THE STARTING POINT

When did the tradition of Guru-Sisya start? Who was the very first guru? And who was his first student? These are intriguing questions and tricky too. The saints of yonder received direct transmission of Jnana from God himself. 

The great lady saint Avvai pleads for Jnana from the very first God established in temples and invoked before the start of all other rituals and practices. 

சீதக் களபச் செந்தா மரைப்பூம்
பாதச் சிலம்பு பலவிசை பாடப்
பொன்னரை ஞாணும் பூந்துகில் ஆடையும்
வன்னமருங்கில் வளர்ந்தழ கெறிப்பப்

பேழை வயிறும் பெரும்பாரக் கோடும்
வேழ முகமும் விளங்குசிந் தூரமும்

அஞ்சு கரமும் அங்குச பாசமும்
நெஞ்சிற் குடிகொண்ட நீல மேனியும்
நான்ற வாயும் நாலிரு புயமும்

மூன்று கண்ணும் மும்மதச் சுவடும்
இரண்டு செவியும் இலங்குபொன் முடியும்
திரண்டமுப் புரிநூல் திகழொளி மார்பும்
சொற்பதம் கடந்த துரியமெய்ஞ் ஞான
அற்புதம் நின்ற கற்பகக் களிறே!

முப்பழ நுகரும் மூஷிக வாகன!
இப்பொழு தென்னை ஆட்கொள வேண்டித்
தாயா யெனக்குத் தானெழுந் தருளி
மாயாப் பிறவி மயக்கம் அறுத்துத்
திருந்திய முதலைந் தெழுத்தும் தெளிவாய்ப்

பொருந்தவே வந்தென் உளந்தனில் புகுந்து
குருவடி வாகிக் குவலயந் தன்னில்
திருவடி வைத்துத் திறமிது பொருளென
வாடா வகைதான் மகிழ்ந்தெனக் கருளிக்
கோடா யுதத்தால் கொடுவினை களைந்தே

உவட்டா உபதேசம் புகட்டியென் செவியில்
தெவிட்டாத ஞானத் தெளிவையும் காட்டி
ஐம்புலன் தன்னை அடக்கும் உபாயம்
இன்புறு கருணையின் இனிதெனக் கருளிக்
கருவிக ளொடுங்கும் கருத்தினை யறிவித்(து)

இருவினை தன்னை அறுத்திருள் கடிந்து
தலமொரு நான்கும் தந்தெனக் கருளி
மலமொரு மூன்றின் மயக்கம் அறுத்தே
ஒன்பது வாயில் ஒருமந் திரத்தால்
ஐம்புலக் கதவை அடைப்பதும் காட்டி

ஆறா தாரத்(து) அங்குச நிலையும்
பேறா நிறுத்திப் பேச்சுரை யறுத்தே
இடைபிங் கலையின் எழுத்தறி வித்துக்
கடையிற் சுழுமுனைக் கபாலமும் காட்டி
மூன்றுமண் டலத்தின் முட்டிய தூணின்

நான்றெழு பாம்பின் நாவில் உணர்த்திக்
குண்டலி யதனிற் கூடிய அசபை
விண்டெழு மந்திரம் வெளிப்பட உரைத்து
மூலா தாரத்தின் மூண்டெழு கனலைக்
காலால் எழுப்பும் கருத்தறி வித்தே

அமுத நிலையும் ஆதித்தன் இயக்கமும்
குமுத சகாயன் குணத்தையும் கூறி
இடைச்சக் கரத்தின் ஈரெட்டு நிலையும்
உடல்சக் கரத்தின் உறுப்பையும் காட்டிச்
சண்முக தூலமும் சதுர்முக சூக்கமும்

எண் முகமாக இனிதெனக் கருளிப்
புரியட்ட காயம் புலப்பட எனக்குத்
தெரியெட்டு நிலையும் தெரிசனப் படுத்திக்
கருத்தினில் கபால வாயில் காட்டி
இருத்தி முத்தி யினிதெனக் கருளி

என்னை யறிவித்(து) எனக்கருள் செய்து
முன்னை வினையின் முதலைக் களைந்து
வாக்கும் மனமும் இல்லா மனோலயம்
தேக்கியே யென்றன் சிந்தை தெளிவித்(து)
இருள்வெளி யிரண்டுக்(கு) ஒன்றிடம் என்ன

அருள்தரும் ஆனந்தத்(து) அழுத்தியென் செவியில்
எல்லை யில்லா ஆனந் தம்அளித்(து)
அல்லல் களைந்தே அருள்வழி காட்டிச்
சத்தத்தின் உள்ளே சதாசிவம் காட்டிச்
சித்தத்தின் உள்ளே சிவலிங்கம் காட்டி

அணுவிற்(கு) அணுவாய் அப்பாலுக்(கு) அப்பாலாய்க்
கணுமுற்றி நின்ற கரும்புள்ளே காட்டி
வேடமும் நீறும் விளங்க நிறுத்திக்
கூடுமெய்த் தொண்டர் குழாத்துடன் கூட்டி
அஞ்சக் கரத்தின் அரும்பொருள் தன்னை

நெஞ்சக் கருத்தின் நிலையறி வித்துத்
தத்துவ நிலையைத் தந்தெனை யாண்ட
வித்தக விநாயக விரைகழல் சரணே.

(Source: https://aanmeegam.co.in/blogs/lyrics/vinayagar-agaval-lyrics-in-tamil/)

And for those of us who are not ready to receive Jnana, Kasipa Munivar gives a potent mantra in the form of the Vinayagar Kavasam that shall keep all sufferings and danger at bay. Every sector of our society was covered by these saints. They saw everyone as having the potential to rise spiritually and never neglected any sector. 

வளர்சிகையைப் பராபரமாய் வயங்கு

விநாயகர் காக்க வாய்ந்த சென்னி

அளவுபடா அதிகசவுந் தரதேக

மகோற்கடர்தாம் அமர்ந்து காக்க

விளரறநெற் றியை என்றும்விளங்கிய

காசிபர் காக்க புருவந்தம்மைத்

தளர்வில் மகோதரர்காக்க

தடவிழிகள் பாலசந் திரனார் காக்க.

கவின் வளரும் அதரம் கசமுகர் காக்க

காலங்கணக் கிரீடர் காக்க

நவில்சிபுகம் கிரிசைசுதர் காக்க

நனிவாக்கைவிநா யகர்தாம் காக்க

அவிர்நகை மின் முகர் காக்க

அள் எழிற் செஞ் செவிபாச பாணி பாக்க

தவிர்தலுறா திளங் கொடிபோல் வளர்மணி

நாசியைச் சிந்தி தார்த்தர் காக்க.

காமருபூ முகந்தன்மைக் குணேசர்

நனி காக்க களக் கணேசர் காக்க

வாமமுறும் இருதோளும் வயங்குகந்த

பூர்வசர் தாம்மகிழ்ந்து காக்க

ஏமமுறு மணிமுலை விக்கின விநாசன் காக்க

இதயந் தன்னைத் தோமகலுங் கணநாதர் காக்க

அகட்டினைத் துலங்கே ரம்பர் காக்க

பக்கம் இரண்டையுந்தரா தரர்காக்க

பிருட்டத்தைப் பாவம் நீக்கும்

விக்கினகரன் காக்க விளங்கிலிங்கம்

வியாளபூ டணர்தாம் காக்க

தக்ககுய்யந் தன்னைவக் கிரதுண்டர் காக்க

சகலத்தை அல்லல் உக்கண பன் காக்க

ஊருவை மங்களமூர்த்தி உவந்து காக்க

தாள்முழந்தாள் மகாபுத்தி காக்க

இரு பதம் ஏகதந்தர் காக்க

வாழ்கரம் க்ஷிப்பிரப் பிரசாதனர் காக்க

முன்கையை வணங்குவார்நோய்

ஆழ்தரச்செய் ஆசாபூரகர் காக்க

விரல் பதும அந்தர் காக்க

கேழ்கிளரும் நகங்கள் விநாயகர் காக்க

கிழக்கினிற் புத்தீசர் காக்க

அக்னியில் சித்தீசர் காக்க

உமா புத்திரர் தென் திசைகாக்க

மிக்க நிருதியிற் கணேசுரர் காக்க

விக்கினவர்த்தனர் மேற் கென்னுந் திக்கதனிற் காக்க

வாயுவிற் கச கர்ணர் காக்க

திகழ்உதீசி தக்கநிதி பர் காக்க

வடகிழக்கில் ஈசநந்தனரே காக்க

ஏகதந்தர் பகல் முழுதும் காக்க

இரவினும் சந்தி இரண்டன் மாட்டும்

ஓகையின் விக்கினகிருது காக்க

இராக்கதர் பூதம் உறு வேதாளம்

மோகினிபேய் இவையாதி உயிர்திறத்தால்

வருந்துயரம் முடிவிலாத

வேகமுறு பிணி பலவும் விலக்கு பாசாங்குசர் தாம் விரைந்துகாக்க

மதிஞானம் தவம் தானம் மானம் ஒளி

புகழ்குலம் வண்சரீரம் முற்றும்

பதிவான தனம் தானியம் கிருதம்

மனைவி மைந்தர் பயில்நட் பாதிக்

கதியாவும் கலந்து சர்வாயுதர் காக்க

காமர் பவுத்திரர் முன்னான

விதியாரும் சுற்றமெல்லாம் மயூரேசர்

எஞ்ஞான்றும் விரும்பிக் காக்க

வென்றி சீவிதம் கபிலர் காக்க

கரியாதி எல்லாம் விகடர் காக்க

என்று இவ்வாறிதுதனை முக்காலமும்

ஓதிடினும் பால் இடையூறொன்றும்

ஒன்று உறா முனிவர் அவர்காள் அறிமின்கள்

யாரொருவர் ஓதினாலும்

மன்ற ஆங்கவர்தேகம் பிணியற

வச்சிர தேகம் ஆகி மின்னும்

(Source: https://www.sivasiva.org/vinayagar_kavasam.php)

Like Avvai, the poet-saint Nakirar too pleads with Lord Ganesa for mercy, blessings, and His grace and above all Jnana asking that he too be granted the wisdom to compose like Arunagiri and Avvai, 

அருண கிரியா ரவ்வை போலக், கருத்து மிகுந்து கவிமழை பொழிய.
சீர்கொண்ட கரிமுகமு மைந்து கையும்
சிறந்தவா பரணமுடன் ஒற்றைக் கொம்பும்
ஏர்கொண்ட விமலர்கடங் கலியைத் தீர்த்து
எழில்குகற்கு முன்பிறந்து அமரர் மெச்சப்
போர்கொண்ட பிரணவமாய்ப்பிரண வத்துள்
பெருமைசிவ லிங்கமென வந்த மூலம்
கார்கொண்ட பிண்ட மெங்குந் தானாய்
காத்திடுங் கணபதியை வணங்குவோமே

