We have been misguided and misled by many. We are like sheep of the flock, satisfied with just following others. Most gurus too do not reveal all. I was fortunate to have come straight to the Siddhas and their apostles without going astray and wasting precious time, as I was already 43 years of age then. The Siddhas worked on me since I began to listen to them. They worked with some urgency as time was running out for me. This year I shall be 64, a bit too late to achieve the states envisioned by the Siddhas for me. But as my gurus in physical form, Supramania Swami and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal told me we shall polish and if there is a need we shall come back to accomplish what was left unattained in this birth, it only makes sense as we had been here numerous times before. I guess each time we missed the target because the draught that came our way waylaid and distracted and blew the arrow off target.
Agathiyar has kept us well looking into both our material and spiritual needs since we surrendered to him. It all happens as he determines and in good time since we have let go of the reins. If many have been taken for a ride by bogus gurus and found themselves in trouble a wee bit too late, we are taken on a ride too now. But we fear not as the reins are now in Agathiyar's hands. Since both my gurus shed their mortal frame Agathiyar has taken charge of us. We know that we are in good hands.
I was lucky I had gurus who did not promote themselves but showed us to Agathiyar and their guru lineage. Agathiyar brought us on the time-tested path that brought speedy results besides being safe and sound. He was there for us in the eventuality something goes wrong because of our actions or inactions.
Agathiyar too like my gurus in physical form had me drop my hold on his form and name and showed me to the all-inclusive Prapanjam instead. Tavayogi in his book "Andamum Pindamum" wrote that one who aims to return to the source trekking the path arrives at Yogam. Coming to know the path of Yoga he settles as a Yogi. One who gains clarity and realization and arrives at the destination is a Siddha.
அங்கு சென்று அடைவதே எனது லட்சியம் என்று அந்த பாதையில் தெளிந்து உணர்ந்து யோகத்தின் மூலம் பாதை கண்டுபிடித்து அதை அடையும் வழியை தெரிந்தவன் ஞானி. அடைந்தவன் சித்தன் அல்லது தெய்வம்.
Lao Tzu said to go with the flow. It is wrong to assume that we let the rein loose and have our desires take charge and control of us. Let go of the reins only after you have accepted the teachings and the way or path of the guru and begin to hold on to the guru or the divine. Only after we surrender can we let the reins go and go with the flow and no sooner. This is the reason we realize now why Lord Murugan came and asked all those gathered countless times if we have surrendered and asked us to step forward if we had surrendered. I was the first to take a step. He chased me away telling me that Agathiyar shall look into my needs. He turned to the others who followed behind. Just as in installing Windows, we have to agree to the terms and conditions and accept the MS License terms before setting up, the Siddhas can only work their miracle on us if we give consent to their terms and conditions. Just like if we were to purchase a house from a previous owner, the landlord would have to vacate or evict the tenant first and give us vacant possession of the property, we have to burn all our previous learnings and practices to take on the new teachings. This is the reason I came to know now why Lord Shiva came in a dream and stopped me from enquiring further. Having read books on religion and spiritualism and held discussions with others I was pretty confused and disillusioned between what I read that painted a rosy picture and seeing reality take shape contrary to it. That fourteen years of emptying myself were in preparedness for me to take the leap into the Siddha faith in 2002.
The Siddhas shall fill us up to the brim and toss us into another body and fill that too until we have expired our stay in all these bodies and shed them returning to the source, the Prapanjam.
Reading the biographies of great men either inspired me or made me appreciate all that I have. If reading the "Autobiography of A Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda introduced me to another aspect of spiritualism - the existence of gurus, reading about and having Chitramuthu Adigal speak about the tough times he went through, makes us give thanks for what we have in hand and not ask for more. When Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal was in Malaysia, the public used to come up to him and voice their unhappiness and tell him of their sorrows, miseries, hardship, and misfortunes. He would listen through and tell them that it was all due to their Vinai or the results of their Karma. He would then go on to reveal a solution, not for each individual's specific problems, but a solution to remove in entirety their Vinai, and hence remove all obstacles, hardship, and sufferings. His message always was, "Potrinaal Unathu Vinai Agalum Appa" meaning the results of one's karma will be destroyed by one's prayers. He goes on to guide whom to pray to, too. He would gladly tell them to worship Agathiyar and the Siddhas. He would also tell them what to pray for. He says not to pray for a life without hardship, for that would not be possible, but to ask Erai for a way out or solution to overcome their problems. Once after a similar session, Tavayogi turned to me and questioned whether these people knew the meaning of true hardship and suffering. What they were going through was, he would add, mere inconveniences resulting from their high expectations that do not turn out in their favor.
Relating to us the story of Chitramuthu Adigal and his guru Jeganathar for the very first time at the Jegathguru Sri Raghavendra Swamigal Miruthiga Brindavanam Ipoh Perak we came to know the man and the immense hardship he went through from day one until he flowered into the saint as we know now.
Chitramuthu Adigal was born in 1900 in Panaikulam in Ramanathapuram. His mother passed away when he was only eight months old. After his mother died, his father remarried. His grandmother Kumaraiamma brought him up. When she passed away, as he turned six years of age, Chitramuthu was then placed under the care of his paternal aunt Seeniyaayiammal and later his elder sister, Ramaiammal.
Before leaving for Malaya his father placed him under the care of his stepmother Muthunaatchi. His stepmother ill-treated him. She put an end to his schooling in Mudiveeran Pattinam when he was twelve and sent him to work as a toddy tapper in Atthiyutthu.
As he was physically weak due to lack of proper food and rest, one day, he fell while climbing a tree to collect toddy. He fractured his limb. Due to his injury, he was laid off for a year. When he recovered, he went back to grazing the cows and the goats.
When his maternal uncle refused to allow him to marry his (uncle) daughter, Muthu left for Malaya in 1922, staying in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. He worked as a toddy tapper for six years before returning to India in 1928.
He married Alagankulam Sree Kaalaiyappa Nadar’s daughter Shivagami Ammai the following year and they had a child in 1930 who survived only for three days.
He came again to Malaya and stayed in Taiping, Perak. He went back to tapping toddy.
Irusappa Mudaliyar a student of Tenkasi Rangoon Sadagopal Acari introduced him to astrology and he mastered the science.
He met Jeganatha Swamigal in Malaya and Jeganatha Swamigal took him as his disciple and gave him a new name - Chitramuthu. Jeganatha Swamigal helped Chitramuthu realize his true self, his full potential, and his mission in life.
Chitramuthu left for India where he had another child whom he named after Jeganatha Swamigal.
He lost his eyesight. Unable to bear it anymore he decided to end his life. That is when he had a vision where an old man handed him a lime. Chitramuthu abandoned the thought of taking his own life. He left for Ramanathapuram hoping to get treatment at the government hospital. At the railway station, one Suppiah Pillai came to his aid and took Chitramuthu to his home. Asking Chitramuthu to wait outside, Suppiah went into his home but never returned. Chitramuthu moved on. A government official took him to a Siddha physician who treated him. After two years in Alagan Kulam, he regained his sight.
He left for Malaya again in 1940. This time he came to spread his teachings. He wore kaavi robes and took on the role of a spiritual teacher.
He had a short stint with the Indian National Army (INA) in Malaya.
He left for India in 1947, leaving behind a large following who had regarded him as their guru. In India, he preached Jeeva Karunya, or compassion towards other beings as upheld by Ramalinga Adigal. He opened up his home to the public and named it Aruloli Madam where he started giving discourses. He traveled to the neighboring villagers spreading his message. He managed to convince the public to drop animal sacrifice. Today his village folks (the whole village I am told) have abstained from consuming meat which is a great feat indeed.
He was back in Malaya in 1951. Chitramuthu Adigal preached at the Sree Thandayuthabani temple in Penang, the Aruloli Murugan temple in Penang Hill, the Maha Mariamman temple in Ipoh, the Court Hill Pillaiyaar temple in Pudu, the Scott Road Kandaswami temple in Brickfields, the Athi Eswaran temple in Sentul, the Sree Maha Mariamman temple in Jalan Bandar, the Shivan temple in Jalan Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur and the Mariamman temple in Singapore.
He stayed in Ceylon in 1953. Later he left for India. He established many missions in India and Malaya. He authored many songs in Tamil, which were later compiled as a book entitled ARUL OLI. His writing entitled GURUMATHI MAALAI, which dealt with false Gurus, was published amidst much protest and sabotage from certain quarters. Other works of his that saw the light are TIRUPUGAZH TIRAVIYAM, PERINBA KURAL, MOUNANTHA MANI MOZHIGAL, MARANA SINTHANAI, GNANA PANDITHAN, NERAI NERI MOZHIGAL, SEER THIRUNTHU MANITHA, KARUNAI KANNEER, KIRUBAI PIRAGASA POKISHAM, ARULOLI MALAR, and GANDHIYIN THIRUVARUT PULAMBAL.
He established the Atma Shanti Nilayam in Alagan Kulam in 1958. (The Atma Shanti Nilayam became the Thaiveedu where the Deepa Dharisana Tiruvila is celebrated annually on the 7th day in the month of Chitirai, to commemorate the birth of Chitramuthu Adigal.)
