LET US BALANCE THE SCALE

We are here to shed all that we have carried with us in numerous births. Not realizing this we keep gathering, collecting, and hoarding more. The pandemic in a way thought us to shed our daily habits and practices. If I had thought that I had wasted precious time doing nothing, Mahin made me realize this. When Lord Murugan told Arunagiri to do nothing (Summa Eru), I guess that was what we were to do too. 

I guess we had balanced the scale. Having started the Siddha worship in 2002, we had put some 17 years into it. He stopped it. Having taken up the noble act of doing charity in 2013, after 6 years he asked us to stop that too. If we were to continue our acts it would have tipped the scale and gained more merits for us that would have to be honored in subsequent births. As the idea here is to end the cycle of birth all good things too has to come to an end. All the puja and charity had cleansed our past karma to a certain extent too I guess. When the fields had been removed of weeds, the guru came in to sow the seeds and nurture them. We have grown into seedlings looking up to the sun for survival. Agathiyar shines like the morning sun. 

In lighting the sacrificial fire, we think that we are to appease the Gods with our offerings just as we place offerings before him at the temples. This most of the time is an inducement to get the Gods to grant our wishes and fulfill our desires. What we should do is burn all our negativities and impurities, weaknesses and faults, karma and wrongdoings in the fire pit. That's why it's called a sacrificial fire.

We have lost that genuineness and sincerity in all our actions. Behind all our actions is a selfish motive. Agathiyar told me that the homam I was asked to do was for the good of all creation. Tavayogi started doing the annual Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam which was an offshoot of his earlier intention to appease Mother Nature after she belted the coastal areas in several nations causing tsunamis in 2004.  All good deeds done toward the well-being of others are not accounted as karma and it does not add to our ledger. On the contrary, anything done with vested interest does add to the account. 

Man has erred for ages. But that is the way to learn too through making mistakes. After revealing my past karma and sending me on my maiden pilgrimage to India to carry out the remedies, Agathiyar waited a couple of years before coming to me in the Nadi again. He told me to forgive myself for my past misdeeds. It was all his doing too he added. I needed those experiences too he said. That is the compassionate father, willing to forgive us. 

In Paramahansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi", 1990, Yukteswar advises a new student who occasionally expressed doubts regarding his own worthiness to engage in yoga practice. "Forget the past", Sri Yukteswar would console him. "The vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames. Human conduct is ever unreliable until anchored in the Divine. Everything in the future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now." That is the compassion of a guru, ever willing to forgive us.

We are lost. We start our search with a very vague vision of what we want in life. We know that we have come for a purpose but that is veiled and shrouded from us once the "I" in us springs up. The Nadi can help us know our purpose. The guru can reveal our purpose. A near-death experience can reveal our purpose. Or going into the depths of meditation we can come to know our purpose. Agathiyar in giving us the 5 tenets states knowing thy purpose is the foremost accomplishment of mankind.

Lama Surya Das in his "Awakening the Buddha Within", Bantam Books, 1997, stands before his guru Lama Yeshe not sure why he was there. 

"The first time we met I remember that he asked me what I was looking for and I had to honestly admit that I didn‘t exactly know. He said, "Let's see if we can't find out together." Together was a magical word!" The guru aids us in finding out our purpose here. That's all he does. Tavayogi too pointed out what I was to do and stood aside, never keeping tabs on me, never pressuring me, never breathing down my neck, and never gave discourses. We were free to explore the path. No doctrines, dos, and dont's, no conforming to rules and regulations, etc. 

All the saints came with a purpose. Shiva reveals to Sankara his purpose. 

"Vyasa edited the Vedas... you who have a real understanding of the purport of the Vedas, should write a new commentary on the brahmasutras... then appoint competent disciples as guardians of the Vedic path in different parts of the country. Having accomplished all this you return to my state with the satisfaction of having fulfilled your mission." (Source: "Sankara Dig Vijaya - The traditional life of Sri Sankaracharya" by Madhava Vidyaranya, published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, 2005.

Babaji informs Shama Churn (Lahiri Mahasaya) of his purpose when he wanted to leave everything and follow Babaji. Babaji tells him that "he would have to remain in the family ambit as a complete householder and practice austere Sadhana."

"Since ages vexed householders have prayed to their respective deities, thus "O God, show us such a path that will enable us to practice Sadhana by remaining within the family. Barring family life, we cannot practice Sadhana." Bhagawan sends such a guide who being a family man himself, can show the true path to householders. Shama Churn descended on the earth with a noble vow. He had pledged to householders that he would show them a marvelous, skillful facile path of yoga. Now providence pulled Shama Churn towards the path he was destined to take." (Source: Satya Charan Lahiree in "Purana Purusha Yogiraj Sri Shama Churn Lahiree)

On the local front, Raman Nambiar who later came to be known as Gnana Pitha Shivananda came to Malaya in 1937 and set up the Siddha Vidhya Sangam in Setapak in Kuala Lumpur. He started the Sidha ashram on a 7 ½ acres of land in Tasik near Kroh in Perak which devotees donated. Then he left for India. His devotees started the Swami Shivananda Paramahansa Dhynana Mandram in Bagan Serai, Perak. Prior to his arrival in Malaya, Siddha Bhogar appeared in front of him and gave him initiation. He left on a pilgrimage to the Himalayas on 5 January 1910. He returned from the Himalayas in 1913 as Swami Shivananda Paramahansa. In 1914, he went on a pilgrimage throughout India. He was in Pavanagar, Peshawar, Tirusoor, Savakadu, and Kadathanadu before establishing Samapanthi Bhojana Sangam in 1921. This was later renamed Sidha Samajam. (Source of information: "Siddhaveda Sinthanaigal" by Pa. Subaiyah, published by Shivananda Paramahansa Dhyana Mandram, Malaysia.)

Tavayogi's guru met Swami Jeganathar in Malaya in 1930 and Jeganathar took him as his disciple and gave him a new name - Chitramuthu. Jeganathar helped Chitramuthu realize his true self, his full potential, and his mission in life. He returned to India and left for Malaya again in 1940. This time he came to spread his teachings. He wore kaavi robes and took on the role of a spiritual teacher. He left for India in 1947, leaving behind a large following who had regarded him as their Guru. He was back in Malaya in 1951. He preached at the Sree Thandayuthabani temple in Penang, the Aruloli Murugan temple in Penang hill, the Maha Mariamman temple in Ipoh, the Court Hill Pillaiyaar temple in Pudu, the Scott Road Kandaswami temple in Brickfields, the Athi Eswaran temple in Sentul, the Sree Maha Mariamman temple in Jalan Bandar, the Shivan temple in Jalan Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur and the Mariamman temple in Singapore. (Source of information: from Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal, the Thirupur Thaaiveedu Ainthavathu Andu Niraivu Vizha Malar, 1994, and http://thaaiveedu.blogspot.com.)

Chitramuthu Adigal's guru and Tavayogi's Paramaguru Sri Jeganatha Swamigal did not start a movement as did his students. He kept to himself in his hut that "Hinduism Today," describes as "a small, rude hut far from civilization, in the emerald jungles of Tapah, Malaysia; his spiritual home the infinite realms of Siva consciousness." 

At the age of eighteen, he left India for Chittagong in Burma. Later at thirty, he tracked down to Malaya through Thailand, finally crossing into Malaysia (then Malaya) in his late 60s. He lived in Alor Star (now Alor Setar) and the island paradise Langkawi in North Malaya. He was in Baling for eight years. Moving further south to Tanjong Malim, he worked as a brakeman in the Malayan Railways for four years before heading for Singapore. Arrested and jailed in Taiping by the Burmese security forces loyal to the British in Malaya who mistook him to be a spy, he was released the following day without any interrogation. He stopped over at Seremban on his way back from Singapore. He then moved northwest to Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan), a small town located at an estuary, where he undertook charity and fed the poor. Finally, he settled in Tapah where he built a hut for himself near a Chinese graveyard and continued his sadhana and tapas, or austerity here. Jeganatha Swamigal purchased three acres of rubber land in the vicinity and allowed the locals to build their homes on his land. He kept to himself except for the moments when the locals come over to look into his needs. He went into samadhi in 1959. Tavayogi introduced us to this place revealing the above story of Sri Jeganatha Swamigal's travels to Malaya. Since then this place has become popular. Today a newly renovated samadhi temple welcomes his devotees. 

Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal too was purposed to come over to Malaysia by Agathiyar to continue the work of his guru Chitramuthu Adigal. He made numerous visits to Malaysia and Singapore from 2004 to 2016.

LET THE GURU BREAK US

Ramalinga Adigal lived only as recent as the nineteen century (5 October 1823 to 30 January 1874). He was born into a modest family.  Like us, he took to temple worship and worship at home. His favorite spot was the Kandasamy (Kandakottam) Temple in Chennai and his sport and pastime was worshipping Lord Murugan. Later as a young adult, he visited Lord Murugan at Thirutani, Lord Shiva and Vadivudai Ammai in Otriyore, and Lord Nadarajah in Chidambaram. Arriving at Vadalur, he started the following establishments; the Sanmarga Sangam, the Sathya Dharma Salai where he fed the poor, and finally envisioned and built the Sathya Gnana Sabai where he worshipped God in the form of light and called him Arutperunjhoti. He stands out as an exemplary with regard to gratitude. When one reads the songs one would realize the amount of gratitude Adigal had poured forth. He poured forth his spiritual experiences in more than six thousand verses which were compiled into the "Thiruarutpa". The "Thiruarutpa" is full of the experiences of the Saint and he has handed it down to us so that we too could follow in his footsteps. Tavayogi once told me listening to the "Thiruarutpa" itself is sufficient for one to realize Gnanam. 

Swami Chidvilasananda in writing on our scriptures in "Inner Treasures", a Siddha Yoga Publication, 1995, could not have described it better.

"What you are reading in the scriptures is the personal record, the experience of seekers who went across the sea of ignorance. They became known as the Siddhas, the knower of the truth, the great ones, and the elevated ones. You are reading the wisdom that came from all their effort, inspiration, and sacrifice. These verses are what they heard when they reached the most profound states of meditation. So, when you study the scriptures, what you are really doing is spending time in the company of these great souls."

Carl Sagan in an excerpt from the 11th episode of his legendary 1980s Cosmos series, titled “The Persistence of Memory” in referring to the book says that "A book is a proof that humans are capable of working magic."

"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."

Indeed in reading his "Thiruarutpa" we are inside Ramalinga Adigal's mind. Though he merged with the source in 1874, as Carl Sagan says, he is speaking clearly and silently inside our heads, directly to us. We are glad that he decided to share his songs and writings. Imagine if he had not done so. We would be lost souls.

Swami Chidvilasananda wrote that Tukaram Maharaj chanted incessantly, pouring all the insights of his perfected sadhana into songs too. These are not merely songs but spiritual experiences of the saints. Nay, as Ram Dass wrote in "Paths to God - Living the Bhagavadgita", Harmony Books, 2004, the Gita is Krishna.

"You see, you have to understand: the Gita isn‘t a book about Krishna - the "Gita" is Krishna." Similarly, the "Thiruarutpa" is Ramalinga Adigal. Ramalinga Adigal is the "Thiruarutpa."

