THE SIDDHA PATH DEMYSTIFIED

My "Siddha Heartbeat" blog carried the following tagline, "Taking the First Step into the Mysterious & Mystical World of the Siddhas" back then in 2013. The mystery has been demystified. There is nothing mystical nor mysterious about the Siddha path. Only the hype surrounding it keeps it a mystery and under lock and key and distances us from it. The path that is one of practice and living it out in our daily lives has been driven into the dark recesses and corners and beyond our reaches by certain quarters. Caution notices are placed before its entrances that create apprehension, fear, and hesitation in seekers. 

We had already kicked off our lives with good values inculcated by our parents. We had frequented temples and done home worship under the guidance of our parents who are our very first gurus, without knowing that we had taken the very first step in spiritual advancement known as Sariyai. We were instilled with belief and initially fear of God. Towards this purpose, the wise men and women of the past gave us numerous sacred texts while others have written extensively on good morals and attributes. Later in learning these texts at school, the guru now in the form of the teacher, instills these values in us further sometimes with the need of a cane. Thiruvalluvar gave us the "Thirukural". Avvai gave us the "Athi Chudi" and "Konrai Venthan". They speak about morality, virtues and values. The very first lesson that they teach us is to bring change in our behavior, speech, and beliefs. They emphasize character building, good behavior, right conduct, right knowledge, and yogic practices. They ask us to restrain our anger, lust, and ego. Thiruvalluvar in the "Thirukural", reminds us of the following: Be righteous, Be kind in speech, Be grateful, Maintain self-control, Do not desire another man’s wife, Be forgiving, Do not envy, Do not covet, Do not slander, Perform charity, Be truthful, Abstain from anger, and Be courteous. Avvai in her work entitled "Athi Chudi" has 109 advice for us, amongst them: Do good, Control anger, Do not hinder aid to others, Feed the hungry, Help the needy, Keep reading, Do not be jealous of other’s achievements, Help your relatives and friends grow with you, Look after your parents, Do not forget those who have come to your aid, Do not secure what does not belong to you, Do not venture into things that are degrading by nature, Abstain from using harsh language, Refrain from thinking degrading thoughts, Do not harm others, Give your best in every venture that you undertake, Lead an honest life, and Respect others. Again Avvai in her "Konrai Venthan" has 91 pieces of advice for us. Through another work of hers "Muthurai", she has 30 pieces of advice and another 40 in "Nalvazhi". We know the reason to adopt such values in life as we grow up into adulthood and look around us at the negativity that surrounds us.

Coming to the gurus in physical forms, we step into the second stage that of Kriyai that is introduced by them. 

Once the truth dawns on us that all our efforts shall lead only to further frustration in life as we are not empowered to change things to our liking, we turn to the Siddhas for further guidance.  Coming to the Siddhas they ask us to engage in the following positive activities: Do good; Be joyful; Conduct prayers; Meditate; Be compassionate; Feed the poor and the animals; Help the needy; Do charity; Live a life of virtue; Fulfill one's responsibilities towards the family and nation; Be pure at heart and the disciple shall be at peace; Be truthful. In being truthful, he shall face challenges. In those circumstances do nothing, and the disciple shall see bliss, they assure us, and finally, they advise us to take things one step at a time. 

Coming to the Siddhas they exposed the subject of karma and its influence on steering our lives. We are asked to turn a new leaf and carry on the good deeds that shall then chart a new destiny, erasing our earlier fate to a certain extent in this life, and coming back to continue erasing the rest in further births. 

Searching for more information we learn that all the ancient cultures spoke about karma. 

"Many religious traditions —notably the Abrahamic religions that emerged in the Middle East (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)—place reward and punishment for human actions in the hands of a divine lawgiver. In contrast, the classical traditions of India—Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, much like the Vedic sacrificial theology that preceded them—view karma as operating according to an autonomous causal law. No divine will or external agent intervenes in the relationship of the moral act to its inevitable result. The law of karma thus represents a markedly nontheistic theodicy or explanation of why there is evil in the world. (Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/karma)"

While both religions and their masters left it at that the Siddhas dwelled on this subject and helped mankind by proposing that we atone for our past mistakes, and carry out remedies to offset these karma. Traveling in a car, we cannot foresee what is beyond the turn or corner until we traverse the bend. One who flies in a light aircraft or helicopter sees a larger picture. To an astronaut, he sees the whole world. Just as our view expands as we change our mode of travel the Siddha who are in an elevated plane and are spiritually elevated see far and beyond. If man has conquered space the Siddhas who have conquered both space and time could look into the past, present, and future. The Siddhas saw through our past records and arrived at present-day solutions to counter the effects of karma. In "Karma and Reincarnation" - An Inspired Talk by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, we learn that "The akashic memory in our higher chakras faithfully records the soul’s impressions during its series of earthly lives, and in the astral/mental worlds in - between earth existences. Ancient yogis, in psychically studying the timeline of cause/effect, assigned three categories to karma. The first is sanchita, the sum total of past karma yet to be resolved. The second category is prarabdha, that portion of sanchita karma being experienced in the present life. Kriyamana, the third type, is karma you are presently creating."

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains further karma from the perspective of science. "In physics - the study of energy and matter - Sir Isaac Newton postulated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push against a wall. Its material is molecularly pushing back with a force exactly equal to yours. In metaphysics, karma is the law that states that every mental, emotional, and physical act, no matter how insignificant, is projected out into the psychic mind substance and eventually returns to the individual with equal impact. For, as we exist now is a sum total of all our past lives. In our present moment, our mind and body state is the cumulative result of the entire spectrum of our past lives." 

In reading the Nadi for the first time, we are told that we had caused hurt to others and ridiculed the sacred texts and rituals hence the need to pay for our wrongdoings by taking another birth and correcting these wrongs. So birth is a result of stepping on others' feet. Then we are also told that unfulfilled desires lead to us taking births. We come back to relive these desires. Then we are told later that others' desires go towards awarding a birth to us too so that they can live out their desires with and through us. So it all sums up that man is meant to live in society. For this purpose man had been given 5 tenets by Agathiyar at the Tamil Sangam in the past. These 5 are summarized from Vashisht Vaid's blog at https://holysageagathiyar.com/ as follows.

1. He says that man has to first and foremost understand his purpose in taking birth. The Nadi comes to a layman, seeker, or aspirant to reveal his purpose. The Guru comes to the disciple to reveal his purpose. The sadhaka in going within learns his true purpose in taking birth. These are the means man comes to realize the cause of his birth and his mission. To a layman, he is told he took birth because of past karma. To a disciple, he is told that he has come for a mission to undertake for the good of society and mankind. To a Gnani, he realizes that he has come to merge with the divine. This reminds me of Dr. Bhani, a Siddha physician and devotee of Agathiyar, who gave a talk in one of the gatherings at a local Peedham many years back. He told us that songs of the saints can carry an inner meaning. They could be seen from an entirely different perspective by people of different standings in life too. For instance, the popular song of praise to Lord Ganapathy by Avvai that goes as follows, 

வாக்குண்டாம் நல்ல மனமுண்டாம் மாமலராள்

நோக்குண்டாம் மேனி நுடங்காது - பூக்கொண்டு

துப்பார் திருமேனித் தும்பிக்கையான் பாதம்

தப்பாமல் சார்வார் தமக்கு.

carries three different understandings depending on the status of the listener. He went on to explain further. As a school-going kid, his class teacher would tell them that it was a song in praise of Lord Ganapathy and was sung in front of the statue or picture of him. Later as he took up Siddha medicine his guru told him that it was purely about medicine and treating illness and disease. When he came under the discipleship of his spiritual guru Yogi Ramaiah he was told that it was a song of Gnanam. A single song can carry so many variants of its meaning according to the listener's status. If the Dr. stopped short of telling us that it was a herbal preparation, my friend a Medical doctor, shared the components of this herbal preparation.

"அவ்வையார் தந்த பாட்டு.

திரு.....திருநீற்று பச்சிலை

மேனி......குப்பைமேனி

தும்பி.....தும்பை

கையான்.... கரிசலாங்கண்ணி

பாதம்.... சிறுசெருப்பாடை

கற்ப மூலிகைகள். பாதம் கிடைக்கவில்லை

"The ratio is 1/4:1/2:3/4:1:1&1/4. It is to be taken twice a day, a half-hour after breakfast and half an hour after dinner. For the first 12 days, with honey. For the next 12 days with ghee. Then, a break. Can be taken in 3-monthly intervals."

2. With his purpose known then, he should come to thank the divine creator or energy that brought forth his birth (through consultation with the lunar forefathers and their angelic hierarchies that co-exist with us down here). Agathiyar asked that we show appreciation to the divine that gave us an opportunity to take this birth again to come to terms with it and sort out our lives. Living a purposeful, meaningful, and fruitful life, coupled with a sense of gratefulness will then bring forth the showering of his blessings. These blessings and the efforts in carrying out his dictates result in the soul or Atma gaining strength or Soul Power or Atma Balam. 

3. Agathiyar asks that we then thank all the caretakers both seen and unseen, in the present and the past. 

4. There arises then an obligation on our part to "dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings." 

5. The final task is to extend this aid and help, towards "the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, existing upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, dutifully supporting the manifested matrix or prapanjam." 

If Agathiyar in his 5 tenets for mankind spelled out the above five responsibilities of man thus fulfilling his purpose in taking a human birth that is considered precious and that is to be treasured, Bhogar shows us the way to rise from a mere man, to reach at least midway attaining the state of partial Siddhahood. What Bhogar says tallies with the messages given by Agathiyar and Patanjali too. Patanjali as we know gave us the "Yoga Sutras" while Svatmarama gave us the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika". 

1. Purging the body of toxins accumulated over the years. Agathiyar Kuzhambu is one such concoction that Agathiyar told us to take for the purpose of cleansing first and later strengthening the physical form. Agathiyar Kuzhambu is said to be one of the 32 Siddha medicines taken internally listed in the "Gunapadam Siddha" text literature, which covers a vast area of indications besides being a purgative. The major ingredients of this drug are Perungayam, Kadugu, Induppu, Rasam, Vengaram, Naabi, Manosilai, Omam, Aritharam, Karunjeerakam, Nervalam. (Source: Muralidass SD and Shree-Devi MS: “Agathiyar kuzhambu”- not only a purgative- an overview. Int J Pharm Sci & Res 2019; 10(5): 2156-63. doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.10(5).2156-63. and http://ijpsr.com/bft-article/agathiyar-kuzhambu-not-only-a-purgative-an-overview/?view=fulltext)

2. To substitute or replace Rajasic or Tamasic food with Satvic food that includes lots of greens, and fruits. Before beginning Yoga, Patanjali had stipulated that we adopt a similar diet to facilitate the body to conform to the demanding needs of Yoga. 

3. To learn to breathe properly by adopting breathing techniques as taught by the Siddhas. Tavayogi who officially initiated me into the path of the Siddhas after I took up the call of Agathiyar in the Nadi, initiated and taught us Yoga Asanas and Pranayama techniques, bringing us to have a new insight on Yogam. Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came frequently to fine-tune and assist further.

4. Bathing the right way so that we do not surprise, jolt or freeze the body and to prevent slag in the nerves in old age as a result of this. Agathiyar asks that we sprinkle water thrice over the top of the head and then go on to wet our feet. Then we pour water over our limbs beginning with the legs, moving to the torso and abdomen till the shoulder. Then wash the face thrice and only then pour water over the head. If we are dipping in the stream, river, or ocean we do accordingly too. We are told to retain water in our mouths too while bathing, elsewhere. 

5. Finally Bhogar asks us to appreciate and acknowledge nature and learn to love all of nature and live with it. This is the first step in linking with the prapanjam.

