OPEN THE DOOR & BE FREE TO WALK OUT

Just as I picked up a soiled book or rather was handed the book "Arutperunjothi Agaval/ Thiruvarutprakasa Vallalar" an English rendering by Swami Saravanananda, published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, 1989, by the old man manning the bookstall outside Satya Gnana Sabai in Vadalur who did not state a price for it on my first visit in 2003, I picked up a soiled book titled "The Little Soul and the Sun" by Neale Donald Walsch at Pay Less Books store many years back for a bargain price. Both books are a gem and priceless. 

God tells a Little Soul "Let your Light so shine that everyone will know how special you are", and went on to ask, "What part of special do you want to be?" He explains, "Being special has a lot of parts to it" and lists out the specialties one by one to the Little Soul.

• It is special to be kind,
• it is special to be gentle,
• it is special to be creative,
• it is special to be patient,

The Little Soul understanding the concept adds to the lists.

• It is special to be helpful,
• it is special to be sharing,
• it is special to be friendly,
• it is special to be considerate,
• it is special to be forgiving.

Reading it to my grandaughter I asked her what she would want to experience in this life. She immediately chose to share. The Little Soul opts for the part to be forgiving, saying it wants to experience it for itself. God grants the Little Soul's wish. A Friendly Soul then steps in to help the Little Soul realize the experience. When asked why it volunteered the Friendly Soul tells the Little Soul "Don't you remember? Oh, we have danced together, you and me many times. Through the eons and across all the ages have we danced. Across all the time and in many places have we played together. You just don't remember. We have both been all of it. We have been the male and female, the good and the bad, we have both been the victim and the villain of it. Thus we have come together, you and me many times before, each bringing to the other the exact and perfect opportunity to express and to experience who we really are. I will come into your next lifetime and be the bad one this time. I will do something really terrible and then you can experience yourself as the one who forgives."

But the Friendly Soul tells the Little Soul that in having to do that unkind thing it would have to slow down its vibration and become very heavy. 

Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came on Thaipusam day and said the same too that we are one Soul that ventured to realize itself through taking numerous births and simultaneously having a myriad of experiences. When we do something bad we tend to be pulled back to the earth becoming grosser in nature. We become tied down further to worldly matters and the nature of the grosser elements that form them. A man seeking spiritual elevation and emancipation would first have to begin to work on positive merits and virtues to free himself from the grip of the gross and slowly bring his vibration to a state of purity, subtleness, and fineness. Annie Besant in her talks on "The Laws of the Higher Life", the Theosophical Publishing House, 1903, draws two distinct divisions to people and their brains. 

"The coarser vibrations of the lower world and those adapted to it are one. The other are those who are in the front of evolution and of a subtler nature. The more highly evolved brain that is sensitive and readily responsive to subtle vibrations is that of the spiritual genius - spiritual, artistic, literary. Then the normal brain under undue stress and emotion becoming sensitive and tense, is the brain of the religious mystic and seer. While the former is careless of ordinary affairs, the latter with its "intense desire to reach a higher life overstrains the nerves hence rendering it sensitive to answer vibrations from the subtler planes of being. Then visions and abnormal happenings will occur. The superphysical consciousness finds at least for the brief moment a vehicle sufficiently sensitive to receive and answer to its impulses. The neuropathic brain affords the conditions necessary for the vision that belongs to the superphysical world, to impress itself on the physical consciousness." 

Here she says, "We are dealing with vehicles in the ordinary stage of evolution, unfit for subtle vibrations." The medium could place himself in danger. The unfit brain, in straining itself to answer to the higher could go cuckoo. Annie Besant too cautions us if we want to engage in yoga with an impure diet and body, 

"You must begin to purify the body before you attempt to practice any yoga worthy of the name. For real yoga is as dangerous to an impure and undisciplined body as a match to a cask of gunpowder."

Annie Besant asks us to look towards the East for answers to "how this danger has been understood and guarded against and avoided." 

"The self gathers around it upadhi upon upadhi, vehicle after vehicle, gradually shaping its own instruments." 

He shapes a physical body that works into bringing his activities alive, he shapes an astral body expressing his emotions to others, and he shapes a mental body, to communicate his thoughts with others. 

"Here we see a consciousness that shapes bodies according to its needs, gradually refining them and bringing them under the control of the higher." 

Annie Besant explains further. 

"The brain has to be changed, refined, improved, its connecting links fashioned and manufactured for the purposes of the expression of the higher consciousness." 

"Here, in the jungle, they meditated making the brain tense and refined by the concentration of the mind, and restraint of lower faculties, fixed in rapt attention on the higher, with the consciousness working from above playing on the physical brain and tuning it to respond safely to the higher vibrations. Then it strove to draw the lower upwards (as Tavayogi says of our efforts that are only till the first two initial stages, Muladhara and Svadisthana) until it answered no longer to the stimuli of the outer world. This is a state of yoga - complete withdrawal of the consciousness from the Indriyas."

"Now making the mind steady, holding quiet the powers of the mind, the mind ceases to vibrate, and it becomes still - able to answer the vibrations coming from above."

From Asudha degam or the impure, he moves to become Sudha degam or pure. Soon the vibration in him becomes subtler in nature as he takes on the other forms, the Pranava degam, Gnana degam, and Oli degam. Annie Besant wrote in "Avatara-s", The Theosophical Publishing House, 2002, 

"... inasmuch as the body is an instrument we have to use, a certain treatment of the body is necessary so that we may turn our footsteps in the direction of the Path. The body alone will never take us to the heights we aspire to, yet to neglect it will make it impossible for us to attempt those heights at all. ... The body needs to be refined, to be improved, to be moulded into such a form and made of such constituents as may best fit it to be the instrument on the physical plane for man's highest purposes."

"... the purification of the dense body then, consists in a process of deliberate selection of the particles permitted to compose it; the man will take into it the way of food the purest constituents he can obtain, rejecting the impure and the gross."

For those intending to do so, she allays the fear and regret at having sent in gross impure food, telling us that, 

"... by natural change the particles built into it in the days of his careless living will gradually pass away, at least within seven years - although the process may be considerably hastened."

Agathiyar in consoling Gnana Jothiamma and asking her to bear the pain and suffering told her that the cleansing had to be expedited and that her meat intake of the past sixty years that went on to compose her body had to be expelled out. She had to go through a grueling cleansing process where for instance she vomited 32 times in a day. She told me one had to shed seven layers of skin too. She told me that I would not possibly endure the process. One wonders if this is the reason the Saints went into hiding some as many as twelve years before reappearing in society, having undergone a massive transformation. It is said that their bodies would undergo severe changes and would be hideous to look at during this period of transformation, thus to avoid being ridiculed by the society they stayed away.

Lord Murugan did ask us to open up our hearts to them. He told us that he can only give if we are prepared to receive. Agathiyar too has asked us to open up to the energies prevailing around us and intensified by their arousal in us. Agathiyar like Lord Murugan asked that we surrender unconditionally to them. 

Annie Besant wrote,

Never does the spiritual teacher withhold knowledge because he grudges the giving. He is hampered in the giving by the want of receptivity in those to whom his message is addressed. It is not the withholding of the teacher but the closing of the heart of the hearer; not the hesitation of the teacher but the want of the ear that hears; not the dearth of teachers but the dearth of pupils who are willing and ready to be taught.

They are waiting, waiting, waiting with tireless patience in order to find someone willing to be taught, and when one human heart opens itself out and says, "O Lord teach me", then the teaching comes down in a stream of divine energy and floods the heart. Unlock the heart and throw away the key and you will find yourselves flooded with a wisdom which is ever waiting to come in.

Agathiyar says that the door has been unlocked, the door latch unfastened. It is now up to us to open the door and walk out a free man.

THE PATH TAKEN

Looking back at the number of ashrams and peedhams that hosted the recent puja for Agathiyar, we cannot ignore the fact that they find it difficult to sustain what's more to hold an event just with the monetary and financial contributions from devotees who occasionally drop by. Hence we know the reason why some establishments begin to venture into selling products to help sustain the management and maintenance of the movement's premises and host their programs, events, and activities. These places of worship need a huge chunk of money for paying the utility bills and to upkeep their facilities and maintain them. When I was the chairperson of the Parent-Teachers Association in my daughter's school, I sanctioned money towards the maintenance of the fittings in the school as they needed to be replaced regularly. It is understandable that everything breaks down due to extensive usage and high traffic. Unlike the individual homes that only accommodate a handful of family members, these schools see a continuous flow and parade of students using the facilities both in the morning and evening sessions. It was a priority to us at the school as we did not want any untoward accident taking place and our students injured. For whatever needs that were not critical nor were in urgent need of replacement or were not dangerous in nature, the school applied through the normal means and process that usually takes time. So too these missions, establishments, peedhams, and ashrams are in dire need of immediate repairs. Someone who learned about me going over to Kallar ashram in 2005, told me "You shall have free food and lodging right?" I had to enlighten her that these establishments survive on donations from people like us. Just as we are served food and given lodging during our duration of stay because a good samaritan or someone had already paid for our stay by giving donations much earlier, so too should we donate a sum upon leaving the premises so that another could stay "free" and "enjoy the free food" as a result of our donation.