He finally settled in Sithivalagam in Mettukupam. Above and beyond these achievements is that he dematerialized. S. Shivajayakumar in an article on the net describes his feat.

"Vallalar on his own has considered it necessary to disintegrate the divine constitution and disperse the sparks in every soul as seeds are sown in the fields.... he disintegrated his whole being permanently like the virtual particles which fill the cosmos." 

An article on the website http://www.ramalinga.com carries this great moment of merger seen in meditation by Mother Mira Alfassa. This is indeed a rare account of the mystery behind Ramalinga Adigal's dematerialization. 

"I had the rare vision of Vallalar's universal luminous golden form. In fact, the immensity of his golden form contained in it the whole universe. This form too disappeared from my view and was replaced by another vision in which I saw the golden light of truth-knowledge and grace entering into all the directions more speedily than lightning. It permeated and pervaded the whole universe and the farther pure worlds of consciousness. It entered into our earth and all its crores of the physical forms of beings and objects and in the apparently insensible matter and even in the very dark realm of the vast in conscience. All the forms that were permeated by the golden light of truth changed into golden forms of beings and objects. The golden light entered my whole adhara including the physical body. My body felt in all the cells vibrations of ease and pleasantness."

On this website, it is mentioned too that,

"Only the grace light is the inexhaustible feed that may return the body to be full of force and vigor, restoring the DNA chains fatally damaged by the madness of the human who runs towards self-destruction. The grace light may transmute the cells of the body in total and definitive manner, for the full achievement of the golden immortal body. Then the divinity descends and settles in the disciple's heart, which becomes entirely filled by him. Captivated by the ardent fire of the divine essence, the disciple stops thinking, feeling, acting, and even existing. He has become pure love and compassion, and this is what he spills on all the beings. This secret, which has been hidden and now is divulged according to the explicit wish of Ramalinga, points to the disciple's heart as the end of the path shown by him. To say "heart" isn't referring to the physical heart or the heart chakra, although its location is near to both of them. The heart is the purest and hidden place, only stepped by God. Ramalinga himself revealed this secret in this verse: The boundless benevolent Jothi abides in the heart of those who have realized the deathless body as clearly as the fruit in their hands." Lord Muruga as Kugan is said to reside in the cave or Kuhai in the heart chamber. Tavayogi in autographing my copy of his book "Andamum Pindamum" wrote "Aandavan Uraigindra Edam Thangal Ullam, Athuve Payanathin Thodakkamum, Mudivum" when translated meant, "God lives in your heart, that is where the journey starts and ends too" and signed off.

Like these scriptures that came down to us, by the grace of the Siddhas we are blessed to read the Nadi that guides us to a better life, both spiritual and material. It amazes me even now to think how my life took a turnaround after I saw the Nadi. Agathiyar showed me, my gurus, through his Nadi. When we came to Tavayogi he had a mantra for us. "Arul Gnana Jothiye Agathin Jothi, Tani Perung Kadavule Agatheesar Aavaar." This mantra describes Agathiyar as the Light, the Light within, and the Most Compassionate God.

Satguru Shivaya Subramuniya Swami equates God and the Guru the same too. 

"He taught me humility, infused in me the light of Devotion, granted me the grace of his feet. After holy Interrogation, testing me entirely, he revealed to me the real, the unreal, and the very unreal. Undoubtedly, the Shiva- Guru is Eraivan, the worshipful Lord himself."

I am indebted and grateful to Agathiyar for he had switched the train cabin in my sleep and had me travel a different path, that which he chose for me. He switched my horoscope, he switched Nadi, he cleared my karma, removed me from my circle of family and friends and had me tread behind Supramania Swami and Tavayogi instead. As the director John Milius who made "Conan the Barbarian" told Arnold Schwarzenegger that "if we would not have had Arnold we would have had to build one", my guru Tavayogi on his part broke me into pieces and assembled me back piece by piece. Tavayogi was fond of telling me that we do not need this and that every instance, making me drop my hold on my things. He stuck an arrow into my heart the very day I invited him to grace my home. He told me that I was disillusioned about the kaavi or ochre attire he wore and that I thought that he had something hidden beneath it. I was wrong he said. He was just an Aasamy (Fraud) and not a Samy (Godman).

When the Siddhas come into our life, they hold our train of thoughts and start diverting them to positive things that bring in positive energy. When we submit ourselves to them, they work on us, making us a better person. Eventually, after having helped shaped us into a good person, we become tools in their hands to help set right our lives and those close to us in our own little way. For some, their mission is even bigger when it affects a major portion of the community and the world. These are the Siddha masters ordained to bring change to the people and the world around us.

LET US INVITE HIM WITHIN

Eventually, with sincere effort on our part and with their grace they enter our body again and take up residence in it. The Atma that left us the very moment that we began to think that we were in charge returns to its home and takes charge of us. It comes as the Guru to lead us on till we attain oneness with the Param, the Paramatma. 

ஆன்மா உடலையும் உயிரையும் தனது கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் ஒரு சூச்சமம். இந்தச் சூச்சமத்தை பிறந்த குழந்தைகள் 1  முதல் 5 வராகை வரையிலும் உடன் இருந்து மறையும். மறைத்தலின் காரணம் இன்னதென்று இப்போது உனக்குச் சொல்ல இயலாது. ஆனபோதிலும் ஆன்மா ஒருவரின் செயலைப் பொறுத்தே மீண்டும் அவனை வந்து சேரும். ஆன்மா உன்னோடு இருந்து உன்னை ஒரு பாதைக்கு இழுத்து செல்லும் அப்போது நீ அதனை உணர்ந்தாள், உன்னில் அதிர்வாய் தோன்றி மறையும். அந்த அதிர்வினை நீ உனக்குள் நீடிக்கப் பழகினால் உன்னால் ஆன்மா என்னும் உனது அதிர்வுகளில் ஊடுருவி என்னுள் (இறை / அகத்தியன்) வந்து சேர ஒரு வழி. 

When the divine takes up residence in us eventually we become him. Swami Saravanananda explains, "At whatever age, the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body frame.  The divine light seems to change the very structure of the DNA and RNA in each and every cell of the body,  with the result,  that they seem to function in the opposite direction. It is said that each cell of the body possesses partial consciousness and rudiments of intelligence.  The divine light that passes into the cell makes them fully awakened into perfect or near-perfect intelligence.  The result is the perfect immortal physical body. By his own self-will, the Lord has expressed in the human body and come to exist as such."

These are the saints that we know of.  

Gordon Matthews in his translation of Meykanda Devar's "Shivagnana Botham" writes, 

"When God comes as a Guru and teaches the soul, the soul is made to see that the world of experience, evolved from Maya, is non-real. It ceases then to identify itself with the non-real and to depend upon it, and in so doing it discovers its oneness with God."

I remember Tavayogi thrashing me each time I begin to hold onto something. He tells me that we do not need it. I now understand that he was instilling in me non-dependancy on all things external.

"By reason of the soul's virtue in previous births, God, who has been immanent in the soul, making it know, now vouchsafing to take the form of a Guru, initiates the soul in the Saiva mysteries, saying, - O thou son of a king, fallen among savages, the senses, and brought up by them, thou hast been ignorant of thy true greatness and hast wandered in ignorance. The primal one himself teaches these souls as a Guru."

"When the soul in previous births has performed Sariyai, kriya, and yoga, these meritorious practices reveal the knowledge which is the right path but does not give deliverance. Knowledge imparted by a Guru is given to those who have performed tapas in previous births, tapas consisting not of austerities, but of Sariyai, kriya, and yoga, the first three of the four degrees of Shiva worship. They are not the sadhana, but they lead to it. These three forms of worship lead to the fourth, Jnanam. Those who have performed Sariyai, kriya, and yoga attain the heavenly states of Salokyam, Samipya, and Sarupya respectively, and experience the joys that are there, the fruits of these forms of worship. Being born again into the world.... By performing what still remains to be performed of them, they cut off worldly desire so that it cannot bear fruit, and obtain knowledge of the real.

This knowledge received from a Guru is the last of the four Padas which prepare the soul for release. Jnanam is, in all cases, of divine, not human, origin; but the manner in which it is imparted varies according to the class of soul.….the soul on account of that development of Sariyai, kriya, and yoga seeks and finds the Guru and obtains knowledge. This knowledge for which the soul is prepared by Sariyai, kriya, and yoga is imparted by God, not, by ordinary human agency, as in the case of the arts and sciences. By the fulfillment of Sariyai, kriya, and yoga, the ripening of impurity (Malaparipaka, the maturing or ripening of impurity signifies the removal of impurity from the soul) and the descent of Sakti (Saktinipata understood either as the descent of grace upon the soul) is produced. Seeing this readiness of the soul, God who till now has been helping the soul to know, immanent within it, graciously appears as a Guru and instructs the soul. Then as soon as that knowledge is received, the soul, leaving the savages and uniting inseparably with God, attains his sacred feet.

Though I had Supramania Swami and Tavayogi as living gurus some time back the former showed me to his gurus and Shiva while the latter too showed me his gurus and Agathiyar. Swami Shivananda says, "He alone can show you the path to attain God, who is the Guru of Gurus, and obviate the snares and pitfalls on your path." He himself went in search of a guru and explains how he benefited from the association with the guru. After serving as a doctor in Malaya Shivananda decided to quit his career and become a mendicant in 1923.

"I led the life of a wandering monk, just for a short period, in search of my guru and of a suitable place charged with spiritual vibrations, for spending my life in seclusion and to do rigorous sadhana. I met many mahatmas and learned wonderful lessons. A deep study of the ways of mahatmas opened my eyes and gave me the strength to stick to rigorous sadhana in the right direction. I came to Rishikesh in June 1924 and found it my destination. I found Rishikesh an ideal place for intense and undisturbed spiritual practices true for all seekers after truth. I prayed to the Lord for his grace. From the sacred hands of Paramahansa Viswananda Saraswati, I received holy initiation on the bank of the Ganga on 1 June 1924. My Guru gave me initiation and enough spiritual strength and blessings."

I am glad my gurus showed me Shiva and Agathiyar. The Guru of Gurus encompasses the whole lineage and network of gurus. For how else is it possible that Gopal Pillai who had gone into samadhi delivers Agathiyar's message and the Vasudeva mantra to me through my nephew who is a student of Gopal Pillai's disciple, Annamalai Swami?

Just as Swami Muktananda writes in "Where Are You Going? - A Guide To The Spiritual Journey", published by Syda Foundation, 1989,, "Meeting the Siddha Guru, we receive the blessings of all the perfected ones", Siddha Konganar in prayer mentions that in the mere mention of Agathiyar's name, one has the entire Siddha tradition and lineage turn their attention on us. 

Initially, we might seek many places for a guru to guide us, but know that the ideal guru shall come looking for us when we are ready to accept his teachings. Lucy Cornelssen in "Hunting the I", Sri Ramanasramam, 2005, says, "If you are ready for him, he will meet you without any searching for him on your part. And only then can you be sure that he is the Guru for you."

Paramahansa Yogananda met his guru in such a manner too. He describes the sacred moment when he met his Guru Sri Yukteswar in his "Autobiography of a Yogi", Self Realization Fellowship, 1990.

"Together Habu and I set out for a distant marketplace in the Bengali section of Banaras…... As Habu and I moved on, I turned my head to survey a narrow inconspicuous lane. A Christ-like man in the ochre robes of a Swami stood motionless at the end of the lane. Instantly and anciently familiar he seemed."

