Autobiography of Siddha Raj Kumar Swami

Brammarishi Kagapujandar who is Thalayati Siddha in his latest divine incarnation, is the

oldest of all the Siddhas who has witnessed 750,000 apocalypses according to his disciple

Annai Siddha Raj Kumar Swami, one of the greatest contemporary spiritual masters the

world has ever witnessed. Raj Kumar swami has attained all eight great supernatural

yogic powers (octomiracle -attama siddhis) and has learned 64 forms of art (aya kalaigal

64) by the blessings of his guru Kagapujandar – Thalayati Siddha. He has access to all

the caves, hills, and jungles where siddhas meditated in India. His knowledge about them

is unparalleled by any living person. Under the guidance of his guru, he has fed millions

of needy people and is the only one who created a place for sadhus (sanyasi) socially in

South India.

Siddha Raj Kumar Swami met his Guru Thalayati Siddha when he was twenty-four years

old. Raj Kumar Swami was working as an associate director in the film industry when he

met his guru. Raj Kumar Swami is based in Brammarishi Hills, South India. He has

narrated his mystical experiences with his guru Thalayati Siddha in his biography.

Sight of the Self.   Realizing the self, and the state of bliss and ecstasy that it brings to one – was the request to the glorious full moon by Ramalinga Vallalar in an earnest appeal for peace and harmony within the self.  In one of his celebrated verses, Lord Buddha urges one to continuously explore the nature of the Self and the reason for birth to try to find the answer. Theirs was the path of wisdom. Before I go into their quest let me retrospectively look back upon the path I happened to have travelled by way of this biography. I was born as one of the off springs to Sri Subramaiam an upright Police officer  who climbed the ladder of success through dedicated hard work and integrity in his department. The lady who bore me in her womb was Padmavathi, and I happened to be the Prince Rajkumar who was born to this couple as a result of their penance. I was never academically oriented and my schooling ended abruptly. My ambition and dreams were to enter the cinema and from an assistant I rose to the position of associate director. Due to my nature, I was able to attract many friends and became associated with a few Tamil films of merit like “Ellam inba mayam,” “Kadal Meengal,” and “Kozhli kuvuthu.” At that time, I was a resident of Tambaram, a suburb of Chennai, living with my parents regularly commuting from there to the city for my work. It was sometime during the editing work of the film “Kozhli Kuvudu” in AVM studio, perhaps during Nov. 1981, an actor by the name Dhanapal had walked in casually mentioning that he had just returned after seeing a Siddha. Until then I had not really cared for any so called religious saints or such associations. Yet that day there was an inexplicable urge within me that carried me and upon inquiring, I was told that the

person was known as “Thalayatti Siddhar” and he was temporarily residing in the Jupiter Pictures Office nadjacent to Sathya studio. I was also told that he was able to cure many forms of long standing ailments through Siddha medicines.

The sight of the Siddha. Like a calf that has been separated from its mother I ran to the abode of siddha. Many who were not known to me had assembled there already and when Dhanapal introduced me to him, I prostrated at his feet. He greeted me saying “Come Raja come’ and after blessing me, gave me some vibhuti and three drops of Sanjeevi oil after the consumption of which, my entire body mind and excreta were all surprisingly fragrant. It was very strange and inexplicable that he should greet me saying Raja has at last arrived and so endearingly addressing me as if I was long lost and found again. Though it was the first time that he had seen me, yet how was it that he had addressed me thus, as if I had always been with him? I could not figure out answers to these questions so I returned home after staying for a considerable time in his presence and with utmost reluctance to leave him.  The divine being Thalayatti Siddhar was about four and a half feet tall with dark skin and an emaciated, lean body. The prominently visible veins gave an impression as if he was only made up of sinews and veins. He had profusely long hair around the length of five feet; more than the length of his body, which was rounded and tied like a turban on his head. He wore a long, loose yellow robe and a green veshti around his hip which was below his knee but above much of his ankles. All the garments tied round his turbaned hair, the piece of cloth worn as a scarf around his neck, the veshti and the robes were all of different bright hues of five colours. This was how he looked physically. He was jovial and moved amongst people with the innocence of a child, lovingly administering medicines for their ailments and assuring them that they will be free from afflictions of any sort hereafter.

