Sri Thycattu Ayya Guru Swamikal (1814-1909 AD) was a great spiritual giant of Tamil Siddha order, who had spent most of his life time living in erstwhile Travancore State. Sri Swamikal was an ardent practitioner and Acharya (Guru) of the ancient Shivaraja Yogic system and stands in the traditions of Tamil Sidhas like Agasthyar, Bhogar, Manikkavachakar, Thirujnanasambandhar, and Thirumoolar.
He adore the Gurustanam of a great many spiritual and social luminaries of Travancore at that time, such as Sree Chattambi Swamikal, Sree Narayana Guru Swamikal, Kollathamma, Swayam Prakasha Yogini Amma, Thackalai Peermohammed Sidhan, Makkadi Lebba, Fr. Pettayil Fernandaz, Sri. Ayyan Kali, Manonmanium Sundaran Pillai etc. He was also the Guru of many of the then Travancore Royal Family members.
He was born and brought up in Chennai. His ancestors were great Shaiva Yogis and Vedanthis. In childhood itself he had the opportunity of getting blessings of his Gurus, ie, Sri Chatti Paradesi and Sri Satchithananda Maharaj, (the Tamil saints of Sage Agasthyar order), who used to visit his parental house in Chennai. He had traveled with them between the age of 16 and 19 and learnt higher yogic techniques including aastral travel. As per the directions of his Gurus, he took up Grahasthasrama and Government Job. He worked as Manager of Travancore Residency between 1873 and 1909 AD. He attained Mahasamadhi (Jeeva-jyoti samadhi) on 20th July 1909 (4-12-1084 M.E, Karkadam, Makom Star).
He taught his disciples the principles of Advaitha, and the practice of one God, one religion and one caste. He hated publicity and strictly warned his disciples not to mention his name anywhere or show ‘siddhis’ for material gains. He gave his ‘most occult Shivaraja Yoga vidhya’ only to selected ‘vairagis’ and all of them experienced very high attainments and liberated their soul from the cycle of birth and rebirth. He preferred his Mahasamadhi to be kept at Smasanam (cremation/burial ground) which has definite meaning in shivaraja Yoga.
The Mahasamadhi Peetam of Maharshi Thycattu Ayya Guru Swamikal was originally constructed and maintained by the members of Travancore Royal Family at Thycaud cremation ground. A Shiva temple was constructed over the Mahasamadhi in 1943. In January 1955, the administration of the Maha Samadhistanam was taken over by "Sree Sivaraja Yogi Thycattu Ayya Swami Smaraka Adhyatma Vidya Sangham" founded by Sri Lokhanatha Swamikal, the elder son of Sri Ayya Guru Dev, whose Samadhi is also enshrined in the Maha Samadhistanam complex. In 1967 Sree Ayya Mission Trust was formed to spread the gospel of Maharshi Ayya and the above Sangam had merged into it. In 1989 Sree Ayya Mission Trust was reorganized to spread the gospel of Sri Ayya Gurudev and various institutions such as Sri Ayya Gurukulam, Sri Ayya Gurudevashram etc. which were working under the Trust were brought under the administration of a new Society called Sri Ayya Mission which was registered under the Travancore Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955 (Register No: 645/89 of Registrar of Societies, Thiruvananthapuram dated 7-8-1989) based on a resolution passed by the general body of Sree Ayya Mission Trust held on 21-7-1989 at the Maha Samadhistanam, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram.
Shivaraja Yoga
Shivaraja Yoga is one of the ancient Tamil spiritual and religious order of Shaiva mystics. It synthesizes the various philosophies evolved in the world from time immemorial such as Samkya, Yoga, Meemamsa, Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism,, Sidha, Vedantha and Adhwaitha. It proclaims that man is embodiment of God (Shiva) himself and God’s presence is found in the every creation of God. The Yoga stands for the techniques or practices that would take the inner - self to the God consciousness which is the moksha or salvation from the cycle of births and rebirths. Charya, Kriya, Yoga and Jnana are the four tenets by which the yogic techniques are arranged.
Shivaraja Yoga is essentially a yogic practice specifically designed to attain the non-dual (advaita) charavteristics of inner-self (Atma) as against the objective-self which is full of dialectics. It also takes, as its initial practices for lower aspirants, to the practices of tantra, mantra and yantra and yogic techniques such as asanas, pranayama, bhandhas, mudras, and meditation.