Gnanananda wrote, "My master was waiting for me under a tree on the shore and the powerful glow of his eyes drew me automatically to him like a magnet."

Paul Zweig in the introduction to Swami Muktananda's "The Perfect Relationship", published by Syda Foundation, 1985, wrote "Swami Muktananda himself traveled all over India seeking a Guru. He became a monk at the ashram of Siddharuda Swami. After almost twenty-five years, he met Bhagawan Nithyananda who became his Guru. Swami Muktananda realized that the secret was with the Guru and so the need for one to learn at the feet of such a Guru. In a flash of self-understanding he knew that he had found his other half; that now he was whole again."

Swami Muktananda stresses, "The Guru is as necessary as prana, the life force, is necessary to the body." He writes in his book, "Kundalini - The Secret of Life", Siddha Yoga Publication, 1994, "If he tries to discover a path by himself, he will simply go around in circles, walking for a long time but never reaching his goal. The Guru has found everything you are seeking; that which you want has become the Guru's wealth. The difference between you and the Guru is that you are the seed and the Guru is the full-grown tree; you are the beginning, and he is the end."

Now I understand why both my gurus were delighted to see me at their doorstep. If Supramania Swami handed me his lifetime achievements and merits gained from his tapas, Tavayogi handed me the seed that would sprout to spread the words and teachings of Agathiyar and the Siddhas. If we come to sow the seed continuing our ancestral lineage, the gurus pass their merits and the seed on to someone before they left their mortal frame, hence continuing the lineage of masters. 

Swami Muktananda in "The Perfect Relationship", Syda Foundation, 1985, wrote, "He felt that the secret resided with great beings, with saints; they were themselves the secret and he could learn what they were by loving them and sitting at their feet."

As for Yogi Ramsuratkumar, he was chiseled, molded, and nurtured by three great gurus. Truman quotes the yogi on his three masters who worked on him. "This beggar had three fathers. There was much work done on this beggar. Aurobindo started, Ramana Maharishi did a little and Ramdas finished."

Swami Sivananda has this piece of advice for seekers of a guru,

"Let each man take the path according to his capacity, temperament, and understanding. His Satguru will meet him along the path. Listen to all, but follow one. Respect all, but adore one. Gather knowledge from all, but adopt the teachings of one master. Then you will have rapid spiritual progress. Once you choose your Guru, implicitly follow him. God will guide you through the Guru."

Ram Dass in "Paths to God - Living the Bhagavadgita", Harmony Books, 2004, writes, "We are surrounded by a web of well-wishes, all wanting to help us get free."

The Siddhas too are ever waiting and hoping that an aspirant or a likely candidate should stumble upon them where they could take him in and groom him to become another Siddha at par with them. They work on one's karma so that he is free from the results of his past actions and can start work on a spiritual journey as planned and ordained by them. Hence the reason at the onset they speak about our past karma and set us on a pilgrimage to temples to carry out remedies and attorn for our past actions. 

In "Secret of the Siddhas", a Siddha Yoga Publication, 1980, Swami Muktananda writes that "the grace of a Siddha simply removes the veil of ignorance so that one realizes that one is already perfect."

LET US INVITE HIM INTO OUR HOMES

Besides visiting the temples in the vicinity, I took up prayers in my bachelor home back in 1980. I used to invite the divine at dawn and dusk. I used to sing all the songs that I knew from the many books in my collection. These included songs from a wonderful compendium of songs that protected us from harm titled "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. My housemate Francis Xavier Alexander would enjoy listening to my recitals from his bedroom.

Though the divine did not appear before me, I later realized that they were there. Just that I was not aware of their presence during puja. I was surprised to hear from my neighbor some years later after I visited them, after having transferred out from the coastal town to the capital city, that the tenant after me who were of a different faith had evacuated the home shortly after moving in, as they saw divine beings in the house. I guess these energies stay behind even when we move out.

The first year in the city deprived me of home prayers as I was couped up in a flat that had 5 others of a different faith with me. But at the same time, I was told in a dream before I moved to the city to cool off on all my regimes. I heeded the directive. After my marriage, for the next 5 years, I only occasionally visited the temples with my wife and child for their sake. 

When my wife was carrying our second daughter we frequented daily the Sri Balasubramaniar temple in our neighborhood that saw its first kumbhahisegam done followed by the 48-day puja. I soon collected paintings and pictures of Gurus from publications and pinned them on the 4 walls of my puja room. I started reading again investing in religious and spiritual books besides those on culture and tradition. Seven years later my nephew passes me the Vasudeva mantra and a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurty to worship. I read the Nadi the following year and saw myself set foot in the worship of Siddhas. 

Laying my hands on whatever material I got get on the Siddhas, I compiled a compendium of songs in praise of the Siddhas to be used during my puja. The following year saw me make my maiden journey to India taking up the directive from Agathiyar to visit numerous temples and carry out my remedies. I meet my first guru Supramania Swami in Tiruvannamalai on the last leg of my travel. He initiated me into the worship of gurus officially. Three years on in 2005, I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal who was visiting Malaysia then. He initiates me officially into the worship of the Siddhas. The rest is history and has been carried in the pages of this blog.

But I have an obligation to continue for the new readers who happen to drop in on this particular page. From an individual's personal puja it became my family puja with the inclusion of my wife and children. With the coming together of a handful of seekers, who were followers and devotees, and the coming of Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue my home took on a new role. We did Kuutu Prathanai or joint prayers in my home. With Agathiyar sending several youths to my home after their Nadi reading, we soon became Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia in 2013. Lord Murugan gave a name for our home too later in 2018. It was Agathiyar Tapovanam. We are truly blessed to be taken through these numerous transitions. From Sariyai we step into Kriyai and Yogam with the coming of our gurus in physical form. Agathiyar refers to his Vanam as Gnana Kottam too where he dispenses Gnana these days.

After Agathiyar asked me to commission his statue to be made in the image of his granite statue at Agasthiyampalli and told me the start date and the place it was to be made, and upon his arrival he asked those who were gathered that day to chant 100,000 times his name, hence giving life and energy to the metal image. As Agathiyar has gone on a short break visiting the homes of devotees who invite him over, Suren asked me if I missed him. "I do not", I replied since his energy is felt though he is not in the physical form of a statue. Ramalinga Adigal comes often to help us tap into the cosmic energy that is prevalent all around us by raising our hands and striking a chord with this divine energy by reciting the Maha Mantra Arutperunjothi. 

Likewise, the samadhis of these Siddhas are energy vortexes. Agathiyar tells us that there is no need for any kind of ritual to be done in these places. Instead, he asks us to tap into these energies by just sitting quietly and taking in the vibes. We are allowed to recite the names of the Siddhas though at these samadhis. 

If Agathiyar gave the calling to come to his worship and that of other Siddhas through the Nadi reading, many have had a calling of a different kind where the Siddhas and deities have literally knocked on their doors. A devotee of Goddess Kali who had a fallout with her guru fell ill later. After consultation with several others, a puja was done for Ma Kali including a Yagam at her family home. The statue of Lord Ganesha too was placed in her garden. Besides that, she was told that a Siddha was waiting to be invited into her home. As she knew that I was in the way of Agathiyar she called me up and asked to know how she was to worship Agathiyar. The description of the Siddha was that of Agathiyar.

Someone who had worshipped a statue of Goddess Ma in her past life found the statue return to her home in this life. 

My wife used to dream of numerous gurus when I was obsessed with the Siddha puja. I thought it was not fair that she gets to see the gurus while I put in the work. Relating this jokingly to Tavayogi once, he told her that they wanted her to come into the fold too hence the reason for these dreams. Since then she has been the pillar behind Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia.

This is how the Atma in us comes reminding us of our obligation towards them and society. As Agathiyar told us that "the Atma will return unto him depending on his actions, and when the Atma in you pulls you to a path and if you realize it, it appears as an Athirvu or vibration and disappears, if you practice extending this vibration in you, you shall merge in this vibration that is the Atma and arrive at  Erai/ Agathiyan", when we get to engage with him in the temples that are a storehouse of energies, tap into this power source at their samadhis, and imbibe the energy here that is an intense vibration, though these moments are brief and momentary, know that we have built a connecting bridge. What is required next is to extend this engagement with the divine, this courtship, and the relationship with the divine. We need to invite him over to our homes for tea and a chat. Hence the reason we have altars in our homes too, a miniature powerhouse, a substation. The next course of action is home prayers with family and friends. When these homes are energized they become their homes too. 

LET US START AT THE TEMPLE 3

Agathiyar promised to show me miracles in my very first Nadi reading way back in 2002. These miracles were shown on my very first maiden pilgrimage the following year. What we initially thought were miracles, we came to know were in fact sacred moments of our beloved Lord ushering us into the temples and their abodes that are basically a portal to the other world.

Just as the late Hanumathdasan Aiya and his friends felt, after being disappointed with the noise and din outside the inner sanctum at Egambeshwarar temple in Kanchipuram, as I moved away and came around looking for a quiet place, a  young priest ushered me into a portal! As the main sanctum was occupied with a family doing a special prayer, and the temple priests were engaged with them, I did not know how I was going to get an archanai done at the sanctum as directed by Agathiyar in the Nadi. As I came round along the corridors of the temple, I came across a huge chamber on my left. A young priest waiting in attendance immediately ushered me in leading the way. As I stepped into the chamber following him my gaze was fixed on the magnificent sight of the Lord. A huge statue of Lord Nadarajah majestically hovered above us. The Lord was towering over us in all his splendor. As I began taking a few more steps toward him I felt as though I had stepped into another time zone; another space. His space. My God, I had him all to myself, I told myself. I was not aware of either time or space. I was lost for a brief period of time. By the time I came to my senses, the priest was already waiting to show the arti or flame. I took in the sights and sounds as the young priest started chanting mantras and showing the arati. I stood before the Lord engrossed in his beauty. That is when I broke down in tears, crying my heart out. There was not a single exchange of words between the priest and me as I gave him a glance of thanks and gratitude and a token, and turned around and walked out of my Lord's home. 

