Friends who read this blog have begun to drop in a line asking me to continue writing. I thank them for taking the time to message me.
"Definitely, this blog serves the purpose. U are always a lighthouse for me. I learn and get to know many things from the blog. In fact, I came to Agathiar appa thru this very website. All the changes u go thru, it might be difficult for me to comprehend now but I shall understand one day. Keep writing aiya."
Another reader referred to my earlier post and wrote in again.
"Ayya unga words la Agathiyar has already given me the answer to my dilemma...I always felt confused and guilty for not following the path the right way. I felt I am not doing justice to the Siddha path. I felt I was a bad disciple to Agathiyar. But your words here exactly convey what I needed the most...To pacify my confused mind. it's like Agathiyar giving a pat on my back saying "All is going well Jeeva, don't worry"...Nandri"
Another regular reader and friend wrote in again.
"Oh aiyya I've only started to read the later posts...but want to tell you this _ it is exactly what I needed!! You see. All is done according to Agathiyar's plan. He told me in my nadi that I will get stuck at a certain point and that a teacher will be there to clear my doubts. I really really hope, am sure it must be you! These days I'm climbing the difficult part of Siddha teachings and I was wondering who's going to explain those difficult concepts. For eg nadham and Bindu. Well, now I can dwell on these with peace of mind coz the teacher is there. After going through your posts I'll ask my doubts aiyya...pls help me. I know that you will."
To all my friends and readers, I would like to confess that I too am learning day by day. I do not have all the answers. I too have lots of doubts and questions. But each day we tend to learn something either by meeting someone or speaking to them or by an experience and a lesson that comes with it. I have come to realize that we are Upagurus for each other.
When we came to know about Agathiyar's five tenets for mankind that he presented before the Rishis during the Tamil Sangam of the past, from Vashisht Vaid's post on his blog https://holysageagathiyar.com/, it came as an assurance and endorsement to us that we were on the right track as we were already engaged in carrying out all that was mentioned. We have the method, the five tenets, gifted to us and already in the palms of our hands yet we are looking out and far for a means to salvation. Let us uphold Agathiyars five tenets for a purposeful life for now. He has spoken about the next state, that of a Jeevan Mukta or a Siddha that is waiting for us if only we make the effort to comply with the tenets.
As we journeyed with him he began to shift the goalpost. As just when we thought that we should desire a certain state Agathiyar had us drop that for another. As we slowly evolved with him, he finally revealed what we are to ask of him. He pointed us to the state, that of teaming up with them and the lineage before and doing God's work. If Tavayogi teamed up with them and did Agathiyar's work while in his physical form, today he carries out Agathiyar's work in the light form. Dhanvantiri came to us and told us that Tavayogi was still helping us in the light form to reach the abode of the Siddhas though he was laid in samadhi. Agathiyar said that Tavayogi was supposed to initiate a couple of devotees, but as he was doing Agathiyar's work, Agathiyar himself had to come. A devotee had a dream where she saw Tavayogi ferried by Lord Shiva on a boat with several others making their way to a land where stood a hill where Siddhas were going on with their work. Supramania Swami who saw the light and as Agathiyar confirmed later that he had attained samadhi, saw Siddhas going about their work on Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai.
The ultimate asking to seek his kingdom and to be one with his entourage (வாழையடி வாழை என வந்த திருக்கூட்டம்) dawned from within in those silent hours of contemplation and meditation in the midst of the Siddhas. This wish was put forth. Ramalinga Adigal came to endorse that this is what one should ask for. Instead of singling out and prioritizing our desires from a long list of existing wants, this is the ultimate yearning and desire that one should have. In attaining their ranks, all that was wished for comes within our reach. Prapanjam provides for those who selflessly do Agathiyar's work both in the physical world and the subtle too.
Since Agathiyar says that "It is tattvas that move man", and as they drive us continuously to engage with the world around us, we miss seeing the Atma that has been kept in cold storage. The tattvas hide the Atma from us.We have to shed these tattvas to explore the other. The guru comes along to bring us an understanding of these tattvas and bring us to an awareness of the existence of the Atma. "You may call tattvas an atom," says Agathiyar. Tavayogi wrote in his book "Andamum Pindamum" that the world emerged with the Pancha Maha Bhutam or five atoms coming together. Each atom carried 96 Tattvas. These Tattvas function in our bodies too.
இவ்வுலகம் ஐம் பெரும் பூத அணுக்களால் ஆனது. இந்த ஐம்பூத அணுக்களில் உள்ள ஒவ்வொரு அணுவிலும் 96 தத்துவங்கள் அமைந்துள்ளன. இந்தத் தத்துவங்களே மனித சரீரத்தில் செயல்படுகின்றன.
Swami Saravanananda wrote in his English rendering of the Arutperunjhoti Agaval by Ramalinga Swami published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras, "The cosmic space is beginningless and is full of atoms of souls called Atmas. The atoms in cosmic space are of 3 types (immature, transitional, and mature)."
Science says that "All living things on Earth are composed of fundamental building blocks of matter called elements. More than 100 elements are known to exist, including those that are man-made. An element is a substance that cannot be chemically decomposed. Oxygen, iron, calcium, sodium, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen are examples of elements. Each element is composed of one particular kind of atom. An atom is the smallest part of an element that can enter into combinations with atoms of other elements."
"Atoms consist of positively charged particles called protons surrounded by negatively charged particles called electrons. A third type of particle, a neutron, has no electrical charge. Protons and neutrons adhere tightly to form the dense, positively charged nucleus of the atom. Electrons spin around the nucleus."
It is interesting to note that "The electron arrangement in an atom plays an essential role in the chemistry of the atom. Atoms are most stable when their outer shell of electrons has a full quota. The first electron shell has a maximum of two electrons. The second and all other outer shells have a maximum of eight electrons. Atoms tend to gain or lose electrons." (Source: https://www.cliffsnotes.com).
If in the above piece it speaks of maximum of eight electrons the next source states that it can hold up to eighteen. Nevertheless we understand further that,
"The Bohr model shows the atom as a central nucleus containing protons and neutrons, with the electrons in circular electron shells at specific distances from the nucleus, similar to planets orbiting around the sun. Each electron shell has a different energy level, with those shells closest to the nucleus being lower in energy than those farther from the nucleus. The shell closest to the nucleus, 1n, can hold two electrons, while the next shell, 2n, can hold eight, and the third shell, 3n, can hold up to eighteen. (Source: https://www.khanacademy.org)
Science and scientists have enlightened us about our body and the world around us, our existence, and our possible origin. They chose to tell. If scientist share their discoveries, why do spiritualists, albeit for some like Ramalinga Adigal and some others, choose to keep it a secret? It is truly frustrating for someone keen to take the first step, who yearns to know more to be kept in the dark. The great saints told all. They revealed all. It is the lesser ones and those who are still in doubt who do not share a thing.
If the blog carried tales of his travels in present times and praise to him earlier, Agathiyar wanted me to write about what was taking place within me. But it was nothing much to shout about in comparison to what the saints have written and spoken. But going by the few messages I received from my readers, I realized that what is shared was appreciated and that they too now have an inkling of where the path is leading to. They too want to undertake the journey. Just as the unschooled Hanna Schmitz seeks to have someone read her a story in the movie "The Reader", and Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd goes from town to town reading the news in the movie "News of the World" and just as one who has gone on without food for days appreciates a grain of rice, it makes me happy and brings on a sense of immense satisfaction that just like my guru has helped me, we have helped at least one soul to see the light too.
Ramalinga Adigal crows waking up the souls to the reality that was possible which he had seen and experienced. Imagine if he had chosen to keep mum about it. We would not have the Arutpa to refer to and confirm our own experiences. Imagine if Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal had chosen not to come in our midst. We would still be in the dark after the demise of our physical guru. Imagine if the Siddhas had not provided an avenue to communicate with them through the Nadi, we would still be lost and struggling to find our way home.
Man has to share knowledge. This option is not available to animals. Animals don't school. Man has so many avenues available to better his lot. While animals have to abide by certain natural laws in place, man is privileged to know himself and move up the evolution ladder by his effort and at his own pace. We have total freedom to free ourselves from the grip of nature. The saints commanded nature. Prapanjam aided them in their quest and venture.
Tavayogi who took to the stage to preach and share his experience and knowledge with the public, rather opted to show it to me instead. There was never a proper class or discourse or question-answer session between us. He invited me to his ashram on our first meeting in Malaysia and chose to bring me places that he had stayed in during his days of searching. Agathiyar too instructed me to spend some days with him after rerouting me to him directly rather than gather at the local affiliate that he had come to officiate then, livelong.
The thought of sharing my maiden journey to India to carry out the remedies meted out to me by Agathiyar in my first Nadi reading set the ball rolling. It brought out the creative side of me, although I was already a good artist by others' standards. I created several websites that came free then and began to write on my gurus and my sole journey then.
http://www.indianheartbeat.fws1.com,
http://www.indianheartbeat.20m.com,
http://www.tavayogi.webs.com,
http://www.wix.com/tavayogi/agathiyan,
http://indianheartbeat.wix.com/agathiyan,
http://indianheartbeat.wix.com/tavayogi,
http://sidha-heartbeat.webnode.com and
http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com.
I switched over to blogging in 2013, for ease of including media as it did not require me to write HTML.
My first venture into and attempt at writing books was when I compiled the Siddhas hymns that I had been singing during prayers into a book of praise to Siddhas, "Siddhargal Potri Thoguppu." The hymns were from various sources: Thavathiru Rangaraja Desiga Swamigal of the Sri Agathiyar Sanmaarga Sangam, Ongarakudil, Turaiyur, Tamilnadu, India; Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigalaar of the Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham Thirukovil in Kallar, Kovai, Tamilnadu, India, and other publications. As I came across more hymns I included them too and the volume later expanded to become "Agathiyar Pusai" or "The Complete Book of Praise to Agathiyar".
