Sunday 3 January 2021

BEATING MAYA AT ITS GAME

When Jnana Jothiamma was making headway in the Siddha circle with many coming to know her as she began visiting many places and temples associated with the Siddhas I cautioned her about talking to the media. When Tavayogi was interviewed by a TV station he stopped short of revealing the secrets of the Nadi. 

When we asked Agathiyar in the Nadi on his origin he told us these were closely guarded secrets but due to his love for us divulged a bit with the condition that the Nadi Nool Aasan or Nadi reader does not attempt to interpret, translate nor explain further its contents.

Agathiyar in his "Gnana Saitanyam" in explaining the "Suzhumunai" and its location adds that the Siddhas had hidden this from the knowledge of the public eye and that it is made known through the guru to only his children who have come to know Sivam.

தானென்ற அகாரமதே விந்துவாகும்
சாதனை உகாரமதே நாதமாகும்
வானென்ற சுழினையதே மகாரமாகும்
மைந்தனே இதை மறைத்தார் சித்தரெல்லாம்

தேனென்ற குருகாட்டத் தெரியுமல்லால்
சிவம் அறியாப் பாவிகட்குத் தெரியாதப்பா
நானென்ற சிவயோக மார்க்கந் தன்னை
நன்மை உள பிள்ளைகட்குச் சொன்னேன் பாரே!

Why the secrecy in revealing or in talking to the general public or the media then? The subject and their teachings could be misunderstood, misinterpreted, exaggerated, or its gist or substance lost in translation or narration or worst still ridiculed and made fun of. Furthermore, in asking us to read the Tirumanthiram or any other sacred text for the matter he added that we only read the original text and not the explanation that followed. 

When I came to follow the path I was cautioned by fellow followers that the Siddha path leads to internal feuds and troubles and families breaking up. As I began to see the beauty in the path of the Siddhas and their teachings, I took it upon myself to prove these skeptics wrong. Taking the cue from Tavayogi to have me bring my family too into the path, we began our home puja with my wife and two daughters assisting. This went a long way in bringing recognition. When we visited Kallar Ashram in 2013, we were given the honor to sing songs of praises before Agathiyar at Kallar Ashram. When the AVM family participated in the Kallar annual fest or Vizha and the opening of the new Kallar Peedham/Ashram and temple some 2 kilometers away from the old Ashram in 2016, we were given the honor to sing the songs of praises during the Yagam. What else would a devotee want?

The Siddha teachings and their medium of communication, the Nadi too have sadly been subjected to all the above abuse. After coming to the Nadi and seeing results I was saddened to come across negative perception, opinion, and coverage of the Nadi on the net. While many sought the Nadi for guidance it is unfortunate that the Nadi of the Siddhas has been ridiculed by an equal sector of the public too. Many have sought the Nadi out just to prove that the readings were made up and to expose its readers as frauds. Some had made it their purpose in life to belittle and berate the Siddhas. I took it upon myself to correct the wrong perception. The Nadi worked for me. Although I had always considered my Nadi readings as private and that it was the divine speaking to me on matters solely for my upliftment, I thought that I should reveal the readings minus certain chapters that I thought this blog was not the right forum to disclose, to bring back and instill faith in the medium.


Soon I realized that I had a purpose in coming here with the coming of Agathiyar's devotees and aspirants chosen by Agathiyar who had the potential to become a Siddha. He sent them over to my home to participate in our home puja. I saw that he was using me and my home as a venue for his children to converge and learn the path together with me. As we journeyed together, I shared all that I was told and taught with them. The puja and the rituals I saw and learned from Tavayogi of Kallar Ashram became a template for them too. Soon they visited Kallar Ashram and learned from the man himself the finer points of worship of Siddhas. 


