16467840 in the Path of the Sidhas English Revised Edition

8/8/2019 16467840 in the Path of the Sidhas English Revised Edition

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IN THE PATH OF THE

SIDHAS


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In The Path o f the Sidhas

Revised Edition 2009

Agathiyan Production House

Cover

Photograph of Sivalingam in a temple built by a Scottish rubber tycoon William Kellie Smith in Batu Gajah, Perak,Malaysia


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................ 7The Human Birth .......................................................................................................................... 7

The Longing for Liberation ........................................................................................................... 9Discipleship to an Illumined Teacher ..........................................................................................11Be Grateful..................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................17Sage Agathiyar ...........................................................................................................................17

On The Birth of Agathiyar ...................................................................................................18Saint Ramalingam ......................................................................................................................20

A Vision of Dematerialization of Ramalingas Living Body .................................................21Supramania Swami of Thiruvanamalai .......................................................................................24

Supramania Swami Sees the Light ....................................................................................24Supramania Swami Attains Samadhi .................................................................................25

CHAPTER 1 ....................................................................................................................................27Mysterious India ..........................................................................................................................27Reading the Nadi ........................................................................................................................27Performing Atonements ..............................................................................................................28My Maiden Pilgrimage to India ....................................................................................................29Departure ....................................................................................................................................29Arrival in Chennai .......................................................................................................................30Day 1 - Paying To See Lord Vengadasalapathi ..........................................................................30

Kalahasti ............................................................................................................................31Day 2 - Lord Nadarajah Draws Me at Egambareswarar Temple ................................................31

Thirutani .............................................................................................................................31Kanchipuram ......................................................................................................................32

Day 3 Vadalur and Sathya Gnana Sabha .................................................................................33Bhuvanagiri and the Birth Place of Saint Ragavendra .......................................................33Chidambaram and the Temple Of Thillai Nadarajah ..........................................................33Vaitheeswaram ..................................................................................................................34

Day 4 Thiruvenkadu and the Temple Of Buddhan ...................................................................34Keelaaperampalam and the Temple Of Kethu ...................................................................34Mayil Aduthurai ..................................................................................................................34Suryanar Temple................................................................................................................34Thiruvidaimarutur ...............................................................................................................35Kumbakonam-Swamimalai-Thiruvalanchuli .......................................................................35Rajarajacholans Famed Breehadeshwarar Temple in Tanjore ..........................................35Trichi and My Parikaarams ................................................................................................35

Day 5 Guided Tour At Thiruanaika From Hanuman? ...............................................................36Samayapuram Turaiyur ...................................................................................................37Meeting Rengaraja Desigar of Ongkara Kudil ....................................................................37Brahmaharti and Sangkalpa ...............................................................................................38

Day 6 Appeasing Saturn ..........................................................................................................38Day 7 Palani and Twilight Zone ...............................................................................................39Day 8 Revisiting My Roots .......................................................................................................40


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Viralimalai ..........................................................................................................................40Kundrakudi Pillaiyaar Patti ..............................................................................................41Vayalur ...............................................................................................................................41

Day 9 The Pinnacle of My Journey ..........................................................................................41Day 10 - A Chance Meeting with Supramania Swami Or Was It Ordained? ...............................43

Day 11 Returning Home - A Satisfied Pilgrim ..........................................................................47Day 12 Departure Day .............................................................................................................47CHAPTER 2 ....................................................................................................................................47

Sacred Moments With Gurus ......................................................................................................48Sacred Moments with Swami Nithyananda of Dhyanapeetam, Bangalore .................................48The Guru - Disciple Relationship ................................................................................................51Meeting My Second Guru, Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal ..........................................................52Reading the Nadi Again ..............................................................................................................61Seeing Swami Nithyananda Again ..............................................................................................64Tavayogi Visits My Home ...........................................................................................................66

CHAPTER 3 ....................................................................................................................................67

More Revelations in the Nadi ......................................................................................................67Sage Agathiyar Brings Forward My Trip to India ........................................................................67My Second Pilgrimage to India ...................................................................................................67Day 1 Starting the Pilgrimage with Saint Ragavendras Blessing ............................................67

Melmaruvathur Athi Parasakthi Temple .............................................................................67Yogi Ramsuratkumars Samadhi And Ashram ...................................................................68Supramania Swamis Hermitage ........................................................................................68Prayers with Supramania Swami .......................................................................................69

Day 2 Girivalam - A Second Time ............................................................................................70Thiruveragam Sri Ranganathar Temple .............................................................................70My Second Girivalam .........................................................................................................70

Day 3 Meeting Up With Tavayogi In Kallaru ............................................................................71Day 4 - In The Midst Of the Sidhas .............................................................................................72

Sivan Malai and Sivavakiyars Cave ..................................................................................72Uthiyur and Sage Konganars Cave ...................................................................................73Chennimalai and Sage Punakeeswarars Cave .................................................................75

Day 5 Meeting Other Swamis ..................................................................................................76Day 6 A Day in the Life of an Ashramite ..................................................................................77Day 7 A Day of Doing Charity ..................................................................................................78Day 8 - The Actual Journey Begins ............................................................................................79Day 9 - Sage Agathiyar Welcomes Us at Agastiyampalli ............................................................79

Sage Agathiyar Opens His Eyes ........................................................................................81Back at Breehadeshwarars Temple and Sage Karuvurars Shrine ....................................82Saraswathi Mahal...............................................................................................................83

Day 10 - Pothigai and Courtallam ...............................................................................................83Overnight In Sage Agathiyars Cave ..................................................................................85

Day 11 - Roaming the Jungles of Pothigai and Courtallam .........................................................86Lord Dhaksana Murthis Cave ............................................................................................87Saint Ramalingams Cave ..................................................................................................88Sage Agathiyar Opens His Eyes Again ..............................................................................89

Day 12 - Palani Amazes Me Again .............................................................................................91


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Marudamalai and Pampatti Sidhas Cave ..........................................................................92Back to Kallaru ...................................................................................................................92

Day 13 Another Day of Doing Charity ......................................................................................93Day 14 Another Day with Supramania Swami .........................................................................95Day 15 Annamalaiyar Up Close ...............................................................................................96

Accompanying Supramania Swami to Yogis Ashram, Ramana Maharashis Ashram andSeshadari Swamis Ashram ...............................................................................................96Day 16 Returning Home From a Pilgrimage of a Different Kind ...............................................97

CHAPTER 4 ....................................................................................................................................98After The Second Pilgrimage ......................................................................................................98Further Surprises in the Nadi ......................................................................................................98More Amazing Moments .............................................................................................................98Tavayogi and Me ......................................................................................................................100More Guidance through the Nadi ..............................................................................................102Guru Pooja for Sage Agathiyar .................................................................................................102Reading the Nadi Again ............................................................................................................103


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Now, there are many who may ask, "Why is there a need for these leaves and thissystem in the first place?" Well, the Sages stated that by the time man evolvedhimself to these modern times, his mind would have become so clouded by the

things of this world that he would have forgotten his true spiritual nature.Consequently, this astrological system was created to bring people to a memoryand realization of their true, divine nature.

The Sages also said, "That from the chaos of the modern times a yearning wouldrise within the heart of man to seek beyond the supposed limitations of this world."Thus, this system of truth was written by eighteen Sages for each individual souland shows the entire role of the soul from the beginning of time.

Thus, whoever is destined to look into the leaves will find their way to a Nadireader of their own accord. The very word Nadi in Tamil means, destined to come

on own accord.

Thus, the enlightened Sages were instrumental in chronicling spiritual informationonto these palm leaves for the benefit of humankind. Therefore, Nadi Astrology isa means to show us where wewent wrong in respect of our duties, why we areexperiencing the difficulties that we are having and offers a solution as to how toresolve these problems.

Furthermore, these ancient beings also set out to reveal a method by which eachsoul could discover the existence of God in this diverse universe. They knew that aDivine power existed, which was an infinite form of energy that existed in all

creation. Consequently, they set about putting into place the prescribed paths ofkarma and devotion so that all human beings could have a guiding light to realizetheir true spiritual natures.

The Sages recognized the oneness of both science and spirituality! And just asstudents of science today know that atoms are the basic unit of every substance,the ancient Sages recognized that the Divine was present as the atom in themicrocosm and as the largest of the large in the macrocosm. Thus, they believedthat if you could understand this concept of the atom, you could in turn,understand the unity within everything.