The ashram of the Siddha is situated in the outskirts of Perambalur; it is now a district head quarters a little away from the Chennai Trichy national highway. Kasi is a intense devotee of the Siddha and is the son of the famous Jupiter Pictures  Jupiter Somasundaram. Sathya Studios before the ownership of M.G.Ramachandran was known as Neptune studios and many super hits like Thanga Paadumai, Arasilangkumari etc., were produced there with big banners and celebrated artists of that period. After the death of his father Jupiter Somu, Kasi too produced many financially successful films. Bama Vijayam under the direction of K.Balachander was one such. After leaving the Studio to M.G.R., Kasi was running his office within the precincts of Jupiter compound adjacent to Sathya Studio. Thalyatti Siddhar used to come there once a month and stayed each time for one week. During his stay all food and other facilities such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner were provided to visitors and devotees visiting the Siddha. The Siddha witnessing all these activities would silently sit in meditation. Whenever the Siddha came from Perambalur all those who used to serve him also accompanied him and went back there with him. Amongst those, one named Kalyanasundaram was closely attached to the Siddha. I too became a familiar figure, serving the needs of the Siddha and became instrumental in gathering many like minded

friends, relatives, and acquaintances to the presence of the Siddha. He would administer medicines for their particular ailments there. Siddha had never fixed any rate for his medicines. Some used to voluntarily give an amount which the Siddha would never touch and the retinue following him used to take the money. Some used to inquire “How much should we give?,” and the Siddha, with a gentle smile, used to reply that whatever was possible for them to give towards Charity for feeding the poor by way of provisions could be given. It was a great surprise to me to realize that such a noble being existed and my devotion to him increased manifold. My desire to be with him constantly grew within, yet due to four or five films under Gangai Amaran for which my assignment was required  I did not have any time for leisure. Yet whenever the Siddha came, I used to find my way to him some how or other.

Some of my close associates in the cinema used to make fun of me by greeting me and stating, “ Welcome (junior) Chinna Siddhare,” followed by laughter. My family too showed resistence and opposition to my increasing involvement with the Siddha as they had dreams that I would either mature into a celebrated actor or Director. And having been born in the middle of the siblings in the family, they feared that I may become a renunciate or a Sanyasi. With just a few years left for my father’s retirement, instead of marriage and supporting the family, he is running after the Thlayatti Siddhar like a slave were the worries of my family. Once Sri Sondar, a friend of Ilayaraja expressed his desire to photograph Thalayatti Siddhar after having done the same of Mayamma of Kanyakumari, Koti Swami, Ram Surath Kumar etc.. The Swami too, after I introduced him as Ilayaraja’s friend, agreed to be photographed, saying he would let me have a print after the session. Subsequently the film negative was exposed due to some mishap and no print was possible and the Siddha jokingly said you Cinema people are not even capable of giving me a photo of myself. Divine herb or Shiva herbThe Siddha was a regular smoker of Ganja or Cannabis. He used to push the burning fire in the smoking pipe with his fingers with the casual ease of stuffing cotton. Within an hour, he was in the the habit of smoking at least 10 gms of Ganja. Seeing all these I used to think perhaps I could also become a siddha if I am able to smoke the way he does. I asked him how he was able to touch the fire with his thumb without burning himself and he answered that it was like fire walking in temples stating that could they feel themselves burning. Next I asked, “Is it not illegal to smoke ganja?” to which he laughingly replied, “That those rules are for you all only.” Then I asked him whether it was not injurious to his health and he said certainly for the ordinary man it does great harm as he smokes it just for kicks and intoxication. Only in due course, he becomes a slave to that habit and the toxin completely dulls his brain and he subsequently indulges in many evil deeds. One who is habitually an addict to such should never indulge in sexual activities as  it will cause great harm to his nervous system. The body of the addict will not comply with the directions of his mind and his ability to think and focus will degenerate, causing permanent damage to  the brain. The Grace of Goddess Mahalakshmi will not fall upon the smoker of Ganja. Poverty and penury will follow him. Wealth will