Initially, these were for my personal reference only and were used as a textbook during our home puja. Later as we distributed them to fellow devotees the books and the songs made their way into their homes and temples too. It brought immense satisfaction to see it being put to good use.
I posted these books and others that I wrote later online for others to read and as a reference on some free platforms like http://www.scribd.com, and http://www.slideshare.net. The books I wrote are available to view and download free on the web version of this blog too.
At the request of Jnana Jothiamma who was then residing in the U.S.A, I began to stream the puja for her eyes only. Later following another request from a reader, I began to use some free platforms to stream to the public.
Just as Agathiyar wanted me to share the internal changes and experiences now with readers of this blog, he had many turn up after their Nadi readings at my home beginning in 2013, to watch and participate in the Siddha puja I carried out with my family. It brought a sense of cohesiveness and solidarity in seeing others walk the same path too.
Returning home from Kallar in 2005, I was given various tasks to perform, both through the Nadi and by Agathiyar and Tavayogi. I was asked to carry out the fire rituals or lighting the Homam at home with directions and guidance from my gurus. Though I was initially reluctant to engage in rituals, they told me that besides the ritual contributing towards personal or individual gain as in pacifying, reducing, or removing our past karma, a bigger and greater intent was revealed - that of healing the universe or Prapanjam. I was told that this act of dharma will help sustain the world and all its creation. I could then step into it with a full heart as I knew then that it was for the good of mankind and nature at large.
Bringing me to do charity that was introduced by Tavayogi at his Kallar ashram, I begin to look for opportunities to do a similar task on a smaller scale, according to my means, once back home. I was told that this act of dharma is lauded as the highest service one could give of himself to man and beast.
As the years passed by Agathiyar had a message for us through Suren's Nadi reading in 2018, that there is indeed a higher act of dharma above and beyond the rest. He said that besides acts of dharma, singing their praise, and eyeing their Holy feet, that we had engaged in till that moment, showing the way of the guru and standing by it was the highest dharma.
இது காலம் மாந்தர்களின் சிரம் பொருட்டு எடுத்துரைப்போம் பல தர்மம் நீதிக்கு ஒப்பாம் மங்கல துதிகளும் கதி உணர்ந்து மகிழ்வுடன் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டோம். உத்தமமாய் தர்மங்களில் சிறந்தது உயர்வான குரு வழியைக் காட்டி நிற்பது.
I guess I had hit the jackpot. I believe this blog serves this purpose. Thank you readers for what good would all these writings be if there was no one to read them.
As of this moment, the readership of this blog stands as follows.
And the breakdown of readers in the past seven days according to their respective countries is as follows.
I always believed a teacher should be comprehensive and knowledgeable in all aspects of life. If a religious guru has one more tag to his name as a competent ritualist, a spiritual guru should have had the experience of knowing the body, the breath, and the soul in order to guide others coming and arriving at that platform. The 21 years of tutorship and experiences and lessons learned coupled with the grace of the gurus and the divine and the transfer of merits from their tavam and vice versa have brought about mutual growth. Today my gurus though no more in their physical form are in a position to continue to give a hand in the subtle form to raise us to higher levels of evolution. Agathiyar too tells us that he had invested much time and effort in us and asks us not to while our time away. They are indeed serious about getting us where we are supposed to get to, like it or not.
As a friend who wrote earlier cries her heart out telling us that "It hurts me to even think that he talks about all that matters of wealth, romance, papangal, etc through Nadi still. Whatever state they are in _ it is still painful", Tavayogi too was jolted off his seat and dreaded reading the Jeeva Nadi in his possession when someone called by to see the Nadi when he was in Malaysia in 2016 and asked for a forecast bet in the races. It saddens us to see how we are using the Siddhas for our selfish purposes. If only we knew the greatness of the Siddhas.
As we look back at what Tavayogi preached about them it becomes our duty to re-instill the lost glory of the Siddhas amidst us. As Ruzbeh Bharucha asks "What else can we give Them? We miserable bacteria have only this to offer Them, our true selfless love, and spread Their Fragrance through each moment of ours", that is the least we could do. When I told Agathiyar that I would like to enhance his fame, அகத்தியருக்கு பெருமை சேர்க்க வேண்டும், he questioned me back how would I do it as he stood as the very vibration that moves this Prapanjam, and as he stood as the Prapanjam itself? Was it possible he asked? நிலை அற்றவன் அகத்தியன். உணர்வே அகத்தியன். எவரால் அவனுக்குப் பெருமை சேர்க்க முடியும்? I guess it would be possible if we became the very vibration that he speaks about.
Annie Besant in her talks on "The Laws of the Higher Life", published by the Theosophical Publishing House, 1903, says that just as we have an obligation and responsibility towards the family and society, that is an outer obligation, there is "an inner law that demands sacrifice from us, where everything is done gladly and willingly and in perfect self-surrender." "The sacrifice that is a faint reflection of the divine grows in him as he has connected with the larger consciousness. The divine consciousness begins to work through him its laws expanding to envelope all those who he comes into contact with. A movement is generated to do His divine bidding. Whoever throws his heart at the Lotus Feet of the Divine is roped into his mission. He becomes a channel of the divine outpouring transmitting not his love but the great outpouring of love of the divine. He becomes His apostle. Then nature is conquered through his obedience."
"Here we see a consciousness that shapes bodies according to its needs, gradually refining them and bringing them under the control of the higher....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."
"The brain has to be changed, refined, improved, its connecting links fashioned and manufactured for the purposes of the expression of the higher consciousness."
"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 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." When I could not remember all the things Agathiyar spoke about and failed to deliver some messages to another devotee, Agathiyar pointed out that if we could engage with the Prapanjam we shall not forget these messages.
But man is in constant bombardment of "coarser magnetism of the outer world", where "rougher vibrations" assail him says Annie. Yogi Ramsuratkumar had mentioned that it would be tough to meditate in current times due to the excessive waves that surround us. He says that it is a blessing indeed if one could go into a meditative state in these times where there are a myriad of waves emitted from appliances and gadgets that disturb meditation. We learn about this from "Meeting with Yogi Ramsuratkumar" by Will Zulkowsky.
"He said that in the old days, the scriptures were in the air and all you had to do was be silent and you could tune in to the scriptures and hear them. He could feel it, he could live it. But now there is electromagnetic interference from the TVs, from the radios, from the short waves, the cell phones, from all the static we’re putting in the air electronically, and it’s interfering with the scriptures – it’s a big impediment. He says that’s why the dharma is falling because people can no longer hear the scriptures when they are quiet. He was so sensitive that he could feel what the influence of the satellites was and what they were up to. “Your satellites are interfering with this beggar’s work.” Even Agathiyar when he comes to us asked that we off all artificial lighting. What burns in these moments is the wick in the oil lamp.
Agathiyar told us that that which we sort after does not have a form. "It has no name. It has no tattvas while man has 96. A Gnani only has 36 tattvas. Brahman has 24. When he is the universe itself he has only 5 tattvas. Eventually, even this is shed. This is what I had questioned you earlier, whether you are in the universe or whether it is within you. You need to see what I have seen. It is tattvas that move man. You may call it an atom."
நீ தேடி செல்லும் ஒன்றுக்கு வடிவம் இருப்பதில்லை. நாமம் இருப்பதில்லை. தத்துவங்கள் இருப்பதில்லை. மனிதனாகப் பிறந்தவனுக்கு தத்துவங்கள் 96. அவனே ஞானியாகப் பிறகும்பொழுது அவனுக்கு 36ராக மாறுது. அதிலே ப்ரஹ்மானாய் பிறகும்பொழுது 24 மாற்றப்படுகிறது. அவனே அண்டமாய் உருவெடுக்கும்பொழுது 5தாக மாறுகிறது. தீ, நீர், நிலம், ஆகாயம், காற்று. அவனே அண்டமாய் மாறும்பொழுது தத்துவமே இல்லாமல் போகும். இவையே அன்று நான் அண்டத்துக்குள் நீ இருக்கிறாயா அல்லது உன்னுள்அண்டம் இருக்கிறதா என்று வினாவை வைத்தேன். நான் கண்ட திருக்கோலம் யாவரும் காண வேண்டும் (நீ கண்டது நாங்கள் காண வேண்டும்) கான்பிராக வனத்தில் இருப்போர் அனைவரும் கான்பிராக (புலம்பல்). அதுவும் ஒரு தத்துவம்தான். மனிதனின் ஒவ்வொரு செயளிலும் தத்துவம் தான் அவனை நகர்த்துகிறது. அதை நீங்கள் அணுவென்று அழைக்கலாம். அந்த அணுவும் தத்துவதே ஒட்டியுள்ளது.
So it looks like the idea here is to reduce the 96 tattvas to nothing like shedding our clothing.
Since I sounded the alarm that I intended to stop writing several readers who were friends of mine messaged me asking why and so suddenly. I was not one to hold on to things, positions, etc. I take it in my stride to accept them if compelled out of love and I easily could let go of it. I had initiated a club exclusively for Indian students when I was in secondary in a missionary school. Father Damien its Director then, gave us all the support and encouragement then. I was asked to take on the post of President too which I did. Later when my daughter was in secondary I was picked by the other parents to head the Parent Teachers Association. I served one term during the years 2015 and 2016 before relinquishing it willingly after a parent who was a police officer with a Datukship and the rank of SACP attached to the King's palace came along. I thought he could serve the school better in his capacity.