Raji was appointed by the travel agency in Chennai to chauffeur me around on my first trip to India. Mysteriously a switch happened moments before my arrival at Chennai airport. Raji who was supposed to pick me up came down will an illness suddenly. Deva turned up to pick me up instead. On arriving at the Utamar temple, Deva left me in the car as he went into the temple to see if there was a priest who could be of assistance in advising me on how to go about doing my parikaaram at this temple as the Nadi did not stipulate in detail as to what I was to do and offer here. All Agathiyar said was that I had to donate to three Brahmin priests at this temple. Then Deva appeared with a priest willing to help. The priest offered to bring me to the Thiruvanaikaval temple too where I had a parikaaram too. He suggested we head for Thiruvanaikaval temple first and fast before they close for the lunch break and come back to Utamar temple in the evening for the parikaaram. Once there he advised me on what I needed to purchase. What was magical was that he used his contacts at the temple to open doors of chambers that were closed! He called for the caretaker and had Lord Vinayagar’s and Lord Muruga's chamber opened for us. At the main Shiva sannadhi, he looked around and called out to an old Brahmin priest who was sitting among others, having his break. “Mama, you are the one to do the prayer,” he shouted out to him. I had the rare privilege to enter the main sanctum. Imagine, it was pitch dark within the chamber though the sun was at its zenith at noon. The old priest dipped his hands into the darkness and I heard the sound of water splashing. He told me that the specialty of this place was that the lingam was partially submerged in water. After the arati, I was moved to fall at the feet of the elderly priest for his blessings. As I picked myself up, I noticed the priest from Utamar temple, the temple caretaker, and Deva were all lying on the ground too in front of the priest. They had followed me. Next, the accompanying priest from Utamar temple insisted this elderly priest should conduct the prayers at the Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sanctum too. Here I broke down. I supposed I must have cried aloud and long here, for the caretaker of the temple began to console me. The priest from Utamar temple asked him to let me be by myself, “Let him be, let him cry.” They all waited for me to compose myself. I finally picked myself up and we all adjourned to buy food parcels from the temple management to feed the poor, the temple cow, and elephant on the advice of this priest from Utamar temple. What did take place at Thiruvanaikaval? I had asked then. I was literally teleported from one shrine to another, with the priest from Utamar temple leading me on, performing each prayer to my utmost satisfaction. On leaving the temple, the priest whom we picked up at Utamar temple insisted that I dropped him off midway. He did not want to be sent back to the Utamar temple where we had met and picked him up, telling us that he had other errands to run. We dropped him at the location where he wanted to get off. After asking him for his consent and handing over to him the first of the three tokens that I was to give as parikaram, we drove off. As I turned to look back at him, suddenly I realized that we had dropped him off at a Hanuman temple! An amazing turn of events.

After worshiping at the famed Sri Rangam temple, as I got into the back seat of the car and reached out to the car door to close it, I was startled by a holy man standing right next to me. Where did he come from? He practically materialized from thin air. He was very fair, of average height, and had a long white beard and long hair that was tied up neatly. He was dressed in a clean white vesti. He looked merry and cheerful just like Santa Claus. He started to bless me, “You shall be fine.” He spoke fine English and Tamil. He kept on repeating this. I got off the car seat and bent to touch his feet. I asked if he had eaten, and dipped my hand into my pockets and handed him whatever amount that came along with it. I bid farewell to him, shut the door, and glanced back. He was gone! 

After prayers at Thiruavinankudi temple, I bought prayer items for the abhisegam or libation of Lord Muruga atop Palani hill. On taking my first step, my feet suddenly froze. I just could not move my legs. I tugged on my legs. It did not budge. They felt extremely heavy as if rooted to the ground. Finally, I had to lift my legs one at a time with both my hands. It was as if I was lifting a concrete piece. Watching the scene depicted in the song "Oo Solriya" in the movie "Pushpa", where the lead actor lifts his feet and walks forth and back, I pointed out to others that that was how I had to carry my feet all the way to the top of the flight of stairs.

No one stopped to enquire what was wrong with me as I made my way up the hill slowly. The heart was pumping hard. I was gasping for air. I pushed myself determined to scale the hill, whatever may come. I had to break the climb though, stopping every few minutes. I eventually reached the top of the hill. On reaching the top, I was dizzy and on the verge of collapse. I had to sit. I looked around. I saw some stalls lined up. I walked towards the row of stalls. I dropped my purchases and me onto the ground, leaning against the wall of one of the stalls. I was sweating profusely and on the brink of fainting. The throat was extremely parched and dry. I closed my eyes. As I opened my eyes all was bright and white. I could hear the crowd and see silhouettes of people moving along in front of me. 

Regaining my composure after some time, I picked up my stuff and stood up. I stood in a line that brought me to Lord Muruga’s chambers. A priest walked up to me and practically snatched my offerings from my hand. "This is for archanai right?" saying thus he returned to the chambers. Although I was at his sannadhi physically I have no recollection whatsoever of the moments when I stood before him. I was lost in time and space again. Shortly after, the priest ended my lost moments and brought me to my senses. He stashed unto my hands my bag of goodies and some sandalwood paste that Lord Murugan had adorned that morning. I have no recollection of seeing the Lord's image to this day. 

I turned to walk out of his sannadhi. I walked through a door into a dark alley. On just taking a few steps I was before another chamber on my right. I looked in. There were four Brahmin priests in attendance. I asked the one closest to the door if it was Bhogar’s Samadhi and he nodded. I entered the room and stood in prayer while he showed the flame or arati. The priest pointed out the opening where Bhogar is believed to be in samadhi. He pointed out the yantra, the jade lingam, and other items of worship that Bhogar had with him. Looking behind me I was surprised to see nobody else. I had Bhogar all to myself! I walked across the room and seated myself next to the exit. None of the priests objected. After a while I opened my eyes to see one of the priests, a young man, lean toward me with prasad in his hands. I received it. He then walked across the room and reached out for a tumbler on top of a closet and handed it to me saying, "It's abhisegam milk." I took it and drank the milk. I took leave thanking him silently. 

As I stepped outside Bhogar's chamber into yet another corridor and walked into the open, I fell into a state of a daze. With my heart filled to the brim with joy and bliss, I walked around and around the temple grounds.  It was as if I had partaken the ambrosia of the Gods. I kept on walking till I came to my senses and told myself that I had to return to the car. I traveled in silence not knowing what had transpired back there. Two years later Agathiyar in the Nadi reveals that the milk was given courtesy of Lord Muruga.

As if that miracle was not enough Lord Muruga performed a similar miracle the second time I stepped into his temple two years later in 2005. As I stood in line for the gates to the temple to be opened for the day I felt elated that this time around I was seeing Lord Muruga at Palani accompanied by my guru Tavayogi and my brother. But again I do not remember a single thing while there. We came away from his chamber into the open and crossed a courtyard and entered a corridor that was painted with murals depicting events in Bhogar's life. If this was Bhogar's sannadhi then where was I the first time I came to Palani?  The route to Bhogar's sannadhi was different then. 

As the senior priest began explaining to Tavayogi and my brother the origin of the temple, I walked across the room to the exit door and sat down again. Again a young priest was in attendance. As we stepped out of the chambers into the corridor the young priest reappeared in the corridor. Again he had a tumbler in his hands. He passed it to Tavayogi who was in front. Tavayogi took a gulp and passed the tumbler to my brother who was behind him. He took a gulp too and passed it to me. I emptied the milk down my throat and passed the tumbler back to the priest with a nod of thanks. I hurried behind Tavayogi and my brother who had already moved out into the open. That is when it happened again. I was in a state of bliss exactly as I had experienced on my first trip. I began to lag behind as Tavayogi and my brother walked ahead. Tavayogi stopped and waited on me, which he hardly does on walks and travels with him. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he turned towards me and asked the question "What son?" (Enna Magane) with an extraordinary smile on his face. That moment I knew that he knew! He knew what was happening to me. I just walked right up to him and laid my head on his chest in thanks and gratitude. After a brief moment, he turned around and continued walking. I was literally walking on air again!

Jnana Jhothiamma who came down to Trichy from Chennai to greet us upon arrival accompanied me and my family to Thiruvanaikaval in 2013. Again I broke down at  Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi. An intense vibration overpowered me as I lay helpless screaming, crying, weeping, laughing and shouting out in ecstasy all at the same time. I could sense Jnana Jhothiamma stroking my feet and legs trying to calm me down. When I sort of came out of it, she came up to me and whispered to me to place some token on the tray of the priest in attendance. He was tall and well built, fair and handsome with a green cloth wrapped around his waist. He was giving out the sacred ash to other devotees too. I took some rupees from my wallet and approached him. As I stood in front of him and placed the money on the tray that he held out in his hands, he asked me, "Did you see?" (Paartiyaa?), moving his eye from side to side and drawing my look towards Lord Dhakshanamurthy's statue. Immediately I saw Lord Muruga of Palani in the flesh in the form of the priest! What he had hidden from me all three times at Palani, he showed me at Thiruvanaikaval. 

My family and I were coming in circles looking for Tayumanar's sannadhi at Trichy Malai Kovil in 2013 when we heard a loud clap of the hands. An old man was clapping his hands and motioning us with hand gestures from his seat some distance away. As we approached him, he got up from the ground and lead us hurriedly to several sannadhis before showing us up a flight of steps. We followed his gesture and were met with Lord Shiva in the form of a lingam. 

If in 2003 Agathiyar came as a stranger adorning a white vesti and blessed me, as I got into the car and was about to close the door, at Sri Rangam, in 2016, he came as an elderly lady clad in a green saree and blessed all of us from the AVM family. She was standing under the covered way with hands greeting us as we passed by her looking for Sri Ramanujar's samadhi in the courtyard of the temple. Something moved me to turn back and pat her cheeks. As soon as Bala Chandran who was to identify Agathiyar in the very first temple we went to and hand our contribution to him as directed by Karupanasamy Aiya back home, fell at her feet she looked towards the sky and began blessing him and turned her look towards every single one of us who was rooted to the ground. There was something about her look that froze us. 

At Thiruvanaikaval, as I hastened into the temple looking out for Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi where I lost control of my senses on my earlier visit in 2003 and again in 2013, a lady in a green sari came up to me and placed prasad in my hands, right in front of Sri Jambukeshwarar's sannadhi. Again we were allowed into the main sanctum and the priest shifted the water with his hands to show us that the linga was partially submerged in the water. As we arrived at Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi, Bala spotted both Agathiyar and Lobhama just some distance away. We made our way back to Agathiyar and Lobhama and offered our homage. As we took our places at Lord Dhakshanamurthy's sannadhi it was locked. As Bala began the recitation of the Siddhas' names an elderly priest suddenly appeared and walked up to the shrine to unlock its grills. When Bala stopped the recitation abruptly on seeing him, he gestured Bala to carry on while he stood in attendance listening on. Just as we were coming to the end of the recitation, he picked up the arati tool and lighted the flame, as if he knew we were about to end the recitation of the long list of names of the Siddhas, the Siddhar Potri! The priest had no reason to be there but he appeared! 

On the way up to the Trichy Malai Kovil in 2016, who should I meet but the mute man who appeared mysteriously and led and guided my family and me on a specific way to worship around the temple three years earlier? 

At Brahmapureeswarar temple the AVM family is called over to Ambal's sannadhi where surprisingly the priest shares with us a meditation technique that went along with a universal prayer for the well-being of all of Erai's creation. Upon reciting after him, it energized our palms too. 

At the Adhi Kumbeswarar Agathiyar sannadhi, a devotee of Agathiyar, Siddha medicine practitioner, and current caretaker Thiru Sankar is told to drop what he was doing and head for his sannadhi. He hurries into the sannadhi and unlocks the grill doors. Again the doors to Erai's chambers open as we sat reciting the names of the Siddhas. 

At Kuthambai Siddha's Jeeva samadhi at the Arulmigu Sri Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai (Mayavaram), we experienced the Siddhas presence that was so overwhelming that the ground shook as Bala Chandran recited the names of the Siddhas and we followed. A similar phenomenon was felt at Sundarananthar Vallabha Siddhar Sannadhi at the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple in Madurai as we began to recite the names of the Siddhas. 