சீர்தரு மூலச் செழுஞ்சுடர் விளக்கே
கார்நிற மேனிக் கற்பகக் களிறே
அல்லல் வினையை யறுத்திடு ஞான
வல்லபை தன்னை மருவிய மார்பா
பொங்கர வணிந்த புண்ணியமூர்த்தி
சங்கர னருளிய சற்குரு விநாயக
ஏழை யடியேன் இருவிழி காண
வேழ முகமும் வெண்பிறைக் கோடும்
பெருகிய செவியும் பேழை வயிறும்
திருவளர் நுதலில் திருநீற் றழகும்
சிறுத்த கண்ணுஞ் சீதளப் பார்வையும்
நறுத்திகழ் நாசியும் நாண்மலர்ப் பாதமும்
நவமணி மகுடநன்மலர் முடியும்
கவச குண்டல காந்தியும் விளங்கச்
சிந்தூரத் திலகச் சந்தனப் பொட்டும்
ஐந்து கரத்தி னழகும்வீற் றிருக்க
பாச வினையைப் பறித்திடு மங்குச
பாசத் தொளியும் பன்மணி மார்பும்
பொன்னாபரணமும் பொருந்துமுந் நூலும்
மின்னா மெனவே விளங்கு பட்டழகும்
உந்திச் சுழியும் உரோமத் தழகும்
தொந்தி வயிறுந் துதிக்கையுந்தோன்ற
வேதனு மாலும் விமலனு மறியாப்
பாதச் சதங்கைப் பலதொளி யார்ப்பத்
தண்டைச் சிலம்புந் தங்கக் கொலுசும்
எண்டிசை மண்டல மெங்கு முழங்க
தொகுது துந்துமி தொந்தோ மெனவே
தகுகு திந்திமி தாள முழங்க
ஆடிய பாத மண்டர்கள் போற்ற
நாடிமெய் யடியார் நாளுந் துதிக்கக்
கருணை புரிந்து காட்சி தந்தருள்
இருளைக் கடிந்து எங்கும் நிறையப்
பொங்குபே ரொளியாப் பொன்மலை போலத்
திங்கள் முடியான் றிருவுள மகிழ
வந்த வாரண வடிவையுங் காட்டிச்
சிந்தை தளர்ந்த சீரடி யார்க்கு
இகபர சாதன மிரண்டு முதவி
அகவினைத் துன்ப மகந்தை யறுத்து
மூலா தார முச்சுடர் காட்டி
வாலாம் பிகைதன் வடிவையுங் காட்டி
மாணிக்க மேனி மலர்ப்பதங் காட்டிப்
பேணிப் பணியப் பீஜாட் சரமும்
ஓமென் றுதித்த ஓங்காரத் துள்ளே
ஆமென் றெழுந்த அக்ஷர வடிவும்
இடைபிங் கலைக ளிரண்டி னடுவே
கடைமுனை சுழிமுனைக் கபாலங்குறித்து
மண்டல மூன்றும் வாயுவோர் பத்தும்
குண்டலி யசைவிலி கூறிய நாடியும்
பூதமும் பொறியும் புகழ்குண மூன்றும்
வாதனை செய்யு மறிவையும் காட்டி
ஆறா தார அங்குச நிலையைப்
பேறாகி நின்ற பெருமையுங் காட்டி
பஞ்சமூர்த்திகள் பாகத் தமர்ந்த
பஞ்ச சக்திகளின் பாதமும் காட்டி
நவ்விட மௌவும் நடுவணை வீட்டில்
அவ்வு மாக்கினை அனாதி சதாசிவம்
நைவிழிஞான மனோன்மணி பாதமும்
நைவினை நணுகா நாத கீதமும்
கண்டு வணங்கக் கண்ணைத் திறந்து
விண்டல மான வெளியையும் காட்டி
ஐம்பத் தோரெழுத் தட்சர நிலையை
இகபர சக்கர விதிதனைக் காட்டிப்
புருவ நடுவணை பொற்கம லாசான்
திருவிளை யாடலுந் திருவடி காட்டி
நாதமும் விந்தும் நடுநிலை காட்டிப்
போத நிறைந்த பூரணங் காட்டி
உச்சி வெளிதனி லுள்ளொளி காட்டி
வச்சிரம் பச்சை மரகத முத்துப்
பவளம் நிறைந்த பளிங்கொளி காட்டிச்
சிவகயி லாசச் சேர்வையுங் காட்டிச்
சத்தம் பிறந்த தலத்தையும் காட்டித்
தத்துவந் தொண்ணூற் றாரையும் நீக்கிக்
கருவி கரணம் களங்க மறுத்து
மருவிய பிறவி மாயையை நீக்கி
உம்பர்க ளிருடிகள் ஒருவரும் காணா
அம்பர வெளியி னருளையுங் காட்டிச்
சக்தி பராபரை சதானந்தி நிராமய
நித்திய ரூபி நிலைமையுங் காட்டி
அடியார் ஞான மமிர்தமா யுண்ணும்
வடிவை யறியும் வழிதனைக் காட்டி
நாசி நுனியில் நடக்குங் கலைகள்
வாசிவா வென்று வாங்கிப் பிடித்து
நின்மல வடிவாய் நிறுவித் தப்புறம்
விண் மயமான விதத்தையுங் காட்டித்
தராதல முழுதுந் தானாய் நிறைந்த
பராபர வெளியைப் பணிந்திடக் காட்டி
என்னுட லாவி யிடம்பொரு ளியாவுந்
தன்னுடை வசமாந் தவநிலை காட்டி
நானெனு மாணவம் நாசம தாகத்
தானென வந்து தயக்கந்தீர

ஆன குருவா யாட்கொண் டருளி
மோன ஞான முழுது மளித்துச்
சிற்பரி பூரண சிவத்தைக் காண
நற்சிவ நிஷ்கள நாட்டமுந் தந்து
குருவுஞ் சீஷனுங் கூடிக் கலந்து
இருவரு மொருதனி யிடந்தனிற் சேர்ந்து
தானந்த மாகித் தற்பர வெளியில்
ஆனந்த போத அறிவைக் கலந்து
புவனத் தொழிலைப் பொய்யென் றுணர்ந்து
மவுன முத்திரையை மனத்தினி லிருத்திப்
பெண்டு பிள்ளை பண்டு பதார்த்தங்
கண்டது மாயைக் கனவெனக் காட்டிப்
பாச பந்தப் பவக்கடல் நீக்கி
ஈச னிணையடி யிருத்தி மனத்தே
நீயே நானாய் நானே நீயாய்க்
காயா புரியைக் கனவென வுணர்ந்து
எல்லா முன்செய லென்றே யுணர
நல்லா யுள்ளருள் நாட்டந் தருவாய்
காரண குருவே கற்பகக் களிறே
வாரண முகத்து வள்ளலே போற்றி
நித்திய பூசை நைவேத் தியமும்
பக்தியாய்க் கொடுத்துப் பரமனே போற்றி
ஏத்திய னுதின மெளியேன் பணியக்
கூற்றினை யுதைத்த குளிர்பதந் தந்து
ஆக மதுர வமிர்த மளித்துப்
பேசு ஞானப் பேறெனக் கருளி
மனத்தில் நினைத்த மதுர வாசகம்
நினைவிலும் கனவிலும் நேசம் பொருந்தி
அருண கிரியா ரவ்வை போலக்
கருத்து மிகுந்து கவிமழை பொழிய
வாக்குக் கெட்டாவாழ்வையளித்து
நோக்கரு ஞான நோக்கு மளித்து
இல்லற வழ்க்கை யிடையூ றகற்றிப்
புல்லரிடத்திற் புகுந்துழ லாமல்
ஏற்பத் திகழ்ச்சி யென்ப தகற்றிக்
காப்ப துனக்குக் கடன்கண் டாயே
நல்வினை தீவினைநாடி வருகினுஞ்
செல்வினை யெல்லாஞ் செயலுன தாமால்
தந்தையும் நீயே தாயும் நீயே
எந்தையும் நீயே ஈசனும் நீயே
போத ஞானப் பொருளும் நீயே
நாதமும் நீயே நான்மறை நீயே
அரியும் நீயே அயனும் நீயே
திரிபுர தகனஞ் செய்தவன் நீயே
சக்தியும் நீயே சதாசிவம் நீயே
புத்தியும் நீயே பராந்தகன் நீயே
பக்தியும் நீயே பந்தமும் நீயே
முத்தியும் நீயே மோட்சமும் நீயே
ஏகமும் நீயே என்னுயிர் நீயே
தேகமும் நீயே தேகியும் நீயே
உன்னரு ளன்றி உயிர்த்துணை காணேன்
பின்னொரு தெய்வம் பேசவு மறியேன்
வேதன் கொடுத்த மெய்யிது தன்னில்
வாத பித்தம் வருத்திடு சிலேத்துமம்
மூன்று நாடியும் முக்குண மாகித்
தோன்றும் வினையின் துன்ப மறுத்து
நாலா யிரத்து நானூற்று நாற்பத்தெட்டு
மேலாம் வினையை மெலியக் களைந்து
அஞ்சா நிலைமை யருளிய நித்தன்
பஞ்சாட் சரநிலை பாலித் தெனக்கு
செல்வமும் கல்வியுஞ் சீரும் பெருக
நல்வர மேதரும் நான்மறை விநாயக
சத்திய வாக்குச் சத்தா யுதவிப்
புத்திரனே தரும் புண்ணிய முதலே
வெண்ணீ ரணியும் விமலன் புதல்வா
பெண்ணா முமையாள் பெருகுஞ் சரனை

அரிதிரு மருகா அறுமுகன் றுணைவா
கரிமுகவாரணக் கணபதி சரணம்
குருவே சரணம் குணமே சரணம்
பெருவயி றோனே பொற்றாள் சரணம்
கண்ணே மணியே கதியே சரணம்
விண்ணே யொளியே வேந்தே சரணம்
மானத வாவி மலர்த்தடத் தருகிற்
றான த்தில் வாழும் தற்பரா சரணம்
உச்சிப் புருவத் துதித்துல களிக்குஞ்
சச்சி தானந்த சற்குருசரணம்

விக்கின விநாயகா தேவே ஓம்
அரகர சண்முக பவனே ஓம்
சிவ சிவ மஹாதேவ சம்போ ஓம்

(Source: https://ta.wikisource.org)

The 63 Nayanmars received direct transmission from Lord Shiva. Ramalinga Adigal received the grace of all deities and gods and finally merged with Arutperunjothi Aandavar. God came as the guru to all these saints. 

It is only in recent times that we have to go through the established lineages of gurus to receive initiation and transmissions. Is it because we have polluted our bodies and carry toxic minds that we cannot access the gateway to God's kingdom directly? There is a need for a guru in the physical form to turn this trash into something worthy I guess. When he prepares us only then can the Light come within and enlighten us I guess.   