If I had taken on these responsibilities after some persuasion, I find it difficult to take on the responsibilities that come with the offers made by Agathiyar. Calling me to his path through my first Nadi reading in 2002, he asked me to build a temple. In my excitement, I ventured to ask existing temple committees for space to house Agathiyar. None offered. I dropped the idea. When Supramania Swami mooted the idea we worked towards building a temple for Lord Murugan in his hometown Tiruvannamalai. But a Siddha came along and stopped our venture. When Tavayogi intended to build one for Agathiyar we joined forces and completed the venture. I thought that I had done my share but in 2018 Lord Murugan comes in the Nadi asking for a temple telling me that I shall do it differently. How different would that be I questioned myself. Seeing my silence he gets Agathiyar to confront me. As I chose to remain silent he told me "Fine I shall do it". I was relieved and thanked him. 18 months later and as the time he gave was up and there was no temple, he told me in the Nadi that he had tested me. I had escaped a trap laid for me. I would have stuck in the temple. I would have stagnated there and seen no progress if I was to have done it. It reminded me of one of the gurus from Ooty whom Tavayogi led me to on my visit to Kallar. He was stuck in the temple. So when Tavayogi wanted to build one I questioned him too as he always told us to step into the path of Gnana. I understood that it was for others. Supramania Swami who was on the path of Gnana was apprehended by a Siddha for wanting to build a temple. He dropped his wish later.
Prior to coming to read the Nadi that I heard Dr. Krishnan speak about for the very first time in 1996, looking through my horoscope, the Dr. told me Siddha Medicine and astrology would come easy for me. He was willing to teach me but I wasn't keen to pursue it. I would have stagnated there and seen no progress. Soon Agathiyar began to reward me. Agathiyar came in the Aasi Nadi calling me over for weekly readings at one juncture. I would look forward to what he would say, as he and the other Siddhas were guiding me well, besides the telephone conversation I had with Supramania Swami till 2006 and Tavayogi till 2018. I had seen the Nadi some 56 times. Agathiyar hinted that I shall receive the Nadi for my use and that of others. I never wanted it. I would have stagnated there and seen no progress.
Agathiyar who had appraised us for carrying out Siddha puja and charity, took on the name we gave for our home Agathiyar Vanam. Later he conferred the name Gnana Kottam. Lord Murugan later conferred the name Agathiyar Tapovanam. Lately, Ramalinga Adigal conferred the name Gnana Peedham. But we did not advertise the place even after it has seen much activity. The place would have mushroomed into a center. We would have been caught in a name and stagnated there. It reminded me of another swami whom Tavayogi showed me in the hills of Ooty who was in line to take over the administration of the ashram after the demise of his guru but was sidelined. He voiced his disappointment and unhappiness to Tavayogi. I had no fear for no one though would compete to take over AVM as it was a family home.
When the pandemic came and brought a halt to these readings as the Nadi readers returned to their homeland, it was a turning point for us too in many ways. The external activities as in Puja and doing charity came to a halt too as directed by Agathiyar. Agathiyar had me dissolve the WhatsApp group AVM created to bring together devotees and update them on our puja and its offshoot Amudha Surabhi shared the news on our charity programs. If we were to pursue it, I would have stagnated there and seen no progress. I could accept and follow easily the instruction to close the shop but closing the group wasn't as easy as tapping a key. I had to sit and remove each of the 100-plus names manually. The AVM family had to shed their hold on these activities that they held dear and close to their hearts. We were instructed to go within.
In going within we had to shed further our hold on our thoughts, plans, likes, dislikes, and many other things. We began to surrender to Agathiyar and his cause. He had me continue writing about the changes and the new experiences that began to take place within the body, having me drop carrying his praise in this blog. This reminded me of the last swami Tavayogi showed me in Ooty who kept to himself in a large mansion. Tavayogi touched his feet and later told me he was a Gnani.
During the pandemic and endemic phase, and in the absence of the Nadi readers, Agathiyar and the other Siddhas and the Gods came directly to us through devotees guiding us further. Agathiyar in initially coming through me would attend to the sick too. When my wife and I were not comfortable as it was a family home then with two school-going kids, he listened and withdrew his act. Besides I would have stagnated there and seen no progress. But soon he made me understand that he was not in any way inconveniencing my family but only using us and our homes to look into the troubles and problems of his devotees. We conceded and stepped back and began to watch as what Agathiyar and Lord Murugan told us. Then Agathiyar said that he would stop coming through me. It was a relief of sorts for otherwise I would have stagnated there and seen no progress.
Soon he moved "house" coming through youngsters in their twenties and thirties. It was sort of a relief as it came with a huge responsibility. Any mistake I make shall reflect on Agathiyar. Agathiyar had told me back then to walk tall as I walked his path. Agathiyar who came as the bronze statue to AVM in 2010 moved house too into the home of a devotee who also cared for his granite statue at a temple in the city. I could let him go too. If I had held on to his idol, I would have stagnated there and seen no progress.
As it is I had stagnated far too long, some 15 years, at the Manipuraka after starting the internal journey in 2007 and traversing the chakras as Agathiyar revealed. I have only a few years to catch up on lost time if time permits and if Agathiyar permits me to reenter the race to achieve a body of light.
Now Agathiyar wants me to be a guru to several devotees. After seeing and meeting Tavayogi and Supramania Swami and taking discipleship under them I cannot bring myself to fit into their shoes. We can nowhere come close to them. Just as a friend returned from Kailash in 2011 to tell us how he felt so minute before that majestic mountain, I too feel and know how small I am compared to my gurus. It is a huge responsibility to shoulder. If the student fails the guru fails and vice-versa as we are dependent on each other.
As someday all good things have to come to closure too, so too it shall be with my writings, I thought. That was what I was contemplating the past few days. But the love of my readers has convinced me to carry on writing. As Ramalinga Adigal told us that the more we refuse the more Prapanjam shall reward us, I guess this is one way of the Siddhas showing their appreciation towards us for sticking around for some 21 years.
Call me selfish but I believe that there is more to it than receiving these perks that come our way as we travel the lesser-known path that the Siddhas have shown. When bringing AVM to a closure, Agathiyar told us that henceforth the path had narrowed and only one could travel at a time and asked us not to wait for others to catch up as then our journey shall be hindered and delayed, I realize that it is time to travel alone now.
We can lay rules to admit or not another to the fold of our beliefs and codes to fulfill or uphold in our practices. But the final say is with our body and his grace. One man cannot hold another from attaining the state of Godhood. His body has to attain a state whereby it undergoes changes and transformations to the very cells that transmute into even finer, subtle, and pure elements. Hence bringing a body that fares well even under the onslaught of bad weather thrives to see the light. Our past karma determines the body and soul and the count that comes with the breath or uyir. Hence even if we fail in our attempt in this birth to strike gold the merits of the karma that were earned now shall gift us a body, a soul, and sufficient counts of breath to attempt again in the next birth. This is why the Siddhas at the onset scan through our past lives and look into the book of accounts to study the karma, the merits, and the debts that we have earned in past births.
Now I understand why Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar gets everyone who drops by his Ongkaara kudil to do charity. He has brought together a massive following of devotees who are committed to doing charity by way of feeding hundreds each day. While he emphasizes charity Tavayogi gets us to carry out worship to the Siddhas. Both these can turn the tables on bad karma and give us a new lease in attempting to achieve the body of light.
Now we understand why Ramalinga Adigal too had to mention karma as explained by Swami Saravanananda in his English rendering of the Arutperunjhoti Agaval by Ramalinga Swami published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras.
"Due to the differences in the levels of will, wisdom, and action (karma) that are found in the cosmic space, Atmas have come to possess threefold bodies (karmic, Pranava, Gnana)."
In the introduction to Lama Kunga Rimpoche and Brian Cutillo’s translation of MIRACULOUS JOURNEY - Further Stories and Songs of Milarepa, Lotsawa,1986, Vivian Sinder and Brian Cutillo write,
"Because the relationship between action and experience rules samsara, liberation is not attained by ignoring cause and effect. Instead, by working with it to create conditions conducive to spiritual growth, one creates a solid ground for the ultimate leap to freedom."
Milarepa like the Siddhas, spoke to simple folk about the need to make use of this precious human existence for spiritual advancement and not to ignore karma. One's previous good karma and the number of austerities or tavam put in in the past lives decides and determines the state of spiritual life and circle into which one would take birth. If one prepares for the next birth by doing good right here and now, a conducive environment is created for him to further advance spiritually in the next. I guess the reason only a handful of saints achieved these states before is that they had put in much of the work in their previous births and were reaping the prize of their efforts now. So too we have to start engaging in charity and puja that shall bring on suitable birth, body, soul, and the said counts required to achieve the state in another life. We can then begin the journey then of our self-discovery.
The planetary movements create an avenue, the space and time for one to reap what he has sowed. It is as if we have taken a loan from a bank and there is a time frame to settle the loan. Some opt for a short repayment period but that brings them to tighten their belt while others may go for a longer period so that they would not feel the pain of repaying the loan. One who wants to settle his karma in a jiffy takes an animal birth where its lifespan is short. An animal birth is taken to exclusively cleanse itself of karma. It does not add further karma. It lives as long as it has karma to be exhausted. Once its karma is exhausted it dies. The animal takes on the torture and pain to expedite its evolvement from an animal back to a higher being. Eventually, after many births, it takes birth as a human where it no longer acts solely according to its survival instinct. As man can think and differentiate matters, that’s the reason human birth is considered superior. As man can reach out to bring a change around him and reach within to bring a change in him human birth is seen to be empowered. As man can reach for both the skies and the deep seas, he is considered a genius. If man pursues in this direction he might one day discover the crown and feet of Lord Siva that even the other Gods were unable to see. As man is the only being that can transform himself into light human birth is considered rare.