Just before we embarked on this trip to India in 2016 and witnessed the inauguration of the new Kallar Ashram, Tavayogi and Mataji were in Malaysia for my daughter's wedding. During our puja at AVM Mataji felt the ground shake. Later she shared that with me. Sadly none of us had sensed it. Three days later Agathiyar in a Nadi reading read by Tavayogi for a devotee mentioned that the Siddhas had been present and only Mataji sensed their presence. He said the ground had shook beneath her seat as she led us on the recital of the names of the Siddhas.

As we arrived late at night at the Arulmigu Koraka Siddhar Jeeva Samadhi Peedham, in Vadakku Poigai Nalloor, and as Dyalen was asked to spend the night at the temple in his Nadi reading, to our disappointment the gates were closed. As we thought that we might have to spend the night in the open air as did many others, we managed to find some vacant spots on the covered verandah of the temple. As we prepared to lay our tired torso down to rest, suddenly a voice from the dark asked, “Where are you coming from?”(Yengiranthu Varinga?) As we looked around for the source of the voice, he asked the same question again. Shanga replied that we were from Malaysia. Immediately the voice ask if we would like to enter? (Ulle Varingala?) Then we saw a figure get up from under a blanket and move to the gate. We were allowed access to the temple to spend the night. We spent the night inside the temple. 

As I woke up pretty early and saw that the other devotees were still asleep, I moved over to Korakar’s samadhi and had a quiet moment with him. I came back to my spot and began my normal routine of checking my breath and performing pranayama. Slowly one by one the devotees began to arise. I eased myself too before going out to the front of the temple to take in some fresh air. It was 4am and already the local buses were plying the route. It was then that Sugu shared his experience the night before. He had only slept about 2 hours and remained awake the whole night long. When he did wake up he saw "me" clad in his saffron or kavi vesti standing in front of Korakar's sannadhi. He then turned to where I slept and saw me there too! He saw two of me! He had goosebumps and dived back into his blanket wondering what was going on. The night before he had loaned me his saffron vesti. But I had used it to support my head. 

Sugu continued narrating. In the middle of the night, he stuck his head outside his blanket as he heard someone walk by. There was indeed someone. He or she, he wasn't sure, was clad in a rainbow-colored clothing and was covered fully from head to toe. Sugu immediately hid behind the covers again. He was not sure of the mysterious figure until I asked him if it was the same person that we saw at Adhi Kumbheswarar Temple earlier upon our arrival there. A lady in rainbow-colored clothing came before the sannadhi and lit a lamp after Thiru Sankar, the caretaker open the grills. It must have struck a chord in him for he agreed that it was indeed her. Now we were wondering how did she appear again, here at Vadakku Poigai Nalloor, some 72 km away? 

My third encounter with the divine energies at Palani was not exclusive to me alone but took into consideration the presence of all the AVM family members. To our amazement, a lady, again dressed in a green sari, drove us to complete the Siddhar Potri. As we stood in front of Lord Muruga at Palani, again I saw nothing that I could remember! How do I explain this? As we left Lord Murugan's sannadhi we stepped into an open courtyard and walked across to a flight of steps that took us into a corridor. We stood in line waiting to enter Bhogar's samadhi. As arati was shown by a tall and well-built, fair and handsome, young priest, a lady who stood with us started chanting aloud a hymn for Bhuvaneswari. All our glances turned to her. She caught our attention. She then hurriedly left ahead of us as we stepped into the open. As Bala Chandran wanted to chant the names of the Siddhas inside Bhogar's sannadhi, we returned to the corridor again and positioned ourselves just outside Bhogar's chamber in a way as to not to obstruct other devotees from queuing up to see Bhogar. To our surprise the lady we saw earlier appeared and took a seat to the left of Bala. As it was closing time the temple aids were signaling us to hurry up but Bala was motioning them trying to buy more time. As the aids continued to motion us to end our recitation, the lady told Bala, "If the others want to leave they can but you stay and finish (the rendition of all the names of the Siddhas)". She gestured telling Bala to speed it up. Bala began to speed up the pace of his chant as the rest of us kept up with Bala's momentum too. The moment we ended the rendition she got up and entered Bhogar's sannadhi. She applied the holy ash and kumkum, blessed us, and speed off like a bullet. We came out of Bhogar's chamber in a daze and sat down in the courtyard trying to digest what had just happened in the secret and sacred chamber of Bhogar! 

I guess the Paramatma came with us on all of our journeys, arriving even before us and ushering us to their abodes and temples. After reading Agathiyar's memo to all of us through Mahindren some time back, we came to know that this was Atma Darisanam. Agathiyar told us that the Atma that joins us in the mother's womb, leaves us when we begin to make decisions. It is never too far though, keeping a watch over matters but never intruding. 

"The Atma keeps both the Udal and Uyir under its control in a secretive, subtle manner. This subtlety stays from 1 to 5 Varagai with the child before it's veiled. I cannot tell you the reason for it to be veiled now. Nevertheless, the Atma will return unto him depending on his actions."

"When the Atma in you pulls you to a path and if you realize it, it appears as an Athirvu or vibration and disappears. If you practice extending this vibration in you, you shall merge in this vibration that is the Atma and arrive at  Erai/ Agathiyan."

"The Atma does not carry our karma, but the Atma shall help rectify our karma. When the karma is rectified, the Atma's seeking shall be hastened to the extent that man's daily seeking shall exhaust. His entire seeking shall shift towards efforts on reaching me (Agathiyan)."

ஆன்மா உடலையும் உயிரையும் தனது கட்டுப்பாட்டுக்குள் வைத்துக் கொள்ளும் ஒரு சூச்சமம். இந்தச் சூச்சமத்தை பிறந்த குழந்தைகள் 1  முதல் 5 வராகை வரையிலும் உடன் இருந்து மறையும். மறைத்தலின் காரணம் இன்னதென்று இப்போது உனக்குச் சொல்ல இயலாது. ஆனபோதிலும் ஆன்மா ஒருவரின் செயலைப் பொறுத்தே மீண்டும் அவனை வந்து சேரும். ஆன்மா உன்னோடு இருந்து உன்னை ஒரு பாதைக்கு இழுத்து செல்லும் அப்போது நீ அதனை உணர்ந்தாள், உன்னில் அதிர்வாய் தோன்றி மறையும். அந்த அதிர்வினை நீ உனக்குள் நீடிக்கப் பழகினால் உன்னால் ஆன்மா என்னும் உனது அதிர்வுகளில் ஊடுருவி என்னுள் (இறை / அகத்தியன்) வந்து சேர ஒரு வழி. 

ஆன்மா உனது கர்ம வினை தாங்கி வருவது அல்ல, ஆனால் ஆன்மாவே உனது கர்ம வினையைச் சரிசெய்வதற்கு உதவி புரியும். கர்மவை சரி செய்த பின், ஆன்மாவின் தேடல் அதிகமாகி மனிதனின் அன்றாட தேடல் தீர்ந்து போகும். அவன் தேடல் முழுதாய் என்னையே தேடி வர முயற்சி செய்யும்.  

LET US START AT THE TEMPLE 2

The temples might not be conducive for us to have a private moment with our beloved Lord as people throng these popular destinations. Naturally, since we would want to have him all to ourselves we yearn for a private moment with him. Believe me, it does take place with the grace of the presiding Lord. Tavayogi says that when there is a strong yearning the divine will brings things together (எங்கே ஒருவனுக்கு தேடல் இருக்கிறதோ அங்கே இறைவன் கூட்டிவைப்பான்).

When after visiting Sri Jeganatha Swamigal's samadhi temple, we drove to another temple in the Tapah Hospital compound that Mataji had asked we visit too, just as we arrived at 12 noon, the gate and grills to the temple were being closed. I quickly alighted from the car while Mahin went on to park the vehicle. I rushed up to the temple priest and asked if we were late and he was closing up. "Yes", he replied as it was time for its closure. I then told him that it was alright and that we shall pray from outside. As we stood on the apron of the temple bordering the road, the curtain stood in our way as it was drawn shut too. Nevertheless, after Mahin, his wife Manimala, their children and my granddaughter arrived I called on the children to sing the Arutperunjothi mantra together. Just minutes into singing it, what do you know, the doors open ajar for us to enter. The temple priest invites us in opening the gated grill and drawing the curtains to all the sannadhis aside. It was indeed a miracle as Manimala had only moments ago asked with disappointment if we could not enter. We sang our hearts out rejoicing in the love and compassion shown by the Lord. Lord Vaitheeswaran and Goddess Tayal Nayaki who preside here had chosen to waive the rules for us. They pleased us further by having Sri Jeganatha Swamigal receive us, again. If previously he had come while we were in his samadhi temple, he now received us again in the place where he had worshiped Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam after arriving in this town many many years ago. He cleared the air and my doubt as to where he resided that day. 

I could relate then to the famed late Jeeva Nadi Nool Aasan and Guru Hanumathdasan Aiya's experience in 2009. The Jeeva Nadi Guru and his friends had to look for a quiet spot where they could read the Jeeva Nadi, but it was pretty obvious that they would not find even a moment of peace and quiet in that chaotic place. 

His story was posted in Velayudham Karthikeyan Aiya's blog "Siththan Arul". The translation of the original post in Tamil follows:

"We reached Tiruchendur as directed by Agathiyar. We took a room at a lodge, rested a while, refreshed ourselves, and headed for the temple. As there was a very large crowd, there was a lot of noise and din all around. With the question, of what to do now lingering in our mind, we decided to have Lord Murugan's darshan first. There too was a large crowd and much noise. There was not a moment of silence. I was irritated seeing the temple priests shouting as they went in and out. A priest came forward and asked if we wanted to do archanai and if we wanted to get a fast darshan of the Lord. We replied that we would just queue up with the rests, and moved away from there. The free queue surprisingly moved fast. But one could only go a certain distance to get a view of the Lord. Surprisingly the Lord created the space for them. As we reached the Lord, a temple official who had been hurrying the devotees till that moment, suddenly left. At that very moment, something incomprehensible happened. All the noise subsided. The arathi was shown to Lord Murugan. We had a clear view of the Lord's face. I took in the full view of the Lord and registered it in my mind's heart. Something entered me and I went into a state of extreme bliss. A priest came out from the inner sanctum and handed us the sacred ash on a leaf, surprising us again. As we came out looking for a quiet spot to sit and read the Nadi, the bliss in us lingered on. None of us could bring ourselves to speak throughout these moments. The feeling was so wonderful. We realized the reason for feeling blissful after Agathiyar explained it in the Nadi as I retired to my room after failing to find a quiet spot to read at the temple."

Agathiyar says that he was already waiting for them. Hanuman who was in the statue on the 9th tier of the Rajagopuram at the temple had paid his respects to Lord Murugan precisely the same time Hanumathdasan Aiya and his friends entered. He showed up at 7.22 am and was there for 2 hours till 9.22 am. That was when the Jeeva Nadi Guru and friends entered the state of bliss. Agathiyar reveals to them that when they had stood in front of Lord Murugan and offered their prayers, Hanuman and Agathiyan were present. It was indeed an auspicious moment where they received the Lord's grace and went into a state of bliss. It was all Lord Murugan's grace.

Agathiyar goes on to relate the irritation and sadness they had initially encountered due to the massive crowd and antics of the priests upon entering the temple grounds. Even Agathiyar agrees that the temple should be quiet, blissful, and peaceful. Agathiyar adds that he was aware of the wrongs but ask them to drop the negative perception that they originally had on arrival at the temple as he too agreed that one cannot change the world (human behavior).