Besides this, these movements find a shortage of volunteers too. As they cannot possibly employ people and pay them wages on the meager donations that slip in from time to time, they depend on volunteers to spruce up the place, make preparations for their in-house events, and help bring their activities and events to fruition and the subsequent cleaning up later. The advantage that established monasteries have over these small peedhams and ashrams is that there is a dedicated workforce in the form of monks who resign to stay and live in these monasteries all their lives. They are available and assigned daily chores to keep the monastery running as opposed to the occasional volunteers who drop by to help out at the ashrams. I am glad I never ventured to establish one. I settled for my home to house the Siddhas. Today after coming one full cycle my home is still my home. I can safely close the doors and go on a vacation without the fear that someone might drop in or be tied down and attached to a peedham or ashram. I was not attached to any other peedham either. My relationship with them was purely professional. When every Tom, Dick, and Harry walked up to Tavayogi and asked that he officiate a peedham in their homes or rented premises, I never had the inkling to start one. Neither did Tavayogi initiate it. But it all fell into place when Agathiyar began to sent seekers over. We came together as a loose WhatsApp group and a family calling ourselves Agathiyan Pillaigal and our home Agathiyar Vanam and the charity arm as Amudha Surabhi which officially was registered as directed by Agathiyar with the Registrar of Societies later as Persatuan Teman Setia. All this made it easier to let go when the time came for me to do so. Agathiyar dissolved all the former groups except keeping the latter intact to continue aiding the needy. 

These days after bringing all the rituals and charity to a stop the divine has asked us to go within. In sitting alone and attempting to look within nothing seemed to happen. Initially, there were many times I gave up and got up and left. But soon there were times when I just wanted to sit and continue forever. These moments of quietness soon came on spontaneously during puja, while playing with my grandchildren, and even in the marketplace. We are told to try and extend these moments. Now that is a challenge.

Looking back at the path that we took to arrive at where we are today we realized that though we had not placed much effort into our practice the divine reciprocated our love for them. Each work or task we did we did will love. It was never a routine but each event was done with care and concern as if it was our very first. We took up rituals and charity with love and compassion. We followed every task assigned to us and saw it through. Most of the time we also saw the hidden hand of the divine in all these works. 

Similarly, Mahindran took the lead, and with assistance from Malarvathy, Sahalini and Suren prepared the stage to carry out a simple puja for Agathiyar as ordained by him to us to carry out once a year, to coincide with Thaipusam, switching the puja from Agathiyar's Jayanthi date as in previous years. This was an exception, amidst the current restrictions and his directive to refrain from all activities be it rituals or charity. We started the puja by lighting the homam and a prayer to Lord Vinayagar to create an avenue for us to be solely with the "Birthday Boy" and this was accompanied by a string of "Kaappu" songs invoking Lord Vinayagar and the Siddhas to see through the puja without any hindrance or obstacles.

This was followed by the song "Tirupalli Yeluchi"  by Ramalinga Adigal as it was seen appropriate for the moment as it was 8 am in the morning. We woke up Agathiyar from his sleep, to say.

This was then followed by a song penned by Thavathiru Rengaraj Desigar that invited Agathiyar to take his seat among us. 

I then sang Ramalinga Adigal's "Arutpa". If I could only go until line 305 "நாயினுங் கடையே னீயினு மிழிந்தேன் ஆயினு மருளிய வருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி", but struggled to continue further and stopped at line 336 when Ramalinga Adigal came to continue the song adding on new lines the last time I sang it, on this day I chose to stop on line 95 of the total 1596 this time, "Embalam Enat Tozhudhu Ettinorkku Arul Puri, Ambalattu Adal Sei Arutperunjoti" "எம்பல மெனத்தொழு தேத்தினோர்க் கருள்புரி,  அம்பலத் தாடல்செய் யருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி.  After a brief moment of silence, Ramalinga Adigal came and asked us to continue with another song of his "Ambalattu Arasay Arumarunthey". It was such an appropriate transition from the line "Ambalattu Adal Sei" from the Arutpa to "Ambalattu Arasay Arumarunthey." Amazing!

After the homam was over we took a brief break to have our breakfast and continued with libation or abhisegam to Agathiyar's statue. Once he was adorned and garlanded, we began to sing Bhogar's salutation or "Potri" to all his fellow Siddhas.

This was followed by "Adiya Paatham" another song from Ramalinga Adigal upon the request of Malarvathy. We praised the Holy Feet of Agathiyar.

All these songs are available for free download at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QMY5ycQRGlVKoHRweTbD1bHYCfkHoH5A/view?usp=sharing

The devotee who frequents the temples as in Sariyai derives the energy that is prevalent at the temples, a result of the constant daily puja and rituals done by the priests. With the touch of healers, shamans, medicine-men, and the occasional visiting godmen who come by it intensifies further. With the puja and rituals that we perform personally, as in Kriyai, these energies grow in intensity. By engaging in yoga this energy expanse expands and is further strengthened. Bringing the Siddhas and rishis into our lives and our homes intensifies the energy within both the body and the home.  The frequency of the divine and the Siddhas coming to address us has increased these days. If those days when they came, they blessed us by applying the sacred ash and addressed the petty and worldly issues brought to their attention by devotees, ignorant that he knows all and is the one who allows it to take place in the very first place, later the Siddhas came by and spoke a few pertinent words of guidance. Later they spoke about heavyweight stuff or rather I should say they spoke on the finer and subtler things rather than the gross and material. With it came their touch and transmission of their energies. Soon they helped us to become independent of them and showed us the ways to tap the energies from the primordial source for ourselves. Just like Tavayogi showed us to Agathiyar, they showed us to the Prapanjam, the storehouse of energy all around us and in everything. While the commoner competes with others to survive on a minute portion of this energy that is made available to all, sharing the cake with others, the Siddhas are immersed completely in this energy. They come to elevate our energy levels to become at par with theirs. Their hugs energize and bring the energy within opening up the remaining chakras and clearing the blockages that would not give way with our prior practice and efforts. They keep bringing down these energies within us each time they come. Just as the lightning arises out of the movements and brushing together of the positive and negative ions in the clouds producing lightning that is then met from the ground a quarter way, the energy that we learned to build up with practice and some effort is met by a bigger energy source from the "skies". We have become antennas to these energies and transmitters and conductors. We are witness to the immense joy and bliss of the Siddhas and the divine forces parting with their energy to us to do their will. Now they want us to become vessels and deploy these energies to others too. When Mahindren asked that he wanted only the Param and not these Siddhis or powers, he was told that the Param had already come to reside in all of us. The puja ended with a discourse on the nature of Atma from Agathiyar, an apt topic as Agathiyar wants us to know our Atma. These days they come often to enlighten us on the Atma. Ramalinga Adigal went a step further and linked us with our Atma just as he helped us link with the Light or Jothi and Arutperunjothi Aandavar earlier.

A - Z OF AGATHIYAR 2

In a timely manner, I received a Pendrive of videos and photos of the recent Kallar fest and copies of Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar's book on our guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and his lineage of gurus. I collected it from a devotee who returned to Malaysia. I got to work immediately on Mataji's speech and uploaded it. Her speech was about who the Siddhas were. 

After Tavayogi's demise in 2018 Mataji has successfully hosted the annual Jayanthi celebrations for Agathiyar continuing in the tradition of Tavayogi. I asked her if she would downsize the event to a day from the original two day and drop some of the programs. But she told me the tradition shall live. She has installed a granite statue of Lord Ganapathy and completed the samadhi structure for Tavayogi, also in granite much earlier. She took the stage to invite and speak to the few who gathered in view of the pandemic at the ashram grounds last December. She released a book carrying short notes on the origin and life of Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, Jeganatha Swamigal, Chitramuthu Adigal, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, and finally herself. I was blessed to be asked to contribute a piece on my days with Tavayogi both in Malaysia and India. It was truly a great honor bestowed on me to be asked to write a page in a book that was dedicated to our gurus and the lineage. I am happy that she documented these stories for future generations to know about the place and the gurus. The book is available from Kallar ashram.

