the final post (coversations)

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Bhakta: Why do they have so much rituals, are all meaningful?

 

Aya: The rituals have hidden meanings. The jnanis taught the people

via anecdotes, rituals, worship and so on. Some have compiled the

inner essence which become called as scriptures. There are also some

in which the original meaning have become lost and people just do

blindly. Nowadays in fact, many observances and rituals have become

like this.

 

Bhakta: What is the real form of god?

 

Aya: The real form is love only. When love overflows we wish to

share, help, understand, forgive and sacrifice for the sake of

others. This is how one likes to be treated. Yet, in moment of anava,

one forgets this and treat others with contempt, anger and hatred. As

such one uses one's powers to destroy others.

 

Bhakta: You have said that the rituals have inner meaning. You have

also said that Ayappan and Murugan is the same. How is this so?

 

Aya: I have formerly told about Hari and Haran. Is this clear to you?

 

Bhakta: Yes.

 

Aya: What is it?

 

Bhakta: Haran is arigaravan, it denotes the atma which gives one the

state of " I " . The hari is that which the " I " knows. It is the mind.

It is the arigaravai. The joining of atma and manam (shiva sakthi) in

OM is moksham. Then, these will never be separated again and one will

not get rebirth.

 

Aya: Yes, you have understood much. It is for this reason they say

arivu to denote buddhi. Arivu means ari vulle (that which is inside

the mind). In humans that which is in the mind is the buddhi only.

Hence it is known as arivu. It is borne of the mind proper.

 

Bhakta: What does the Thaipusam signify? Why do they have it in the

month of Kartikai and ending in Thai?

 

Aya: India is in the northern hemisphere. As such the sun will appear

to be taking a northernly course by the month of December. This

roughly corresponds to the month of Kartikai. Remember that by the

mid of Kartikai the month of December starts. The sun going

northwards is said as the striving towards jnana. Have not I told

that the jiva moves upwards towards sindhu thereby reaching sahasar.

This is symbolized by it. The sun appears to move northwards, thereby

there will be spring and thereafter summer in the northern

hemisphere. This is due to the tilt of the earth only.

 

Bhakta: At the same time roughly also, the fasting for Ayappan also

starts.

 

Aya: True. The Hari Hara (Ayappan) and Haro Garan (Murugan) are the

one and same only. When a soul is borne, it remains a child till it

is 12 years old. Thereafter there is sign of maturity. It becomes

adolescent and becomes aware of sexuality. By the age of 24 it has

attained maturity as an adult. It ceases to live with its parents and

learns the nitty gritty of life. Thereafter it becomes ready to seek

atma jnanam. Doing the davam, it will take roughly 12 years for one

to reach sindhu. Hence one becomes 36 years of age when one knows

mukthi. Thereafter one does davam and overcomes the need for davam.

This is known as Davam kadantha nilai. It will take another 12 years

and one will reach 48 years old at the time. As such the twelve years

is an average. One can progress faster or slower according to one's

effort. Due to this they do the kumbhabishegam every 12 years only

for the temple which is actually the human body alone. The atma

jnanam is gained in the human body only.

 

Bhakta: Oh, it must be the reason why they have the 48 day fast then.

 

Aya: Yes, it is so. Thereby after the 48 days (symbolizing the 4

stages of 12 years=48), one is said to become a poorna (full) blown

jnani and thereby the Thaipusam is celebrated then. It has had during

the full moon also, for reason of denoting the sun of jnana to be

fully shining upon the mind (moon).

 

The month of Thai is roughly during this time. For Ayappan also they

have chosen the 48 days upon starting fast. In the month of Thai, the

presiding constellation is said to be Makara. So they will say that

the 'Makara jothi' was seen upon culmination of the journey to Sabari

Hills.

 

Bhakta: The journey uphill is actually to symbolize one's journey to

Sindhu only.

 

Aya: Yes, the Sindhu is the Sahasaram. It is where the culmination of

jnanam happens. So, they will travel to Batu Caves or the temple in

which the Murugan idol has the form of Palani. This is to resemble

the Palani Hills in India. In fact, the famous of Murugan temples are

in Hills only. But people fail to ask the reason the Hill is chosen.

