TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL

As I sat in the park taking a break and a moment to draft this post this morning, I took in the sounds and sights of nature. It is only in these moments that we realize nature is around us. Nature like our parents provides for us. It cares for us. It shades us from the blazing sun. It shelters us from the winds and rain. As we begin to love her back, we tend to get angry with the litterbugs who throw rubbish all over and pollute the ponds, lakes, and rivers and those who spit everywhere but we never get angry with nature. Similarly, it is only when nature shows its fury that we take notice of her. 

In a recent interview posted on the net, with a famed motivational and spiritual speaker, the compere of an online channel impressed me with the many thoughtful and logical questions that he put forth. The compere asked if reading a few books and walking some distance on the path made us a guide? He asked if the speaker agreed that if he had yet to know if he had attained Gnanam, how could he begin to preach? The compere asked if one could share the things passed on by one's guru to him in private to others and in public? And whether we take it up upon ourselves to teach others or whether we are destined for this purpose and task? This drove a spike into my heart too. "Was I doing the right thing in writing this blog?" It made me rethink and ask myself "Where do I stand on the spiritual ladder?" "Am I a self-proclaimed guru?" "Did I fall for the trap?" I asked myself "Did reading a few books on the Siddhas and taking a few steps walking the path inflate my ego to think that I knew all the answers and begin to show off?" So many other questions were triggered and cropped up while watching the interview. I had to revisit my past to be sure I did not fall for the snare that the compere had mentioned. Upon checking my past moves, I was relieved to realize that I had only followed what was instructed to me. I hope that in doing them I had not permitted my ego to step out of line nor strengthen its hold further. I guess I had exerted caution, always telling myself I was here solely to learn for myself and did not jump onto the bandwagon to teach and preach back then.

Looking Back

Back then, beginning in 2002, I was going about my solo home puja for the Siddhas which was pretty much a private matter, and later with my family, until Jnana Jothiamma, or Molly Menon as she was known back then in 2011, connected with me after going through my previous websites and asked to stream my home puja so that she could follow it from the USA. I accommodated her wish. I began to stream for her eyes only on Skype. Later when another devotee also from the USA asked to watch, I began to stream it trying a couple of platforms Ustream.tv and later on Live -YouTube.

After getting to know Tavayogi and although he asked that I speak about the Siddhas even before my thumbprint had dried up back then in 2005, he never asked me to teach others the Yoga techniques that he taught me and a handful of seekers later in 2007. Neither did he ask me to start a Peedham or Ashram, a group, movement, society, or establishment when many came before him asking him to officiate theirs. 

It was Agathiyar who sent the youths to my home later in 2013 to follow and learn the Siddha puja. With their coming my home took on the name Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) for the sole reason of guiding seekers to its location on Google Maps. It was Agathiyar who got us to group together and carry out charity programs. If Agathiyar told me I need not leave the family to start an Ashram and revealed that my present home itself was an Ashram, he revealed in later years that his wish and that of Lord Murugan's for me to build a temple was a test and that in truth my home had become a temple. They dropped the directive. Then in 2022 bringing on some weird and mysterious transformations within, Agathiyar asked that I stop writing about him and instead share these experiences.

If Agathiyar revealed that I had earned Karma that had brought on this birth and sent me off on a pilgrimage in 2003, to soften its hold on me, in later years as he called me up for regular Aasi Nadi readings, he revealed that there were many a moment when he staged the play and had me engaged so that I could have those experiences too. Eventually, he told me that there was no right and wrong and that we were here to be schooled and learn from life experiences. In "The Little Soul and the Sun", a children's parable published by Hampton Roads Publishing Company Ins, 1998, that was an adaptation from Neale Donald Walsch's "Conversations with God", Hodder and Stoughton, 1995, we learn the same that for want of these experiences the Little Soul comes to earth to live it out with other souls that he knew assisting him in all manner to gain these experiences. 

When Tavayogi told me that the soul should not be caged and should be left free to explore and experience back then when I came to know him, I asked myself if it was all right to carry out crimes hiding behind the cover of wanting to explore and experience. Now I understand that what he meant was to free the soul from being caged up by our ego.  The ego that overruled us after some time and sent the soul behind bars should be checked. This is what the great masters have taught us through the years asking us to adopt virtues, honesty, righteousness, compassion, and love. Coming to the spiritual gurus they have us carry out puja that connects us with the Siddhas and God and charity that brings out the compassion in us and socializing among seekers that bring on love towards all creation. The living gurus make us a better man. That is about all they do. With a concerted effort and putting the techniques they taught into practice, traveling on our internal journey we arrive at the second milestone, the Svadhistana Chakra. Henceforth the divine comes to lift us further up covering the other milestones till we arrive safely in their kingdom. But the journey does not end there. As Yogi Ramsuratkumar told his followers at his deathbed not to cry as he could do a better job in the subtle plane and as Agathiyar told us that while Tavayogi was doing Agathiyar's work in their realm, Agathiyar had to carry out guiding us from where Tavayogi left, and as Ramalinga Adigal in defining the various stages tells us that there was an infinite number of stages that await us beyond and above what he listed, no one can claim he knows all. 

While Ramalinga Adigal is said to have built the Satya Gnana Sabai as a school for the Devas, which to our disappointment did not take off for reasons only known to them, similarly, the world is a school for us. We are here to be schooled. If initially, our parents school us on the right ethics, virtues, what not to do, and what is acceptable, the teachers at our school teach us about science and maths, and other academic subjects, and the mysteries surrounding the earth we live on. Soon stepping into life as a teen and youth, brings us to fall in love with the opposite sex, while as an adult we are taught about responsibility towards the career and the new family that has evolved around us. We then begin to give back to society. After facing all kinds of crises, we face midlife crises. Before we know it we are at the edge of our life span looking down at the bottomless pit. We begin to look back on life. We want to change many things, the decisions we made, the steps we took but then it is too late and there is no way to reverse the clock. We might seek pardon from those we had harmed provided they are around and alive. As for the rest of the blueprint and design, that we had thought out in space; that we breathe in as desires and ambitions; executed on the ground; and sailed it as in a boat on the water; that has now come to be written in stone, we can only bear witness to whatever has taken place and pray that we come back to correct and fix them or do it all right the next time around. For those who refuse to learn or are so engrossed in the illusions thinking that life is permanent, missing these moments to come to a realization and to pursue their true purpose, they find themselves jolted out of this dream state as they keep falling into the abyss when their time is up. For the majority who walked the path that religion showed, religion tends to be an armor protecting them at all times and to which they could turn for all their needs and seek solace in trying times. Those few who pursue further and arrive at the brink of religion find themselves falling into yet another bottomless pit of spirituality, where they discover more than the eyes meet. They begin to travel within and into new unexplained and least understood territories. Venturing within they come across the beast and the monsters hiding within them. Soon they realize that not everything is Holy on the spiritual path either. As one walks the spiritual path, sexual urges peak, ego inflates and the tendency to lie arises. All these if left unchecked and if one gives in to these weaknesses, shall bring disgrace and dishonor. He then falls from grace. He is disgraced. Walking the path is akin to walking on a razor's edge.

How does one safeguard himself from the onslaught of these traps? Only by the grace of the divine for all our attempts at defeating the devil shall fail. In summiting to God who comes as a guru, we submit our ego. The guru shall destroy our ego either instantaneously or as we travel along with him. If Swami Vishnudevananda's ego was subdued the moment Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh fell at his feet first while the former who was a military personal found his ego disallowimg him to do so, Yogi Ramsuratkumar was chased away several times by Ramdas. Eventually, the master took him in. By this time Ramdas had broken the Yogi. The Yogi is said to have said, “In 1952 Ramdas killed this beggar”. The Yogi from then on addressed himself as the Beggar. 

When I asked to see Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal, Tavayogi told me that it was possible but asked me if that was what I wanted? When I adorned gems, and mercury beads on me, he told me that we do not need them. If Tavayogi began to break me bit by bit at the start of my journey, Agathiyar came towards the end to break me loose of the remaining shackles. When I told him I wanted to make him proud he replied "How would that be possible as he was beyond name and fame?" When I thought taking birth upon birth to serve him would repay his kindness, he had me rethink again if that was what I wanted. When I thought Gnanam was the thing to ask for, he told me it was not gifted and that I had to work towards it.

In coming to worship, we put aside our logical and scientific thinking and begin to believe. We begin to surrender. Now the transition takes place where we are handed over to the Gods. We gain the grace and protection of the angels, the Siddhas, and the Gods. His grace tells us that we are not alone in this battle and that he has taken up arms and is with us. They give us the courage to live life through the toughest and trying times. You can erase everything in this instance and rewrite your journey. Do not let past guilt hold you back. Forgive yourself. See all your mistakes and blunders as part of a learning curve. Who hasn't made mistakes or blunders? Even the saints will have gone through this. We have all sinned. It is all right. Let us move on. I too am in the same boat. I too have many weaknesses that I'm trying to work on. These are the last obstacles or traps before taking flight, the last few links in the ring shackles, the last few links of the chain that hold us back from taking flight.