I only came to know Tavayogi in 2005. So my stories of him and my travels with him start from my first meeting with him in Malaysia that year. As the one who truly was by his side since the days of Tavayogi chairing the Pattimandram or debate, assisted him with his ashram chores and work and was a fellow disciple of Chitramuthu Adigal, I requested Mataji to write about our guru and she did, bringing it out in months and launched the book during the last vizha. I have reproduced some portions of the book and translated them as below. 

Mataji writes that just as their guru Chitramuthu Adigal had to go through trying and difficult times, both Tavayogi and Mataji too had faced such difficulties. Her sufferings brought her to Tavayogi who took her to his guru Chitramuthu Adigal. From then on life changed for the better for her. She teamed up with Tavayogi to spread the word of the Siddhas. They brought Tavam and Gnanam that was the wealth of the Siddhas to those who were prepared to receive. Their wish was to see men and women turn into Siddhas. They worked to inculcate the need to make charity a part of the seekers' lives. Mataji took over from him or rather succeeded Tavayogi as head of the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in Kallar after his demise on 3.7.2018.

My piece is as follows,

2004 ஆம் ஆண்டில், தவயோகி தங்கராசன் அடிகளார்  மலேசியாவில் பணிபுரியும் இந்தியக் குடிமகனுடன் மலேசியாவுக்குச் வந்தார். கோலாலம்பூர் தெருக்களில் தனியாகத் தவிக்கப் படவிடார். தவயோகி மலேசியாவில் இருந்த சௌந்தரராஜனைத் தொடர்பு கொள்ள சௌந்தரராஜன் அவரை வந்து அழைத்துச் சென்றார். அகத்தியரின் அறிவுறுத்தலின்படி மலேசியாவில் தனது முதல் உரையை நிகழ்த்தத் தவயோகி பூச்சோங்கில் உள்ள பெருமாள் கோயிலுக்குச் சென்றார்.

கல்லாருக்கு வந்த அப்பனா  நாகப்பனைச் சந்தித்த பிறகு, தவயோகி 2005 ஆம் ஆண்டு  மீண்டும் மலேசியாவுக்குச் வந்தார். அப்பனாவின் அழைப்பின் பேரில் தவயோகி மலேசியாவில் பத்து கேவ்ஸ்சில் உள்ள விஸ்ம கெரிங்காட்தில் ஸ்ரீ அகத்தியர் ஞான பீடத்தைத் திறந்து வைத்தார்.

2005 ஆம் ஆண்டு விஸ்ம கெரிங்காட்தில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீ அகத்தியர் ஞானபீட வளாகத்தில் அடிகளாரை முதன்முதலில் சந்தித்தேன். தவயோகி தங்கராசன் அடிகளாரின் பெயர் அவரைச் சந்திப்பதற்கு நான்கு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு எனக்குச் சொல்லப்பட்டது. நாடிகுரு செந்தில்குமார் அவர்கள் 2002 ஆம் ஆண்டு தமிழ்நாட்டின் கல்லாரில் அகத்தியருக்கு கோயில் கட்டுவதற்கு தாய்வீடு தங்கராசன் அடிகளின் ஒரு துண்டுப் பிரசுரத்தை என்னிடம் கொடுத்தார். நான் அந்தத் துண்டுப் பிரசுரத்தை வைத்திருந்தேன். 2005 ஆம் ஆண்டு அடிகளினால் மலேசியாவில் விஸ்ம கெரிங்காட்தில் அகத்தியர் ஞானபீடம் திறக்கப்பட்டது குறித்து தமிழ் நாளிதழ்கள் செய்தி வெளியிட்டபோது, ​​நான் பதுக்கி வைத்திருந்த துண்டுப் பிரசுரத்தைத் தேடினேன். தவயோகியைப் பார்க்கக் சென்ற பொது அதைக் உடன் கொண்டு சென்றேன். துண்டுப் பிரசுரம் அவருடையது என்பதை உறுதிப்படுத்தினார். தவயோகி என்னைச் சீடனாக ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார். தீச்சையும் அளித்தார். இவ்வாறு ஒரு குருவிற்கும் சீடருக்கும் இடையே ஒரு  அழகான உறவு தொடங்கியது அன்று.

அதன்பின், தவயோகி கல்லாரில் உள்ள தனது ஆசிரமத்திற்கு என்னை அழைத்தார். எனக்குச் சித்தரின் வாழ்க்கை காட்டப்பட்டது. நான் அதிகாலை நடைபயிற்சிக்கு அழைத்துச் செல்லப்பட்டேன். ஊட்டியின் மூலிகைகள் நிறைந்த மலைகளில் மூலத்தைக் கொண்ட அருகில் உள்ள ஓடையில் நாங்கள் குளித்தோம். சித்தர்களுக்குப் பூசை நடத்துவது எப்படி என்று எனக்குக் காட்டப்பட்டது. எனக்குத் தர்மம் செய்யவும், ஏழைகளுக்கு உணவளிக்கவும் வாய்ப்பு அளிக்கப்பட்டு. பின்னர் மற்றோரு தீட்சையும்  அளிக்கப்பட்டது. 

அகத்தியம்பள்ளி அக்னிபுரீஸ்வரர் கோவிலில் உள்ள அகத்தியர் சன்னதி, தஞ்சையில் பிரகதீஸ்வரர் கோவிலில் உள்ள கருவூரார் சன்னதி, சென்னிமலை முருகன் கோவிலில் உள்ள பிண்ணகீஸ்வரர் சமாதி, சிவன்மலையில் உள்ள சிவவாக்கியர் சமாதி, ஊதியூர் மலையில் உள்ள கொங்கனர் குகை, குற்றால மலையில் உள்ள அகத்தியர் குகை, ராமலிங்க அடிகளார் குகை, தக்ஷணாமூர்த்தி குகை, குற்றாலேசுவரர் கோவிலில் உள்ள அகத்தியர் சன்னதி, பழனியில் போகரின் சமாதி  உள்ளிட்ட சித்த சமாதிகள், மற்றும் குகைகள் தவயோகியால் அடியேனுக்கு யாத்திரையாக அமைய பெற்றதை பாக்கியமாகக் கருதுகிறேன்.

தவயோகி என்னை அவர் முன் உட்கார வைத்து எனக்கு உபதேசம் செய்ததில்லை; மாறாக நான் அவரைக் கவனித்து கற்றுக்கொண்டேன். அவர் எப்படி வாழ்ந்தார் என்பதை பார்க்கும் வாய்ப்பு எனக்குக் கிடைத்தது. அவர் வாழ்ந்த எளிமையும்; அவரிடம் உள்ள இரக்கத்தையும் கண்டேன். அவரிடம் உள்ள அடக்கத்தைக் கண்டேன். தம்மிடம் வருபவர்களை எல்லாம் உட்கார வைத்து உபசரிப்பது வழக்கம். பிரச்சனைகளுடன் வந்தவர்களிடம் அவர் அதைச் சமாளிப்பதற்கான வழிகளையும் பரிந்துரைகளையும் கூறுவார். மேலும் இந்தப் பிரச்சனைகளைத் தீர்க்கச் சித்தர்களிடம் பிரார்த்தனை செய்யுமாறு கேட்டுக் கொள்வார். அவர் மக்களின் கர்மாவை எடுப்பதைத் தவிர்த்தார்.

சித்த மார்க்கத்தின் அடிப்படைகளை மக்களுக்கு எடுத்துரைப்பார். இந்த அறிவைப் பெறுவதற்கு நான் 12 ஆண்டுகள் காத்திருக்க வேண்டும் என்று அவர் ஒருமுறை என்னிடம் கூறினார். அவருடைய உண்மையுள்ள உதவியாளரும் சீடருமான மாதாஜி சரோஜினி அம்மையாரும் அவர் இந்த அறிவை வெளிப்படுத்தும் நாளுக்காகப் பொறுமையாகக் காத்திருந்தார்.

தாயகமிலிருந்து மலேசியாவிற்கு மறுபடியும் வந்த தவயோகி என்னுடன் தபாவில் உள்ள பரமகுரு ஸ்ரீ ஜென்நாத சுவாமிகளின் சமாதிக்குச்  வந்தார். தவயோகி பின்னர் எனக்கு ஆசனங்களைப் பொக்கிஷமாகவும், அதனைப் போற்றவும், நடைமுறைப்படுத்தவும் கற்றுக்கொடுத்தார். அபிசேகம் மற்றும் ஹோமம் போன்ற சடங்குகளை எவ்வாறு செய்வது என்று அவர் எனக்குக் காட்டினார். அவருக்கு உறுதுணையாக இருந்த மாதாஜியும் அடியேனுக்கு பல வழிகளில் போதித்தார்.