I too had my fair share of a similar experience that had me in disbelief that it was happening in such auspicious and sacred places on my maiden pilgrimage to India. I was disappointed at the behavior and attitude of a particular young priest. He tried to fleece me of my watch. With no other option, I stomached it and conducted the prayers at the Adi Lingam sanctum. I walked out of this temple disgusted. I told myself I was not coming back to this temple.

I had very much wanted to come to Vadalur, after reading about the amazing Siddha, Ramalinga Adigal. Devendran and Mahendren from the tour agency, waited on me as I took my time to look around and discover the mansion temple that Ramalinga Adigal had envisioned and built. As prayers were only conducted three times a day (and lasted half an hour each time), I had to wait for the next prayer between 11.45 am and noon. The priest came in at 11.45 am. He opened a door to let him inside and stayed inside for some time. Then he emerged to open the huge timber door to the sanctum to expose a black curtain drawn closed. As the flame from the camphor was shown to this curtain, devotees gathered quickly to witness this brief ceremony. There was neither interaction nor eye contact between the priest and the devotees. Some of the attendees sang the Arutperunjhoti Mantra. That was that. It all ended in a flash. 

I whispered to a devotee that I intended to make a donation and she brought me to the administrative office. I was disappointed with the attitude of the official at the office. Seeing my purchases of several books that I had picked up at a stall outside Satya Gnana Sabai, he asked me disapprovingly if I had purchased them from there. and went on to point out that he too sold books. As we left the temple grounds, people crowded around the car asking for alms. I told myself this was not supposed to happen, not at Vadalur, a sacred place where Ramalinga Adigal had gone all the way out to eradicate hunger by building the Dharma Salai and feeding the hungry. I was disappointed with the management and sad on seeing the fate of these people.

The first and only place that came to my mind when Agathiyar asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas was the local affiliate of Ongkarakudil in Dengkil as their volunteers could be seen in every nook and corner sourcing funds from the general public to carry out their charity programs both here and in India. Frequenting the Agathiyar Sanmarga Sangam later, I was moved by the late Manivannan to see the patron of this Sangam Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar on my visit to India in 2003. When I was at Ongarakudil though I was accorded all the respect and had a rare audience with him thanks to the late Amarar Nadarajah, as I did not receive the traditional blessing that I asked for from its presiding patron and founder, I asked myself if I had intruded into the sacred space of the Siddhas without their permission. I asked myself if I was not fit to be there. I asked myself if I was not worthy of stepping into this place. I felt hurt. Indeed. The time was not ripe. I too had to wait till Agathiyar himself revealed Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's state of divinity to me in subsequent Nadi readings. I guess Agathiyar preferred that I hear it from him rather than his followers. I carried these questions and the hurt in me for two years when finally Agathiyar addressed the matter in the Nadi. He told me that one should know ahead about the saint of his nature thoroughly before going over. I had jumped the wagon of devotees heading there after Agathiyar asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas. But Agathiyar assured in later readings that I shall be well accepted when I visit him again. But I never went back as I had held on to Supramania Swami. Tavayogi and Agathiyar. I guess there is a specific time to meet such Mahans and that we cannot simply intrude into their space. Later I read that Ramadevar Siddhar had laid down some strict rules before anyone could see Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar.

Reading about a devotee from Hyderabad who asked that Yogi Ramsuratkumar bless him, the Yogi surprisingly did not do so. Later the Yogi told his aids that the devotee had already had the blessing from a Guru in Kerala and he did not want to disturb the energy.

After my experiences put me off from wanting to visit Chidambaram and Vadalur,  I told myself that the Lord Nadaraja and Ramalinga Adigal were not there respectively. I said the same too when I arrived at Sri Jeganathar Swamigal's samadhi temple and Mauna Swami's samadhi temple in the midst of its lengthy renovation. But true to what the Divine Kali had told a devotee that though she was not in her temple she would arrive there for a true devotee, Sri Jeganatha Swamigal came to receive us. I guess we have to mature spiritually for the divine to come before us and bless and shower their grace on us. 

LET US START AT THE TEMPLE 1

In Sariyai which we are introduced to by our parents, grandparents, and ancestors, we are shown God as a super being that grants our wishes and looks over our shoulders. We appease them in return for favors by bringing them offerings and engaging in helping to keep their abodes clean, hosting, or participating in Vizhas or festivals for them. 

The occasional devotee heads for the many temples and other venues where these festivals for the Gods are held or inauguration or kumbhabhisegams are carried out and returns home satisfied. He makes his way to these places again when the next event comes up.

The regular devotee has a favorite temple that he frequents regularly if not daily to see his beloved deity in his best attire or alangaaram. He returns satisfied and goes about his daily chores. 

Many light an oil lamp and pray at the altar in their homes. 

Very few take the time to sit in prayer in their homes though. 

This is what we see in the present day. The reason is we are caught in a rush for only God knows what. So many things allure us and we think we need them to live a life of comfort. Comparing with others drives us to pursue the same hence spinning a web of troubles of our own making. As we see them happening to everyone else, we come to accept the fact that life brings with it a fair share of troubles and suffering. But when we cannot handle the load, then we look for quick fixes to our problems, not willing to understand the reason for all suffering. But the saints tell us that there is a way to end it all. The princely Siddhartha who later became Gautama Buddha, saw the sufferings beyond the walls of his kingdom and went in search of answers, and found it. It was to become the Middle Way.

Temples and worship have become another facet of life for man at least for a majority. There are those who pass by a temple but it never does occur to them to go in and pray or to at least investigate what is within the temple walls. They brush aside invitations from family and friends to follow. They are engrossed in their own world. It needs a miracle or a disaster or illness for some to bring them to take notice of the entity behind these walls. Awkwardly it takes another disaster to drive a devotee away too. When someone dear and close who is a staunch devotee is killed in a freak accident, it does drive us to question God and his existence. Hatred and anger arise within that have us shut all the doors and end our relationship with God. 

Ali Hassan Bangwar wrote in the Tribune at https://tribune.com.pk/story/2344343/the-different-facets-of-life,

"Humans, societies and individuals have created a purpose of living in line with perceptions accumulated over time. These perceptions originate from knowledge gathered through the five senses and filtered by beliefs, doctrines and values. An interestingly harsh aspect attached to this is that experiencing life isn’t inherently free. We pay to live. The payment could be in the form of failures, desperations, dejections, agonies or torment. Most of today’s ultra-materialistic people exaggerate this price as being extremely unbearable and hence end up in cursing life. Many others rightly understand the cost and assume hardships to be the rent one has to pay for experiencing the blessings of life. For them the phenomenological experience of life is the greatest of all gifts. For the former, life is a liability, a curse. Rather than braving different realities, they mourn the challenges coming their way. Their thoughts are so much engrossed with negative energy that tranquillity and serenity can hardly set in. They might ask: how can life be termed a priceless gift if it hardly favours the beholder? Why, despite being a gift, does it cause disdain and agony?"

He proposes a solution too,

"The remedy is in accepting the bitter reality that life and challenges are inextricably linked with. All humans face hardships. However, one can lessen the severity of trials by changing their perception. Rather than being preoccupied by hardships and pessimism, looking for a solution or a silver lining can indeed create some semblance of serenity and peace. Accepting the outcomes of wishes and efforts with gratitude and living in the moment can also help let go of regrets and grudges. Ultimately, we need to change the way we think about life."

In short, he is asking us to be grateful for what we have. We visit the temple as if we visit the grocery store to make purchases. If only we knew the reason behind the establishment of temples of yore we would cherish them and not neglect them. On my maiden travel to India, I happened to stop at a Kaala Bhairavar temple which was not on the list given by Agathiyar in my Nadi reading nor one that I listed in my must-see list of temples. Deva from the agency, who drove me around, and I decided to stop over as we passed it. The temple priest found some time to chat with us after our prayers. He said that the temple like many others was neglected. When I went to carry out my parikaram or remedy at the Palur Sani temple, I heard the same story from the temple priest. Yet we are all aware of thousands of pilgrims heading for certain temples and filling their coffers to the brim, nay to the state that it overflows. What is the reason that we see some temples flourish while others are in a deplorable state? The Gods residing in both are one, aren't they? People head for those with the belief that their wishes would be granted having seen and heard miracles take place at these places or after praying in these places. As the nature of man is to investigate and if possible take a piece of the cake for himself too, he heads to wherever a miracle is shown and stands in line for one to happen in his life too. I guess this is why many individuals dish out miracles to capture people's attention and have a following that sustains their interests and living too. 

I asked Agathiyar why devotees are not coming to Kallar ashram in thousands as we see elsewhere? He answered that only those who sought Gnanam would go there. In present times I guess another factor is that the medium of communication determines if devotees frequent an ashram or not. I guess it is pretty essential that English is spoken by the heads of ashrams to lure the none Tamil speaking seekers and devotees. Kallar lacks in that sense. 

We have an affectuation towards miracles carried out but not the divine power behind it that sustains our every breath. We see the performer of the miracle and hail him but not the power that he brings together for the purpose. We fall for the showmanship but never go beyond it. 

Agathiyar too I guess had to show me numerous miracles to allure me into the path. Or was all that a reward for heeding his call and seeking his ways? Nevertheless, he did show an abundance of miracles and does till this day. Many such miracles are shared on the pages of this blog.

It is true that we need these miracles to sustain our hold on the faith but we have to outgrow them too. A firm belief has to arise after seeing them. These stories should then be shared with others to bring them into the faith too. It gives them hope. Once he becomes a firm believer he then begins to take larger strides and walks briskly down the path with confidence knowing that the path shall lead him to his destiny or what is waiting for him. Confusion leaves him. He becomes fearless. He does not worry. He knows that he shall survive any ordeal. He knows that he is not alone. He knows that he only needs to stay on the path. Ramalinga Adigal sings in his Aanipon Ambala Kaatchi" (ஆணிப்பொன்னம்பலக் காட்சி) that the inhabitants of the higher worlds stood in awe and asked each other who was this mortal (Ramalinga Adigal) who had managed to come thus far? 

23. கோபுர வாயிலுள் சத்திகள் சத்தர்கள்
கோடிபல் கோடிய டி - அம்மா
கோடிபல் கோடிய டி. ஆணி

24. ஆங்கவர் வண்ணம்வெள் வண்ணம்செவ் வண்ணமுன்
ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி - அம்மா
ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி. ஆணி

25. அங்கவ ரெல்லாம்இங் கார்இவர் என்னவும்
அப்பாலே சென்றன டி - அம்மா
அப்பாலே சென்றன டி. ஆணி

"At the portal in the tower,

there were Sakthis-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,"

How would it be to be in the presence of God? I am sure that we all have had small glimpses of him or sensed his presence as we stood before him in his many abodes that are temples, shrines, samadhis, and caves in the past. We have had shivers go down our spine, and energies traverse throughout our bodies. Weird or peculiar feelings and emotions that go beyond our senses arise all of a sudden. Many are not in control of their body during these brief encounters. They cry profusely as if the dam has broken. The body cools down as it is drenched in tears. How do we explain these? Agathiyar tells us that he is these sensations. Know that we have connected with him or the presiding deity at the temple at that brief moment. Ramalinga Adigal describes this in his Agaval.  