We have arrived at our last lap of the journey. They finally get us to observe the breath where we slip spontaneously into a state of meditation. We came to know that it shall unfold many mysteries. It is the road back to our source. If going on pilgrimages and adventure brings us on the road to discovering God and the Prapanjam around us respectively, hitching on the breath brings us to a realm of calm and much-needed peace. Just as before we play a tune, we check the strings of the musical instruments, first, we check on the flow of the breath in our nostrils and correct them. With dynamic breath we increase the intake of air and oxygen, and with it Chi or Prana. Soon we settle in on only observing the breath. As we halt all external activities and learn to go within, soon it happens spontaneously without our effort. We just fall into this deep space and moment. Contrary to the common belief that abstaining from speaking was Maunam, Tavayogi corrects this misperception telling us that it is not about speaking but going beyond the space and moment of silence that we then arrive at the state of Maunam. Agathiyar in his song "Manamathu Semmaiyaanaal" tells us that we can leave all our activities and practices once the Manam (mind, thoughts, desires, wishes, wants) settle. All that was achieved and derived through external means is now experienced by sitting on our own and looking within. Even what is considered taboo and sinful as the pleasures derived from sex or the thoughts of it are achieved in meditation. Though the remaining Vasanas keep coming to the forefront, in ignoring them, they slip away and die a natural death. For those like me who find it a battle to overcome them, or subdue these negative and Rajastic and Tamastic energies, he needs to convert them into that of a positive and Satvic nature. This is what the Gods did as told in the Puranas. After overcoming the dreaded Asuras they turned them into other benevolent forms of energies and kept them with them to do their asking. The ego which is the tread that holds us back from the alter ego that is required for continued existence in this body, dies a natural death too. 

If Haary Roshaahn Yograj's reading of the "Spiritual Numerology of Moses" better known as the "Soul Contract Reading", revealed my purpose here was to be a catalytic spiritual teacher, Agathiyar came around asking how was he to depend on one person to do his work. He had to raise everyone to come to the state where they carry out his work. Agathiyar surprised me by saying that I had desired it and as such he had to fulfill my desire. Never in my dreams did I want this portfolio. Neither did I want all the gifts he was prepared to shower on me for my obedience and being faithful to the path. He had me teach Mahindren the Yoga techniques that Tavayogi taught me which I put into practice and told Mahindren to teach the rest. He had me initiate a couple into the path. That was about all he had me do. Agathiyar who had to prepare me for the role asked that I accept all the trials and tribulations that would come my way and keep my calm and peace. He asked that I do nothing, telling me that this itself was a test and a practice for the moment referring to my earlier query as "What should I do?" after he triggered, activated, and set off the dormant energies within me in 2022. Most recently he threw the question if he should make me a guru. As I had refused all the promised goodies before, and since I just wanted to give back to him for all the kindness, love, compassion, guidance, and practices given, I nodded my head and gave in finally. But the very next second he surprised me saying, "No, No, I shall not make you a guru but a Siddha instead". He begins to talk with us from within, in our thoughts, through our deeds henceforth. He gives us a sermon, he writes us a memo, he speaks through us and writes through us that surprises us. As Angelon Young writes at Remembering a few stories from the first time I met Yogi Ramsuratkumar — AWEN that "Yogi Ramsuratkumar seemed to me a true spiritual son, molded in the image of the father and yet also a uniquely different expression of the Divine", we are a personification in the flesh of the guru in the subtle form. 

If Christy Beam wrote in her memoir, "Miracles from Heaven", "Standing in the light of all he's given us, in the light of all that's happened I can't not tell you our story", Neale Donald Walsch writes about his conversation with God that "I could have kept this latest dialogue private but everything within me shouted, don't you dare." He felt that he should share keeping a promise to God. Ramalinga Adigal revealed all that he saw and experienced too. I take solace in the words of these saints and tell myself that it is all right to share, whatever little we know. But I remind myself, just as scientists rewrite science and archeologists and historians rewrite history in the wake of making newer discoveries, that as I progress spiritually I shall change my stand or opinion and make the relevant changes to what I thought was the truth earlier. Ramalinga Adigal did just that and we have the 6th Thirumurai of his Thiru Arutpa in our hands. 

SAINTS & MALAYA

The Star Online carried the message of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, underlining Malaysia’s multiracial and multireligious communities.

“I have consistently reminded the people of Selangor about the importance of unity and respect for one another’s faiths. Islam is the official religion in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, but the rights of all races and religions to practice are enshrined in the Constitution,” the Sultan added. His Royal Highness also expressed pride in Klang’s diverse heritage, which includes numerous temples, churches, and mosques in close proximity. “We have many religious sites in Klang. I want to ensure that the areas remain harmonious. There are mosques, Chinese and Hindu temples, Indian Muslim places of worship, and now even a Chinese Muslim mosque. There is harmony in these areas, which reflects our acceptance of different religions within the state,” said Sultan Sharafuddin.

We are a blessed nation in every way. If we have people of different faiths practicing their beliefs and religions, similarly Malaysia is a haven for food of various ethnic origins. It provides shelter for citizens and also foreigners wanting to make a living. 

Avadaiyappa Chettiar, son of Narayanan Chettiar & Valliammai, daughter of Ramasamy

My father who was from the money lender clan, the Chettiars in Sivagangai, Tamilnadu, did venture into running a theatre back then in India. Like many Chettiars, who "with the growth of British colonial rule in Southeast Asia, emigrated from India to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Burma (now Myanmar) and Malaya (now Malaysia) as the British expanded their presence in the region"1, made his way to Burma, Sri Lanka, and Singapore to finally settle in then Malaya. He married my mother who was born and raised here. Together they raised us, giving us food, shelter, clothing, and education, and passed on their beliefs, faith, culture, and tradition. We are grateful to them and this nation that has accommodated us well all these years. 

I was always proud of my father for his courage to travel far in the years when the only means of travel was by foot, horsecart, bullock cart, and ship. I wonder at times if I could have performed the same feat. When he had traveled far and wide, from his village Kilasevalpatti, Sivagangai to Rangoon in Burma, and sailed to Sri Lanka and later came to Singapore before making Malaya his second home, I never ventured out of my house nor traveled away from home. My maiden travel to India too came by and materialized because Agathiyar gave me a nudge through my Nadi reading. 

I used to wonder how my parents raised me and my other six siblings in those years before independence and the post-independent period. Money and food were scarce, yet they raised all of us well, giving us all an education, a roof above our heads, and meals too. My late father never shared his story and his ties with his family in India. However, I went in search of his village home in the hope of meeting my relatives on Indian soil during my maiden journey to India in 2003. But for some reason, it did not materialize even as I stood on the street where he played and grew up, even as I stood at the door of his ancestral home in Kilasevalpatti. I came to know from a relative a few doors away that the whole family of my late father was gathered at the home of my cousin who had passed away the previous night. I could have met all of them but as I was on a pilgrimage of temples listed out by Agathiyar and the highlight of it being my circumambulation or girivalam of Annamalaiyaar of Tiruvannamalai the next day, I had to shelve my wish to step into the ancestral home of my father. I just took some photographs of the exterior of his home and the street and left.

We were amazed to see the speed and accuracy with which my father used to calculate, without any external aid, all done mentally and verbally. I wish I could have excelled like him in arithmetics too. Having purchased properties and assets, life was promising until the war came. When a string of machine gunshots from a Japanese fighter plane missed my father by inches, he realized that moment that all the wealth and money he had could not possibly bring him alive if he had been hit by a stray bullet. When the British came back, life picked up and he renewed his profession, continuing with his charity. We believe that all the merits gained in doing charity must have saved him that day and are saving us to this day.

Then one day, he took a drastic decision, keeping us all in the dark. He left home in 1968 without informing anyone. We only knew after his return home many years later that he had been living at an ashram in India. We were too young to even enquire about his missing years. My father who wanted to remain in the ashram and serve the master was sent back to Malaysia to fulfill his remaining responsibilities towards his family by his guru. After returning to Malaysia, he did not return home immediately though but served as a priest in a temple in Tampoi, Johore. When he had a stroke, he was forced to return home. After seven years of absence, he came back to us. I remember how he used to pick up a pencil or pen and would try to hold it in his hand and begin to write daily. He would practice and keep on practicing until he could hold and write steadily. He recovered fully from his stroke. He would keep to himself exchanging only a few words with others; hardly left home except to go to the Kittangi to update himself on news from his hometown from fellow Chettiars. His younger brother who was residing in Malaysia too, having married a local Chinese, and who was operating a driving school, was his constant companion till his last days. My father’s final moments were amazing as we reflect upon it now. We guess he knew his time was up, as he who always did his own chores asked for his shirt to be ironed and asked for a cup of coffee from my mother. When my mother returned with the hot coffee he was not in his usual seat but was seated cross-legged on the floor in the opposite end of the living room. His eyes were open but the pupil gazed up. When my mother reached for his legs that were tugged neatly, deep, and close to his body, he toppled over, his head resting on my mother's lap. The paramedic on arrival, declared that he had passed away. We buried him. He was 76 then in 1991. I have to thank my father for taking the great risk of venturing into a new land and making it his home. This is a wonderful country, a country that Agathiyar calls Sukra (Venus) Bumi, or Bhoga Naadu, where milk and honey flow. 