 

Bhakta: This is because of Murugan fleeing to the hill due to

becoming angry of not getting the jnana palam.

 

Aya: Yes, the jnana palam (atma jnanam) is in the body which consists

of five senses only. This five senses is denoted as Vinayagan. So in

this body only the jewel of ShivaShakti is there. But without knowing

this the buddhi flies throughout the world to get satisfaction. Our

buddhi thinks by getting this and that we will get satisfaction, but

is it true?

 

Bhakta: No. At first I wanted a bike. I got a bike and was content,

now I desire a car..ha,ha.

 

Aya: Like this also it is for everyone. Think and see. Many a time we

would have thought, " ah, if only i were to get this " . But look at

ourselves now. Have we become content? We felt satisfied getting our

object of desire for a while, now we hanker after another. Our buddhi

flies here and there to obtain what we want. Man has unlimited

appetite for wealth, name, fame and glory. Who has appetite for the

Self?

 

(Silence)

 

Aya: So the Murugan to reach the Sindhu (Palani Hill), it has become

naked. This nakedness means to be bereft of anava. Can mere nakedness

give one atmajnana? In fact one is naked during bathing also and

during infanthood. So the true thing is to become naked of anava.

Then only one will know the naked god. The god is said to be naked

because it contains all, none can contain it. Hence the meaning of

thirucitrambalam and thillaiambalam.

 

Bhakta: So must be the Ayappan in Sabari Hills also. Only the name

has changed. But what are the eighteen steps?

 

Aya: The eighteen steps is the eighteen things that fetch one jnana.

 

Bhakta: What are these?

 

Aya: The eighteen steps leading to Ayappan are 1) reduction of Anava,

symbolized by breaking the coconut, 2) bhakti, 3) doing one's duty,

4) practicing compassion, 5) to forgive, 6) to ask for forgiveness,

7) to act according to conscience, 8) to have equinaminity

(samarasanam) of mind in times of plenty or in want, 9) to reduce

anger, 10) to reduce jealosy, 11) to reduce greed and passion, 12) to

reflect on the nature of things, 13) to do japa and atma vicarana

which upon deepening becomes dhyanam leading to samadhi, 14) to have

the inner resolve for dhyanam, this is called vairagyam, 15) to

practice charity. This will give rise to the three attainments which

are the 16) swasam, 17) niswasam and 18) viswasam. These are the

three namams. Only after going through these three we could get the

state of Ayappan. This is attaining the real moolastanam (sanctum

sanctorum) which is moksham.

 

Bhakta: Ah, so they carry the ghee in coconut for Ayappan and milk

for Murugan.

 

Aya: Yes, the ghee is burnt in the fire. It denotes merging with the

Great Light (Iraivan). The body is the coconut. Likewise the milk is

the mind. The devotee brings it to the temple and they pour it on the

idol. This denotes merger with Iraivan. The month of Thai is chosen

due to being the harvest month. As such it is a time of plenty.

During this time the people boil the rice and milk till it boils

forth. Likewise also the milk of jnana should boil and overflow.

 

Bhakta: Why do they say the month of Adi is inaspicious?

 

Aya: It is because the month of Adi is roughly during the month of

June-July. In the northern hemisphere, this is the time of summer.

Thereafter the sun assumes a southernly course. To go south means to

go downwards and backwards. As such it is abhorred. But people

without knowing this stop the good works during the month of Adi and

even prevent marriages.

 

Bhakta: But the priests (brahmins) conduct the marriages during these

time.

 

Aya: Yes, that is the time they get respite and they do their

functions, ha,ha,ha. In truth there is no such thing as bad time and

so on. Do we see time when nature calls. In fact, at all times we

need to breathe. If someone gives us lottery money, will we hesitate

to see the good time? As such understand that people rather than

blaming their own self and lack of enterprise, blame the stars and

thence all these have come to be (superstition).

