and that just refuses to go away, has placed extreme strain and stress on every individual. It doesn't make sense at all and remains unanswered. We have never seen something of this magnitude that has come to cover the face of the earth. If initially, we thought we had control of it, we have to admit that we are lost. Lost for answers and means. Friends and foe alike, young and old, the healthy and sick, the rich and poor, day by day are becoming victims of this virus. Are we next on the list? But the scientists and the medical profession have never given up on us. Their love for humanity and a better, healthier world is proven over and over again by their relentless efforts to curb the pandemic. 

We are all looking for answers. So is this an act of God? If this is the will and act of God, why is he so angered and punishing his subjects? Is God telling us that he is still in charge? When man threatened the ecosystem by his stupidity and greed; when man thought he could manipulate fellow man and God too; when man thought he was in charge; is God dealing him a blow? 

Is it collective karma? Though the Siddhas spell out in detail the consequences of our past acts and their repercussions and we could accept it as an individual, only after much thought and for the fact that nothing else explains our pain, but we find it hard to digest and accept that it is collective karma that is taking hold of us and that the human race is paying for it in total. Has the bad deeds of a few overridden the good deeds of the world's population?

Or is the pandemic a result of a premeditated act on the part of humans, as many chose to believe and has nothing to do with God? If yes, how inhumane can a man be to bring on untold suffering to fellow humans? But history does tell us that there are indeed such people. In the movie based on a true-life story, "Let Me Go", directed by Polly Steele that aired on CinemaWorld, we see "the trauma and scars of the cruel past return to haunt three generations of women." They decide to face their nightmares that revolved around the horrendous act that the great-grandma had done to humans while serving and taking orders from her superiors in times of war. When we have seen elsewhere where many have regretted their brutal actions and either owned up for their crimes or have been convicted of their war crimes, the grand lady admitted she did the atrocities, and feels proud of having served her nation though. The movie "Hidden Figures" directed by Theodore Melfi that carried emotional tones, shows us the sad state of affairs where segregation by race and sex was in place. It brought tears to my eyes asking how could man see and treat another differently. Gandhi too went through the ordeal that was brought to the silver screen by Sir Richard Attenborough. These master storytellers who brought these stories to the silver screen deserve to be praised for they have kindled compassion and love in the hearts of the viewers. Let us all take a resolution today that we shall not look down on another, ridicule him nor hurt him. 

Or could it be an experiment that went wrong? We shall never know.

Then we are told by the philosophers of the past that it is all a dream and brush everything aside. As in a Role Playing Game, we take on a chosen identity, put on an outfit, and take on a challenge walking through the game figuring out the next step and direction to take are we similarly playing out Lord Shiva's game, giving life and action to it? 

Having delved into the dark side of the pandemic at length, is there a silver lining or a ray of hope or light at the end of the tunnel?

In "BBC Earth - The Planets S1 - The Godfather" Professor Brian Cox explains that "without Jupiter (the planet) we would not be here." Once in the distant past "the young planet went on a rampage. The giant planet embarked on a voyage of destruction across the solar system that transformed the destiny of the planets and the cause of life on earth. Jupiter is the Godfather of the planets. The Godfather of the planet paved the way for us to inherit the earth. Although it flings rocks from the asteroid belt our way it also protects us. Jupiter intervenes becoming an effective shield. Rocks are captured by Jupiter's gravity and forces tear it apart - its journey cut short." In astrology, planets are known to either favor or harm but Agathiyar says with the grace of the Siddhas they become guru or mentor. Is Lord Siva or his form of the mentor, guru and Godfather - Dhakshanamurthy - on the rampage again?

The only consolation for a man who has tried and exhausted all means to survive and yet fails, is to look up towards the divine or the prapanjam if he prefers to see God without form, name, and gender. If worship was more of a drive-through or a dine-in, with the pandemic surging on and all places of worship either closed or restricted, we are forced to sit and talk with God in the confines of our homes and our families. Although the pandemic is threatening our lives, it has brought us closer to God. There is never a day where we do not pray for it to end. We pray for our safety and that of our family members. We pray for relatives and friends. And we pray for all the people out there. 

Maybe we have forgotten to live. Maybe that is the reason the pandemic arrived to make us awake to the reality that life is short and that we need to appreciate birth and all that is perceptible with the senses. Man is so concerned about himself that he fails to look up into the skies and appreciate its vastness and the millions of blazing stars that look down upon us. We have forgotten that they ever existed. When was the last time we came out into the open and looked up at the open skies and watched the moon? Yes, we go through the panjangam or calendar to determine when the next full moon comes but have failed to look at the beauty of the moon on a full moon night. We fail to appreciate nature and its gifts because we are forever embroiled in problems of our own making. Forget the distant moon, when was the last time we smiled at our neighbors who share the space, the air, the water, and the environment with us? When did we give a loving gesture to another?

I am indeed blessed. I had Sri Krishna and his wife Sri Dewi prepare cook and deliver food whenever I was alone at home. Later they roped in their Food Rangers to send me food. Recently when my neighbor of the Christian faith, Augustine observed fasting for 40 days, they shared their food with me too. 

In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting, as well as giving up certain luxuries in order to replicate the account of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's journey into the desert for 40 days; this is known as one's Lenten sacrifice. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent)

Now when my wife is back in her hometown to care for her aging parents during these times of trial, Augustine offered to cook vegetarian meals for me although they had ended their fast of observing vegetarian. Previously I had diligently and without fail placed the food they sent over before Agathiyar thanking him for the food, before partaking it. But after the short gap after Lent ended I kept forgetting to place the food before him and began to consume it. Only after having had a few morsels of food would I remember that I forgot to place the food before him! In the face of hunger, I forgot Agathiyar! I would plead for forgiveness as I genuinely forgot and would promise to offer it to him the next time. But as I kept forgetting, he came to remind me of my promise on the fourth day in a surprising manner. when Mrs. Augustine apologized for a slight delay in delivering the food, mentioning that as they did not want to serve the leftover rice from yesterday's meal that everyone else was to consume, they waited for the rice to cook. Hence the delay. I told them that we were used to taking leftovers and it was not a big deal. She then surprised me, saying, "But you are serving Agathiyar before you eat!" I was reminded that day to not forget to serve him first. I never forgot after that.

All things said I know that just when we think we have all the answers, he shall come to break up the completed puzzle and throw in new pieces that do not fit. We shall then look towards another terrain to assemble the new pieces and complete another jigsaw puzzle. 

Let the fire of the Divine's tapas quell; let the anger of the Gods quell; let the homa and Yagam done by his subjects quell the fire of the sacrificial pit and appease the Gods; let the individual and collective prayers specifically placed before Lord Siva quell the raging fire of the pandemic that consumes every soul that comes into its path, and let the hunger pangs of the unfortunate be quelled too.

LOOKING FOR A RAY OF HOPE

Today is international nurses day. We salute them for the tireless service to society especially in critical times like this pandemic. It is not a feat to sit in the comfort of my home and blog about Agathiyar. The true feat is coming face to face with the virus just to save another patient. These are the true unsung heroes who risk their lives daily as they only meet the sick while at work. They are continuously exposed to what we bring in on each visit to the clinics and hospitals, especially now. The last standing souls are the medical team. The DW News channel in honoring the nurses worldwide at https://www.dw.com/en/mass-trauma-among-nurses-is-a-global-phenomenon/av-57514281 bring us the reminder that it is the nurses who are most likely the last one to hold our hands as we drift into a long "slumber" as a result of the virus. A nurse interviewed regards her profession highly and with a dedication saying "It is a profession where you are there when life comes into the world until the moment it leaves again."