The Aruloli Mandram was formed in Malaysia in 1960 under the patronage of Tun V. T Sambanthan, a minister in the Malaysian government. The Malaysian government donated a piece of land in Ipoh where on completion of the building the then Chief Minister of the state of Perak Datuk Sri Haji Kamaruddin Bin Haji Isa officiated its opening of the building on 11 February 1973.
The Aruloli Mandram has since then been established in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and London.
He built and completed his Samadhi Mandabam and had Shivasri Muthu Kumara Sivachariar perform the Kumbhabishegam on the Shivaraja Kopuram in the year 1991.
Chitramuthu Adigal went into Samadhi on Sunday, May 5, 1995.
Source of information from
Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar, who both were students of Chitramuthu Adigal,
the caretaker cum local priest of Jeganatha Swamigal Temple who has since then passed away,
Nithyavani Manikam’s blog at http://nithyavani.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-post_28.html and
http://thaaiveedu.blogspot.com.
Read more about Swamigal at http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=470
When I came across Chitramuthu Adigal's ARUL OLI, in which was published his biography, I realized what Tavayogi said was true. Chitramuthu Adigal had gone through immense hardship and sufferings right from day one. And we thought we face a lot of problems daily. After reading Chitramuthu Adigal's account of his life and times, I realized our sufferings are very minute and negligible compared with what he went through. Let us walk through Chitramuthu Adigal's life and come to terms that our suffering is nowhere close to what these masters had gone through. This is a translation of Chitramuthu Adigal's life in his own words, from his book ARUL OLI. He begins by explaining that since people wanted to know about him, and his experiences, and on their insistence he had written about himself. If we think we are going through tough times, think twice. Let us hear from the horse's mouth.
Chitramuthu Adigal's mother Karupaai Ammal, was from the village Maanaagkudi in the district of Ramanathapuram. She was married to Dhankodi Naadaar of Marikovil in Panaikulam village. Before the first year of marriage was over his sister was born. She was named Raamaai Ammal. After 5 years, Chitramuthu was born, in April of 1900. Subsequently, his home caught fire and was turned to ashes. His family stayed with their relatives for a few days before moving on to his maternal parent's home in Marikovil. On arrival at Marikovil, some huts in the village caught fire. As a result, he was called Chithirai Suliyan although his mother gave him the name Muthu. Later his guru Jeganathar gave him the name Chitramuthu.
His mother Karupaai Ammal passed away when he was only 8 months old. He was then raised by his paternal grandma Kumaraai Ammal.
Many mysterious happenings took place around Muthu as he grew up. As a child, each time he closed his eyes to sleep, Muthu would hear the sound of bells or Mani and would sense lights circling him and lifting him high above the ground. Once following his grandma to the marketplace at Panaikulam, he noticed a 10-year-old girl playing with earth on the streets. He rushed to her and asked for sugar. The girl placed some earth in his hands that immediately turned to sugar on contact with his skin. On another instant, when returning from his grandma's home to Utharathisai, and approaching the Angaala Devi Amman temple, he had a vision of all of existence evolving out of Paraveli. Those were the times when he goes into Sahaja samadhi where he would lose consciousness of the world and his physical body would drop to the ground. (Ramana Maharshi provides a beautiful explanation of this and other forms of samadhi, "Holding on to the supreme state is samadhi. When it is with effort due to mental disturbances, it is savikalpa. When these disturbances are absent, it is nirvikalpa. Remaining permanently in the primal state without effort is sahaja.) When Muthu drops unconscious, those gathered around him will cry out and weep, but he would wake up in a few moments and leave to play without any concern at all or remembrance of the event. Once when he was called to partake in porridge or kool like the rests one night, he refused and asked for rice. He then heard a voice tell him cooked rice was available some distance away and on checking it out it was true.
His grandma Kumaraai Ammal passed away when he was six. As his father did not show much care and attention towards him, he left for his father's sister's home. Seeni Aayi, his father's younger sister took care of him. Muthu cared for their cows and goats. One day impressed by the beauty of the sun while herding them, he sang his very first song that came spontaneously. As his sister too was not self-sufficient and was finding it difficult to upkeep her family, Muthu was often hungry. At the age of seven, asking to partake in what his sister's husband was having, Muthu was refused and chased away by him. Muthu left for Thillangkundu some 5 miles away. He survived doing odd jobs at a coconut plantation in Thillangkundu. His father who was leaving for Malaya, took him away to Mudiveeran, a township, to be tutored but his stepmother placed many obstacles on Muthu's path so he could not continue his studies.
In the absence of his father, Muthu was sent away to Atthiutthu to work on the toddy plantation by his stepmother. Unable to carry the toddy in its large pots, he would let slip and it would fall and break into pieces, losing the day's collection of toddy. He would then be manhandled and beaten up. At 12, on the insistence of his stepmother, he worked in a Palmyra or Panai plantation. Once as he was bringing down the sap of the tree, he fell from a height and broke his right angle. He was sent back to his sister's home. Later while caring for the herd he used to have stomach ache. He was asked to do penance at the Naaganatha sthalam. Sporting long hair now, he served an astrologer by bringing him firewood and leaves to serve him food on and in return was fed too. Once as he took these leaves from his sister's backyard without her knowledge, she screamed to find a cobra lodged in his head.
At 16, his uncle refused to give his daughter in marriage to him. For the next two years, he earned a living climbing the Palmyrah trees at Marikkovil.
In 1922 his sister's husband brought him to Malaya where he worked in Kuala Kangsar. Adorning jewelry and living a life considered to be lavish by standards at that time, he spent his earnings wastefully. Unfortunately, he had to return to India in 1928 with only a single ten rupee note on him. The locals in his village came forward to give their daughters in marriage to Muthu, thinking that he had acquired much wealth while away in Malaya for six long years. Alas, his true financial state was exposed within three months of his arrival. When all the rest of the local folks went back on their word, Kaalaiyappa Naadar agreed to marry off his daughter Sivagami Ammai to him. His marriage to Sivagami Ammai took place in 1929 in a very modest and simple ceremony. Stepping into married life brought its share of problems and worries. He stole some money from his workplace, a liquor store, and feasted on meat and ganja. He used to beat up his wife too.
His wife was brought to the general hospital at Ramanathapuram with severe labor pain. A male child was delivered only to pass away in three days. With no money on him, Muthu came to Alagankulam and borrowed 100 rupees from Aiyaavu Chettiar, left his wife at her mother's home, and returned to Malaya.
While in Taiping he learnt astrology from Erusappa Mudaliar. He took Jeganatha Swamigal as his guru and had his questions and doubts cleared. He received teecha from Jeganathar at Tapah and began to carry out austerities and sadhana.
Along the way, he became blind and wanted to end his life. That is when an old man with long tresses appeared to him, gave him a smile, took his hands, and placed a lime in it before leaving in the direction of the north. Muthu woke up wondering if what he saw was a dream or real. His intention to end his life left him just as the lime in his hand too disappeared. A similarity is seen here between the guru Chitramuthu Adigal and his disciple Tavayogi. Both lost their eyesight and wanted to end their lives. Tavayogi heard a voice that told him Agathiyar was there and not to fear as he was about to step onto the path of an oncoming train.
With both his physical form and mental state ailing and failing him, Muthu left the hospital at Ramanathapuram, begged two rupees from a relative, and headed for the Valanthara train station. While there someone seeing his condition, approached him and took a rupee from him, purchased a ticket and a hot cup of coffee for Muthu, and tied the balance of small change into a knot on his clothing and left. Muthu who now cherished and sought the state of Nithyanandam, built a strong determination to see it through to the end. The train from Dhanushkodi heading for Chennai stopped at the station at 8pm. He boarded the train only to disembark at Ramanathapuram. After having spent the night at the platform at the station, and later got chased away onto the streets, a stranger lead him to a butchery and told him he could spend the rest of the night there. Spreading dirty linen on the cold floor and hoping to have a good night's sleep, he was rudely awakened by pain as a result of numerous bugs biting into his flesh. The local Munshi seeing his sad state asked someone to bring Muthu to another person to have his eyes checked out and treated. The practitioner gave him some herbs to consume and send him home, without accepting his money, promising Muthu that he would regain his sight.
Muthu returned to his sister's home. Seeing that his relatives were not keen to receive him, he went to Alagankulam. There a miracle took place. At exactly 12 midnight Muthu regained his full eyesight. Suddenly all was visible to him. Clear and perfect eyesight was restored to him by the grace of Erai. His sadness vanished. Not able to earn a wage, his relatives gave him much trouble. Thinking that a foreign country would appreciate his presence more, he left again for Malaya.