Coming to the Siddhas we get to know that karma can be tackled and our lives redirected. They want us to become equal to them and become Siddhas capable of taking our lives into our own hands too. The Siddhas had the strength, might, and power to even change the planetary course of events and things we came to understand. Having gained this Siddhi they remind us to even let go of that hold too, surrendering to the forces of nature in place.

The Siddhas revealed their aspirations for mankind through the numerous Aasi Nadi readings that kept coming too, back to back in subsequent years. They have conveyed much through the Nadi. But it was never to make us superhumans or magicians. We were to evolve into a man with a divine nature. The Nadi is a means of communication between the Siddhas and their disciples. The Siddhas give instructions through the Nadi. Just as Manickavasagar sang  that one needs God's grace even to worship them we are told that one needs the blessings of the Siddhas to arrive at an accurate account of a Nadi reading and also to step into their abodes. Hence we are set on a path of worship to the deities and Siddhas before everything else. The Siddhas ask that the disciples perform prayers at temples to appease the planets and to garland the Gods to please them. They send us to these temples to carry out our parikarams or remedies before having us step into their path. They speak about the need to go on pilgrimages. They encourage disciples to go on pilgrimages to temples and Siddha abodes that would respectively help change one’s perception of God and the Siddhas. They assure us that they shall wait with open arms for our arrival at these destinations. They promise that they shall receive the disciple and accompany them on their pilgrimages to these temples, shrines, caves, and samadhi. The Siddhas ask that we help finance the building of temples and other places of worship. An excellent example is that of the Siddha Korakar who advised the presiding King of Tanjore, Raja Cholan to build a temple to counter the karma that he had earned when he went to war with the neighboring states. We are told that Korakar personally supervised the construction and completion of this temple known as Breehadeswar temple. They encouraged us to visit and pray at their abodes and dwellings. Though we understand that most temples were initiated by the Siddhas in the first place, the irony here is that most temples outlawed the Siddhas preferring to carry out worship to the main deities, the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. In receiving us, they assure us that happiness shall prevail in the lives of the disciple as a result of these daily prayers to the Siddhas. Their advice to the disciple is that he needs to be steady in his or her mission even when confronted with people who shall shake their very faith. The disciple is advised not to heed these harsh and discouraging words but instead to carry on with the prayers. There is much good in prayers, they assure us. All the disciple’s problems shall be relieved step by step through prayers. He is reminded not to give up on prayers. Worship Siddhas and attain much say the Siddhas. The disciple is encouraged to recite the Maha Mantra – Arutperun Jothi. They ask to recite the names of the Siddhas too. They request the disciples to chant Lord Murugan’s name for it is light too. Bliss and joy are acquired by chanting the Lord’s name, they say. They mention that they are in the form of light in this world too. They request that the disciple spread their teachings. The disciple is requested to stay on this path. The disciple is to continue consistently with the spiritual practices that the disciple is currently following. She/he is advised not to get distracted. The disciple is encouraged to conduct research, and continue the aforementioned practices, prayers, and rituals to their utmost satisfaction. 

The following are further aspirations for their disciples. They want the disciples to live the life of a Siddha and he shall live like Sivam too they say. The disciple needs to establish himself firmly in the path of the Siddhas. He has to be faithful to this path. God’s name should flow through the breath of the disciple. Let the thoughts revolve around the Siddhas. Let the thoughts be centered on them day and night. Receive the advice of the Siddhas with devotion. Follow the advice and guidance of Siddhas. Spread their teachings. Invite them into our homes. Make them a part of the family too. When confronted with danger, call out to the Siddhas and they shall protect. Admire the sages and decorate the Siddhas in the heart’s eye. They too shall decorate the disciple similarly. Research into the reason for taking birth. Being a disciple of the Siddhas, and having chosen to follow their path, live then with pride. 

If the disciple adheres to the wishes of the Siddhas, they promise much in return. They shall perform miracles just for their disciples. Visions and miracles shall take place at their abodes, caves, and samadhi. The disciple shall witness miracles happen at his home too. They shall appear to the disciple. They shall show the disciple his path. The disciple becomes a true friend and shall be highly regarded by them. They shall love the disciple as much as the disciple loves them. Once a disciple comes to this path, others around him too shall follow suit. Family members and others shall benefit from the disciple’s association with the Siddhas. The family and others too shall have their blessings. They shall care for the disciple and his family. They shall grace their presence in the disciple’s home. They are greatly moved by the devotion of the disciples. Never miss the worship of Siddhas at home, they remind us. Then great saints shall live with the disciple, they proudly declare. When the Siddhas are established in the home of disciples then the disciple has no need to spend his life at an ashram. Siddhas shall visit the disciple’s home then. They shall test the loyalty of their disciples occasionally but they shall not let down the disciples. They shall advise and witness the disciple do prayers and meditation. For those who follow their path, they give assurance that the disciple’s wishes shall come true. All the disciple’s efforts will pay off. The disciple shall see much progress come his way. The disciple’s aspirations shall be realized. The disciple’s asking shall be granted. They shall provide the disciple the knowledge to drive away ignorance. They shall be present in the disciple’s thoughts, words, and deeds. The disciple shall realize joy and bliss each day. The disciple shall attain a sweet voice, youth, and clarity of thought through prayers to them. They shall send their messengers to deliver their word to their disciples. The disciple shall realize the reason for his birth. They shall be a companion. Just as the parent takes care of the child, they shall take care of the disciple. The disciple shall have their grace immediately. They shall live in the disciple. God shall live in the disciple. The disciple shall become one with them. 

They speak on Yoga. The Siddhas advocate the practice of Deha Sudhi, and other breathing techniques (Pranayama). They say, preferably, these practices should be initiated through a guru. The disciple is to practice meditation daily as a result of which they shall gain full concentration. The disciple needs to just concentrate on their meditation while they shall take care of the disciple’s other needs. To enable advancement in the disciple’s practices and meditation, the disciple is requested to sit on a seat made of wood covered with a white cloth during meditation, and to meditate for twelve minutes daily with eyes shut and the sight focused between the brows, chanting their names. To progress further in the spiritual endeavors, he/she is to meditate sitting on the Tharpai grass. They assure the disciple that the disciple shall receive great benefits from this practice. The thinking ability shall improve. Temper shall be gone. Health shall improve. The body shall become robust. The disciple shall gain clarity. The disciple shall see changes during these stages of meditation and prayer. The disciple shall attain knowledge and speech attributes and other benefits through meditation. The disciple shall achieve the highest meditation through the path of the Siddhas. The disciple shall gain all that the Siddhas and elders have attained, they assure us. All efforts and practices shall not be in vain, they assure. 

Having told us our role and part on the path and the returns in coming to their path, the Siddhas speak about the Guru/Discipline relationship. The Siddhas ask that the disciple fulfill the responsibilities towards the guru without a second thought, full-heartedly, and without mistake. They remind the seeker to choose the right guru who shall lead him further on. They remind him to chant the name of the guru daily. They add that if that is not possible, to allocate a day in the week in prayer for the guru. They reveal that gurus come around so that the disciple shall know the truth. The truth shall be revealed through the guru. They encourage the disciples to gain merits by visiting gurus and places of worship. And they ask that the disciple be patient for the time will come when this transmission takes place. With the blessings and grace of the Siddhas the disciple shall be protected from harm, they promise. 

With the coming of the guru in a personal and physical form, the wide gap is bridged giving us access to the world of the Gods and Siddhas. Through their teachings and guidance, we build up the body and soul to make it a suitable dwelling for the Lord. The Siddhas tell us to care for the body for it is only with this body that we can achieve God-realization. Thirumular mentions in his "Thirumanthiram" that he had regarded his body initially as filth and as dirt only to realize later that it is the abode and temple of the Lord. Since then he had taken extra care of it. When Tavayogi taught me some Asana and breathing techniques when he was in Malaysia in 2008, I did not realize the value of his teaching then. Later Agathiyar in the Nadi mentions that it is a treasure chest that he has delivered to us. True enough upon further reading I realized the importance of Asana and Pranayama for one seeking the divine. Tavayogi mentions that there is eighty-four major Asana coinciding with 8,400,000 species on the face of the earth. He quotes from Agathiyar’s "Saumiya Sagaram", verse 250, where it is mentioned the nine Asanas that are of utmost importance. They are Go‐mukha‐Asana, Padma‐Asana,Vira‐Asana, Simha‐Asana, Path‐e‐Asana, Mukt‐Asana, Mayura‐Asana, Vajra‐Asana and Suga‐Asana. 

As food is related to the wellbeing of the body and its purpose, in seeing us move through the states of Sariyai, Kriyai, and Yogam, they spoke about food intake. The Siddhas recommend consuming pure natural food and avoiding excessive salty, sweet, sour, and pungent food. They advise us to adhere to these requirements since when meditating excessive heat would arise in the body of the disciple. The disciple’s body shall generate heat due to yogic practices. Since heat shall increase hence there is a need to take only satvic foods to counter the heat. 

Finally, the Siddhas are not the least against marriages. They encourage their disciples to marry and carry out their responsibilities to their families. They ask that their disciples walk the path to Godhead without deserting the families. They never called for the seclusion of oneself. On the contrary, they have asked us not to neglect our families and responsibilities but to attend to both worlds, the material and spiritual. They were only concerned with a balanced life. All they wanted of us is to lead a righteous life and fulfill the purpose we came for. 

These were practical guidelines and practices given out to the aspirant on the path. Discipline is a major factor in attaining the goals that are seen to be missing in seekers. Hence they fall out on their observances and practices. In all these revelations the Siddhas never promised heaven and earth. They do not lure us with sweet promises and gifts. Although they gave us assurances, whatever said had to be practiced and put to work by us. We still needed to put in the effort. Those who come in search of the Genie's lamp or a wonder machine or a jackpot machine will be disappointed. I understood that this path is not for all too. 

Having introduced us to his 5 tenets and the Nadi readings, Agathiyar provides all the tools that serve to enhance and enrich our purpose in taking birth. The mission and tasks and their accompanying techniques, methods, and tools work further in strengthening our body, soul, and spirit. To aid in seeing through these 5 tenets in life the Siddhas drew up a concise plan dividing it into four stages namely Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam, and Gnanam. After following in the footsteps of our parents and ancestors engaging in Sariyai all life long, we are introduced to Kriyai with the coming of a guru. Following in the footsteps of the guru for several more years, we are brought to the next stage that of Yogam or the science of restoring the health of the physical body and that of the soul by him after having proved our worthiness. Eventually, Gnanam shall dawn on its own. Once we take care of these obstacles and weaknesses, our perception and understanding will change accordingly. The world will still be the same but we shall see it in a new light and from a different perspective. We shall accept everything as God’s doing. We shall go with the flow. Moving into this stage, nothing is understood, instead, everything is known. 