With the advent of the pandemic, while the WHO and scientists all over the world were battling with time to find both the reason and solution and a vaccine, others took to religious and spiritual institutions and their heads for answers. There was a spate of videos and statements churned up and posted on social media as to why it was happening and when it would all end. They seemed affirmative with some asking us to put aside our fears. While man rushed to find a solution and a vaccine to combat and subdue and keep the virus at bay other quarters regarded the outbreak as conspiracies and took it lightly. Although social media and blogs carried messages given by Agathiyar and the Siddhas, Agathiyar chose to reveal nothing at all till now to us. He only asked us to pray to Lord Siva to end it - once in February and again a few days ago. 

Many alternative practitioners too have dug into the many Siddha literature and books and their years of practice to come up with remedies. We thank them too for in the face of danger or suffering man is known to submit to all possibilities of a cure that is made known and available to him as long it can bring relief. 

Now that the vaccine is here, variants of the virus too have multiplied making it even more difficult to combat it. The common man on the street is currently lost. He and his family members look up to these scientists and the medical team for help. They are now God in their eyes. We too look up to them and the divine especially Lord Siva to show his mercy and grace to one and all. 

Dr. Vinogiri KS, an epidemiologist, a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases, wrote to an online paper giving us some sound advice, often ignored or forgotten. Excerpts are given here.

"Pandemic fatigue has taken over our lives. We are all tired adjusting to the new norm that changed our lifestyle completely but again, we are losing precious lives and our sanity because of this outbreak that is not slowing down even a bit."

"We can all practise some harm reduction methods together. Somehow, we have to continue our daily lives by risking ourselves each time we leave our safe zones, but when we know where the harm is and how it is caused, we can still work on reducing the harm we face."

"Proper wearing of masks is a must the moment you leave home. The mask protects you and others. Educate those who might not be wearing their masks correctly. It makes a difference."

"Carry your sanitiser everywhere you go, wash your hands with soap each time you touch a surface, even tables in your meeting rooms. Wipe your mobile phones, wash your clothes the moment you return home, and bathe immediately before going near others at home."

"Physical distancing is vital. This virus is also airborne, which means that it can spread through the air via very fine droplets and aerosolised particles. Hence, the 2m rule is not efficient. We have to be as far as possible from another person, especially when we are eating, drinking or talking because these are the times when we will be removing our masks. When you are eating at your workplaces, sit alone at your work cubicle, or if you work outdoors, perhaps enjoy your lunch under a tree alone."

"Gatherings and celebrations are important in our lives, yet these are also the gateways for the virus to spread. Very often, those at a celebration will remove their masks and not observe physical distancing."

"Last but not least, especially with deadly variants spiralling in the community, do not take any symptoms lightly. Seek medical attention even if you feel the slightest difference."

"It is difficult to remember all the measures we need to take each time we step outside, but we can always improvise and find ways to alert ourselves on the “Must do list each time I leave my home”.

"One way is to set alarms on our smartphones. This will constantly remind us that we are in the midst of a pandemic."

"Spread awareness to everyone you know. Covid-19 is a painful reality that we have to put up with and battle together to save lives."

(Source: Letters to the Editor, FMT)

Let us remind each other too to be careful each time we leave the house or are out. May Lord Siva show mercy on all.

THE SIDDHAS' WILL

Ramani Amma from Chennai shared a story. Once there was a minister who always took things cool telling even his king that everything happening was for the good. Once when the king cut his finger accidentally the minister told him it was for the good. Angered by his words the king jailed his minister. Soon the king went hunting and was caught by jungle tribes. They prepared him to be sacrificed. But then they realized that he did not have a thumb. As the sacrifice would be tainted since he was not "complete" in that sense, they let him go. The king realized the truth in his minister's words and rushed to see him. He apologized to his minister and asked him how could things be good for his minister since he had imprisoned him upon hearing his remark. The minister answered that if the king did not imprison him he would have had to accompany him on the hunt and would have been sacrificed instead. 

We are always constantly reminded that all that happens is for the good. That we are here to learn and experience. Agreed that we as individual souls need to repent for our past misdeeds. But being humans with emotions, when something tragic happens and lives or limbs are lost how can we be not affected emotionally? Similar questions cropped up in me in the eighties. Lord Shiva pulled the brake on it then. He then brought me to the Siddhas. The Siddhas informed us about karma and how it metes out its justice. If it is said that our karma is run before us upon death, as in a continuous strip of celluloid film or a moving screen, those who come to the Siddhas are told about themselves and about their past karma in the reading of the mystical leaf called Nadi. We then understand that we are either punished or rewarded for our past acts. As individuals, we learn what we had done in the past births that have brought us into the present birth and shall bring on more births. So is karma written in stone and can't it be changed? Those who come to the Siddhas and their Nadi are shown a way to change a major portion of what is written if not all that is written provided he heeds the words of the Siddhas and provide he does not stop at merely doing remedies to soften the impact of karma but to answer to the call of the Siddhas in taking up their worship and taking them as gurus lifelong. The Siddhas tells us that we need to strive to correct or repent over the wrongs that we have done. Initially, they shall list out what needs to be done in the form of remedies, prayers, pilgrimage, or acts of charity. Many follow while equally many drop out. The problem is we tend to drop the Siddhas the moment things turn out well and turn up at their door the next instance when another unfortunate event takes place. We only regard these seers and sages of ancient times as astrologers who predict the past, present, and future. We continue to seek the Siddhas out for remedies throughout our lives never wanting to know what more they have to offer. We fail to realize or are altogether ignorant of the fact that they can help break the chain of birth and rebirth and hence rid all karma that necessitates rebirth for good. They can show us the route to enlightenment and deathlessness. Then again, rather than depend forever on the Siddhas to dish out remedies at every moment of crisis, shouldn't we resolve not to do harm to others and put an end to our self-made misery? This itself will go a long way in reducing our karma. Shouldn't we change our lifestyles and follow the ideal way as shown by the Siddhas? This would help hasten the process of clamping down karma. Bringing us to their path, bringing us to their abodes and caves, bringing us to worship them, bringing us into their rituals, bringing us to perform charity, bringing us the gift of Yoga, bringing us to Gnana or spiritual wisdom, Agathiyar told us not to rests on our laurels but to seek the ultimate quest that is to join their fold and become a Siddha too. Sadly even in taking up Siddha worship, we tend to worship the Siddhas forever never imagining that we too can become like them or one of them. They shall lead us from their worship to that of the Gods and further to worship the Prapanjam that is in one and all and where everything resides in it too. Ultimately we become one with Prapanjam.

But the change has to take place within us first. Tavayogi in his speeches has reiterated the need to bring change within first and later in society. A Siddha trains us like an astronaut, preparing us to leave for space someday, if not in this birth  - in the future. As a mentor is assigned to each soul in Disney's "Soul", Betty J Eadie in revealing the secrets and mysteries of life in her book "Embraced by the Light", too says each soul has a guardian angel. Agathiyar came for me when I was ready, and when I was emptied of all the previous readings and knowledge accumulated over time. The Siddhas format the hard disk and rewrite their version of our lives, provided we surrender and hand over the hard disk to them and agree to be erased of our previous identity and its contents and take on a new identity and contents. 