Just as Ramajayam told me that he only realized what a great saint his father Supramania Swami was only after his demise, now that I have traveled a short distance on the spiritual path, I realize that my father was no ordinary soul too. I can imagine how we would react in the face of approaching death and here my father faced death calmly, taking up a spot in the corner of the home, sitting in Padmasana, and bringing his gaze up to his Sahasrara Chakra. He was not ill, and neither did he suffer. He did not have the fear of death, was not complaining, was not crying in pain, nor was he gasping for air. It all happened within minutes. We are grateful to the divine for making his departure easy. My mother too at her deathbed told us that she was going to "sleep". Soon she passed away. She too like my father was not ill, and neither did she suffer. She had only complained of stomach pain earlier. She did not have the fear of death and requested to be burned in a funeral pyre, and prepared the money to see through her last rites. She was not complaining, neither was she crying in pain nor was she gasping for air though she was administered oxygen. It all happened within a couple of days. 

Read about others who made Malaya their home at

Siddha Heartbeat: THAMBOOSAMY PILLAY IN MALAYA

Among the many individuals who set foot on this soil in the past were those who became saints later. Tavayogi shared with us a concise and detailed account of his Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal, which was passed on to him by his guru Chitramuthu Adigal who was a disciple of Jeganatha Swamigal. 

Jegantha Swamigal 

Jegantha Swamigal who was from Puri near Calcutta, India followed Ramalinga Adigal’s principles. He was born in 1814, nine years before the birth of Ramalinga Adigal. At the age of eighteen, he left for Chittagong in Burma. Later at thirty, he came down to Malaya through Thailand. He lived in Alor Star (now Alor Setar) and the island paradise Langkawi in North Malaya. Later he lived in Baling for eight years where he captured the attention of the locals there who saw him as a spiritual man and began to address him as Swamiji. He then went on a pilgrimage to Singapore. En route, he stopped at Taiping, where he was mistaken as a spy by the Burmese security forces loyal to the British in Malaya and put behind bars. Surprisingly he was released the next day without any interrogation. Arriving at Seremban later, people there began to take notice of his spiritual nature. Returning from Singapore, he worked as a brakeman in the Malayan Railways. He was based in Tanjong Malim for four years. He stayed at Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan) later where he undertook charity and fed the poor. Eventually, he settled for good in Tapah where he built a hut for himself adjacent to a Chinese graveyard and continued his Sadhana and Tapas or austerity here. Jeganatha Swamigal purchased three acres of rubber land in the vicinity and allowed the locals to build their homes on his land. He lived a simple life never making himself or his powers known to others. According to "Hinduism Today," he lived in Tapah for some 78 years. He lived alone till his Samadhi at 4.30 am on 25 January 1959.  A Siva lingam was installed above his Samadhi. The locals collected funds to build a Siva Temple. In 1980, N. Arumugam Pillai of Penang built a small hall. Later in 1990, A.V. Pasupathy Pillai of Malacca renovated the Siva temple. Most recently the Malaysian Hindu Sangam renovated and rebuilt the temple. Jeganatha Swamigal is said to have lived for 145 years. He had three disciples: Chitramuthu Adigal from Panaikulam, India; Veemavar from Indonesia, and Sathyananthar of Sudha Samajam, Malaya.

When Mahindren's wife was asked to visit Jeganatha Swamigal's temple in a Nadi reading by Agathiyar that was read by the visiting Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar in July of 2022, they invited me to tag along. Jeganatha Swamigal came to usher both Mahindren and Manimala and the kids, telling them that he was waiting for their arrival, and was glad that the couple had abided by Agathiyar's instructions to come over. When we crossed over to a Siva temple mentioned by Mataji who had visited it earlier, located inside the Tapah Hospital compound some distance away, where Jeganatha Swamigal had worshipped, Jeganatha Swami came again, this time with a message for me.

Chitramuthu Adigal

Chitramuthu Adigal was born in 1900 in Panaikulam in Ramanathapuram. Before his father Dhankodi Naadaar of Marikovil in Panaikulam village left for Malaya he placed Muthu under the care of Muthu's step-mother. He was twelve then. He worked as a toddy tapper in Atthiyutthu. Muthu left India for Malaya in 1922. He stayed in Kuala Kangsar, Perak working as a toddy tapper for six years before returning to India in 1928. He married the following year and 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. This was when he met Jeganatha Swamigal and Jeganathar took him as his disciple and gave him the name Chitramuthu. In 1940 he took on the role of a spiritual teacher and returned to Malaya to spread his teachings. He had a short stint with the Indian National Army (INA) in Malaya before he returned to India in 1947, leaving behind a large following who had begun to regard him as their Guru. In India, he preached compassion towards other beings or Jeeva Karunya as upheld by Ramalinga Adigal. He opened up his home to the public and named it Aruloli Madam where he started giving discourses. He came back to Malaya in 1951 to preach at the Sree Thandayuthabani Temple in Penang, the Aruloli Murugan Temple in Penang Hill, the Maha Marimman 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 Marimman Temple in Jalan Bandar, the Sivan Temple in Jalan Sungei Besi Kuala Lumpur and the Mariamman Temple in Singapore. He stayed in Ceylon in 1953 before leaving for India. He established many missions in India and Malaya and the Atma Santhi Nilaiyam in his hometown Panaikulam in 1958. The Aruloli Mandram was formed in Malaya in 1960 under the patronage of Tun V. T Sambanthan, a Minister in the Malayan Government. The Malayan 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 the opening of the building on 11th February 1973. He built and completed his Samadhi Mandapam and had his student and disciple Shivasri Muthu Kumara Shivachariar perform the Kumbhabishegam on the Shivaraja Kopuram in the year 1991. Chitramuthu Adigal went into Samadhi on Sunday, May 5th, 1995. He lived till 95.

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 are Thirupugazh Thiraviyam, 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. 

Source: 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; "Thirupur Thaaiveedu Ainthavathu Andu Niraivu Vizha Malar", 1994; Nithyavani Manikam’s blog at http://nithyavani.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-post_28.html and http://thaaiveedu.blogspot.com.

Gnana Pitha Sivananda

Govindasamy Sivapalan of the Department of Indian Studies, University of Malaya, in his paper entitled "Siddha Worship in Malaysia: An Introduction" presented at the 32nd All India Sociological Conference held at Chennai, India in 2006, gives a detailed account of yet another saint Gnana Pitha Sivananda who set foot on our soil. We sourced more information from the book "Siddhaveda Sinthanaigal" by Pa. Subaiyah, Published by Sivananda Paramahamsar Dhyana Mantram, Malaysia.

Raman Nambiar, who was later to become Gnana Pitha Sivananda (Swami Sivananda Paramahamsa), was born in 1879 in Vadakarai. He left home at the age of 9, arriving at the Madam of Kanoor Swamigal. However, he was found and was brought home to finish his schooling. He served as a teacher in Kalaripayat in later years in Malabar. At 17, he left home again. His relative Ananthan Nambiar got him a constable's job at his station. When he returned home from his duty one day to find his wife had passed away, the incident made him re-think hard about life and its impermanence. This was the beginning of his spiritual conquest. After performing the last rites for his wife, he headed for Tunjathu Ramanujar's Samadhi and sat in meditation. Then he furthered his meditation at the Panjavarnam cave in Palani. After Bhogar appeared in front of him and gave him initiation, he left on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas on 5th January 1910. He returned from the Himalayas in 1913 as Swami Sivananda Paramahamsar. The following year, he went on another pilgrimage throughout India, stopping over at Pavanagar, Peshawar, Thirusoor, Savakadu, and Kadathanadu before establishing the Samapanthi Bhojana Sangam in 1921. This was later renamed Siddha Samajam. He arrived in Malaya in 1937 and set up the Siddha Vidhya Sangam in Setapak in Kuala Lumpur. He started an Ashram on 7 ½ acres of land which devotees had donated in Tasik near Kroh, Perak. It is said that before the independence of Malaya, he gathered some of his followers and left for India. His remaining devotees started the Swami Sivananda Paramahamsar Dhyana Mantram in Bagan Serai, Perak. 

If the Siddha philosophy took root in Malaysia as practiced by these saints initially, it was taken up and spread further in the 70s and 80s through Siddha movements affiliated to Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar of Ongkarakudil, Turaiyur. As Jagathiswary Ravichandran mentions in her research paper at http://agathiyarvanam.blogspot.my/2017/01/siddha-teachings-in-malaysia.html these movements have to be given credit for bringing over the Siddhas' messages in later years.

Mauna Samy, Pinnaakisan & Others

Agathiyar too revealed several saints, amongst them was Mauna Samy. Agathiyar in a Nadi reading read by Tavayogi for Surendaran Selvaratnam spoke about the history of the Samadhi at the foothills of Batu Caves in Malaysia as that of Mauna Guru Siddhar. Agathiyar says, "Having performed Tavam or austerities in the Himalayan range, Mauna Guru Siddhar traveled through Burma to the limestone hills of Malaya. He installed Lord Murugan, performed further Tavam, and gained Mukthi. He maintained silence for years and attained Siddhi. The locals called him Mauna Samy". Later Surendaran and many others were asked to light a lamp at this place. Earlier Agathiyar had directed an Indian citizen working in Singapore to pay homage at this Samadhi through a Nadi reading. 