UNDERSTANDING THE PLAY OF ENERGIES

If the scientist identified Gravitational Energy, Nuclear Energy, Mechanical Energy, and Chemical Energy as all being potential in nature and Electricity, Motion, Radiant Energy, Sound, and Thermal Energy as kinetic energies, we are told of Iccha, Kriya, and Jnana Sakti or energies. Can we deduce that Iccha is the myriad of never-ending thoughts, the deep yearnings and desires, and vasanas carried from previous births that induce all these? Can we then deduce that Kriya Sakti is executed into actions that then bring upon us its equivalent responses, results, and experiences that take shape as Jnana Sakti? Is this how we are connected with the larger picture, the bigger energies?

Agathiyar says that he is the vibration that is felt when we carry out actions that go beyond the individual self as in conducting group prayers and charity. The saints and gurus have shown us easy ways to connect with the divine forces and energies which we have given a myriad of forms and names. An image or idol is for starters. The temple that houses them is energized by continuous chanting and recitation of holy mantras that connect us and tap into these energies making them potent for each of our needs. Mantras and yantras when kept with the images and idols in our homes bring on similar results too, accordingly, to the time and effort we place into the rituals. The Yagna or Yagam in the temples and its smaller versions the Homam done at homes, bring the elements of earth, water, fire, and air into a potent mixture, amplifying the results that reach over a vast area and most possibly into the surrounding space. These exceptional energies besides clearing the air around us, and healing us and nature, help awaken and intensify the dormant energies within us. Obstacles are cleared and the vital energies for our survival and continuous sustenance take a leap and hit their peak. They pierce through the network of energy channels and the chakras or powerhouses, reaping through the body and flesh riding it of toxic and poison that hinders the making of a perfect body finally bringing on a massive transformation only known to the individual and kept under wraps from the public until the divine is ready to expose him or her.

When the energy body rises into play the physical stands as an empty vessel giving in to the whims and actions of the former. No karma gets attached. In fact, the energy body helps selective candidates with their removal of karma. Numerous energies can come within and do what needs to be done, say what has to be said, or deliver messages in other forms. These energies that are all around us are tapped and used by the divine forces that come within, often switching their roles or passing the baton to another receptive person. The learned one who studies the mind will write it off as a hallucination or as a mental projection. The unlearned might see it as the act of the divine and submit to it. Those fence-sitters might either turn believers or brush them off as superstitions. The one who has himself experienced it knows that it is all the work of unseen divine energies. He realizes that he has become a tool in their hands. He follows with the rhythm. If initially, I was not keen on having me used, Lord Murugan came asking me to step aside and allow them to carry out what needs to be done. I have since given in and I go with the flow.

I recall how Supramania Swami was used by them from the stories his wife and son shared with me. Tavayogi refrained from performing Siddhis though. I guess it is part and parcel of the journey, a journey laid by them for us after we completely surrender to their will.

Bharathi sings about how all things came together after he did their will as opposed to the numerous disappointments he faced when he set out to do his things. Doing His work gave him utmost satisfaction as compared to suffering in doing his own work.

நின்னைச் சரணடைந்தேன் — கண்ணம்மா!
நின்னைச் சரணடைந்தேன்!

பொன்னை உயர்வைப் புகழை விரும்பிடும்
என்னைக் கவலைகள் தின்னத் தகாதென்று (நின்னை)

மிடிமையும் அச்சமும் மேவியென் நெஞ்சில்
குடிமை புகுந்தன, கொன்றவை போக்கென்று (நின்னை)

தன்செய லெண்ணித் தவிப்பது தீர்ந்திங்கு
நின்செயல் செய்து நிறைவுபெறும் வண்ணம் (நின்னை)

துன்ப மினியில்லை, சோர்வில்லை, தோற்பில்லை,
அன்பு நெறியில் அறங்கள் வளர்த்திட (நின்னை)

நல்லது தீயது நாமறியோம் அன்னை!
நல்லது நாட்டுக! தீமையை ஓட்டுக! (நின்னை)

SEEKING THEIR GRACE

Simon Reeve who in his travels brings us places says we take life for granted life. If only we knew what went on in war-torn regions of the world. He risked his life to bring these heart-stopping visuals and commentary to us sitting in the comfort of our homes. When we are looking for comfort in life many go about life without even the basics. I am ashamed that I do not appreciate what life has given me. We have forgotten those words like thanksgiving and showing gratitude and love. Many do not have them in their vocabulary. Many others do not have these on their list of things to do. If these are the prerequisites for a man to become a good, noble person with high virtues, for one intent to become a divine or godman he needs to be compassionate and surrender in totality to the divine and his ways. Ramalinga Adigal is synonymous with compassion and surrender as we come to know further reading and singing his songs from the Arutpa.

Top on his list of asking in this song of praise is for His grace.

079. போற்றித் திருப்பதிகம்

1. அருள்தரல் வேண்டும் போற்றிஎன் அரசே

அடியனேன் மனத்தகத் தெழுந்த

இருள்கெடல் வேண்டும் போற்றிஎந் தாயே

ஏழையேன் நின்றனைப் பாடும்

தெருள்உறல் வேண்டும் போற்றிஎன் அறிவே

சிந்தைநைந் துலகிடை மயங்கும்

மருள்அறல் வேண்டும் போற்றிஎன் குருவே

மதிநதி வளர்சடை மணியே.

2. மணிமிடற் றமுதே போற்றிஎன் தன்னை

வாழ்விக்க வேண்டுவல் போற்றி

அணிமதி முடியோய் போற்றிஇவ் வேழைக்

கருளமு தருளுக போற்றி

பணிஅணி புயத்தோய் போற்றிநின் சீரே

பாடுதல் வேண்டும்நான் போற்றி

தணிவில்பே ரொளியே போற்றிஎன் தன்னைத்

தாங்குக போற்றிநின் பதமே.

3. நின்பதம் பாடல் வேண்டும்நான் போற்றி

நீறுபூத் தொளிர்குளிர் நெருப்பே

நின்புகழ் கேட்டல் வேண்டும்நான் போற்றி

நெற்றியங் கண்கொளும் நிறைவே

நின்வச மாதல் வேண்டும்நான் போற்றி

நெடியமால் புகழ்தனி நிலையே

நின்பணி புரிதல் வேண்டும்நான் போற்றி

நெடுஞ்சடை முடித்தயா நிதியே.

4. நிதிதரு நிறைவே போற்றிஎன் உயிர்க்கோர்

நெறிதரு நிமலமே போற்றி

மதிமுடிக் கனியே போற்றிஎன் தன்னை

வாழ்வித்த வள்ளலே போற்றி

விதிமுதற் கிறையே போற்றிமெய்ஞ் ஞான

வியன்நெறி விளக்கமே போற்றி

பதிபசு பதியே போற்றி நின்பாதம்

பாடஎற் கருளுக போற்றி.

5. போற்றிஎன் உயிர்க்கோர் இன்பமே அன்பர்

புரிதவக் காட்சியே போற்றி

போற்றிஎன் அன்பாம் தெய்வமே சைவம்

புகல்சிவ போகமே போற்றி

போற்றிஎன் பெரிதாஞ் செல்வமே கருணைப்

பூரண வெள்ளமே போற்றி

போற்றிஎன் வாழ்வுக் கொருபெரு முதலே

போற்றிநின் சேவடிப் போதே.

6. போதஆ னந்த போகமே என்னைப்

புறம்பிட நினைத்திடேல் போற்றி

சீதவான் பிறைசேர் செஞ்சடை யாய்என்

சிறுமைதீர்த் தருளுக போற்றி

பேதம்ஒன் றில்லா அருட்கட லேஎன்

பிழைஎலாம் பொறுத்தருள் போற்றி

வேதமெய்ப் பொருளே போற்றிநின் அல்லால்

வேறெனக் கிலைஅருள் போற்றி.

7. போற்றுவார் உள்ளம் புகுந்தொளிர் ஒளியே

போற்றிநின் பூம்பதம் போற்றி

ஆற்றுவார் சடைஎன் அப்பனே போற்றி

அமலநின் அடிமலர் போற்றி

ஏற்றுவார் கொடிகொள் எந்தையே போற்றி

இறைவநின் இருங்கழல் போற்றி

சாற்றுமா றரிய பெருமையே போற்றி

தலைவநின் தாட்டுணை போற்றி.

8. துணைமுலை மடந்தை எம்பெரு மாட்டி

துணைவநின் துணையடி போற்றி

புணைஎன இடரின் கடலினின் றேற்றும்

புனிதநின் பொன்னடி போற்றி

இணையில்பே ரின்ப அமுதருள் கருணை

இறைவநின் இணையடி போற்றி

கணைஎனக் கண்ணன் தனைக்கொளும் ஒருமுக்

கண்ணநின் கழலடி போற்றி.

9. அடியனேன் பிழைகள் பொறுத்தருள் போற்றி

அயல்எனை விட்டிடேல் போற்றி

கொடியனேற் கின்பந் தந்தருள் போற்றி

குணப்பெருங் குன்றமே போற்றி

நெடியஎன் துன்பந் துடைத்தருள் போற்றி

நினைஅலால் பிறிதிலேன் போற்றி

படிமிசைப் பிறர்பால் செலுத்திடேல் எங்கள்

பரமநின் அடைக்கலம் நானே.

10. நான்செயும் பிழைகள் பலவும்நீ பொறுத்து

நலந்தரல் வேண்டுவன் போற்றி

ஏன்செய்தாய் என்பார் இல்லைமற் றெனக்குன்

இன்னருள் நோக்கஞ்செய் போற்றி

ஊன்செய்நா வால்உன் ஐந்தெழுத் தெளியேன்

ஓதநீ உவந்தருள் போற்றி

மான்செயும் நெடுங்கண் மலைமகள் இடங்கொள்

வள்ளலே போற்றிநின் அருளே.

(Source: https://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T184/tm/poorrith_thiruppathikam)

Over the weekend both our families, mine and Mahin's revisited the Sri Mayuranathar Srimath Pamban Swamigal Temple, in Dengkil, Selangor. This temple is one guru temple housing both Lord Murugan and his disciple Pamban Swamigal. AVM had jointly conducted several Siddha puja here at the invitation of the late Amarar S.Maniam. It has also been the venue where we lit 108 oil lamps and conducted homams previously. All these pujas in public came to a close with the arrival of the pandemic where we had to continue puja within the four walls of our homes. 