From Nadi Astrology: The Secrets of Life Revealed! By Annette MerleCleveland

http://www.alternativeapproaches.com/pnuke1/Article6.html


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PREFACE

THE HUMAN BEING is considered the highest amongst all beings. In Adi Sankaras words, hesays,

Only through god's grace may we obtain the three rarest gifts:human birth,the longing for liberation, anddiscipleship to an illumined teacher.1

The Human Birth

One needs to understand the reason for his or her birth as a human being. He needs to know themission that he has to accomplish in this world. He needs to prepare this body so that god isreceived into this body. God then resides in this body, in every cell and atom and brings changes tothis body. The changes take place internally, which slowly influences ones outer appearances,

thoughts, and the way one sees things.

Swami Muktananda in his book WHERE ARE YOU GOING? - A GUIDE TO THE SPIRITUALJOURNEY, published by SYDA Foundation, 1989, says,

1 In an article that I read some time ago, the author mentions, Adi Sankara having said, Onlythrough gods grace may we obtain the three rarest gifts: human birth, the longing for liberation,and discipleship to an illumined teacher (guru). Sankara is probably the greatest intellectual Indiahas produced. Although a staunch defender of jnana as the only way of liberation, he composedpoems, prayers and songs to the gods, principally Shiva. Perhaps his loveliest prayer is this one,Forgive me Shiva, my three great sins. I came on a pilgrimage to Kashmir forgetting that you areomnipresent; in thinking about you I forget that you are beyond thought, in praying to you I forgetthat you are beyond words.In another article, the author says, Shantideva, the eight century Indian saint wrote, these humanleisure, opportunities, and faculties are very rare to obtain and easily lost; if one squanders thechance to fulfill the aim of human life, how will such an opportunity arise again? Human birth is arare gift for only as a human can you are devoted to god, the creator. The body is the vehicle forlongevity, while the spirit is the vehicle for immortality. The soul yearns to be free, and through ourbecoming aware of this we undergo what the mystics call awakening where we then begin tocenter our life on a high spiritual ideal. A new aspiration is born in the soul, which frees the need ofa larger draught of air, a more expansive horizon, and which desires direct contact with theindefinite existence. In order to attain the highest illumination we all have to pass through a spiritualbirth. Man as a creature, brought into being out of nothing, certainly is at the mercy of his creator.Man as a spirit, by becoming spiritually conscious he can control his destiny. The self is not knownthrough the study of the scriptures, or through the subtlest intellect, or through much learning; buthe who longs for him knows him. He makes us dead to our own existence and alive to his own.God appears when the ego dies.


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For so many years, you have been living in the awareness I am an individual,and for this reason it is very difficult for you to immediately accept the awareness Iam god. You have been filling your mind with negative thoughts and feelingsabout other people and about yourself, thinking that you are small, that you areweak, that you are sinful. You have spent your life trapped in limited identification.

This is ego, the sense of limited individuality, which has trapped you forinnumerable lifetimes.

The Swami in THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, published by SYDA Foundation, 1985, quotesPoet Saint Kabir,

Kabir wrote, As long as I was looking for you, I did not see you. I went from doorto door knocking, yet none of the doors was yours. I looked for you on so manypaths, yet none of them led to your court. However, when I received Ramanandasgrace, when guru Ramananda erased me and I became completely pure, I sawthat you were behind me like my shadow. Wherever I went, you were there before

me.

Similarly, Sankara prays,

Forgive me Siva, my three great sins.I came on a pilgrimage to Kashmir forgetting that you are omnipresent;In thinking about you, I forget that you are beyond thought;In praying to you I forget that you are beyond words.

In QUIET MIND, FEARLESS HEART - THE TAOIST PATH THROUGH STRESS & SPIRITUALITYby Brian Luke Seaward, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken , New Jersey, 2005,

Teilhard de Chardin is quoted,

We are not humans having a spiritual experience. Instead, we are spirits having ahuman experience. ..earthly existence is enshrouded in many veils of illusion. Itis a brave soul on a noble adventure who attempts to lift these veils. .... If yourecognize that you are indeed a spirit on a human path, then every situation thatyou encounter will be a learning experience. This is how consciousness evolves.The drive that inspires the human journey is a desire to have this view of life - aclearer understanding of lifes mystery and role or purpose in it.

In GEMS FROM BHAGAVAN published by Sri Ramanasramam, 2002, Bhagavan Ramana says toa devotee, who was praying that she should have more frequent visions of Siva,

Surrender to Him and abide by His Will, whether He appears or disappears; awaitHis pleasure. If you ask Him to do as you like, it is not surrender but command toGod. You cannot have Him obey you and yet think you have surrendered. Heknows what is best and when and how to do it. His is the burden. You have nolonger any cares. All your cares are His. Such is surrender. That is bhakti.


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The Longing for Liberation

The body is needed to realize god. There is the common believe that the soul/ atma/ jivatma uniteswith god or paramatma after death of this body. However, Saint Ramalingam of Vadalur, SouthIndia (1823 -1874) says otherwise; there is no union with god after death. The union has to happen

right now in this body, in this very birth. The sidhas having experimented on themselves and withthe blessing and the guidance of god have proofed that this body of ours need not drop dead at theend of its lifespan. Sidhas are believed to be living until this day. Now how did they do it?

This yearning for liberation which leads eventually to the yearning for god realization appears whenone starts to consider all that is being seen, sensed, heard, touched and felt is not permanent. Onethen looks for THAT which is permanent. He then discovers from one, already on the path to godrealization that what he is searching for, that which is permanent, is the bliss that is derived throughdevotion to god and eventually in realization of god.

So can we know the very existence of god or of his nature at least?

In REINCARNATION: THE SOULS SECRET JOURNEY FROM ATMA The BhaktivedantaBook Trust, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is written,

At the time of death the soul is considered to enter a new body either immediatelyor after a lapse of time. Hindu texts mention that there are 840000 species of lifeforms beginning with the aquatics and culminating in the human.

All species are manifested in the early stages of cosmic creation, when the livingentities (souls) are impregnated within material nature. These indestructible andeternal souls gradually evolve through the different species or types of material

bodies, beginning with microbes and amoebas, rising through the fish, plants,insects, reptiles, birds and animals to the human and superhuman (demigods)species. So the evolution process is really an evolution of consciousness.

The different categories of material bodies (species) exist because there aremillions of categories of material desires. These different life forms are nothingmore than machines designed by the material energy to fulfill different materialdesires.

One has to remember and ponder over the blessedness that the human being hasgained for it is the human who is offered the chance to become free from the cycle

of birth and death and no other organism or living form. We should not fail to makeuse of this human birth or human form to find ways to break this cycle of birth anddeath and to achieve liberation.

We have to appreciate this very birth and take steps to be liberated in this verybirth for we might not get another chance to be born as a human for years tocome. One could descend into the lower species.


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Our entanglement in the material sphere is the result of an unending chain ofactions and reactions developed in this and previous human lives. This is known inSanskrit as karma, a law of nature analogous to the modern scientific principle ofaction and reaction.

Only the human species, however is subject to the subtle but exact law, for only inthe human form does one have advanced intelligence and freedom of choice. Inlower- than- human life forms the soul is covered by much grosser forms of mindand body; therefore the living beings within such bodies are totally under thecontrol of nature. Because beasts, microbes, insects, and plants do nothing morethan automatically serve their instincts, they are not held responsible for theiractivities. They do not incur karmic reactions.

In one human life, we can create sufficient karma to keep ourselves entangled inthe cycle of birth and death for thousands of lives. As human beings, we also havethe rare opportunity to become spiritually enlightened with transcendental

knowledge and the chance to break the endless cycle of reincarnation. The termreincarnation means that I am a spirit soul who has entered a body. However,there will be suffering. These sufferings include birth, death, old age, and disease.It can take many lives, or you can do it in one lifetime.

In THE ULTIMATE ANTIMATERIAL PARTICLE - FROM ATMA The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust,The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, is written,

The soul, known in Sanskrit as atma, being far more subtle than matter, enduresthe death experience without being harmed or injured. Nor is it subject to the lawsof birth, growth, and deterioration.

One personal form of god is the super soul dwelling within the hearts of all livingbeings; witnessing every thought and action awarding the living beings the resultof their karma, arranging for them to accept an appropriate physical body lifetimeafter lifetime.

One needs to recognize the true path. The path of the sidhas is where one cares for this body torealize this mission of receiving god in him or her and eventually merge with god. Therefore, forone who dies a mortal death, he has not accomplished this mission successfully i.e. he has failedin his mission. It is a sad day then. We should shed tears for him for not fulfilling gods wish. Godwishes everyone of his child to realize the truth that this body is immortal and take steps to prepareit to unite with him while still alive in this body. For one who has achieved this union we can rejoiceat his or her achievement.