1940, he took on the robe of a Sannyasin and the name Chitramuthu Adigal given to him by his Guru and began to spread the Sanmargam, taking on a solemn promise not to touch money. He enlisted himself in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army for some time. In 1947 he returned to his wife and home, bringing them too to the fold of Sanmargam. He turned his home into a center of learning and named his home Aruloli Madam. Starting with his own village, he preached and spread his teachings on Sanmargam and Jeevakarunyam, or compassion in the neighboring villages. He brought to a stop animal sacrifice performed at the Venai Theertaal Alayam at Kadukkai Valasai at Maanaagkudi village. Thinking of bringing Atma Gnanam to the masses, he brought some Pandits into his fold, to provide upadesa to the folks. But after two years his hopes of the message reaching the common folk were dashed. He realized his efforts were fruitless and returned home. He started thinking what was the best way to bring change in the mindset of his people at that time and to bring Erai's grace onto them. He realized that with determination, good health, keeping the senses under control, and having a clear mind at the on set, and by performing service, and with some additional divine guidance, one could go a long way. He took a pledge to see these through in his people.
Several quarters who were against his teachings went on a mission to dishonor him. His writing on the false gurus entitled Gurumathi Maalai became their target of attack. Despite their attempts to sabotage him, his GURUMATHI MAALAI, THIRUPUGAL THIRAVIYAM, PERINBA KURAL, MAUNAANANTHA MOLIGAL, MARANA SINTHANAI, GNANA PANDITHAN, NIRAI NERI MOLIGAL, SEER THIRUNTHU MANITHA, KARUNAI KANNEER, KRIBAI PRAGASA POKKISHAM, GANDHIJIYIN THIRUARUT PULAMBAL, and ARUL OLI MALAR came to be published.
Although many out of jealousy, schemed ways to bring his downfall, Chitramuthu Adigal always prayed that Erai should shower some grace onto them and all of his enemies too.
Taking on all the praises and also the brickbats, Chitramuthu Adigal spread his wings to Madurai, Trichy, and overseas to Malaysia, via the establishment of his Aruloli Gnana Sabai. He gave motivation to the poor to overcome their fears and reservations through his speeches and writings.
Chitramuthu Adigal asks to forgive his shortcomings as it was all done during a period when he was ignorant and all that changed when Erai took hold of his thoughts and actions. On 5 March 1995 (Sunday, 21st, in the Tamil month of Maasi, in the year of Bava) he attained the state of Jhoti at 5pm at Athma Santhi Nilaiyam in Panaikulam.
I was once told that whoever wanted to come out of their sufferings should pray to Raghavendra Swamigal, for he himself had gone through severe hardship and suffering and would understand better our situation too. Tavayogi and Supramania Swami too have gone through much hardship and have had their fair share of suffering too. Tavayogi made massive losses in his business, and as a result, was in debt. His family and he were forced onto the streets. Chitramuthu Adigal, Tavayogi, and Supramania Swami all lost their eyesight at a particular period in their lives, regaining it after some time by the grace of Erai.
Yogi Ramaiah too went through a phase of suffering. He contracted bone tuberculosis which stopped him from traveling to the USA to continue his studies. He was immobilized for 6 years! His wife and servants cared for him at San Thome in Madras. Ramaiah used this time to read up on all the Indian spiritual literature. During these years, Prasanananda Guru aided him in meditation while Omkara Swami shared his knowledge of yoga. Ramaiah also published his first book based on Omkara Swami’s life, "A BLISSFUL SAINT." In 1952, he had a visit from Mauna Swami too, a disciple of Shirdi Sai Baba. Shortly afterward, Ramaiah had a vision of Shirdi Sai Baba. He asked if Baba 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 by holding his breath. Suddenly he heard Babaji's voice telling him, "Do not take your life! Give it to me!" Surprised at the divine intervention Ramaiah surrendered to Babaji. The next day, upon awakening, Ramaiah felt that he was healed. Summoning the doctors, and to everyone's astonishment, Ramaiah was indeed healed completely. Soon Ramaiah regained the use of his legs. In another vision, Ramaiah saw Babaji limping and questioned him. To his surprise, Babaji replied he was taking on Ramaiah's illness (bone tuberculosis)!
Just as Supramania Swami brought his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar to chant his name with both of us after the latter had gone into samadhi, and Yogi himself told us that the former was also with us at AVM during the last Sivarathri Puja, Agathiyar in the Jeeva Nadi reading read by Tavayogi while in a devotee's home in Malaysia in 2016, revealed Chitramuthu Adigal's message and wish for us. Chitramuthu Adigal wanted us to carry out a Siddha puja at the Thanneermalai Sri Thandayuthapani Alayam, in Taiping. We did as requested with Tavayogi presiding over the event.
Finally, we are getting somewhere. We are getting some answers. We are seeing the true picture. When I scouted around for information, especially on how to worship the Siddhas after Agathiyar called me to do so in my first Nadi reading in 2002, I knocked on several doors of existing establishments carrying the name of Agathiyar. None seemed to be in it. Some were solely focused on collecting funds and carrying out charity programs while others had moved on to the worship of Arutperunjothi and Ramalinga Adigal's teachings. Several centers were practically lifeless. I could not but notice that each went their way too. I wondered why could not they all come together under an umbrella body rather than be scattered. Failing to find a proper place to dock I began to take things into my own hands and started on my home puja to the Siddhas with whatever little material I had. For instance, I had an idea what the worship was about after Sentilkumar who read my Nadi conducted a thanksgiving puja as Agathiyar had directed by reciting the names of a list of Siddhas. While he had passed me the booklet containing these names after the puja, Sivabalan who housed the readers gave me a painting of Agathiyar. And so my journey started.
In 2005 Tavayogi is shown to me by Agathiyar. I leave for India again a month after he leaves for his Kallar Ashram. He brings me to the jungles and caves telling me before we leave that "Only now the true journey begins, my son" Indeed if I had toured India as a tourist and pilgrim in 2003, carrying out the remedies listed by Agathiyar in my Nadi reading, this time around I was rushing to keep up with him as we tracked through the jungles and climbed the hills. And so a true journey began.
In asking me to carry out the Homam Tavayogi set me to carry out rituals in my home with my family. From mere recitations of the names of the Siddhas now we had a ritual that accompanied the recitation. In teaching us the Asanas and Pranayama techniques in 2007, Tavayogi officially introduced me to Yoga that I had picked up from books many years back. In coming into my home as a bronze statue Agathiyar introduced me to the ritual of carrying out libation or abhisegam to his statue in 2010. In bringing some thirty youngsters to my home after their Nadi readings or in following another in 2013, my home took on the name Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) for easy reference. Agathiyar initiated us into doing charity that Tavayogi had me witness at his ashram in 2005.
In asking us to bring the shutters down at AVM at the peak of its numerous activities in 2019, Agathiyar had us go within coinciding with the lockdowns that came into effect as a result of the pandemic. The few who were loyal to his cause kept coming back to AVM. Agathiyar in return turned up at their homes where they hosted and carried out the rituals just as we did at AVM. These few homes became AVM too.
Finally, in asking that I move him to another devotee's home some weeks back, he brought an end to worship of him in form and name. He stands as the Prapanjam before us now.
Agathiyar who asks that I worship him in my Nadi reading in 2002, came as my Moola guru taking on a form and this name. When Dr. Krishnan prepared a yantra or an etching on a copper foil to be worshipped with his Moola mantra, Agathiyar took on an abstract form or geometrical pattern. When Tavayogi initiated me into his mantra in 2005, Agathiyar took on the bija mantra. Arriving at his ashram, he shares that Agathiyar was in the form of light or jothi that thrives in us as a tiny spark. Leaving his ashram for Malaysia he initiates me into Vaasi or has me regard Agathiyar as the breath in us. When Tavayogi initiated me officially into Yoga in 2007, Agathiyar came within as the Prana. In having us carry out the fire ritual or Homam, he came as the elements or tatwas. In coming as the bronze statue in 2010 Agathiyar came alive in gross materials too. He opened his eyes. In having us carry out charity in 2013, we saw Agathiyar in the eyes of the poor and unfortunate. In having us go within in 2019, he came as a companion and friend who kept us company in those dark times. In carrying out further yogic practices under his guidance he came as the energy and awakened the dormant energies residing in us. In having us watch these energies in play he connected us to the Prapanjam, the final frontier beyond forms and names, identity and rituals, shapes and sizes, language and race, that went beyond sex, time, space, and definition.
What we know of him now is just his presence that is felt and known, the bliss and tears of joy that accompanies his presence, the sense of fullness and satisfaction, fulfillment and contentment, and the urge to share these with others. No more talk about Puranas and Itihasas, no more rituals, no more adherence to practices, and no more adherence to religious and spiritual laws. Just as Tavayogi said that the soul has to be free and can never be caged, the soul has been freed.
Just as you cannot charge a dead battery cell, we must have some fire in us for the Siddha to work on us and connect us with the Prapanjam. Hence we see the many lessons and breathing practices that they ask us to carry out or do, at times breathing down our neck if there is an urgency or otherwise letting us off to explore the world around us further and gain life experiences before ditching all the pleasures that it brings for their grace and direction.
We are asked to initially light an oil lamp. Then the Siddhas come to ask us to kindle the lamp to burn big and bright. Soon they get us to kindle the light within each one of us by fanning it with our breath. That is about as much as our effort goes. After that, the magic happens within. Prapanjam showers its grace on us paving the way for unison with the larger flame, Arutperunjothi.