Taking the cue from Tavayogi to spread the words of Agathiyar and with Agathiyar himself endorsing this in his Nadi readings, I took to writing, expanding my personal website Indian Heartbeat to blogging. Thus this saw the birth of this blog Siddha Heartbeat. Soon Agathiyar began to refer his devotees to this blog too. I was surprised to be told by a reader from Pune, India, who emailed me that Agathiyar had recommended that she read this blog when she went for a Nadi reading.
Hi sir. Thanks for a very enlightening post from none other than the great sage agasthiar. I really prayed to him to tell me about the working of karma and he replied through your post!I am thankful to both of you.
I went for another nadi reading. Again agasthiar told me that u r (the blog) the solution to all my problems. He advised me to read your blog regularly and pray regularly. He said u r  (the blog) the one to answer all my questions. When I asked the doubts in my mind he said that I should ask them to u (the blog) as told in earlier reading.
Again Agathiyar had directed a devotee who came around to AVM, to read the blog to know further about the soul. Soon he started to prescribe the blog to his devotees for answers to their queries and confusion. This is all new to me too. I am equally baffled. We can only watch in awe and amazement at how he goes about his work in bringing more souls to Lord Shiva's feet by using us as tools and mediums.

Agathiyar acknowledges that many truths have gone into hiding. What is been said, followed and spread is false. But he "lets it be" never interfering with the master plan or divine play as long as there is no harm to lives. Maya has to take its course. Those who see through this curtain of Maya or illusion survive to cross over to save ground. 

How far is there truth in the proverbs that are commonplace among us these days? We shall be surprised after watching the following video.


Just as the proverbs have been mistaken, and misinterpreted, religious practices too have been derailed and given a new form. For instance, we learn from devotees the truth about many matters. When once upon a time Amavasai or New moon coincided with Deepavali the ancestors were worshipped with prayers and food, these days it has become a norm to pray to them on the eve or on the day of Deepavali. What is made worst is that cooked meat is served to them. In truth, we came to know that only certain selected vegetables are served to the dead and consumed by family and relatives on Amavasai. There were two known instances of the dead been revived mysteriously, coming alive after being proclaimed dead. In both cases, the person who was assumed dead woke up to vomit these vegetables that were served to them. Mind you these cooked vegetables were not stuffed into the mouth of the corpse but served on a banana leaf. Looks like they ate them on their journey after leaving the body and vomited them as they reentered their body. Both grannies lived to a prime old age. One lost the ability to speak and see though while the other remained quiet as before not revealing anything of the soul's journey. 

Many devotees and friends pass me links to videos and materials on the Siddhas. I can hardly watch for more than a minute. The narration drives you off. The script is misleading. The visuals and footage frighten you rather than draw you to the path. A much-awaited change from the norm on the saints that were dished out by production companies came by way of the 8 part series on the life and times of Sri Sargurunathar of Ooty. Kudos to the producers of this series.


Agathiyar in his "Agasthiyar Gnanam" has some strong words in the form of reminders. Bringing them to light, he guides humanity on the right way of living.

2. மோட்சமது பெறுவ தற்குச் சூட்சஞ் சொன்னேன்
மோசமுடன் பொய்களவு கொலை செய்யாதே;
காய்ச்சலுடன் கோபத்தைத் தள்ளிப் போடு
காசினியிற் புண்ணியத்தைக் கருதிக் கொள்ளு;
பாய்ச்சலது பாயாதே பாழ்போ காதே
பலவேத சாஸ்திரமும் பாரு பாரு;
ஏச்சலில்லா தவர்பிழைக்கச் செய்த மார்க்கம்
என்மக்கா ளெண்ணி யெண்ணிப் பாரீர் நீரே.

3. பாரப்பா நால்வேதம் நாலும் பாரு
பற்றாசை வைப்பதற்கோ பிணையோ கோடி;
வீரப்பா ஒன்றொன்றுக்கு கொன்றை மாறி
வீணிலே யவர்பிழைக்கச் செய்த மார்க்கம்;
தேரப்பா தெருத்தெருவே புலம்பு வார்கள்
தெய்வநிலை ஒருவருமே காணார் காணார்;
ஆரப்பா நிலைநிற்கப் போறா ரையோ!
ஆச்சரியங் கோடியிலே யொருவன் தானே!

4. ஒருவனென்றே தெய்வத்தை வணங்க வேணும்
உத்தமனாய்ப் பூமிதனிலிருக்க வேணும்;
பருவமதிற் சேறுபயிர் செய்ய வேணும்
பாழிலே மனத்தை விடான் பரம ஞானி;
திரிவார்கள் திருடரப்பா கோடா கோடி
தேசத்திற் கள்ளரப்பா கோடா கோடி;
வருவார்க ளப்பனே அனேகங் கோடி
வார்த்தையினால் பசப்புவார் திருடர் தானே.