He says that the Amrit or amirtham or divine nectar flows throughout the body in these moments of ecstasy. He sings about the changes that take place when the divine descends on the human frame in lines 1449 to 1494 of his Arutpa. 

தோலெலாங் குழைந்திடச் சூழ்நரம் பனைத்தும்

மேலெலாங் கட்டவை விட்டுவிட் டியங்கிட

என்பெலா நெக்குநெக் கியலிடை நெகிழ்ந்திட

மென்புடைத் தசையெலா மெய்யுறத் தளர்ந்திட

இரத்த மனைத்துமுள் ளிறுகிடச் சுக்கிலம்

உரத்திடை பந்தித் தொருதிர ளாயிட

மடலெலா மூளை மலர்ந்திட வமுதம்

உடலெலா மூற்றெடுத் தோடி நிரம்பிட

ஒண்ணுதல் வியர்த்திட வொளிமுக மலர்ந்திட

தண்ணிய வுயிர்ப்பினிற் சாந்தந் ததும்பிட

உண்ணகை தோற்றிட வுரோமம் பொடித்திடக்

கண்ணினீர் பெருகிக் கால்வழிந் தோடிட

வாய்துடித் தலறிட வளர்செவித் துணைகளிற்

கூயிசைப் பொறியெலாங் கும்மெனக் கொட்டிட

மெய்யெலாங் குளிர்ந்திட மென்மார் பசைந்திடக்

கையெலாங் குவிந்திடக் காலெலாஞ் சுலவிட

மனங்கனிந் துருகிட மதிநிறைந் தொளிர்ந்திட

இனம்பெறு சித்த மியைந்து களித்திட

அகங்கார மாங்காங் கதிகரிப் பமைந்திடச்

சகங்காண வுள்ளந் தழைத்து மலர்ந்திட

அறிவுரு வனைத்து மானந்த மாயிடப்

பொறியுறு மான்மதற் போதமும் போயிடத்

தத்துவ மனைத்துந் தாமொருங் கொழிந்திடச்

சத்துவ மொன்றே தனித்துநின் றோங்கிட

உலகெலாம் விடய முளவெலா மறைந்திட

அலகிலா வருளி னாசைமேற் பொங்கிட

என்னுளத் தெழுந்துயி ரெல்லா மலர்ந்திட

என்னுளத் தோங்கிய என்றனி யன்பே

பொன்னடி கண்டருட் புத்தமு துணவே

என்னுளத் தெழுந்த வென்னுடை யன்பே

தன்னையே யெனக்குத் தந்தரு ளொளியால்

என்னைவே தித்த என்றனி யன்பே

என்னுளே யரும்பி யென்னுளே மலர்ந்து

என்னுளே விரிந்த என்னுடை யன்பே

என்னுளே விளங்கி யென்னுளே பழுத்து

என்னுளே கனிந்த வென்னுடை யன்பே

தன்னுளே நிறைவுறு தரமெலா மளித்தே

என்னுளே நிறைந்த என்றனி யன்பே

துன்புள வனைத்துந் தொலைத்தென துருவை

யின்புறு வாக்கிய என்னுடை யன்பே

பொன்னுடம் பெனக்குப் பொருந்திடும் பொருட்டா

என்னுளங் கலந்த என்றனி யன்பே

தன்வச மாகித் ததும்பிமேற் பொங்கி

என்வசங் கடந்த என்னுடை யன்பே

தன்னுளே பொங்கிய தண்ணமு துணவே

என்னுளே பொங்கிய என்றனி யன்பே

This is the most esoteric and sublimest part of his work says Swami Saravanananda in his beautiful  English rendering of the original in Tamil of Ramalinga  Adigal's "Arutperunjhoti  Agaval", published by the  Ramalinga  Mission, Madras. He  quotes  Ramalinga Adigal’s  Agaval (verses  1449 ‐ 1473)  on  this  transformation  that took place in Ramalinga Adigal, 

"The skin has become supple;

nerves function intermittently; 

bones have  become soft  and  the  tendons  have  lost  their  grip  over  the  muscles;  

blood  has  congealed  and  semen  has  condensed  into  a  solid  ball;  

petals  of  the  brain  blossom  and  elixir fill up  the   body  system;  

the face  glows  and  breath  becomes  peaceful;  

hairs  rise  on  end  and tears well up; 

mouth utters the name of the lord and the sound  of  OM  pours  into  the  ears; the body  becomes  cooled  and  hands  rise  up  in  salutations;  

mind  ripens  and  melts  and  wisdom  fills  up  the  mental  frame;  

the  ever  pervading  feeling  has  come  to  stay;  

egoism  vanishes  and  the  soul  attains  bliss;  

impurities  get  destroyed  and  purity  alone  remains; 

illusory  tendency  vanishes  and  a  longing  for  god’s grace swells up…’’    

Swami Saravanananda explains, "At whatever age the aspirant gains illumination or the effulgence enters in him or emanates from within, some remarkable changes take place in the body frame.  The  divine  light  seems  to  change  the  very  structure  of  the  DNA’s  and  RNA’s  in  each  and  every  cell  of   the  body,  with  the  result,  that  they  seem  to  function  in  the opposite direction."

"Thus the process of transmutation being completed and perfected,  the aspirant becomes the possessor of a  golden body.  This body with shrunken skin has become ever-youthful",  an affirmation made by Ramalinga Adigal himself. "It has shaken off sleep,  hunger, thirst,  diseases from the system. It  has  been  filled  with  divine  light;  it  has  developed  immunity from all kinds of destructive forces."

He says "the whole body of  Ramalinga Adigal was soaked with divine bliss and every cell of his body began to enjoy the felicity.  It is said that each cell of the body possesses partial consciousness and rudiments of intelligence.  The divine light that passes into the cell makes them fully awakened into perfect or near-perfect intelligence.  The result is the perfect immortal physical body."

"Ramalinga Adigal compares the process of illumination of the cells with marriage with the compassionate celestial lady." He composed the song Peerataivu (பேறடைவு) where God tells him to be prepared to be betrothed to the divine shortly.  

மணம்புரி கடிகை இரண்டரை எனும் ஓர் 

வரையுள தாதலால் மகனே 

எணம்புரிந் துழலேல் சவுளம்ஆ தியசெய் 

தெழில்உறு மங்கலம் புனைந்தே 

குணம் புரிந் தெமது மகன் எனும் குறிப்பைக் 

கோலத்தால் காட்டுக எனவே 

வணம்புரி மணிமா மன்றில் என் தந்தை 

வாய் மலர்ந் தருளினர் மகிழ்ந்தே. 

எம் பொருள் எனும் என் அன்புடை மகனே 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் உனக்கே 

அம்புவி வானம் அறியமெய் அருளாம் 

அனங்கனை தனை மணம் புரிவித் 

தும்பரும் வியப்ப உயர் நிலை தருதும் 

உண்மை ஈ தாதலால் உலகில் 

வெம்புறு துயர் தீர்ந் தணிந்து கொள் என்றார் 

மெய்ப் பொது நடத்திறை யவரே. 

அன்புடை மகனே மெய்யருள் திருவை 

அண்டர்கள் வியப்புற நினக்கே 

இன்புடை உரிமை மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் விரைந்தே 

துன்புடை யவைகள் முழுவதும் தவிர்ந்தே 

தூய்மைசேர் நன் மணக் கோலம் 

பொன்புடை விளங்கப் புனைந்துகொள் என்றார் 

பொதுநடம் புரிகின்றார் தாமே. 

ஈது கேள் மகனே மெய்யருள் திருவை 

இரண்டரைக் கடிகையில் நினக்கே 

ஊதியம் பெறவே மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

உண்மை ஈ தாதலால் இனி வீண் 

போது போக் காமல் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

புனைந்துளம் மகிழ்க நீ என்றார் 

தீதுதீர்த் தென்னை இளந்தையில் தானே 

தெருட்டிய சிற்சபை யவரே. 

விரைந்துகேள் மகனே உலகெலாம் களிக்க 

மெய்யருள் திருவினை நினக்கே 

வரைந்து நன் மணஞ் செய் தொரு பெரு நிலையில் 

வைத்து வாழ் விக்கின்றோம் அதனால் 

இரைந்துளம் கவலேல் இரண்டரைக் கடிகை 

எல்லையுள் எழில் மணக் கோலம் 

நிரைந்துறப் புனைதி என்று வாய் மலர்ந்தார் 

நிருத்தஞ் செய் ஒருத்தர் உள் உவந்தே. 

களிப்பொடு மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவைக் 

கடிகை ஓர் இரண்டரை அதனில் 

ஒளிப்பிலா துலகம் முழுவதும் அறிய 

உனக்கு நன் மணம் புரி விப்பாம் 

அளிப்புறு மகிழ்வால் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

அணி பெறப் புனைக நீ விரைந்தே 

வெளிப்பட உரைத்தாம் என்றனர் மன்றில் 

விளங்கு மெய்ப் பொருள் இறை யவரே. 

கலங்கிடேல் மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவைக் 

களிப்பொடு மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

விலங்கிடேல் வீணில் போது போக் காமல் 

விரைந்து நன் மங்கலக் கோலம் 

நலங்கொளப் புனைந்து மகிழ்க இவ் வுலகர் 

நவிலும் அவ் வுலகவர் பிறரும் 

இலங்க நின் மணமே ஏத்துவர் என்றார் 

இயலுறு சிற்சபை யவரே. 

ஐயுறேல் இது நம் ஆணை நம் மகனே 

அருள் ஒளித் திருவை நின் தனக்கே 

மெய்யுறு மகிழ்வால் மணம்புரி விப்பாம் 

விரைந்திரண் டரைக்கடி கையிலே 

கையற வனைத்தும் தவிர்ந்து நீ மிகவும் 

களிப்பொடு மங்கலக் கோலம் 

வையமும் வானும் புகழ்ந்திடப் புனைக 

என்றனர் மன்றிறை யவரே. 

தூங்கலை மகனே எழுக நீ விரைந்தே 

தூய நீர் ஆடுக துணிந்தே 

பாங்குற ஓங்கு மங்கலக் கோலம் 

பண்பொடு புனைந்து கொள் கடிகை 

ஈங்கிரண் டரையில் அருள் ஒளித் திருவை 

எழில் உற மணம் புரி விப்பாம் 

ஏங்கலை இது நம் ஆணை காண் என்றார் 

இயன்மணி மன்றிறை யவரே. 

மயங்கிடேல் மகனே அருள் ஒளித் திருவை 

மணம்புரி விக்கின்றாம் இதுவே 

வயங்கு நல் தருணக் காலை காண் நீ நன் 

மங்கலக் கோலமே விளங்க 

இயங்கொளப் புனைதி இரண்டரைக் கடிகை 

எல்லையுள் என்றுவாய் மலர்ந்தார் 

சயங்கொள எனக்கே தண்ணமு தளித்த 

தந்தையார் சிற்சபை யவரே.

(Source: http://www.thiruarutpa.org/thirumurai/v/T338/tm/peerataivu)

Swami Saravanananda hails Ramalinga Adigal and his Thiru Arutpa, "By his own self will, the Lord has expressed in the human body and come to exist as such.  This is the theme and inner light of  Thiru  Arutpa. Arutperunjothi Agaval is the essence of Arutpa."