Tavayogi writes in his "Andamum Pindamum" that the Siddhas aim and goal and path was to realize the greatness of Prapanjam. Yoga was a means to it. இயற்கையில் ஆதி மூல சக்தியில் தொடங்கிய பிரபஞ்ச பேர் ஆற்றலை மனிதன் உணர்ந்து பேரின்ப நிலை அடைய வேண்டும் என்பதே சித்தர்கள் கொள்கையும் கோட் பாடும் ஆகும். பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ஆற்றலை மனிதன் பெற்று மன நிம்மதியோடும் பேரானந்ததோடும் வாழ வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக ஏற்பட்டதே சித்தர்கள் கண்டுபிடித்த யோகம்.
Some knowing that I am a vegetarian had presumed that I would not get angry. It is not true. I do get angry. In fact, I am such an angry man that Agathiyar had to counsel me on anger management for an hour in a Nadi reading many years ago. Similarly one might presume that the master teaching, for example, Yoga, Falun Gong, Aerobics, and numerous other practices would be considerate of others. That too is not true. I have seen on my walk around the many parks on many occasions aerobic classes held in the open blasting the music right next to the more gentle and quiet practices of Yoga, Falun Gong, and meditation. Good sense would tell us not to disturb the serenity in a park and not to disturb another. One too would expect the practitioners and master to run to the aid of others. But it was not to be. When a man after he had crossed me while running fell, as I stood by his side enquiring if he was alright, a group that practiced an ancient art of wellbeing looked over the hedge and stared, not coming to his aid.
Knowing that I am a vegetarian many have asked the reason to become one. There can be many reasons given by long-time vegetarians or those who just switched over but I had no particular reason. But Agathiyar told us the actual reason and the need to be one not by giving us a lengthy discourse on vegetarianism but by having us watch or rather follow the transformation in Jnana Jothiamma. If Tavayogi postponed her initiation telling her that she had fish meat in her tummy, he initiated, or rather Agathiyar himself initiated her into the path another day. Seeing her seriousness in wanting to be close to him, Agathiyar began to guide and monitor her. A transformation in her began to take place with Agathiyar sending over herbal preparations on a timely basis that saw through the process in a specific way. She was briefed on these changes by Agathiyar in regular Nadi readings. That is when Agathiyar revealed in his Nadi that the process would take longer and be more painful as he had to rid her body of the toxins accumulated over the sixty-plus years due to the nature of her food intake. This was an eye-opener for us too. Swami Saravanananda in giving us a translation and explanation of Ramalinga Adigal’s “Arutperunjhoti Agaval”, published by Ramalinga Mission, Madras, says,
"... more and more changes take place in the already purified body. The cells and thence the whole body begins to transcend the limits imposed on them by impure Maya (the grosser principle of nature) and try to break one more of its veils. The cells undergo alternate condensation and expansion for an unspecified period and the body slowly emerges out of its bondage and begins to grow." And so when I had similar changes happen within, Agathiyar explained further that the pain and suffering were expected as we had aged and were beyond sixty.
There you have it from Agathiyar. If you are interested to become a Siddha like him you definitely have to change your diet to that of sattvic in nature beginning now so that you would not have to spend much time cleaning the house of the garbage that you have taken in and accumulated in your system over the years.
My second granddaughter who is three years of age, and who is over at our home these past few days keeps asking why my body was hot whenever she touches me. I was told that this was a result of the Tava Kanal rising in us as we take up certain yogic practices in the beginning years of practice. Recently when we were at a devotee's home carrying out puja, upon returning home and for the next three days, I had a chill that is known to accompany extreme body temperature and high fevers, come over me for no reason. Agathiyar came to console me that it was not an illness but the workings of the Prapanjam in us. I thought I had a short glimpse of the state that is known as தூங்காமல் தூங்கும் சுகம் or the pleasure in sleeping without actually sleeping last evening. Here was I on my laptop drafting another post and listening to my playlist of Bharathi songs when I think I had slipped into a mode where I was aware of the noises around, the song playing on my home theatre sytem, and my wife coming up to me and asking about what I wanted to eat for dinner. But I was unperturbed as I continued sitting on the sofa and with eyes closed, was immersed in the pleasure of the moment that extended over several songs of Bharathi. I cannot actually express the feeling in words. Similarly, I thought I had slipped into another state of becoming the very expanse some weeks ago. I was watching with eyes closed on the expanse before me and I knew I was also it. Later Agathiyar told me that I had had a small glimpse of the Prapanjam in me. He asked me to envision how it would be to fully be in this expanse and be it.
Yesterday as we took our granddaughter over to the park, as my wife was with her on the swing in the playground, I took a walk as usual. But believe me, the walk felt very different. I could engage with nature. Nature gave me the additional strength to keep up with the walking. There was joy in me and even in the people I meet during my walk. I felt the same today too. And to think about it it started with my senses enhanced, the joy in connecting with the senses, the blissful moments as we connected, and the urge to talk about it and share it with others. Is this all the work of the Prapanjam?
It amazes me how each individual approaches his or her ista devata or favorite deity or God and Goddess or guru for that matter. My wife, me, and my daughter too it seems were fruit peddlers on the grounds of the Papanasam temple in one of our former births. We showed our love for him by placing the fruits before Agathiyar's statue at the temple daily. Our daughter would bring it to his mouth and asks him to eat.
We had a devotee of Agathiyar, Malar, come by and pray at AVM. She would touch Agathiyar's nose and make a sound doin, doin! That was how she showed her affection for him. Today Agathiyar just as he beat the odds and arrived at my home back then in 2010 as a bronze statue, again beat the odds by reaching out to those receptive to him, manipulating time, and in changing the game, made his way into her home as a small granite statue too.
Another devotee Malathy expresses her love for him in a unique way too by always teasing him. Nevertheless, Agathiyar's love for her knows no bound too. Agathiyar calls her the Playful Siddha or Vilaiyaathu Siddhar.
Then we had Yuvarani create a Whatsapp group by adding her husband, only to remove him later and speak to Agathiyar.
Here is where we at AVM again differed from others as everyone was given the freedom to worship Agathiyar in whatever way they wanted, just like Tavayogi told me that the soul should be given the freedom to explore life and to express itself. There was no fear but only love towards him. AVM Agathiyar too traveled to their homes and spent some time with them and their families cementing the bond further. This would definitely not be allowed elsewhere or in temples.
Just like them, we must learn to drop the fear of God and instead begin to love him. We know about Radha's love for Lord Krishna. We know about Meera's love for him too. The saints of the past gave us many renderings and songs that expressed their divine love for God too. Bharathi saw God as Kannama and gave us many wonderful songs. Ramalinga Adigal expressed his love for God whom he saw as Arutperunjothi. Here are some beautiful love stories and songs between the devotee and God.
When Lord Murugan told me in the Nadi in 2018 that I shall do it differently when I questioned him as to the need for another temple, I wondered how different could one build his temple and in what way was it going to be different. Recently a devotee who came to see off Agathiyar at AVM before he moved house, shared his perspective. He told me that AVM was different in the sense that it welcomed one and all and never shut out anyone. When some organizations, movements, and centers, laid rules on the onset, discouraging seekers from stepping in, we at AVM never placed any hurdles. Many strangers used to turn up at our door either after having seen their Nadi, read the blog, or seen my YouTube channel, or after having heard about us from others or accompanying the regular devotees. The devotee had observed that at AVM Agathiyar embraced everyone first and then slowly changed them rather than insist that they adopt the changes before stepping in. He invited the good, the bad, and the ugly. He received with open arms vegetarians and none vegetarians too. He accepted the true seeker, the holidaymakers, the curious, and the skeptical too. He welcomed believers and disbelievers too.
When many chose to keep the path under wraps here Agathiyar had me share it with the readers of this blog though at times he would state that some things were not to be shared. When I had come hard on some issues in my draft, Agathiyar had told me to tone it down a bit so that it shall not drive away potential seekers and aspirants to the path. Agathiyar is constantly monitoring these writings. I am just a tool and a messenger. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers for their continued interest. The numbers speak for themselves.
Mahindren said that interfaith marriages bring two faiths together. Similarly, the lyricists of the song that begins with "மனமெங்கும் மாய ஊஞ்சல் உனதன்பில் ஆட ஆட" has a dream too to see everyone unite through LOVE - "வெளியெல்லாம் காதலால் நிறைத்தால் அதற்கீடேது சாமி"
Agathiyar had wished that Tavayogi continue to preach the Siddha path, following in his guru Chitramuthu Adigal and Paramaguru Sri Jeganathar's footsteps in Malaysia. Tavayogi to fulfill Agathiyar's wish to carry out this noble task, borrowed money to make his first trip to Malaysia in 2004. I met him the following year at a local affiliate of his Kallar Peedham where he came to officiate. Many years later, in 2016, he stated his joy and pleasure on seeing the many youths gathered that evening as AVM hosted an event "An Evening with Tavayogi", at a senior devotee's home where he was staying during his duration of stay in 2016. He told us that his mission had seen results. Lately Lord Murugan in coming through a devotee, passed on Tavayogi's wish to see each home become Agathiyar Vanam. It was time these youngsters took the puja and rituals that they watched and participated in into their homes and carry on what was done in AVM in the past years. This is how the Margam or path shall grow, where others shall come to know about it too. We never encouraged everyone to gather at AVM, thus shunting their growth. Instead, we wanted them to become independent in terms of their spiritual needs and advancement. At AVM we grew together. There was no guru per se. Agathiyar was our guru after Tavayogi's demise.