The Siddhas fill us in with their wisdom. Before coming to the Siddhas fate dictates and runs our lives. Once we come to them and gain their respect they set out to change our fate bringing on a renewed and rewritten destiny. The stage changes; the set changes; the settings change. The carpet is pulled away right from underneath our feet and new backdrops and scenes are assembled with new happenings taking place. New writings are written over the previous. Our live changes 360 degrees. Though the miracles and stories told in this blog might sound ridiculous and even be called hallucinations by some, one would only understand once he begins to take up the calling, walks on the path, and walks with the Siddhas. In order to become like them, we need to settle with them or in our case have them move into our homes first. They then show us how to live the life of a Siddha. They then bring the divine within our homes and within us, opening up our hearts to all that is taking place around us, bringing on compassion and love for all. The divine that resides in us brings further changes, changing our physical body into his abode and temple and the cave within the heart his inner sanctum. The merging then takes place within, and not in a distant realm or world.

Most of the time we don't know why we come searching the Siddhas. We are amused by their ways. We are captivated by the Siddhis that they perform. We are interested to know our future. It stops at that. We never venture to become like them. We participate without fail as mere spectators in centers aligned to the worship of Siddhas, never opening our homes to them and their rituals. The Siddha in calling us to their path never wanted us to forever worship them. Instead, they want us to become one of them. When divinity comes within man he becomes saint. Many of the Siddhas of the past attained this state through tapas and devotion. All the rituals and puja are to bring the divine within. Our effort stops at that. Once the divine steps foot into our homes and within he takes hold of the steering and drives us to the destination. He is in charge and in command.

When many having being on the path for years, lay their claim over the God's and Goddesses and the Siddhas, should not it be the other way round? Shouldn't the God's and Goddesses and the Siddhas lay their claim over us or redeem us as in ஆட்கொள்ளுதல், making us their captives to their love and compassion? Instead, sadly man holds the divine captive for his individual and selfish purposes. When many promised the sun can only be seen from the land where they stood on, Tavayogi showed us that the sun can be viewed from anywhere breaking our hold on establishments, forms, names, and gender forever.

Agathiyar sent many to Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) to learn worship to the Siddhas. Many stayed back to learn. Some came on their own seeking something anew. Many came out of curiosity and seeing the usual or maybe the unusual left. Agathiyar empowered those who chose to stay with the knowledge of performing rituals like homam that brings our offerings and helps connect us with the realms of the Gods where they reside and performing the libation or abhisegam that brings down their blessings in torrents just as we pour our offerings on them. All this was in preparation for the rainy day. The rainy day has come in the form of a pandemic. It has been pouring for close to a year and a half. We were prepared well ahead to take up the task of performing rituals and prayer in our own homes before the advent of the pandemic so that during the times of lockdown where even temples are off-limits and inaccessible we could still continue our worship in the privacy of our homes. To the handful who stayed back even after he dissolved the loose group of fifty-something followers, days before the coming of the virus, he told them recently that their homes have taken on and became Agathiyar Vanam too. He decentralized AVM so that the puja shall continue amidst the pandemic. Agathiyar who moved their hearts has moved into their homes too. When the head of an establishment whom I met in my early years of search on the worship of Siddhas, boastfully told me that he had been to India some 37 times and many still travel seeking the Siddhas in the caves and jungles, the most compassionate came to move into our homes. When many sought their Nadi even after taking hold of their feet, they had us drop the need for the Nadi and speak to us directly these days. To those who might wonder how, watching the movie "Transcendence" will give an inkling.

HITCHING A RIDE

When many used to gather around Tavayogi and questioned him when he was in Malaysia, and often pulled and tugged on the issue or subject on hand for hours, he would sit and entertain them. He had the patience of a mountain. He never did teach them about Vedhantham nor Sidhantham. Instead, he told me to pack my bags and come over to his Ashram in Kallar. I did as told. He took me on a practical journey giving me many valuable experiences, never for a moment indulging in philosophical thoughts or talks. Philosophy and doctrines were not learned from text nor tutored by him, instead with experience over time in traveling the path, the understanding accumulated and the lessons learned have taught us much. While Vedanthins talk about the philosophy of life the Siddhas walk the talk, living and practicing their method of preserving the body as the vehicle to journey beyond the skies.

Along the way I have seen many characters on the path of the Siddhas who hold on adamantly for years on a practice thinking that that shall bring them to the state of enlightenment. They forget that those are only means to achieve enlightenment and can be safely dropped as one gains its benefits and has seen its results. Sadly many are hooked to it for life. Most of the time these are sensitive issues that are dear to their hearts and that they hold to rigidly. Agathiyar tells us to let it be, never wanting us to have a confrontation with them. He reminds us often of our purpose and to stay focussed on it, never letting our guards down. When the time is right to let go of the rope he comes to have us drop them too. When he winded up rituals and charity asking us to move on, I realized that he puts a stop to our efforts when we tend to revisit them. For instance, I had dropped performing the homam handing over the homa kundam or vessel to my niece who wanted to continue the ritual in her house. I handed over all the items for the fire sacrifice including all the twigs and sticks that I had collected over time for the ritual to Suren who desired to carry it out in his home. Mahindran would come around and perform the Homam and perform libation or abhisegam to Agathiyar's murthy or statue at AVM on occasions bringing all that he needed for the ritual with him. I would be a spectator watching the puja in my home. 

Over time I realized that my grandchildren and the young toddlers of fellow devotees in AVM were missing out on these rituals that we had done and carried on for years moving from AVM to the homes of these devotees and the temples that honored the worship of the Siddhas. So I thought that I should perform the Homam whenever my grandchildren or other children were at AVM. I asked Suren to purchase a Homa kundam for the purpose. I guess Agathiyar was not in favor of me engaging in these rituals again for he called for my eye operation and that of my daughter's too, putting a hold on performing the ritual for some time. The twigs that I had collected again during this time too had gathered mold without my knowledge as they had become damp. I had to throw them away today.  

When I decided to give an old man who was hunched a lift from the hospital another driver stopped to pick him up. On another occasion as I approached a man in crutches to offer a lift a long queue of cars builds up not permitting me to alight and assist him into the car. I had to drive off. I guess he is serious about us moving on and never wants us to revisit the past practices.

When I told him that however long I sit and attempt to meditate it just doesn't happen, he tells me that, "But you tried!" consoling me that the results were not important but the effort was. He seemed pretty pleased that I was trying. So does he tell us that the destination is not important but the journey is. 

When we had shortened our rituals that initially took a couple of hours to minutes, the head of an ashram told me he could not do the same as they had to adhere to the 300-year-old tradition that included a puja that took 5 hours. Another head of a local establishment too found it difficult to bring his devotees to the fold of Yoga as they were very much hooked on rituals. Hence he had to carry on with the 2 1/2 hour long rituals. When Mataji told me she was going on with the annual puja at Kallar ashram after Tavayogi's samadhi, I asked her if she would shorten the celebration from two days to a day and only focus on the Yagam instead of the native dance concert on the eve and the talks by the religious head of other establishments in the morning, she told me that she would not want to change anything but follow as Tavayogi had established. I understand fully well the limitations and restrictions, and the established order that came with establishments. I realized that we had been able to bring the change because AVM was fluid and adapted to the needs of the Malaysian society and changes with time. I understand that many establishments cannot bring about a change just like we did because most importantly they were establishments while we were a loose group of devotees at AVM. 

At the start of a new journey it is quite natural to be both apprehensive and fearful of what is in store but having traveled it for years we tend to throw caution to the wind as we have manipulated the route and traveled it several times. It becomes automated, just as we drive and reach home although engaged in a conversation during the whole duration of our travel. But when we are new to a place all our attention is on the road and the surroundings. So too when we drop the practices for newer ones we tend to move away from boredom and a mechanical life exploring yet another frontier. Even as we carry the accumulated knowledge along, the scenario and the stage have changed. We encounter new souls further along the route. New experiences arise.

