The answers of Agastya Muni to the generic questions posted by devotees can be found here. The readers are requested to send their spiritual experiences related to the Siddhas to GnanaBoomi at Gmail dot com. Though the experiences are unique and personal to them, it can shower some light or guidance to those who read them. Thanks!
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Om Lopamudra Sametha Agatheesaya Namaha!
This article is from the Tamil original seen at https://siththanarul.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/643.html
Even the devotees who live by the words of Agastya Muni will be tested. As He says, every test should be looked upon as an experience, here is a compilation of one such experience. They started everything, tested and granted their blessings as the reward for patience. If the Lord himself partakes in the game of Siddhas, what else does one need, we may think.
One of my relatives fell sick. The doctors recommended surgery as the only way out. While getting confused on what to decide, I thought we should ask the Kotakanallur Pachchai Vanna Perumal himself, as I frequent his temple for darshan. I sat in my pooja room and meditated, where a word came “Come here! I shall give the medicine.” As there was a holiday on the last day of the week, I got three days off. Let’s go, I decided. Eventually, couple of my friends (Shri Sathish and Shri Shridharan) called me up and mentioned about their visit to Podhigai Hills to have darshan of Lord Agastya and they are planning to visit Kotakanallur enroute.
I said I will meet them in Kotakanallur on Saturday and thought let us give whatever we could to Podhigai Hills for Agastya’s abisheka and encourage them on their visit. I collected the abisheka items (Vibuthi, sandalwood powder, javvadhu and other fragrances. I took permission on Wednesday afternoon and proceeded to Tirunelveli. The items were a bit heavy. I was doubtful if my friend will ask me to reduce the items due to their weight. I thought he may say, “it is very difficult to even carry my own weight, this is very heavy. Can you please reduce the items?” Will the Lord Pachchai Vanna Perumal ask for this sandalwood powder? I thought. But nevertheless, I collected everything and kept them.
I reached Kotakanallur on Thursday morning. I stood in front of the Lord and prayed, “Here I am as you asked me to come. Hereafter it is your grace. Please bless.” The priest gave the prasad and went inside again as if he remembered something. He had a ball kind of thing in yellow. He said:
“Take this, I took this when I did the Thirumanjanam for Perumal today. Who will come for this, I thought and I heard – ‘someone will come in 2.5 nazhigai, give this to him.”
I received it with all due respect and took it to both my eyes as if worshipping. I smelled the purest of Virali Turmeric. I thought this must have been the medicine and I kept it safe. I told the priest that I am going to Srivilliputhur tomorrow and will meet him that Saturday. “Please get my friends a good darshan, I will come here before 10 in the morning.”
I then proceeded towards Sri Villiputhur. I met one of my friends who took me to several other friends. After meeting all, we returned to my friends house and while seating, a person said: “Here, bring your hands. Take this, and ask to eat this as well”. and put a small piece in my hand.
“What is this?”
“This is the Chandan that adorned the chest of Lord Balaji in Tirupathi. You know Goddess Mahalakshmi is in His heart. This is a rare medicine by itself.” and additionally, “Here, this is the Perumal Theertham.” and gave a bottle. The smell of Pachchai Karpooram (green camphor) was intense. I felt, “Only for these the Lord has asked me to travel all along. There will definitely be a cure.” and kept them safe. Then I went back to Kotakanallur on Saturday and met those two friends whom I had promised to meet.
“Very good darshan, the Lord blessed us. Come along, let us go again and have darshan.”
“I have some items for Agastya Muni’s abisheka. Let us see them and then get in.” – I began to keep them out.
My friend said: “It is very heavy. It is difficult even to carry my own weight. Can you please reduce the items?”
Further, he glanced the items kept out and said, “Please keep the sandalwood paste out. Let the Vibhuthi be in.”
I looked towards the shrine and thought: “Can’t you say straight if you want the Sandalwood paste? Should you make me embarrased and get them? Plus, O Agastya Muni, please forgive me. The Lord is asking for the sandalwood paste which I had collected for you. Please accept the rest of the items and bless everyone.”
We had a wonderful darshan, did pradakshina and spoke about Podhigai to my friends and placed a request.
“After the abisheka, please get a little of Abisheka Oil and Vibuthi as prasad. You can send it after you reach Chennai, its enough.”
It will take around 4 to 5 days for them to reach back Chennai after the abisheka, climbing down etc., “I thought it is ok if it takes the time. Agastya hardly runs any courier service for this to reach the next instance, one has to wait for everything.” I thought and bid farewell to my friends. I met the priest and gave him the sandalwood paste to be used for the Sunday’s abisheka.
I prayed towards the direction of Podhigai hills, “O Guru, your children are coming to you with abisheka, pooja. Please accept their prayers.” I went back to the temple next morning (Sunday) and found that the abisheka had been over. There was a screen in front of the shrine.
The priest welcomed me saying: “Welcome, just move the screen lightly and see inside. The Lord seems very happy today. I did the abisheka with the sandalwood paste you gave. There is a good amount of paste still sticking in His idol, see.”
“That’s great. Where did I come? It was Him who brought me here. He did all this drama and got the paste which I had collected for Agastya Muni.” – I said. The priest gave the prasad, a sandalwood paste ball and turmeric. I received it with utmost devotion and kept thinking about the happenings and came back to my place, met my relative and asked him to eat all the medicines the Lord had given.
The operation was scheduled for Tuesday, he got admitted the previous Sunday. He took the medicines before Monday evening. The operation happened successfully and the relative crossed the danger. The abisheka in Podhigai happened on Monday as well, so special. Whatever happened thereafter took me to a great surprise.
Om Lopamudra Sametha Agatheesaya Namaha!