Saint Ramalingam goes away from the normal explanation given where the soul unites with godupon death. It is usually thought that this union takes place eventually, with or without effort, thetime taken depending on the amount of effort directed towards it. However, Saint Ramalingam sayswe have to bring god into us. That means preparing this body to receive god and eventually placehim permanently in the various organs itself. That is the only way to remain alive and overcome


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death. If you do not drop death, you will not be born again. Saint Ramalingam did prove it bydematerializing and merging with god.

Saint Ramalingam had achieved this feat. He had prepared himself. He had purified his thoughts,and body. He had performed deeds that drove away ignorance and brought him merits. He had

yearned for god with utmost passion and god had to submit to him finally. God came into him; intohis body; into every cell and atom. Then changes started to take place in his body. Eventually hedematerialized into LIGHT and merged with god. It is amazing to know that he made it happen righthere and as recent as in 1874.

Let us recall the message of the worlds great upanishadic Sages, retold by SwamiSatprakashananda in his book MEDITATION - ITS PROCESS, PRACTICE, AND CULMINATION,published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai,

Death is not your final end.Do not give way to despair.

You are not destined to be subject to this play of dualities forever.There is the Supreme Being,The very perfection of existence,Which you can reach in this mortal life and where you can find life beyond deathand complete fulfillment of your ideal.Therein is the culmination of your knowledge,Therein is the consummation of your love,Therein is complete rest and therein dwells unruffled peace.There shines the light that never fails,And there abides joy unbounded.How can man reach that?Through this very life,By regulating this mortal life he can reach the immortal.

Discipleship to an Illumined Teacher

In a biography of Yogi Ramsuratkumar, YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR, THE GODCHILD OFTIRUVANNAMALAI by Truman Caylor Wadlington, the author writes,

The master (Swami Ramdas) knew the Truth and the Way and knew as well thatthere was nothing he could say to provide a short cut for the disciple (YogiRamsuratkumar). By the law of occult causation all progress on the path must bewon by the individual through personal effort. Thus, one who knows the waycannot speak; understanding that the aspirant constructs the path much like thespider spins its web out of its own being. In the relationship established betweenYogi Ramsuratkumar and Swami Ramdas, there was little philosophical thought orpractical guidance given. The rapport between the master and the disciple was onmuch subtler levels involving not so much principles of truth as the use of higherforces in bringing about actual transformation.


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Another paragraph in the same biography describes,

After lifetimes of seeking out worldly experiences, and understanding, a man turnshim back to the phenomenal worlds, and begins to search his inmost being in aneffort to realize the source of spirit from whence he sprang and to which he must

return. Gradually through the constant impact of dull and unadventurous lives, hebecomes insensitive to the vibrations of the outer physical worlds, within which heis a functioning entity. He becomes aware of the interior spiritual vibrations andproceeds to journey inward to the kingdom of the soul. The outer world loses itsdesirability whereas the formless spirit nature assumes paramount importance.The individual reoriented himself to the higher mind and thus begins to touch upongreater awareness. Yet with his sensitivity still in but an embryonic state, spiritualstruggle, hardships, and merciless trials of endurance assail him. The waters ofpurification crash down upon him, and threaten to carry him deep beneath thesurface of the waves. But with the advent of soul consciousness, he stabilizeshimself in spiritual life wherein he is responsive to the vibration of the subtler

realms and directed by the purposes of the soul.

The rapport between guru and disciple is on a much subtler level indeed, as mentioned by theauthor of the biography on the Yogi Ramsuratkumar, involving not so much principles of truth, butthe use of higher forces in this case the workings of the sidhas, in bringing about actualtransformation.

Ramsuratkumar once explained that some days all was clear to him, and he feltas if he was standing in the highest heaven, and he knew he was a son of god.While at other times he was dragged down from pure ecstasy into the depths ofabysmal gloom.

Swami Nithyananda of Dhyanapeetam, Bangalore too says,

No communication will happen here - only a deep communion between you andme.

The saints in Nithyanandas words,

Speak about something which cannot be spoken about.

He adds,

Spiritual knowledge is knowledge that is neither of the mind nor of the heart, butof your Being! It is just a deep understanding beyond logic, which can neither be


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taught nor picked. It can simply happen out of a deep communion at the beinglevel. 2

On the subject of subtle forces, it was said that Bhagawan Nithyananda of Ganeshpuri made asimilar statement towards the end of his life. It appears that there were many signs of his

impending passing but his devotees were mostly unaware of them. One-woman devotee properlyinterpreted some of the signs and was distraught to learn of his plans to depart. He said to her,Why are you crying? Do not cry. More is possible on the subtle than on the gross.

From the book DIVINE GRACE THROUGH TOTAL SELF-SURRENDER by D.C. Desai, BhagavanRamana read out the following quotations by Paul Brunton,

Divine Grace is a manifestation of the cosmic free will in operation. It can alter thecourse of events in a mysterious manner through its own unknown laws, which aresuperior to all natural laws, and can modify the latter by interaction. It is the mostpowerful force in the universe. It descends and acts only when it is invoked by total

self-surrender. It acts from within, because god resides in the Heart of all beings.Its whisper can be heard only in a mind purified by self-surrender and prayer. It isa descent of god into the souls zone of awareness. It is a visitation of forceunexpected and unpredictable. It is a voice spoken out of cosmic silence - It isCosmic Will which can perform authentic miracles under its own laws.

In truth, god and the guru are not different. Just as the prey, which has fallen intothe jaws of a tiger, has no escape, so those who have come within the ambit of thegurus gracious look will be saved by the guru and will not get lost; yet, each oneshould by his own effort pursue the path shown by god or guru and gain release.Each seeker after god should be allowed to go his own way, the way for which he

alone may be built (meant). It will not do to convert him to another path byviolence. The guru will go with the disciple in his own path and then gradually turnhim onto the Supreme path at the ripe moment.

Swami Muktananda in THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, published by SYDA Foundation, 1985,says,

2 Jon Kabat-Zinn in his book WHEREVER YOU GO THERE YOU ARE- MINDFULNESSMEDITATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE narrates a fairy tale The Water Of Life- from the GrimmBrothers collection and points out as follows, The point here is simply that it is useful at times toadmit to yourself that you dont know your way and to be open to help from unexpected places.Doing this makes available to you inner and outer energies and allies that arise out of your ownsoulfulness and selflessness,


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You will never hear the guru criticize you. Instead, when you are in his company, you willexperience your own divinity. You will never be found guilty in the gurus eyes. You will find in themonly the praise of your hidden inner god.

Be Grateful

G. Valmikanathan in his book MAKERS OF INDIAN LITERATURE-RAMALINGAM, published bySahitya Akademi (e-book at http://www.vallalar.org) traces Saint Ramalingams journey on thepathway to god dividing it into three portions,

journey on the purgative way,journey on the illuminative way,journey on the unitive way.

He explains further,

The purgative way is that part of the long path which, one treads towards thegodhead and in which one purges oneself of all desires and attachments, of allimperfections, of all acts of commission and omission of shortcomings inrenunciation, of shortcomings in the total love of god in the passion for theapprehension of the godhead.

The illuminative way is that part of the path, which comes after the purgative way,and in which one gains illumination, knowledge, and gnosis.

The unitive way is that part of the pathway in which the pilgrim marches on withbuoyant and joyous steps, filled with hope and freed from doubt or misconception.

The journey is characterized by a sense of urgency. The pilgrim, in this part of hisjourney, begins to walk fast, then breaks into a loping trot, finally, gallops on withincreasing tempo towards the beckoning smile and the outstretched arms, and issoon locked in an eternal embrace with the beloved, the eternal being, thegodhead, the ground of all being. The journey on the unitive way is composed ofseveral factors of experience. Recollection and quiet, contemplation, ecstasy andrapture, dark night of the soul, and unitive life.

Of these three sections of the pathway, the first is painful and dolorous, thesecond a strange mixture of sorrow and joy, the joy increasing in intensity asignorance is slowly replaced by illumination, and the last section of sheer delight,

of mounting bliss.

In QUIET MIND, FEARLESS HEART- THE TAOIST PATH THROUGH STRESS & SPIRITUALITYby Brian Luke Seaward, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005,Teilhard de Chardin says,

The path of human experience would be mighty crowded if everyone embarked atthe same time. Therefore, it makes sense that not only is there numerous paths,


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but we each move at a pace that is conducive for our own soul growth process.Brian describes what he calls seasons of the soul as follows.

We begin the centering process (autumn), where we leave the known of theexternal world and enter the unknown depths of the mind.

Next comes the emptying process (winter), a time of clearing and a cleansing ofthoughts and feelings that no longer serve us: this may involve some grieving.

As spring follows winter, so the grounding process follows the emptying process,a period in which new insights is gained to improve our quality of life.