I too aspire to see others take up the course and reap the benefits that we have seen on this path. Let it be known that I am not converting anyone through this blog. I am still learning. What I learn I share. I have held the stand that God should be impartial and not be the property of any particular sect. Towards that, I had told Agathiyar that I would drop him if he was to only help only me or those from my faith, religion, or race, or a particular faith, race or religion for that matter. I guess Agathiyar heard my voice for today he has shown us that he was the Prapanjam. Who can lay claim to the Prapanjam? Who can lay claim to Mother Nature? Who can lay claim to the air and water though nations claim the lands, waters, and airways as theirs? Next, would there be battles for Space as we see in the movies?
Agathiyar in proclaiming that he was the Prapanjam moved his statue to another devotee's house. It would be pointless if on one hand, he says he is the Prapanjam and he still stays as a statue at AVM. There are no more puja and rituals for these tie us to an identity. In that tiny room of ours that once was our prayer room, where Agathiyar visited his Vanam or Garden, where Agathiyar sat to meditate in his Tapovanam, where Agathiyar gave discourses and thus brought clarity at his Gnana Kottam shall now have Ramalinga Adigal address in this Gnana Peedham henceforth.
Agathiyar wants us to sit under the sky and the trees and receive the shower of the Prapanjam. He wants us to link directly minus the middlemen, the upagurus and gurus, and minus the tools and methods that at one time helped us reach the state we are in today. He wants us to stand on our legs now. If at some time back he carried us in his womb and later carried us in his arms, and shoulder, and had held our hands and walked along with us, he now wants us to walk alone. Agathiyar like Tavayogi, who stepped aside after introducing us to Agathiyar, has himself stepped aside and shown us to Prapanjam. Ramalinga Adigal held our hands and passed us onto her safe hands. The Prapanjam comes henceforth as the Mouna Guru or the Silent One. We only need to connect and tap into her. Everything is within reach for one who reaches out to her.
When Lord Murugan came in a Nadi reading in 2018 and told me to build a temple for him the first question that came to my mind was "Why another temple, Lord Muruga." He must have heard my inner voice for he replied in the Nadi that "Yes", he was aware of the numerous temples built for him. But he said that I shall do it differently. Why was there a need to show him differently, I began to ask myself. How was he to be shown differently now?
Looking back now I realize indeed we have been doing things differently. My family and I at AVM have always ushered and entertained our guests well I believe with a feast thrown in at times. I hear from others that they are given a stare when they make an entry into another's premises or centre. There is no Virunthu Upasarippu. If others only served food after the puja, here Agathiyar called us to fill our tummies first before beginning any puja. Their puja is long and elaborate not considering the young and old who have to sit through these long hours. We at AVM had shortened our puja over the years. This was endorsed by the deities who themselves came and performed the puja in a jiffy. From performing Homam in 2005 and libation or Abhisegam later in 2010 when Agathiyar came as the bronze statue - it all came to a standstill in 2019. We did not resist nor insist to carry on. We went with the flow. If others held on to the following expecting them to turn up at their centers each week, at AVM we encouraged them to carry out similar puja and rituals in the comfort of their own homes and, at their own pace and time. As for me and a handful of others, Agathiyar ended the pilgrimages and external worship and brought us to revisit yoga and worship the "holy space within" all of us. The room where it all took place is closed now except for meditation. He gave away his statue to another devotee. He gave away his holy sandals to yet another devotee. He now stays in the image of the staff or Vaasikol. We did not resist all these changes. We went with the flow. There was joy and bliss in giving away. We welcomed his move to move into the homes of others, hence bringing light into their lives too just as he had brought into our lives.
Ramalinga Adigal sang about a journey in detail. It sounds as if he was actually walking a street and coming across all that he saw on the way. Now where is this place? Is it real or a fiction of his mind as some might see it. I too was asked by someone in the medical profession if I was hallucinating after reading this blog. When I played the song in my car stereo Tavayogi began to clap his hands and sing along as we drove along the winding road to Bukit Rotan when he frequently visited Malaysia back then. He told me it was an internal journey of attaining Gnanam. Agathiyar told the same too some time back, that in traveling the chakras we shall come to reach the state of Gnanam. "When one starts the journey of going within, the result is Gnanam. But it shall vary among people. Hence, I cannot say exactly what shall take place."
ஒருவன் தனக்குள் உள்வாங்கி அவனுள் பயணம் துவங்கும் நேரம் அப்பயணம் தரும் பாதிப்பே ஞானம். அவை ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் மாற்றம் பெரும். ஆகையால் அவை நான் இதுதான் என்று சொல்ல இயலாது.
Then we have the numerous Yoga texts describing these chakras and their corresponding colors, and outlining the number of petals, giving the bija mantra of the respective deities that resides in these centers, all in detail. We read that in envisioning these and reciting the mantras, as we vision the travel, from one chakra to another, and make steady progress on our way to the higher chakras, we shall see the deities and their worlds.
Then we have the actual portals where we unknowingly step into and find ourselves all together in a whole new world too. A young man who decided to take upon himself the task of caring for a depilated Shiva temple in Tiruvannamalai has Esakhi Siddhar visit him and brings him holding his hand to the back of the Shivalingam in the inner sanctum. The Siddha slips into a crack in the wall still holding the poor and frightened soul. The youth lets go of his hand in fear and misses the boat or rather the flight to, who knows maybe Neverland. This astonishing happening took place somewhere around 2005.
When I stepped out of Lord Murugan's sannadhi at Palani on my first visit in 2003, I walked away from him not remembering what I saw or how he looked. As I came out of that portal, I stepped into another. Walking through the door into Bhogar's samadhi, adjacent to and behind Lord Murugan's sannadhi, I found myself intoxicated after drinking the abhisega milk given by a young priest in attendance. When I followed Tavayogi and my brother to Palani again in 2005, I was surprised that I had to walk down several steps and into the open air before walking into Bhogar's samadhi. It was very much different from what I walked into in 2003.
Bhagawan Ramana who is a Gnani and known for his teachings on Self-enquiry, shares his experience in walking into the Holy mountain of Arunachala. He describes green fields and meadows within the hill that is said to be hollow. He comes out and has the opening closed.
So it looks like there are two sides to the coin. It is both an external and internal journey. If the many pilgrimages we make, makes us a great orator, sharing all that we saw and endured during these journeys, the travel within silences us for there are no words to describe what is saw and felt. Each one has to travel within on his own path as Agathiyar says the journey will vary for each.
The vast expanse of the Prapanjam has been brought into a tiny 8ft x 9ft x 9ft room at AVM through home worship and rituals. This is how temples came about too. Similarly, the very body has become a host for the Prapanjam too. Constant chanting of mantras and carrying out of homams and other rituals purify these spaces. The Prapanjam is pure in essence. Bringing the room and the body and mind to that state is akin to the Prapanjam residing there. Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal coming as gurus brought the change.
What came to be known Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) or Agathiyar's Garden, a name that I picked to help identify my home to the devotees who Agathiyar sent over in 2013, taking the name from the site on which was perched Tavayogi's old ashram Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in Kallar. From a garden that he visited often, Agathiyar gave it the name Gnana Kottam after he made it his resting place, often meditating here. Lord Murugan came in the Nadi in 2018 at the peak of the charitable activities and puja to give it the name Agathiyar Tapovanam. Agathiyar in telling us that his statue would leave for another devotee's home, told me to ensure the room was closed at all times except when someone comes to meditate. Most recently Ramalinga Adigal came and told us that he shall henceforth speak here, giving the place yet another name, Gnana Peedham which is also the name of Tavayogi's ashram. Besides the soul evolving the place of residence too takes on many names. And to think how simple it was. Through the practice of worship and rituals, the bridge was built linking both worlds of man and the divine. The rooms became conducive to the divine energies to reside. Sacrificing a portion of our space and devoting time to puja brought these energies both into the room and into us. When the home and our body is a temple why do we need to look outside?
When a veterinarian Dr. Nanjan, from Ooty, followed Tavayogi to Malaysia, he related his experience of seeing Agathiyar in the home of a couple who were worshipping Agathiyar. With their permission, when the doctor entered their prayer room he was shocked to see Agathiyar lying on the floor taking a nap. Agathiyar immediately sat, tied his long tresses and got up, and disappeared before his eyes. It was news to me then. Soon it happened at AVM too. The first instant of a similar incident took place when Jnana Jothiamma was visiting us in 2013. She chose to sleep with Agathiyar's bronze statue in our prayer room rather than sleep in my daughter's room upstairs. The next morning she asked me what was all the commotion and walking around in the middle of the night. We were equally puzzled. The next night she chose to sleep on the sofa in the living room. That is when she saw Siddhas walking in and out through the main entrance and into our prayer room, closing the door behind them each time they made an entry and exit into the spaces as in the movie "The Others". Eventually, the grand master himself appeared from my prayer room and stood to gaze at Jnana Jothiamma before leaving the home. As a bonus for Jnana Jothiamma and all of us too, Agathiyar opened his eyes in his bronze statue while libation or abhisegam was going on later that day. This miracle was captured on camera by my daughter. It was only apparent when she viewed the photos later and rushed down to show us all.