A story is often told of a guru who had his followers tie up a cat to a pole while conducting rituals. Later in the absence of the guru, it became a part of the ritual too. His followers took it as customary and continued to tie up the cat to the pole while doing the rituals. They failed to realize the reason the guru had the cat tied up - it was in the way of the rituals and attendees. 

I am glad that we never berth the AVM vessel to the banks of the river or anchored ship, but instead chose to remain afloat and let the waters carry us as far as it would, over rapids and calm waters, waterfalls, and whirlpools. The vessel is no more now. What remains are a small number of devotees hanging on to the pieces of wood from the vessel that remains afloat by the power of the chant of the name of Agathiyar. He came to acknowledge that the homes of this handful of devotees shall henceforth be known as Agathiyar Vanam too. He shall keep us afloat and lead us on. It is now his journey and his vessel that we are hitching and taking a ride on. 

SURVIVOR'S GUILT

I had watched a documentary some time back. When a Japanese child who was away briefly from school hears that the school she studied in was engulfed in fire and all her teachers and schoolmates were killed, she shed tears and surprisingly uttered these words, "I wish I was with them. Why was I spared?" When most of us would give thanks to the divine to have spared our lives, she wept for her friends. When I mentioned this to my daughter, she told me that this was a "Survivor's Guilt."

I guess I too carry a Survivor's Guilt. When Agathiyar and the divine has been kind to me and my family after coming to his path and prior to the calling respectively, I am left guilty when many come to me telling me nothing changed for them even after coming to the worship of the Siddhas and doing charity. 

When devotees came to Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal with their problems, he would listen patiently and intently to their outpourings and finally tell them that their sufferings were an outcome of their vinai or past karma. If they were interested to know a way out he would then ask them to worship the Siddhas. No compulsion and no promises were made. He would just provide an alternative solution to these ailing hearts and souls. When people come by and tell me that they are suffering, I would point them to his Kallar Ashram. In his absence these days, I would direct them to Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar who has since his demise taken over the running of the Ashram. When locals drop by at AVM I followed in Tavayogi's footsteps and pointed them to the Siddhas just as he did.  So I would dish out the same formula to those who came by my home. I thought the formula worked for all. Since the formula worked for me and many others I assumed that it should work for them too. Some took up the suggestion while some went into oblivion never to be heard off again. In all the many years of worship, I have seen Agathiyar fulfill the wishes of many who had stood before him to grant their asking, or to remove obstacles and hurdles and even danger. He had provided for me and my family too although we hardly ask of him favors. 

But it was not to be. When once a young girl came by with her younger sister and parents with her problems I as usual gave them the formula. What she told me surprised me. She had done all to fulfill the equation, but life had yet to favor her. I was stunned and confused. I had no answer to their dilemma. Yesterday a single mother called me up and told me the same that she had been worshipping the Siddhas since 2010 and had done all that was told but has yet to see a change in her life. There are a couple who have yet to get together in matrimony after six years of waiting. Her mother was an obstacle to the wedding. When three women stood before Agathiyar and were blessed that they would conceive, two of them subsequently had a child but the third is still waiting patiently for many years. Another couple who was given hope finally opted to adopt after waiting for years. How do we explain these? Only Agathiyar can and should shed some light.

My prayer to him is always asking that he grant all their wishes just as he has been showering us with kindness and compassion. I tend to feel guilty most of the time. I have done my equal share of wrongs in life but yet he embraces us into his arms. Why does not he do the same for them, forgiving their wrongdoings in the past? In the medical circle, the term non-union is used to indicate cases where the fractured bone does not mend at all as it should usually do. This happens to about 5 percent of the patients. They need external assistance as in the many forms of bone fracture fixations or an Autologous Conditioned Plasma (ACP) injection consisting of a concentration of platelets and growth factors created from a small amount of our own blood that aids and expedites the natural healing of wounds as they contain various natural growth factors. Maybe these devotees too fall under a certain category where they shall have to live with it undergoing their untold miseries. My prayer has always been to ask and show mercy on these poor souls.

Then there are souls who have asked that they suffer till ultimate so that they need not come back to continue paying their debts. They ask of the Lord that the score be settled for good and the chain of birth and rebirth is broken. I believe Jnana Jothiamma was one such soul. Her extreme love for Agathiyar moved her to ask that he take her life and place her beside him forever. When she sought Ayurveda treatment for her tummy pain, sadly no one diagnosed her as having cancer. When she completed her treatment and went home, she collapsed in her apartment. Only when she was rushed to a private hospital in Chennai by the house owner did she discover the cause of the pain but it was too late. She died later. I do not know what had transpired between her and Agathiyar in all her consultations with Agathiyar towards the end of her life for she had shut herself from all access to social media, the public, and us too, but I believe that her soul had asked to leave the body and serve Agathiyar in a different context. Agathiyar had to shelve all the plans he had for her and grant her wish.

In the movie "Let Me Go" a granny says to her granddaughter that "The luxury in being young is that you don't see the past in everything." The granddaughter counters her with food for thought for all. "That's your choice." Indeed the choice is ours to let go of the past and live fully in the present. This then changes the future that otherwise will continue to be drabbed in darkness entirely. In the final scene before the three generations of the family depart with their great-grandmother placed in a nursing home we are reminded that "Only the child is ours; not the home; not even the material possessions deemed priceless in our eyes." The reason children are happy is that they don't have a past. Adults brood over the past and lose their happiness. 

A friend from Slovenia, Mr Andraz after talking to me over WhatsApp call last night, shared a beautiful poem that is much needed in these times of struggle and pandemic. Let us take shelter in these words of Theodore Tilton at https://www.litscape.com/author/Theodore_Tilton/The_Kings_Ring.html

 

The King's Ring

by Theodore Tilton

I.

Once in Persia reigned a King,

Who upon his signet ring

Graved a maxim true and wise,

Which, if held before his eyes,

Gave him counsel, at a glance,

Fit for every change or chance:

Solemn words, and these are they:

'Even this shall pass away!'

II.

Trains of camels through the sand

Brought him gems from Samarcand;

Fleets of galleys through the seas

Brought him pearls to rival these.

But he counted little gain

Treasures of the mine or main.

What is wealth? the King would say;

'Even this shall pass away.'

III.

In the revels of his court,

At the zenith of the sport,

When the palms of all his guests

Burned with clapping at his jests,

He, amid his figs and wine,

Cried, O loving friends of mine!

Pleasure comes, but not to stay:

'Even this shall pass away.'

IV.

Lady fairest ever seen

Was the bride he crowned his queen.

Pillowed on the marriage-bed,

Whispering to his soul, he said,

Though a bridegroom never pressed

Dearer bosom to his breast,

Mortal flesh must come to clay:

'Even this shall pass away.'

V.

Fighting on a furious field,

Once a javelin pierced his shield.

Soldiers with a loud lament

Bore him bleeding to his tent.

Groaning from his tortured side,

Pain is hard to bear, he cried,

But with patience day by day,

'Even this shall pass away.'

VI.

Towering in the public square

Twenty cubits in the air,

Rose his statue carved in stone.

Then the King, disguised, unknown,

Gazing at his sculptured name,

Asked himself,And what is fame?

Fame is but a slow decay:

'Even this shall pass away.'

VII.

Struck with palsy, sere and old,

Waiting at the Gates of Gold,

Spake he with his dying breath,

Life is done, but what is Death?

Then, in answer to the King,

Fell a sunbeam on his ring,

Showing by a heavenly ray --

Even this shall pass away.

Source:

The Sexton's Tale, And Other Poems.

Copyright 1867

Sheldon And Company, New York.

Another friend in a timely manner shared a forwarded message this morning.