I came to the path with a calling to see my Nadi in 2002 which was followed by the worship of the Siddhas as directed by Agathiyar. Tavayogi had seen to it that my purpose was done. When in the many visits he made to Malaysia after 2004, once on our way to officiate a branch peedham of his in Banting, he told me to speak about the Siddhas. I told him "What do I know about them to talk about?" as I was pretty new. During his speech, he surprised me by telling the audience that I shall speak. I was dumbstruck. I asked myself "Where do I start?" I began to speak about Tavayogi. Then I switched to singing the Arutperunjothi mantra while everyone followed. I was saved by the mantra that day. When I wind up my show back then deactivating my YouTube account, FB, the numerous websites, and informed him, Tavayogi questioned me "Why my son? Let it be". I had to create everything from scratch. In 2013 Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal endorsed our years of worship by giving way to me and my family to sing the praises of the Siddhas during our brief visit to his Kallar ashram. That was "graduation day" for us. After "graduating" in 2013, I began my "postgraduate". In 2016 when Tavayogi gave me and the rest of the AVM members from Malaysia the honor to lead the puja together with the devotees from all parts of India, during the inauguration of the new Kallar Ashram, we were deemed to have completed our "postgraduate". Agathiyar on his part mooted me to write. He came often to ask me to continue writing. I guess he had more confidence in me than I had in myself. Though it was an honor to carry their words, cherish and live by them, the truth remains the truth. Nothing can be added or subtracted from it. The blog came to a halt on its own accord in contrast to the numerous occasions earlier where I had contemplated ending my writing. This reminded me of my move to become a vegetarian overnight for no reason at all some 24 years back. Agathiyar did not give any "script" or subject to write about for some time. I guess much has been said in these blogs. Even the above is a repetition of previous posts. The Atma begins to cry out knowing the number of births it took just as saint Pattinathar lamented. When one comes to an understanding where it dawns upon him that he has indulged in life's affairs over and over again taking countless births and is going to be reborn again and again he comes to a state that affirms enough is enough. The Siddhas then lead us to a new frontier that of knowing our Atma. We settle in our Atma, coming to terms, and accepting the play of God. We realize the futility of trying. We surrender. I now understand why Agathiyar had replied asking me to look around me when I, in reply to his asking as to what I wanted, mentioned that I wanted to take birth upon birth and serve him. Even those who spearhead organizations affiliated with him and serve him tirelessly, shall not break the chain of birth and death unless and until they learn to let go! 

AFTER THE PASSING OF THE GURU

Watching the movies "Kung Fu Panda", "Dr. Strange" and "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa" over the past few days brought back pleasant memories of my relationship with my gurus Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram. The former was a family man till his last days while the latter left his family to serve Agathiyar adorning the saffron robes. While the former's 40-year-old desire to build a temple for Lord Murugan in Tiruvannamalai was stopped abruptly by the divine forces, the latter completed his desire to build a temple/ashram and meditation hall in Kallar. Who can comprehend the play of the Divine?

I adored the scenes in the above movies where the aspirant meets the guru and subsequently is accepted and trained in the mystic arts and art forms of self-defense. I was blessed to have similar experiences. Then these movies reminded me of disciples who betrayed the gurus and turn against them. We have Tai Lung, Kaecilius, and Taji from the respective movies deceive their gurus and turn traitors. I have seen my fair share of such followers and disciples who turned against my guru too. Why did they fall out of favor? 

In my search to learn about the worship of the Siddhas prior to meeting my gurus, I used to wonder why was there a need for so many centers? Why couldn't they come under a single umbrella? I was to find out soon that each individual's ego, be it the student or master alike, just like in the material world, now stood before them hijacking their ability in making decisions related to religious and spiritual matters. It is difficult to come by a student or master who is devoid of ego. One who fills this description would make decisions in the interest and for the good of all mankind. These experiences held me back from patronizing these centers. It never dawned on me to start another mission or center, either. 

But Agathiyar had other plans for me. He had a youth come over to my home to participate in my family Full Moon Puja after his Nadi reading. He in turn brought his schoolmates both to the Nadi reader and have them come over to join in the puja. A small group of following grew to as many as 100 plus. Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) was born. When Agathiyar got us to do charity too besides puja Amudha Surabhi (AS) took birth. Along the way, some left with no further news from them, while others remained. I guess that is life. We cannot expect a bouquet of roses without having to rid the thorns. I understand now why the gurus stringently vet through their subjects before sharing with them the secrets. Tavayogi told me that a student has to wait to be tested for some 12 years before this knowledge is imparted to them. I know now how tough it must have been for him to be a guru. 

What started in 2013 was brought to an end in September 2019 by Agathiyar, just months ahead of the emergence of the Covid-19 virus. Agathiyar put a stop to both the tasks and had us stay indoors and try to meditate. Time flew by sitting in isolation, attending to only matters that were crucial to our survival and sustenance. With many having had three doses of the vaccine, those who held fast to Agathiyar through these trying years began to meet again, a family at a time or in small numbers. I had a devotee invite Agathiyar over for his housewarming ceremony to be held soon. He personally extended an invitation to Agathiyar who had told me not to move his bronze statue anywhere after the series of visits he made to the home of some 10 devotees who invited him, accompanied by Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar during their visit to Malaysia in 2016. Would he accept the devotee's invitation? Will he go on another round of visits to his devotees homes? We have to wait and see.

I, too, have come one cycle and began to carry out the homam daily in my home again. Finally, the mountain is a mountain again. We return to where we started, with our awareness and perspective changed. I thought I had to do it for the good of the world, as Agathiyar initially wanted me. I guess it is a way of repaying Agathiyar for all his kindness showered on this insignificant sinner.  It is then the time to guide other seekers too. I have simplified even further the puja from the original 356 pages that took 2-hours initially, to accommodate those on the run with a later edition that took some 24 minutes, that today is only 12 pages. It hardly requires 12 minutes of our time. It shall be suitable to those who are hard-pressed for time and cannot sit for long periods of time. Time, the number of repetitions, and the pronunciations are not a matter of concern to the Siddhas. What is important is that we sit to do it sincerely. What is important is that we invite them into our homes first and later into the cave inside our hearts. Once they step inside, the heart shall mellow. This mellowing is the start of our spiritual journey, moving away from the initial rituals that are part and parcel of the journey. 

BREAKING THE EGO WITH SOME HELP

Listening to Ramalinga Adigal's song "Mahadevamaalai" I could see the humility in him and his gratitude to his Lord. 

We are told that Kanchi Periyavar too was humble to the core. Both my gurus were humble too. 

Listening again to my old-time favorites I was amazed at the lines penned by Na. Muthu Kumar where he writes that the shadows of the trees under which lovers sat and that stood witness to their love were asking where was she?

நினைத்து நினைத்து பார்த்தேன்
நெருங்கி விலகி நடந்தேன்
உன்னால் தானே நானே வாழ்கிறேன் ஓஹோ
உன்னில் இன்று என்னை பார்க்கிறேன்

எடுத்து படித்து முடிக்கும் முன்னே
எரியும் கடிதம் எதற்கு பெண்ணே

உன்னால் தானே நானே வாழ்கிறேன் ஓஹோ
உன்னில் இன்று என்னை பார்க்கிறேன்

அமர்ந்து பேசும் மரங்களின் நிழலும்
உன்னை கேட்கும் எப்படி சொல்வேன் 

உதிர்ந்து போன மலரின் மௌனமா
தூது பேசும் கொலுசின் ஒளியை
அறைகள் கேட்கும் எப்படி சொல்வேன்
உடைந்து போன வளையல் பேசுமா
உள்ளங்கையில் வெப்பம் சேர்க்கும் விரல்கள் இன்று எங்கே 

தோளில் சாய்ந்து கதைகள் பேச

முகமும் இல்லை இங்கே
முதல் கனவு முடிந்திடும் முன்னமே
தூக்கம் கலைந்ததே

பேசி போன வார்த்தைகள் எல்லாம்
காலம் தோறும் காதினில் கேட்கும் 

சாம்பல் கரையும் வார்த்தை கரையுமா
பார்த்து போன பார்வைகள் எல்லாம்
பகலும் இரவும் கேள்விகள் கேட்கும் 

உயிரும் போகும் உருவம் போகுமா
தொடர்ந்து வந்த நிழலும் இங்கே 

தீயில் சேர்ந்து போகும் 

திருட்டு போன தடயம் பார்த்தும்
நம்பவில்லை நானும் 

ஒரு தருணம் எதிரினில் தோன்றுவாய் 

என்றே வாழ்கிறேன்

(Source: https://allnewlyrics.com/ninaithu-ninaithu-parthen-song-lyrics-7g-rainbow-colony/)

Nature stands witness to all our doings. If one observes he will realize that nature only knows how to give. On the contrary, we tend to take more of our share from her and in the process demolish her beauty and our continued sustenance. The arrogant man knows not to preserve nature but plunders her wealth as greed sets in. This is the darkness that we have to rid from us as we are told in the latest Spiderman movie. This movie reminds us too of numerous flaws we make in asking from the universe. We keep changing our prayers often adding to it. We are told the danger in tempering with fated and destined events. When Peter Parker asked Dr. Strange to go back in time and make some changes, ...

PETER

... when Mysterio revealed my identity, my entire life got screwed up. And, I was wondering... I mean, I don’t really know if this would actually work, but I was wondering if... maybe you could go back in time and make it so that he never did?

DR. STRANGE

Peter, we tampered with the stability of spacetime to resurrect countless lives. You want to do it again now just ‘cause yours got messy?

Later in casting a spell, Peter makes frequent changes to his asking and disrupts Dr. Strange. Dr. Strange reminds him that "it’s very difficult and dangerous to change it, midcasting." As Dr. Strange "works to adjust the spell" Peter interrupts again. Finally Dr. Strange tells Peter sternly "Peter, stop tampering with the spell. Let’s not change the parameters of this spell anymore while I’m casting it." 

We too keep changing our needs and desires to incorporate another and another in our lives in asking for his grace and mercy. Similarly, we are reminded in a scene in Mookuthi Amman where a devotee keeps asking for more and more boons until Goddess Ma points out that man will never be satisfied, and never ask what the Gods want.

Man has many flaws that he carries. Ego is one of them. A wonderful story was shared on social media recently of how the ego of Kalidasa was trashed by the divine.

The
A R R O G A N C E

After traveling long through a forest, Kalidasa reached a village. He felt very thirsty and looked around for water. He saw an old woman drawing water from a well. He went up to her and asked her for water. She agreed to give him water, but asked him to first introduce himself,

WHO ARE YOU? "Introduce yourself.”

Now Kalidasa, who was a renowned and revered scholar of his time, thought that an ordinary and old village woman was not worthy of knowing who great Kalidasa was. So he said, "I am a Traveller."

But the old lady replied, “No, you cannot be a Traveller. In this world, there are only 2 travelers – the Sun and the Moon. Both rise and set every day and keep traveling perpetually.

WHO ARE YOU?

Thirsty Kalidasa said, “Alright then, treat me as a Guest.”

The old lady promptly replied, “No you cannot be a Guest, son. In this world there are only 2 guests – Youth and Wealth … both are temporary and do not stay even if you plead with them a million times, and hence can only they be called as guests.”

WHO ARE YOU?

Thirsty but now quite intrigued with the profoundness of this old lady, Kalidasa said, “I am a Tolerant Person, mother.

Now the old lady replied, “You don’t quite look Tolerant, young man. In this world, only 2 truly know the meaning of tolerance - Bhoomi (Earth) and Tree. How much ever you stamp the earth or throw stones at the tree (for the fruits), both continue to nurture us.”

So, WHO ARE YOU?

With unquenched thirst, Kalidasa was increasingly becoming irritable. He said, “Fine then, consider me a Stubborn Person.

The lady smiled and said, “No my child, you are not that Stubborn. There are only 2 truly Stubborn personalities- our nails and our hair. We keep cutting them non-stop, but they continue to grow.”

So WHO ARE YOU?

Kalidasa had been patient so far, but now in anger, he said, “Alright, I am a Fool”.

Now the lady gave a wide smile and said, “There are only 2 kinds of fools in this world. A King who rules without having any capability or knowledge and a Minister who is a sycophant to such a King and lavishes praises on such a useless King.”

WHO ARE YOU?

Kalidasa realized that he had been outsmarted by an old illiterate village woman. In complete awe and humility, he fell at the feet of the lady, saying, “O mother! How ignorant I was to think that I know myself. I am ashamed of myself. Pardon my ignorance. Show mercy, and grant me water, I beg of you. When he touched her feet and then got up, whom did he see?... Mata Saraswati the Goddess of Learning and Wisdom.