The next miracle was shown to an Australian of Chinese origin. She was in Malaysia giving a talk when N.S.Shan who frequents AVM asked me permission to bring her over on the way to the airport. Having picked her up Shan made an acquaintance with her. They shared the same story - that of the Siddhas. Upon arrival, I invited her into my prayer room. She was in it for a long time. Once she came out she was in a state of daze and disbelief as Agathiyar had given her his vision or darshan standing at ceiling height.
Though Agathiyar tried to show us visions too in this tiny room we never could see them with our naked eyes. It was akin to Tavayogi desperately showing me Agathiyar opening and closing his eyes in the granite statue at Agasthiyampalli back in 2005 while on our travels in India. I could not see it then either. I guess it needs several more births and much more practice to get a glimpse of them. But nevertheless, Agathiyar chose to come as breath and touch, dropping his attempt in trying to show himself to us as a vision. If I had once told Tavayogi that I only wanted one thing - that to see Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal, he replied that they shall come and threw a bomb - "Is that what I wanted?" That made me realize that this was not what we should seek. Indeed today we sense his presence both around us and within us as the Prapanjam, as the wind and breeze, as the sunlight, as the chill of the night, as the aroma and taste, and as the heat in us, as our breath, as the swirling in the crown of the head and its subsequent drenching. I guess this is what Tavayogi meant then and took the trouble taking me places where we could connect with the Prapanjam without hindrance.
God who stood before saints became to be depicted as paintings and statues in these forms to the masses who wanted to know what God looked like. Our ancestors, parents, and we are trained to see them this way all this while. But Agathiyar and Tavayogi broke that perception of God telling us that he was beyond form and name and man can never contain and quantify him in form and name. God was this very expanse that creates and holds everything together, that sustains and veils it too, and finally stands as grace before destroying its very creations.
What is this Prapanjam then? Looking up the dictionary or the internet we are told that it is the universe. But science says that there are several universes - "different universes within the multiverse, a "patchwork quilt of separate universes: "parallel universes", "other universes", "alternate universes", or "many worlds" all bound by the same laws of physics"1. Even Marvel speaks of Multiverse. That would lead us back to square one, that of many rather than the ONE source. Prapanjam is the source where everything began. It has been in existence since - who knows when. It shall exist in the future too. Prapanjam is partly what we see, hear, touch, feel, and smell around us with our organs of senses. It goes beyond the reaches of this physical body into the inner realms of the other bodies and its tattvas. It is indeed a mystery. The only way to know it is to become it. But once we are it we cannot possibly speak, narrate, describe, or show it to others. That is how I saw it as an expanse for a very brief moment not knowing what it was that I experienced then. Agathiyar came to endorse later that what I experienced was indeed a moment in Prapanjam. He asked me to envision how it would be to be fully immersed in it forever? A guru who recently gave his last sermon before his samadhi raised a pertinent point asking his followers to ponder where had all the saints gone or stepped into? That space can never be spoken about since we have stepped and merged into it then. We are one with it. But both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal at times chose to step out of this realm and come within devotees to express their state to us in the hope that we too follow.
Just as they keep us alive, it is we who keep the gurus and God alive. If in the former they keep us alive through the breath that flows continuously, which keeps all other organs alive and pumping and working, as a result keeping us alive, in the latter, remove their thought and both guru and god do not exist. But the irony is that this thought has to come from them first though whether to sustain or erase it is entirely in our hands. Faith and belief and the subsequent yearning are the cornerstones of all religions.
We are already as it is, a part of Prapanjam. It is just that we do not realize this. We need to drop or draw aside the veil to see through it, to see and know the truth. This comes by way of the guru who teaches us the means and the ways and eradicates fear and instead enhances devotion and bakthi. Emancipation finally comes by God's grace. What then is our role? To worship him and cry out hearts out to him. He shall listen and come running to us to clear all the obstacles and purify us to merge with Prapanjam.
We have got it all wrong we came to realize as Mahindren and I discussed this journey of ours just moments ago. For instance, we are literally worshipping the sandals or Paatham that are placed at our altars as an object of veneration. Instead, we should ask that "May we too gain the experience that they had in each step they took." I took Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's prayer that I read in a book of his as mine and asked for a guru to take me along on this journey when I started on the path with only his discourses and books to guide me back then in 2003. The appeal went as follows,
அகத்தீசா உனது சீடர்களாகிய ஒன்பது கோடி பேரும் என்னை சூழ்ந்திருந்து நான் விரும்பியதெல்லாம் முடித்து வைப்பதோடு மட்டுமல்லாது உன்னுடைய மலையாகிய பொதிகைக்கு என்னை அழைத்துவர என்னை சீடனாக நீ ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். நான் உய்வதற்கு அருள் புரிய வேண்டும். உனது அருள் பூரணமாக பெற்றல் வேண்டும்.
This prayer I believe brought Tavayogi and me together. Tavayogi volunteered to take me to all the sacred abodes of the Siddhas.
If Agathiyar has finally brought me to witness the workings of the Prapanjam after 21 years, Tavayogi had already introduced her to me in our walkings with him through the jungles and staying in the caves back then when I arrived at his Kallar Ashram the first time in 2005. After the usual greetings and a briefing of what an ashram life was like with the minimum of amenities and facilities, he asked me where should we go the next day. He gave me a choice of visiting some gurus in Ooty or visiting the caves in Uthiyur. I chose the latter. That is when he started to point out to the skies on our walk to the caves. He told me the Siddhas were ushering us with flowers. He pointed out to the sandalwood aroma in the air. He was connecting me with the Prapanjam but I did not realize then. Several days later bringing me places that Agathiyar mentioned in my Gnana Kaandam of the Nadi, he led me to several other places of his choice too. He took me to the caves of Kutralam and the lesser-known abodes and temples hidden in the jungles, away from the routine path of the tourist. If I had literally toured India in the comfort of a vehicle on my maiden trip in 2003, now I was practically running behind Tavayogi trying to catch up with him.
The line "வந்தித்தேன் உந்தன் பாதம் வானமுந் திறந்தாய் போற்றி", from a song in praise of Agathiyar,
clearly extols the greatness of the worship and praises to the Siddhas, something we have come to realize for ourselves too. Today Agathiyar has opened the gates to heaven and the saintly ones are coming in droves. Today we realize the truth in his words since experience has taught us much. He had been there hence he was telling us, revealing the source of our journey but we had failed to know her then even as the guru pointed out. We needed to start with rituals and worship and engage in yoga before we saw through the veil and saw her majesty. She was all the while with us in this great expanse but it needed the guru to lead us and show her to us after walking the path and stepping into his footsteps, gathering the experiences that he had had before. As the verse goes in the following song, உன் கால் தடம் நானே, என் தாய் நிலம் கண்டேனே, stepping into the imprint of his soles we gather the much-needed experiences of the master and guru that elevates us instantaneously to higher reaches or rungs of the spiritual ladder.
Just as the water seeps into the ground, we take on the style and character of the master or guru who like a fish swims in the waterbodies that we hold in us.
I asked Agathiyar to show me a form and name that everyone could accept. Not many would accept Agathiyar. So too it goes with all the founders of the mainstream religions. I told him that God has to be unbias and should be God to all, which means everyone should accept him. He told me he was the all-inclusive Prapanjam. I am contented knowing this. He had answered my yearning to know his true identity. I shall rest in peace.
In a spate of some 21 years Agathiyar who came to us as the voice behind the Nadi, as the speech behind the devotee, as the light in the eyes of his bronze statue, as the holy water of his libation, today after sending his statue away to grace another devotee's home, stands formless at AVM as the Prapanjam. At the same time, he has brought us a long way in our understanding and acceptance of this fact. It is indeed an amazing journey. Now I understand why Tavayogi told me, "Only now our true journey begins my son", "இனித்தான் நமது உண்மையான பயணம் துவங்குகிறது மகனே" as we stepped out of the hotel in Trichy to make our way to the Western Ghats. It all makes sense now. All the senses came into play on that journey of discovery. When Agathiyar took charge after I heeded his call to worship the Siddhas in his Nadi, the journey on the path trod by the Siddhas began. He came as the voice in the Nadi. When Tavayogi initiated me and several others with Agathiyar's mantra having us say it loudly, he was making the connection to Agathiyar. He came as the vibration in the mantra. When Agathiyar took charge after I heeded his call to get initiated again the same night of my second Nadi reading, Tavayogi made the connection through his touch. He came as the touch. When Tavayogi pointed to the skies above us as we walked towards the caves in Uthiyur, he told me the Siddhas were welcoming us by showering flower petals on us. He pointed out to me the aroma of sandalwood in the air. Agathiyar came as the wind and breeze and aroma in the air. He was trying to connect me with Prapanjam. Only one who has been there can show us the way and means. Before I left his Kallar ashram for Malaysia, he initiated me again pointing out to me to become aware of my breath. He had me touch my breath now. Two years later he gives us breathing and Asana practice that made way for the Prana to come within in huge doses that awakened the sleeping serpent. Three years on Agathiyar comes as the bronze statue. Three years later he opens his eyes in this statue just as he did at Agasthiyampalli and Papanasam on my journey with Tavayogi. He shows us that he can indeed manifest as stone and metal too. Now as he had me send away his statue he stays as the Prapanjam waiting to hug all those who come by. If initially, Agathiyar triggered the hidden vasanas and seeds of karma and gave solutions and healed those who came by AVM, now he is showering joy and bliss on them.