When Surendaran asked to know if there were more Siddha Samadhis in Malaysia, Agathiyar listed several in his Jeeva Nadi including that of a disciple of a Siddha Vidhyarthi from Kerala. It is located in Penang. Agathiyar mentions another samadhi of his followers in a Thirumal temple in Penang too. He mentions that he had revealed earlier to Surendaran about Mauna Siddhar's Samadhi and Jeganatha Swamigal Samadhi. Agathiyar reveals that the Samadhi that was popularly known as Sanasimalai in Cheng, Melaka is actually that of Pinnaakisan. 

Agathiyar himself is said to have traveled to Malaya back then according to a text attributed to Lord Muruga titled "Prapancha Kaandam". In Cambodia, he established the very first of his many educational institutions for the propagation of philosophy and science. After establishing a similar institution and hospital in Malaya, he crossed the sea to the continent of Kumari Kandam (during Agathiyar’s time, Kumari Kandam occupied a vast area extending from present-day Sri Lanka to the Antarctic. King Ravana, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, who ruled this continent gave away a portion of his kingdom to Agathiyar to establish more institutions. The foremost of these institutions in this region was known as Arunodaya Giri or Meozone. Here Agathiyar practiced Yoga and taught it to his large following of disciples. Agathiyar then went back north to Malaya where he was betrothed to the king’s daughter. He then ruled the kingdom of Vijayapuri. He returned to Kumari Kandam where he met Lord Murugan in the form of Supramaniar at Trikona Malai (present-day Trincomali). At the hill station called Kadari Kama or Kadhirgama, Lord Murugan imparted spiritual knowledge to Agathiyar. Thaeraiyar too is said to be from Malaya. (Source: Dr. Mandayam Kumar from the Siddha Medical Research Institute in Bangalore)

TK Thangaraj of Tirupur, who had a successful business in the clothing industry going for him, and who rubbed shoulders with politicians and celebrities and tried his luck in movies too, having produced two movies and having a cameo appearance in one of them, and who became Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal later came to Malaysia following in the footsteps of his Guru Chitramuthu Adigal and Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal and at the command of Agathiyar beginning in 2004. Tavayogi downplayed the sufferings and miseries he went through never sharing them with others. Occasionally he would tell me a thing or two. We are blessed to have known him and known Agathiyar through him and are grateful to him for taking us in as his students. Knowing his time was up Tavayogi handed over the running of the Kallar ashram to his able assistant Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar and spoke these last words to me, that in the event he does not return to the ashram, Mataji shall manage the establishment. He passed away soon enough at his ashram on 3rd July 2018. 

Read about other saints whose holy feet touched this soil at

Siddha Heartbeat: SWAMI SIVANANDA OF RISHIKESH

1 http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-12-11_165654.html, 

MY PARENTS

It has been two years now since my mother left us and some 33 years since my father did. He was 76 and my mother 96 when they left this mortal body. I and my siblings would not be here if it wasn't for them who contributed their flesh and blood to make our arrival in this world possible. Science tells us that,

"The resulting fusion of these two cells after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male sperm cell produces a single-celled zygote that undergoes many cell divisions that produce cells known as blastomeres. The blastomeres (4-cell stage) are arranged as a solid ball that when reaching a certain size, called a morula, (16-cell stage) takes in fluid to create a cavity called a blastocoel. The structure is then termed a blastula, or a blastocyst in mammals. The mammalian blastocyst hatches before implanting into the endometrial lining of the womb. Once implanted the embryo will continue its development through the next stages." (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryo)

Agathiyar in revealing the moment of conceiving and birth, says the multicellular microorganisms in the initial stage that are composed of 5 elements or Pancha Maha Bhutam in a specific proportion taken from each parent's body becomes the zygote. 

உடல் என்பது ஐந்து உலோகங்களின் நுண்ணுயிர்களின் அளவுகளைத் தாங்கிக் கொண்டு பிண்டம் ஒன்றினை உருவ வடிவமாய் கர்ப்பகிரகத்தில் நிலை பெறுகிறது. பஞ்சபூதம் ஆகிய நீர், நிலம், ஆகாயம், காற்று, நெருப்பு அனைத்தும் தாய் தந்தையின் உடலிலிருந்தே  எடுக்கப்பட்டு சிசுவின் உடலைப் பிறப்பிக்கின்றது. 

One portion of earth is from the female and three portions are from the male.
Four portions of water are from the female and three are from the male.
Five portions of fire from the female and six from the male.
Eight portions of air from the female, two from the male, and finally
One portion of Ether from the female and eight from the male go towards making a healthy constitution.

நிலத்தின் அளவு - 1/3
நீரின் அளவு – 4/3
நெருப்பின் அளவு – 5/6
காற்றின் அளவு – 8/2
ஆகாயத்தின் அளவு – 1/8

In the event these proportions are compromised complications appear.

இவைகளின் அளவுகள் குறையும் தருவாயில் சிசு தன் உடலின் பாகங்களில் கோளாறு ஏற்படுகிறது.

Since this proportion is regulated by Lord Brahma, hence we know him as the creator of lives. 

இவ்வாறு அதற்கென்று அளவுகள் பிரம்மதேவரால் கணக்கிட்டு உடலை உருவாக்கப்படுகிறது.

It is interesting to recall the common belief that a newborn has a conversation with Lord Brahma. What the conversation is about, is anyone's guess. But we are told that Lord Brahma runs through the child's life before him, hence the reason for the child to cry or laugh. We suppose good things said would bring on joy and laughter and bad things that are to take place brings on a cry and sadness.

And so we came into this world. My soul chose my parents and assembled the parts and built a gross body for it to come within to either satisfy its past Karma or unfulfilled desires or for a divine purpose. It determined the exact time of arrival of the Uyir or the first breath that shall keep me alive till I exhaust the number of breaths. I chose to come after seven siblings. I was the eighth in the family. The entire staging of this play was spearheaded by our individual souls that had previously figured it all out in the subtle plane having other souls agreeing to take up their respective roles in our lives. 

My journalist brother to commemorate the first year of our mother's passing, had previously released a small booklet for distribution where he recapped from memory the story of our parents. He had previously carried several articles on our parents in the local daily he worked for. 

My mother was only 17 when she married my father in 1944 who came earlier from India to seek his fortune at the young age of 20. It was during the Japanese occupation of Malaya that they tied the knot. I am grateful to my parents for having brought me and my siblings into this world, raising us, and giving us education to help us stand on our own feet. 

From living under the shadow of my parents and siblings, I came to the guru who took me under his wings and we took flight. Life has been good to me. What did I do to deserve their grace?

CHILDREN

If parents shower love on their children, the grandparents do it to the max. If a wife or husband comes along to spice up our lives, children can spruce up our lives and truly bring joy and bliss to an otherwise dry and arid life. They are like the rain showers that dampen and wet us in joy and bliss. They are the light in a dark room. They are the breeze that brushes across our faces. They are the lasting aroma in the air and in our memories. They are the very space in which every worry and fear is forgotten.

Young Director Suyorukun through his short film brings us the message that "Life is strange. It takes sadness to know happiness. It takes absence to value presence." He drives the message across that you need one to know the other.

Through the lead actress in this film, he shares our regret that "I've made countless regretful mistakes in my life." But he pacifies us telling us that it is never too late to bring a change at least towards the end and in the ending. "I can't go back and change the beginning but I can start over and change the ending."

If there is nothing much we can do about our fate, we surely can try changing our destiny. All we need is some help, from some loving people and from the divine. Making friends with them shall bring the Prapanjam to shower all our asking. The Prapanjam shall as a means of payback, task us to help others in return, which we shall willingly do. We drop our individual purpose and take on a bigger purpose. We then have lived life fully. 

THIRU ARUTPA

There was a time back then in 1996 when I met Mr Sethu, a senior chief clerk at an adjacent block of our office building. We used to spend lunch breaks together where once he passed me a couple of cassette recordings of the Thiru Arutpa. Listening to the songs in the album "Arutpa Amudam" set to music and sung by S.Sadasivam did something within me that started the fire in me in wanting to know more about Ramalinga Adigal. I wanted to own the whole volume of his works. I would walk into music stores seeking more of these songs. Finally, I came across all these songs uploaded at https://thiruarutpa.org/. I got to own these songs in print too released by Ooran Adigal in two massive volumes. I read through the Thiru Arutpa accompanied by these songs on audio. After 28 years as I listen to these songs I can relate to what Ramalinga Adigal experienced and sang some 150 years back. 

Never did I imagine that he would come to us in present times. He took us by surprise the very first time he came through a devotee calling us to reach out to Arutperunjothi. Just as we could hardly hold on to the devotee through whom Ramalinga Adigal came, he could not contain his joy and was elevated off the ground as if defeating gravity itself and reaching up for the skies.