The fourth season is the connecting process (summer), where we come backhome to share the wisdom we have learned and to celebrate the sacredconnectedness of life.

SIX DAYS TO TOTAL TRANSFORMATION, published by Nithyananda Publishersion, 2004, is abeautiful book. Swami Nithyananda has given explanations on the various chakras in the body in adifferent perspective. Swami Nithyananda associates the chakras with emotions, beliefs, andbehavior rather than with deities, color, and mantras as was the normal explanations by others.The emotions related to the chakras as described in his book are as follows:

Table 1: The Chakras and the Corresponding Emotions.

Chakra Locked By Unlocked By

Mulathara Imagination;

Expectation;Fantasy

Acceptance Of The Other;

Acceptance Of Reality;[Drop your expectations of others]

Swathisthana Fear;Especially Fear Of Death

Acceptance Of Death;[Drop your fears]

Manipura Worry Think Positive;[Drop your worries; Do not react]

Anahata Asking For Attention Selfless Love;[Drop your want of acceptance and need forapproval]

Visudhi Comparison AndJealousy

Realizing You Uniqueness;[Drop comparison]

Ajna Seriousness Innocence And Simplicity;[Drop your seriousness]

And Finally WhenYou Are At Sahasrara

Discontentment, TakingLife For Granted

Gratitude and bliss[Learn to show gratitude. This final stage is veryobvious in Saint Ramalingams ARUTPA wherehe sings songs of gratitude to LordArutperumjhoti]


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Saint Ramalingam started worshipping Lord Murugan at the Kandasamy (Kandakottam) temple inChennai and Thirutani, Lord Siva in Otriyore, and Lord Nadarajah in Chidambaram. Later hestarted the following establishments; the Sanmarga Sangam, the Sathya Dharma Salai where hefed the poor, envisioned and built the Sathya Gnana Sabai in Vadalur where he worshipped god inthe form of LIGHT and called Him Arutperunjhoti. He finally settled in Sithivalagam in Mettukupam

where he dematerialized.

All his songs have been compiled as the Thiru Arutpa. When one reads the songs one wouldrealize the amount of gratitude the Saint had poured forth.

Be Grateful.


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INTRODUCTION

Sage Agathiyar

The following is based on an article on Sage

Agathiyar SAGE AGASTHYA FOREMOST OFTHE SIDDHAS by Dr. Mandayam Kumar of theSiddha Medical Research Institute, Bangalore.

Dr Mandayam Kumar says, it was possible to find outdetails about Sage Agathiyar during the course ofliterary research on the Siddha medical sciences in aTamil manuscript written on palm leaves about 3,000years ago. The text is titled Prapancha Kaandam andruns into several volumes mentions the Dr. It isattributed to Lord Muruga. It was narrated by Sage

Agathiyar while recorded by Sage Pulasthiya. Theoriginal Tamil manuscript is in the care of Pandit S.Jayanari of Vellore says the Dr. The Dr providesinformation extracted from this work.

A Painting of Sage Agathiyar

Agathiyar Muni is considered to be the embodiment of one of the nine celestialintellectuals who came to this earth for enlightening human beings.

Siddhars are those who have attained perfection in yogic practices to ultimately reach the

stage of immortality. Through higher-level yogic practices they attain a state of ultraluminosity that results in invisibility; thus they remain impervious to ordinary vision.

Such siddhars work incessantly for the propagation of knowledge and the evolution ofsouls.

The Prapancha Kaandam commences with explanations about the origin of the earth andthe entire solar system. The earth is believed to be a fragment of the sun blown into spaceas a big ball of fire billions of years ago. This big fire globe, after spinning round and roundat a very high speed for innumerable length of time, began to cool on its surface.

During the course of its voyage from the sun through different gaseous spheres of highlyenergetic particles the earth being attracted and repelled by different planets of the solarsystem, acquired the energetic potencies of all the planets.

Later it gained a constant movement rotating on its own axis having its path around thesun. It is stated that the earth took its origin 200 billion years ago.

The Dr states that the world was not habitable having only land and water for half this period.


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Gradually vegetation began to appear as the earliest form of life on earth. Subsequentlyaquatic living creatures followed by insects, reptiles, birds and animals came upon; withthe last being humans.

Each species had its own genetic origin and human beings are considered the sixth in the

order of original creation. It is stated that planet earth is the only place for the survival andexistence of life in the entire solar system. As life began to exist time began to be counted.

The entire period was divided into yugas. The present Kali Yuga is stated to have startedfrom 3100 BC and may correspond to 14 March 3100 BC.

On The Birth of Agathiyar

The Dr. reveals for the first time the parental heritage of the Sage.

Sage Agathiyar was said to have been born about 4573 years prior to the commencement of Kali

Yuga at a place in Gujarat, in the early hours of Tuesday, 14 of February 7673 BC.

Belonging to the early Aryan race, his father Bhargava was well learned while his mother Indumathiwas from Punjab. They were both devotees of the Pasupatha order of the Sage Rishabha Muni.

Agathiyar had his early education in Gujarat. As his thirst for knowledge in particular on philosophy,yoga, medicine, and astronomy was immense, he traveled all over Kashmir, Tibet, China, Nepal,and Kailas in Manchuria. Mount Kailas was deemed to be in Manchuria those days.

He became a disciple of Sage Nandi and Sage Dhanvantri. He then traveled towards the south toCambodia and Malaya. In Cambodia, he established the very first of his many educational

institutions for the propagation of philosophy and science.

After establishing a similar institution and hospital in Malaya, he crossed the sea to the continent ofKumari Kandam. During Agathiyars time, Kumari Kandam occupied a vast area extending from thepresent day Sri Lanka to the Antarctic. Ravana, a great devotee of Lord Siva, ruled this continent.King Ravana gave away a portion of his kingdom to Agathiyar to establish more institutions. Theforemost of these institutions in this region was known as Arunodaya Giri or Meozone. HereAgathiyar practiced yoga and taught it to his large following of disciples. He then went back north toMalaya where he was betrothed to the kings daughter. He then ruled the kingdom of Vijayapuri.

He returned to Kumari Kandam where he met Lord Murugan in the form of Sage Kandan or

Supramaniar at Trikona Malai, present day Trincomali. At the hill station called Kadari Kama orKadhirgama, Lord Murugan imparted spiritual knowledge to Agathiyar.

In his meditation, he could see into the future. He could see impending calamities. As a result, hemoved to the North Pole considering it to be a save place. This period of his move to the Arctic wassaid to coincide with the end of the Dwapara Yuga placed at about 6580 BC. Just as he had seenof an impending calamity and had decided to move north, a tremendous explosion in the planet,Mars sends a piece of debris towards earth. This impact caused a great deluge on the earth.


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Significant portions of Kumari Kandam submerged into the Indian Ocean. Continental drift resultedin the present day arrangement of this region.

After the great flood Kailas was no more but instead the Himalayan mountain range had emergedin North India.

Amidst all this geographical changes says the Dr, Sage Agathiyar went seeking for a place thatwould not be affected by future calamities.

He located a mountain range in South India. This is the present day Courtallam. This spot is said tobe the safest place and free from any future catastrophes. Here Agathiyar met Lord Siva and Umain the form of Dhakshina Murthi and Shenbaga Devi. The spot where the meeting took placebetween Dhakshina Murthi, Shenbaga Devi, Lord Murugan, and Agathiyar was Mahadeva Giri.This meeting also signified the commencement of Kali Yuga.

Other Sages then started coming to Mahadeva Giri. Lord Dhakshina Murthi revived the knowledge

of the Vedas and instructed these Sages to propagate this knowledge at the appropriate mannerand time for the benefit of humanity. The imparting of this knowledge was said to have taken placeon the 21st day of the Tamil month of Kartigai, during the eleventh year, Eswara Samvatsara, ofKali Yuga. Agathiyar gave much importance to this day. All his dating was reckoned from this day.

The Sages recorded their knowledge on palm leaves after extensive discussions held in AlaganKulam and presented them to Lord Dhakshina Murthi for his perusal. This included the 64 kinds oflearning, 18 Puranas, 96 Tatvas, and 48 branches of scientific knowledge. The entire literature inTamil came to be called Sidha Veda. It was then translated into the four existing languages of thatperiod vis Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew, and Chinese.

Sage Agathiyar on the instruction of Lord Murugan originated the Tamil language. Sage Bhogarfrom China, Sage Thaeraiyar from Malaya, Sage Yugimuni from Kerala, Sage Pulipani from KanthaMalai, Sage Pulathiyan, and Sage Kapiyan all served Agathiyar. A conference of sidhas calledSidhar Sabai was held during the 53rdyear, Sidharti Samvatsara, of Kali Yuga at Courtallam.