One's karma creates incidents and situations which bring forth experiences to the person's concern. These experiences then start to shape his thinking and opinion. Once man realizes that he cannot escape from the clutches of karma, he should then take the initiative to live life with a total awareness of what he is doing from moment to moment. Agathiyar reminded me of this after he helped me clear my baggage. As Karma is like a shadow continuously following us, Agathiyar asks his children to indulge in prayers, go on pilgrimages, increase the acts of doing dharma, and by doing so try to escape from the clutches of the dreaded karma. Agathiyar in my case is known to substitute the consequences of my past actions. For instance, in the event I was to lose my life, he would replace that with having me face financial losses instead, hence saving my life. But some will realize that even after whatever prayers they conduct, the numerous pilgrimages they take on, the enormous charity and good acts they do, and the extensive austerities or tavam they perform, there is no relief in sight. Agathiyar asks that we take on the difficulties and face these hardships willingly, promising not to desert them. There are karma that is forgiven and also those that are not forgiven. The simplest way to overcome one's karma is to face it boldly. We see the saints face it without interfering.
Agathiyar gave me his Moola mantra in my Nadi reading and asked that I share it. I uploaded a video on YouTube. It goes as follows,
"Aum Srim Aum
Satguru Patamay
Saaba Paaba Vimosanam
Rowga Ahungaara Dhur Vimosanam
Sarva Deva Sagala Siddha Oli Rupam
Sarguruve
Aum Agastiya
Kiranta Kartaaya Nama"
You do not need a guru to initiate you into it. The most compassionate father gave his Moola mantra so that we would be relieved of their sufferings that are our own doing. This mantra would serve those who have no access to reading their Nadi. Agathiyar explained the benefits derived by chanting his mantra. It wards off curses, sins, illness, and arrogance. No count is required. Say it as often as you can. Do not worry if you say it or pronounce it wrongly. The important thing is to get on it immediately.
Man needs to arrests not only his immediate karma but the karma of his past seven births. Besides these, he has to shoulder the karma of his ancestors too, 21 generations. That is the extent of karma he has to work on.
Initially, as I dwelt deeper into the path, I was sad that some who came to watch the worship of the Siddhas at my home AVM, and the charity programs that we carried out under our charity wing Amutha Surabi, could not see the magnitude of the Siddhas and their capabilities. Some left. Many stayed behind. There were a handful who were committed to learning and teaching others too besides carrying out the rituals and charity themselves. But most of them still turned towards AVM to fulfill the quota of carrying out Kriya rather than start and turn their home into AVM too.
When I put forth my sadness to Tavayogi who came through a devotee after he went into samadhi, he simply said "Let it be. They were born to fulfill their desires and wants." He reasoned that they have to live out their desires. Otherwise, it shall follow them. "Some take a birth merely to see through their worldly desires and yearnings. They need to fulfill these. Let them be. Otherwise, the karma shall follow till it is exhausted", he reiterated.
சில மனிதர்களின் பிறப்பு அவர் இச்சைகாக, ஆசைக்காக. அவன் ஆசைகாகப் பிறந்தான். ஆசையில் திளைத்து விட்டு முடித்து விடுவான். அவன் போக்கில் விட்டு விடு. இல்லாவிட்டால் வினை தொடர்ந்து கொண்டே வரும்.
Agathiyar too mentioned the same when a devotee approached him telling him that she could not bring her father to become a vegetarian. He told her to let him be. In fact, he asked her to cook and give him fish meat and fulfill his last wishes. When my daughter brought to his attention that she could not stop others from feeding her children meat, Agathiyar asked to let it be. He replied that he would change whatever goes into their stomach. It reminds us of how saint Raghavendra changed the meat served to him by a ruing Nawab into flower petals.
I backed off and accepted the fact that not all souls were here to make an effort to reach the states that the Siddhas tell us are possible.
When Tavayogi spoke about the receptiveness of people to certain teachings, he classified them as having the nature of petrol, charcoal, and peat. Petrol catches fire easily. Charcoal if fanned will catch on and burn well. Peat fires may burn for great lengths of time, or smolder underground and reignite later when the wind blows. If Tavayogi spoke about the three kinds of people namely those who ignite immediately; those who catch fire when fanned and those who turn away, I was surprised to learn that Bhagawan Ramana too has distinguished them similarly. He associates them with gunpowder, charcoal, and wet coal. Recently I came across this distinction used again in the documentary movie "Samadhi - The Pathless Path",
"Some like dry wood need just a spark to light up. Others require more preparation as in wet wood that needs some time to dry out before they ignite. They need teachings, and practices to loosen the bonds of the self-structure to become free of samskaras."
As Swami Saravanananda wrote in his English rendering of the Arutperunjhoti Agaval by Ramalinga Swami published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras, "The cosmic space is beginningless and is full of atoms of souls called Atmas. The atoms in cosmic space are of 3 types (immature, transitional, and mature). Due to the differences in the levels of will, wisdom, and action (karma) that are found in the cosmic space, Atmas have come to possess threefold bodies (Karmic, Pranava, Gnana)"
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 others are those who are in the front of evolution and of a subtler nature.
I understood and accepted that they too shall come around in good time maybe in another birth if not this.
Just as there are differences in the expectations and wants and approach of these devotees, even the self-made gurus tend to harbor desires and wishes. They get caught in his web and are not able to evolve further. Tavayogi took me to see several Gurus so that I could learn to see that not all are the same, see the differences between them and understand certain truths.
Ruzbeh Bharucha in his post at https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/we-deserve-the-guru-we-get too speaks about these differences. "So even if a Master comes through an individual, even if an individual can predict the future, even if the chap can materialize rolex waterproof watches made in Taiwan, that still does not make that individual a Guru. Unfortunately, we have made these individuals, whether they wanted it or not, who are more like life instructors into Gurus.... they too are on the path, in the same boat as we are, and maybe they are in the first class cabin, while we grapple shoveling coal in the furnace of the damn steamer, but still, they too are traveling in the same boat. "
"So, whose fault is it when one's faith is shattered by these normal people with some extraordinary ability? It is our fault. So first of all we need to get this into our heads that a medium or a channel or a wise person or somebody who is well versed with Scriptures, though maybe a decent human being, maybe a good person, maybe a genuinely helpful chap, is just that, a person who is decent at heart and wants to help out. Why have we started to place these individuals on a pedestal and then when the poor bastard does something wrong we want to hang the person from every social media lamp post and do a detailed anatomical dissection of his mangled life?"
"There are Spiritual Giants and there are noble people in the field of spirituality. The difference is like twenty-four-carat gold and ten-carat gold and very often gold-plated stuff." He points out that the "Spiritual Giants, Perfect Masters are not traveling in the boat...They are the Boat.....Thus we have slotted these good people, in a role that has been traditionally reserved for Perfect Masters and truly Evolved Beings. .. the Masters want us to become the Miracle by living each moment of our lives, giving our very best, with no thought of rewards and no fears of perceptions and to accept our lot with grace and with the firm conviction that our Master truly knows Best."
"Live each moment as though you are answerable to Him or Her. Live each moment as one's offering to Him or Her. Live each moment giving our hundred percent and then accepting whatever is in store for us, calmly, gracefully, and with joyful surrender. I think that is what They want. What else can we give Them? We miserable bacteria have only this to offer Them, our true selfless love, and spread Their Fragrance through each moment of ours."
It is we who place a person on a high rank, a top spot, be it in the political arena or the spiritual field. All the adoration leads to making them inaccessible to us eventually. While many turn up at ashrams and centers to enroll and learn the "trade" of negotiating with God, many others stand by as bystanders but assist in so many ways in running the mission. They might not have high aspirations but yet come around to serve in any capacity. Many gurus hide the fact that they need us too, ordinary people to help them fulfill their dreams. Just as the seekers, followers, aspirants, and disciples need the guru to show them the how, and why of things religious and spiritual, the guru needs the disciples to strengthen his hold and position and evolve further too. We are connected through this matrix of life just as the strands in the spider web or clothing are connected.
If there are those who don't turn an eye on the path to salvation, who do not have an ounce of knowledge on what they can reap from this journey, who do not have any inkling of the wonders beyond the wall that they have come to erect around them, and hence stay away from the path, there are many struggling to find time to stay on the path. They are battling the storm and bad weather while trying to stay on the path. But just as we seek shelter from the bad weather we cannot blame them for stepping off the path and taking refuge momentarily. When I voiced out my intention to end writing this blog, several friends and followers of this blog messaged me asking to continue to write citing how the messages from Agathiyar have helped them stay on the path though their journey was akin to the train that stops at every stop rather than the express. After taking many moments of break they do eventually hop onto the train and continue the journey. I pity them for we all are at the mercy of circumstances. We all have to bring food to the table. We all have responsibilities towards our loved ones. I understand their predicament. Agathiyar understands too. So do not be guilty that you cannot spend more time having a conversation with him.
As Neale Donald Walsch shared God's answer to the very first question itself "How do I know God is communicating with me?" in his "The Wisdom of the Universe", "I talk to everyone. All the time. The question is not to whom do I talk, but who listens?", we are all receiving God's message directly whether we are believers or nonbelievers, followers or otherwise. It is just that some choose to listen while many have thoughts rattling in their mind and ears shutting God's voice from reaching them.
Eventually, we come to accept everybody and everything. Each of us either has come for a particular purpose that goes beyond the Self here or has come to live out our dreams. Let it be. All is well by God's grace.