Stepping into this temple last Saturday thinking that our grandchildren will have a field day running around as it was a sited on a vast expanse of land, surprisingly brought all of us including the children to sit around and sing the praises of God and gurus. If I had frequented this temple several times before, this time around I connected with the divine energies prevalent here. As Osho says that these energies are located slightly away from the inner sanctum, I came to realize why the bronze deities at this temple are brought around the temple grounds on a small makeshift chariot on auspicious days and tend to stop at the four corners of the temple where the arati is shown by the temple priest. Besides the inner sanctum, the intense vibrational energies are easily felt here as I realized too. It was sort of an outing for our families as we shared our food with others at the temple too. 

Later we proceeded to the Sri Agathiar Sanmarka Sangam, where I was a frequent visitor at the beginning of my search to learn the worship of the Siddhas. Nothing had changed in years here. We were cordially invited and entertained by the host Mrs. Ganeson, who turned out to be the wife of a devotee who contributed towards the cost and participated in puja that ushered Agathiyar in the form of the bronze statue at AVM in 2010. 

Devotion towards the Gods and the guru has become part and parcel of our lives these days so much so that there is never a day without speaking about them. Agathiyar in comparing the many dharmas that we are asked to take up, places talk about the guru even a step higher than feeding. I guess that is what Tavayogi took up too after starting a movement for Ramalinga Adigal in his hometown of Tirupur in 1994 and giving all up to take on the life of a mendicant and Turavi. He settled in Kallar in later years and began preaching the ways of the Siddhas. We were blessed to have met him in a timely manner when Agathiyar had asked us to come to the worship of the Siddhas. He nurtured us teaching us the rituals and starting us on doing charity that saw AVM take shape with the coming of many youths sent over to AVM by him after their Nadi readings. Today AVM has shifted its gaze on the tiny tots teaching them to sing the praise of the Siddhas and having them perform libation or abhisegam and carry out homam.

SIDDHA WORSHIP

Armed with the painting of Agathiyar and the small booklet carrying the names of the Siddhas that I received after my first Nadi reading in 2002, I began to search for more information and guidelines on the worship of the Siddhas. My search took me to several organizations in the name of Agathiyar. My first stop was the Sri Agathiar Sanmarka Sanggam in Dengkil. I frequented their venue for the many materials, books, and VCDs that their parent movement in Ongakarakudil had published. I picked up many songs from these books and used them in my home prayer. My next stop was the Sri Agathiar Sanmarkam Gurukulam in Kampong Lakshamana, Batu Caves. If the former was focused on doing charity both here and in India, the latter I saw had moved on to the worship of Arutperunjothi and singing the songs of Ramalinga Adigal. I was puzzled. I did not patronize the place further. My search brought me to another movement in Rembau learning that Agathiyar was worshipped there. I did not get to meet anyone on the premises of the small temple that was undergoing some construction work then. I stopped my search and took to carrying out puja with whatever little I had on my hands. By the grace of Agathiyar he showed me to Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai and Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram in 2003 and 2005 respectively. Later I met a head of an organization from a neighboring state after the late Dr. Krishnan who knew I was worshipping Agathiyar thought that I might gain some insights from meeting him. He arranged for the meeting and insisted I meet him, at his office. But the meeting ended on a sour note as he bombarded my worship of Agathiyar who arrived at my home in the form of a bronze statue in 2010. He brought out Sivavakiyar's songs to emphasize that idol worship was wrong. But he was silenced by the Siddhas in an unexpected way. 

But I stood the test of time. Today I can safely say that I have weaned out of it all. But I can always go back to these aids if the need arises. 

Agathiyar told us that they themselves took up the fire ritual to safe Tavayogi's life when he was hospitalized in 2017. It gave him sufficient time to settle the running of his ashram leaving it in the safe hands of his assistant Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar before he was placed in samadhi. When the pandemic reared its ugly head in 2019, Lord Shiva asked us to take up the Mrityunjaya Mantra and Dhavanthri Mantra to protect ourselves and our loved ones and pray for the well-being of others. These days we do carry out simple puja and homam for the sake of our grandchildren. They should know how a Siddha puja is. 

Just as the Nayanmars adored and worshiped each other and the servants of God, each Siddha looks up to the other with respect and adores and worships one another. Bhogar compares his guru Agathiyar's name to the Vedas in his குறுமுனி துதிமாலை.

அளவிலா அருள்நிறை ஆனந்த வடிவே ஐயா
அருள்வேண்டி தான் தொழுது உரைத்திடுவேன் போகன்யான்
குறித்திடவே குருநாதன் குறுமுனிவன் நாமம்தன்னை
தானதுவும் புவியினிலே நிகரில்லா வேதம் அப்பா

In this following collection of songs that I compiled we see how the Siddhas Kunangkudi Mastaan, Pulathiyar, Konganar, Thirumular, Pulipaani, and Yacoub regard him with reverence.

You are on the path only if you carry out the worship of the Siddhas, recite their names, perform the Yagam or its smaller version the Homam, and practice Yoga and charity. All these were given to us by the Siddhas to carry out for some time until they came to end them too. Many come by claiming that they are in the path of the Siddhas but upon questioning them they do not do puja, yoga, or charity. Agathiyar set us on this path by asking us to do these telling us that they are only telling us to do them since the Siddhas themselves have done them. They were teaching us from their experiences on the path. 

ANUBHUTI

Looking at Ramalinga Adigal's approach and how he stands before God puts us to shame. As I was going through my photo collection of all the group prayers or puja at AVM from 2002 till 18 March 2020 when the lockdown came into effect here in Malaysia, I was astounded by the number of puja we did over the years, and the time spent in praising the Siddhas. Within minutes of this thought going through my mind, I realized the ego in me has began to set in. I guess that was the reason Agathiyar brought everything to an abrupt stop in 2020 to check our egos too. My wife too realizing this fact told me that we were beginning to get high in doing puja and charity back then. Agathiyar broke our steam.  

Listening to Ramalinga Adigal's song திருவருள் வேட்கை just moments ago made me realize that just by submitting oneself to the Almighty was sufficient to take him to greater heights. In surrendering himself, Ramalinga Adigal surrendered his ego, yearnings, desires, wants, likes, thoughts, plans, ambitions, greed, anger, etc, and stood naked before him, as an empty vessel ready to be filled by the ambrosia, nectar, honey, and the effulgence, bliss and joy.

Now we realize what Lord Muruga meant when he came to us and asked each one gathered before him if they had surrendered some time back. He said he was to give us "something" but did not elaborate further on it. All he asked was for those who have surrendered to him to step before him. I took the first step and was chased away by him. He told me that he had nothing to give me and that Agathiyar shall give it to me. I stepped aside obediently giving way to the others. Even Ramalinga Adigal had told us numerous times to hold on to Agathiyar and he shall do what was proper for us. To some who did step up to Lord Murugan, they were told that they had not surrendered completely and in totality and sent away. To several others, he gave them further practices to carry out. Yet to others, he passed on his energy, blessings, and grace. 

When some engage in worship and other practices and blow the pipe and horn and beat the drums, claiming able to perform all kinds of Siddhis, hence quickly acquiring a stand in society, and becoming instant celebrities in public and in the spiritual circle, Ramalinga Adigal spent his life in the company of his guru and God, holding tightly to His feet, not asking for favors nor instant recognition, Siddhis and powers, but instead pleading for His mercy, compassion, blessings, and grace. The most merciful and compassionate One chose to remove all traces of karma. His blessings cleared the vessel for His effulgence to come within. The most graceful one lifted Ramalinga Adigal to greater heights without his effort. All these were granted by the Supreme One in return for his love and devotion. When His grace is showered on Adigal all the doors open and Adigal steps within the realm of the Gods. All the Saktis and Saktargal and other heavenly beings begin to take notice of him and asked who is this who treads the path and has arrived in their forbidden land? Ramalinga Adigal later describes this journey in the song "ஆணிப்பொன்னம்பலக் காட்சி." Literally, the verses when translated describe a journey that Adigal took on both the physical and mystical planes. He describes coming upon a Hill, and a Path opening up to it. "As I walked on the Path, there was a Platform. I climbed the Platform. There was a Room. As I approached the Room, there was a 7-tier Hall above it. I cannot bring myself to narrate what I saw in these 7 tiers. In one tier, the silver Pearl transformed into Blue Sapphire (Neelam), in another tier, the Blue Sapphire became Coral (Pavalam). In another tier, the Emerald (Maragatham) became Ruby (Maanikkam). Yet in another tier, it became a Pearl, and back to Coral in another tier. Then on another tier, the gems became Gold. All these gems became Spadigams in yet another tier. Above these 7 tiers, there was a staff. Climbing the staff, what can I say of that which I saw? There were thousands of Sakthi's everywhere, who came to entice me but I remained undeterred and strong due to the Divine Grace."  Buddha too was wooed by Mara with all kinds of distractions. The Rishis too had to battle Maya in disguise we are told. 

"Due to his Grace, I saw the Jewel of the Crown. I saw a Peak atop the Crown, above this, there were 1008 Temples. As I entered through the Arch at the Temple without hesitation, within the Entrance there stood both Sakthi and Saktas in millions. They began to question who was this trespasser, as I moved on. At another Entrance there stood Five, the others showed the Way, yet to another Doorway. As I entered, a male and a female showed me to yet another Doorway. At the Doorway my Mother the Goddess Anandha Valli stood to welcome me. I saw her and submitted to her Grace, and partook in the Divine Nectar. With her grace, I saw my father's Abode. I stepped into his Abode. Who could possibly understand the Gift I was showered by my father Lord Nadarajah."

Here he mentions that though he had traveled far to reach God's kingdom it was the grace of Goddess Anandha Valli that he was able to reach his Father. 

In "Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingar" by S Vanmikanathan published by Sahitya Akademi, the author translates the finale very beautifully.

"At that sacred door, stood Aanandhavalli, my Mother, I beheld the Mother, Her grace I received, and ambrosia I partook of. By Her grace which held me up, I saw the presence of Natarajar; O mother, I saw the presence of Natarajar! The boon I received on going into His presence, God knows it, O mother, God knows it!" 

He narrates precisely and in detail the visions he saw on the magnificent golden hall, in 32 stanzas of jubilant verse, all of which end with the refrain: "The sights I saw in the Hall of Prime Gold are wonderful sights, O mother, wonderful sights are they!" The refrains are evidence of the irrepressible joy bubbling in his heart.

He says:

There appeared a mountain of effulgence

and on that was a street.

I went along that street

and in its center, there was a platform.

I climbed onto that platform

and on that platform, there was a hall.

When I approached the hall,

on top of that hall I saw a seven-storeyed tower.

What shall I say of the wonders?

that was on the seven stories?

On top of the seven stories,

there was a golden pillar.

When I beheld the pillar and climbed on it,

what shall I say of the novelties I saw!

It is not within my capacity to describe

what met me as I climbed on.

At the several stages,

Sakthi-s, in thousands and thousands, came,

They came and tried to bewitch me,

but, that I may not be bewitched,

I gained the power of grace.