An institution known as Sidhar Gnana Koodam was inaugurated by Lord Murugan and was headedby Agathiyar. Sage Pulathiyan and Sage Kapiyan headed the literary section while Sage Pulipaniin research. Sage Thaeraiyar who was into surgery headed a medical research centre establishedat Thorana Malai. Sage Yugimuni who was into herbal medicines headed an Ayurvedic hospital atParadesi Kundai. Sage Bhogar who was in charge of all scientific researches established analchemy research centre at Thiruparankundram. Sage Pambatti Sidhar was heading a teamresearching venom at Marudamalai.

After having established these institutions Agathiyar again started on an extensive mission ofpropagating the wealth of knowledge gained by these sidhas in Tibet, Manchuria, Egypt, Palestine,Rome, America, Africa, Malaya and the Arab world.

After satisfactorily completing their mission of propagating the said teachings the Sages went intoSamadhi merging themselves into the cosmos. Sage Kandan went into Samadhi in Thorana Malai,


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Sage Bhogar in Palani, Sage Thaeraiyar, Sage Pulipani and Sage Yugimuni in Kantha Malai, andSage Agathiyar himself choose to come back to Courtallam. He chose a spot called DhakshinaMeru in the Pothigai Hills. This spot is also the abode of Lord Siva as Dhakshina Murthi.

Saint Ramalingam

Marshall Govindan in his book BABAJI ANDTHE TRADITION OF THE 18 SIDHARS(Govindan, Marshall, Babaji and the EighteenSiddha Kriya Yoga Tradition, 1991, KRIYAYOGA PUBLICATIONS (REG), 196 MountainRoad, P.O.Box 90, Eastman, Quebec,Canada, JOE 1PO, http://www.babaji.ca/,reproduced with permission via e-mail), says,

In 1867, Saint Ramalingam founded a house

of charity to feed the poor and extendhospitality to travelers and indigent old personsin Vadalur. His mission in Vadalur has fed thepoor on an extensive scale everyday for thepast 132 years. The missions kitchen fire hasnot gone out since it was lighted in 1870.

Saint Ramalingam as depicted in the movie Arutperunjhoti

In 1870 Saint Ramalingam moved into a small hut in the hamlet of Mettukuppam, aboutthree miles south of Vadalur. This hut is known as the Sacred Mansion of the Miracle

(Sithivalagam Thirumaligai).

In 1871, he requested his disciples to conduct a temple of wisdom designed by him. Theydid it within six months. It was inaugurated on January 25, 1872. It has a unique design,which in its form explains symbolically the process of self-realization as experienced byRamalinga. Seven curtains representing human passion and ignorance conceal an eternallight and various inner spaces within. Beyond all these curtains stand a glass box, five feethigh, representing the purity of the soul, and within it there burns an eternal flame, whichrepresents the soul in its true splendor, merged with supreme grace light (Arutperumjhoti).

Towards the end of 1873, he placed outside the door of his room (in Sithivalagam

Thirumaligai) the oil lamp that Ramalinga had been using inside. He asked his disciples toworship it and keep it burning forever. He asked them to imagine the supreme grace lightmanifested in it and to pray to Him for grace. He issued instructions to his disciples thatexcept for the burning of camphor, no ritual be performed. Devotees should pray silently,filled with love of god. And enter into ecstasy.

On the auspicious day of January 30, 1874 at the age of 50, Ramalinga wrote andreleased to his devotees the following statement: My beloved ones! I have to be out of


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your sight for a time. Do not worry. Keep the light of the lamp (gnana deepam) burningforever. Imagine that god is there and worship the light. You will be amply rewarded. I amin the body now and after a while; I shall enter into all the bodies of His creation. Close thedoor and lock it from outside. The room, if ordered to be opened, will only be void.Ramalinga then shut himself up in his room in the Sithivalagam hut. Later that night as the

devotees outside the room were chanting suddenly a flash of violet light emanated fromRamalingams room, signaling the merger of Ramalinga into all the bodies of HIS creation.For when the room was eventually opened, it was found to be empty. Ramalinga haddisappeared without a trace. It has been said that Saint Ramalingam on his final day hadentered a room in Sithivalagam in Mettukupam. He asked that his followers lock the doorfrom the outside. On opening the door, at the directive from government officials, the roomwas found to be empty. It was also said that the Saint had become light (jhoti). The sainthad mentioned to his followers that they would find nothing, as he would dematerialize ineach being from that moment on.

An article in the website http://www.ramalinga.com states that Mother Mira had seen, during her

meditation, the happenings that took place on that Friday night when Saint Ramalingam attainedthe Jhoti in Sithivalagam. This is indeed a rare account of the mystery behind Saint Ramalinga'sdisappearance.

A Vision of Dematerialization of Ramalingas Living BodyBy Gangadharan, a disciple of Mother Mira Alfassa (aid of Sri Aurobindo of Pondicherry).

Mother Mira said that Saint Ramalinga had achieved the Mukti.

On the first day of the Tamil month of Thai (14-1-1978) I had a continuous vision in myusual meditation in the night: the vision of dematerialization of the physical body of Swami

Ramalinga into and as the Truth-Light of Supreme Grace which contains or possesses initself Supreme Compassion and Bliss of Grace.

Though I have had occasions to ascend into and remain for sometime in the Truth-Worldof Grace-Light wherefrom I could see the earth as part of the universe, the said Visioncame to me when my consciousness was on the earth itself.

To begin with, I sensed an ineffable Silence and Peace prevailing everywhere and I heardcontinuously Para Nada, the mysterious divine Sound. Then the Vision broke out.

A small village was seen in its simple and beautiful surroundings. There was the concrete

Presence of the Supreme and Universal Divine with the beautiful Truth-Light of Grace andFragrance, which enriched the place all the more and enraptured my heart with everincreasing aspiration for Grace. At the center of the village was seen a small house. SweetFragrance of Grace radiated everywhere from the house.

Vallalar (Swami Ramalinga) was seen entering the house. His face was calm andpeaceful. His whole body was radiating the Light of Grace. Besides, his body was of silkenor light golden shining color. He stepped into his room, closed the doors, and bolted inside.


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At that time there was the Concrete Presence of the Supreme and Universal Divine in theroom. The Presence could be sensed even physically and even by the born-blind. Therewas also Silence, Peace, Fragrance, and the Light of Grace due to the Presence.

Vallalar sat on a white cloth spread on a low wooden plank and began to concentrate. In

that poise, he was seen as a Mountain of Truth-Knowledge with the Truth-Light of Graceand Peace and Fire of Tapas. He was verily a supreme form of the Divine. Flood of Lightwas radiating from his pure and luminous body into all the directions.

Supreme Grace, Supreme Compassion, and the Light of Grace are expressive of thesecret truth that they hold the key for transformation of physical body into the deathlessphysical body of Grace in its eternal youthfulness. One has to live in the depth of theocean of blissful Grace-Light for being transformed into the divine nature and as the divinebody.

The intensity of the flood of Light that radiated from his whole body was very powerful and

one shall have the strength and capacity to bear and receive it. My whole body vibratedwith a joy and pleasantness because of the Vision of Light of his body.

After sometime of concentration, he rose up and saw the physical sky. Full moon wasshedding its blissful cool rays over the earth. A little distance away from the moon wasseen a very bright dazzling star of Light. Ramalinga poured his concentrated gaze at it forsome time. He became enraptured with blissful joy in the heart, which radiated on his face.A little time thereafter, he again sat on the white seat of the plank and entered into deepconcentration.

Though Ramalinga was inside the closed and bolted room, he could see clearly the whole

universe with its tiers of many worlds of mind, life and the physical including the physicalearth and sky with its moon, stars and clouds.

When he was thus absorbed in deep concentration, an effulgent Truth-Light of Gracebroke out from his heart and with its unique Heat began to burn his radiant physical bodyvery slowly, as at a snail's speed, and that in an upward direction, from the heart towardsthe head. The burning of the body may be somewhat likened to that of an incense-stickwhich however burns downwards by its inner heat of fire, forming ash covering but withoutthe falling down of the ash-form. When the upper part of his radiant body was burntcompletely from heart to head, there was left in its place a form of pure white Substance,which also radiated its Light of Consciousness. The burnt part, however, showed all itsfeatures intact and clearly and even the burnt hair of his head was seen distinctly asluminous white hair. Then the Heat of the pure Light of Grace descended to burn the lowerpart.