Swami Saravanananda has given a beautiful English rendering of the Arutperunjhoti Agaval by Ramalinga Swami published by the Ramalinga Mission, Madras. Ramalingam just like the other Siddhas before him, has given much importance to this human body. The author adds that one is not assured that he might obtain another human birth. He says further that leading a life based on an exterior ephemeral state is no life at all; it is mere existence.
The author says the cosmic space is beginningless and is full of atoms of souls called Atmas. The atoms in cosmic space are of 3 types (immature, transitional, and mature).
"Due to the differences in the levels of will, wisdom, and action (karma) that are found in the cosmic space, Atmas have come to possess threefold bodies (karmic, Pranava, Gnana)."
"Whatever polar forces are found in the cosmos, can also be found in the human body. This shows that the human body is the temple and abode of the boundless benevolent Jothi and also that of the dynamic polar forces. Therefore this body has to be first purified of all its dross and veils and made a fit receptacle to receive the divine radiance. With the aid of this radiance, the illusory human body can be transformed into a pure body (Sudha degam) followed by the body of sound (Pranava degam), and finally into a Gnostic body (Gnana degam). This body alone is considered as the proper vehicle for the attainment of mukti."
"Advanced works on Tantra yoga and the verses of Siddhas insist that the human brain contains amrita in a solid state. They say that by properly conducting the subtle fire principle or kundalini found in the sushumna nadi into the brain, the solid amrita is made to melt; the melted amrita descends down to pervade all the cells of the body and as a result the body attains immortality."
It is said that each cell of the body possesses partial consciousness and rudiments of intelligence. The divine light that passes into the cell makes them fully awakened into perfect or near-perfect intelligence. The result is the perfect immortal physical body.
Reading all these makes us want to attempt to try at achieving this perfect immortal physical body. But who do we look up to for guidance? When we have numerous gurus who enlighten us on matters of the world, there is hardly any guru in physical form worthwhile of engaging in a discussion of what is taking place subtly in us, for he must have traveled the path too to enlighten us on these matters. Since Tavayogi was already a full fledge Swami of 69 years of age when I met him, I had no knowledge of what he went through before attaining his state. He was not one to make this public too. Then came Jnana Jothiamma who Agathiyar guided to attain the state of Jothi. I became excited as I could watch her go through the process and learn. Though she too was above sixty nevertheless Agathiyar did attempt to work on her. She followed everything he said in the Nadi. She used to share her experiences traveling to and visiting abodes of Siddhas and temples and also the personal internal travel that brought on immense and drastic changes in her. This was an eye-opener for me. I soon found out what it would be like wishing for the stars. I was terrified and thought twice if I wanted to travel the same path. She too told me that I could not possibly handle the heat nor withstand the onslaught of these changes. She used to share every detail with me through our chat on Skype and emails.
On 22 November 2014, she wrote the following.
"I have to finish off with all my karmas, this birth itself. HE mentions it in my reading too. He says that I should not think, about what THEY are all doing when this Pralayam is going on inside me. We are watching you every min and I am with you.. So I have to finish it this birth ..No birth again...it is understood and HE also mentions that it would be tough for me too...the sufferings...When Agathiyan says ...HE is there to take care...not once or twice ...but comes around me like a Kavasam....repeating the same sentence, for my wooden head to understand ...If not think about it...when any normal human being throws up 5/6 times itself...one would become unconsciousness and would have to be hurried to the ICU...in my case...around 25 times...can you imagine? IF AGATHIYAN AND THE SIDDHAS ARE NOT THERE WITH ME...DO YOU THINK I CAN SURVIVE THIS ?"
"Venkatesh Swamy was telling people over there..that this voltage of light which I was able to handle....would have killed an ordinary person. He went on to add..since Dad prepared me at the time of Dheeksha...I was able to withstand it...still fell down unconscious...What will he have to say about my present condition and heat...After many many years, when I live with daddy...I'll surely ask HIM...why I had to undergo so much...Never ever in my life..had I fallen sick ..or taken a single antibiotic...till today...except for some painkillers...even that is not working...now...living on plain rice broth...anything else creating acidity...and burning inside adding to the heat...already there...That Kummari...aloe vera....take twice is sorta controlling the internal heat...5% of this sorta heat, I faced in Kalyana Theertam which made me unconsciousness in the end.....and I just lay down...not knowing where and on what....for three hrs..."
Like her, I am having acid reflux too. Cannot seem to take even plain water at times as it aggravates the pain momentarily. Vata, Kapha, and Pita are expelled continuously. Body pain and numbness appear. They eventually clear up, without the need for medication. I have come to accept it as part of the transformation that is going on.
On 25 November 2014, she wrote again about her condition.
"I am extremely sick....got outta bed after three days...Shan, suddenly from Sunday nite, I feel extremely sick. Suddenly sinuses got activated,, My ears and head,, started to swell...Vomited about 25 times in 30 hrs... a Splitting headache ..Totally dehydrated ...very very weak...I went to bed on Sunday nite at 9 pm...problem started at 11pm...had not left my room from that time..as all I had to do was to go into the restroom...throw up on the wash basin and get back to bed...The entire body...boiling ... internally...and outside it is quite chill...Got up slowly just now to have some rice broth and a shower and wanna return to bed again. It'll take a week I think...to get back at least 50% of my strength...Finally started to vomit blood too...Thought I would die...coz I became blackout a couple of times ..for a sec or so....Daddy is by my side...AND I AM SURVIVING ONLY ON THIS...I ASKED VALLALAR HOW DID HE PASS THIS KINDA STAGE..."
Like her, I am having Sinusitis, something that was alien, these days. Headaches are frequent these days but they disappear just as they come on. My sweat, stools, and urine smell. I have to bathe often. I have constipation at times and at other times it is the other extreme even though I do not take any laxatives. Have vomited blood at times. I have sudden chills and shivers come over me and subside later. Agathiyar assures me that there was nothing to worry about. Boils have appeared on my body. The extreme heat in my body had piles appear for several days on. The body is in total chaos. But Agathiyar who told me that he knows I cannot withstand pain has been gentle on me. He tells me that compared to what Tavayogi and Jnana Jothiamma endured my suffering was minimal.
Later she emails me some good news.
Dear Shan, Am very much better ..Thank you and Mahi for your love and care...I can feel Bogar Rishi with me, continuously as I can feel the presence of someone always and since I get Navapashanam (medicine) smell around and inside me ...It is Bhogar for sure as Dad too had mentioned...Throwing up has stopped completely including headache...but some disorders are there in my stomach.I know by now, after understanding what HE mentioned in my Nadi reading, that it'll take 3 yrs for me to get back to complete normalcy......NORMALCY WAS WHAT HE HAD INTENDED FOR ME. Sickness will get over in six months...then I have so many other things to adhere to....I WILL DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING OUR FATHER ASKS ME TO ......EVEN IF IT WOULD COST MY LIFE...OR EVEN IF I WERE TO BECOME A CRIPPLE AND LOSE ALL MY SENSES.......AGATHIYAN GAVE ME "HIS" BREATH AND MADE ME "COMPLETE" AGATHIYAN GAVE ME "TOTAL PEACE"
But Agathiyar told us some time back after her demise on 4.4.2017 that her body could not take on the onslaught and transformation. Hence we are now reminded to start early if we ever wish to attain the form of Light. I too have missed the mark as I am 64 this year. Agathiyar has capped it at 60 just like Tavayogi mentioned. If someone older were to achieve the state it is only by the grace of the divine and he is surely lucky. Her appreciation of my wife and me, though we were separated by the vast Indian ocean, of being with her through her years of transformation often brought tears to us.
"I thanked Dad so much ..that HE had connected me to such a secretive friend like Shan...to whom I can discuss, and share all matters pertaining to daddy."
She wrote, "But certain personal experiences that happen to us through Sushmna ...definitely cannot be explained,..I do not feel comfortable in explaining many of my experiences, because it would seem unbelievable to all ...of course...The Infinite is not easy to understand or feel...clearly. It is a very specialized state of ....gnostic state of personal being..."THE HEART OF LIBERATION, MOKSHA ETC..."
"The days when I need to go out for something, what dad had asked me to do...that day...the health seems to be ok and I go out, finish my work and come back home and crash for a day or two. I have even told my maid .to come only once a week.....Agathiyan had put a complete full stop to anybody...disturbing me of any sort...."
"My health is bad, But it doesn't bother me anymore. I AM FULLY PREPARED ..HE PREPARED ME. I returned home by about midnite after my reading. The two herbal powders that Dad had mentioned in my reading for external application..(it is just unbearable, itch and pain)., are not available anywhere in Chennai. As it is dad's job to give me those herbals...as HE had mentioned a couple of times, except HIM and the Siddhas, none can cure me. Even in the last reading, HE had said so....as what me having is not a disease...and that the docs cannot identify the starting point of the problem. The next day, a courier lands up at my doorstep with a slightly big transparent package/packet. Inside that, there were two transparent packets, one labeled That special Triphala powder and the other labeled Kuppameni powder. I asked the courier guy where this package was deposited. He replied .. AGASTHIYAR PHARMACY, took my signature and just left. In fact, I wanted to ask him, where this pharmacy was, etc......but was not given the time or the chance to ask...Both the packets that contained the herbal powders and were kept inside the big packet, had pics of Dad stuck to them. The same dad whom I first laid my eyes on in July 2011 on Sadhguru Venkatraman's site.....THAT POWERFUL PULLING FORCE, WHICH DRAGGED ME ALL THE WAY TO INDIA IN 2011. None
can guess " the name of the game......"
She brings me some relief by revealing the following. As Agathiyar told me in 2022 that the energy had ponded at the Manipuraka after the Muladhara was awakened in 2007, and he had the bunds broken and I saw the swirling of the energy just below my navel and which hastily made its way to the Sahasrara in just days, swirling now in the crown of my head, just as it is now as I am penning this words, Jnana Jothiamma wrote,
"Manipura Chakra...is the most important chakra for a human...anybody for that matter...coz it is there many great yogis saints get stuck...Once anyone is able to get past that......enlightenment is gained."