 

Bhakta: What does the moolamantram of saravanabava denotes?

 

Aya: Without sakthi can one do any work?

 

Bhakta: No.

 

Aya: If you become sick and bereft of shakti what will happen?

 

Bhakta: I'll cuddle in a corner.

 

Aya: As such the first sa denotes sakthi. Using it one begets the

rasanai. Rasaanai means sensation. It is the ra.

This is the sensation which one feels in the forehead and one

concentrates on this. Apart from that rasanai is also feeling. It

means to feel our conscience. Even though the conscience is there

many do not hear it. Hearing it one feels compassion, equality and

holds steadfast to the truth. The third is va. This is vairagayam. It

is preservence to do sadhanai no matter what. Na is namam. It denotes

the namam of Iraivan. Holding to it one concentrates the mind.

Thereafter one adds the ba. This is bhakti. Can mere mechanical

repetition make do, hence the bhakti. Only doing this one gets the

power of Va. Va is vayudeva. It is the viswasam which is prana

shakti. With its power one reaches Sindhu.

 

But ordinary people will waste the sakthi in running after their

desires. Hence they are bereft of sa. They will have ra, which is

rasanai. But their rasanai is towards enjoyment of worldly things.

They have va which is vairagyam also. But this vairagyam also is to

achieve their worldly dreams. The na that they have is their own

name. Hence they give much importance to their own pride. They are

bereft of true bakthi. Bakthi to Iraivan for this and that is

selfishness. One has this bhakti because one deems that Iraivan will

fulfill one's financial and other ambitions. Due to this one will not

get the vayudeva which is the va. As such one is Ravana alone. The

sa, ba and va are missing (sa-ravana-bava). Ravana out of desires

stole another man's wife. As such the worldly also will one day kill

their conscience and do some bad thing (exploiting others and lying)

due to their unfulfilled desires. Due to this they remain in Maya.

The Maya will eat them, hence ra-Maya-na. So that which the Maya

keeps is the vairagyam alone.Due to this one will forget one's past

and will not have rasanai (feeling) of this. One will not remember

one's past self as such and such also (name-nama). Only with one's

past unfulfilled desires one is cast again to the world. If one has

done much sin, one will pay for this also unknowingly before moving

on.

 

Bhakta: It must be the inner jothi which you meant which is said as

the Kartikai, Makara and so on.

 

Aya: Yes, the constellation of the bright Kartikai stars is likened

thus. Makaram is also a constellation. This inner jothi shines like a

million jewels. It is bright. Hence the word Kartikayan for Murugan.

Ayan is the aimpulan adaitavan. I have told you the meaning of this

earlier (conqueror of the five states). Manikandan is also this

meaning. Mani is jewels. Murugan is also known as Kandan.

 

Usually, beginner sadhakas do some dhyanam and see some light. Then

they will imagine to have seen the light. It is not so. Imaginary

lights when seen prolongedly disappear. But this is just like the

sun. It will not disappear regardless of your thought on it. It is

that which pulls you towards it and stops your thoughts. Thereafter

you become on with it and move upwards. All these have to be felt to

be understood. In truth you are bliss and bliss alone. It is the Maya

which makes as if enjoyment comes from the senses. The veil in front

of the moolastanam signifies this. Then they will move the veil and

show arati. The arati is the jothi one sees before merging with the

idol (iraivan). All these are symbolizations only. Due to the mind

needing aid, these rituals were designed. But today people have

forgotten its meaning and it has become a place of business for the

priest and temporary calm for the devotee. Coming out from the

temple, most forget the Iraivan and go back to their daily routine.

 

Bhakta: Why do they have the idumban puja?

 

Aya: The kavadi one carries is the kadavulin viswasam. This is the

kavadi or kavi. It has two poles in which they hang the milk. One is

doing sadhanai and the other is doing one's duty in the world. Only

carrying both can one reach Sindhu definitely. Upon realization, a

jnani comes back to the world. Hence one can know the Iraivan while

alive. When one returns to this world one again has the fleshy body.