After the whole body was thus burnt, Ramalinga was seen as a bodily form of pure whitesubstance from head to foot, radiating its Light. The white form kept intact all the differentkinds of cells of his body and all the distinctive features and formations of his interior andexterior body. His bodily form did not shrink in size after the burning. I saw no visible flame


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nor sensed its heat during the burning of his living body, nor smoke, nor any bad smell asof burnt tissues, nor heard any cracking noise as of burnt bones. Instead, there was asweet Fragrance since the time his body began to burn and it spread everywhere. I sensedin my heart an ineffable Calmness and Silence, which gave me in turn a state of Bliss.

Now a second stage of burning began. The unique Heat of Grace-Light began to burnslowly Ramalinga's luminous Form of White Substance from head to foot downwards.When his white Substance-Form full of its radiating Light, was thus burnt completely, thewhite Substance became very fine sub-atomic conscious particles, which permeated andpervaded the entire universe and the farther pure worlds of consciousness beyond. Thefine, white and conscious particles with its radiating Light also entered into and gotdistributed everywhere in the earth and even in matter and in the Inconscient. After theuniversal pervasive distribution of the particles, they could be seen no more anddisappeared from my sight. Now there pervaded everywhere the sweet, soft and fineFragrance of Camphor which gave my body a blissful sensation and enraptured my heartas well.

Then I had the rare vision of Ramalinga's universal luminous golden Form. In fact, theimmensity of his golden form contained in it the whole universe. This form too disappearedfrom my view and was replaced by another vision in which I saw the Golden Light of Truth-Knowledge and Grace entering into all the directions more speedily than the lightning. Itpermeated and pervaded the whole universe and the farther pure worlds ofConsciousness. It entered into our earth and all its crores of the physical forms of beingsand objects and in the apparently insensible matter and even in the very dark realm of thevast in conscience. All the forms that were permeated by the Golden Light of Truthchanged into golden forms of beings and objects. The Golden Light entered into my wholeadhara including the physical body. My body felt in all the cells vibrations of ease andpleasantness.

Then I heard some words of Grace. However, they were indistinctly heard and could notbe deciphered, as I was absorbed in a rapture of Bliss due to the sublime vision andexperiences. Thus, the Vision lasted an hour of time and ended.

The visible physical light is the concrete symbol of the Vast Truth-Light of Grace, which isthe source of all lights. Camphor is verily a solid form or symbol of that Light. Ramalinga'ssoul is inseparable from the conscious white particles of Substance, which he has become,and pervading distributed everywhere. When the Supreme Truth-consciousness manifestsin the physical world, it becomes the golden Light of Grace. The golden Light of Grace willpurify and transform man and the physical body too will become deathless physical Truth-body, and the Sanmarga of Truth, Purity, and Goodness shall prevail on the earth. AsAnma realizes the pure Spirits, the body too shall realize its truth as the true body of theSpirit.


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Supramania Swami of Thiruvanamalai

Supramania Swami's grandfather, Thuraisamy Pillaiwas born in Ladhavaram near Thiruvanamalai. Heworked as an Accountant at the Arunachaleswarar

Temple in Thiruvanamalai. His father, Jayaram was ateacher in Reddi Kuppam, Anaikoyil. Swami was bornon Monday, 17 July 1943, at the Thirutani Murugantemple grounds.

Swami lost his memory as a teenager and roamed thestreets curing the public of their illness, with vibhuti,panjamirtham, and kunkumam that he produced out ofsand. During this period, he indicated the site where avel was buried. He kept that vel. Finally, a strangerwoman gave him milk and rice that eventually brought

him to his senses.

Swami sold flowers to devotees at Thiruchendur to earnmoney to support his mother. For seven years, hepulled the chariot of Lord Murugan at Thiruchendurwearing spiked sandals and hooks on his back. He hadadorned the costume of Lord Murugan and acted out indance dramas too. Once when chopping down a kallitree, the milk from the tree got into his eyes and blindedhim. The politician MU.Karunanidhi who wasundergoing treatment in Madras at that time sponsored

towards the cost (Rs 950,000) of operation on Swami'seyes. He was married at the age of 31. Swami who wasgood in astrology predicted the future for those whocame in search.

Supramania Swami of Thiruvanamalai

Supramania Swami Sees the Light

I could not get through to Supramania Swami for some time now. This evening there was someonetrying to call me on my phone numerous times. However, each time we answered the line went

dead or disengaged. I then thought if it could be Swami trying to get through. When I called heanswered. Finally, I manage to get in touch with him after a long absence. I have not forgottenyou, he said. How can I forget you; you have given me a place to stay, referring to the kudil thatwe had built for him. You have been my son in the past birth, he said. He asks that I meditate. Heblessed me. Then he said, I am seeing the jhoti. At times, it stays on for half an hour. My time isnearing. Ask Ramesh - referring to the nadi reader - to see when my day will come so that I cansend you word and you can be present. I cried like a child.


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He told me he wanted to start a fast where he would not speak to anyone and survive on fruits andmilk beginning on 31 January 2007 for a forty-eight day period. The day he chose to start the fastwould be the eve of the day that Saint Ramalingam vanished into light.

I called Swami on 3 February 2007. He was already observing the fast. However, he spoke to me.

When I apologized for calling him and making him break his fast, he replied, No harm done. I shalltalk to you. He told me he had started the fast on wheat porridge, chapatti, and milk since the lastfull moon day, 1 February 2007 and would end his fast on Pangguni Uttiram day a fast that wouldlast 60 days. He did not speak to anyone, only writing out on paper if required.

He told me I am letting loose of my senses. He asks me to meditate and be focused. He asks that Igather some funds from Thayalan and his father so that he could feed a thousand devotees whenhis fasts end on 1 April 2007.

Supramania Swami Attains Samadhi

8 February 2007 Mages calls me in office at 3.40 pm to inform she had received a call fromThiruvanamalai. Supramania Swamis wife was crying over the phone saying, I have to tellSwamis wish that was not fulfilled". Mages asked me whether Swami had gone into Samadhi.

I called Thiruvanamalai. Swamis wife broke down and cried. I consoled her that we should behappy Swami had seen the Jhoti. Swami passed away at 10.20 am, 7 February 2007. Oncomplaining of chest pain, he was taken to the clinic and later referred to the general hospital. Theyfound nothing wrong with him and sent him home. Back at the kudil, he went into Samadhi andpassed away. His son, Ramajayam who was a driver to another Swami in Thiruvanamalai informedhis employer who arrived to assist. Twenty sadhus came forward to conduct Swamis last rites. Noone cried. Only songs of praise to God were heard. The sadhus took his body to the vicinity of

Ramana Maharishis ashram and Easanya lingam where he was laid to rest the same day.

When I was with him in his kudil, he mentioned to me he would like to be laid to rests in the spotwhere he had his altar in the kudil. Therefore, when I was informed by Ramajayam that he was laidin another spot and not in the kudil that he longed for, I was disappointed.

That weekend Ramesh calls me over to have the nadi read. To my surprise, Sage Agathiyarreveals that the spot chosen by the sadhus at the foothills of Thiruvanamalai for SupramaniaSwami's burial was indeed a very auspicious spot. The Sage conforms that it was true SupramaniaSwami had indeed gone into Samadhi. He shall gain fame. Devotees will gain by visiting hisSamadhi, including you too, the Sage tells me. The Sage adds further, You have chosen a true

guru. This was the right moment for him to go into Samadhi. The Sage instructs me, When theopportunity comes for you to travel to India, place a garland of flowers on his Samadhi. Do prayers,and meditate and feed the poor too.

Swamis wish was to have him buried in a pit with specific dimensions, and filled with camphor andvibhuthi as instructed to his son, all to be done within eight hours of his expiry, and have a smalltemple erected above his Samadhi. Ramajayam wanted to put up a lingam and built a small shrinebut was advised against it by some sadhus.


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Swami being an astrologer told me when I visited him last in 2005 that he would pass away whenhe was 65 years of age and that coincided with 2007. Ramajayam tells me later that they comeacross Swamis diary where he had written down the date and time of his demise. This entry wasdone on 23 May 2005. Swami also had mentioned in the diary that he wanted his body to be buriedwithin eight hours of passing away. He had also written down how to attend to his body.

Supramania Swami went into Samadhi on 7 February 2007 at Thiruvanamalai. He leaves behind awife and four children. Swami's Samadhi is at the foothills of Thiruvanamalai adjacent to BhagawanSri Ramana's Ashram. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham, Kallaru isestablishing a Peedham for Sage Agathiyar in the kudil that was put up with donations by devoteesin Malaysia. Prayers, meditation, and yoga shall be held here in the future.