மலேசியாவில் உள்ள புக்கிட் ரோட்டனில் ஒரு சக்தி ஆலயம் கட்டும் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்த சிவஸ்ரீ முத்துக்குமார சிவாச்சாரியார் தவயோகியிடம் கோயில் வளாகத்தில் சமாதி உள்ளதா அல்லது குறைந்தபட்சம் சித்தர்களின் நடமாட்டம்  உள்ளதா என்று கண்டறிய அழைப்பு விடுத்தார். தவயோகி என்னைப் புக்கிட் ரோட்டனுக்குத் துணை வர அழைத்தார். நாங்கள் செல்வதற்கு முன், தவயோகி வேப்பம் மரத்தின் கிளையில் குறிப்பாக Y வடிவ கிளையைத் தேடினார். நான் என் வீட்டின் முன் நட்டு வைத்திருந்த மரத்தின் கிளையை அவர் உடைத்து தன்னுடன் எடுத்துச் சென்றார். கோவில் மைதானத்திற்கு வந்ததும், தவயோகி அச்சக்தியுள்ள இடங்களைக் கண்டறிய அந்தக் கிளையைப் பயன்படுத்தினார். அவர் தனது இரண்டு கரங்களிலும் கிளையை இருக்க பிடித்திருந்தாலும், அவர் ஒரு இடத்திலிருந்து இன்னொரு இடத்திற்கு இழுத்துச் செல்லப்பட்டார்.  அப்போது இன்னும் கட்டுமானத்தில் இருந்த கருவறை வரை சென்றதும் அக்கிளை இரண்டாக உடைந்தது. அங்குச் சக்தி இருப்பதாகவும் அந்த இடத்தில் சமாதி இருந்ததையும் சொன்னார். சிவாச்சாரியார் சமாதிக்கு நேர் மேலே மூல சன்னதியை வைத்தது மிகவும் சிறப்பு என்றார்.

மீண்டும், சிவாச்சாரியாரின் வேண்டுகோளின்படி, தவயோகி அகத்தியருக்கு சன்னதி ஒன்றையும் காட்டிக்கொடுத்தார். தவயோகி சிவாச்சாரியாரின் உள்ளங்கையில் சுண்ணாம்பு பூசி, அவரை ஒரு இடத்திலிருந்து மற்றொரு இடத்திற்கு அழைத்துச் சென்றார். இறுதியாகக் கோயில் வளாகத்திற்கு வெளியே ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட இடத்தில், வெள்ளை நிறத்தில் இருந்த சுண்ணாம்பு பசை சிவப்பு நிறமாக மாறியது. தவயோகி சிவாச்சாரியாரிடம் அகத்தியருக்கு அவ்விடத்தில் கோயில் அமைக்கச் சொன்னார்.

மலேசியாவில் அகத்தியர் மற்றும் சித்த போதனைகளைப் பிரச்சாரம் நடந்தேற பல இயக்கங்களை நிறுவத் தவயோகி உதவியுள்ளார். 

கோலாலம்பூரில் நடைபெற்ற முதல் உலக சித்த தத்துவ மாநாட்டிற்கு புரவலராக இருந்தவர் தவயோகி தங்கராசன் அடிகளார்.

Tavayogi after his extensive travels through the length and breadth of India and years of tapas in the caves in the jungles wanted to go into samadhi. But Agathiyar and his guru Chitramuthu Adigal and Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal had other plans for him. They sent him to Malaysia where these gurus once walked across the country so that we could be saved and roped in into the path too. 

In 2004, Tavayogi accompanied an Indian citizen working in Malaysia, to Malaysia only to be left stranded alone on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. He contacted the only reference he had in Malaysia, Soundarajan. Soundarajan took him in. Tavayogi found his way to Lord Perumal’s temple in Puchong where he gave his first talk in Malaysia, as instructed by Agathiyar.

After meeting Appana Nagappan in Kallar, Tavayogi traveled again to Malaysia in 2005 at the invitation of Appana to officiate the opening of his movement the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham at Wisma Keringat in Batu Caves, Malaysia which was affiliated to Tavayogi.

I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal for the first time at the premises of the Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in 2005. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal’s name was mentioned to me four years prior to meeting him. Nadi Guru Senthilkumar handed me a leaflet in 2002 appealing for donations from Thaiveedu Thangarasan towards the building of a temple for Agathiyar in Kallar, Tamilnadu. I had kept that leaflet. When the Tamil language newspapers carried news about the opening of the Agathiyar Nyana Peedham in Malaysia by Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in 2005, I searched for the leaflet that I had stashed away. I took it with me to see Tavayogi. He confirmed the leaflet was his. Tavayogi accepted me as his disciple amongst many others. Thus began another beautiful relationship between a guru and a disciple.

Subsequently, Tavayogi invited me over to his ashram at Kallar. I was shown the life of a Siddha; I was taken on early morning walks; we bathe in the nearby stream that had its source in the mineral and herb-rich mountains of Ooty; I was shown how to conduct prayers to the Siddhas; I was given an opportunity to do charity and feed the poor, and was given an initiation; I was blessed to be taken on a pilgrimage by Tavayogi to Siddha samadhis, caves, and temples which included Agathiyar’s temple at the Agneepureeswarar temple in Agasthiyampalli; Karuvurar’s temple at the Breehadeshwarar temple in Tanjore; Punakeeswarar’s samadhi at Chennimalai, Kovai; Sivavakiyar’s samadhi inside the temple at Sivanmalai, Kovai; Konganar’s cave at the hills of Uthiyore in Kanganam, Kovai; Agathiyar’s cave in the hills of Courtalam, Ramalinga Adigal’s cave and Dhakshanamurthi’s cave also in the hills of Courtalam; Agathiyar’s temple at Kutraleshwarar temple in Courtalam; Agathiyar’s temple at the Agathiyar’s Fall in the Pothigai hills, and Bhogar’s samadhi at Palani. 

Tavayogi did not have me sit in front of him and preach to me; rather I had to observe and learn from him. I was given an opportunity to watch how he lived. I saw the humbleness in him; the kindness in him; and the simplicity with which he lived. 

He used to sit and entertain all those who came to him. To those who came with problems he did not duel into the problems trying to find ways and suggests means to overcome it but instead asked that they pray to the Siddhas to help clear these problems. He avoided taking on the karma of people. 

Tavayogi was not one who easily parts with the intricate workings of the spiritual world. He preaches the basics of the Siddha path to the masses. He once told me I had to wait 12 years before he would part with this knowledge. His ever-faithful aid and disciple Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar too is waiting patiently for the day when he would reveal this knowledge. 

Back home in Malaysia Tavayogi accompanied me to his Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal’s samadhi in Tapah. 

When Tavayogi visited Malaysia later, he taught me Asanas, which Agathiyar tells me in the Nadi, is to be treasured, cherished, and put into practice. He showed me how to perform rituals like Abhisegam (ablution of the idol) and lighting the sacrificial light or fire (Homam).

Shiva Sri Muthu Kumara Sivachariar who was in the midst of building a Sakti temple at Bukit Rotan in Malaysia invited Tavayogi over to the temple grounds to identify if there was a samadhi or at least the presence of Siddhas at the location of the temple he was building. 

Tavayogi invited me to accompany him to Bukit Rotan. Before we left, Tavayogi wanted a branch from the Neem or Veppam tree. Tavayogi specifically searched for a Y-shaped branch. He snapped the branch from the tree that I had planted in my home. On arrival at the temple grounds, Tavayogi used the branch to locate energy spots. Even as he held the branch firmly in both his hands, he was being dragged from one spot to another until the inner sanctum, which was still under construction, where the branch snapped into two. He tells us the signs were there and that there was a samadhi at that spot. He told Sivachariar that he had chosen wisely to place the inner sanctum directly above the samadhi. 

Again, at the requests of Sivachariar, Tavayogi led us to a spot where a shrine will be built for Agathiyar. Tavayogi placed lime paste on the palm of Sivachariar and led him from one spot to another and finally when at a particular spot outside the temple complex, the lime paste that was white became red in color. Tavayogi told Sivachariar to put up the temple for Agathiyar at this spot. 

Tavayogi has helped set up several movements propagating Agathiyar and the Siddha teachings in Malaysia.

He was the patron for the first and second World Conference of Siddha Philosophy held in Kuala Lumpur and Chennai respectively. 