never be his nor will it stay. Progressively eye sight will fail while the body heat will increase. Finally the body nourished so carefully through life will be destroyed in death. Shocked and surprised to hear this I asked, “Swami will  all these evil effects not befall on you?” for which he was silent for some time with his eyes closed. Then he said, “Rajkumar Ganja is a divine herb.” Siddhas call it Shiva’s Herb of excellence with reverence and fear. This is associated with wisdom and siddhas dwelling in the mountain caves do not smoke this for intoxication or inebriation. They use it to curb and focus the mind and hence, when they smoke this substance, a great force of divine energy surges within them. They, in that deep state of ecstasy, merge into the oneness of Divinity. Therefore the heat and other harmful  inevitabilities  do not affect  them at all. After having listen to this I prostrated at his feet eliminating the thought that I too should smoke this.   Kalaivanan Kannadasan is the son of poet Kannadasan  and he worked along with me as an asst. director under a former Director, G.N.Rangarajan, and is a close friend. As he had the good fortune of being employed as a Director for a new film for preparations were being made, I decided to take him to the Siddha for his blessings. The Siddha was not in the Ashram precincts at Perambalur and was told that he was seated under the Peepal tree. As soon as he saw us he started screaming in joy saying “Raja has come, Raja has come” and when I asked him about this he said that I had been with him in so many previous births and I have called you always Raja. The time for you to merge again with me in your present birth has come now. And you have come therefore with joy I called you thus. I was not able to comprehend what he was saying and was confused. My friend Kalaivanan viewed me in a strange light. Having gathered myself and introduced him to the swami and obtained his blessings, we left as there were many more people who had come to seek him. On our return to Chennai  The cry Raja has come Raja has come kept on coming back to my mind. My entire physical body experienced a chemical change and an exhilaration of sorts came over. In this life, time has come for you to come to me again; You were always with me; such utterences kept echoing within me and I was in a state of total turbulance. I felt as if I understood and did not at the same time. My mind was wondering and I was in a trance, slowly and steadily being drawn  to the siddha. All my ambitions and dreams were vanishing and I gradually alienated myself from family friends and the rest. The thought of the Siddha was the only reality pervading me over months and years.

The dream I had: That was the period when a film called Kozhli Koovudu was in the process of completion after incessant toil day and night. After the last day on the set, I returned to my house at Tambaram after long hours of journey and went to sleep instantly because of all the fatigue and stress. I could hear someone calling me by name and prodding me to wake up repeatedly. With irritation and anger I woke up to find an elderly man clothed in a white robe and shaven head, with rounded old framed spectacles and a toothless smile. The face seemed familiar enough I blurted out, “Who? What do you want?” The figure replied,

“You are the one I want! What, still sleepy? Wake up!” Then the apparition became clear and I looked at the picture hanging on the wall behind and my head was cleared of fogginess. The one who has come is the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. He has come to my bedroom and spoken to me! An electric shock passes through me and I became dumb. Looking at me with a compassionate smile, I follow Mahatma as commanded. He leads us down a jungle path to a small thatched hut which we enter. There, as if he was waiting for us only, Thalayatti Siddha, who was the resident of my heart, is seated and greets me with a nod. I look at Mahatma who says, “I have brought  you to the destined place. Let us meet later,” and walks away into darkness. I pay obedience to the siddha who gives me vibhuti(holy ash) in return. With this experience, I suddenly wake up and learn it is all a dream and am instantly thrown into confusion. I did not know why Mahatma had come in my dream to lead me to the Siddha’s ashram. You have been with me through many births and as the time is ripe, you again must come back to me. The words of the siddha kept echoing through my head. There is no effect without cause. The Siddha is beckoning me to his abode as my mind happily told me. I boarded the bus to Trichy that day itself. At Villupuram, as I got down to have tea, I read the news in Tamil Daily Malai Murasu of a Yogi by the name of Rajneesh who has come from America and has said that the U.S.A. has enough nuclear bombs to destroy the entire earth with the press of a button. Hearing the news, I thought I too will one day be pulverized by the nuclear bomb and boarded the bus to Perambalur. I proceeded  straight to the ashram, where I was greeted with the words, “Come Raja, come and sit next to me because you are tired.” I sat with reverence besides him. Then he said, “What Raja, will you come only if Saata Muni Siddha calls you jovially?” I asked, with surprise, “Satta Muni who is he?” For which the siddha replied, “The one who called you in your dream, he is the one,” and laughed loudly. Oh was it Satta Muni who reincarnated as Mahatma. What grace for me to have had his presence in my dreams was my joyful thought.   Swami, I wish to be here with you always. Will you permit me to do as I asked?