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CHAPTER 1

Mysterious India

Reading the Nadi

Sivabalan of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, remembers how as a six year old, he was dragged by hisuncle to the Vaitheeswaran Temple in India to have his nadi read. When the readers refused toread for a young child of that age, his uncle insisted that they do so.

Over the years his uncle who used to collect fingerprints of relatives and friends and have theirnadi read in India, decided to bring these nadi readers to Malaysia instead. Following in thefootsteps of his uncle Sivabalan brought in Sentilkumar from India to read the nadi.

On 27 November 2002, Sentilkumar searched for the nadi pertaining to events and personalities inmy lifetime. There was one that I thought was mine. That nadi revealed the father's name, mother's

name, having seven siblings, having a government job, another sibling having a government jobtoo, and owning a home. However, the wifes name was read as Manohari. All other details exceptmy wifes name were true. It puzzled me. So was there another individual somewhere with thesesimilar descriptions living with a wife called Manohari? After looking through three bundles, andquestioning me for a sometime, Sentilkumar could not locate a reading that described me. I wasasked to come back in two weeks time for he could only look through a maximum of three numbersof bundles at any one particular time.3

On 11 December 2002, going through the same pace and trend of questioning, Sentilkumar foundthe relevant, appropriate, and corresponding nadi in the very first bundle itself. I was astonishedthe nadi could reveal the following: my fathers name, my mother who had two names, that I had

seven siblings, I had a government job related to a technical field, one of my sisters was also in thegovernment, and one of my brothers had bethrowed someone outside our religion. I agreed it wasmine. I was told to come back for the full reading of the nadi another day.

On 14 December 2002, the actual reading of that particular nadi took place. I was bothapprehensive and eager not knowing what was in store for me. I sat in awe as the nadi was read tome. Four out of sixteen chapters were read out. They were the Podhu Kaandam, Karma Kaandam,Parikaara Kaandam, and Gnana Kaandam. I was told Sage Agathiyar wrote it.

The Podhu Kaandam mentioned about me, my family, my career, and what to expect until my lastdays.

3 The readers have their codes and ethics too.


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According to the Karma Kaandam, I was a Brahmin priests in Kerala, India in my former birth.4

The Sage mentions I had hurt many people then, and as a result, I had to take this birth. TheParikaara Kaandam told me to worship Lord Vinayagar for forty-eight days. I was told chanting theLords Moola Mantra would help reduce the evil effects of my karma. I was asked to worship the

sidhas and Lord Siva too.

Generally the first (Pothu Kaandam), 13th (Karma Kaandam) and 14th (ParikaaranKaandam) areread for all seekers. Sivabalan requested that I see the ninth Kaandam, Gnana Kaandam too. Iwas told the Gnana Kaandam was not available to everyone. Sivabalan told me to give it a try.There was a Gnana Kaandam for me. I had this kaandam read to me. It dictated my spiritual path.According to the Gnana Kaandam reading, I had to worship Lord Siva, Lord Vinayagar, SageAgathiyar, and the eighteen sidhas. According to the ancient writings in these palm leaves, I havethe blessings of the eighteen sidhas, the rishis, and gnanis too.

The worship of sidhas was something new. I knew who Sage Agathiyar was, having seen the Tamil

movie on him - Agathiyar. However, who were the rests of the sidhas? I asked of Sentilkumar if hecould elaborate on the prayers for these sidhas. He immediately gave me a booklet on the worshipof sidhas SRIDHAR POTRI PAADALGAL5.

Sivabalan gave me a painting of Sage Agathiyar to aid in my prayers.

Performing Atonements

One of the atonements or parikaaram was nadiku dhaanam, which was paying homage to theauthors of the nadi the sidhas.

On 19 December 2002, I delivered the following to Sentilkumar: a vesti, tundu, sari, sweets, threevarieties of flowers, and an amount of RM308 as was mentioned in the nadi. Sentilkumarperformed archana to the 131 sidhas beginning with Sage Agathiyar with the flowers I had brought.Sentilkumar sang the hymns while I submitted flowers to Sage Agathiyars feet. Sentilkumar thenblessed me with a verse from the Sivapuranam- Namashivaya Vazhga Naathanthan Vazhga EmaiPoluthum Neengathan Thaal Vazhga. He handed me a leaflet informing that his father and he were

4 Astrologer Dr Krishnan did mention that I could possibly have been a priest or a medicine man inthe last birth.

5 When I invited my guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal to my home in 2005, Tavayogi read a fewsongs from a similar booklet and he mentioned that he had compiled the songs and publishedthem. Only then did I realize that Tavayogi had already come into my life much earlier in the formof this booklet.


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in the midst of building a temple for Sage Agathiyar in Kallaru near Ooti, South India in associationwith a saint named Taiveedu Thangarasan.6

I had to do parikaaram at a Siva temple and a Murugan temple. It was stipulated in the nadi theSiva temple had to be one on a hilltop. On 1 Jan 2003, I went over to Jalan Gasing Siva temple in

Petaling Jaya. I did prayers and distributed food to the devotees. I presented three sets of offeringsto the Brahmin priests at this temple.

A group from the Agathiyar Sanmarga Sangam in Dengkil, who where collecting donations,stopped me at the entrance to this temple as I stepped out. This society was affiliated to the onerun by Tavatiru Rengaraja Desigar of Ongkaara Kudil in Turaiyur, South India. I was given a VCDon the swamis spiritual discourse at the grounds of the Siva temple.

On 29 December 2002, I did prayers and lighted the ghee oil at the Murugan temple in Batu Caves.

My Maiden Pilgrimage to India

I was asked to perform a pilgrimage to India by Sage Agathiyar. I was to conduct prayers andobligations at Utamar temple, Palur Sani temple, and Thiruanaika temple, all in Trichi according toKarma Parikaara Kaandam.

I had to pray at the five elemental temples of Lord Siva, namely Kalahasti temple in AndhraPradesh, Egambareswarar temple in Kanchipuram, Nadarajah temple in Chidambaram,Thiruanaika temple in Trichi, and Arunachaleswarer temple in Thiruvanamalai. I was instructed togo around the sacred hill of Thiruvanamalai during a full moon.

I was also instructed to go to Palani Murugan temple. This was stipulated in the Gnana Kaandam.

Prior to seeing the nadi, I had neither idea nor intention to go to India.

Departure

I planned to go in December 2003 for the festival Kartigai Deepam but opted to go earlier, since thecrowd would be tremendous during the Deepam festival. Then I planned to go in April, but mybrother advised against it, as it would be hot then. Gowrisan from my office was back from Indiaand confirmed it was hot during this season. Therefore, I planned for September as was suggestedby my brother. I finally left for India on 31 August 2003. I was there from 31 August to 13September 2003.

6 Never did I imagine that I would be seeing the Swami in the leaflet Tavayogi ThangarasanAdigal in the years to come and that, he would be my guru.


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I checked in at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 10.30 pm on 31 August 2003. The planetook off at 11.15 pm. Surprisingly, Dhanu from Andhra whom I became acquainted with on boardthe plane sat beside me, started talking about his guru, Swami Ramachandra and his mastersmaster or Paramaguru and his mission in Chennai.

We chat all the way to Chennai.

Arrival in Chennai

On arrival at Meenambakkam Airport in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Devendran - my appointeddriver - was waiting on me. He spotted me correctly. I spotted the name card he was carrying. Hetells me later that another driver Raji was to fetch and accompany me throughout my journey inIndia but he had taken ill suddenly.7

Dhaksana Murthi, my travel agent in Malaysia, was waiting for my arrival at the Sindoori Hotel inChennai. He tells me Vinayagar Chaturthi, the day I traveled to India, was an auspicious day to

travel, as it was customary for Indians to plan travel on this Vinayagar Chaturthi day.

Day 1 - Paying To See Lord Vengadasalapathi

I started the day having breakfast with Dhaksana Murthy opposite the hotel. After exchanging thecurrency I had brought with me, I dropped him off at the local bus depot at Egmore. I left forThirumalai Vengadesa temple in Thirupati, Andra Pradesh at 9.30 am.

I reached the Andra border at 12 noon. As Devendran was getting the papers sorted at the securitypost to enter the state of Andra, I spotted a sadhu walking towards the car. On approaching me, hestood by my open window. He began chanting Lord Murugans name. I gave him some money,

which he happily accepted and walked back to a tent pitched up some distance away along theroad. Further up along the road a small group of devotees stopped our car and asked for donationsfor the Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations. I gave them some money too. At the entrance to theThirupati temple at the foothill, the security guards collected entrance fees to drive up to the top ofthe hill temple.