The notes on Agathiyar, Ramalinga Adigal, Jeganatha Swamigal, Chitramuthu Adigal, and the origin of the Kallar Ashram are all too well known to visitors, devotees, and followers who frequent and follow and keep abreast with the latest updates of the ashram. These have been posted in this blog and the numerous websites that I had created earlier and have been uploaded on my YouTube channel too.

A - Z OF AGATHIYAR 1

Who are the Siddhas? The opening paragraph of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddha says that "Siddha (Sanskrit: सिद्ध siddha; "perfected one") is a term that is used widely in Indian religions and culture. It means "one who is accomplished." It refers to perfected masters who have achieved a high degree of physical as well as spiritual perfection or enlightenment." Many are the books and research papers written on them.

What has a Siddha to say about them? Agathiyar reveals in his Nadi reading to Jnana Jothiamma as follows.

Who is Agathiyar then? The opening paragraph of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastya says of Agathiyar as "Agastya (Tamil: அகத்தியர், Sanskrit: अगस्त्य) was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the Indian tradition, he is a noted recluse and an influential scholar in diverse languages of the Indian subcontinent. He and his wife Lopamudra are the celebrated authors of hymns 1.165 to 1.191 in the Sanskrit text Rigveda and other Vedic literature." We note with delight that the site also carries a photo of Agathiyar at AVM. Agathiyar in having me commission and make his replica of his granite statue at Agasthiyampalli in bronze in Swamimalai and have him brought over to Malaysia, also told us that this image of his will become popular the world over. True to his words we have seen several statues made later to look like him, we have seen him on book covers, pamphlets, name cards, invitations, and even billboards. It brought us joy to see him everywhere.

The original granite statue of Agathiyar at Agasthiyampalli

Agathiyar the day he arrived at AVM in 2010 and the photo of his original at Agasthiyampalli. 

Agathiyar made sure we knew the Stala Puranam or history behind the origin of his statue at Agasthiyampalli too. Suren who made a courtesy call to Dr. VN Jayapalan in Bangalore was passed an audio Cd of its revelation by Agathiyar to the doctor in meditation. 

What has Agathiyar to say of his origin? He did reveal a tiny bit after a long moment of hesitation in a Nadi reading to Suren who was coaxed to ask Agathiyar's origin. 

I knew neither the Siddhas nor Agathiyar until in 1996 Dr. Krishnan, a medical astrologer and Siddha physician told me about them when I posed a question if there was a possibility that his predictions from horoscopes would not materialize. He replied, "Yes, if we had curses thrown upon us." Asking if he could look into the charts and see if I had such curses, he replied that the horoscope would not reveal but the Siddhas could in the Nadi readings. That was the first time I heard about the Siddhas and their Nadi and Agathiyar. In 2002 I sat for my Nadi reading. Agathiyar called me to his path. It has been some 20 years now that I have stayed on the path. Do I know Agathiyar? What do I know about him? 

After the calling to the path in 2002 until 2005 when I met Tavayogi and also had my second Nadi reading, I was searching for more information regarding the Siddhas and their Nadi and Agathiyar. My search brought me to several organizations run under Agathiyar's name. I picked up many books on Siddhas but could not comprehend their songs. Many other books were more focused on Siddha medicine. What we had on the puja or worship of the Siddhas were small booklets of the compilation of the names of Siddhas that were recited during puja. My thirst to do an elaborate puja for Agathiyar after he came in the form of the statue in 2010, saw the birth of "A Compendium of Songs in Praise of the Siddhas" that I compiled from numerous sources for my home puja. This was also sung and used in temples where we gathered to worship and carry out the Siddha puja. It was very satisfying to see the compilation put to good use by others too. Soon I compiled my story and my visits to India that I had shared on websites and blogs and published them online too. This too was very satisfying. I thought this was the only means I could give back to Agathiyar for showing me the path, guiding me, and showing the light at the end of the tunnel. Soon Agathiyar encouraged me to carry on writing this blog whenever I thought I shall call it a day and wind up. These days he gives me the subject matter, the sentences, and the words too. My job is to type it in. I go back and read the post too and revel at the revelations he shares with us. I stand before him and thank him for helping me and others. He does not stop short of revealing matters but gives us practices to carry on and comes by to check on us. Hence Agathiyar is no more describable by words but experienced. His vibration that is in all of us is amplified and is felt traversing through us these days. If he had delivered his five tenets for mankind at the Tamil Sangam of the past, he delivered a short note on the Atma recently that cleared the air and enlightened us.

These are the ways that Agathiyar has come to stay with us, leaving the pages of the sacred texts and volumes of books on him to stay in the homes and the hearts of his devotees. All these were possible by his grace and the grace and efforts of our gurus in physical form. 

AWAITING THE SAID TRANSFORMATION

When Agathiyar asked me to come over to India I took the flight and arrived in Chennai in 2003. It was my maiden journey to India. Dhakshanamurthy, the travel agent in Malaysia insisted that I visit Tirupathi. After returning having a beautiful darshan of Lord Venkateswara, I waited for Agathiyar at the hotel. He told me that he shall meet me once I was in India. He was not to be seen. I began to cry telling him that I had arrived following his directive but where was he? I guess I slept off crying myself to sleep. Then the journey started the next morning with me settling all the parikaram he gave, carrying out puja, rituals, and charity, and meeting my guru in the days that followed. When I read the Gnana Kaandam of the Nadi, Agathiyar asked me to go over to all the five temples related to Lord Shiva. 

• Kalahasti temple, Kalahasti, (Air)
• Thillai Natarajar Temple, Chidambaram, (Ether or Space)
• Jambukeshwarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, (Water)
• Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram, (Earth) and
• Arunachaleswara Temple, Tiruvannamalai, (Fire)

Recently Agathiyar told us to learn about the 96 tattvas. As the five primary elements of Air, Ether, Water, Earth, Fire that are part of these tattvas are represented in the above-mentioned temples, I realized he had me physically enter these temples before confronting these elements within the body. Would I be wrong to state that the Annamaya kosam that is the body made of the five elements is the temple; The Pranamaya kosam is the network of Water, Air, and Fire; The Manomaya kosam and Vignanamaya kosam is Space? Going beyond losing our hold on these elements, one steps into the state of bliss or Anandamaya kosam? It is frustrating when you realize that you are so inadequate and unknowledgeable able things that are closest to you. It is indeed a shame if we pass away without knowing the Self, knowing Him and everything else. As I sat with him at AVM last night, I cried for I had yet to know him and know myself. I knew nothing about life's mysteries too. I ask that I should know everything. I should know him, and I should know myself too. We are told that just as there is oil in the seed and nuts, juice in the cane and fruits, ghee in the milk, so too God resides in us. We are told that we have to work on ourselves to bring out the divine in us. I have listened to him this far. I am prepared to listen further. I had surrendered to him. But where is he? Just as water turns to steam when heated, steam rises to form clouds, clouds brings on rain showers, so too we are told that man has to transform himself on the journey to realization and give back to mankind his experience. I await for this transformation to take place and share the bliss with others. But where is he?

Agathiyar at AVM

THE NATURE OF A TRUE GURU

When a convention held in 2007 ended with a commotion as a result of an outburst from a Swami who seemed to be an uninvited guest making a last-minute entry at the closing of the star-studded Siddha function, many among the audience were displeased. But I was amused. It was an event about bringing the philosophy of the Siddhars to the public. Many prominent speakers took the stage and spoke on their individual capacities and specializations enlightening the audience over the three days. So much praise was piled over the three-day event and suddenly someone walks up and gives a blow. As it was an event about the Siddhas how could something of that nature that many later considered as a black spot on an otherwise white sheet take place without the Siddhas blessings? Was it meant to snub certain quarters?

I was snubbed by Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar when I eagerly went over to pay him a visit after hearing about his mission in Turaiyur from his followers in a local chapter of his in Dengkil. The Swami practically ignored me and imagine was more interested to know about Kuala Lumpur from my Chennai driver! Finally, I intruded asking him to bless me. There was no reply. After the third request he turned to me and told me coming there (Ongkarakudil) itself was a blessing and turn towards Devandran to continue their chat. I was devastated. Was I not supposed to be there? Was I not fit to receive his blessings? All these questions came to mind as I continued on my maiden pilgrimage to India in 2003. It took several years later in 2008 when I got the reply from Agathiyar in the Nadi and several more years before I fully realized and understood the subtle messages from that sour and bitter experience.