I tend to question myself these days if there was a purpose in delaying my journey. I had been a devotee of the entire pantheon of Gods since young thanks to my parents. Leaving home and taking up a career at 20, I used to conduct puja at dawn and dusk for 8 years. Lord Siva then comes into my dream and has me pull the break. This break was a long one - some 14 years. After the lapse of 14 years, I am back chanting mantras in 2001 and conducting Siddha puja in 2002. When I met Tavayogi in Malaysia in 2005, he passed a remark that surprised me. He told me that we should have met on my maiden trip to India in 2003. During that year I met my first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai instead. I was officially introduced to Yoga by Tavayogi in 2007 after practicing them on my own from books. The Muladhara chakra that was activated shortly after I picked up the practice from Tavayogi made its way up only to "get stuck" as Jnana Jothiamma and Agathiyar mentioned in Manipuraka. It was only in 2022 that Agathiyar helped break the bund and release it. Now I am way past my sixtieth birthday. Will I still qualify to see the transformation take place fully? Only the Siddhas can tell and the clock is ticking.
Tavayogi in referring to Agathiyar's "Sowmiya Saagaram" states our purpose here is to understand the origin and end of Param or Para Sorupam or Siva or Siva Rupaa Rupam or Vettavezhi, the void that shines as Jothi. One who has attained the knowledge of the secrets of the Vettavezhi Prapancham will transform their physical form into a subtle form, and settle in the Jothi that is the source of the subtle too.
வெட்டவெளி பிரபஞ்ச ரகசியம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள் தன்னுடைய தூல உடலைச் சூட்சுமமாகி அந்தச் சூட்சும உடலுக்கு ஆதாரமாக மற்றும் காரணமாக இருக்கின்ற முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருக்கின்ற ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாக இருப்பார்கள்.
Agathiyar reveals to his student Pulastyar that the Siddhas are in the form of Jothi, in the Jothi and as the Jothi and that, that Jothi is Sivan.
அகத்தியர் தன்னுடைய சௌமிய சாகரம் (111), தன்னுடைய மாணவனான புலத்தியருக்கு ரிஷி முனிவர் பிறப்பைப் பற்றி கூறும்போது,
காணவே சிவஞானம் உணர்ந்தோர் தானும் கருணையுள்ள மாதவத்தோர் பெருமை தானும் பேணவே தூலமதைச் சூட்சுமமாக்கி பிலமான சூட்சுமத்துக் காரணமாய் நின்று தோணவே ஆதி அந்தம் ஒன்றாய் நின்று துலங்குகின்ற சுடரொளியில் சோதியாகிப் பேணவே பூமியில் வந்து அவதரிப்பார் பிறந்தாலுஞ் சிவயோகி யாவார் பாரே
மேற்கண்ட பாடலின் பொருளானது சிவஞானம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள் அதாவது வெட்டவெளி பிரபஞ்ச ரகசியம் உணர்ந்தவர்கள் கருணையுள்ள அந்த தவப்பெரியோர்கள் பெருமையை வாய்விட்டுச் சொல்லமுடியாது. அவர்களெல்லாம் தன்னுடைய தூல உடலை சூட்சுமமாகி அந்த சூட்சும உடலுக்கு ஆதாரமாக காரணமாக இருக்கின்ற முதலும் முடிவுமாக இருக்கின்ற ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாகி இருப்பார்கள். இந்த பூமியில் வந்து அவதரிக்கின்றபோது சிவயோகியாக ஆவார்கள் என்று கூறுகின்றார்.
மேற்கண்ட பாடல் விளக்கத்தின் மூலம் சித்தர்கள் வெட்டவெளியில் ஜோதியில் ஜோதியாக கலந்து நின்று மரணமில்லாத பெருவாழ்வைப் பெற்று வாழ்கின்றார்கள் எனபது ஆதார பூர்வமாகத் தெரிகிறது.
Tavayogi explains further that when Siva initiated creation in association with the Jothi that stood as Paraaparam, Sivam came forth from the Param neither with form nor formless, registering itself only as a sound. The first sound created was sustained in space. From Siva came Sakti. Sound (Natham), Sivam, and Sakti, identified as AUM, gave forth seven forms namely: Sivam, Sakti, Sadasivan, Maheswaran, Rudran, Vishnu, and Brahma. The manifestations of the divine energy that takes various forms for its purposes are from one source and finally merge into it once it serves its purpose. That source is light or Jothi or Sivan.
He wrote in his book "Andamum Pindamum",
The flame that is lit in an oil lamp is Sudar. When it envelops the space it is referred to as Jothi. In the beginning, there was a light that enveloped all. That was Jothi. That was Sivan. From the passive Sivan came forth the dynamic Sivam.
இன்று பெரும்பாலோர் ஜோதி வழிபாடு என்று சொல்லி விளக்கில் என்னை ஊற்றி நெருப்பு பற்றவைத்து திரியில் எரியும் நெருப்பை வழிபடுகிற காட்சியை காண்கிறோம். விளக்கிலே எரிகிற நெருப்புக்கு சுடர் என்று பெயர். அதாவது ஒளியின் திரட்சி நிலைக்கு சுடர் என்று பெயர். ஒளியின் படர்ந்த நிலைக்கு ஜோதி என்பது பெயர். உதாரணமாக இருட்டறையில் விளக்கு ஏற்றி வைக்கிறோம். விளக்கு திரியில் எரியும் நெருப்பு சுடர். அறையில் உள்ள பிரகாசமே ஜோதி. அதுபோல் ஆதியிலே வெட்டவெளியிலே தோன்றிய பிரகாசமே ஜோதி. எங்கும் வியாபித்து இருக்கக்கூடிய ஜோதியே சிவன். அந்த சிவன் என்ற ஜோதியிலே இருந்து சிவம் என்கிற ஆற்றல் உண்டானது.
Tavayogi writes further. Breaking its hold on gravity one is lost in weightlessness. Similarly, man too, travels the chakras, and once he breaks the body's hold on him is freed. But unfortunately, the common man cannot travel the journey as long as he is a captive of the physical and material body. A transformation and transmutation within the depths of the body is required prior to venturing further on. The experience of this internal process that comes with the internal journey is Gnanam and Soruba Siddhi. The Siddha path leads to this experience. Man who himself is a lesser part of the bigger source through enhancing the spirit and the hidden power in him grabs the rope and makes his way little by little, to eventually merge with his source.
பூமியின் ஈர்ப்புச் சக்தியான மையப்பகுதியை கடந்து எந்த ஒரு பொருளோ புவி ஈர்ப்புத் தன்மைக்கு அப்பால் சென்றால் அது வெட்டவெளியில் சுதந்திரமாக மிதக்கிறது என்று விஞ்ஞானம் கூறுகிறது. அதேபோல் மனிதனும் தன்னை கீழ்நோக்கி இருக்கும் மூலாதார சக்தியை மேல் நோக்கிச் செலுத்தினால் பிண்டத்தின் ஈர்ப்புச் சக்தியை கடந்தால் மனிதனும் வெட்டவெளியில் சுதந்திரமாக இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் மனிதன் உடலில் இருக்கும் வரை மேல்நோக்கிப் பயணம் செய்ய முடியாது. ஆகவே பஞ்சபூத உடலை வேதியியல் மாற்றத்தால் மாற்றி மூல அணுவாக மாற்றி புவியீர்ப்புக் கோட்டை கடந்து வெட்டவெளியில் சேர்ந்து சுதந்திரமாக உலாவுவதே ஞானம் ஆகும். அதுவே சொரூப சித்தி எனப்படும். அதை போதிப்பதுதான் சித்தர் நெறி. பிரபஞ்சத்தின் சிறிய அணுவான மனிதன் மூல சக்தி என்கிற கயற்றின் நுனியைப் பிடித்து கொஞ்சம் கொஞ்சமாக பிரபஞ்ச பேராற்றலின் பரமாணுவை அடைந்து அதோடு ஐக்கியமாக முடியும் என்று கண்டுபிடித்தான். கண்டுபிடித்து அடைந்தவன் சித்தன். வெட்டவெளியில் ஜோதியாக இருப்பவனும் சித்தனே. வெட்டவெளி ஜோதியாவதே ஞானம். அதுவே பிரம்மரகசியம்.
Agathiyar told me Gnana was not given by him, but I had to earn it by placing concerted efforts in moving within. The experiences that unfold during this journey of going within and traversing each chakra till we reach the highest is indeed Gnanam. He added that the experiences would vary from person to person.
Tavayogi would sing Ramalinga Adigal's plea இன்று வருமோ yearning for the day when he could join the rank and fold of the Siddhas who had merged into the Light. He would automatically cry each time he began to sing this song and bring tears to our eyes too.
இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ அறியேன் எங்கோவே - துன்றுமல வெம்மாயை அற்று வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம்.
When I sang this verse to Agathiyar, he questioned me asking if I knew its meaning? I told him I only knew how to sing but never understood its meaning. Agathiyar says,
"வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து" அப்பொருள் அறிவாயா? உன்னை நீ முழுதும் அறிந்து உன்னைச் சுற்றி இருக்கும் கணங்கள் அறிந்து எதுவும் நிலை அற்றது என்று நீ அறியும் அத்தருணம் வெளிக்குள் நீயே வெளி கடப்பாய். அத்தருணமே சும்மா இருப்பது."