PICTURE OF HAPPINESS : 

NAZIM HIKMAT -- The great Turkish poet - once asked his friend ABIDIN DINO (Turkish artist and well-known painter), to draw a picture of HAPPINESS. He drew a picture of a whole family  -- cramped up on a broken bed -- under a leaky roof in a shabby room -- but still with a smile on each member's face! Goes without saying that the painting became very famous.

Yes, Happiness is not the absence of sufferings but acceptance of sufferings. See good around you even in trying situations ..stop worrying about things that are beyond your control... stay happy...

ROAD TO RECOVERY

After our recent encounter at the Ayurveda center where the masseuse called to stop us from signing on to a proposed treatment over seven days at their annexed center but instead invited my wife to come in for treatment at her main center, I have decided to go with the flow. I knew that I was no more in charge of my life but he is and decides what is good for us. What surprised us was that she was persistently nudging us to come in for "the treatment" from the moment we arrived. Although the second physician too had not given us the schedule to begin treatment as yet, the masseuses went ahead and treated my wife. Bhogar later came to reveal that he was the one who had called my wife in for the treatment and she only needed one single session. 

So while the eye doctor at a private Eye Centre referred my daughter to his buddy in the government hospital telling us that she would be in safe hands and that his friend would do the necessary procedures and operation, but offered to work on my cataract, I took both occasions as a sign from the Siddhas. But as the cost of the procedure in a government hospital would only be a tenth of that compared at the eye center, I was contemplating whether to go over to the government clinic that would then refer me to the specialist at the general hospital. But the Siddhas had a way of persuading me to take up the invitation immediately. I started having the feeling of grittiness in my eyes, a sensation similar to having sand in the eyes, that mysteriously came about just about that time. This became severe and unbearable on Friday night. I could not wait for daybreak. I walked into the eye center the next morning and asked the doctor to go ahead with the procedure. Mysteriously as it did come, the grittiness in both eyes stopped after the first eye was done. I realized that Agathiyar had decided what was good for me and didn't want me to change the course or plans he had for me, hence he brought on the irritation and discomfort to get me to see the doctor again immediately. The doctor briefed me on the procedure in simple terms, taking away the fear in me. Both the operations went well. Agathiyar later came by and told us that he had sent both me and my daughter to the respective places and had arranged for us to undergo the procedures. It amazes us as he had used modern-day technologies and the facilities and the experience and skills of those in the medical profession to give us both our sight back. He could have sent me and my daughter to any holy man and have him mumble some mumbo jumbo and splash some holy water or cover us with ash and send us back telling me that we will be cured. But he did not. He had both of us undergo surgery. He, time and again gave my daughter confidence to face her major procedure telling her that he would stand by her. He added that he would take on her pain. Even after the surgery, they were there to console my daughter. I had kept the painting of Lord Murugan that adorned last year's calendar tugged away between my books on the bookshelf at the head of her bed. I was surprised to see the painting on her bed when I went in into her room. I thought that she had kept the painting with her and prayed to Lord Muruga the night before. But she told me she did not know how it got there. She was equally surprised to see the painting. The painting had somehow nudged its way from among the books and found its way to her bedside. We saw it as a sign of the Lord comforting her.

Just as the cornea is said to let in 2/3's of the light and the lens the rests, the doctors have successfully performed the procedure. Now it is up to the prapanjam to lend a hand in healing us. Agathiyar came to teach us to bring the prapanjam within us by raising our hands up into the air and reaching out to the cosmos and inhale deeply and exhale at length. He said that the prapanjam and he shall do the rests.

It is indeed comforting to know that the divine shadow us. When my daughter had to walk quite a distance to meet her friend in the university she studied in to deliver the accessories that she had made for her, and after having walked some distance she felt tired. As it was almost dark, she was a bit worried and regretted having decided to walk rather than wait for the shuttle bus that plies through the campus grounds. That is when she saw an Oriental Magpie-robin perching on the railing along the footpath. As she came up to it, my daughter began to address it. She tells me that she conversed with the bird, "I saw the Robin and talked to it asking it to accompany me." To her surprise, the tiny bird kept her company, following her from tree to tree, flying ahead of her and perching on the branches of the trees waiting for her to catch up until she reached the spot where her friend was waiting. It then left. She then took the bus back. On another afternoon, as she was making her way up the flight of steps to a hall for a rehearsal of an event, the bird landed in front of her and hopped onto each step of the stairs till the top before it flew away. Lord Muruga came later to confirm his presence. 

Agathiyar is a very practical man. There is no mumbo jumbo when it comes to treatment. Once he asked us to pick the leaves off the herbal plants in the garden and bring him some kitchen spices too. He asked for the mortar and pestle and began pounding the ingredients that he had asked for. He applied the poultice on the knee of a devotee who had tripped and fallen while playing soccer. Then again, he had my wife go over to the government clinics and general hospitals for all her ailments except the time we took up the queue from Bhogar to visit the Ayurveda center for her frozen shoulder. When my daughter and I came down with dengue fever he had us warded in the general hospital where he later revealed that he came with Tirumular to raise my daughter's blood count and platelet. When my other daughter fractured her leg he had us continue the treatment at the general hospital, warning us that seeking alternative means would worsen her condition. When we were worried that she would not be able to continue with her 3-month internship and we managed to convince the doctor on call at the emergency ward to provide an alternative to his suggestion that she rest for some three months in a fiberglass cast, he then agreed to affix an Ilizarov Apparatus that would provide mobility for her to attend and complete her internship. But Agathiyar came in the form of a senior doctor making his rounds the next day at the wards and took us to task for asking for this procedure. He reverted back to the fiberglass cast and asked us to be patient though it did take longer for her to recover. But when she had a mysterious fungus eating its way into her toes many years later, he told us to seek Siddha treatment for he said modern creams would not work. 

Hence I have come to realize that by devoting our lives to the Siddhas they shall come to stop us from making the wrong decisions and direct us to the right place and people. This is where our years of worship pay off. We can never repay his kindness and compassion. We are indebted to him for life.

STAY SAFE

As the Covid-19 virus rages onwards to what is said to be the fourth wave over the past year and a half, many friends and families have fallen victim to it. A friend and his family from New Delhi who have recovered share a few words upon my asking him. Hopefully, it shall bring hope to others hoping to recover. 

Shan Sir, have penned a few thoughts. Covid takes the energy out of you so right now penning a few thoughts only. My prayers for all those who are inflicted. I am confidant they will come out soon. Fever has subsided and oxygen levels are good now. With Agaslthiar Rishis grace, your prayers everyone at home has now recovered. Started regaining appetite and are now being weaned of most medicines. Doing all pranayams and taking care.

There is always sunlight behind the clouds which when comes out gives way to light and gets rid of the darkness. The ray of light for the covid pandemic to end will also come soon.

Me and my family were inflicted with the covid strain and with the help of prayers from Shan Sir, Mata ji, Kogie ji and Kugen ji in South Africa, by following proper breathing excercises and drs advice have all come out of it.

Post covid it becomes all the most necessary to continue with all pranayams, excercises and take all precautions. One should not feel as having gained immunity for a few months and throw caution to the wind.

However as a piece of advice for those who are still safe....build on your immunity, build on fitness, do not play with fire by not wearing masks and not following laid down protocols. One can take authentic pure Chywanprash and desi cow ghee for building immunity.

And above all Agathiar ji is always there to take care. Hold HIM tight. He will take care.