I was snubbed numerous times by Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal. At the height of my joy in receiving him in my home and having him spend time with us among his busy schedule in 2005, I showed my pleasure and gratefulness in having him drop by, by thanking him. But he blurted that I was living in Maya. That he was not a Samy (Holy man) but an Asamy (a fraud). He said he had nothing hidden under his garment. He asked that I place my faith on Agathiyar and not on him. I was shocked beyond disbelief. The rest of the ride back to the premises where he was staying during the duration of his visit to Malaysia was totally silent. What can you say after receiving a beating or being stung by the "bee" except sulk sitting in the corner?

When I arrived at his ashram for the first time the same year, someone came up to him showing a rudraksha bead and asked if he could wear it on him. Tavayogi gave him the green light cautioning him on the sacredness of the bead. Turning to me later he told me, "We do not need that, my son." Seeing me wear a nine gem-studded gold ring on my finger, he told me again that "We do not need that, my son." I had to tell him then that I was wearing a Rasamani on me too. He told me "We do not need that, my son." Another might compare and ask why he was wearing beads etc but asked us not to. Though I was puzzled but followed what he said. I realized only in later years that he had me drop my hold on accessories then and to believe in the guru. Yogi Ramsuratkumar initially could not bring himself to accept Ramdas’s life of luxury. But he kept repeatedly going to him asking to accept him though he was thrown out several times.

After many years I could see through their Lila or play. The guru does not come to feed our ego but to break us. The guru does not come to pamper us with gifts and riches but to bring us to a state of a beggar having us shed everything. He comes to give us the required experiences to gain Atma Balam or Soul Power. If you are prepared then do seek out a guru of such nature. Otherwise, carry on with your mundane life. Your Atma will wake you up giving you the necessary experiences to jolt you out of your dream state. You can start then.

Recently I came across numerous video clips of Brahma Suthrakulu of their guru dispersing and enlightening seekers that captured my attention. I was amused for I could relate to the approach he took in dealing blows to the ego and shelling and blasting the ignorance of those who came before him. He opens our eyes to the most obvious that we fail to see, breaking the accepted convention, and renewing us. I tend to like him. He reminds me of the Swami who took the stage at the convention in 2007.

GAZING AT THE STARS

When I accompanied or rather Tavayogi brought me over to see some living gurus in the hills of Ooty in 2005, the third and final guru we met was named Swami Dhyanananda. He lived alone in a big mansion. As we entered the home a big painting of Adhi Sankara greeted us in the hallway. We went looking for the swami led by one Mr. Mani who was a local there. On the far end of the bed sat a fair skin man complete with a cap, thick sweater, and a blanket pulled over him. Only his face was exposed. He greeted us cheerfully as Mr. Mani introduced us. Tavayogi had a conversation with him while Mr. Mani and I listened on. Before we left he told me the next time I came over he will be a star in the night sky. As we made our way back to the Kallar ashram in the cold of the night that was made worst with the sudden rain shower, Tavayogi told me that man was a gnani and pointed out that I had noticed him touch the Swami's feet before leaving. It is said that each man or woman has his star arise in the skies at birth. Once he or she passes away the star too dies. Some shine brightly while others dim. I guess for people like Swami Dhyananda it shines brightly and forever.

As my daughter is an avid reader, among the many books she had purchased on her way back from South Korea last Wednesday, there was one titled "The Seven Brothers and the Big Dipper" based on a Korean folk tale adapted by Duance Vorhees and Mark Muellerp, published by Hollym Corp publishers 1990. When the seven sons of a lady got together to lay some rocks as a bridge across an icy creek so that their mother could visit an old cobbler who kept her company in their old age without getting her feet wet and return home without feeling cold and wet, the mother, not knowing that it was a deed done by her children asked God to bless whoever took the trouble to build the bridge. She prays, "Oh Lord, whoever has built this bridge, please make them stars in your heaven." When the seven sons died many years later, they became the seven stars of the big dipper. A mother's wish was fulfilled by god. "People could look up at those stars and tell which direction was north, since the oldest brother in the big dipper was the pole star. And people could even measure time by looking at the way the other six stars changed their position in the night sky." 

See https://www.britannica.com/science/constellation

We too have stories of the Sapta Rishis or seven Rishis or seers who are supposed to be stars in the night sky.

Photos: An icy creek in S.Korea. Coutesy of Vimala Shanmugam

In the film Marakkar, they look up to the skies and count the number of stars to know how many among them will survive the battle. From https://www.futuresamachar.com/en/agastya-the-star-of-rains-5355, we learn that Agastya was a star.

Readers must note that there is no prominent star exactly at the south polar point like the Pole Star in the northern hemisphere. Therefore, in order to determine south direction, the Agastya always helped the sailors in the southern oceans and still remains useful for the astronauts.

LOOKING ANEW 2

I stood naked before Agathiyar as he revealed my Nadi. I was ashamed of my past actions. He gave me remedies that supposedly softens the impact of karma. Three years later in my second reading, he tells me he had forgiven me and asked that I forgive myself too. He said that he had orchestrated those happenings so that I could have those experiences too. He never saw it as a sin.

All my puja and yoga did not bring fruition until my karma was cleared. Sariyai and Kriyai made way for us to receive the blessings of the divine. Nothing moves without his will. With his blessings, we began to see results in our new endeavors as we began to clear our baggage of karma carrying out the remedies given. 

He gifted me Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) turning my home into his garden. Rituals further accentuated the heat or tava kanal in us, besides helping burn the karma further. The heat within us grew accordingly to that in the Yaga Kundam. Naturally when a small group of followers begin to gather the desire to start a movement arises. Some came with ideas to expand and extent whatever activities that was going on then. But we only chose to carry out his dictates not giving in to our individual likes and desires. We only carried out his will. At times an idea would crop up and later be endorsed by him.

Initially having us take up Kriyai, very soon he made us realize that one needs to drop everything to enter God's kingdom. We have to stand bare naked before him again. He had us drop the activities, both the rituals and the charity. We dropped all rituals, charity activities, Satsang and gatherings, pilgrimages, etc as told, abiding by his words. He asked us to go into Yogam. Yogam shall lead to Gnanam, said Agathiyar. 

The Annamaya kosam had to be rid and purged of toxins and impurities. The imbalance in the three dosas that bring about illness and disease was corrected by the intake of proper satvic food.  If we have to undergo pain and suffering in clearing the karma of our past actions, we had to undergo similar pain and suffering in cleansing the internals in our body. The body was then made a fortress fortified through the intake of Kaya Kalpam. Just as he had brought us to stay focused within in the confines of our homes the past two years the focus was on the body now bringing it within the confines of a Suddha Deham. We had more time to cleanse the "house", both our home and the body. With a clean home and a clean body, their visitations increased both at home and within. They began to move things both in the home and within. They took charge. 

The Pranamaya kosam expanded in its capacity to hold Prana with yogic practices, resulting in immense vibrations, bringing us accustomed to the higher rates of vibration. A force field surrounded the body. In later years we realized a similar intensity in vibrations happening both within and around us as the Siddhas came down to be with us. His Vanam became Agathiyar Tapovanam.

Next, they began to work on the Manomaya kosam. It too had to be rid and cleansed of toxic thoughts and impurities. The dirt had to settle. This is only possible by going within. The starting point is prayers. With prayers and our efforts comes divine blessings. Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar says blessed are those who can afford a room for the divine in their homes, a private room, to sit in private with God. Bless are those who have the privilege to be alone in that private space and time with their beloved deity and guru. Poet saint Nakkirar sings in his "Vinayagar Agaval" pleading Lord Vinayagar to sanction his dream of having such a place accorded to him. Nakkirar seeks the grace of Lord Ganapathy asking him to remove all obstacles and create the avenue and a special moment, the space and time, to be with the Guru. He asks further for this moment of sitting in silence with the Guru, be a  merger in thought with him. He asks that even the thought of the guru as being separate be dropped, and to become identified with the Guru, to be one with the Guru. 

மோனா ஞான முழுதும் அளித்து

சிற்பரிப் பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண

நற்சிவ நிட்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து

குருவுஞ் சீடனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து

இருவரும் ஒரு தனியிடந் தனிற் சேர்ந்து

தானந்தமாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்

ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து

ஈசனிைணயடியிருத்தி

மனத்தே நீயே நானாய்

நானே நீயாய்க்

காயா புரியைக் கனவெனவுணா்ந்து

எல்லாமுன் செயலென்ேற உணர

நல்லா உன்னருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்

காரண குருவே கற்பகத் களிேற

வாரணமுகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி

Conferring the Silent Jnana,

Coming face to face with the final revelation of the source,

Giving birth to divine desires,

Hence the Guru and Student merge,

in a lone space, the Para Veli,

locked in blissful knowledge,

placed at the Holy Feet of Siva,

"Oh Maname, understand that you are ME, I am you,

the body is but just a fortress in a dream,"

Bring me to the realization that all is your doing,

Bring forth the yearning for your Grace in me,

Oh my Guru, Lord Vinayaga.