Agathiyar explains to me that when we fully understand ourselves and gain self-realization; when we understand the Ganangal or Gnanas or "body of attendants or "the company and assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims" or "council or assembly convened to discuss matters of religion or other topics" (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gana); and come to finally realize that nothing is permanent, at that moment we shall enter and remain in the void of space (Vezhi Kadappathu). That is just "being" or Summa Erupathu. Everything dissolves into IT; a state of sunyam or void or silence. When we go within its silence is heard. Mere or sheer existence in its presence is known. No labels, forms, or sounds. Just existence. This is the state mentioned by Agathiyar. I had a taste of it for a brief moment recently where I just was in the state of "Being" where only a vast expanse existed.
A friend and a reader of this blog sent me Krishnaveni Amma of Kalyana Theertam's understanding of Light many years back.
"I read your post on Jyothi. Some time ago, Amma spoke about Lord Shiva as effulgence itself. That was how He stood at Tiruvannamalai,...A pillar of light. His true nature. But, how could the rest of Creation visualize Him? The light as we know it, is impure. The internal Jyothi that the Masters want us to "see", is the same effulgence, and, is pure. Creation comes forth from the Divine Mother, and for any creation to take place, it needs space and time to incubate, mature, and be released. Such is the nature of the Divine Mother. She is the heat, of that effulgence. Together, as Lord Arthanareeswara, they incubate and bring forth Creation. All possible forms and sources of light in the cosmos have heat, as an indispensable accompaniment. He, in His pure form, is pure effulgence. Out of His infinite Grace, He brings forth Shakthi and begins Creation, for our salvation."
Reading the blog and the video I posted at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2023/08/another-vote-for-siddha-heartbeat.html, a friend and follower of this blog from Chennai voice messaged me too, asking that I continue writing. I am grateful to her too.
God is said to be in a form, formless, and also can take whatever form befitting. God with form can come as the myriad of images we have of him, as a painting and statue, or through you and me. God without form is which is seen in nature as the air, our breath, the breeze and wind, the storm, water, sunlight, heat, warmth, etc. The last is that when God takes the form of the vessel he comes into as water in a glass, cup, bottle, jar, in the river, and stream, the air in a balloon, the air in our lungs, etc. As they all seem to overlap, God then is in all matter, beings, and energy.
In "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami" by Dr.C.Srinivasan we read that, "Such a unique and only God is resplendent in the universal arena of Nature. He is in all living things and in Him, all the living are found."
In this post, we see Light from the perspective of Ramalinga Adigal.
Dr.C.Srinivasan writes, "The philosophy of Saint Ramalingaswami can safely be said to be that of achieving the Light of Grace. He has pointed out that it is a progressive evolution of the speck of light manifested in the human being into the greatest light - the Supreme Grace Light. The analogy of the Swami is that of developing the greatest fire from the smallest spark of a flame."
"In this philosophy, the Swami has perceived a cult of Light. From the meek and insignificant creatures to the highly evolved human beings and super-human beings, all living things are simply manifestations of the Light of God. The Light of God supreme is present in everything and more so in human beings. The human being is embellished with a higher sixth sense with which the fraction of light in him should be developed more and more for the complete realization of the God Supreme. The contention of the Swami is that the spiritual light of human beings should be gradually developed into the most effulgent light and ultimately merged with the Supreme Grace Light."
On 14 March 2020 when Ramalinga Adigal came, he coined a song for us. A verse goes as follows, "From the smallest speck to the largest Effulgence." சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது...
Dr.C.Srinivasan writes, "Supreme Grace Light is referred to as Suddhasivam, the perfect auspicious Being. This is the most sublime and transcendent plane of Suddha Siva Thuriyaadeetham where alone the divine souls can merge with the Supreme God. The Swami has explained how he evolved into this supremely beatific plane."
Dr.C.Srinivasan continues, "In expounding this theory he has explained his own experiences, how he was picked up by God, how he was tried, how he stood the test, how the Light of Grace was infused in him, and finally how he became blazed with the Supreme Grace Light."
Hence it is no wonder that Ramalinga Adigal in coming to us through devotees always asked that we bring the flame in us to burn brighter. Similarly, we were asked to light and kindle the flame in the oil lamp to burn bright too. 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.
"Sincere devotion to God, persistent austerity, enduring penance, real love and affection for all fellow beings, and a kind and compassionate attitude to all live creatures will certainly demand the flow of God’s Grace in human beings. By this descent of Divinity, the curtains veiling the greatness and power of the spiritual light in the human individual gradually begin to fall. With the aid of this universal compassion and ardent meditation, the aspirant is able to visualize the beatific brilliance of his soul."
"Sanmarga Philosophy may be said to be the path of Light. The soul is veiled by several kinds of lust and shackles. They have to be removed and conquered one after another. Then the brilliant light of the soul will be realized. Gnanasabai, the Temple of Wisdom, can be brought nearer home so as to descend in the individual if only he becomes cleansed from all the lust and shackles of all kinds. The God Supreme is so merciful and so near to the soul of the perfected aspirant that He is delighted to make it His abode – the arena for His Cosmic Dance."
In describing the Jothi to us, Ramalinga Adigal says that it comes to us by Divine Grace. Layers upon layers of Jothi are shown by his Grace. "It is forever rising in me, drawing back the veil in each instance."
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... 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 show us the way to bring the effulgence within and keep it burning. Ramalinga Adigal comes to ask us to kindle the flame within to burn with such intensity that it shall draw aside the veil or curtain that stands between us and Erai. There is a need to shed the veil or curtain. The means is to light the Jhoti or light or flame in us. "Our Father Agathiyan will come within you to draw the curtain aside. That is the meaning of the song. My Father Agathiyar is in all of you bidding his will. Follow in his path. He shall assist you to drop the veil. Arutjhothi blesses you. Arutjhoti Aandavar blesses you. You are on the right track. Agathiyan shall lead you to Arutjhothi", hails Ramalinga Adigal.
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. அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான்.
Ramalinga Adigal sings in his The Thiru Unthiyar (திரு உந்தியார்), Kaliththaazisai (கலித்தாழிசை), that at the break of dawn, it dawned on him that his puja bore fruition. The veil dropped, the light shone, and Parai Oli came within, bringing fruition to his puja.
Devotion (Sariyai), Action (Kriyai), Meditation (Yogam), and Wisdom (Gnanam) are the four steps to arrive there.
"The changes that take place in the human body externally and internally illustrate the gradual conversion. What is this light which converts this mortal body into a body of light? It is only the Light of Grace Supreme that can transform this human body into a purified body of light. The principle of Light alone can save this body from decay."
In telling a devotee that it was possible to achieve the state, Ramalinga Adigal stated that first, she had to rid the body of accumulated kalivu or waste. Agathiyar worked on Jnana Jothiamma. He worked on me too.
"This impure body of impure elements can be and will be converted into a pure body of pure elements. The atoms of the impure elements which constitute the body are alchemized into pure and perfect atoms resulting in a body of love. In short, matter is converted into energy. Then the Suddha deham will again be transformed into Pranava deham or body of Grace and Light. By further concentration, this body of Grace and Light will be transformed into the body of Wisdom i.e. evolve into the body of the God Supreme or Immanence."
"The achievement of the soul, therefore, rests upon the conquest of the shackles one by one. The first step is to remove the bonds one by one. They are estimated to be ninety-six although they are generally known to be briefly thirty-six. It is said that the Lord Supreme brought down all the bonds under the control of the Swami and consoled him by granting the boon of deathlessness. The bondages of human beings are according to the Swami, with regard to the body, to the soul, and to the enjoyment which one expects in these. The moment the bondages and shackles are removed, there is the dawn of the Grace of God in the individual which alone can put down once and for all the miseries of life."
After I posted the post "The Vote" at https://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-vote.html I received a voice message from a friend and a follower of Siddha Heartbeat from India currently working and residing in Germany. It was truly encouraging to hear him speak about the blog and how it has contributed to him. I thank him for his kind words.
There is this message that keeps coming to us and "haunting" us. If you intend to reach the state of Jothi, do it before 60 years of age.
It is said that Agathiyar in a former birth had assisted Lord Murugan who was Supramaniar then by providing him a place to stay and complete his tavam. Attaining the state of Jothi he wanted to teach Agathiyar too. But as Agathiyar was 60 and above he promised to meet up in another birth. Supramaniar kept his word.
Reading and hearing about saints attaining the state of Jothi, I asked Tavayogi wanting to see him attain this state before my very eyes. He told me he had missed the boat. He was reportedly said to be 69 when I met him on our shores in 2005. He told me that it had to be achieved before 60.
When Agathiyar and Bhogar came for another devotee in her sixties, Bhogar hesitated to release the dormant energy in her in view of her age. But as Agathiyar assured him that he would take care of its consequences, Bhogar went ahead to release the Suzhumunai.
When the Siddhas worked on Jnana Jothiamma who was in her sixties then, her body could not take it. She has to come back and make another attempt.
Coming to a youngster in her late twenties, Agathiyar mentioned that the state should be achieved by 58. As her mother was 54, they acknowledged that they would have to face the mammoth task of transforming her in a short period of time.
Speaking to a teen, he told her to start the yogic practice given to her, telling her that he was already facing an uphill task in molding the body of another devotee who was in his thirties.