She said, “Kalidasa, you are wise. But only if you know yourself do you become a true Manushya (human being). Your EGO has overshadowed your achievements. You are educated, but you are also given to arrogance. Hence, I had to come to guide you. The mark of a true human being is not his knowledge, but his humility. Your Intellect, Your Education is of... NO USE IF IT... ONLY FEEDS YOUR EGO.

Swami Vishnudevananda wrote ‘MY YEARS WITH THE MASTER’ at http://www.sivanandaonline.org. about how he was brought to his knee and his ego trashed by Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh.

As if by chance, I had found a piece of paper that intrigued me. One night when I was working late and was searching for a misplaced paper, I found a small pamphlet in the trash basket. It was called ‘SADHANA TATTVA’ and was by Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. As soon as I read it, my body began to shake. It began with ‘An ounce of practice is worth tons of theory.’ Here was a teacher who was down-to-earth and practical. There was nothing mysterious about his teachings; I felt that I had to meet him for myself. I got a few days' leave from the army. I was an arrogant boy on leave from the army. It meant that I had to travel a day and a night from my army base in Jullunder. I would have only a few hours at the Ashram - just to see the Master and then go right back.

The first time I saw Swami Sivananda he was sitting with about 30 or 40 people around him. He looked like an ordinary man among them. The look on his face and manner of speech was simple and straightforward. Each word came from his heart. There was no kind of religious hypocrisy, no sitting on a tiger skin with ashes smeared all over his body. He had an extraordinary spiritual glow.

The second time, I saw him Swami Sivananda was coming up the stairs in my direction. I didn't want to bow my head to him. I was young and arrogant and never wanted to bow my head to anybody-Swami, God-realised soul, or whoever, I didn't care. But it is the tradition in India that you should bow your head to a holy man. To avoid the situation I just moved out of his path.

The Master saw me and headed in my direction. He asked me who I was and where I was coming from. Then he bowed down and touched my feet!! My whole body began to shake violently. With all my heart, with all my life and love, I learned to bow without any type of reservation. He touched my heart not with miracles or shows of holiness, but with his perfect egoless nature. He didn't consider that I was just a stupid boy standing there, though I was just that. He touched my heart and broke my ego. That was my first lesson, and if I could attain one-millionth of the state of egolessness of the Master, it is His Grace.

Similarly, a story is told of a young monk who sets out to preach what he had been taught in the monastery. He encounters an old man who trashes his ego. The young monk after years of tutelage under his master finally was told by his master that he needed to leave the monastery to get to see the rest of the world. He was instructed to preach the teachings he had acquired at the monastery. The monk left the monastery that was his turf for years and came down the mountain. Upon reaching the plains, the young monk came across an old man chanting on a riverbank. The old man was chanting the exact mantra that the monk had mastered at the monastery. But it seemed different - with a slight variation. So he apprehended the old man telling him that he was going about the wrong way of reciting the mantra and taught the old man how it should be recited. The old man listened attentively and repeated it. The young monk was proud that he had passed on what he was taught at the monastery. He had found his first candidate to whom he had started to preach.

Now the young lad had to hire a boatman to take him across the river to the nearby village where he could continue preaching. About halfway through the journey across the river, the young monk noticed that the boatman had gone all pale and was looking over his (the monk) shoulder with his mouth wide open. The young monk turned around. What he saw shocked him too. The old man whom he had met at the riverbank was now standing beside the boat - on the surface of the water! The old man whispered to the lad that he had forgotten the mantra he was taught. He requested that the monk repeat it. The young monk who was pretty shaken up held the old man’s hand and asked for forgiveness for underestimating the power of his practice. He asked that he pardon him for being egoistic and arrogant and begged to be taken in as his disciple and be allowed to follow him back. 

In a Nadi revelation, Agathiyar reveals the extent of humbleness in his student Bhogar. When Bhogar was asked what he knew by Agathiyar he kept replying that he knew nothing. When Agathiyar asked Bhogar if he knew Mother Goddess, Bhogar replied he did not know. When asked if he knew Lord Vishnu, he replied he did not know too. When Agathiyar asked if he knew Lord Muruga, again Bhogar to everyone's surprise answered "No". How could one who was behind the making and installation of Lord Muruga's statue at Palani not know him? When asked if he knew about the herbs that he had sought, collected, and done extensive research on, he replied in the negative. Bhogar had replied that he did not know to all the questions put forward by Agathiyar. This surprised all those gathered. Finally, when asked what he knew, Bhogar answered that he only knew the Holy Feet of his Guru, Agathiyar.

In the movie "Saguni" an enterprising youth asks a guru what his problem was contrary to the gurus asking devotees why they came. He had observed from afar that while the guru went rattling away, no one was listening to him. He proposes and sells the guru a plan to reverse the situation and get people to listen to him. In an attempt to repackage and market his wares, he asks the guru to remain silent henceforth. The guru got their attention finally. Now the same devotees were surprised at their guru's silence and begin to yearn to hear him speak. 

Similarly, in this age where we speak as if we know everything, Lord Dhakshanamurthi too chose to zip up then. It is said that Lord Dhakshanamurthi would answer all the questions put forth by the four disciples of his. This went on for years and there seemed no end to questions. Finally, the Lord chose to remain quiet. Seeing their guru sitting still the devotees simply fell into a state of meditation. The Mouna guru teaches in silence. Bhagawan Ramana is said to do this too.

Man in wanting to exhibit his intelligence and knowledge to others tends to keep on speaking. He fails to understand that an empty vessel makes the most noise. From https://personalexcellence.co/blog/empty-vessels/ we learn to understand this proverb from the perspective of science, physics in particular.

Empty vessels are used in the analogy because, in physics, empty containers create louder noises than filled ones. If you take two empty glasses, fill one up with water, and then blow into both glasses, you’ll find that the empty glass creates a louder noise than the filled ones. That’s because the air column (i.e. the empty space) allows sound waves to pass through and bounce off the sides of the glass, which creates an amplified vibration.

As Swami Sivananda wrote "An ounce of practice is worth tons of theory", if only he shuts up, he shall begin to experience all this knowledge for himself rather than merely vomiting them out. Hence the idea in having us go within and contemplate on all our earlier learnings. Coming out of it though we see the mountain as a mountain again, we see it in a new perspective having had the experience of traversing it.

HONORING HIS PRESENCE

The Siddha path is one of practical living. It encompasses the art of taking care of the body (udal), breath (uyir), and soul (atma). It draws ways to keep the body intact without deteriorating and prolonging the breath that sustains life in us. It enlightens us of the atma that dwells in us. This is passed on by way of mouth as in the guru disciple lineage or guru sishya parambara. We are blessed if we come under the tutelage of a Siddha guru preferably directly under the mystical 18 Siddhas. I was blessed to have Tavayogi come in the physical form and guide and lead me and others on. Then after his demise, the Siddhas graced my home personally. For instance, Agathiyar speaking through a devotee to a couple, after having given them much guidance in their family life, called out to Tirumular to come. He pointed to his left and asked the Siddha to join him. After that, he called out to Bhogar and asked him to take his place on his right. Seeing these Siddhas take their place in my small prayer room, I backed up towards the door standing some distance. But the most compassionate father invited me into the circle and honored this sinner too.

The AVM  family were regular followers of the Nadi. But as if he knew the coming of the pandemic in a timely manner in late 2019 Agathiyar began to switch his mode of communication replacing the Nadi readings by coming directly through his devotees. Since then the message came through his messengers minus the instrument of the Nadi and its readers. Such messages come through other means too. For instance, watching the movie "The Gospel of John" I could see similarities in the lives and the messages of Jesus and Ramalinga Adigal. For instance in the "Gospel of John" (https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/john/2/) 

"13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken", 

when Jesus tells them to bring down the temple and that he shall raise it in 3 days he is asked how could he perform the feat in 3 days when they took 46 years to build the temple. But we are told that what Jesus meant was his body and his resurrection that was to come. The Siddhas too have spoken of the body as being the temple. Ramalinga Adigal has sung that the dead shall arise. Gnanabharathi in his well-researched book "Tamil Mannin Thanthai" writes that Ramalinga Adigal came in his form some 28 years later in 1902 after he "merged" with Arutperunjothi Aandavar in 1874 specifically to give darshan to his faithful disciple Kalpattu Aiya and to place him in samadhi. He fulfilled his promise to his followers that he shall come again. When Ramalinga Adigal materialized on 26.4.1902 (http://www.vallalarspace.com/Space/list/653), Kalpathu Aiya was overjoyed in seeing Ramalinga Adigal appear before he dropped his mortal form. Ramalinga Adigal is said to have seen to his disciple's samadhi rites and stayed for 3 days in the physical form before de-materializing again. Jesus knew the role his disciples had to play in his life. One of them had to betray him. Another chose to believe only when he saw the 5 marks on Jesus and only then was he convinced. Similarly, Ramalinga Adigal was disappointed at his followers too except for three namely Kalpattu Aiya, Subburaaya Paradesi, and Kattamuthupalaiyam Narayanar. Others went against his directives and wishes opening up the Satya Gnana Sabai although he had locked the doors to it earlier.

A great revelation came further by way of Vashisht Vaid's blog. Reading some portions of this immense volume, we could understand and relate to how we were trained to conduct ourselves in the matters of the world without the least knowledge that what we did was covered in the sacred sermon that Agathiyar gave to the assembly of sages on man's role and purpose. The common man who lives in this world of Sariyai farms the lands and cares for the herds etc, while the rich adorns jewels and gems and the priestly serves God. In coming to Kriyai the former brings his harvest and offers it to God while the latter sponsors and conducts the rituals respectively. In coming to Yogam they transcend race and religion and irrespective of creed and status, they learn to bring their body, mind, and breath under their control, mastering them. This is exactly in tandem with what Agathiyar spoke at the assembly of the sages in the past. Man of the world shall adorn silk and jewels so that he raises them to a higher level of evolution through their association in covering and adorning them. This explains why we dress our deities in silk, garland them with flowers and adorn them in jewelry too. The very association with the idol of the deity raises the stature of these offerings. It also explains why animals are closely associated with the deities and are prime in our worship. Even the dead branch is given a new lease of life as it is thrown into the fire pit of the yagam and homam and is raised to another level. Then Agathiyar calls on man to assist fellow humans too. Man begins to engage in Karma yoga. Man shall go out to help strangers who do not have any blood relationship hence uplifting their lives too, raising their standard of living, and seeing to it that they have at least a decent meal and a roof over their heads. Man shall remember his ancestors and worship them and those raised to a divine state as in the village deities, ancestral deities, etc. And for those in the way of the guru shall worship the whole lineage of gurus and observe the auspicious days and their Jayanthi. Man shall then come to believe and worship God, the almighty and come to know his purpose in coming here and his role in the divine play. These are the 5 tenets that Agathiyar drew up for mankind. 

We have read of the famous koan that goes "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is."

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

In the beginning, we are skeptical, asking ourselves how can God be in a piece of wood, stone, or metal. But we go with the flow as idol worship was introduced by our parents and their parents before them. In engaging in Kriyai later we realize that it is indeed possible to energize everything around us by way of chanting mantras, reciting hymns, worshipping copper yantras, doing libation to stone and metal deities, conducting yagam and homams, etc. Moving into yoga we begin to experience this energy within. Finally, in attaining the state of gnanam we begin to see this energy of God in everything. We shall see him in the stone and metal again but this time we know it to be true. That is gaining Gnanam. The mountain is a mountain again. This is the state of the gnanis. For a gnani or man of divine wisdom, he sees and feels the energy and vibration and God's presence in every cell and atom acknowledging the age-old saying "Tunilum irupaan, turumbilum iruppaan" (தூணிலும் இருப்பான் துரும்பிலும் இருப்பான்).