With that power I climbed up that pillar

and spied the jeweled crest.

On top of the crest there stood a dome, that I saw.

On top of that dome, there was a temple

of one thousand and eight-carat gold.

On seeing the temple,

I went unhesitatingly inside the portal

in the tower.

At the portal in the tower,

there were Sakthi's-s and Saakthaa-s in crores.

Their hues were white, red, and scarlet.

There, all of them asked, “Who is this man?”,

but I went past them. 

I went past them,

and there, at a sacred doorway,

were five persons.

With them showing me the way,

I went to a jeweled doorway farther up.

At that doorway, which I remember well,

there stood two, a man and a woman.

With them pointing it out to me,

I beheld with love welling up in me

the private sacred entrance

(which leads to the sacred presence of Lord Civan).

At that sacred door,

stood Aanandhavalli, my Mother.

I beheld the Mother, Her grace I received,

and ambrosia I partook of.

By Her Grace which held me up,

I saw the presence of Natarajar,

O, mother, I saw the presence of Natarajar!

The boon I received

on going into His presence,

God knows it,

O, mother, God knows it.

In the Hall of prime gold,

the sights I saw,

wonderful sights they are,

Oh mother, wonderful sights they are. 

I remember the precise moment I stepped into Lord Natarajar's chamber at Egambareshwar temple after a "young priest" escorted me in, when I saw the magnificent statue of Lord Natarajar hovering above me up close, I sensed his presence as electrical currents that flowed through me bringing on tears of joy and gratitude. In that brief moment of silence I connected with him I suppose. Just as Adigal sings, "The boon I received on going into His presence, God knows it, O mother, God knows it!", indeed it was a boon to be in his presence. Prior to this amazing moment, I was disgusted and angry that there was so much din and noise before the inner sanctum as a family was performing some rituals carried out by the priest. But I had to do Archana here according to Agathiyar in my Nadi. Staying around for some time, I finally told myself that it was not possible to do it, not under these circumstances, and left the place. That is when as I came around the temple I stumbled onto Lord Natarajar's chamber. Suddenly out of nowhere the young priest picked himself up and invited me in. I had a personal audience with God that day.

Adigal's journey reminds us of the mystical doors that give way to the abode of the Gods and Goddesses in the devotional or Purana films.

About this journey, Tavayogi told me it was an inner journey. He told me it was a journey through the Chakras and stopped at that. We soon realized the truth in Tavayogi's words, that these songs of anubhuti or personal spiritual experiences of saints do trigger a similar effect on us, bringing us to experience all that they went through. Traveling on this path, adopting these renditions of their anubhutis and singing them, we too can sense and visualize the sensations and visions that took place in them and that which they saw, respectively.

Ramalinga Adigal's "Thiruarutpa" is practically a compilation of his conversations with God. It is one man's personal experience with his beloved guru and God. Ma came one day during puja and surprised us by speaking about the Siddha path. She told us that the Siddha path was one of gaining and learning lessons from the myriad experiences that we come across daily which then transforms itself into wisdom. Ramalinga Adigal too told me that the disturbances I faced, in a timely manner when just as I was told to go within by Agathiyar, disrupted my peace and calm, and my numerous attempts at meditation, would all add up to and result in me gaining Gnanam. He asked to bear with it. We are here for these experiences.

The blog administrator at http://agatthiyarjnanam.blogspot.com/2014/01/agatthiyar-meijnana-kaviyam-1.html, Geetha Anand writes confirming what was told to us too by Ma, Aiya, and Agathiyar.

"Siddha marga is an experiential path, not a dry jnana marga.  It is a path where experience and knowledge go together.  Experience is always correct.  When one tries to verbalize an experience, mistakes and shortcomings occur.  These mistakes can be corrected only by re-experiencing the original experience.  This is possible only by Divine grace."

We learn the secret to creation as revealed by Agathiyar. 

"When the completely unmanifested Divine took up a manifested form, due to the limitations it imposed on itself, some contradictions emerged.  The Divine corrected these mistakes by providing its experience. Hence, Agatthiyar says that the Divine corrected the sastra. Also, the various incarnations of the Divine are said to occur to correct the mistakes that had crept into the scriptures and in their practices.  Siva's Divine play or Tiruvilaiadal are episodes that occurred for this purpose."

"The primary cause for the manifested universe is Suddha Maya.  This Maya emerges from Siva and Sakti principles.  This Maya leads to manifestation starting from Sadasiva." Agathiyar says "the Divine supported the manifested world, represented by the various lifeforms."

Ramalinga Adigal saw through this veil of Maya and pierced it with the Vel of and Gnana gifted by Lord Muruga. He took his place with God. 

THE ARUTPA

If the Siddhas of yore who came before Ramalinga Adigal we are told kept everything hush-hush and covered their experiences in paripasai, Ramalinga Adigal brought everything into the open. Agathiyar recently told us the same that we cannot possibly comprehend the songs of the Siddhas and asked us to take up reading the songs of Ramalinga Adigal. 

As we have often heard the elders say that "அவனன்றி ஓர் அணுவும் அசையாது", Ramalinga Adigal sings that nothing was his effort and possible without His grace and sheds tears of gratitude. 

தற் சுதந்தரம் இன்மை

1. இப்பாரில் உடல்ஆவி பொருளும்உன்பாற் கொடுத்தேன்மற் றெனக்கென் றிங்கே

எப்பாலும் சுதந்தரம்ஓர் இறையும்இலை அருட்சோதி இயற்கை என்னும்

துப்பாய உடலாதி தருவாயோ இன்னும்எனைச் சோதிப் பாயோ

அப்பாநின் திருவுளத்தை அறியேன்இவ் வடியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

2. என்னேஎம் பெருமான்இங் கின்னும்அணைந் திலன்என்றே ஏங்கி ஏங்கி

மன்னேஎன் மணியேகண் மணியேஎன் வாழ்வேநல் வரத்தாற் பெற்ற

பொன்னேஅற் புதமேசெம் பொருளேஎன் புகலேமெய்ப் போத மேஎன்

அன்னேஎன் அப்பாஎன் றழைத்தலன்றி அடியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

3. பொடிஎடுக்கப் போய்அதனை மறந்துமடி எடுத்தரையில் புனைவேன் சில்லோர்

தடிஎடுக்கக் காணில்அதற் குளங்கலங்கி ஓடுவனித் தரத்தேன் இங்கே

முடிஎடுக்க வல்லேனோ இறைவாநின் அருள்இலதேல் முன்னே வைத்த

அடிஎடுக்க முடியாதே அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

4. பாட்டுவித்தால் பாடுகின்றேன் பணிவித்தால் பணிகின்றேன் பதியே நின்னைக்

கூட்டுவித்தால் கூடுகின்றேன் குழைவித்தால் குழைகின்றேன் குறித்த ஊணை

ஊட்டுவித்தால் உண்கின்றேன் உறக்குவித்தால் உறங்குகின்றேன் உறங்கா தென்றும்

ஆட்டுவித்தால் ஆடுகின்றேன் அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

5. உடுப்பவனும் உண்பவனும் நானேஎன் னவும்நாணம் உறுவ தெந்தாய்

தடுப்பவனும் தடைதீர்த்துக் கொடுப்பவனும் பிறப்பிறப்புத் தன்னை நீக்கி

எடுப்பவனும் காப்பவனும் இன்பஅனு பவஉருவாய் என்னுள் ஓங்கி

அடுப்பவனும் நீஎன்றால் அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

6. சாவதென்றும் பிறப்பதென்றும் சாற்றுகின்றபெரும்பாவம் தன்னைஎண்ணி

நோவதின்று புதிதன்றே என்றும்உள தால்இந்த நோவை நீக்கி

ஈவதுமன் றிடைநடிப்போய் நின்னாலே ஆகும்மற்றை இறைவ ராலே

ஆவதொன்றும் இல்லைஎன்றால் அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவதென்னே.

7. இசைத்திடவும்நினைத்திடவும்பெரிதரிதாம்தனித்தலைமைஇறைவா உன்றன்

நசைத்திடுபே ரருட்செயலால் அசைவதன்றி ஐந்தொழில்செய் நாத ராலும்

தசைத்திடுபுன் துரும்பினையும் அகங்கரித்துத் தங்கள்சுதந் தரத்தால்இங்கே

அசைத்திடற்கு முடியாதேல் அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

8. கல்லாய மனத்தையும்ஓர் கணத்தினிலே கனிவித்துக் கருணை யாலே

பல்லாரும் அதிசயிக்கப் பக்குவந்தத் தருட்பதமும் பாலிக் கின்றோய்

எல்லாஞ்செய் வல்லோய்சிற் றம்பலத்தே ஆடல்இடு கின்றோய் நின்னால்

அல்லால்ஒன் றாகாதேல் அந்தோஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

9. கரைசேரப் புரிந்தாலும் கடையேன்செய் குற்றமெலாம் கருதி மாயைத்

திரைசேரப் புரிந்தாலும் திருவுளமே துணைஎனநான் சிந்தித் திங்கே

உரைசேர இருத்தல்அன்றி உடையாய்என் உறவேஎன் உயிரே என்றன்

அரைசேஎன் அம்மேஎன் அப்பாஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

10. இன்பேநன் றருளிஅருள் இயற்கையிலே வைத்தாலும் இங்கே என்னைத்

துன்பேசெய் வித்தாலும் என்செய்வேன் நின்னருளே துணைஎன் றந்தோ

என்பேதை மனமடங்கி இருப்பதன்றி எல்லாங்கண் டிருக்கும் என்றன்

அன்பேஎன் அம்மேஎன் அப்பாஇச் சிறியேனால் ஆவ தென்னே.

(Source: https://www.thiruarutpa.org/)

When we lit the homam, and did abhisegam to Agathiyar's statue on 24 December 2021, while Mahin was dressing him up, I picked up Ramalinga Adigal's "Agaval" and begin to recite it. I could only recite until verse 305 "நாயினுங் கடையே னீயினு மிழிந்தேன் ஆயினு மருளிய வருட்பெருஞ் ஜோதி" when strong emotions came over me and I began to sob. I struggled to continue further but could not go beyond verse 336. I have been reading the Agaval solo and with my family numerous times but never could comprehend it. It was an ordinary song but a melodious one to me back then. But that day it was different for I could feel the words reverb in me bringing me to recall similar experiences. I stopped singing. But to my amazement, Ramalinga Adigal picked up from where I stopped, through a devotee who was present. But what surprised me further was that the words were not from the original text of the "Arutpa" but were coined in real-time by Adigal. As he took us by surprise, we could only record the later path of his song.