“What is there for me to grant you, who else has more rights than you? You have been born to spread charity, therefore your job is to spread the virtues of dharma especially those associated with food and feeding. To encourage people to engage themselves in this divine act of dharma by tirelessly advocating the greatness and significance of giving. To enable a wealthy man who is constantly in persuit of multiplying his earnings  to indulge and rejoice in the act of Charity and make him evolve into a dharmic person is by itself an act of great merit. Dharma is the greatest refuge and guardian which will save one’s life at the appropriate time; thus the siddha preached and elaborated . This nation is a dharmic and Gnana bhoomi. Brahmarishis, maharishis, great  saints ,  siddhas , Alwars and Nayanmars have lived here,. Those great saints have shown a simple way for the oridinary person to attain greatness without penance and vedic knowledge. The way of charity – the giving of food and clothings to the needy poor is the finest way of pleasing the Supreme Being. He is ever present where charity is done and readily accepts the results of his acts as in the case of Karna in Mahabharata. All his previous karmic sins as well as the ones being

accrued in his present birth were erased and he attains liberation from his ceaseless sufferings. Hence the ones who show the path to dharma accrue merits many times over. Knowing this in the ancient times, Kings and Merchants in India built temples, dug up lakes, established centres for food distribution and erected schools and halls. Every house was an abode of hospitality with high platforms offering scopes for passerbys to rest. Ample food, water, and buttermilk were given to the people who had come to rest briefly. They went in search of Sanyasis to satisfy their hunger. All the stories of Nayanmars in the Periyapuranam amply describe the meritorious deeds of the devotees of Shiva.There are touching stories about one Nayanar (devotees of Shiva) who goes back to the paddy field in the middle of the night to gather rice thrown for sowing as he had none to feed the visitor who had turned up. During the Mahabharath war, it was the chaity of Karna which protects him from his final exit and Krishna is able to bring about his end only after obtaining the merits of his dharma. Karna is still a living person due to his magnanimity to barter away his punya or merits to the reincarnation of God himself. The great Islamic figure Seethakadi is known as one who gave even after death and is remembered by all even now. India is known as the abode of the first seven, middle seven, and last seven munificent donors.  Saint Ramalinga Vallalar stands unmatched in his service to charity and is known as just Vallalar. The story of Pattinathar is exemplary to share here. After total renunciation, Pattinathar was begging for food and came to his sibling, the elder sister, who had great love for him till then and who suffered in shame. She decided to put a stop to the great shame he had brought to his affluent aristocratic heritage. The one who once fed the entire town was now begging for food. Seeing this, she killed her sisterly affection and decided to kill him by way of mixing poison into the sweet appam (bread). She gave it to him when he came begging for alms. As he received the alms in his begging bowl, Pattinatthar could sense what she had done as he had a vision of a black hooded cobra in the food. So he threw the appam on the roof of her house saying, “Ones own karma or deeds will burn the person and roof.” Appam thus thrown will burn the house and accordingly his sister’s house was reduced to ashes. During those times, begging for food was considered the most disgraceful and contemptible way of living by our elders. The word begging was intolerable to that civilization. But those who had renounced everything and embraced the wandering mendicants’ way of life by wearing ochre robes and singing the praise of the Lord. They were seen seated at temple entrances, begging for alms. Pattinathar  and his disciple Bhadragiri together used to be seated on the east and west side of the temple precints under the respective towers, begging for alms as every one knows. But in present times man has become a fast being; In every act of his, you find incredible haste and no wisdom. He is running at such a pace after money and having amassed wealth he correspondingly has amassed sins which is kept in a safe. Those days, dharmic ethics were the guidelines for the kings and rulers. Taxes were levied in accordance with those noble principles and the populace were well protected by the kings. But today, everything has turned topsy turvy . Amassing wealth without principles has harmed society in all possible ways, multiplying wealth illegally. People in power unscrupulously cheat and betray the people who have elected them. Our rulers continue living in vulgar opulence and nauseatingly, disgusting, ungraceful life styles while

avoiding taxes and hoarding black money; which, with its parallel economy, is destroying the nation as their hearts have turned into steel devoid of compassion. Though education has increased, so have disharmony and conflicts. The scourge of black money has harmed the nation beyond imagination and is leading it into an abyss of darkness. Money hoarded illegally is a virus that eats through the vitals of the entire life stream of the nation.