Dr.C.Srinivasan in his book "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Ramalinga Swami", published by Illakkia Nilayam, Tiruchi, 1968 states that by the "Universal spiritual communion and devotion to God, and allowing God to be infused in him, the Light of Grace which was infused in him had alchemized Ramalinga Adigal's body and finally, he became blazed with the Supreme Grace  Light." 

Indeed we saw him ablaze in the joy and bliss of Arutperunjothi on that unforgettable day on 14.3.2020. He began to sing the following verses.

"My God came within me to grant this Jothi. Veil upon veil did he show me. He was both a spark and majestic Jothi. As he arose in me all the veils were drawn aside."

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...

Returning from this heightened state, he assured us that the path we took was right and that Agathiyar would lead us to the Jothi, too. He asked us to aid in drawing aside the veils by raising the fire within. He assured us that Agathiyar would come within us and draw the veils aside.  

அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான். திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள்.

Ramalinga Adigal came again in December of 2021, to continue the recitation of the Agaval from where I had stopped having been overcome by my emotions. But what was odd was that he coined the words there and then which differed from his original text as if giving us the song off the cuff. He defined the state of Arutperunjothi in a few words.

When you come within me and I in you that is Arutperunjothi,
Bogam and Yogam are indeed Arutperunjothi,
When you go beyond and come to "know it" that is Arutperunjothi,

When you know that all work eventually reaches the feet of Sivam, that is Arutperunjothi,

When the male and female come together the effulgence that results is Arutperunjothi,

In going beyond all these, that is Arutperunjothi,

All the Yogam carried out in youth that comes to bear its fruit later in old age is Arutperunjothi,

That is the Light within the Light and within that too.

என்னுள்ளீல் நீ உன்னுள்ளில் நான் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,..
போகமும் யோகமும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
… நீ கடந்து அறிவே நீ அறியும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
எல்லாம் செய் சித்தம் சிவனடி சேரும் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
ஆண்மையும் பெண்மையும் கலந்தன இறுதியில் வெளிப்படும் வெளிச்சமே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
இவை எல்லாம் தாண்டிக் கடந்தபின் காண்பது அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
இளமையில் நீ செய்யும் யோகங்கள் யாவும் முதுமையில் சேர்ந்திடும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,
ஜோதியுள் ஜோதி அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

and he spoke to us the following words, that the Jothi has cooled down, Heat is Jothi, You are Jothi, I too am Jothi, the entire Prapanjam is Jothi, that which you see in this beggar too is Jothi, That which is in the Param is Arutperunjothi.

குளிர்ந்தது ஜோதி. வெப்பமும் ஜோதி, நீயும் ஜோதி, நானும் ஜோதி, பிரபஞ்சம் முழுதும் ஜோதி, மின்மினி போல் மின்னும் ஜோதி, இப்பரதேசியில் காண்பதும் ஜோதி, பரத்தில் இருக்கும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி.

He went on to show us the way to bring the effulgence within and keep it burning brightly. Again he asked us to aid in drawing aside the veils by raising the fire within. He assured us that Agathiyar would come within us and draw the veils aside. He tells us that we have the blessings of Arutjothi. We have the blessings of Arutperunjothi Andavar. The path is right. Agathiyar shall lead us to Arutjothi.

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.

Coming to us later both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal kept asking if we read Tavayogi's "Andamum Pindamum". Rereading it later, we found that Tavayogi in introducing the Siddha Neri, or the way the Siddhas, had shown us how to attain Soruba Siddhi. But it made no sense then. It was only in 2022 that I realized that in teaching us certain select Yoga postures and Pranayama techniques, he had helped us raise the dormant energy originating in the Muladhra Chakra that dominates all our worldly actions, to the higher reaches of the other Chakras where when the pull of the gross body or Pindam is overcome, we are free to roam the void or Vetta Vezhi. But since as long as man is entrapped in the gross body he can never venture further up the Chakras, he has to transform his gross body to that of subtler in nature, reducing the 5 elements to become the 1 and break away and to be free from the gravitational pull of the earth, and back into the emptiness. The knowledge to break loose is indeed Gnanam. Agathiyar too told us that as we travel within traversing each Chakra, upon reaching the summit or crown Chakra, Gnanam shall dawn. 

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. மனிதன் உடலில் இருக்கும் வரை மேல்நோக்கிப் பயணம் செய்ய முடியாது. மனிதனும் தன்னை கீழ்நோக்கி இருக்கும் மூலாதார சக்தியை மேல் நோக்கிச் செலுத்தினால் பிண்டத்தின் ஈர்ப்புச் சக்தியை கடந்தால் மனிதனும் வெட்டவெளியில் சுதந்திரமாக இருக்கலாம். 

These experiences become pretty obvious when one follows Ramalinga Adigal's devotional out-pourings, laments, wailing, utterances, plodding, pleading, petitions, and revelations as compiled into the Thiru Arutpa. In wanting to follow his life story we came across G.Vanmikanathan's "Pathway to God Trod by Saint Ramalingar", published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, which has given us a beautiful and much-awaited biography cum journal on the saint's experiences and spiritual evolution. Besides this Gnana Bharathi's “Tamil Mannin Thanthai” added to this marvelous biography of the saint. 

During the first 12 years, we learn that Ramalingam was into devotion or Bakthi, worshipping Lord Muruga at Kandhakottam while residing in Chennai. All saints have had a beginning in Bakthi or devotion too. The next 12 years were the missing years of Ramalingam who left Chennai and is said to have followed a guru and traveled the hills and the plains to the abodes of the Siddhas. Coming to know that there was indeed a way to remain immortal he sat in tapas for 12 years under the tutelage of his guru. When Tavayogi brought me to the Kutralam jungles, we sat in a cave that he said was occupied by Ramalinga Adigal. 

Ramalingam, who was by then 24 returned home and to society. What he saw disturbed him a lot. Besides discrimination based on caste and the multitude of religions that had arisen, he saw other faiths moving in and encroaching on the locals who were in a dire state of disarray. He felt the sufferings of the innocent people who were being manipulated by certain quarters in all ways possible. He fought the problems that had infiltrated society during his absence. To the locals in Patiripuliyur who gathered around him and sought his advice over the confusion that had arisen after another movement was telling them that they should leave idol worship, Ramalinga Adigal replied to them to continue what they were currently doing as that was best for them. Bhagawan Ramana too is known to ask those who enquired about the path to follow, to follow what they were currently doing. 

Ramalingam then in wanting to bring salvation to these souls, began a journey of propagating his newfound path, the worship of Light beginning in Chennai and proceeding to Thiruvotriyur and Tirutani, moving to Pondicherry and then later to Chidambaram, Sirgazhi, and Vaitheeswaram. Moving south to Madurai, Thiruvathavur, Thiruperunturai, and Karunkuzhi and briefly returning to Madurai, he settled at Karungkuzhi from where he frequented Chidambaram. It was from here at Karunguzhi that he began to supervise and direct the construction of the Dharma Salai to feed the hungry on a piece of land some 80 acres in size donated by the locals at Vadalur. He brought together his followers through the Sanmarga Sangam and educated them in divine knowledge or Gnanam through the Sanmarga Bhotini Padasalai. 

Ramalinga Adigal expounds that only God would know what he experienced. When many from the orthodox school choose not to reveal God's grace working in and through them, Ramalinga Adigal let out battle cries and eventually victory cries, beating the drums and blowing the horns making known to all of his achievements through divine grace. He sings "Blaze with the drum that I have become one with the Supreme Blaze of Grace; Blaze that I have acquired the kingdom of Grace Supreme". 

சந்நிதியிற் சென்று நான் பெற்ற பேறது சாமி யறிவாரடி. அருட்சோதி ஆனேன் என்று அறையப்பா முரசு, அருளாட்சி பெற்றேன் என்று அறையப்பா முரசு, மருட்சார்பு தீர்ந்தேன் என்று அறையப்பா முரசு, மரணந்த விர்ந்தேன் என்று அறையப்பா முரசு. தன்னுரு என்னுறு தன்னுரை என்னுரை என்ன இயற்றிய என்தனித் தந்தையே. 

Indeed why should one shy away from announcing his achievements when his form and speech became that of God, especially if it came not by our efforts but by his grace and compassion. Coming to us Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal asked us to announce and pronounce the greatness of the divine and its workings in us in transforming us to the state of a Siddha and of Jothi, by sharing them through this blog. Overwhelmed by his revelations, when I sang Ramalinga Adigal's song, before Agathiyar, a song that Tavayogi would sing at every sacred spot and abode of the Siddhas, 

"இன்று வருமோ நாளைக்கே வருமோ அல்லது மற்றென்று வருமோ அறியேன் எங்கோவே - துன்றுமல வெம்மாயை அற்று வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து சும்மா இருக்கும் சுகம்",

pleading for the day when we shall arise above the world of Maya and remain in the state of Doing Nothing or Summa Iruppathu, listening intently, Agathiyar questioned me asking if I knew its meaning? 

"வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து" அப்பொருள் அறிவாயா? 