என்னுள்ளீல் நீ உன்னுள்ளில் நான் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

.. போகமும் யோகமும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

… நீ கடந்து அறிவே நீ அறியும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

எல்லாம் செய் சித்தம் சிவனடி சேரும் அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

ஆண்மையும் பெண்மையும் கலந்தன இறுதியில் வெளிப்படும் வெளிச்சமே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

இவை எல்லாம் தாண்டிக் கடந்தபின் காண்பது அதுவே அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

இளமையில் நீ செய்யும் யோகங்கள் யாவும் முதுமையில் சேர்ந்திடும் அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

ஜோதியுள் ஜோதி அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி,

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

Previously on 14 March 2020 when Ramalinga Adigal came he coined a song for us that I had shared then. It goes as follows,

என் பெருமானே என்னுள் வந்து அருளிய ஜோதி அது...

என் பெருமான் அருளிய ஜோதி அது....

திரை எனும் திரை எனும் என் பெருமான் காட்டிய திரை அது....

என் அருள் அப்பன் அருள் ஜோதி அது...

சீர்ஜோதி அது 

பெருஞ் ஜோதி அது... 

ஏறும் பெரும் ஜோதி அது.

என்னுள் அது ஏறும்போது திரை அது விலகியது...

என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...

திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...

He went on to show us the way to bring the effulgence within and keep it burning. Ramalinga Adigal comes to ask us to kindle the flame within to burn with such intensity that it shall draw aside the veil or curtain that stands between us and Erai. There is a need to shed the veil or curtain. The means is to light the Jhoti or light or flame in us. "Our Father Agathiyan will come within you to draw the curtain aside. That is the meaning of the song. My Father Agathiyar is in all of you bidding his will. Follow in his path. He shall assist you to drop the veil. Arutjhothi blesses you. Arutjhoti Aandavar blesses you. You are on the right track. Agathiyan shall lead you to Arutjhothi", hails Ramalinga Adigal.

திரை விலக உங்களில் இருக்கும் ஜோதி அதனைச் சுடர்விட செய்யுங்கள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் வந்து அத்திரையை விலக்கிவிடுவார். அதுவே இப்பாடலின் பொருள். என் அப்பன் அகத்தியன் உங்களுக்குள் இருந்து வழி நடத்தி வருகிறார். அவன் வழியிலே நடந்து வாருங்கள். அத்திரை விலக்குவதற்க்கு அவன் அருள் புரிவான். அருட்ஜோதி உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தது. அருட்பெருஞ்சோதி ஆண்டவர் உங்களை ஆசீர்வதித்தார். செல்லும் வழி சரி. அகத்தியன் அருட்ஜோதியை நோக்கி அழைத்துச் செல்வான்.

Ramalinga Adigal came to bless us and asks that we continue to take the Holy Feet of "Appan Agathiyan" as he addresses Agathiyar, as Satguru, and that he would help remove the veil of ignorance in us and show us to Arutperunjhoti. "His holy feet shall be salvation for you. He is all. Go deeper. He shall take care. He shall bring you to the light", he added. "Agathiyar shall set aside the veil that hides Arutperunjhoti from you", he promised. "Since you came to Agathiyar and his path, he will be the guiding light", he says. He asks that if we continue on his path, Agathiyar shall lead us to Arutperunjhoti. Agathiyar shall remain a guiding light for you, then, now, and forever."

Previously when Tavayogi came he too asked us to chant the Arutperunjothi mantra. Tavayogi would sing Ramalinga Adigal's plea இன்று வருமோ yearning for the day when he could join the rank and fold of the Siddhas who had merged into the Light. He would automatically cry each time he began to sing this song and bring tears to our eyes too. 

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

When I sang this verse to Agathiyar, he questioned me asking if I knew its meaning, "வெளிக்குள் வெளி கடந்து" அப்பொருள் அறிவாயா?"

I told him I only knew how to sing but never understood its meaning. Agathiyar says, 

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

Agathiyar explains to me that when we fully understand ourselves and gain self-realization; when we understand the Ganangal or Gnanas or "body of attendants or "the company and assemblage or association of men formed for the attainment of the same aims" or "council or assembly convened to discuss matters of religion or other topics" (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gana); and come to finally realize that nothing is permanent, at that moment we shall enter and remain in the void of space (Vezhi Kadappathu). That is just "being" or Summa Erupathu. Everything dissolves into IT; a state of sunyam or void or silence. When we go within its silence is heard. Mere or sheer existence remains. No labels, forms, or sound. Just existence. This is the state mentioned by Agathiyar.

Agathiyar comes to show the way too. He tells us that for this to take place we need to strengthen our soul power (and the chakras) or Atma Balam. He reminds us not to engage in anything that disrupts or weakens the chakras. He asks us to maintain our composure and never give in to extreme emotions that are likely to disrupt the chakras' health and oscillation that we have painfully worked to strengthen. This monumental task that lies ahead of us is accomplished only by going within. As the layers are peeled and the curtains removed pure understanding dawns upon us on this internal journey.

When Agathiyar came around asking others what they wanted and finally came to me. I had nothing to ask for myself. But as I really wanted to give back to him for all his kindness, compassion, and grace I thought that taking more births and serving him would be the answer. But he questioned me back whether that was what I wanted prompting me to hold back my wish. I knew something was not right. Then I recalled how Tavayogi lamented that people came to him asking to solve their marital, financial, and other petty problems that according to him could be solved by themselves using the brain or arivu. He was saddened that no one had asked for Gnana. I discussed this with Mahin over the phone. The next time he came he told me that I had asked for Gnana, listening to my earlier phone conversation with Mahin. He went on to show the way and the means telling me subtly that that was what we ought to seek from him. Even that he told me was not his to give but that we needed to work for it. I needed to put in the effort. 

Later when Ramalinga Adigal came along he asked to continue what I was doing. I asked him how I could repay him for his kindness, compassion, and grace, and he told me the same, that I needed to put in the effort. Giving our best shot and effort in all the tasks allocated to us is a sure way of pleasing them. That is the only thing they ask of us. Then they shall shower the grace that lifts us up without the need for further effort on our part.

We are happy that our gurus are leading us to Arutperunjothi and his worship. We saw the "magic" that this mantra does recently. It summoned Sri Jeganatha Swamigal at his samadhi temple and also the Vaitheeswaran Thaiyalnayagi temple in the Tapah Hospital compound across the road. Just weeks earlier Agathiyar had told this devotee in her Nadi reading to visit the samadhi where Sri Jeganatha Swamigal shall cure her. No wonder Agathiyar told me in the Nadi that the Arutperunjothi mantra was the Maha Mantra. 

Hence the best offering a devotee could give to his or her creator is to offer himself/herself. This is the true sacrifice not slaughtering another life or making offers of existing things that in the very first place are his to credit. Even this offering of the self is tainted with ego when we come to understand that the self too is his, to begin with. 

LET US SEEK THEIR GRACE

Coming to the Siddhas we are told that all our problems are due to our past actions in this life and in other previous lives. Recently I came to know that our account of those deeds even goes back to Yugas. It shook me up when I heard this. Is there then no escape? 

If we thought initially that it's through our efforts that we achieve a stand in the material world, coming to know about karma from the Siddhas we come to realize that it is all a result of and due to the blessings received and merits collected from our past actions. Similarly, if we thought initially that it's through our efforts that we achieve a stand in the spiritual world, Ramalinga Adigal tells us otherwise that it is solely through God's grace. As we have often heard the elders say that "அவனன்றி ஓர் அணுவும் அசையாது", now I understand that besides seeking the Siddhas' blessings we need their grace. It was his grace that opened the doors that were shut as we entered the Vaitheeswaran Thaiyalnayagi temple in the Tapah Hospital compound. As my granddaughter and Mahin's family sang the Arutperunjothi mantra standing on the apron at the entrance of the temple, the priest who had just moments ago told me that the temple was closed for the afternoon, surprisingly invited us in, opening the grilled gate and drawing back the curtains to the sannadhis. The Paramaguru Sri Jeganatha Swami came to bless and shower his grace on us.

Agathiyar in my first Nadi reading acknowledges the amount of time and energy I had spent in worship beginning from the days of my childhood till my bachelorhood where I took on the practice of yoga too. He also acknowledges that I did not see the results of all this worship and practice. Why was this? He tells me that the karma that followed me into this birth stood in the way of even receiving the results and benefits of my good intentions and practices. He told me that the curses that were brought on me by my past actions too stood before me as hurdles and obstacles confirming what the late friend, astrologer, and Siddha practitioner Dr. Krishnan told me when I asked why his predictions did not come true for me.

Ramalinga Adigal's collection of songs the "Thiruarutpa" is practically a conversation with God. Going through it we see how intimately he is bound to his beloved and expresses his feelings, happiness, sadness, fears, and various other emotions. He too lists a long list of possible sins that could have justified the need to take numerous births. If our past good actions came to bless us with goodies and the bad ones brought on sufferings in this material life, it is God's Arul or grace that sees us through our spiritual journey, a journey that thenceforth is laid out by him for us. If the blessings of our ancestors, parents and elders and the Siddhas help cushion the effects of our karma, it is the grace of the Siddhas and the divine that opens all the doors that once were shut. So now we know all the more that we need their grace besides their blessings. If their blessings clear the room of all the things we had kept and hoarded over many births and Yugas, in receiving their grace the windows are opened and their light enters into the otherwise dark room. Now we are ready to go on an internal journey of joy and bliss. 

We have so many relationships come into our lives. Parents and siblings, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, children, sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, schoolmates, teachers, friends, and colleagues. Then comes a special relationship with that of the guru. If our parents introduce us to God in the external and with form, the guru introduces us to the God within us and the Atma. Ramalinga Adigal and Tavayogi speak about another relationship that is less spoken about or ignored till he arrives knocking at our doorstep - the angel of Death. As death comes knocking on all doors, Ramalinga Adigal pleads that Lord Muruga at Tirutani brings on him to transform into the other bodies, so that he can escape the clutches of death. God showers his grace on him and gifts him the desired bodies. 

When our efforts fail it is time to look up to the divine. He is telling us something. He is telling us that our karma is in the way. As to how to know and settle or face this karma, we are pointed to the Siddhas. The Siddhas shall disclose our karma and show us a way out. The calling comes to take up their path. A guru is sent to guide them. The guru starts them with rituals and practices. The guru introduces them to Yoga. For these few the Siddhas shower their grace. With their grace, all doors are unlocked. A new adventure begins in their lives. Sadly many forget the Siddhas after the revelation in the Nadi only to come back for another reading when trouble brews again. Very few stick with the Siddhas, worshipping them and bringing them into their homes and their lives. 

Efforts and practices shall not bear fruit without first knowing and eradicating one's karma. Blessings of others, the elders, the ancestors, the deities, and the Siddhas, shall help us through this task besides us taking the initiative to carry out the remedies given. With the added benefit of worshipping the Siddhas, the grace of the divine is tapped and our lives change. A new life and future await us. 