Sitting alone in silence, with only silence and Agathiyar accompanying us, we learn to appreciate the silence. We become aware of the chillness in the air around us and in the air that we breathe in. Lord Dhakshanamurthi is often portrayed as sitting with his disciples in silence. But it is said that before he went into silent mode he used to answer the questions and doubts of his disciples. But there seemed to be no end to these question and answer sessions. The moment he became silent his disciples became enlightened. As Agathiyar says, the Atma attains the state of Puranam or completeness in the presence of the Highest, so does Frank Alexander describes this state beautifully in his book "In the Hours of Meditation", Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1993.

There are hours when one forgets the world. There are hours when one approaches that region of blessedness in which the soul is self-contained and in the presence of the Highest. Then is silenced all clamoring of desire; all sound of sense is stilled. Only God is. There is no more sacred place than the region of peace into which the mind enters when it becomes fixed in the Lord. The spiritual consciousness dawns in these silent, sacred hours. The soul is close to its source. For this to take place, prayers are needed. Prayers lead one to this exalted state of silence.

Now we have touched the Vignanamaya kosam. Arivu or Gnanam arises. It is the dawn of wisdom and direct knowledge where nothing is heard or read but everything dawns on us as in when a new morning breaks. We become the experience. What is read and heard is pointless unless we experience what is read and said. Otherwise, it is just a mural on the wall, a mirage on the road. Only when we experience it do we become the experience. If earlier we were spectators to others riding the rapids, sailing through rapids we now become the experience. 

But we are not prepared to slog or sweat. We want to throw money in favor of spiritual gifts. While some gurus might dance accordingly to our tunes, others throw us out. They break us. The godman seems to disappoint us at one point. This is the true test of our yearning. Many tend to move out and shift to another and yet another. He is never satisfied. No holy man can please you? Why should he? Your guru would break you into pieces and then reassemble you back. That is why he is there. One in search of the truth should be prepared to be hurt, that is how he is toughened, molded, and shaped. That is how his Atma gains Balam or strength. 

In 1947 with a burning desire to realize his innate divinity, Ramsuratkumar set off in search of a master. The search for his spiritual father brought him first to Sri Aurobindo and later to Ramana. After spending three days with Ramana, he moved on to Swami Ramdas. Truman Caylor Wadlington writes, “However, unlike his meetings with Ramana and Aurobindo, he felt no attraction to Ramdas.” Ramsuratkumar could not bring himself to accept Ramdas’s life of luxury. He returned to his home in Kashi. Ramsuratkumar visited Ramdas repeatedly but he felt the same way towards Ramdas each time he was with Ramdas. Even after several earlier visits to Ramdas, Ramdas did not inspire the Yogi. When Ramana followed by Aurobindo, passed away, Ramsuratkumar thought that he should open himself to the remaining sole savior Ramdas. When finally the Yogi accepted and surrendered to Ramdas, surprisingly Ramdas was not willing and did not receive him well. The Yogi has this to say about his guru.

"Papa (Ramdas) did not allow this beggar to understand Him. The time was not ripe. This beggar had to wait till Papa Himself revealed His Divinity to this beggar, to make this beggar understand that Papa was his Father." – Yogi (Source: Truman Caylor Wadlington in his book YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR - THE GODCHILD OF TIRUVANNAMALAI)

In 1952, the Yogi arrived again at Ramdas’s ashrams; only this time Ramdas turned out to be an entirely different person. Truman writes,

It is interesting to note that when he arrived the third time the holy man was actually awaiting his arrival in expectation and greeted him just as a father would have received his own son.

Ma Devaki writes in YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR -THE DIVINE BEGGAR, published by Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram, Tiruvannamalai, July 2008,

According to Sri Yogiji, the four years of tutelage under Sri Aurobindo and Maharishi Ramana were a period of ceaseless transformation of the human into the divine - a period of construction of all that was conducive, destruction of all that was dross and sublimation of all into greater and greater awakening. His days see-sawed between heights of ecstasy and depths of gloom. He was already a ripe fruit needing but a gentle tap from the Siddha of Kerala (Ramdas) for final consummation with God. For many years Ramdas had secretly worked on the disciple to accustom his body gradually to higher rates of vibration. Then Ramdas initiated him into the repetition of the Ram Mantra. What was to transpire immediately was a vivification of the centers or Chakras of the inner man, a radical elimination of all impurities and a sudden influx of energy directed through the master and accompanied by a release of latent spiritual fire within the disciple. 

Without adopting any rituals and not leaning on any traditional conditioned customs of the religion, Ram Surat Kunwar (the Yogi’s original name) braved his path with pure faith upon his Guru and reached the other shore safely. 

Here is a lesson for us to learn too - do not judge the guru. Many turn up at a guru's ashram or abode and begin to study the man rather than his teachings and messages. Eventually, they leave seeing the lifestyle led by the guru, that does not conform to their image of a guru. Some delve into the running of the ashram and administrative and financial matters and seeing flaws leave with disgust, talking ill of the establishment and the guru. But the truth of the matter is either we are not destined to learn from a particular guru or we have gathered too much trash and filth in us that needs to be sorted out and thrown before the initiation begins. Here we now understand why Tavayogi insisted that a student needed to wait some 12 years before he can receive the guru's teaching.

It is said that Ramalinga Adigal shut the doors to his Satya Nyana Sabai at Vadalur and locked up the place for good at one time when he saw that his followers were not listening. He left the majestic place that he had envisioned and painfully and meticulously designed and built and shut himself up in a small house in a village some 3km away called Mettukupam. The Siddhas and gurus have expectations of us. Often we tend to disappoint them. But when we comply and do as told and earn their respect the skies open up and shower on us the blessings of the divine. Just as Ramalinga Adigal had the key to Satya Nyana Sabai, only the guru has the keys to the abode of the Lord. Only he can let us in to have an audience with the Lord. After having an audience we return with a changed perspective. After you complete the cycle, when you come back to the starting point, everything seems renewed to your eyes. The songs that you once cherished and heard played in loops have a new flavor now; the food that you took for ages now seems extremely delicious; the sights that you saw previously are extremely clear, bright, and colorful. It is like you get clarity after replacing your eye lens. It is like you get clarity after your guru gives you a knock on your head.

Then when all the five primary elements and the five kosas are purified, by the very same elements, just as a thorn is used to remove another thorn, we become conscious and aware of every act knowing that it was God's move. The divine reveals itself or comes within or comes down if you prefer. Then all efforts are brought to a halt. The divine energies start playing within us. We lose control of our bodies and mind. The Paramatma kicks aside our ego and the "I" and tangoes with the Jeevatma. This dance of life sets into motion a whole new world of bliss and ecstasy. In these moments even pain is bliss. If prior to this we have had brief moments of joy, bliss, and ecstasy that were sensed and experienced, we now become the experience itself. No fair, no show, no act, no action, just genuine love for him where the two souls meet, where the two merge. The Atma that came to be identified as the Jeevatma the moment it comes to accompany the body and breath, disassociates from that union that came forth from one's parents shifts towards the divine Paramatma, back to its permanent abode, leaving its rented premises. When it leaves for good that is samadhi or merger with the source or one with the source. It is not an external journey or travel in time but that which takes place in the present with the body and breath intact. Ramalinga Adigal went a step ahead and had it dispersed back to its source literally leaving no trace.

With the Pongal festival around the corner, it is the time of the year for all those who had been collecting and hoarding things, keeping them away for later intended use that never comes by, to sort, reevaluate them, and throw them away. Similarly, it is time we went through the baggage of thoughts, desires, and wishes we carry year after year and drop them too. Just as we cleanse our homes and mind, we need to repent and bring a change to our old undesirable ways. Bring the Siddhas into your homes this Pongal. Invite them in. They shall come.

LOOKING ANEW 1

This post is dedicated to all those who were baffled, puzzled, confused, angry, and felt let down at the closure of Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) and its charity arm Amudha Surabhi (AS) in September of 2019. To all of them, I bring my palms together in giving my thanks for coming into my life and teaching me further. 