5. தானென்ற தானேதா னொன்றே தெய்வம்
தகப்பனுந் தாயுமங்கே புணரும்போது
நானென்று கருப்பிடித்துக் கொண்டு வந்த
நாதனைநீ எந்நாளும் வணங்கி நில்லு;
கோனென்ற திருடனுக்குந் தெரியு மப்பா
கோடானு கோடியிலே யொருவ னுண்டு,
ஏனென்றே மனத்தாலே யறிய வேணும்
என்மக்காள் நிலைநிற்க மோட்சந் தானே.

6. மோட்சமது பெறுவதற்குச் சூட்சங் கேளு
முன்செய்த பேர்களுடன் குறியைக் கேளு!
ஏய்ச்சலது குருக்களது குலங்கள்கேளு
எல்லாருங் கூடழிந்த தெங்கே கேளு;
பேச்சலது மாய்கையப்பா வொன்று மில்லை
பிதற்றுவா ரவரவரும் நிலையுங்காணார்;
கூச்சலது பாளையந்தான் போகும் போது
கூட்டோடே போச்சுதப்பா மூச்சுத் தானே.

So how do we filter the truth from the false? Agathiyar tells us to go within and to focus on the Suzhumunai and all shall be revealed. Going within is the way now to explore and understand; to let go of our hold on all things false, and to come to terms with a new understanding of God's world and all upon it and beyond it. 

1. சத்தியே பராபரமே ஒன்றே தெய்வம்
சகலவுயிர் சீவனுக்கு மதுதா னாச்சு;
புத்தியினா லறிந்தவர்கள் புண்ணி யோர்கள்
பூதலத்தில் கோடியிலே யொருவ ருண்டு;
பத்தியினால் மனமடங்கி நிலையில் நிற்பார்
பாழிலே மனத்தை விடார் பரம ஞானி;
சுத்தியே யலைவதில்லைச் சூட்சஞ் சூட்சம்
சுழியிலே நிலையறிந்தால் மோட்சந் தானே.

23. தானென்ற பெரியோர்க ளுலகத் துள்ளே
தாயான பூரணத்தை யறிந்த பின்பு
தேனென்ற அமுதமதைப் பானஞ் செய்து
தெவிட்டாத மவுனசிவ யோகஞ் செய்தார்;
ஊனென்ற வுடலைநம்பி யிருந்த பேர்க்கே
ஒருநான்கு வேதமென்றும் நூலா றென்றும்;
நானென்றும் நீயென்றும் சாதி யென்றும்
நாட்டினா ருலகத்தோர் பிழைக்கத்தானே.

26. காணாமல் அலைந்தோர்கள் கோடா கோடி
காரணத்தை யறிந்தோர்கள் கோடா கோடி;
வீணாகப் புலம்பினதா லறியப் போமோ?
விஞ்ஞானம் பேசுவதும் ஏதுக்காகும்?
கோணாமற் சுழுமுனையில் மனத்தை வைத்துக்
குருபாத மிருநான்கில் நாலைச் சேர்த்து
நாணாம லொருநினைவாய்க் காக்கும் போது
நாலுமெட்டு மொன்றாகும் நாட்டி யூதே;

28. பாரப்பா உதயத்தில் எழுந்தி ருந்து
பதறாமற் சுழுமுனையில் மனத்தை வைத்துக்
காரப்பா பரிதிமதி யிரண்டு மாறிக்
கருவான சுழுமுனையில் உதிக்கும் போது
தேரப்பா அண்ணாக்குள் நின்று கொண்டு
தியங்காமற் சுழுமுனைக்குள் ளடங்கும் பாரு;
சீரப்பா பதினாறில் எட்டும் நான்கும்
சிதறாமல் மூன்றும் ஒன்றாய்ச் சேர்ந்து போமே.

(Source: https://siththarial.blogspot.com/)

We can now understand why Jnana Jothiamma was refrained from being active on social media as she ventured deeper into the path. Agathiyar told her that her tapas would be disturbed and derailed. She stopped all forms of communicating, maintaining only emails, and left that too eventually. We understand why Tavayogi shunned away from going into the details of the Jeeva Nadi. We understand why the Siddhas were cautious about revealing more than what the student could digest at any one time.