Any practice, event, task, etc was always started with a prayer in the days of yore. This was done to receive the blessings of all those seen and unseen gathered around and the grace of the divine asking these divine forces and energies to see through it without any hiccups. These days we skip this crucial part and directly engage in the work, start a venture, or a practice. We have pushed the unseen forces and energies aside. We believe that only we exist. We believe only in what we see around us. If we do not see it we do not believe it. Many things are not seen but are felt. As we cannot explain them we brush them aside. Agathiyar who takes many forms, as the first granite statue at Agasthiyampalli, as the bronze statue at AVM, as Jothi in the Kallar hills, as Lord Shiva at the Nattadresswar temple in the middle of the Kaveri river at Erode, etc tells us that they come as the vibrations or Athirvu as they did at our puja at AVM, and the feelings or Unarvu that we pick up and realize in these moments. We only need to be aware of these moments and know that they are present. Bring sacredness to every action and task, be it in eating and drinking, breathing, watching a sight or a movie, listening to a song, reading, bathing, and in sex too. Be in the moment and take in the taste, sight, sounds, words, chill, and warmth. Take in the essence, the prana, the substance, etc. Learn to tune in with your surroundings. Learn to connect with them in nature. Their grace then comes forth.

LET US SING THE PRAISE OF GOD

"What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."

(Carl Sagan, Excerpt from the 11th episode of his legendary 1980s Cosmos series, titled “The Persistence of Memory”)

Just as Carl Sagan says, during those moments of engagement with the words in a book, we are walking in the shoes of the author, and "Walk Thru" the mind of the person who wrote it, Agathiyar has told us to read the songs of the saints and we shall bring ourselves to experience the same. He asks us to read Ramalinga Adigal's "Thiruarutpa". He tells us that we cannot possibly understand the works of the Siddhas because of the language used in their era. Furthermore, it is cloth in Paripasai. He tells us that Ramalinga Adigal came to simplify and put it into simple terms so that we can understand. Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar has compiled a selection of songs towards bringing these mystical pieces to the fold of commoners like us in his "Gnanigal Aruliya Thinasari Parayana Nool." 

As Carl Sagan says of the book, we can infer that when we sing the songs of these saints, just one glance at it, and we’re inside the mind of the saint, maybe somebody "dead" or in our case gone into samadhi or merged with the light or attained nirvana or mukti, for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the saint is speaking clearly and silently inside our head, directly to us." Indeed as he says, "Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time."

When we sing their songs we bring them into our time and space momentarily. They exist with us. We can bring back these saints. When we recite the names of the Siddhas they come and sit with us in our puja. Agathiyar told a devotee in her Nadi reading read by Tavayogi that only Mataji was witness to the earth-shaking phenomena as she led us on reciting the names of the Siddhas when we conducted the puja at AVM. 

When we rush to do our thing, Ramalinga Adigal stands before his God and Guru asking what he is to do each day. 

Ramalinga Adigal sees everything as the grace of God. Whenever they come these days they lead us into reciting the Arutperunjothi mantra. Here Ramalinga Adigal completes the mantra with some fresh verses. He stands in awe as he witnesses the divine play of God. 

We see his joy in holding on to his God.

Ramalinga Adigal pleads to Lord Muruga to remove his suffering as a result of being deprived of his grace.

He sings of the last moments of life asking who comes with us if not the Lord. He laments that we never seek Shiva Gathi but run after our worldly desires. He is deeply distressed that he has not come to gain the highly evolved body. Of what use is this body if it does not serve his purpose?

He pours his love on Lord Murugan.

He moves up to the worship of Jothi.

GAINING FURTHER INSIGHT

Speaking to this couple made me realize how shallow my understanding of karma was. If I only knew that karma was carried from past births, some numbering 7, Agathiyar told them of births that went beyond this yuga into former yugas! It is truly mind-boggling. I guess none can fathom the extent of karma and its reach. I realized that I only had a shallow idea of it as opposed to what Agathiyar had told this couple. 

Sri Krishna was exposed to the existence of the Nadi and the Siddhas as early as 15 years of age when Nadi readers used to stay in his uncle's house where he grew up. He picked up the worship of the Siddhas. His wife joined him after their marriage. He had translated the Nadi to many and the couple had taken many locally and to India to carry out their remedies. Soon they involved themselves in feeding the hungry. I came to know them in 2010 at a Siddha puja hosted by my nephew where AVM Agathiyar visited his home. We at AVM were introduced to street feeding and feeding the animals like cattle and elephants by this couple. The couple also conducts regular libation or abhisegam to Agathiyar at the Sri Raja Sakthy Nageswary Amman Alayam and Sri Kasi Visalatchy Sametha Sri Kasi Viswanathar Swamy Thirukovil at KL Eco City, Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. 

I took the opportunity to interview them last night after they sent home AVM Agathiyar who had stayed over at their home after they hosted a puja on 3rd July. Prior to this Sri Krishna had obliged us with a couple of interviews. In speaking to them we saw how they too have evolved over the past years. 

LET US TAKE UP PRAYERS, THE KAVASAMS & MANTRAS

In the past four lessons, we have stepped from Sariyai into Kriyai and moved into Yogam and Gnanam. This is the gist of the Siddha teachings packed into four lessons. Learning Sariyai by following our parents who learned it from their parents, we moved to carry out Kriyai with the coming of the guru who learned it from his lineage of gurus and paramagurus. The gurus then shifted our gaze within by bringing us to Yogam having us observe our body and breath. Finally, the gurus have us observe our Atma. What a well-planned and systematically laid-out journey of self-discovery it has been.

The Siddhas work towards bringing the seeker to dock at a place as a follower and then become rooted as a devotee, uplifting him eventually to the status of a guru. But many drop off midway as the heat builds up or when the lure of the outside world is too strong or when they are dumped with too many responsibilities that rob their attention away. Only some sustain the course of pressure. Even the great saints had to go through torture and hardship created by the envious and vicious elements in their circle and society. The saints at the peak of their spiritual careers we put to torment and mental anguish. But they took it in their pace seeing it as god's play. God too showed his miracles through them. Eventually, all the saints came out of their troubles, shining in society, respected, and worshipped. 

Ramalinga Adigal had to face numerous tests and hardships from his enemies. Seeking to know the art of making gold and returning disappointed, some instigated others to harass him and lodged reports with the authorities that he was hoarding gold. When he sang that the dead could be revived, the villagers were instigated by his enemies to dump the bodies of dead relatives and carcasses of animals in his court at Vadalur and challenged him to bring them back alive, not accepting that those were the words of God. When he pointed out the false believes and practices to his followers, spiritual giants of his time confronted him accusing him of poisoning the minds of the common man. Ramalinga Adigal had Arumuga Navalar who was poisoned by heads of other missions to bring him to court. Day by day people harassed him. He told God that he had failed to bring the change as desired by God. He decided to leave. He brought out and placed the lighted lamp that he had worshipped all these while in his room at Sitthivalaga Thirumaligai, asking his followers to worship the light as God. After two months, on 30 January 1874, he began to write the last song for his Thiruarutpa. (Based on "Arutperunjothi Gnana Siddhar", by B.Kamalakkannan, Vanathi Pathippakam, Chennai, 2008.)

Thirunavukarasar or commonly called Appar saw his fair share of torture in the hands of the king whose mind was poisoned by others. Appar was poisoned, dropped into the sea, and tortured in numerous other ways by the King's men, after believers of a faith Appar was aligned with prior to returning to the worship of Siva, poisoned the King's mind. First, he was poisoned but with the grace of Lord Shiva the poison turned into nectar. Next, the king’s mahouts were ordered to kill him using the royal elephant, but the elephant obediently circumambulated him. In the third and the last attempt, Appar was tied to a rock and thrown into the sea but the rock started floating and brought him back to the shore at Cuddalore. (Source: https://www.dharisanam.com/pages/thirunavukkarasar-appar)

Abhirami pattar who was at the peak of his blissful state had the king intrude into his sacred space, asking him to clear the temple grounds as the king was arriving to pray, was tortured too. He was put to test when the King's men lowered him into the flames, etc. Pattinathar was accused of stealing the jewelry that adorned the neck of the deity which now was adorned by him as a result of robbers in wanting to relieve themselves of the evidence threw it into a dark shrine in which Pattinathar was in deep meditation. Tavayogi too had to go through his fair share of troubles that were initiated by some of his dissatisfied disciples. 

The committee of a temple for a guru split after volunteers came into the picture. Another group that carried out puja and charity with the advent of some volunteers split up too. AVM was spared the agony of a split when someone poisoned the mind of another. Agathiyar dissolved the group before the poison could spread and kill it. In a timely manner, he had us all go within foreseeing the coming of the pandemic. I guess no one is spared. Bhagawan Ramana was beaten up when robbers entered to loot his ashram. If the saints received the blows without complaining commoners like us turn to the deities for protection. Hence mantras and kavasams or songs that stood as shields were given to us by the saints of the past. Many can vouch for the efficacy of prayers, singing the kavasams, and reciting the mantras. In the wake of the pandemic, Lord Shiva told us to recite the Mrityunjaya mantra and Dhanvanthri mantra to remove fear and safeguard us. Jnana Jothiamma was told in the Nadi by Agathiyar to chant this mantra to remove the fear of the unseen.

A wonderful compendium of songs that protect us from harm was published as "Kavasa Kottu" (கவசக்கொத்து) by Sri CN. Nachiappan, 1977. It included Vinayagar Kavasam, Siva Kavasam, Thiruneeru Pathigam, Sakti Kavasam, the Kandhar Sasthi Kavasam that number 6, Idumban Kavasam, Kadamban Kavasam, Skanda Guru Kavasam, Kandhar Kavasam, Karthigai Kavasam, Kumarastavam, Pagaikadithal, Shanmuga Kavasam, Sri Deva Senapathy Kavasam, Aiyappan Kavasam, Sri Hari Kavasam, Sri Krishna Kavasam, Sani Bhagawan Kavasam, Sri Hanumath Kavasam, and Sri Anjaneya Kavasam among many others.

The famed literary work Kandhar Sasti Kavasam was written by Baladevarayan Swamigal, a devout devotee of Lord Muruga. While the administrator of kaumarapayanam.blogspot writes in his post that not much is known about Baladevarayan Swamigal's birth and his parents, but based on the words used and the way the Kandhar Sasti Kavasam was written, it can be safely assumed that the hymns were written some 250 years back during the Pandya rule, in CN Nachiappan’s introduction to Baladevarayan Swamigal in his compilation of KAVASA KOTTHU, he mentions that Swamigal was born to Veerasamy Pillai and his wife after many years at Vallur in Thondainaadu. 