At 2.30 pm, I was at Varasidhi Vinayagar Temple at the foothills of Thirumalai. I reached the hilltoptemple at 3.10 pm. I paid 1000 Rs for the special passes that Devendran purchased to have adarshan of Thirupathi Vengadesa. What happens when you pay is that you cut the existing queueand waiting time. Yet I had to wait in a line for 1 hours before I had a view of Lord Vengadesa. Iwas told if you do not pay, it could take days to see the Lord. Devendran and I started queuing up

7 The switch was all for a purpose, for Devendran was destined to take me to meet my first guru,Supramania Swami later.


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at 3.30 pm and the Lords audience was over at 5 pm. It was a beautiful darshan although only fora few moments.8

Kalahasti

I left for Kalahasti, also in Andra Pradesh at 6 pm reaching the hotel at 7.45 pm. After checking in, Iwalked to the Kalahasteeswarer temple nearby. Devendran accompanied me. I did archana at LordSiva & Goddess Parvathis shrine. This was one of the Pancha Bootha Stalam of Lord Siva that Iwas asked to visit.

That night I broke down in tears at the hotel room. I suddenly felt alone. Here was I heeding SageAgathiyars words and made this trip. So where was HE?

I was also disturbed. Had I to pay at each temple for entrance fees, parking fees, fees for specialqueues, etc? Why did we need to pay to see the Gods? Only then did I realize how easy it was topray at the temples in Malaysia. It was free of charge. Was this how it was going to be for the rests

of my journey?

Day 2 - Lord Nadarajah Draws Me at Egambareswarar Temple

The next day, 2 September 2003, I visited the Kalahasteeswarer temple again, this time alone. Iwas there from 6 am to 8 am. When I decided to return to the hotel, I came round the templecomplex a couple of times looking for the exit only to find one exit which was not similar to the one Ihad used to come in. I was pretty sure I had come in through another entrance. I asked the securityguard but he told me this entrance was the only way in and out of the temple complex. Eventuallyas I stepped out into the open through that exit, I realized he was right and that I was disorientated.It was almost 8 am now and Devendran had begun to worry about me, as he did not find me in my

hotel room. In the daylight, I noticed a flight of steps up a hill behind the temple and a shrine at thepeak of this hillock. The hunter turned saint, Vedan Kanappa had paid homage to Lord Sivathroughout the night unknowingly throwing down petals of the Vilva tree, onto a Sivalingam; leavesthat he plucked off the tree he had perched on for the night. The hotel aid told me this was the spotwhere a king was driven ashore at the height of the great flood and was the starting point ofhumanity.

Thirutani

At 8.15 am, I left for Thirutani reaching Thirutani Murugan temple at 10.20 am. Darshan was onlypossible at 11.10 am since the temple was closed to public for a special prayer. We queued up and

8 My nephew Thayalan who visited India later tells me he had to wait three hours to get the Lordsdarshan.


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waited. On opening, Devendran accompanied me into the temple. I did vilva archana at LordMurugans sanctum. Saint Ramalingam had sung numerous hymns on Lord Murugan in Thirutani.9

At 11.50 am I started for Kanchipuram reaching the town at 1 pm. Devendran convinced me to takea tour of the cottage industries of Kanchipuram. I witnessed how silk saris were weaved while

waiting for the temples to be reopened to the public at 4 pm.10

Upon coming out from the shop we realized the car had a puncture. Devendran got busy replacingthe tyre.

Kanchipuram

Dhaksana Murthy and the local tour agent in India Mahendren came over to my hotel at 4.15 pm.

At 5.30 pm, I was at the Kanchi Kamatchi temple with Dhaksana Murthi and Mahendren. Therewas a slight drizzle as we came round the temple grounds. I had a beautiful view of Her. She was

extremely beautiful.

Later Devendran and Mahendren dropped me at the Egambareswarar temple. This was another ofthe Pancha Stalam that I had to see. The main sanctum was packed with people doing specialprayers and was extremely noisy. As I came round the temple, there was a huge chamber on myleft. As I stopped to have a look, there was a majestic statue of Lord Nadarajah in that chamber. Ayoung priest who stood at its entrance ushered me into the chamber. As I stepped inside, I felt Ihad stepped into another environment. It was an entirely different atmosphere in here and I couldfeel a strong vibration too. The young priests lighted the camphor and started chanting. I stood infront of Lord Nadarajah, amazed and shaken up to see the size and beauty of my Lord. I brokedown in tears. I cried aloud. I had the Lord all to myself that moment.

I was invited by an elderly couple conducting prayers to Goddess Kali to sit and watch theAbhisegam. I saw Abhisegam for Lord Egambareswarar too. I saw the famed 3000-year-old mangotree now completely hollow but with green leaves sprouting - on the grounds of the temple. I was atthis temple from 6 pm to 7 pm.

It was already nightfall as we left for Kumara Kottam Murugan temple also in Kanchipuram. Thereis a marble statue of Saint Ramalingam here.

9 This temple grounds was the place of birth of my guru, Supramania Swami.

10 Temples in India are closed from 12 noon to 4 pm.


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Day 3 Vadalur and Sathya Gnana Sabha

At 5.30 am, on Wednesday, 3 September, we left for Melmaruvathur Athi Parasakthi temple.Dhaksana Murthi had helped build this temple when he was studying in a college in India. Heinsisted that I visit this temple. We reached the temple at 7.30 am. Devendran and Mahendren

dropped me at the temple. The attendants only gave me a minute or so at the Goddess sanctum.

Then at 7.50 am, we left for Vadalur reaching Satya Gnana Sabai at 10.30 am. Devendran andMahendren waited on me. Saint Ramalingam had envisioned and built this structure. I was told thatprayers were only conducted three times a day and lasted half an hour each time. I had to wait forthe next prayer between 11.45 am and noon. The priests came in at 11.45 am and opened thedoor to expose a black curtain at the doorway. The flame from the camphor was shown to thiscurtain. I later came to know that all seven curtains in this temple were drawn aside to reveal thelight (Jhoti) only on Thaipusam and Adi Amavasai each year. I told a woman devotee I intended tomake a donation and she brought me to the administrative office.

I visited Sidhivalagam Thirumaligai in Mettukuppam a few kilometers away. Saint Ramalingamwalked into a room in this building and had himself locked in from the outside by his disciples.When the government authorities questioned the disciples of the whereabouts of the saint andinsisted that they be allowed to enter the room, they found that the saint had disappeared into thinair. I had very much wanted to be here.

Bhuvanagiri and the Birth Place of Saint Ragavendra

I dropped in at Bhuvanagiri, birthplace of Swami Ragavendra at 2.40 pm as my brother-in-lawArumugam and sister Ambi had requested I try to visit this shrine. Unfortunately, the building wasclosed for renovation. I managed to steal a peek at the image of the saint through the grilled

doorway.

Chidambaram and the Temple Of Thillai Nadarajah

At 3 pm, I reached Chidambaram town. The temple was closed. We adjourned to the Thillai Kalitemple, which was some distance away. After praying at Thillai Kali temple at 4 pm, we went backto Chidambaram temple. On my return to Malaysia, I read in the net that one should visit this Kalitemple first before entering the Chidambam temple. Therefore, it happens I did the right thing.

Devendran and Mahendran dropped me off at the Thillai Nadarajah temple. I was here from 4.40pm to 6.10 pm. To my disappointment, a young priest here asked me if I could part with my

wristwatch. He then asked 20Rs from me which I gave. At every shrine there was a priest waitingwith a receipt book asking for donations towards the temple fund and money to perform prayers.With no other option, I stomached the ways of these priests and conducted the prayers at the AdiLingam sanctum. I paid 50Rs here. Every God had a price here. Part with your money and youshall be shown Chidambaram Ragasiyam. I told myself I do not need to know the secret by buyingmy way into the sanctum. I walked out off this temple disgusted at the ways of these youngBrahmins. I could only imagine them in their forties and fifties-how corrupted would they be? I was


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told later that this temple sustains on the donations from the public and tourists. It does not receivegovernment aid. Now I could understand why the priests were asking for donations.

Vaitheeswaram

I continued to Vaitheeswaram where I checked in at the hotel within walking distance from thefamed Vaitheeswaran temple. At 7.30 pm, I walked to the temple. Devendran had warned me oflocals who would approach as tourist guides for a fee. True enough as I approached the temple, aman spotted me, asking, Tourist? and walked alongside me. Each time I stopped in my tracks, hestopped too. Eventually I told him off, either to go ahead or walk behind me and I do not need hisassistance. At 8.40 pm, the huge doors to the temple were closed for the night. I returned to thehotel with the thought what if a tourist was locked inside the temple. Do the temple authorities goaround ascertaining that everyone has left the temple complex before they lock up for the night?

Day 4 Thiruvenkadu and the Temple Of Buddhan

T

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