This is the meaning of giving the little flesh to eat at the idumban

puja. It is the symbolization. The other meaning is that the real

obstacle is the impurity in the mind only, it is not in the food. As

such the flesh is served. Moreover in those days the pilgrims had

arduous journey going up the hill. To regain the energy the food is

served. Idumban means udambil irupavan only. It is he who resides in

the fleshy body. Due to it we have obstacles as distractions from the

senses. But by Murugan's grace one can get the jnana. Thereafter one

stays at the feet of Murugan. Due to this they put the Idumban at the

feet of the hill. All these symbolizations are lost today.

 

But what happens today, can you tell me?

 

Bhakta: I hesitate to tell this to you, but since you have asked I

will tell. There are some who still carry out of devotion. But they

are becoming less by the coming year. What happens is the gross

overspending. They carry the kavadi to outdo each other by putting

lights and so on. And they used to carry long vels also. The longer

it is the better it seems. But at some places this have been stopped

due to the crowd, however so in many places it is still popular.

 

Aya: I am not asking about this. These are small things. There is

another thing which you are hiding from me, but which you saw last

year, can you tell me?

 

Bhakta: Aya knows everything, then why deem to make me tell.

 

Aya: It is for the pleasure of listening only my child and to

pinpoint the stupidity.

 

Bhakta: Last year in the temple a few people had trances in the Amma

temple. And they hired people videotaping them also. They also drank

liquor, smoked cherut and sweared in the temple. Some even wore shoes.

 

Yet the temple authorities did not do anything. And then we had a

group which smeared all red marching along. They carried tridents and

weapons. They shouted and yelled at the people, people made way like

worms. They also carried tisati (pot of fire). There was another

group which marched playing the music of death with horn like

trumpets and hitting a flat plate.

 

Aya: All these rascals should be kicked. If one as a human being

visits a child what does one do?

 

Bhakta: One will smile and try to win the child's heart.

 

Aya: If humans know this do you think deities are fools? What is the

point of yelling and showing a horrible gesture to frighten the

devotees who are children of god.

 

All these are stupidity only. To get the attention, these do like

this. And without respect also smoke and drink in the temple.

Thereafter the others following this also do the same and after

become sufficiently drunk will finally beat up each other and sustain

injuries.

 

And without knowing the difference they carry the tissati. Such is

their stupidity of not knowing the inner significance, yet pose as

deities. All these are the outcome of ignorance only. These people

feel some vibration, and due to some idea garnered from watching

devotional series and listening from others behave like this. At the

end of the day it is the self-attention garnered by the curious, the

frightened and the blind faith believers that they relish.

 

 

(Silence)

 

Bhakta: Yes, truly said. Once there was a big fight also among two

groups. But this did not happen during Thaipusam. It happens during

other festivals. Nowadays, due to the presence of police, these

incidences lessen. But it happens in smaller tiruvilas. Formerly

fights like these were common during Thaipusam, especially in Penang.

 

Aya, what is the significance of chariot?

 

Aya: I have already told you. The chariot is the human body. It

depicts the journey of soul towards jnana.

 

Bhakta: Yes. But why do they have the Murugan coming from a Shakti

temple, which after the Thaipusam returns there again.

 

Aya: Here Murugan denotes our ownselves. Everyone starts in Shakti

only. The shakti is the mind and body also. With the help of this

body (the temple) one gains the jnanam. If the shakti as mind is

asleep, what will happen?

 

Bhakta: One will not even strive for anything due to unawareness.

 

Aya: As such the journey to the state of Palaniandi starts from the

shakti. Thereafter reaching Sindhu, one agains returns to the body.

As such the ratham again returns to the sakthi temple. Even though

one has returned after mukthi, one's condition has went through a

change. This change enables one to live in the world without

attachments and for the true benefit of others. There are no more

selfishness. Such is the state of the atma jnani. The true benefit

(palan) and the fruit of jnana (palam) is obtained by one (ni) by

becoming the andi (bereft of anava - anavatei idi).

 

 

 

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