Devarayan engaged in a business in Bangalore while merely twenty. When Thirisirapuram Mahavidvan Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai arrived in Bangalore, Devarayan invited him over to his house. Devarayan took the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the Tamil language from Meenashshi Sundaram Pillai and even ventured to learn to write prose. Under the tutelage of Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, Devarayan wrote two books "Kusaylo Baakiyaanam" and "Sootha Sangetai." Before Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai took leave, Devarasan thanked him and rewarded him by showering him with wealth and honor.

Once Baladevarayan Swamigal had an ailment of the stomach and was undergoing extreme pain. Even after taking all kinds of treatment, the pain would not go away. Giving up all hope of recovering he headed for the shores of Thiruchendur to take his own life. At the moment of his arrival at Thiruchendur the Kandhar Sasti Vizha had just begun. Watching the festivities he had a change of heart and decided to postpone the thought of ending his life. He started on the Sasti Virutham or fast. After having a dip in the sea, he sat to meditate at the Mandapam or hall. Lord Muruga gave him darshan and gave him the Gnana or wisdom to sing Kandhar Sasti Kavasam. He began his first verse with "Sastiyai Noke Saravana Bavanaar". He wrote and sang the Kavasam first at Thiruchendur, and over the next five days he ventured to the rests of Lord Muruga’s abodes - Thiruparangkundram, Palani, Swamimalai, Thirutani, and Palamuthircholai and wrote and sang further songs, all of these which was later compiled as the Kandhar Sasti Kavasam. At the end of this venture, he realized his stomach ailment had disappeared. He realized then that the ailment was only a reason for him to begin authoring the Kadhar Sasti Kavasam. 

CN Nachiappan writes that Devarayan came to Thiruchendur with the hope that Lord Muruga might heal his ailment. While at Thiruchendur his pain was relieved slowly and he began singing the Kavasam as a thanksgiving to the Lord. Devarayan took on the garb of a mendicant and wished to be called Devaraya Swamigal, henceforth, at Thiruchendur.

Appavu who later took on the name of Paamban Swamigal was born between 1850 and 1852 at Paamban to Saatappa Pillai and Sengamala Ammaal. He started schooling in 1866 in a missionary school in Rameshwaram. Each time he was faced with danger Lord Murugan saved Appavu. Once when he was either five or six years old Lord Muruga held on to his hands and saved him from drowning in a pond. He used to sing Baladevarayan Swamigal’s Kandhar Sasti Kavasam and later wished he could write similar hymns on Lord Muruga himself. Appavu at a very tender age of 13 began to compose and sing songs on Lord Muruga. His first composition was entitled Gangaiyai Sadaiyil Paritthu. True to his first composition, henceforth Tamil devotional hymns continuously flowed like Mother Ganga. He composed one song each day and compiled the first 100 songs in the first 100 days. He was summoned and received upadesa from Sethumathava Aiyar Swamigal who chanced to see this compilation of his. Pressured by his upadesa guru he submitted to marry Kaalimuthammaal in 1878. 

Lord Muruga came to cure his daughter with the sacred vibhuti. Similarly, his wife cured him by applying the vibhuthi. After completing a pilgrimage Paamban Swamigal arrived at Kanchi. Lord Muruga gave him his darshan. Returning home he wrote the Shanmuga Kavasam and Panchamirtha Vannam in 1891. Lord Muruga appeared to his wife and disclosed to her that whenever and wherever these songs were sung, he would appear to bless these souls.

 

At Piraban Valasai he dug a square hole in the premises of a graveyard and started meditating in it beginning on 17 March 1894. On the 7th day (on 23 March 1894) of tavam or austerity, Lord Muruga appeared to him with Agathiyar and Arunagirinathar. On the 35th day (20 April 1894), he ended his tavam on the instructions of Lord Muruga. That day was Chitirai Pornami. A year from this episode Paamban Swamigal took up monkhood. He moved to Chennai in 1895 from Paamban. In Chennai, he gave upadesa to aspiring devotees. After a year he came to Kuyavan Petai in Thirupuliyur, near Chidambaram where he wrote the Paripooranaananda Botham and Tagaraalaya Ragasiyam in 1896. After visiting Kumbakonam, he was directed by Lord Muruga to return to Chennai. 

In 1897 he wrote the 1100 hymns titled Thirupa. In 1902 he made a pilgrimage to Kaasi. Lord Muruga as usual saved him from further danger while on his pilgrimage. Returning from his pilgrimage he continued his literary works in Chennai. Like Ramalinga Adigal, in Chidambaram, he got himself involved in spearheading the Saivite cause and as a result, was summoned numerous times to the courts. The result of this seven-year struggle between 1904 and 1911, saw him defeat his opponents, and his next literary work the Saiva Samaya Sarabam saw the light of the day. Back in Chennai, he composed the Kumaarastavam, Srimath Kumara Swaamiyam, and Sivagnana Deepam in 1918, 1921, and 1922 respectively.

Now I understand how the negative forces sabotage the work of god and his apostles. Agathiyar surprised me in the Nadi when he said that he came to my home in the form of a bronze statue eventually breaking through the hurdles placed by "many". Tavayogi in asking me to fetch water from the nearby waterfall and stream when we were asked to conduct the Siddhar puja at the Taneermalai temple in Taiping by Agathiyar who conveyed the requests of Tavayogi's guru Chitramuthu Adigal in a Nadi reading, surprised me when he cautioned me that evil energies will obstruct the puja. We read that in the times of yore Asuras and evil energies disturbed the Rishis from carrying out the Yagna and they had to seek divine help by reaching out to God. King Rama stood by at these rituals as the sages went on carrying out their obligations to humanity.

On 27 December 1923, Paamban Swamigal sustained a fracture when a horse cart ran over his left leg. He was admitted to the general hospital. The doctors told him that his bones would not mend. On 28 December 1923, his devotees Sinnasamy Jhotidar, Sivasankara Tambiran, and Gnana Sekara Mudaliar started reciting his Shanmuga Kavasam in the hope that he recovers. On the 11th day (7 January 1924), Lord Muruga appeared to him. His fractured leg healed. On the 15th day, he was fully recovered. Fully recovered, he went to Coimbatore and the Nilgiris in 1926. Later he moved to Bangalore on 29 May 1928. Here a light engulfed him and entered his mouth to reach his heart. On another occasion, four torches lit on their own when the electricity was cut. He returned to Chennai shortly on 17 July 1928. He asked his devotees to purchase a plot of land in Thiruvaanmiyur with whatever income he made through his literary works and many publications. On 30 May 1929 at 7.15 am he locked his breadth within to merge with the Lord. (Source: Source: http://kaumarapayanam.blogspot.ru/2014/02/blog-post_9.html; 

CN Nachiappan’s compilation of KAVASA KOTTHU; Paamban Srimath Kumara Gurudaasa Swamigal Aruliya Paadalgal, Nithya Paaraayana Thiraththu, Pini Neekkum Perumarunthu, published by the Sri Mayuranaathar Aalayam, Malaysia; Paamban Srimath Kumara Gurudaasa Swamigal Charitthiram, published by V. Thirugnanam, Madurai.) 

LESSON 4 - KNOW THY ATMA

Animals live a mere existence. Are we destined the same too? Only man can know his Atma and reach out to it. Separated after a period of co-existence, the Atma is veiled from us for the rest of our lives for most of us. The saints rediscover it. When we are caught in the grips of Maya or illusion in this world we never realize the existence of the Atma. By engaging in Aram we offset karma. The Atma comes to do its part in ridding it completely later. When the ego, desire, and attachment are surrendered we are freed completely. Tavam brings the grace of the Atma to draw the veils aside. Agathiyar draws the veil and has us realize through his short and brief memo to us that there is only one Atma that is immersed in all of creation. That one single Atma that is the source of all creation, prevails in all of his creation. Period.

After some 17 years of Tavam and some 9 years of Aram, he had us wind up on all the activities related to it. He brought us from learning the external traits in doing rituals and conducting puja and participating in the joy of giving and doing charity, to go within. In asking us to go within he had us gain the knowledge of something that was so close to us and internal - the Udal, Uyir, and Atma. In asking us to know about the Udal both Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal came again and again to ask and remind us to read Tavayogi's books. They asked us to read the chapters on the tattvas to know the Udal and how it is formed and functions. We did read but could not comprehend much. Agathiyar had me consume his Agathiyar Kuzhambu to cleanse the filth and trash I had carried all this while in my internals. This set the three dosas back into their respective proportions for a hale and healthy body. Even as I type these words this process of cleansing is ongoing and believe me it is not pleasant nor a delightful encounter, counter to what Agathiyar told us that this too was bliss. I understand that he wants us to look at pain and discomfort as such.

After bringing us to understand the Udal he brought us to experience the Uyir. He had me start again certain practices that Tavayogi taught me and I had practiced since then in 2008 only to have Agathiyar halt it in 2011. In this phase, Ramalinga Adigal came to link us to the Prapanjam through the breath. We experience the Prapanjam. Henceforth the whole body began to absorb the prana contrary to the past where it was available in some quantities coming within, hitching on the breath; coming within as food and water and assimilated and absorbed; absorbed from the water as we took a dip in the river and sea or had a bath at home, and through the suns rays and in the outdoors. Through the practice of Pranayama the volume of prana intake increased multifold as we created contact with the Prapanjam.  

Having given us the knowledge of the Udal and preparing it to receive the might of the Prapanjam through Uyir or breath, taking Pranayama as a tool, he brought us to the threshold of Gnanam. Tavayogi in his book defines Gnanam as the moment of realization of the Atma. This is true enlightenment. We become enlightened by the very Atma that was with us throughout our lives albeit for the period when we thought we were in charge of our lives. Once we realize that it is not so and that there is a divine hand that moves us and when we surrender our will to it, the Atma moves in again and leads us to enlightenment. Mahakavi Bharathi realized this and shares it in his song "Nennai Saran Adainthen Kannama". Hence we understand why Lord Murugan came and in telling us that he had something to give all of us insisted that we had to surrender first. The Atma that is supposed to take hold of the Udal and Uyir controlling it sadly is driven to the shadows as we exhibit ego and the "I" in us takes an upper hand. It is only when we surrender the "I" that the Atma returns to reign. Its reign of course would be in line with the divine as opposed to that of the "I" that exercises its superiority. When the Atma comes back to regain control of the Udal and Uyir it brings on massive transformation within the body often without our input and brings on the whole of Prapanjam within too. We understand the state of Agathiyar now when he says that the Prapanjam is in him and he is in the Prapanjam. When we know the Atma that is Atma Darisanam or enlightenment or gaining Gnanam. We have read about how several saints, were shown the dance of Siva, the Atma as a child in their homes and in certain temples. Later as one pursues the path that the Atma identifies for us after the karma is cleared and we surrender, the Atma begins to express its thought and actions through us. We become an expression of the Atma. The individual then is an expression of the divine and divinity. 

And it all starts with worship at home and in the temples.