My masters were very liberal with me. While some seekers had asked me after reading my earlier websites on the Kallar ashram if it had lodging facilities and if they had to make payments, as Agathiyar in the Nadi had asked me to spend some days at Kallar ashram to experience the ashramite life first hand I threw caution to the wind as I knew I was in safehands and opted to forego the comfort that I already had back home in the city for the awaited ashram experience. When I arrived at Kallar in 2005 Tavayogi gave me the option whether I wanted to bath in the bathroom erected at the ashram, especially for Malaysians he said who are used to the comforts in life or take a bath in the mineral-rich waters of the river that cruised and flowed nearby that had had its source in the upper fringes of Ooty. I opted for the latter. We washed our soiled clothes too in the river. When deciding where to take me Tavayogi asked me if I wanted to go visit some living Swamiji's in Ooty or to the caves. I picked the latter. We stayed overnight in the caves in the jungles. Similarly, when I was in Supramania Swami's village home at Nachaananthal some 8 km away from Tiruvannamalai town center, Swami had obtained permission for me to stay in an adjacent bungalow that they took care of for the owner who resided in the city. I opted to stay with Swami in his humble home instead. I took my bath outdoors just like the others in a makeshift bathroom with thatched leaves that served as walls that provided minimum privacy. I had to walk some distance to ease myself for the call of nature, bringing a vessel of water along to wash up later. 

When we see heads of missions or movements who seem to know every answer to every question put to them which at times makes us question its logic, my gurus Supramania Swami and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal surprised me when they told me that they did not have any knowledge of certain matters that I raised and honorably admitted that they did not have the answers too. Supramania Swami admitted that he did not know Agathiyar and the Nadi. He listened with intent as I shared the contents of my Nadi reading during my second visit to him in 2005. He asked if he could have his Nadi read. This surprised me for being a gnani who could see the future why did he ask to see the Nadi? He had spoken about my future (that was revealed earlier by Agathiyar in my Nadi) the very first time I met him in 2003 without me mentioning it. As he was an astrologer too, neither did he ask for my birth details and chart my horoscope to predict the future. He did not read my palm either. He just sat there and spilled the beans and spun my life story before me. As for Tavayogi he told me he did know the answer to my question as to what Ramalinga Adigal meant when he told his followers and devotees that the dead shall arise again. This shows the humbleness in my gurus in admitting that there is much to learn as the old lady saint Avvai told us. We are indeed blessed to come under the care of the Siddhas and their watchful eyes. They shall not have us err.

ENGAGING WITH THE SIDDHAS

Just as a piece of cloth is elevated and accorded all the respect when the nation's flag is printed on it, a stone or metal is elevated to the state of God when it is carved into the form of deities and worshipped. I guess this is what Agathiyar meant when he revealed the purpose of humankind taking birth in his 5 tenets presented at the assembly of the sages in the past. Man besides elevating himself and others was to help elevate the status of all beings and entities in the animal, plant, and mineral kingdom too.

Vashisht Vaid writes of this message to mankind by Agathiyar in his blog at https://holysageagathiyar.com/

"The number 5 work [pancha karma] for a human being is to dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, who all vitally exist upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder, also dutifully support the manifested matrix [paripancha], and many of the lower kingdoms, vitally exist like the minerals having precious and semi-precious crystals, who also having basic aspects of vitality, also gradually evolve by increasing in their sizes, in correspondence to the vital energies of celestial organs of time and space relationships, and many of whom get gracefully embodied in various types of jewelry to be prestigiously borne as specific remedies by evolving humans, and also various types of living herbs and plants of the plant kingdom, especially the signature plants with magical and supernatural powers, get vitally planted gracefully in their houses and in their surrounding gardens, and various types of working and pet animals of the animal kingdom."

Hence man's purpose in taking birth was made known to all by Agathiyar. In coming to his path he makes us realize further man's dream of attaining the goal that is "by properly fulfilling their five main duties during their cyclic lives, in this ongoing evolution of planet earth, and get finally liberated [mukta] for their further ascensions in the invisible ethereal web [adrishya akasha jaal], through gradually increasing higher conscious states of time and space relationships, till they all themselves finally achieve the two highest universal worlds tapah loka [brahmanda vaikuntha loka] and satyam loka [brahmanda shiv loka] of this infinite universe [brahmanda], and thus get spiritually qualified to vitally carry out much higher conscious roles, in the unknowable and non-explainable worlds of para brahmanda [outfinite universe], during their distant brilliant future."

Who are these Siddhas then? As the young kid asks the trafficker whether he was a good person or bad in the movie "Nayagan" are the Siddhas good or bad? Where do they live? Is it some distant place, planet, or universe? How is it that they come to our call immediately? How do they materialize in our world?

In coming to follow the path of the Siddhas many find obstacles placed by way of family and friends. Males by nature were meant to take care and protect the herd. When engaged in the teachings of the Siddha they involve completely spending time for social service and upliftment of their species. Sadly this nature or weakness or rather strength in them is seen as threatening to some family members and circles. Many view it as the male distancing himself from his responsibility and spending much less time with his family. This I came to know when I started fresh on the path, has been the reason for many adverse opinions of the path and reasons for others not to venture into it. The Siddhas had been accused of disrupting their lives. When I began to seek information about the Siddhas from existing establishments in 2002, many told me that their family lives were disrupted after coming to the worship of the Siddhas. This was what I saw too with life partners staying apart. It is a blessing if both couples are on the same frequency and are on the same path of worship. It is a blessing to their children too who shall learn the tricks of the trade too and spread the following as they grow older. Couples have gone their way just because of differences in opinion on their respective faiths. Nothing seems to have changed with time. Someone told me the Siddhas drive him nuts and gave up on them in the face of bodily torment that came with certain practices taught by his guru who according to him turned mad too. The failure of the Siddhas in bringing relief to his bodily torment drove him to arrive at this decision. Someone else shared to another that he spending much time doing charity was a reason his wife filed a divorce. I believe a shallow understanding of the path is the reason to arrive at these conclusion. They fail to see that the follower of the path is in fact strengthening his lineage by engaging with the Gods and also helping to remove the stain on his ancestors as a result of their past karma. He is preparing a conducive atmosphere for new souls to grow up into becoming Siddhas themselves in the former. As for the latter, it is said that the ancestors of Agathiyar who were hanging upside down from tree branches due to a curse were relieved of the curse when Agathiyar came by. Also, it is said that one who takes up monkhood will relieve the karma of 21 generations of his ancestors. 

Then there are others who come seeking the path with an agenda and expectations. They too leave. Many years on we see them return disappointed, coming back to the starting point and  turning up seeking relief from the Siddhas and gurus rather then having become Siddhas and gurus themselves in this time of absense. Yet others keep seeking never satisfied with the journey. They chose to see the negative traits in all and thus can never settle down on the path. I believe no one can satisfy this lot. 

We are made to understand that all these are part of the evolution process. The souls are in different stages of evolution. These experiences shall bring on enlighthenment or gnanam within them eventually. We are told to accept everyone.

In walking the path we are told of the four stages that we progress on this journey namely that of Sariyai, Kriyai, Yogam and Gnanam. In Sariyai we live a mundane life in the world created by God. In Kriyai, we serve God as obedient baktas or devotees, servants, followers, and believers. In Yogam we serve him as a son and a student and disciple. In Gnana we merge with him or rather he merges within us, moving in us and dictating us henceforth. On this pilgrim's journey, it is said that the transformation takes place in us as we progress along on the spiritual ladder. The divine comes down or rather blooms from within and shows itself as does a seed germinate and sprouts from the soil and grows into a plant.

It is because we make contact with the Siddhas that they become accessible to us 24/7. With the initiation into the path and concerted efforts and sadhanas by the seeker and follower that follows, a bridge is built between two worlds. The Siddhas then visit us occasionally and later come to rest in our homes. Soon our home becomes their abode too. Eventually, they take up residence in the cave in our hearts and lead us on without the need for external apparatus or other known mediums. This is when many are seen performing Siddhis. But in reality, they are not doing it but the divine in them moves them to do it. The deity Karuppanasamy told a devotee through whom he comes not to receive payment for His "services". I figured that it was He who was healing them compared to the many trained healers and gurus who make it their living and profession. While the former shall not be tainted by karma as he is a vehicle of the Gods, the latter can receive payment for their services as it shall offset the karma that leans on them in treating others. But sadly man manipulates this divine energy and uses it to his advantage for want of fame, money, and power. This is where we are told that even while standing at the threshold of the kingdom to God we have to be careful that we do not fall prey to these vasanas or desires. The moment of revelation is said to be akin to standing on the razor's edge. It can cut the veil asunder or also hurt us badly and derail our mission for good. The lure of the world lurks behind the curtain for those who have not burnt their desires to ashes though they might have progressed to the dizzy heights of attaining the state of a guru. Here is where we have to constantly call upon the divine to safeguard us from falling down the dark pit - again! 

If the Siddhas are accessible to us, is there another mystical world out there or rather running parallel to us? 

My first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai told me as he sat on his bed made of jute ropes and looked out through the small opening that was the window at his kudil which displayed the holy mountain in all its majesty, he could see Siddhas and Rishis going about their daily chores on the slopes of the holy mountain. Ain't that amazing? Bhagawan Ramana is said to have entered an opening in this mountain and seen a world akin to what was shown to us in the movie "Baba" where a stranger brings the lead character to a cave opening and leads him over the dales and plains to finally meet Babaji Nagaraj. Knowing that man shall taint and spoil every place he steps into Ramana had the opening closed. A devotee who took up the chore and responsibility to care for a run-down Shiva temple on the fringes of Tiruvannamalai was jolted off his feet or rather given a tug and pulled along when he was invited to follow a stranger who revealed himself later as the famed Isakhi Siddhar to enter into another portal and world that lay within a crack in the wall behind the Shivalingam at the temple. As the Siddha disapeared into the portal or the other realm while still holding on to the hand of the youth, the youth panicked and pulled his hand away hence missing the chance to venture into the world of the Siddhas. My second guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal who after his demise appeared in a dream to a devotee of Agathiyar and a disciple was seen ferried across an ocean of water with several others by Lord Shiva, towards the other bank where Siddhas, Rishis, and sages were seen going about their daily regime. 

So how do they appear to us? To one who is in Sariyai living in the world of material possessions, he could be jolted from his dream by a total stranger who knocks on his door bringing him a timely message. To one engaged in Kriyai they could come through others as energies and talk to them as is seen widely in the worship of village deities or yellai deivam and kaval deivam, ancestral deities or kula deivam, and the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. They could appear in the flames of the fire pit that is lit as vouched by many as having seen the myriad shapes and forms of deities in the flames or seen to open their eyes in their idols and paintings as witnessed by us at AVM. They could come as vibrations sensed by a select few during the moments of puja as felt solely by Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar at AVM. They could come as the breeze, aroma and scent in the air, balls of light and sparkles in the eyes as Tavayogi introduced us to them. For one engaged in Yoga, they come as the breath and the light sensations within the forehead. They come as energies and vibrations too that traverse their body momentarily connecting internally and bridging these worlds for these brief moments. Finally, they come in the silence that prevails in sitting alone transmitting Gnana or divine knowledge or rather bringing out the wealth of hidden knowledge lodged in them from time immemorial. 