Just as he wrote my friend shared Sadguru's message for us telling us to use these times of lockdown to strengthen the body in the following video at https://fb.watch/5m3gOzI5Ye/

Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal before the onset of the pandemic had locked us in in our homes and came to show us ways to connect with the prapanjam or cosmos. It was basic pranayama that involved Nadi Suddhi and deep inhalation and exhalation that expands the lungs and the breathing capacity. Tapping its energy I believe shall help to a certain extent in strengthening our immune system and keeping us healthy to fight off the virus. Besides that herbs, medicines, and vaccines administered, I believe shall help to a certain extent too. And finally, the grace of God is to be sought to help combat this virus. Agathiyar had asked us to appeal to Lord Siva to bring an end to this pandemic. In lieu of this directive, I have invited friends and devotees to sit again in their homes and offer a prayer to Lord Siva at exactly 12 noon Malaysian time on 9 May 2021, to show some mercy and grace in removing the pandemic for good. May the dear Lord listen to our prayers.

THE GIFT OF SIGHT

Readers might be wondering why there were no new posts the past two weeks. I had cataract surgery on both my eyes. After my daughter was diagnosed with an eye problem and referred immediately to the eye specialist at the general hospital and several procedures done on her eyes, I went in to see the eye doctor with my other daughter. She was given a clean slate while I found out that I had a cataract in both eyes. I never knew I had them as my vision was good. But under the instruments, it did show that I had them. 

If my daughter as a passing remark told me that she saw a shadow in her eye, taking the vision exam by reading the eye chart or optotype at the eye hospital revealed that she had indeed a problem. As for me, my visual acuity passed the mark. It was only when the doctor observed the inside of my eye using instruments that he detected the cataract. The last time I went for an eye examination was in 2012 and it did not show then.

Even after being shown images of my eyes, I could not visualize the extent of my visual impairment. Only after the doctor performed the procedure and showed me the before and after images of my eyes did it astound me. 

As cataracts progress, the clumps of protein clouding your lens may turn yellow or brownish. This results in all the light coming into your eye having a yellow tint. It’s almost as though you are wearing “blue-blocker” sunglasses, as advertised on TV, which block blue and violet light. This changes how you see color and reduces your ability to tell the difference between colors. (Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/cataract-symptoms#yellow-tint)

Upon removing the cataract and replacing new lenses the whole world was seen in a different light literally. It made a whole world of a difference. I began to see the world in a new light. It was bright and colorful. I realized then that I had been seeing the world in the wrong shades of colors all this while. A component hardware has been changed in the system. My system has to recognize the new make and model and get accustomed to it. The above website summarizes this in a single phrase.

After corrective surgery for cataracts, you may be surprised to see the world with all of its colors again!

I began to wear glasses when I was 15. Now I can do away with them. I have only Agathiyar to thank for bringing us to the Eye Hospital in a timely manner and have us discover the problems that silently lurked behind our eyes. Agathiyar later came to tell us that he had arranged for both of us to undergo the treatment saying உன் விழிகளுக்கு சிகிச்சை அளித்தது நான்தான். I guess he wants us to continue serving him and me to continue blogging hence the reason to speedily correct our eyesight. We have to thank him too for delaying my daughter's participation in a student exchange program with a university in South Korea postponing it to autumn, which has allowed her to undergo her treatment locally prior to leaving.

Thank you Agatheesa.

TRUE GURU BAKTI

I received a few photos and a video from Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar of the extent of work done on Tavayogi's samadhi building yesterday. I realized that Tavayogi had handed over the management and operation of the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham to the right candidate. Mataji saw to it that what he had envisioned was done. The day saw me question my worth as his student. I felt very small before her. She has shown me true guru bhakti. We are only doing lip service in talking about our guru in these pages while she is working to bring the ideals of our guru into reality. 

Tavayogi was a mill owner producing cotton garments in Tirupur, Kovai. A tragic turn of events made him blind while in his thirties. His mother brought him to a temple dedicated to Mother Goddess who was known to heal and cure the blind while his wife did housework to sustain the family. On the brink of jumping onto the railway tracks after vainly waiting a year to regain his eyesight he was stopped by a voice he heard that told him "Do not take your life. I am here." Tavayogi regained his eyesight shortly and went back to running his business. But he promised that he would dedicate his life in service to Agathiyar and to Agathiyar's cause, after attaining the age of fifty. He kept his word. At fifty he left his family voluntarily and became a mendicant. This reminds us of how Babaji came to Yogi Ramaiah to save him too. 

Just as Ramaiah was to leave for the USA to further his studies, he contracted bone tuberculosis which disrupted his plans. The disease took its toll on him and he was immobilized for six long years. During that period, his wife and servants cared for him at San Thome in Madras while Ramaiah used this time to his advantage by reading a lot. Ramaiah also published his first book based on Omkara Swami’s life, "A Blissful Saint." During these years, Prasanananda Guru aided him in meditation while Omkara Swami shared with Ramaiah his knowledge of yoga. He had a visit from Mauna Swami too, a disciple of Shirdi Sai Baba. Shortly afterward, Ramaiah had a vision of Shirdi Sai Baba himself. Ramaiah asked Baba if he was his Guru. Baba replied, "No, but I will reveal to you who your guru is", and Ramaiah was shown his Guru Babaji. One day Ramaiah succumbed to the pain and misery that he was undergoing and decided to end his life. He held his breath, not letting it go. Suddenly he heard Babaji's voice. Babaji told him, "Do not take your life! Give it to me!" Surprised and taken aback by the divine intervention, Ramaiah surrendered himself to Babaji. The next day, upon awakening, Ramaiah felt that he was healed. Summoning the doctors, Ramaiah was given a clean bill and certified fit. To everyone's astonishment, Ramaiah had indeed healed completely. Very soon Ramaiah regained the use of both his legs. Shortly in another vision, Ramaiah saw Babaji limping. He questioned Babaji as to why he limped. To Ramaiah's surprise, Babaji replied that he was taking on Ramaiah's illness (bone tuberculosis)! Recently when my daughter feared for the eye operation that was scheduled for her, Agathiyar told her that he shall bear her pain and asked her to go without fear. We are blessed indeed to have him oversee our lives.

This is called ஆட்கொள்ளல் or to intervene in a timely manner and bring the subject to their fold. This we see in the lives of many saints including Sundarar where the good Lord stepped in during his marriage ceremony and redeemed him. Sundarar too lost his sight and regained them later. Tirunavukarasar underwent untold misery as a result of severe pain in his stomach that was miraculously cured later resulting in his newfound faith in the Saivite religion. He moved on to become one of the greatest saints of all times. On the local front, a man who had severe stomach pain was told in his dream that his illness would be cured and that he shall receive the gift of healing others. The only condition laid was that he switched religion. He did as told and has been healing the public.

Traveling the length and breadth of India Tavayogi finally was instructed to build an ashram at Agathiyar Vanam, Kallar. His small ashram in the foothills of Kallar has since shifted to the present-day site some 2 kilometers away with contributions from devotees. Tavayogi has since gone into samadhi on his ashram grounds. Mataji is trying to complete the samadhi structure works just in time for the scheduled kumbhabisegam coinciding with the Vaikasi Visakam festival that falls on 25th May 2021.

IT SHALL BE A LIFE LONG LEARNING

Our learning starts with our parents teaching us and then progresses as we attend school. The learning continues as we take up a job and are placed in an entirely different environment. Experience begins to become our teacher now. If previously we were sheltered and spoon-fed, now we encounter and face all sorts of experiences as we begin our lives as young adults. We then begin to shoulder responsibilities becoming a husband or a wife and becoming parents. The need to share our lives with extended families emerges as the caring within the family grows. Our once self-centered life is now centered around the family and society. Soon one retires and takes up a social activity to keep his time occupied. This is a typical life that we live. But in all these the learning never stops. 