I told him I only knew the song but never understood its meaning. He began to explain. "When you come to know yourself completely, come to know the Ganangal, and come to know that all that is around you is impermanent and forever changing, that very moment you shall transcend that void or space or Vetta Vezhi. That is said to be Doing Nothing or Summa Irupathu.

உன்னை நீ முழுதும் அறிந்து உன்னைச் சுற்றி இருக்கும் கணங்கள் அறிந்து எதுவும் நிலை அற்றது என்று நீ அறியும் அத்தருணம் வெளிக்குள் நீயே வெளி கடப்பாய். அத்தருணமே சும்மா இருப்பது."

I now understand why Lord Muruga and Agathiyar keep telling me to do nothing. They come often asking me if I was enjoying these moments.

DILEMMA

As Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare's play, "Hamlet" asks "To be, or not to be", we are confronted by numerous questions and doubts that appear as dilemmas to us. 

Seeing us go by life aimlessly the Siddha snatched us off the streets and had us walk the path of the Siddhas. They sent a guru to tutor and teach us, showing us rituals that bridged both worlds. 

They had many come over to my home and participate in these rituals that we soon brought into the corridors of the temples too. Soon this too came to an end as Agathiyar wanted us to lose our attachment to rituals, only picking up this tool as and when required. Eventually, he was to have us lose our hold and attachment, even to him for only then can we step out of Dvaita and step into the final phase of Advaita. 

In watching poverty right before our eyes, the question arises are we to place a dime in their bowl? If so how much shall be sufficient and for how long? Yogi Ramsuratkumar who addressed himself as a beggar, when asked about beggars, replied that India needed beggars. Agathiyar in getting us to start charity had us feed people from all walks of life irrespective of their social status. This was to have compassion arise in our hearts for I like many had walked by a begging man or woman or child not the least having the thought to place a dime in a bowl that shall fill their rice bowl. Later he had us filter the deserving from the undeserving and greedy. Eventually, he had us end it telling us that others shall continue from where we left and had us move on to the next phase, that of Yoga. 

Picking up the tool of Yoga, it did wonders within us and besides all the other benefits commonly associated with it, helped us meet our soul (Atma Darisanam). The soul then charted our destiny anew. Fate was defeated. Our life was now in our own hands. Should we then take on the role of a guru or teacher or master? Before we could jump onto the bandwagon that passed us carrying numerous gurus assigned to their tasks, Agathiyar halted us asking us to hold on for something much better. We await that moment. 

REVISITING SIDDHA HEARTBEAT

In asking me to do nothing, I have come to realize that there is a profound truth in this instruction. As I revisit this blog I discovered that the answers are all there, but since I had yet to arrive at the experience back then it made little sense then. P.Karthigayan wrote in his book "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu," which I referred to Friday, 13 March 2020, that concentrating on the center of the forehead, called Lalaadam, one is led into a thoughtless mental state that of Mounam. Prolonging this state is Tavam. Probing the questions in Tavam is Gnanam. He says, "It is believed that such questions will be answered by our own conscience through our spirit's connection to the cosmic library."

Agathiyar told me, "Gnanam is not gifted but has to be earned and experienced. When one goes within, as the journey brings upon these subtle experiences these shall translate into and become Gnanam. It defers to each person. As such I cannot possibly define it."

நீ என்னிடம் கேட்டது ஞானம். ஞானம் என்பது நான் தருவதல்ல. நீ கற்பது. ஒருவன் தனக்குள் உள்வாங்கி அவனுள் பயணம் துவங்கும் நேரம் அப்பயணம் தரும் பாதிப்பே ஞானம். அவை ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும் மாற்றம் பெரும். ஆகையால் அவை நான் இதுதான் என்று சொல்ல இயலாது.

Ramalinga Adigal came to affirm the same telling me it needed effort. The effort placed in going within brings new experiences quite unlike what we have seen in our daily lives. Asking me several questions if I was experiencing them, he charted the journey beautifully giving me instructions. He says that an understanding of the structure of the body coupled with an understanding of the subtle experiences that result from bodily changes and an understanding of the inner journey is a much-needed and required prerequisite to an understanding of the inner journey. He asked if I was aware of the breath and its movement and if the breath was driving me or if the breath was flowing in me?" He asked that I continue and remain in this state of bliss and said that finally, the effulgence would become ablaze in me.

உடல் கூறு தத்துவங்களைத் தெரிந்துகொண்டாயா? தேக மாற்றம் உணருகிறாயா? உன் உள் பயணத்தை அறிந்துகொண்டாயா? பிரணவத்தின் சக்தி உணருகிறாயா? உன் பிரணவத்தால் ஊடுகிறாயா? அல்லது பிரணவம் உன்னுள் ஊடுகிறதா? இன்பத்தில் ஆழ்ந்து கொண்டுவா, உன்னுள் ஜோதி எரியும்.

When Agathiyar and Lord Murugan after dismembering the limbs of the house that was built out of our individual self-made purposes, took turns to play their divine game or Lila in our lives, giving us the much-needed experiences that would mold us into a vessel and vehicle now fit for their purpose, and finally arrived at asking if they should make me a guru too and almost immediately brushed that offer aside and instead told me that they shall make me a Siddha instead, it is pretty obvious that Agathiyar is not willing to let me take on the role of a guru for it shall then be only an extension of one's ego. He wants me to stay longer and earn the divine knowledge or Ambrosia that shall come to be revealed in due time. I came across a passage from P.Karthigayan related to the phases in being tuned to become one. One starts with the purification of body and mind first, only then is he introduced to distinguishing between the true wisdom distinct from the false that is short-lived. If he has genuine interest he stays to further himself, otherwise, he proclaims himself as a guru and leaves. For those who stay, the divine knowledge shall be revealed slowly based on his determination and merit. Finally, he is given a divine bead that serves as armor in his journey. It looks like we then graduate from the Siddha school with a major in the Philosophy of the Siddhas. 

P. Karthigayan making a distinction between the two paths of, the Yogis and the Siddhas, charts the path and the process till the day of transformation in our state and standing dawns. While Yogis considered their body as a bag of sin suitable only for worldly life and rejected the same; the Siddhas considered the body as a means to achieve exalted spiritual heights and immortalized their body by scientific means. The Siddhas asserted that one needed to attain Atma Siddhi or spiritual immortality and Kaaya Siddhi or physical immortality. In the former they preserved their soul (Atma) with the spirit (Uyir or breath) within and in the latter, they preserved the body (Udal) and soul (and spirit). By eliminating the worldly substances, the Siddhas renewed their body and reincarnated their spirit or breath with the soul within it. The science of achieving death without dying, or Saagaamal Saagum Kalai, which is commonly spoken about as an achievement by the Siddhas, is a loss of substances related to the earth except for the form of their profile. 

The vision that Mother Mira Alfassa had seen of the happenings that took place on that memorable Friday night when Ramalinga Adigal attained the Jothi in Sidhi Valagam during her meditation carried in the article "A Vision of Dematerialization of Ramalinga's Living Body" by Gangadharan, a disciple of her on the now-defunct website http://www.ramalinga.com confirms the very state of Saagaamal Saagum Kalai that Ramalinga Adigal entered. Substances of a perishable nature will be replaced by substances of a cosmic nature and complete the transformation known as Kaaya Siddhi - retaining one's body forever. 

When he was thus absorbed in deep concentration, an effulgent truth-light of grace broke out from his heart and with its unique heat began to burn his radiant physical body very slowly, as at a snail's speed, and that in an upward direction, from the heart towards the head. The burning of the body may be somewhat likened to that of an incense stick which however burns downwards by its inner heat of fire, forming ash covering but without the falling down of the ash-form. When the upper part of his radiant body was burnt completely from heart to head, there was left in its place a form of pure white substance, which also radiated its light of consciousness. The burnt part, however, showed all its features intact and clearly, and even the burnt hair of his head was seen distinctly as luminous white hair. Then the heat of the pure light of grace descended to burn the lower part.

After the whole body was thus burnt, Vallalar was seen as a bodily form of pure white substance from head to foot, radiating its light. The white form kept intact all the different kinds of cells of his body and all the distinctive features and formations of his interior and exterior body. 

I AM BACK

As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword, Agathiyar wants me to continue writing, sharing the joy of arriving there. I think I shall write until my last breath. He keeps telling me and my wife to our disbelief that we have already arrived. This is because we too like many others have fallen for the intense hype surrounding the Siddhas and the secrecy of their teachings that is made out to be. We just cannot accept that it is simple and is made available to all those who reach out. Just as moss accumulates on the surface of the water in the pond, so too many foreign and false teachings have come by in time pushing the truth into the abyss. Individuals with personal agendas and wanting fame and authority complicated matters as they hid the truth in layers upon layers of veil and sheaths and delayed the process further by placing numerous obstacles on the path that otherwise should be instantaneous and spontaneous. Our Karma too had a place in it. The Gods too had a hand in it. The Siddhas too played to the tune of God and men. It needs genuine seekers to brave the storm and dive deep within this ocean of  Maya and bring out the Ambrosia and as Jesus said, "Behold I make all things anew", that makes us anew. Agathiyar recently hosted a divine play with Lord Siva and Indra bringing us to experience the extent Maya, which was mentioned in passing by Tavayogi as he left my home after his very first visit, would go to to confuse, derail and delay our journey of knowing the Self. 