We are told of many existing worlds. The movies have conveyed and depicted numerous worlds in celluloid that grasp and hold our attention at the cinemas. Books, mostly science fiction and fantasy, have delved into these worlds. Then on further scrutiny of the sacred texts, we are told that there is life and death. While alive, we fall asleep and enter the dream world daily. While awake, we tend to daydream too. In death, we are told there is heaven and hell. Ramalinga Adigal and Agathiyar have spoken about these external worlds. Agathiyar speaks about a world of Siddhas just 40 feet down at a place revealing it to Hanumathdasan in his Jeeva Nadi. From further revelations to him, we tend to understand the magic of the Siddhas.

Once a villager came to see the Jeeva Nadi in possession of Hanumathdasan after hearing about it. He narrated the reason he wanted the Nadi read. His wife was carrying their eight children. The doctors had advised against it saying that it would put her life at risk. To make matters worse his village was not easily accessible and did not have the necessary amenities. The villager wanted to know from Agathiyar if his wife’s life was at risk.

Agathiyar reveals, “What the doctors said was right. There is the likelihood that she would not survive this delivery.” Agathiyar then reveals to Hanumathdasan, “He has faith in God. I have to help him out. He had saved many lives from drowning in his last birth. He had fasted and had climbed, amidst many difficulties, to my shrine at the Pothigai hills to perform milk libation or Abhisegam, all out of devotion to me. He had saved a girl from drowning in the Pothigai waterfalls too. That is also the moment when he was pulled in by the strong undercurrent and drowned. Due to his good deeds in the past life, my wife Lobhamudra and I shall attend to his wife during her time of delivery." He directed him to return immediately for she was in labor. However, the man did not return to his village immediately.

After four days, he returned cheerfully to Hanumathdasan. He narrated what took place in his village home in his absence. A couple had gone over to his house. They asked his seven children to leave while the woman attended to his wife. When the woman held his wife’s hands, his wife was relieved of her labor pain. His wife delivered a boy without any complications and both were fine. The man on his part chanted outside the villager’s home and later prepared some herbal medicines and passed it to the villager’s wife. They both left without asking for anything in return. 

In another episode from Hanumathdasan's writings of his many encounters with the Siddhas, he writes that just as Agathiyar ended his revelation in the Nadi, some thugs gatecrashed into his home with weapons asking to know about the whereabouts of a vagabond who was with him the night before. Hanumathdasan tried to calm them down. He invited their leader to take a sit. He questioned him as to why he was looking for the vagabond. The leader refused to divulge and kept asking about the vagabond’s whereabouts. He questioned Hanumathdasan the vagabond’s purpose and reason to come to him. Hanumathdasan narrated what took place the night before. After listening to what had transpired the night before, the leader was surprised and impressed and asked if Agathiyar could reveal all. He wanted to find out from Agathiyar if the vagabond was alive. He revealed that he had to deliver the vagabond to someone. Hanumathdasan looked into the Nadi where Agathiyar revealed the intention of the leader is looking out for the man. The huge sum that he received to bring the vagabond would aid in his daughter’s eye operation. Hanumathdasan told the leader what Agathiyar had mentioned in the Nadi. The leader immediately fell at the feet of Hanumathdasan in an outburst acknowledging what Agathiyar had mentioned in the Nadi as being true. Hanumathdasan put forward a proposal to the leader that if Agathiyar should show him another way out of his predicament would the leader give up the idea of looking for the vagabond?

Agathiyar revealed more.

“In the past birth, a kid had lost his eyesight due to the leader’s action. As a result, his daughter was losing her eyesight at this birth. Even if he resorted to carrying out what he had come for, his daughter would not regain her eyesight.” Then Agathiyar stated three conditions if she was to see again. First: the leader was to change over a new leaf. Second: he was to seek out a Siddha in Kollimalai. Third: he was to serve in an orphanage until his life’s end. The leader agreed to do the first two but explained that he could not carry out the third because he was married to three wives and had to support them. Agathiyar provided the remedy to regain his daughter's eyesight. The juice of the rare Nethira Thosa Nivarthi Puspam, a flower that bloomed once in three years in Kollimalai, was to be applied to the eyes and head daily. Agathiyar added that a Siddha at Kollimalai should provide for this unique and rare flower. “Carry out this treatment for ninety days. She will regain her eyesight. She would not need to be operated on." 

"Leave for Kollimalai immediately”, instructed Agathiyar.

Hearing Agathiyar's revelation in the Nadi, the headman's follower objected to him leaving for Kollimalai before finishing their ‘business’ since they had already received payment for it. The leader then motioned him to come forward to seek the Nadi too. Agathiyar revealed about him too. He too began to cry, acknowledging that what Agathiyar had revealed in the Jeeva Nadi was the truth. He too was asked to seek out the Siddha in Kollimalai for a remedy for his wife’s ailment. Both of them left immediately for Kollimalai.

Hanumathdasan was keen to find out what had transpired in the days that followed. He peeked into the sacred oracle again. Agathiyar answered, “The vagabond left the family and had ventured north, had made numerous reports to the police regarding his safety. That is how the family came to know that he was still alive. One of the family members had engaged the hitmen to ‘finish’ him off. But the one who sent out the hitmen was in very bad shape in the hospital. Now the family had repented and had taken the vagabond in."

After some time the assistant who had the earlier reading too arrived at Hanumathdasan’s door with his family. They fell at the feet of Hanumathdasan. This man’s wife had recovered fully. Hanumathdasan was told that the leader's daughter too was cured and her father had since taken up Siddha medicine, becoming a practitioner. The assistant narrated what had taken place in Kollimalai. After looking around in vain for the said Siddha in the Kollimalai hills, the men had laid down to rest under a tree. Suddenly an old man tapped one of them and asked him by his name. The hitmen were amazed how this stranger knew their names and how he identified them correctly. He asked both of them to follow. The old man then led them to a hut. He handed one of them an extract of a plant in a bottle to apply on the eyes of his daughter and assured him that she would begin to see in thirty days. He asked him to come back for more if needed. To the other, he handed an herbal preparation in a powder form to be taken with honey. The old man assured him that his wife’s heart problem will be cured in twenty-seven days. When the men handed him some money, he refused to accept saying that the money was taken to ‘finish’ off someone and that he did not want ‘stained’ money. When he went into the hut and did not come out for a long time, the two men took a peek inside but there was no one. They waited a while but as he did not turn up they eventually returned home. 

Hanumathdasan asked if they went back to the Siddha again. He replied that they went to Kollimalai again but there was no hut at that spot and the Siddha was nowhere to be seen too. When these men asked those who frequented Kollimalai about the Siddha and his hut, they were told that they had never come across any hut or Siddha either.

After they left Hanumathdasan approached Agathiyar to find out who the Siddha was. “That was my disciple Bhogar. He carried out my wishes and had dispersed the medicine to both of them personally”, came the reply in the Nadi. Agathiyar added, “Bhogar still lives and moves around in Kollimalai. If one prays to Bhogar for assistance, he shall take the form of a Siddha practitioner and treat them, cure their illnesses and save them."

In another episode, Agathiyar most graciously delivers Bhogar's remedy for aids to an individual who sought out Agathiyar's Jeeva Nadi. Agathiyar instructs him to carry out atonement for each member of his family to remove their past karma and only then to undertake a journey to Sathuragiri or Pothigai where certain herbs were available for preparing the Siddha medication prescribed by Bhogar. The person took his family to Sathuragiri as instructed by Agathiyar hoping someone will deliver the cure. But no one was of any help to them. After 45 days someone delivers a note to Hanumathdasan from the person mentioning that he had run out of cash and food and nearing death, but he and his family are adamant to stay on until the family was cured. After 25 days Hanumathdasan is told of a miracle that took place at Sathuragiri. The family had decided to end their life as no one could help them with identifying and preparing the herbal portion as per Agathiyar's directive. That is when someone resembling Agathiyar and another person like Bhogar appeared to the family of four and directed them to follow them into the deep jungles of Sathuragiri where they prepared the medicine for them and had them consume it. The medicine put them to sleep. Upon awakening, the family realized they were in Sundaramahalingam Temple at Sathuragiri! After 3 months, the family appeared before Hanumathdasan, hale and healthy and cured of aids and alive to tell their tale. Agathiyar explains the human body is susceptible to 4128 diseases of which aids was listed as 3798th. The HIV virus was already known to the Siddhas years before it emerged.

Jnana Jothiamma was equally surprised to learn from Agathiyar in a Nadi reading that Bhogar had come as a youth to deliver her herbal preparations. Lord Murugan came as a kid to her on the steps of Palani and soothe her pain in her legs. Similarly, we had Bhogar come in a devotee and treat a young child and her mother at AVM. We had Agathiyar come in him and prepare a herbal poultice made from kitchen herbs and plants from the garden and placed it over the knee of another devotee bringing relief to his sports injury. I too was treated for my back pain by Dhanvantri and later Lord Murugan.

To another question from Hanumathdasan, “How can one identify Bhogar?”Agathiyar explains, “Bhogar shall have a twinkle in his eyes. He shall emit the aroma of Basil or Tulasi herb or Jawathu essence sacred ash or Vibhuti.” It is interesting to note that Agathiyar in the Jeeva Nadi revelation to Hanumathdasan says Bhogar was from Mongolia. In a Nadi revelation, Agathiyar reveals the extent of humbleness in his student Bhogar. When once Agathiyar asked Bhogar if he knew Mother Goddess, Bhogar replied he did not know. When asked if he knew Lord Vishnu, he replied he did not know too. When Agathiyar asked if he knew Lord Muruga, again Bhogar to everyone's surprise answered "No". How could one who was behind the making and installation of Lord Muruga's statue at Palani not know him? How could one who treated those mentioned in the many episodes above, when asked if he knew about the herbs, reply in the negative when he had sought, collected, and done extensive research on numerous herbs too? Bhogar replied that he did not know to all the questions put forward by Agathiyar. This surprised all those gathered. Finally, when asked what he knew, Bhogar answered that he only knew the Holy Feet of his Guru, Agathiyar. Such humbleness and total loyalty towards one's guru!

I saw this twinkle in the eyes of Tavayogi as we came out of Bhogar's samadhi at Palani. He had turned around towards me and enquired, "Yenna Magane?", after seeing me in bliss. I just walked up to him, and laid my head on his chest, thanking him silently for bringing me over to Palani that I had always regarded as the "Twilight Zone". There is something mystical about the place. I believe I had stepped into a portal going back years before what we see as the present-day samadhi of Bhogar at Palani. We just need to be led into a portal or step into one to reach the other side though I had no idea that I had just done that back then. In 2003, I was completely depleted of my energy and most likely my ego too trying to climb the steps up the hillock. Arriving at the top and still in a daze, upon entering the premises of Lord Murugan's sannadhi I only vaguely remember that a priest came up to me and snatched my bag of goodies for Lord Muruga. The next moment I remember is when he came back to return the bag of abhisegam and puja items topping it up with the sandal paste from that morning's abhisegam. I had no further recollection of what I saw in the Lord's chamber. I then took a few steps stepping into a dark corridor. Another few steps took me to a door on the right where I stepped into Bhogar's samadhi that was immediately at the back of the Murugan sannadhi. The second time I was invited to Palani by Agathiyar through the Nadi reading. Tavayogi, my brother, and I started for the Palani temple at 5 in the morning while the streets were quiet and the shops were still closed. We had to wait in the queue, as the temple was still closed. At 6.00 am we were allowed to enter. We stood in front of Palani Andavar and offered our prayers. Again I could not recall what I saw. We went down some steps to the open and crossed over to another temple structure that housed Bhogar’s shrine. But it was not so the first time I stepped into Bhogar's samadhi! The entire place now seemed shifted away and was brightly lit and colorful! I was truly puzzled. It blows my mind to think how was this possible? I wanted some answers then. Now it was clear to me. This was definitely not the route I took to Bhogar’s shrine in 2003. In my earlier visit, I walked along a passage from Lord Murugan’s shrine to Bhogar’s shrine. There was no necessity to go into the open. Bhogar's samadhi was immediately behind that of Lord Murugan's sannadhi. The shrine walls now were beautifully painted with murals depicting episodes from Bhogar’s life in color. In 2003 there were no paintings on the wall either. I was shown yet another play of the mischievous Lord Murugan.