Swami Saravanananda starts his preface to his book with the statement, ‘Infinite God in Finite Man’. He says, "Man considered himself as a  separate entity from  God and as possessing a  mortal body subject to decay and wealth." 

This is why we still stand before him at his abodes praying that he fulfills our worldly desires, cures us of our illnesses and sufferings that we had brought onto ourselves if not through our past actions or rather an inaction, in this life or those vasanas or remnants of our actions or inactions that followed us as our shadow into this life from a previous. 

Ramalinga Adigal proved in his life that "the view of meeting with death is a mistaken one and that  God himself has manifested as each one of us and that we are eternal.… he manifests as human beings. Realizing that he is not separate from other beings and the divine effulgence, he led an inner life with the result that his thoughts,  speech, and actions were all filled with divine compassion. When such a  life and activity of divine compassion luxuriate,  there begin to grow the inner lower siddhis... If  we  pray  with  singleness  of  purpose,  the  veils  of  ignorance  will  be  rent  asunder  and  the  inner ever-growing radiance  will  be  perceived  by  us."

This is what Tavayogi meant in speaking about coming out of the Bakthi movement into Gnanam. When this Arivu dawns on us, we take the necessary steps as outlined by Ramalinga Adigal above to step away from the normal routine of temple worship and go within. We bring his abode within and plead that he takes residence in us. Just as the external home altar or temple is kept clean and void of negativities, we keep the body and mind clean and clear. Hence the reason Ramalinga Adigal just like the other Siddhas before him has given much importance to this human body. Bakthi then is a prelude to Gnana. 

"The human body is the temple and abode of the boundless benevolent jothi and also that of the dynamic polar forces. Therefore this body has to be first purified of all its dross and veils and made a  fit receptacle to receive the divine radiance. With the aid of this radiance,  the illusory human body can be transformed into a  pure body  (Sudha  degam)  followed by the body of sound  (Pranava degam), and finally into a  Gnostic body  (Gnana  degam).  This  body  alone  is  considered  as  the  proper   vehicle for the attainment of mukti." 

What about the mind then? How do we cleanse it? Swami Saravanananda describes devotion as the thawing and melting of the mind  (intellect). 

Swami Saravanananda like Ramalinga Adigal pleads to us that leading a life based on an exterior ephemeral state is no life at all; it is mere existence. "The aim of human life is to realize and gain the divine felicity in this world itself while there is yet time.  Those  who  have  attained  the  acme  of  creation,  the  human  birth,  must  hasten  to  understand  and achieve while there is yet time, the delightful bliss of the soul."

He adds that "Due to the differences in the levels of wisdom, will,  and action  (karma)  that  are found  in  the  cosmic space,  atmas have  come  to possess threefold bodies (Gnana, Pranava, Karmic)." Hence by abstaining from action, which results in both good and bad repercussions (Karmic), by bringing a change within us by uttering the sacred Om that intensifies the energies within (Pranava), would we then step into the state of the watcher that is Gnana?  

"Slowly,  his body through the intensity of concentration of the mind begins to generate the flame of tapas, known as psychic heat. We have to remove the blackish green veil that covers our soul.  This veil can be removed only through the extreme heat of devotion and meditation. His body begins to cast off veil after veil of ignorance and emit radiation. The extreme heat generated in the body produces smoke at first;  this smoke gathers up in volume and escapes through  Brahma  Randhra at the junction of the parietal bones of the skull.  Slowly the quantity of psychic heat is increased due to intense meditation and concentration on the universal effulgence. Psychic smoke clears off and enhanced illumination results.  The  more  refined  the  body  and  mind,  the  more  divine  illumination (Tejas, aura or nimbus) manifests in it."

Ramalinga Adigal sang to us a few verses on these veils that are much spoken about. He composed the song of the cuff when he came to bless us. We only managed to record a portion of it missing the beginning lines as we were caught unawares.

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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 ஏறும் போது திரை அது விலகியது...

என்னுள் அது ஏறும் நிலையில் ஜோதி அது ஜோதி அது...

திரை எனும் திரை அது அருட்பெருஞ்ஜோதி அது...

Ramalinga Adigal asked that we continue to hold on to the Holy Feet of "Appan Agathiyan" as he addresses Agathiyar. Agathiyar shall set aside the veil that hides Arutperunjhoti from us, he promises. Since we came to Agathiyar and his path, he will be the guiding light, he says. He asks that we continue on his path. Agathiyar remains a guiding light to us, then, now, and forever. 

All said please do not neglect the temple. Temple worship is the stepping stone to arriving there. 

We now understand why we were introduced to Kriyai, the next rung on the ladder. We were asked to do puja in our homes for the past 20 years beginning in 2002 first as an individual's puja that later brought the family in to become a home puja. In opening our doors to others with the arrival of Agathiyar in the form of a bronze statue in 2010 and with many more congregating in our tiny home to witness and participate in the Pournami puja in 2013 and in bringing this puja into the homes of other devotees in 2016 and expanding the circle by bringing the Siddha puja into temples, the groundwork was done. Then it was all brought to a sudden halt giving way to the pandemic to exercise its hold on our lives and lifestyles. The 2 1/2 years were spent in individual prayers and silent contemplation and in carrying out yoga that was taught to us. We had stepped into Yogam too. 

Today Agathiyar has started going places again visiting and staying in the homes of devotees who invite him over, though the puja is no more for the adults and by the adults but for the children and by them in these homes. 

We await to take on Gnanam that Agathiyar says is not gifted but we have to earn it as we travel the path within the chakras in our bodies. This journey is depicted in Ramalinga Adigal's "Aanipon Ambala Kaatchi" clearly.

ஆணிப்பொன்னம்பலக் காட்சி

1. ஆணிப்பொன் னம்பலத் தேகண்ட காட்சிகள்

அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி - அம்மா

அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி.

2. ஜோதி மலைஒன்று தோன்றிற் றதில்ஒரு

வீதிஉண் டாச்சுத டி - அம்மா

வீதிஉண் டாச்சுத டி.

3. வீதியில் சென்றேன்அவ் வீதி நடுஒரு

மேடை இருந்தத டி - அம்மா

மேடை இருந்தத டி.

4. மேடைமேல் ஏறினேன் மேடைமேல் அங்கொரு

கூடம் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா

கூடம் இருந்தத டி.

5. கூடத்தை நாடஅக் கூடமேல் ஏழ்நிலை

மாடம் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா

மாடம் இருந்தத டி.

6. ஏழ்நிலைக் குள்ளும் இருந்த அதிசயம்

என்னென்று சொல்வன டி - அம்மா

என்னென்று சொல்வன டி.

7. ஓர்நிலை தன்னில் ஒளிர்முத்து வெண்மணி

சீர்நீலம் ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா

சீர்நீலம் ஆச்சுத டி.

8. பாரோர் நிலையில் கருநீலம் செய்ய

பவளம தாச்சுத டி - அம்மா

பவளம தாச்சுத டி.

9. மற்றோர் நிலையில் மரகதப் பச்சைசெம்

மாணிக்கம் ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா

மாணிக்கம் ஆச்சுத டி.

10. பின்னோர் நிலையில் பெருமுத்து வச்சிரப்

பேர்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா

பேர்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.

11. வேறோர் நிலையில் மிகும்பவ ளத்திரள்

வெண்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா

வெண்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.

12. புகலோர் நிலையில் பொருந்திய பன்மணி

பொன்மணி ஆச்சுத டி - அம்மா

பொன்மணி ஆச்சுத டி.

13. பதியோர் நிலையில் பகர்மணி எல்லாம்

படிகம தாச்சுத டி - அம்மா

படிகம தாச்சுத டி.

14. ஏழ்நிலை மேலே இருந்ததோர் தம்பம்

இசைந்தபொற் றம்பம டி - அம்மா

இசைந்தபொற் றம்பம டி.

15. பொற்றம்பம் கண்டேறும் போதுநான் கண்ட

புதுமைஎன் சொல்வன டி - அம்மா

புதுமைஎன் சொல்வன டி.

16. ஏறும்போ தங்கே எதிர்ந்த வகைசொல

என்னள வல்லவ டி - அம்மா

என்னள வல்லவ டி.

17. ஆங்காங்கே சத்திகள் ஆயிரம் ஆயிரம்

ஆகவந் தார்கள டி - அம்மா

ஆகவந் தார்கள டி.

18. வந்து மயக்க மயங்காமல் நான்அருள்

வல்லபம் பெற்றன டி - அம்மா

வல்லபம் பெற்றன டி.

19. வல்லபத் தால்அந்த மாதம்பத் தேறி

மணிமுடி கண்டேன டி - அம்மா

மணிமுடி கண்டேன டி.

20. மணிமுடி மேலோர் கொடுமுடி நின்றது

மற்றது கண்டேன டி - அம்மா

மற்றது கண்டேன டி.

21. கொடுமுடி மேல்ஆயி ரத்தெட்டு மாற்றுப்பொற்

கோயில் இருந்தத டி - அம்மா

கோயில் இருந்தத டி.

22. கோயிலைக் கண்டங்கே கோபுர வாயிலில்

கூசாது சென்றன டி - அம்மா

கூசாது சென்றன டி.

23. கோபுர வாயிலுள் சத்திகள் சத்தர்கள்

கோடிபல் கோடிய டி - அம்மா

கோடிபல் கோடிய டி.

24. ஆங்கவர் வண்ணம்வெள் வண்ணம்செவ் வண்ணமுன்

ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி - அம்மா

ஐவண்ணம் ஆகும டி.

25. அங்கவ ரெல்லாம்இங் கார்இவர் என்னவும்

அப்பாலே சென்றன டி - அம்மா

அப்பாலே சென்றன டி.

26. அப்பாலே சென்றேன்அங் கோர்திரு வாயிலில்

ஐவர் இருந்தார டி - அம்மா

ஐவர் இருந்தார டி.

27. மற்றவர் நின்று வழிகாட்ட மேலோர்

மணிவாயில் உற்றேன டி - அம்மா

மணிவாயில் உற்றேன டி.

28. எண்ணும்அவ் வாயிலில் பெண்ணோ டாணாக

இருவர் இருந்தார டி - அம்மா

இருவர் இருந்தார டி.

29. அங்கவர் காட்ட அணுக்கத் திருவாயில்

அன்பொடு கண்டேன டி - அம்மா

அன்பொடு கண்டேன டி.

30. அத்திரு வாயிலில் ஆனந்த வல்லிஎன்

அம்மை இருந்தாள டி - அம்மா

அம்மை இருந்தாள டி.

31. அம்மையைக் கண்டேன் அவளருள் கொண்டேன்

அமுதமும் உண்டேன டி - அம்மா

அமுதமும் உண்டேன டி.

32. தாங்கும் அவளரு ளாலே நடராஜர்

சந்நிதி கண்டேன டி - அம்மா

சந்நிதி கண்டேன டி.

33. சந்நிதி யில்சென்று நான்பெற்ற பேறது

சாமி அறிவார டி - அம்மா

சாமி அறிவார டி.

34. ஆணிப்பொன் னம்பலத் தேகண்ட காட்சிகள்

அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி - அம்மா

அற்புதக் காட்சிய டி.