Betty J Eadie in revealing the secrets and mysteries of life in her book "Embraced by the Light", understood the earth to be a place where we schooled. She 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 Donald Walsch in his "Conversation with God" to "Awaken the Species" 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.

If in the early days we read about religion and became well equipped to answer doubts and questions, it was always superficial in nature without the element of the experience. These days the Siddhas create the scenario, the events, and the happenings, giving us the much-needed experience.

The most distinct test of my obedience to Agathiyar came by way of a series of events that he laid on my path the moment I left the Nadi reader having read my Nadi. Throughout the Nadi reading, Agathiyar lectured me on anger management.  I knew that my mother had reached him first. She was a smart lady. She knew who to approach. Since she knew I loved him a lot, my mother used to pray to Agathiyar earnestly asking him that I should drop my anger. Agathiyar heeding the plea from my mother for help in having me drop my anger addressed me that day for one solid hour. I had no choice but to sit and listen to him. The divine shall come to the call or prayer of a mother. 

The moment I came out from the Nadi reading with my wife and daughter accompanying me, Agathiyar put me to test immediately to see if I could uphold what he had just told me. It was a Sunday and as there were ample parking lots available, please tell me why should someone choose to double park his car beside mine? The doors were locked. Looking inside I saw the handbrake drawn up. How was I to push the car then? It was an extremely hot afternoon and I was very hungry. The heat from the sun and the heat from the furnace in my tummy aggravated my anger in seeing the dilemma I faced with. No one came for his car as I kept honking. My family was having a field day at my expense looking towards the sky and asking if the Siddhas had installed closed-circuit cameras. They were watching the fun together with the Siddhas. Nudging the car continuously, I managed to move it sufficiently enough for me to drive off. 

We drove further up the street to have our lunch at a reputable restaurant, but as service was extremely slow we decided to leave. Now driving into another street to park, we walked to another restaurant along the main street. That is when I saw a popular radio host walk towards us. I smiled at him. He stopped and walked up to me. He held my shoulders and backed me up against the wall of the shophouses. He pointed to both my wife and daughter and inferred that my children should follow like their mother in keeping a large kumkum or bindi rather than a minute one. Hunger makes a man angry, right? Top it up with an hour of detention class with the grandmaster, an annoying driver who had no brains, and a restaurant that delayed the food, my anger escalated further and hit the top charts on that Sunday afternoon. I told the radio host that it was their choice and that if he was so concerned about upholding the culture and tradition he should come in vesti first rather than in pants. He fled upon seeing my outburst. I had lost the challenge that Agathiyar put me through. He had pieced together the whole scene upon the stage that he set up almost instantaneously after giving me a detailed SOP and guideline, and sat back to watch how I handled it. I had failed terribly in my test on anger management that day. 

Betty J Eadie in writing on her near-death experience, says she watched the world from the heavens. She saw beacons of light shoot up into the sky. These were supposedly the prayers emitting from individuals. Some were broad and large while others were akin to penlights and mere sparks. She saw angels rushing to answer these prayers, responding to the brighter lights or prayers first. Insincere prayers were not heard while those in dire straits and immediate need of help are responded to immediately. She was also told that there is no greater prayer than that of a mother for her children. These were the purest of prayers with no self-interest in them. The mother gives herself to the children, hence her prayers are intense. The mother's prayer is always heard.

Betty has several pieces of advice for us too. She reminds us that in praying for someone at his deathbed one should ask for God's will to be done, rather than insist on our desire, otherwise we could end up frustrating and or delaying the transition that the person was undertaking. Avoid a conflict from arising at these times. It would help to just let the soul go. She adds that God who is fully able to see the past and future knows best. The outcome is always perfect although we see it otherwise. 

Then she says that there was no need to repeat a prayer or requests. With a single prayer said, then comes faith and lots of patience. Pray for whatever you desire and let go. Let God do his will. If and when his will becomes ours too, we see the prayer answered. 

Finally, she reminds us not to forget to thank him when he has granted our wishes. Betty says it beautifully, "In humility, we must ask and in gratitude, we must receive." Prayers bring God to us. With constant prayers, we will come to know that he lives among us. 

A teenager who grew up in the home of his uncle took to translating the Nadi readings for non-Tamilians who came before the Nadi readers from India stationed in his uncle's home. Many years later together with his wife, they brought many seekers of the Nadi to the temples both in Malaysia and India to help them carry out remedies. When his wife's relative took ill and was bedridden for five years, this couple never gave up on him and his family. They would refer to the Nadi on their behalf and go do the remedies too. But sadly the relative passed away. All the other relatives came down hard on this couple venting their anger and frustration on them and Agathiyar for not saving the man. They saw all the efforts of this couple as a waste of time, money, and energy. There is never a Nadi reading for a dead man. But Agathiyar made an exception in this case. He called the couple in for a reading after the man died. Agathiyar asked the couple, "What am I supposed to do? I had repeatedly told you to remind him (the man) to lift his spirits high and fight and never give up. You too did as told and carried out all the remedies I gave. But that soul asked me to take him back as he could not bring himself to see his family continue to suffer further in taking care of him. You are asking me to keep him alive while he has given up on life and decided that he wanted to leave. Tell me now to whom shall I listen to?" The couple understood the deep message that Agathiyar put forth for their understanding, bringing clarity to the whole episode. The relatives though were only seeing the physical and material Agathiyar saw the soul. 

Ram Dass in "Paths to God", Harmony Books, 2004, tells us another similar story. A woman whose son was bitten by a cobra begged Shirdi Sai to give some sacred ash to save him. Sai did not. When a devotee begged him on her behalf, Sai replied "Don't get involved in this. Her son's soul has already entered another body in which he can do especially good work, work that he could not do in this one. If I draw him back into this body the new one he has entered will have to die in order for this one to live. I might do it for your sake but have you considered the consequences. Have you any idea of the responsibility and are you prepared to assume it." The devotee was only seeing the mother's grief. Sai saw a bigger picture.

Ruzbeh N. Bharucha in his blog and writings at https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/the-master-s-grace reveals,

Yes, the laws of karma are rigid and the cards are dealt without emotion. What one has sowed, one shall reap. The experience shall be gone through. There is no escaping this fact. And yet throughout the ages, through time, Sages, mystics, Sufis, the Holy Scriptures, all proclaim that The Master is Merciful. On one hand we have the unyielding laws of cause and effect. On the other hand we have the mercy and tenderness of The Master.

When a devotee stood before Bhogar enquiring about her sibling, Bhogar came on sternly telling her that he shall not lift even a finger in bringing him out of his sufferings. He has to go through it. Bhogar though assured her that he shall be safe. On the other hand, Agathiyar manipulated the fate of a newborn fated to take another birth elsewhere just for the sake of his devotee. Even as Goddess Ma came to remind Agathiyar of the consequences of their action and reconfirm his instruction, Agathiyar told her to go ahead. The child was saved. 

Ruzbeh Bharucha in channeling Baba Sai's energy says, "Give your divine best to each moment and then leave the rest joyously to one’s Goddess, God, Guru. But most importantly He wants each one of us to give each moment our very best and then leave the rest to one’s karmic blueprint and the grace and wisdom of one’s Master. 