The beggars are destined to bestow virtues as they receive them from the hands of the rich; they also take a part of their sins in the form of karma. But those who are rich hardly ever realize this and pay no heed to the famished hungry and starving. Though outwardly lawful, they carry the burden of sorrow, and peace does not come to them even in the innermost sanatorium of the temples. All natural calamities like drought, famine, earthquakes, cyclones, murder, bribery, corruption, and misuse of power by corrupt politicians are rampant. The politicians who have discarded all norms of decency and ethics, have become highway robbers of societies. The government is the very reason for caste madness and its sustenance. Man has become beast due to religious fundamentalism. To avoid the catastrophic destruction due in 2010, the dharmic path of virtue is the only means and you must tirelessly strive to establish charity and dharma from now onwards,” said the Siddha. On hearing all this, I was perplexed. Is it possible for me to carry a burden of such magnitude on my young shoulders? Why did he choose me for this?  I am neither old nor rich, famous or in any way powerful People will only listen to people who posses such traits and how am I, such an insubstantial being of little consequence, to effect these changes or bring about such transformation. Sensing this doubt the Siddha said, “Raja this is indeed a hard task. A Chisel is capable of transforming an ungainly rock into a sculpture of beauty and grace, isn’t it? Hereafter seek those granite rocks which are suitable for the purpose of dharma and begin to chip and chisel them; Fabulous sculptures will emerge and you will be the sculptor.” After having said thus the siddha got up and sat on a log under a banyan tree behind his hut adjacent to an Ayyanar temple. I followed and sat at his feet and as the Siddha was lighting the Ganga pipe I began to question him to get answers. 

“As you said this country steeped in dharmic and spiritual virtue – why has it fallen from those values?” 

“It is all due to the changing times as man does not live as man today. When Ramalinga Vallalar was once seated in solitude, a man who appeared to be mentally disturbed was walking around with a hurricane lamp in his hand in broad day light scrutinizing every face of the passersby remarking, “Oh this is a Jackal, this is a goat and this is a buffalo, tiger ,scorpion,Hyena etc.” When he came to Vallalar, holding the lamp close to the saint’s face, he said, ‘At last here is a man,”.and joyously crying aloud, ran away. The one who identified Vallalar thus was a Siddha. Searching for humans in the crowd he was able to find only Ramaliga Swami as a real human meaning all living beings at that time  except Vallalar was inhuman beasts. Realizing I was not able to grasp what he said the Siddha said Raja our puranic texts called Kings as the incarnation of Vishnu. That is why the Tamil name ‘Ko”

denotes the king and Kovil is known as the abode of the king. And we call the temple of deities also Kovil without differentiating between the two. Hinduism proclaims that humans pass through seven births and God too has taken many births.Has not Appar sung “Even if I am to be born as a worm, oh spotless one, grant me the boon to hold on to your sacred feet.”Manikavasagar has sung and I had been born as grass, weed, vermin and lofty trees. Good and evil are as inseparable as light and darkness and as such great opposites that exist as Laksmi and Jeshta Devi are sisters. Similarly the celestial devas and Asuras were born of the same father but different mothers. Devas were born of Aditi and Asuras, the demons to Surai. Devas represent virtue and demons evil. For many eons, they have been at war and the story of Hiranya and Ravana is well known.

The legends of Narasimha and Rama avatara repeatedly stress upon the reincarnation of Mahavishnu to destroy the demons Hiranya ksha Madhu Sishubala, Danta vakra etc in every epoch and age. Why I am saying this is both the Deva and Asura clans are perennially inhabiting the earth. Deva or divine clans protected people and there was prosperity and joy as opposed to Asura clan rule, who were not able to grow. The kurukshetra war of the pandavas in Mahabharata was fought by devas as the pandavas were deva clan. Krishna was the incarnation of Vishnu, Yudishtra dharma devata, Bhima Vayu, Arjuna- Indra and  Nakula and Sahadeva Aswini devatas. Duryodhana and the rest were all demonic asura forces. Vyasa Muni has predicted that in Kali yug dharma the cow stands on a single leg. All dharmic norms will perish evil will flourish and the Brahmins born to protect sastras and rituals and other norms will cease to do all that and will exist as Brahmin just by name only. See for yourself no one is engaged in his assigned caste role.