This blog is about the reading, practice, experiences, and learning of an individual trying to grasp the teachings of the Siddhas and trying to live accordingly. Together with my experiences that are very minute, I had brought together the cream of the teachings of my gurus and the Siddhas, whatever little I could comprehend from it. If worship to the pantheon of Hindu Gods and Goddesses was initiated by my parents, I took it from there and performed worship at my bachelor's home together with the practice of yoga picked up from books. Then there was a long break initiated by the divine. I came back into the fold again initiated by the divine. The divine now took me a step nearer bringing me to the worship of the Siddhas. The Siddhas showed me gurus and upagurus who helped fine-tune my worship and yoga practices. They brought others over to my home. The AVM family grew. They had me and others to carry out charity too. Then they had us wind it all up and go within. It was made easy with the coming of the pandemic in a timely manner. The shutters fell on AVM too. Thinking that the years we spent indoors were a waste of precious time, having seen no remarkable results as all activity had ceased, Agathiyar said otherwise, that nothing was wasted. He brought us to the realization that we had learned to drop our hold on many things, including the activities and practices that we had upheld all the years. He made us realize that though there was no visible activity in our lives, subtle changes had begun to take place within us. I guess they are preparing us for the next stage and state. At times I had felt that I have to make my exit. I felt my time here has expired. But I know that it is for him to decide that too. 

Although I began Siddha Heartbeat in 2013, I had carried many stories on numerous websites after my return from India in 2003. Prior to that these websites carried my artwork and favorite songs. Looking back now I can divide my journey into several phases. I began on the path of Sariyai with my parents holding my hands. Becoming independent and moving away from the shadows of my parents in 1980, I began to venture on the path of Kriyai and Yogam. With coming to the path of the Siddhas in 2001/2002, they held my hands, and Kriyai and Yogam were perfected. Today I guess we stand on the threshold of Gnanam. What is in store for us? We have yet to find out. 

In each of these phases, the divine took recognition of our efforts and conferred on our residence a name appropriate to the activity that we indulged in. If initially, my home was my home, it became to be known as his garden Agathiyar Vanam with his arrival in the form of a statue in 2010 followed by seekers he sent over in 2013. Lord Murugan in 2018 gave it the name Agathiyar Tapovanam as we were at the peak of activities. Later Agathiyar named it Gnana Kottam when we went within. We were overjoyed with this recognition given. 

Today we are back at the starting point. My home is my home again. This reminds me of the Koan, "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is."

During the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese Ch’an [Zen in Japanese] master Qingyuan Weixin famously wrote: “Before I had studied Ch’an for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance, I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.” (Source: https://tricycle.org/magazine/first-there-mountain-then-there-no-mountain/)

Swami Vishnudevananda writes on his encounter with his master Swami Sivananda, in "My Years with the Master" at http://www.sivanandaonline.org.

Before leaving (Swami Sivananda's ashram in Rishikesh), I went down the Ganga where it was the custom of the Ashram to do Aarati (waving of lights) every evening. All the devotees and inmates of the Ashram assembled by the banks of the Ganga to watch Master (Swami Sivananda) perform this evening worship. I was sceptical. I was of a scientific temperament and knew that a river is only water, H2O-imagine worshipping H20!! 

But as I stood there and watched Master waving the lights, I saw the river become a mass of flowing lights. At that instant the river assumed a divine flow, a manifestation of the Grace of the Lord. Master turned and looked at me and in my mind I heard his message, “God pervades everything; this too is His Special Form.” This entirely changed my outlook on life.

Nothing was lost nor was anything gained. Just as the mountain disappears as we maneuver the ridges and slopes of it, the numerous paths dissolved as we became immersed in the practice and activities. We were the path and the activity. We lost ourselves in it. We became the substance and the essence. As the koan goes, "now that I have got its very substance, I am at rest", today just as we sit back and watch the mountain, bringing back those fond memories and experiences, over a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits, we realize that our outlook and perspective of life have changed forever. We need not tread the same path again. 

THE GURU'S WISH

When Gurunamasivayar was deemed ripe to journey alone his guru Guhainamasivayar called him and told him to go to Chidambaram. But the student refused citing that he wanted to serve his guru forever at Tiruvannamalai. But as his guru insisted Gurunamasivayar finally consented but with a condition thrown in. Once he was at Chidambaram his guru ought to be with him. Arriving at the temple he saw his guru in the inner sanctum and settled there for good. This is how the guru trains and lets go of his student to continue the legacy. But very few students qualify to deserve such recognition. Tavayogi told me one had to wait patiently for 12 years to even be considered a disciple. Tavayogi never acknowledged me as a disciple until 2016. I knew him since 2005. He announced it in public after 12 years. I did not expect that.

Nadi Nool Aasan TR wrote in his Whatsapp group once,

குரு மலை கழுகை ஒத்த குணமாக இருக்கவேண்டும். எல்லா வித்தைகளையும் கற்கும்வரை பாதுகாத்து கற்றதுபின் உலகஞானத்திர்க்காக தன்சீடனை குருநிலையை எட்ட தனித்து நிற்க செய்யவேண்டும். 

Just like an eagle protects its chick only to let it fly when ready, soaring in the skies akin to him, the guru should be like an eagle protecting his student while under his tutelage only to let him go so that he too can take on the role of a guru for the good of other seekers.

கடைசிவரை ஒருவனை சீடனாகவே வைத்திருப்பது குருவிர்க்கு தோல்வி.

தெள்ளற வித்தைகற்றான் சீடனும் குருவை தேடான்......மூதுரை. 

A guru should make another guru out of his disciple. It is seen as a failure on the part of the guru if he keeps his disciples remaining a disciple till the end. 

This is the true guru. A true guru would never want his followers to remain a follower forever. His achievement is in seeing his students rise to the level of a guru at par or even better than them. They rejoice in seeing their students rise up the ladder of spiritual advancement. 

STAY STRONG

It hurts to see others suffer. I was deeply hurt and angry with God in my twenties as I saw my relatives and friends suffer. I could not comprehend why they had to suffer. They abided with the religious teachings. They feared God. They went to temples, nay even had a prime role in managing the temples. Yet they faced so much misery and worst, death. A relative had just walked out of a temple. She hailed a taxi to go back home. She crossed the road and was hit by a car. She died on the spot. Her husband gave up on God. A colleague was a right-hand man at a temple, attending to the deity and her needs each day. His wife suffered while carrying their child. And Goddess Ma had the cheek to say that the deity had caused their sufferings. Yet they held on to her. These two episodes were enough to have me think if God was fair? I had read much about God and religion. It all painted a picture of God as love and compassion. But what was shown to me was otherwise. In the nick of time, Lord Shiva came and halted my train of thoughts and asked me to go on garden leave. I took a break beginning in 1988, of some 14 years staying away from my regular daily puja at dawn and dusk at my home and my daily visits to the temples. I stopped reading religious and spiritual books. I got married and focused on my family and career. I listened to philosophical songs that seem to explain life and its challenges. It was reassuring and gave hope. This was one of them. These and similar songs kept me company.

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

வாழ்க்கை என்றால் ஆயிரம் இருக்கும்

வாசல் தோறும் வேதனை இருக்கும்

வந்த துன்பம் எதுவென்றாலும்

வாடி நின்றால் ஓடுவதில்லை

வாடி நின்றால் ஓடுவதில்லை

எதையும் தாங்கும் இதயம் இருந்தால்

இறுதி வரைக்கும் அமைதி இருக்கும்

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

ஏழை மனதை மாளிகையாக்கி

இரவும் பகலும் காவியம் பாடி

நாளை பொழுதை இறைவனுக்களித்து

நடக்கும் வாழ்வில் அமைதியை தேடு

நடக்கும் வாழ்வில் அமைதியை தேடு

உனக்கும் கீழே உள்ளவர் கோடி

நினைத்து பார்த்து நிம்மதி நாடு

மயக்கமா கலக்கமா

மனதிலே குழப்பமா வாழ்க்கையில் நடுக்கமா

I had the answer to all my questions when Agathiyar spoke to me about karma in my Nadi reading in 2002. I understood. I was relieved of the questions I carried in me. Agathiyar called me to his path. I followed. He sent me two wonderful gurus in physical form. I learned by observing them. Thanks to them I have begun to connect with the energies during my home puja. Thanks to them I am able to connect with the energies in the temples too. Thanks to them I see these same energies in children. Thanks to them I see these energies in the plants, in the air, in the skies, in the breeze, in the food I take, in the water I drink, and all around me. I can connect to the devotional songs. I can connect to those philosophical songs that I once kept listening to.  What is the secret formula then? Nothing great. We just need to connect with God. Really connect for life. The Gods at these temples who give us hope to live another day if ushered into our homes through our daily puja begin to stay with us. They become a part of our family. God becomes father, mother, friend, and guru. Their emissaries shall be on call. Rest assured that all the rest shall be taken care of.