There were four temple priests when we stepped into the chamber just as I had stepped into it in 2003. One of them showed the flame in front of the Maragatha Lingam and another figurine of Goddess Bhuvaneswari that Bhogar had worshipped, both placed on a raised dais. The priest then pointed out the opening where Bhogar had entered and is still believed to be. While he narrated the history of the temple to Tavayogi and my brother I moved to find a spot in the room to sit for a while. The fourth priest who was very much younger than the rest was standing in attendance observing me and the others, not uttering a word. As we came out of this chamber, this young priest intercepted us at the corridor away from the others. He passed a tumbler that he was holding to Tavayogi who was right in front, saying, Abhisega Paal. "Oh my God! It is happening again!" I told myself, " I am being given the Abhisega Paal again.” I was given a tumbler of milk on my visit here in 2003. I was receiving it again in 2005. Tavayogi drank a portion and passed the tumbler to my brother who was behind him. He drank a portion too and passed the rest to me. I emptied the tumbler and gratefully handed it over to the priest who look pleased. Surprisingly no one questioned him nor did he say anything further. Neither did Tavayogi, my brother, nor I talk about the incident. As we came down the steps into the open again, Tavayogi stopped and turned back to look at me. I was lagging behind obvious to him that I was in a state of bliss. He questioned me, “What is it, my son”. I went up to him and placed my head on his chest. Tears quelled in my eyes. He had this twinkle in his eyes and gave me a broad smile. I knew that he knew. I remained silent as we left the temple premises. 

The divine too is known to come as Avatars in response to the cry of innocent souls and when they are affected by the rot that sets in when there is a decline in morality and virtues and Satyam in the world. I should say that both Jesus and Ramalinga Adigal had surpassed the Gods for the former could show the other cheek and the latter could show compassion even to his enemies whereas the Gods were known to take up arms to battle and rid evil.

MEMORIES

How would you want to store and remember your past memories to be reviewed later? The movie "The Final Cut" touches on this subject. A company provides the technology for an implant that stores them. There are then professional "cutters" who cut and edit and keep the stories the family wants to see of their deceased loved one. Interesting right?

But would we really want the memories stored forever inside three important areas of the brain: the hippocampus, the neocortex, and the amygdala, or for that matter have implants? It is scary to live through some memories though we love to relinquish the good times with our dear ones. I guess forgetting is a blessing for some while remembering might be a blessing for others. 

Just as our brains keep records of our lives happenings as memories, are all happenings in the world and the universe for that matter recorded somewhere? Like the personal computer, which uploads and stores memories in the form of pictures and videos in the cloud, are the memories in our brain, stored somewhere too, maybe the Akashic library? It seems so for the Siddhas seem to have access to this large bank of data and tend to reveal some to seekers of their Nadi from time to time. The guru reveals some more. It is said in meditation the rest is revealed. Would we want to know these? 

Just as nature through floods and droughts, and man through war wipes out civilizations, the divine too is known to wipe out traces of civilizations, sacred texts, and even His footsteps for reasons only known to them. It is said that what remains of saint Arunagiri's "Thirupugazh" is only some 3000 songs while he had sung 16000 in numbers. It is said that the sea had swallowed many ancient and sacred works including this and many others too.

Time or Kala wipes out even our memories. But the saints could look out there and tell us things. They could go within and tell us things. They could look into the past and future besides revealing the present. Ramalinga Adigal speaks about numerous worlds. Agathiyar too lists these worlds as carried in Vashisht Vaid's blog at https://holysageagathiyar.com. 

Vashisht Vaid writes,

"The Great Sage Agathiyar Further Explained to the Exalted Conscious Siddhars of the Tamil Sangam about these 28 celestial worlds [Antariksha Lokas Evam Talas] of Intellectual Activities, ...

He speaks of the "Highest Dimensional World of Truth [Satyam Loka] , ‘7 Higher Dimension Celestial Worlds’ [Saptha Urdhava Lokas], 4 Higher Dimensional Worlds [Chatur Urdhava Lokas], 3 Higher Dimensional Worlds [Tritya Ucchtam Koti Urdhava Lokas], 3 Lower Denser Material Worlds [Tritya Neechtam Koti Urdhava Lokas] etc.

"The Great Sage Agathiyar added, that the ‘Fiery Elemental Essences of Consciousness’ [Agni Chaitanyas] Formulate the Vital Ethereal Bodies [Pranmaya Kosha] by Carefully Following the ‘Filtered Energy Impulses’, which Gradually Come Down from the ‘Causal Body’ [Karanam Shreera] of the Gradually Evolving ‘Soul’ [Atama], who Always Stays Vitally Established in the Higher Dimensional World of ‘Sva Loka’, from where these Energy Impulses Originating from the Desiring Mind of Evolving ‘Soul’ [Atama] are Sent Downward in the Denser Dimensional Worlds, to Vitally Acquire Various Types of ‘Spiritual Experiences’, which First Existing as ‘Vital Thought Forms’ Gradually Proceed Downwards from the SOUL’S ESTABLISHED DOMAIN, Popularly Known Among ALL SEERS & SAGES as the ‘’SELF WORLD’’ [SVA LOKA, BRIAH, SVARGA] While Mounted upon the ‘Downward Arc of Spiral Motion’, thus Gradually Passing Downward through the Formulated Channel of ‘Vital Cord’ known in Sanskrit as the ‘Sutratama Naadi’, then Vitally Enter the Differentiated Conscious Levels of this First Dimensional Eye World, which Vitally Exist Invisibly just above the Denser Levels of the ‘Bhu Loka [Dense Physical World]."

"The Great Sage Agathiyar Further Explained the ‘Tamil Sangam’, about the Downward Sent ‘Energy Impulses of an Evolving Soul’, which EVOLUTIONARY SOUL, with a GREAT EAGERNESS to ACQUIRE SPIRITUAL RADIANCE Vitally Stays Stationed for a Long Time in the Dimensional Confinements of ‘Sva Loka’ till its Desired Liberation [Mukti] Happens, because all Types of ‘Spiritual Experiences’ of the First ‘Three Denser Dimensional Worlds’ [Triloka] out of the Group of 7 Higher Dimensional Worlds [Saptha Urdhava Lokas] are Direly Needed by an Evolving ‘Soul’ [Atama] to Attain Soul’s Desired Liberation [Mukti] from all the Anchoring Bondages of all the FIRST 3 Higher, but Factually the 3 Denser Worlds [Bhu, Bhava, and Sva Lokas, Collectively Termed by Exalted Conscious Seers and Sages as ‘Triloka’."

I have gone through Vashisht's blog numerous times but it is sheer mind boggling. I have yet to comprehend the entire contents. Then again Agathiyar is fond of asking of what use are some news to us? He only reveals what is required for us to know. Then again Agathiyar tells us we have to experience the divine in this very birth and in this world. It is only here that we can engage in the method and the means to know God and return to our source. I guess the subject of these other worlds will forever be a mystery to us since it was revealed to the sages and rishis at the Tamil Sangam and not for our consumption. The day we raise our standing to become at par with them only then shall we fully understand it.

TIME IS THE ESSENCE

I had a doubt some time back. If we are to show compassion to others and asked to show the other cheek why did the Gods take up arms? We have read and heard about them going to war with the asuras, demons, dark and evil forces, etc. Wars were fought in the past to subdue evil. We are told that the Mahabharata war was fought 18 times over. I guess at times we need to go to war too to defeat and rid the problem or nuisance once and for all. Amidst all these, we have a gem in the form of Ramalinga Adigal who never hurt a soul. How did the man manage to stay cool amidst all the pounding? I wish I could be like him too.

Dharmam or charity was a word long forgotten in our family circle, surprising as it may be, given that my father was a philanthropist. He had cleared his entire earnings, assets, and properties accumulated as a moneylender for the cause of others. His generosity landed us finally to have to rent a home and move often. We had only one decent meal a day. The leftovers from lunch were packed into rice balls and were passed around the siblings for dinner. I guess when things were never enough to go around the family, the thought of charity never arises too. But my father's good deeds set the way for better things in life. I am indebted to him. 

Dharmam was reintroduced after I saw my Nadi. In giving me remedies to subdue my past karma Agathiyar had me do charity in many ways where I began to depart and give away hard-earned money. That was continued with the coming of my guru Tavayogi who carried a legacy of doing charity at his ashram. I took it up too. Arriving back in Malaysia with the coming together of several youths we began a WhatsApp group Amudha Surabhi that took to feeding the poor and other similar programs. 

Dharmam took many reforms in our lives and reformed our lives too. If at first we were brought to do charity to have us open up our eyes to the existence of others who are not so fortunate, the act of giving and sharing soon opened our hearts to compassion and daivu that oozed and streamed from within. A friend who returned from participating in doing charity at a movement abroad was so impressed by their work that on returning home he asked Agathiyar to send a person each day to him so that he could feed a soul. This seemed like a noble wish to ask for and a noble act too - initially. But today Agathiyar makes me realize that just as engaging in all the charity programs that we drafted under the banner of Amudha Surabhi for some 7 years only installed and reinforced our ego, similarly, the very prayer asking that God should send someone to receive our donation or food itself builds merits at the expense of the poor and hungry. Agathiyar tells me a better option and prayer would be to ask that God eliminate poverty in totality. 

Though it is true that we took birth because we had past karma to live out and because we carried unfulfilled desires or wanted to experience other new things and emotions, I was made to realize that we are here because of the wishes of other souls too. My daughters wanted us to be their parents again. This was revealed in their Nadi readings. 

While the ego in us and the "I" boldly declares that it is in charge of our lives, where we are born, and to whom is beyond its pick or choice. This is requested by the Atma for want of certain experiences with certain people. I guess we have to meet some people in our lives for a purpose. What Neale Donald Walsch wrote in his children's parable adapted from his book one of "Conversations with God", titled "The Little Soul and the Sun", holds water and seems true. In the local Malay movie "Sepi" directed by Kabir Bhatia that I watched with my daughter last evening, three strangers cross paths and cause an impact on the other's life. https://www.imdb.com/ reviewed it "All three strangers are inevitably linked to a single dramatic moment that transforms their lives forever." There are many similar movies that I have mentioned earlier in the earlier blog and this. 

When I was offered another job at the beginning of my career in 1980, I contemplated whether to leave my new job of just a few months and take up the new offer. Studying the pros and cons but as I was still undecided till I came down to Kuala Lumpur, I walked into the Maha Mariamman temple at Jalan Bandar in Kuala Lumpur and asked for divine guidance. On coming out of the temple, I saw a wayside astrologer in front of the temple. I let him decide for me taking his words as God's. He told me my life would prosper if I opted for a job beside the sea. That surprised me. I was already working in that locality. I had not given him any hint of both the jobs and their localities. As I was already posted at the naval base I opted to stay put. Now I realize by staying put I had to meet many souls, among them some of whose lives would change me. Seeing their experiences, sufferings and sudden death led me to view God with anger. Seeing me going cuckoo and confused prompted Lord Shiva to come in a dream to put a stop to all my anger and confusion. This I believe would not have taken place if I had accepted the job in Kuala Lumpur. I would have met other souls and encountered other experiences with them. It was only because I stayed back that I had those extremely essential experiences for my soul advancement. I guess I could now piece together the puzzle of the individual who carried my name and had the same number of siblings, and had many other details matched except that he was married to one Manohari. I guess I would have met the Manohari mentioned if I had chosen to be in Kuala Lumpur. Just a wild guess.