Work and employment are no longer related to their particular community and caste traditions. Money is the only motive yet they cling onto the caste tags irrevocably more than ever before. Look at the politics of caste today. It is a most shameful nation where every human is identified by his caste and branded under that nomenclature. During Vallalar’s period itself humans were a rarity and to say all were beasts was true.

Kali YugaOnce upon a time, all animals intensely prayed to Shiva and when he appeared before them they said, “Oh Lord supreme we were living peacefully in our jungle territories in accordance with your law. But the humans come here and kill us for their food in the form of hunting. Deer, rabbits and so many birds are killed for their pleasure. They capture elephants, horses, dogs and other animals for domestication and make those into their slaves. They separate us from our offspring, parents and siblings. They tear apart couples living in love and harmony away and robbed us of our freedom; we live in great fear and we too should live like them, one day subjecting them as our slaves.” Shiva laughingly said, “In Kali Yuga, you animals will be born as humans and do all these things and will vanish.” Much before the incarnation of Vallalar, only one in a million was born as Man. The rest were all birds,reptiles, mammals, fish, and insects etc. Such beasts and vermins are today born in the form of man observing which rishis, Siddhas and saints retired to mountains and caves to do penance and meditate. How could

such divine beings live among animals and beasts of prey? How can they live in honour in the midst of animals? When you see, evil keep away is the saying. Can charcoal ever be white? Though he is human in form, his acts will betray his true nature in accordance to each animal he represents. Can you ask the blind to look majestically? Once if there was enmity and war amongst rivals, they face each other and follow the ethics of warfare like you cannot kill one unarmed or lame. If a person was to lose his garments, he would be given time to cover himself again and as well as so many other codes of conduct. They all followed dharmic laws even during war. But now you read in the News paper how a single unarmed man is brutally chased and killed by mobs every day. It is like a pack of canine animals pursue each other, brutally biting and killing it. One party man will hate another party man. One caste will hate another caste. For one state the adjacent state within the country itself is unacceptable. Vaishnavaite would not enter Shiva Temple.The very sight of Shiite Muslims invoke murderous feelings among Sunnis. Protestants want to wipe out Catholics. In the animal kingdom, the lion is an enemy of the elephant. Tiger is an enemy of lion. Mongoose and snakes don’t get along. Eagles prey on smaller birds. If one animal of the same species enters the territory of another there will be brutal fights. The leopard has to preserve the body of the animal it has hunted with great pain atop of a tree to prevent other animals like hyena, lions or jackals from stealing its food. Meanwhile vulture and foxes will claim the meat. The tough survive in the animal kingdom. Look at the human scenario, is it any different? Brutal rapes and murders take place in society and to live humanely is difficult. Bribery and corruption are rampant. No patriotism and criminals and killers and illiterates and smugglers are the deciders of our fate.

Money is god. Political decency, ethics, and propriety has no place. Money buys degrees without exams, medical school seat,diplomas etc. For the politician, this has become a vast commercial commodity. All institutions like medical polytechnic and engineering law are privately owned by scrupulous politicians. The rich continue to become super rich and the poor wallow in degrading poverty. No one cares, thinking, it does not matter whether Ravana rules or Rama rules. Soon this will all end”said the Siddha.

Prior to all these I was  in a world of cinematic luxury and vulgar comfort. Wherever we stayed, the house was air conditioned and we indulged with fellow actors in non vegetarian food like chicken fry and crab, and prawn. Every possible meat of living creatures was pushed into making my stomach a veritable cemetery. There were actors to buy whatever dresses I chose and I was learning the art of ingratiating myself to many. On account of which my stock was rising along with learning the art of cinematography with a view to make the average man a slave to the film and tinsel world.