Setting the bush on fire and burning the house that Maya built, we arrive at a distinct state of peace within. These profound feelings in this state were expressed through the numerous songs of Ramalinga Adigal compiled as the Thiru Arutpa, throughout the many phases he went through and in finally arriving at Arutperunjothi's doorway, where the Jothi enveloped him. Like the Siddhas, his journey brought him from form to formless and beyond. Arriving there we come to learn that it is all the divine's play, toying with us, and our desires, wants, aspirations, ambitions, likes, and dislikes and bringing us to fall prey to Maya and the game of Indra. When acceptance and satisfaction replace denial and greed, we arrive at the state of Shanti, or peace with ourselves. 

But as it is said, though now regarded as a false story, that Nero played the fiddle when Rome was on fire, nevertheless how can we be at peace when the whole world is in turmoil? How can we be selfish and close our eyes to what is taking place all around us? Just when we are confused given the word of caution and fear amidst meddling in others' Karma, as to whether to lift a hand in helping another and if we do, where to draw the line, Mother Teresa comes along to end the scaremongering. When the dying were left on the streets, they needed someone like Mother Teresa to come along and take it upon herself to provide shelter and care in their last moments. She brought a change in their lives. Although she faced numerous obstacles in her bid to save lives, she pushed her safety and personal interests aside and kept doing what she wanted. Though she did not do it for fame, she is remembered until today.

When the priestly class stood aloft from the others, governing them in religious matters, it needed someone like Bharathi to rise in their midst and grow up among them to break the taboo and bond and reach out for the hands of every man in the street. Today his poems and songs are remembered and sung by the masses. 

So too, it is with talking about one's experiences traveling both the religious and later spiritual paths to Self-discovery. If the orthodox schools kept it a safely guarded secret close to their hearts and eventually brought them with them to their graves, the Siddhas were purportedly said to phrase them as Paripasai which was difficult to decode and comprehend. Even Mantras given to one were forbidden and not to be uttered to others. It needed someone like Ramalinga Adigal to break the hold of tradition on us and expose it, making the way and the methods accessible to even the common man. Now it is whether we want to follow these saints and attain their state?

BYE

Much has been said, conveyed, and learned in this blog. Since Agathiyar has brought me to do nothing, it is time for me to put down the pen too, and do nothing. I can't explain how it is to do nothing. One has to experience this too. 

DISCOVER THE SELF

When many parents seem to make their children clones of themselves, Agathiyar says we are only here to bring them into this world. Sadly though, parents tend to push their unfulfilled aspirations, ambitions, and desires on their children expecting them to follow suit, short of defining the destiny of these children. We need to drop this. Tavayogi says the souls must be left free to discover, experience, and learn. Supramania Swami, Tavayogi, and Agathiyar coming as gurus never expected nor forced us into becoming clones. Rather, they gave us full freedom to explore, experience, learn, and decide what was best for us. It was important for each individual to know his purpose here and live it out accordingly. Hence from their perspective, nothing was right or wrong. It is all as planned. Hence while the book that I came across in my college library that taught me to say "No" broke the spell on me initially, and while in coming to Tavayogi he broke everything I had aspired and desired and held on to, Agathiyar on his part broke everything he had me built following his instructions, eventually freeing me.   

Most of us live out a major part of our Karma before even coming to wanting to know the reason or purpose in coming. When we begin asking why it was all happening and begin to seek answers, only then our spiritual journey begins. We shall question religion then for failing us. Knowing the reason we start on the quest to know if we can evade or come out of it. In seeking solutions, we are sent or moved to go on pilgrimages, not as a tourist or formal devotees, knocking on the doors of the temples but as a true seeker. Our seeking brings us to listen and look out for signs and answers. We might turn up at the door of a guru as I did or a guru might step before us again as did happen to me. The gurus' teachings bring us to a paradigm shift, to know the soul. The ego that was all these while in charge, takes a beating and lets go of its hold. The soul that went into hiding earlier comes to the forefront. It is time to reckon the soul and the purpose we came for. The soul with the help of the guru charts our destiny. Just as a trainer eyes the potential in an individual and grooms him into an athlete, the Siddha comes by eyeing the soul that is purposed to walk the path and trains and molds him or her into becoming one. Just as in the field of sports discipline is of utmost importance, here too one has to be disciplined to follow the teachings and practices given. Whether we succeed or otherwise is solely in our hands and our efforts. But in the Siddha path, we can look forward to the Siddhas to assist in lifting us, provided we have strived to work for it. Our fate is then won thanks to them.

GOD = LIGHT 2

From a wonderfully researched piece titled "The Holy Darkness: A Study of Light in Brihadeshvara Hindu Temple, Tanjore, Tamilnadu, India (1010 Ad)" by Anat Geva, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University, Department of Architecture, USA and Anuradha Mukherji, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architecture, the University of California at Berkeley, USA, we learn that 

"The temple interiors were designed to be dark so the human eye is not distracted by the material world to let the mind enter the spiritual world of God. As seen in the Brihadeshvara Temple, natural light is introduced in progressive light quality from brightness to darkness accommodating the ritual movement of the worshiper. It is interesting to note that the reduced level of light quality in the temple also contributes to the thermal comfort of the building. Thick walls, small windows, and reduced light maintain cool and dry conditions for better thermal comfort in the hot humid climate of Tamilnadu. Thus, the Hindu worshippers are not distracted visually or thermally enabling them to focus their minds on God."

"This treatment of light ensures that by the time the pilgrim reaches the innermost chamber (Garbhagraha), his/her eyes slowly become accustomed to the darkness and his/her state of mind befitting worship and is no longer plagued by worldly thoughts. During this journey, one passes through many doorways, colonnaded halls, and corridors, which are decorated with sacred carvings. These sacred symbols have a profound impact on the mind of the devotee; they simulate the mystery that envelops the universe and the divine spirit that illumines the universe (Deva 1995). Reaching the holy sanctum, the worshipper enters a place for individual self-realization and personal relation with the divine."

If this prepared us to arrive at the state of mind conducive for prayer and possible meditation too, the latter brings us to unknown frontiers alien to what we see here with our eyes, we are told. When the Light comes within, the Chakras are activated in one by the divine hand. Having worked on it through efforts placed on the practices given by the Siddhas themselves there is little one can do further but to immerse in the bliss and at times the pain and agony that comes with it too. The Chakras on opening up further to the brilliance of the Light that descends within receive the full splendor of the Light that enhances the inherent fire within and beauty unfolds. Energy flows from beyond to complement the inherent energies within. The topmost Chakra then is in constant touch with the Prapanjam. All the senses are heightened. One feels an action or word done or said to another within him. He begins to relate to another's feelings of joy and pain. This extends to all other creations too eventually. He is one with all around him. He is indeed then a saint in all manner. 

GOD = LIGHT 1

All our rituals have evolved around fire and light. The early man sat around the fire and looked towards the stars. Man who came from earth, water, fire, and air has to return to the state of light. The Siddhas lead us to the path of Light. They have tried, experimented, and transformed the gross body into that of the Light. Ramalinga Adigal was the latest Siddha to make it to the Kingdom of Light. Ramalinga Adigal in attaining the state came back to reveal the mystery in his songs the "Arutpa". The final closure to his life chapter was shown in meditation to Mother Mira Alfassa who related it to Gangadharan. The article "A Vision of Dematerialization of Ramalinga's Living Body" was carried in the now-defunct website http://www.ramalinga.com. 

He was verily a supreme form of the divine. A flood of light radiated from his pure and luminous body in all directions. The intensity of the flood of light that radiated from his whole body was very powerful and one shall have the strength and capacity to bear and receive it. My (Mother Mira Alfassa) whole body vibrated with joy and pleasantness because of the vision of the light of his body.

After some time of concentration, he rose up and saw the physical sky. The full moon was shedding its blissful cool rays over the earth. A little distance away from the moon was seen a very bright dazzling star of light. Vallalar poured his concentrated gaze at it for some time. He became enraptured with blissful joy in his heart, which radiated on his face. A little time thereafter, he again sat on the white seat of the plank and entered into deep concentration.

Though Vallalar was inside the closed and bolted room, he could see clearly the whole universe with its tiers of many worlds of mind, life, and the physical including the physical earth and sky with its moon, stars, and clouds.

When he was thus absorbed in deep concentration, an effulgent truth-light of grace broke out from his heart and with its unique heat began to burn his radiant physical body very slowly, as at a snail's speed, and that in an upward direction, from the heart towards the head. The burning of the body may be somewhat likened to that of an incense stick which however burns downwards by its inner heat of fire, forming ash covering but without the falling down of the ash-form. 

When the upper part of his radiant body was burnt completely from heart to head, there was left in its place a form of pure white substance, which also radiated its light of consciousness. The burnt part, however, showed all its features intact and clearly, and even the burnt hair of his head was seen distinctly as luminous white hair. 

Then the heat of the pure light of grace descended to burn the lower part.