Similarly, when Agathiyar began to speak to us through devotees he told me as I was in my sixties the transformations in me were the reason for my discomfort and pain again hinting at my age as a stumbling block. I came to see the Nadi when I was 43 in 2002. I complied with all that was said, instructed, and given. This saw the Muladhara in me triggered in 2007 after just months of putting into practice the yogic practice Tavayogi had shared. I had to go through much pain similar to sciatica for some 3 years beginning in 2010 before it miraculously was banished for good not before the doctors, physiotherapists, sports masseurs, gym instructors, Varma masters, Siddha physicians, and the Siddhas and Lord Murugan came to bring some relief. I saw the doctors. They gave me a clean slate but put me on physiotherapy. I attended the sessions twice a week. Agathiyar watched silently. In November of 2011, when I decided to ask Agathiyar in the Nadi, he revealed the reason for the injury, which was subtle in nature. He tells me what was going on and why I succumbed to the back pain. He said I faced discomfort and pain in the body due to the heat generated in the Muladhara from these practices. The 3 dosas too have run out of proportion. Hence he asks to stop all forms of practice. He suggested several Siddha herbs to consume.
பாரிச (உடலின் ஒரு பக்கம்) பீடைகளும் வந்து நிற்கும் உற்றதொரு மூலாதார சக்கரமும் உயர் விதமாய் உஷ்ணம் அடைந்ததால் உரைக்க வரும் சோர்வுகளும் தேகம் தன்னில் உரைக்கலாம் முக்கூற்று திரிப்பும் இப்போ முறையாகச் சமநிலையில் இல்லாதிருக்கச் சோதனைகள் வந்து நிற்கும் அச்சம் மிகுந்து செப்பலாம் தவம் தன்னை நிறுத்திவைக்கப் பங்கம் ஏதும் வந்திடாது கலக்கம் கொள்ளா
So many people and divine forces came to my aid just to see me walk and go about my usual regime as usual. I thank all of them sincerely.
Agathiyar in a Nadi reading on 28.3. 2015, said things that I could not comprehend. He told me that "You have received my Jothi. You have changes going on in you. The internal Light has expanded bringing on these changes and opening the Suzhumunai. நீ உலகில் என் ஜோதியைப் பெற்று விட்டாய். தேகத்தில் மாற்றங்கள் பெற்று இருக்காய். அகத்துக்குள் அகத்தின் ஜோதி பெருகி தேகத்தில் பல மாற்றம் பல சக்தி கிட்டி முனை திறந்து இருப்பாயே.
Ramalinga Adigal came later to help us to enhance the Jothi in us by asking us to travel with the breath. "Follow the Pranavam in you. Try. Let the Jothi burn brightly within you. You shall merge in it. I shall come along with you as long as the Jothi is in you. I shall be with those who are aware of it. " உமது பிரணவத்தை கொண்டு செல்லு. முயற்சி செய். ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். ஜோதியோடு கலப்பாய். உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்வரை நான் உன்னோடு வருவேன். ஆழ்ந்து இருப்போருடன் நான் சேர்ந்து இருக்கிறேன்.
But the energy that was released had stalled and ponded in Manipuraka after that. Agathiyar came to break the bunds and release the waters in 2022. There is no looking back now as the waters reached the Sahasrara in a matter of days bringing on a whirlpool in the crown of my head. A piercing sensation happens at random at this spot till these days.
Would I, could I reach the state too? Only time can tell. But time is running out. It looks like time is pretty precious for those on the trail of the light.
So what is this state of light? Though Tavayogi told me he had missed the boat, a devotee had a dream after Tavayogi's demise whereby she saw Tavayogi on a boat with several others clad in white heading towards the other bank where stood a hill where Siddhas went about their chores. The one rowing the boat was Lord Shiva. Dhanvantri in consoling us said that he had attained the state thanks to our tavam or austerities. Supramania Swami before leaving his mortal body told me he had seen the Jothi. He covered the window of his living room at his Kudil with a gunny sack saying that he could not see the fiery Arunachala mountain. He too saw Siddhas going about their chores. When I asked Tavayogi how Agathiyar came to him the night I arrived at his ashram, he told me that it was in the form of Jothi. Tavayogi had placed a granite statue of Agathiyar to commemorate and mark the spot where Agathiyar had appeared as the Jothi after calling him over to Agathiyar Vanam in the Kallar hills. Ramalinga Adigal and Jeganathar who followed his teachings are said to have attained this state too. When Tavayogi brought me to visit three living masters in Ooty during my first visit to his Kallar ashram in 2005, the last lone hermit we met and whom Tavayogi touched his feet and later proclaimed as a Gnani told me that the next time I came he would be a star in the night sky.
What then is the right age to undertake this adventure in transforming the body and the Self, after which the feat is said to be impossible to achieve? Though there is much said and written on the state only one who has been there can actually tell us what it is to be light. Hence we have to heavily depend on the Siddhas and Ramalinga Adigal for answers. The latter is said to have disappeared several times and reappeared to tell the tale. He explains the many states of transformation that he went through before finally attaining the state and coming back to write about it in the compendium of songs known as the Arutpa. We shall explore this state further in the posts to come.
My journalist friend from Kerala who wrote in response to my intent to stop blogging is an Upaguru in some ways. Her perspective of Agathiyar whom she holds dear to her heart has given me the boost to keep writing. She wrote
"Appa could've escaped from this hell of a world many centuries before. But still, he is existing. He's giving Nadi readings! See, it hurts me to even think that he talks about all that matters of wealth, romance, papangal, etc through Nadi still. Whatever state they are in _ it is still painful. So we also have to shoulder some of the burden of his. Maybe I'm wrong.. "
She is not. Agathiyar kept to his word and the 5 tenets he gave mankind. He has come down to over level and state just so that he could show us the fourth and fifth tasks defined for man which goes as follows: to "dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings" and to aid "the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, existing upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, dutifully supporting the manifested matrix or Prapanjam." (Vashisht Vaid's blog at https://holysageagathiyar.com/ )
Indeed when a youngster was so bent on reaching the state of Jothi, I told her that that was not the ultimate state one should desire. She has to come back and serve mankind in any manner for his soul to evolve too. This is what the Siddhas have been doing for ages as pointed out by my journalist friend and Agathiyar in his 5 tenets. This is why Agathiyar had Tavayogi postpone his plan to go into Samadhi after beginning his stint as a traveling mendicant in the Uthiyur hills and having traveled the length and breadth of India and finishing in the Sathuragiri hills, to set up camp and an ashram in Kallar before having him travel to Malaysia. He had to give back to society after attaining the state of Tavayogi. He was to become a guru to many others like me. He had to leave his mark behind, the mark of the Siddhas just as Zorro leaves his mark behind. Although this was not Tavayogi's wish he had to comply with Agathiyar.
My journalist friend too had a wish that she wrote: "When truth unfolds one by one we say "ah what a miracle. Another miracle etc." For me, as of now, this day is a miracle, your post, words everything is miraculous... oh I pray, let Agathiyar flow as he wishes without us hindering him."
I had recently on 20 July 2023 written that "There might come a day when he might ask me to call it off too, having me call it a day."
Just as I thought, again, that I shall call it a day and bring the shutters down on this blog after writing the last post, I receive a WhatsApp message from a journalist friend in Kerala.
She wrote, "I'm so so grateful that you are there. Now I feel confident thinking - ah if there's a question that no books can answer I can ask Shanmugham aiyya."
It happened the last time I thought I should stop writing too. How is it that our thoughts could get connected? I guess since she follows the blog and only one who writes to me about these posts, Agathiyar picked her to convey the message. She wrote, "Read everything...actually for two days I was going through the deha that was 96 thathwas abt which you wrote in 2020.."
Is it Agathiyar's wish that was conveyed through her for me to continue writing? In fact, I was even contemplating writing one last post. Just a couple of sentences. "I am calling it a day. Do you agree? Please email me "Yes" or "No".
Indeed thoughts are energies too. Just as Malaysia saw six state elections last weekend, I guess her one vote speaks for the rest of my readers too.
Sending the above passages to her she replies with these wise words that reminded me of Agathiyar's words some time back, asking me to give an ear to others' problems reminding me and asking me where shall I go seeking solace if he shuts his ears.
She wrote, ".. In person, or in words, or in mere existence itself you have already become a guru for many aiyya. This world needs whatever that is in you to be shared. Like Agathiyar. I always tell my friends, appa could've escaped from this hell of a world many centuries before. But still, he is existing. He's giving Nadi readings! See, it hurts me to even think that he talks about all that matters of wealth, romance, papangal, etc through Nadi still. Whatever state they are in _ it is still painful. So we also have to shoulder some of the burden of his. Maybe I'm wrong..but let Agathiyar teach me right. We need you aiyya. I think the most effortless and heartful way you share wisdom and compassion is through your words. Wisdom is compassion. So you please just write. (But only as far as it is effortless).. As the food fed by Agathiyar and AVM turned out to be prasada _ words of wisdom from the happy mind of the teacher will only turn out to be prasada for us. So please write whenever you feel like it. No voting is needed aiyya."
When Ramalinga Adigal wanted me to announce to all his arrival and move to speak at AVM that he came to call Gnana Peedham, I was taken aback by surprise. Now I understand his nature in seeing through things in a jiffy and announcing it as we see in his songs too. But the ever-patient and reasonable Agathiyar chose to go slow I guess as we were all not ready yet for the change that he would call for. As I was hesitating and dragging my leg as usual Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal made a swift move. Henceforth they shall speak to a youngster turning her home into Gnana Peedham. I understand pretty well Agathiyar's choice to make the shift as I am in my sixties and as he had me stay away from the limelight. He understands my hesitation too for once these "Conversations with the Siddhas" are out people will start to make their way to investigate further these occurances. As I never did like the limelight the Siddhas are moving house. I am happy for the "New Star" who is born. The first message from them through her is asking us to protect ourselves from rising temperatures and heat strokes and drought followed by famine. It is understandable as the production of grains is linked to the weather.
As Ramalinga Adigal said she shall continue the legacy. Now I can get back to what I do best: writing the blog and watching selected movies and songs.