Actors with charisma among the populace could themselves act as angels forgetting the path of spirituality and have total control and a hypnotic trance over the cine going crowd and still behave like saints while they themselves may be so lowly evolved and crude. It was really a great gift and grace that was bestoed upon me whereupon I became  a chosen one of the Siddha.Leaving the comforts of the tinsel world  I became a resident of the  16x10 thatched hut with mud and clay walls the entrance of which being so narrow one has to crawl inside.

His dwelling place was infested with cobras, scorpions, centipedes and wasps. Under the deer skin on which the siddha sat, millions of insects and vermins were sheltered. Birds used to come to him in flocks and ten cows and many dogs were also under his care. A white crow was a habitual visitor at an appointed time and after being fed, fly away to return at the same time next day.

Having forgotten the luxuriously debilitating and atrophic cinematic life I had thus far led in Chennai, I had entered a sort of magical and mesmerizing cave of the Siddha. Though unable to ascertain what could happen to me in this bewitchingly tantalizing abode of the saint, I was able to feel the surging spirituality within while learning various asanas and yogic exercises like breath control and concentration between the brows and basics of Pranayama which collectively gave me a feeling of exultation and great joy combining serenity and harmony. Indeed I had at last caught the flame of my love with unwavering steadfastness and this very thought permeated me with ecstasy.

My visit to the hills

“Tomorrow we proceed to the hills” said the Siddha that day and I was at loss to comprehend what he had said. At the break of dawn 15 members who had come to the hut of the Siddha prior to my arrival were assembled in a state of readiness. When I asked one of those who was already known to me as to where we were proceeding, I was told that the Siddha saint frequently used to assemble people to accompany him to the mountains to collect herbs and on that day we were to go to Pachhai Malai at adistance barely discernible to us.

Periyazhvar has sung in praise of the Lord Krishna likening his hue to that of this Pacchai Malai which literally is emerald green to behold. The famous Kuravanchi Lyrics contain references to this same mountain. It is the motherland for the mountain tribes living there. All provisions including cooking utensils were bundled up and all of us were ready with our belongings to proceed up the hill. I obtained Siddhas’ consent to distribute food at the hill to the needy and we set off. En route we purchased sufficient provisions for alms giving and started to ascend the mountain. Cool mountain breeze greeted us and the beauty of the mountain proclaimed why Periyazhvar had compared it to the Lord. The siddha patiently explained in detail the importance of the legends concerning the mountain. “The Pandavas during their last phase of exile had come down to the south and particularly to this mountain range and before leaving, left a few of their belongings hidden, it is said. This is the abode of Goddess Adhi Kamakshi and the king Kathavarayan too held his court here. There are many caves on this mountain and all of them have housed great tapasvis and saints doing penance. This is the preferred mountain of Lord Muruga the God of Kurinchi and Maharishi Agastya too as he would follow Lord Muruga wherever he goes. Thinking of them and looking at me is the same.Siva Bala, Agastya and me are all one and the same”, saying thus the Siddha was covering the range like a prancing calf and we could not match the speed of him nor did we have enough oxygen to keep pace.

I grew up in luxury and my mind was confused like the monkey which had it’s tail struck between the vice. Yet there was an inner voice commanding me to proceed as such blessings are not easy to obtain and I am to witness much of the Siddha’s miracles and wonders. After such a thought all fatigue and doubts vanished and I was filled with energy renewed. The siddha waited for us to catch up with him and laughingly said we youngsters couldn’t keep up with him and asked us to rest awhile. We started to partake of the snacks we had brought while the Siddha had lit up some fire with twigs and prepared some sort of herbal tea with some forest leaves.We selected a place for the preparation of lunch and it was beside a small stream and we needed a big log and twigs etc for fuel. A companion had gone up to collect some logs which he intelligently pushed into the stream so that we can collect them down stream. At that time we saw a miracle the logs were floating down the stream except one which was going up the stream! Surprised we pointed out this incident to the Siddha.

The Siddha said, “This is a very rare tree log which is called ‘Eru Singhi’. This is an exceptional herb. Bring all these for the Yagna (Fire ritual) we plan to hold tonight. When we put this into the Yagna fire, Devas, Siddhas and Saptha Kannikas etc will be attracted and will dance around us with joy, clapping their hands in happiness”.

To be continued.