Author Balakumaran in his "Guru Vazhi", Visa Publications, 2005, mentions an episode that happened in the presence of Yogi Ramsuratkumar. Seeing a man and woman holding a child and waiting in line in the hot sun to have a darshan of the Yogi, Balakumaran pitying them, whispered to the Yogi asking him to see them first. The Yogi ignored him and went on talking with his devotees. Balakumaran asked again. The Yogi ignored him again. After Balakumaran asked repeatedly, finally the Yogi asked him, "Is it disturbing you?" "Ask them to come", he said. Balakumaran invited them in cutting the queue. The couple came up and sat before the Yogi. They asked for something to which the Yogi replied "My father will grant" and went on talking to others. After 15 minutes, Balakumaran motioned them to leave so that others could meet the Yogi too. But the couple refused to move and replied arrogantly, "Let the Yogi say." After a while, Balakumaran again requested them to leave but they told him to mind his business. Sensing the tense situation the Yogi demanded that they leave. They left abruptly, without even showing respect to the Yogi. The Yogi turned to Balakumaran and told him, "This is my place and I know who to let in." Balakumaran only saw the couple's discomfort. The Yogi saw a bigger picture. We can never foresee what is to take place. Our judgment often fails us. The divine knows best. 

So too did Bhogar teach me a few lessons when he orchestrated a drama or lila to have me learn lessons from it. While he treated a couple's two-year-old child he told the mother of the child to go for Kerala treatment that would ease her bodily discomfort. He also told them that I knew the center. It reached my mind then that he was referring to the Ayurvedic treatment that a fellow devotee had taken for his pain in his shoulder after having a fall. Taking the cue and since the treatment came highly recommended from a Siddha, I booked an appointment to have my wife see the physician for her frozen shoulder. As I dropped her off to find a parking space, the devotee to whom Bhogar addressed and who had tailed us to make an appointment pointed out to another center along the same street that carried the same treatment. I went in to verify with whom I had made the appointment. The lady at the counter acknowledged that the appointment was with them and that I needed to bring my wife over as they were waiting to treat her. Walking over to the other center, I found my wife engaged in consultation with the in-house physician. Seeing me enter the ladies at the counter surprisingly invited me to join my wife. I stopped to tell them that I had made an appointment with the other, they answered that it was all right to see the physician here. As we were about to sign up for a 7-day scheduled treatment I received a call from the center telling me that they were waiting for us. I told them that I was already in consultation with their physician. But the lady behind the phone insisted that I turn up at the other center. Dazed I told the physician that we need to sort this matter out and enquired if both the centers came under the same umbrella and management. They replied telling me that it was an annexed building as the main center could not cope with the crowd. I told them that I shall see what the other side has to say as they were very persistent that I came over. 

Going over to the main center, the lady at the counter invited my wife in for her treatment. I asked her what treatment she was going to give when the report from the physician had not arrived in her hands. The physician had told us that as they had to prepare the ingredients for her treatment it will take some time for them to reach back to us with the schedule for her treatment. The lady kept asking us to come in for the treatment. Finally, she told me to drop the earlier diagnosis and see her physician. Since I could not make head nor tail about the whole episode I chose to go with the flow. The physician we saw suggested yet another approach and treatment differing from the earlier and told us that they shall get back to us regarding the schedule for the suggested 7-day treatment. I understood that there was not to be any form of treatment that day but only consultation from both the physicians. As we came out the lady at the counter who we came to know later, was a masseuse too, insisted that my wife walk in for the treatment! After an hour and a half of jostling around between the centers and another hour and a half of treatment that surprised us as both physicians told us that the treatment was not to start until sometime in the first week of April, my wife walked out refreshed and smiling. As for the devotee who was shown the center by Bhogar she signed up for the 7-day treatment and had to wait for the center to schedule the start of her treatment.

Receiving our schedule by Whatsapp later we did not make any changes to the timings as they had tried to accommodate the times we had asked for. But as it came to our attention that my daughter had to see the eye specialist and undergo several procedures I called the center up to postpone the treatment until we settled our daughter's case. Since another devotee who took up the cue from Bhogar too, was told that the slots for women were taken up I proposed to the center that they switch my wife slots with the devotee's mother. But there was hesitation on their part and they were giving reasons that it cannot be done. The one on the phone identified himself as a physician when I told him not to complicate matters and to refer to the physician. In fact, I was assisting them in bringing a client. But there obviously was a stumbling block there. Then I told him the reason we came over was that Bhogar had recommended us to them. He seemed ignorant of the Siddha. He knew Dhanvantri though. When I asked him if he knew Agathiyar, he told me that, "That is Siddha practice and we are different." I told him that since he viewed them as different I shall not go ahead with the treatment for my wife. 

The devotee who was shown to the place and signed for the 7-day program stopped going after the sixth session as she felt no improvement in her condition. As we sat together to go through the series of unfortunate events and wondering why Bhogar had shown us there in the first place, and whether it was the right place that we went to, as all things turned topsy-turvy and did not make any sense in the end, Agathiyar in the midst of our discussion arrived and invited Bhogar to explain and to clarify to us. Bhogar told us the following. In addressing my doubt, he said, 

"Man has 5 bodies or sheaths. The place you went to was right. Our "subordinates" did the treatment. Your wife was to receive the treatment only once. (Hence the reason we stopped going further). In Siddha there are variations. That is how the practitioners view it and see it. I sent you there so that you could come to see that these differences existed among the practitioners. You have learned well. You have been enlightened (on this matter)."

Then he turned to the devotee, 

"I sent you over because of issues in your body. The (hot) water that was used (for treatment) carried medicinal properties. It shall penetrate your physical body and go within and cleansed all the associated bodies too. You shall not see immediate results in this treatment that we (their subordinates) carried out. Please be patient. I shall come and deliver unto you what is required from time to time. You shall be relieved of your pain. Trust us." 

Bhogar then gave us all a general reminder.

"Each time you approach a treatment you need to have faith in it that it shall heal you. Otherwise, the treatment would not be effective nor shall you see the desired results. Even your slightest suspicion shall reverse the results. Do not be confused."

மனிதனுக்கு 5 உடல் உண்டு. சென்ற இடம் சரி. உங்களுக்குச் சிகிச்சை அளிக்கும்பொழுது எங்களின் நவ கன்னிகள் மட்டுமே வந்து செய்தார்கள். ஷண்முகனை நான் அங்கு அனுப்பியது ஒருமுறைக்கு மட்டுமே. ஆம் சித்தத்திலும் வேற்றுமை உண்டு. அதை அவர்கள் காண்பதுண்டு. அதை நீ அறிவதற்காகவே யாம் உன்னை அங்கு அனுப்பினோம். அதையும் நீ சரிவரக் கற்றுக்கொண்டாய். உனக்குத் தெளிவு கூடியது. 

மகளே உன்னை உன் உடல் பொருத்து உன்னை அனுப்பிவைத்தோம். அந்நீரில் மூலிகைகள் கலந்து உள்ளன. அது உன் உடலைத் துளைத்து கொண்டு உட்சேன்று உன் தேகங்களை சுத்தம் செய்யும். எங்களது சிகிச்சைகுறித்த காலத்தில் உமக்கு எதுவும் பலன் அளிக்காது. பொறுத்து கோல். தக்க சமயம் யாம் வந்து உமக்குச் செய்ய வேண்டியதை செய்து கொண்டு இருப்போம். உனது வலி போகும். எங்களை மட்டும் நம்பு. 

எப்பொழுதும் ஒரு சிகிச்சையை அணுகும்பொழுது மனதில் உறுதி வேண்டும். அவை நமக்குக் குணம் அடையும் என்று. இல்லாவிடில் அவை பலன் அளிக்காது. உனது சிறிய சந்தேகம் கூட அப்பலனை தடுத்து விடும். குழப்பம் வேண்டாம். 

Bhogar brought clarity to the whole episode and put our doubts and questions to rest. As we stood at the threshold of the Siddha path sometime back Goddess Ma came to tell us that the Siddha path is one of learning from experience. How true her words have come to be.