After a 14-year break, Lord Shiva took me in his folds and had Agathiyar and two wonderful gurus in a physical form lead me to where I am today. On this journey of learning, we realized that the goal post keeps shifting. When we think we have arrived at the answer, as mentioned in the movie "Hidden Figures", what happens is "Every time we get a chance to get ahead they move the finish line." When we think we have understood something it turns out that that is not it. Eventually after shedding and negating everything we thought and held to be true and right what stands alone shall finally be the truth. If I thought I was in charge initially when things did not move as I wished for I thought God did not listen and was ruthless and merciless. Then it turns out that God is not and never interferes in our lives. We are told that it is our desires that take hold of us and chart our journey. I was told that it is fate, destiny, and karma that springs from these desires that have an upper hand. This was true until it dawned on us that the other souls too have a great impact on the experiences we shall gather and how our lives shall turn out to be.

In the face of adversity, where do we turn to? Who do we turn to? Family and friends might give a listening ear or aid financially but what if things are beyond their assistance? When all means and ground are covered unsuccessfully we then look towards God. If that is to happen someday, why wait till we are driven to a corner and meantime made to face our sufferings alone? Why not bring God to stay with us rather than invite him into our lives only when faced with danger and suffering? Ain't it better to prevent than to cure? How do we engage with him? Where is God? Is he out there? If yes, where? We are shown the places of worship as abodes of the Gods which the genius in us doubts. We are shown the sacred texts that are equally hard to comprehend. We are brought outdoors and asked to see God in nature which we cannot comprehend either. We are shown to the skies and heavens where we strain our eyes to look for any signs of him. We are told to see God in others which is the hardest part. We are shown the lamp and asked to worship the flame that is incomprehensible too. We are asked to sit alone and see God within which is the toughest thing to do. But for a hungry man, God is not in all these signature items but in the food that comes in a timely manner to appease his hunger. God is in the drop of water that quenches his thirst. To the dying man the breath is God. So it seems God is all around and in many forms. One has just to take hold of one of the many vines and start his climb to reach God. The most compassionate one will then reach out to us too. As Tavayogi told us that our efforts are only till the Svadhisthana chakra the divine shall meet us 2/7th of the way. Henceforth God shall lead us. 

Just as in tracking a hill many might make it; some might drop out; some might get lost without a guide; some might be able to track following signs left by previous trackers or gurus; some might come to the end of their lives while tracking taking on the unaccomplished desire with them; this is life's journey. It is so colorful. It is so diverse. There are so many options. Accomplishment is solely based on each individual's level of satisfaction and contentment in arriving at the destination. There is no standard gauge or yardstick.  After trekking for days on end how does it feel to have reached the destination or peak that we laid our eyes on? A sense of fulfillment and accomplishment envelops us. But as the joy settles we set our eyes on the next peak. That is human nature ever wanting to scale new heights and peak after peak.

The path is varied. Initially, it might attract many but eventually, only some sustain the heat of the journey. The journey needs discipline and concerted effort sustained by the practice of regimes. Only some come through the ordeal. Many drop out. But none of the efforts is wasted we are told. We are not to condemn those who opted out. They shall come by when they are more mature and ready to take on the challenge. 

YOGA

Yoga is not the right of a select few but is for all. If we are accustomed to the terms Asthanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kriya Yoga, and many others, that is taken up and practiced by select groups of people seeking to better their lives physically and spiritually, the commoner is not left out from the mainstream. Everyone is engaged in Karma Yoga. Every one of us has done Karma Yoga at some time or other in our life. By the grace of the divine, then the guru comes to show the other yoga forms. Supramania Swami showed me Bhakti Yoga, by example. I saw his devotion towards his gurus. Tavayogi came to teach us Yoga Asanas and Pranayama as is known today as Raja Yoga, Patanjali Yoga, etc. Acharya Gurudasan taught us Kriya Yoga. We now await for Jnana Yoga or divine knowledge, the last pearl on the string, to dawn on us.

Swami Vivekananda in his book "Karma Yoga" mentions that, "In all creation--in animals, plants, and men--we find the more or less typical manifestation of all these different forces (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas). Karma Yoga has specially to deal with these three factors. By teaching what they are and how to employ them, it helps us to do our work better."

"The life of every individual, according to the Hindu scriptures, has its peculiar duties apart from what belongs in common to universal humanity. The Hindu begins life as a student; then he marries and becomes a householder; in old age, he retires; and lastly he gives up the world and becomes a Sannyasin. To each of these stages of life, certain duties are attached. The four stages of life in India have in later times been reduced to two--that of the householder and of the monk. The householder marries and carries on his duties as a citizen, and the duty of the other is to devote his energies wholly to religion, to preach and to worship God."

"The life of the married man is quite as great as that of the celibate who has devoted himself to religious work. The scavenger in the street is quite as great and glorious as the king on his throne. Take him off his throne, make him do the work of the scavenger, and see how he fares. Take up the scavenger and see how he will rule. It is useless to say that the man who lives out of the world is a greater man than he who lives in the world; it is much more difficult to live in the world and worship God than to give it up and live a free and easy life."

The Swami adds that it is alright to go after wealth provided it is distributed among others. "If he gets riches, hundreds of others will be thereby supported." Like the poor and unfortunate, many sadhus too live off the alms given by householders and the public.

Going by our earlier research on karma, we had only considered them to be actions or deeds carried out in the past. Reading Swami Vivekananda's "Karma Yoga" and the 5 tenets as revealed by Agathiyar it seems now that karma constitutes both the result of our past actions and also the detailing of fresh actions that need to be taken.

Having lived a purposeful life that is both beneficial to the individual, family and friends and others, the community and society, and finally the nation, with the coming of a guru he dwells into the ways of saving his Atma. The guru teaches him the numerous forms of Yoga. If Swami Vivekananda wrote that Raja Yoga is based on the aphorisms or Sutras of Patanjali, Swami Prabhavananda in his book "Patanjali Yoga Sutras", published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, writes that Patanjali's work is "a work of compilation and reformation, restated for the man of his period." 

"References to yoga practices are to be found already in the Katha, Svtasvatara, Taittiriya, and Maitrayani Upanishads very many centuries earlier. Indeed the yoga doctrine may be said to have been handed down from prehistoric times." 

Coming later, M.Govindan in his book "Babaji", published by Babaji's Kriya Yoga Order of Acharyas Trust, Bangalore, India, describes Kriya Yoga as a crystallization of the teachings and techniques of Yoga Siddhantham, the ancient teachings of the Yoga Siddhas, developed and promulgated by Babaji to have man realize his potential." 

We are blessed to have these ancient techniques passed on to us by our learned gurus and upagurus. This has to be passed on too.

KARMA YOGA

Vashisht Vaid's blog at https://holysageagathiyar.com is a goldmine of information. Vashisht writes, "There are five types of main works, which should be dutifully performed upon daily basis, by the evolving humanity during the given term period of their incarnated lives," and goes on to list the work given as, "of which the number 1 work [prathma karma]", followed by number two work and the rests.

1. prathma karma,
2. dvitiya karma,
3. tritiya karma,
4. chatush karma, and
5. pancha karma.

1. The number 1 work [prathma karma] is to find out the very reason, for which they came over to exist in this human form life on planet earth.
2. The number 2 work [dvitiya karma] for a human being, is to devoutly meditate upon the one and only unknowable universal father lord.
3. The number 3 work [tritiya karma] for a human being is to dutifully pay respects and obedience to this physical world dutiful caretaker’s, which all caretakers especially include their physical world parents and grandparents [lokik pitris], and also to the lunar forefathers [soma pitris]. 
4. The number 4 work [chatush karma] for a human being is to dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing human beings upon this planet earth.
5. The number 5 work [pancha karma] for a human being is to dutifully aid and help, the ongoing evolution of all co-existing beings and entities, who all vitally exist upon the lower levels of the evolutionary ladder.

Upon close scrutiny of the above 5 tenets for humanity, Agathiyar in listing the 5 reasons and purposes of man in taking birth, brings us to realize that each of these 5 deals with a particular degree of karma or work listed from 1 to 5. Could these be Karma Yoga, the essential yoga that each human should carry out during his lifetime? 

Karma Yoga is the Yoga of action says Swami Vivekananda. Karma in this instance is work. It is a means to do service to the world and reach enlightenment. Indeed Agathiyar has listed our duties clearly in his 5 tenets. Here man is directed to carry out actions that bring beneficial results to both the self and all of creation. If Agathiyar had decreed these 5 tenets to be followed by humans, at the assembly of sages and seers in the past, when he speaks one to one through his medium of communication the Nadi, on the onset our past karma is laid before us, and solutions are provided by the most compassionate Siddhas. I realize now that above and beyond these the Siddhas lay before each individual directives in Karma Yoga that he/she has to undertake during the rest of his or her lives. Though the past has determined the present, coming to the Siddhas they begin to show new ways to come out of the web we have spun for ourselves by bringing us to Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga then sets our course right henceforth. 

 

Swami Vivekananda wrote in his book, "Karma Yoga", "You must remember that all work is simply to bring out the power of the mind which is already there, to wake up the soul." He shares the secret of work. 

"The ideal man is he who, in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude, finds the intensest activity, and in the midst of the intensest activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert. He has learned the secret of restraint, he has controlled himself. He goes through the streets of a big city with all its traffic, and his mind is as calm as if he were in a cave, where not a sound could reach him; and he is intensely working all the time. That is the ideal of Karma Yoga, and if you have attained to that you have really learned the secret of work. But we have to begin from the beginning, to take up the works as they come to us and slowly make ourselves more unselfish every day."

Swami Vivekananda pacifies us, "There may be those exceptional persons about whom I just spoke, those who can stand aside and give up the world, as a snake casts off its skin and stands aside and looks at it. There are no doubt these exceptional beings, but the rest of mankind have to go slowly through the world of work. Karma-Yoga shows the process, the secret, and the method of doing it to the best advantage." So does Agathiyar's 5 tenets show us the way to reach the peak eventually. His message is for the commoner and layman bringing him to reach the peak too. The most compassionate did not rule anyone out. Even the one yearning to progress further spiritually and reach higher peaks has to start with these 5 tenets first.

It was an extremely hot day. The dogs began to bark, a sign that the garbage truck was making its way through the streets. I picked up my kitchen trash and laid it in the pile that the garbage collector had created for ease of collection. Just as I returned indoors I saw a worker look into my home. He called me and asked if I had some water to spare. My eyes welled in tears. I had engaged in aggressive feeding and charitable programs in the past with others at Amudha Surabhi and Pothihai Tharma Chakram. Though it made me sad to see the state of affairs of the homeless and those in orphaned homes, reaching out to them did not warrant the tears in my eyes as did seeing this worker stand at my gate and ask for some water to quench his thirst. I guess in all our rounds of feeding and helping others there was that minute element of ego in me that I was doing service. But when I saw the afternoon sun drain the worker of his last ounce of energy, I felt his thirst. I had to replenish it. When I narrated this happening to my granddaughter she surprised me by asking "Why did he choose your house, Grandpa?" I had no answer. But I felt the scorching sun burn my skin and my throat parch and dry too that moment. My "I" or identity did not exist then. I only saw myself in his shoes. Swami Vivekananda writes, "The highest ideal is eternal and entire self-abnegation, where there is no "I", but all is "Thou"; and whether he is conscious or unconscious of it, Karma-Yoga leads man to that end." I stood before Agathiyar in tears and speechless after passing the worker a bottle of water.