After the whole body was thus burnt, Vallalar was seen as a bodily form of pure white substance from head to foot, radiating its light. The white form kept intact all the different kinds of cells of his body and all the distinctive features and formations of his interior and exterior body. His bodily form did not shrink in size after the burning. I saw no visible flame nor sensed its heat during the burning of his living body, nor smoke, nor any bad smell as of burnt tissues, nor heard any cracking noise as of burnt bones. Instead, there was a sweet fragrance since the time his body began to burn and it spread everywhere. I sensed in my heart an ineffable calmness and silence, which gave me in turn a state of bliss.

Now a second stage of burning began. The unique heat of grace light began to burn slowly Valalalar's luminous form of white substance from head to foot downwards. When his white substance full of its radiating light, was thus burnt completely, the white substance became very fine sub-atomic conscious particles, which permeated and pervaded the entire universe and the farther pure worlds of consciousness beyond. The fine, white, and conscious particles with their radiating light also entered into and got distributed everywhere on the earth and even in matter. After the universal pervasive distribution of the particles, they could be seen no more and disappeared from my sight. Now there pervaded everywhere the sweet, soft, and fine fragrance of camphor which gave my body a blissful sensation and enraptured my heart as well.

Then I had the rare vision of Vallalar's universal luminous golden form. In fact, the immensity of his golden form is contained in the whole universe. This form too disappeared from my view and was replaced by another vision in which I saw the golden light of truth-knowledge and grace entering into all the directions more speedily than the lightning. It permeated and pervaded the whole universe and the farther pure worlds of consciousness. It entered into our earth and all its crores of the physical forms of beings and objects and in the apparently insensible matter and even in the very dark realm of the vast in conscience. All the forms that were permeated by the golden light of truth changed into golden forms of beings and objects. The golden light entered my whole Adhara including the physical body. My body felt in all the cells vibrations of ease and pleasantness. Then I heard some words of grace. However, they were indistinctly heard and could not be deciphered, as I was absorbed in a rapture of bliss due to the sublime vision and experiences. Thus, the vision lasted an hour and ended.

On 14 March 2020 when Ramalinga Adigal came, he coined a song for us. The song goes as follows, 

சீர்ஜோதி அது பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது...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...

In describing the Light or Jothi to us, Ramalinga Adigal says that it comes to us by Divine Grace. Layers upon layers of Jothi are shown by his Grace. From the smallest speck to the largest Effulgence. "It is forever rising in me, drawing back the veil in each instance." 

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.

"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. Arutjothi blesses you. Arutjoti Aandavar blesses you. You are on the right track. Agathiyan shall lead you to Arutjothi", hails Ramalinga Adigal.

Ramalinga Adigal sings in his "Thiru Unthiyar" (திரு உந்தியார்), "Kaliththaazisai" (கலித்தாழிசை), that as dawn broke through the night skies, 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. 

திரையற்று விட்டது செஞ்சுடர் தோன்றிற்று
பரைஒளி ஓங்கிற்றென்று உந்தீபற
பலித்தது பூசையென்று உந்தீபற.

When Tavayogi told me Agathiyar came the day I arrived at his Kallar ashram in 2005 and asked him what he was going to give me, and later as I arrived with my family in 2013 he had us brought to the spot Agathiyar gave him his vision in the Kallar hills, and where Tavayogi later installed a granite statue of Agathiyar, I asked him how Agathiyar came? He replied that Agathiyar came as Light.

When he brought me to Kalyana Theertam, writings on the steps denoted that the Siddhas would appear as Light there at night. I requested Tavayogi that we stay overnight, wanting to witness this. But he told me we should go to the Kutralam caves and spend the night there. Though I did not get an opportunity to witness these unique phenomena, Agathiyar chose to show his presence to Jnana Jyothiamma and Dr. Ram Supramaniam of Tirunelveli when they arrived there in the heat of the day. A spectacular play and display of light took place in broad daylight, not visible to the naked eye but mysteriously caught on camera. 

Supramania Swami told me that he had seen the light of Jothi days before he passed on, on 7 February 2007. Agathiyar came in the Nadi that weekend and told me that it was true that Supramania Swami had gone into Samadhi.

Oxford Languages defines light as similar to illumination, brightness, luminescence, luminosity, shining, gleaming, gleam, brilliance, radiance, luster, glowing, glow, blaze, glare, dazzle, incandescence, phosphorescence, sunlight, moonlight, starlight, lamplight, firelight, electric light, gaslight, ray of light, shaft of light, beam of light, effulgence, refulgence, lambency, fulguration, daylight, light of day, natural light, daylight hours, daytime, day, hours of sunlight. 

Light too is 

• an "expression in someone's eyes indicating a particular emotion or mood." 
• an "understanding of a problem or mystery; enlightenment." 
• an "area of something brighter or paler than its surroundings." 
• a "device used to produce a flame or spark." 
• a "window or opening to let light in." 
• a "person eminent in a particular sphere of activity." 
• to "provide with light or lighting; illuminate." 
• to "make (something) start burning; ignite." 
• to "have a considerable or sufficient amount of natural light; not dark." 
• is also (of a color) pale.

So is this the light that the Siddhas speak about. Is the flame or fire from the stove - Light? Is the open fire - Light? Are the rays and heat of the sun - Light? Is the reflected light from the moon - Light. I guess Tavayogi in sensing all these questions in me brought me into my prayer room and closed the door. He asked me to observe what I saw. The room was lit by the flame from the oil lamp. The room was enveloped in a warm soothing light. He then pointed out that this was the Light spoken of. 

LOVE

At times we need someone to remind us of our love for another. I guess for those who forget, the reminder can come drastically as in a tragedy. If we have sidelined someone the tragedy reminds us of his or her existence. If were had parted in anger, a tragedy reminds us to pay a visit and reconcile. But most of the time love just seems to disappear from our lives. Then there comes a child who showers us with love. He or she does that without wanting something or anything. Their love is pure. I compiled the following video of my grandchildren that speaks for itself.

Here in this short film, a kid comes to jolt the past memory of a grandpa in passing and rekindle his love for his wife again, something that fell into the abyss, in his old age.

When the old are deserted in their old age, what remains are memories. They revisit these memories provided they are not senile and still have a healthy mind. My wife is now looking after her elderly parents in her hometown. It pains her to see these 90 and 80-year-olds lose their abilities at this age. I believe rather than bring a miracle in their lives at this age, Agathiyar is making sure that they are comforted until their last days.

For those left alone in their old age, if they had befriended God he comes to keep them company till their last hours.

The lyricist Yugabharathi writes if only love fills all of this space, what could be more wonderful, வெளியெல்லாம் காதலால் நிறைத்தால், அதற்கீடேது சாமி.

மனமெங்கும் மாய ஊஞ்சல்

உனதன்பில் ஆட ஆட

மழை பொங்கும் தூய மேகம்

உயிர் உள்ளேச் சாரல் போட

கோடையும் வாடையும்

பாத்திடா தாவரம்

வரம் நீ தந்தாய்

வான் பூக்குதே

நான் உன் தோளில் கண் சாய

விண்மீன்கள் பொன் தூவ

காற்றிலே சிறகை நாம் விரித்தால்

துளி ஆகாதோ பூமி

வெளியெல்லாம் காதலால் நிறைத்தால்

அதற்கீடேது சாமி

எங்கும் மாய ஊஞ்சல்

உனதன்பில் ஆட ஆட

மழைப் பொங்கும் தூய மேகம்

உயிர் உள்ளேச் சாரல் போட

முத்தம் வைக்கும்

வேனீர் காலங்கள்

கட்டிக் கொள்ளும் ஈரக் கோலங்கள்

உன் கால் தடம் நானே

என் தாய் நிலம் கண்டேனே

தடாகம் தேகம் வாழும்

காணும் மீன்கள் நீ

நான் மண் சேர்ந்து நீர்ப் போல

உன் சாயல் கொண்டேனே

மரம் ஒரு இசை

மொட்டரும்பு ஒரு இசை

கடல் ஒரு இசை

நம் உடல் ஒரு இசை

நிலவொளி வீசும்

காற்றில் பேசும்

பறவையின் தாய்மை யாழிசை

வெண் சிறகை வீசும்

மூச்சுக் காற்றிலே

கண் உருகப் பாடும்

கோடி மூங்கிலே

உன் மொழிகளோடு

தேன் வழிகிறதே

என் மார்பிலே

நீ பேசும் வாசம்

நீ அல்லவா

(Source: https://tamilpadalvarigal.com/manamengum-maaya-oonjaal-song-lyrics-gypsy/)

Indeed, imagine a world filled with love and laughter. It is hard to come by though. The only moments we find love and laughter go hand in hand are when one is in love and when we are with the kids. This is even absent in the presence of gurus. There is only fear out of respect for them. The relationship between guru and disciple is mostly scholarly. But there is no end to our queries, questions, and doubts. Just as Lord Dhaksanamurthy decided finally to remain silent, it is only in remaining silent that love shall begin to flower. As long as we are intellectually alert love is sent to the sidelines. We only want to prove the other wrong and maintain our stand and opinion. Love goes into hiding.