Ramalinga Adigal who surprised us by calling AVM "Gnana Peedham" says he will address devotees henceforth. We look forward to that moment with eagerness.
In a world of instant noodles and instant coffee, there are many out there who provide instant kundalini awakening, instant siddhis, and even instant moksha and instant mukti. Beware and be aware. Just as there are many scammers out for your money, where our greed for more ends in them cleaning out our bank account, in our enthusiasm to reach out to God we might lose our very life.
Nothing comes easy even the flight to the other realm. We have seen many fight for their lives at the tail end of their existence here. Then what more can we say about salvation. Do not fall for promises of instant formulas.
You must have done some work in a past life if it were to come easy in this life. Otherwise, it will be a struggle even to get on board the spiritual wagon. But watch out which wagon you get on into.
I was lucky all the way. I believe the charity and prayers of my parents + my ancestors who stood by me + the guardian angels who were there for me + the many upagurus whom I met + the gurus in physical form who came to me led me to = Agathiyar. Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal on their part connected me to the Prapanjam. I had a stroke of luck I suppose that lifted me up the ladder in this game of snake and ladder. Indeed it is a game. It is entirely his play. Submit and all goes well. Resist and things turn bad. As Lao Tzu says we need to go with the flow, but only after total surrender to him. For then we know that he is in charge. We know that all things happen with his blessings. If prior to that it was a result of our past karma and deeds after surrender know that all happenings are with his consent.
When the Prapanjam comes down it comes in torrents. A 29-year-old young girl had her experience with Prapanjam over the last weekend at AVM. She had tuned herself over the years toward God and was ready to receive the energy. We saw the magnitude of that force before our eyes working in that young soul. It took the form of Ramalinga Adigal and spoke to us.
The first time the Prapanjam was mentioned to us was in a Nadi reading on 27.8.2009. Agathiyar who gave me several yogic practices in the reading told me these practices would strengthen the state of Gnana in us further. The resulting clarity in our thoughts would pave the way to lure the Prapanjam for sure, he added. பக்குவமாய் பயிற்சியும் செய்து வர பலப்படுமே ஞான நிலை பலவாறாக. பல்வாறாய் தெளிவு திடம் சிந்தை கீர்த்தி பிரபஞ்சம் வசிய நிலை திண்ணம் திண்ணம்.
Later on 17.10.2010 Agathiyar told us that the Prapanjam was in him. Hence he shall present himself and grace us in whatever form we may worship him in. என்னுள் பிரபஞ்சம் உள்ளத்தப்ப. அவனியிலே எதை நினைத்து புசித்தாலும் அடுத்த கணம் அது வாய் மாறி ஆசி அதுவும் அளிப்பேன்.
Agathiyar who began to come through his devotees after the Nadi readers stopped coming over to Malaysia due to the pandemic, mentions that Ramalinga Adigal came into our midst on 21.2.2020 to bless us and help us bring within us the energy that is dominant in Prapanjam. வள்ளல் பிரபஞ்சத்திடம் இருந்து சக்தியைப் பெற்றுக் கொள்ள உதவினார்.
Ramalinga Adigal came in a youth in his late twenties on 14.3.2020. The energy literally uplifted the youth that the handful of us at AVM had to hold on to him lest he is lifted off. The Prapanjam came down with such intense energy that Ramalinga Adigal laughed and began chanting the Arutperunjothi mantra, prompting us to do the same. He was totally and fully immersed in bliss throughout his stay where he could hardly hold his ground. He was elevating. We had to hold on to the devotee through whom he came within. He was constantly telling us to bring the Prapanjam within and that it would listen to us and accompany us. Ramalinga Adigal had us recite the Mahamantra Arutperunjothi throughout the time. He brought down the grace and blessing of Arutperunjothi Aandavar.
என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது.... என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது.... திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது.... என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது... சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது... ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது. என்னுள் அது ஏறும்போது திரை அது விலகியது... என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது... திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...
He went on to inform us that Agathiyar shall come within as the Jothi to draw the veils aside. Agathiyar shall set aside the veil that hides Arutperunjhoti from us, he promises. Since we came to Agathiyar and his path, he will be the guiding light, he says. He asks that we continue on his path. Agathiyar shall lead us to Arutperunjhoti he adds. Agathiyar shall remain a guiding light to us, then, now, and forever.
திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் இருந்து வழி நடத்தி வருகிறார். அவன் வழியிலே நடந்து வாருங்கள். அத்திரை விலக்குவதற்க்கு அவன் அருள் புரிவான். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான். அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார்.
True to what Ramalinga Adigal told, Agathiyar said the same too on 29.6.2020. நீங்கள் உல் பயணிக்கும் பொது எல்லாம் தெளிவாகத் தெரியும் சமயம் திரை விலகியத்திற்கு அர்த்தம். நீங்கள் உல் பயணம் பயணிக்கும் பொது எல்லாம் தெரிய வரும் தருணம் திரை விலக்கியத்திற்கு அர்த்தம். எல்லாம் தெரிய வரும். எல்லாம் தெரிய வந்ததால் திரை விலக்கியத்திற்கு அர்த்தம் தானே? அதுதான் ஞானம். நான் உறுதுணையாக இருப்பேன்.
Agathiyar mentioned exactly what Frank Alexander wrote in his book, "In the Hours of Meditation", published by Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, 1993 - "All these veils of illusion shall be soon rent asunder for thee, and thou shalt behold me in my true nature." Indeed we now understand its true nature. I remember telling Agathiyar that I shall not recognize him if he was to be God only to us and not to others. His love should envelop all. He has shown us his true nature that goes beyond forms, appearance, name, tags and labels, color, race, and religion. He stands as all of Prapanjam. Agathiyar told us that he was the Prapanjam. He was us too. His powers were in us too. The moment we realize this truth we shall attain emancipation. நான் தான் பிரபஞ்சம். நான்தான் நீங்கள். என் சக்தி உங்களிடம் உள்ளது. எப்போது அதை உணர்விகளோ வீடு பேறு கிட்டும்.
On 20.7.2020 Agathiyar again reveals that Ramalinga Adigal brought the Prapanjam within us. வள்ளல் பிரபஞ்சத்தை தருவித்தார்.
The next time Ramalinga Adigal came, was during the Navarathri prayers at a devotee's home. He went around full of energy and love and hugged every individual.
On 30.11.2020 Agathiyar says that he was all the deities put together. He was the Prapanjam. நானே அணைத்து தெய்வங்கள். நானே பிரபஞ்சம்.
Agathiyar came on 10.12.2020 and spoke about the Prapanjam asking us to bring it within us. The Prapanjam would serve us. It would come along. பிரபஞ்சத்தை உள்ளுக்குள் செலுத்துங்கள். பிரபஞ்சம் உங்களுக்குக் கட்டு படும். துணை வரும்.
I guess this is what is meant by the Siddhas being able to perform at will the Siddhis.
On 6.5.2021, Agathiyar spoke again on the Prapanjam. பிரபஞ்சம் உனக்கு உதவி புரியும். நானும் துணை இருப்பேன்.
He made us understand that the doctor's role ends with the procedure done on their patients. Then Prapanjam takes over and begins healing the patients from within. He reassured my daughter that he shall stand by her and heal her eyes together with the Prapanjam. He shows my daughter the way to tap into the Prapanjam and bring it within to heal her eyesight. Again he reiterates that it was he who sent both me and her for the procedures. உங்கள் இருவரையும் நான் தான் அங்கு அனுப்பி மேலும் சிகிச்சை அளித்தேன்.
Ramalinga Adigal too came to show us the way to access and connect with the Prapanjam again. He says that the Prapanjam shall assist us. He too would come to assist. உன் கைகளை உயர்த்தி பிரபஞ்சத்துடன் தொடர்பு கொள்க. பிரபஞ்சம் உனக்கு உதவி புரியும். நானும் துணை இருப்பேன்
Lord Shiva passed on a message to a devotee during the Homam he conducted at his home on 15.5.2021. He said we were the cause of the virus that brought the world to a standstill and plunged the world into darkness. "Prapanjam used it for its purpose. In lieu of the lockdown, whenever and wherever possible continue with Homam. Join forces with the Prapanjam and use the Homam as a force field or shield and engaged in cleansing it. Those who carry out the prayer will be safe. The vibration that results from the prayer shall transform the atoms hence cleansing the Prapanjam. When it's cleansed the world will be completely rid of the virus. The virus will be around till that day. Lord Shiva shall join us in prayers to heal the Prapanjam. Share this with Shanmugam. Let it be known to all through his writings."
இந்த நோய் மனிதனால் உருவாக்கப் பட்டது. பிரபஞ்சம் அதனை உபயோகப் படுத்திக் கொண்டது. 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 செய்து வாருங்கள். யாரெல்லாம் கலந்துகொள்ள முடியுமோ கலந்து கொள்ளதும். பூஜையில் இணைவோருக்கு இந்த நோய் பாதிக்காது. ஷண்முகனிடம் இவற்றைப் பகிர்ந்துகொள்ளுங்கள். எழுத்து வடிவில் உலக மக்களுக்குக் கொண்டு சேர்க்கத்தும்.
On 10.12.2021 Agathiyar connected me to the Prapanjam. நீ என்னை உணர்ந்துவிட்டாய். இனி பிரபஞ்சத்தை உணர்வாய். உன் சிரசை திறந்து வைக்கிறேன்.
On 24.12.2021 Ramalinga Adigal came again to reveal the states of Arutperunjothi. We had carried out a puja in conjunction with Agathiyar's Jayanthi that day. We lit the Homam and did abhisegam to Agathiyar's statue. While a devotee was dressing him up, I picked up Ramalinga Adigal's "Agaval" and began to recite it. I could only recite until verse 305 "நாயினுங் கடையே னீயினு மிழிந்தேன் ஆயினு மருளிய வருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி" when strong emotions came over me, and I began to sob. I struggled to continue further, but could not go beyond verse 336. I have been reading the Agaval solo, and with my family, numerous times, but never could comprehend it. It was a mere song but a melodious one to me back then. But that day it was different for I could feel the words reverb in me, having me recall similar experiences. I stopped singing. To our amazement, Ramalinga Adigal picked up from where I stopped, through the devotee present. But the words were not that from the original "Arutpa", but were coined in real-time. Ramalinga Adigal composed a song, of the cuff. As he took us by surprise, we could only record the later part of his song. It went as follows.
என்னுள்ளீல் நீ உன்னுள்ளில் நான் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. போகமும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி … நீ கடந்து அறிவே நீ அறியும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. எல்லாம் செய் சித்தம் சிவனடி சேரும் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. ஆண்மையும் பெண்மையும் கலந்தன இறுதி வெளிப்படும் வெளிச்சமே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. இவை எல்லாம் தாண்டிக் கடந்தபின் காண்பது அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. இளமையில் நீ செய்யும் யோகங்கள் யாவும் முதுமையில் சேர்ந்திடும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. ஜோதியுள் ஜோதி அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. குளிர்ந்தது ஜோதி. வெப்பமும் ஜோதி. நீயும் ஜோதி. நானும் ஜோதி. பிரபஞ்சம் முழுதும் ஜோதி. மின்மினி போல் மின்னும் ஜோதி. பரத்தில் இருக்கும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி. இப்பரதேசியில் காண்பதும் ஜோதி. அருகில் வந்து அனைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.
Once more he tells us in these verses that the whole of Prapanjam was Light or Jothi.
Recently Ramalinga Adigal came again at the elderly couple's home and had all of us gather around him and hugging him. In all these moments we could see the immense love and affection of the divine that erupted as a volcano would. For three days on I felt feverish and had a sudden chill come over me in the middle of the night. My body was extremely hot inside, but I had no fever. Agathiyar came later and said that it was the Prapanjam that had come within to stay.
Agathiyar, like Tavayogi some time back, after connecting us to the Prapanjam, stepped aside and let us deal with her. I thought I had a brief moment and a brief encounter where I was the expansion. I had given up trying to piece things together, as I knew Agathiyar would sooner or later come to confirm these strange and mysterious happenings, both within and without. True enough he said that it was a very brief moment of touching the Prapanjam. He asked me to envision what it would be like to immerse completely in it. ஒரு நொடிக்கு பிரபஞ்சத்தில் இணைந்த நீ .... முழுதாய் இணையும் போது .....
Agathiyar before leaving AVM told us that he would bring the Prapanjam down. Indeed he has kept to his word.
His love and compassion know no bounds. Love is the essence of all our spiritual endeavors and practices. With love comes compassion and vice-versa. All religions speak about love. But sadly economic standing, race and color, and religion itself have been used to divide society and man on the whole by certain quarters. Nevertheless, I believe that our prayers shall save us and this wonderful world we live in.
It is all about space. And one door is a portal to the other. Man walks into a space and designates lots and puts up walls that then confine the existing space into smaller units and claims it as his own. He has a door or several others to have free access to the newfound space. It becomes his new home now. Then he allocates several rooms. This is how he goes about defining space into smaller units for each of his uses. He creates an altar that becomes a space for the divine energies to reside in. This goes the same for places of worship too. We have high walls that define the boundaries. We have several walls at times. We allocate space for each deity to reside.
Ramalinga Adigal in traveling the mystic bridge to the kingdom of God literally describes the structures he sees and the deities residing there. Each of them has a space to reside. As he passes them they come to acknowledge and greet him. Watching the Puranic movies we see the Gods walking through huge arches. These define their entry into another Logam or world.
Now after Agathiyar's bronze statue left for Sri Krishna's home, the door to Agathiyar's space is closed except when someone wants to walk in and meditate. This was what Agathiyar instructed.
When I asked Tavayogi while we were on the way to Bukit Rotan what Ramalinga Adigal meant by "Setavar yezhuvaar" or "the dead shall arise" he was not shy to admit that he did not know. He never attempted to give answers to all our questions, in other words, he was not a showoff. He only replied if he knew. We should have taken the cue from him then. When I was carrying out puja in the beginning only with my immediate family, Agathiyar brought many to watch and later participate. When some strangers shared their problems my wife and I made the mistake of going overboard and giving advice. Tavayogi took us to task later when I spoke to him over the phone regarding the troubles we brought onto ourselves with our big mouths. He asked us to show those who come straight to Agathiyar. Let them weep before him, hug him as they wish, and pour their grievances before him, he told us. We learned a lesson that day to zip up. But we never learn, do we, as man has a short memory.
But today I realize that he had touched the Prapanjam but chose to remain silent and spoke only when the need arose. He was indeed the Mouna Guru. For one who reaches this state, there is no right or wrong. Everything exists. Everything was in existence before mankind surfaced. Lands only needed to be discovered. People just needed to be identified. Man then introduced these "newfound" lands and their people and their culture, tradition and religion, and spiritual beliefs to his world and his people. Everything is then given a tag, name, and place on the map. Man does this to have a better understanding of these new discoveries for himself. Seeking to know if there was water on Mars that could sustain existence NASA confirms that liquid water flows there. The underwater world is truly amazing hidden from our eyes. Most of us only see partially. Yes, we only see what is above the ground until the scientists and networks go deep down into the sea and bring us these amazing views. Man only verifies all existence.
When one touches the Prapanjam he becomes self-contained, complete, and blissful. Bharathi knew this. He experienced it. It was shared in his songs. If Ramalinga Adigal called that unimaginable powerhouse Arutperunjothi, Bharathi called her Kannama. Hence it was understandable that everyday issues in sustaining oneself irritated him, as the man, when deeply engrossed in love and affection and enveloped by the Prapanjam, and while in her arms, has someone called out saying they were running out of salt and tamarind. Yes, when we are grounded in worldly affairs we need to look into our supply of groceries to see if it needs to be topped up. But Bharathi was no ordinary man now, he was reaching for the skies and beyond and was into the very womb of Prapanjam. Hence we understand why he failed as a householder and neglected his responsibilities. He was outdoors most of his time engaging with the elements and engrossed in the bliss and love that nature brought forth. He would end up missing meals and could hardly take care of himself. The same goes for Bhagawan Ramana engrossed in this blissful state in the underground Paataala Lingam on the temple grounds of Arunachala.
The following song calls out for us to love each other for LOVE is the one uniting factor - வெளியெல்லாம் காதலால் நிறைத்தால்
The world is full of love. Mother Earth is bubbling with love as the volcano bubbles with lava. The plants that are consumable called vegetables are sitting in the scorching sun just to feed us and other animals. The rocks and boulders withstand the blazing sun just to give us the minerals and much-treasured gems. Now what has man given back except reap and store, and leave the land depleted of its resources? How cruel can we be? I could not bring myself to watch the movie "Avatar" as man plundered other worlds driven by greed. Man sows hatred among others through economic standing, race, and religion. Though man has become a walking timebomb ready to explode and wipe out the world, there are countless souls out there trying to bring a balance to this. I guess this is what the Puranic stories meant when Agathiyar was summoned by Lord Shiva to bring balance to the world as all the Gods congregated at the wedding of Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati. When the Gods were in Kailash the world was left unattended momentarily and it was at the mercy of the Asuric forces I guess then. I presume that as Agathiyar walked the ground his presence changed the world making it a better place to live. The Puranic world I guess needed this Avatar then and we need him again now.