Philosophical base of Shivaraja Yoga
The philosophy of ‘Shivaraja yoga’ is similar to that of Shaiva Sidhanta of the South.. There is only One Being, called Adhi Vasthu or Lord Shiva. This Being is the nature and existence of all beings. This Being is defined as being filled with the infinite light (prakasa) of God Consciousness. It also holds that the objective world, although experienced as separate from one's self, does not have a separate existence. It is the energy (Shakti) of Shiva. The objective world, comprised of the panchaboothas and collection of several other objects, cognition's, and limited subjects, is nothing more than the expansion of the divine Shakti. It is not separate from Shiva's energy. Lord Shiva is the energy holder (Shaktiman) and the objective universe is his energy, his Shakti. Hence both Shiva and Sakthi are inseparable. When Shiva holds or attracts Shakthi it becomes full and perfect. When the created (Sakthi) which comes out of Shiva tries to exist independently and boast of his individuality it is called Maya or ignorance. It is also called the Ashudha Maya. The individual atma or Purusha (pashu) takes its order from Asudhamaya and is controlled by the forces of time, fate, raga (sensory pleasures or pasam ), Kala and ashudha vidhya. This is called the moolaprakrithi. Finally the created understands its mistake and stay in union with the creator (Pathi). The pashu now takes orders from Pathi (Shudhavidhya thatvam) instead of pasam. The power of Maya (Ashudha Maya) is such that it can create its own world. But this will be imperfect and has a definite life period. Whatever created will be ultimately destroyed. Shiva and his special creations such as Rudra and Kali destroy everything that is created by Maya or ignorance. Shivaraja Yogi meditate on these destructive powers and desire himself (his ignorance) be destroyed.
However Shiva and Shakti are not aware that they are separate. Why because in reality they are not separate at all. They are one just as a fire is one with its heat. It is the illusion that we think both are separate. It is during this small time gap between the illusion and the reality that we live.
Shakti is this whole objective universe-which includes not only the objects of perception (pramana) and the means of perception but also the limited subjects or perceivers (pramatri) attached to those objects--and that Shiva is that reality from which this universe issues forth.
Shivaraja Yoga and Adhvaitha
Shivaraja Yoga and Advaita Vedanta both teach non-dualism. It also synthesizes the non-dualism of Kashmir Shaivism which is quite different from that of Advaita Vedanta. Essential to this difference is Advaita Vedanta's proposition that this universe is untrue and unreal, that it is a false projection of maya. This theory is completely opposed to the Kashmir Shaiva theory of reality. According to Kashmir Shaivism if Shiva, the ultimate essence of existence, is real, his creation must also be real. For them this universe is just as real as its creator which ‘aidhwaithis’ deny.
The Kashmir Shaiva theory proclaims that nothing can exist outside of God Consciousness, because only God Consciousness exists. This object world is only the mirror of God Consciousness (prathibimba). It is Lord Shiva that creates this whole universe in the mirror of his awareness by his absolutely independent will (svatantrya), his freedom. Lord Shiva creates the objective world through the expansion of his Shakti, which is absolutely one with him.
Guru and Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva is better understood by his five attributes such as srishti (creation), sthithi (operation), samhara (destruction), thirodhana (conceal) and anugraha (blessing). He is the adhivasthu, the underlying knowledge and energy in all created. Lord Shiva manifest himself in the principles of Shiva thatva, Shakthi thatva, Sadhasiva thatva, Eeswara thatva and Shuddhavidhya thatva. These different principles are nothing but the variant of energy and knowledge attributes of icha shakthi, kriya shakthi and jnana shakthi.
Lord Shiva, the full and perfect, manifested this external world and life for only one reason-to create the possibility of recognizing his own true nature. The three dimensional dialectics (Tripudi) is created in the form of para, parapara, and apara and knower, known and the knowledge and Shiva hide himself in nothingness or shoonya between the materials and meta, unidentifiable by ordinary perception, conception or linguistic intelligence. Thus man is created with the possibility of realizing the true reality of Shiva himself. This recognition gives him great joy like in the dream. This is the dance of Shiva, the joyous game in which he is continuously creating this universe-to lose himself and then find himself.
This process of expansion and conceal takes a long time and the individual paramanu or atom in which Shiva rests in the form of atma experiences joy or misery. Misery because of ignorance and joy also because of ignorance. Actually there is neither joy nor misery. At the time of expansion the atma realizes that his nature was never lost. He experiences that there was never really any separation from his God Consciousness. Separation only seemed to exist. Shivaraja Yogis get out of this exercises of conceal and reveal and enter into a state of deep Samadhi which is devoid of both expansion and conceal or the cycle of birth and rebirth. The Yogi who entered into this state is called realized Guru or Lord Shiva himself and for the Shivaraja Yoga Sadhakas the samadhis of such Yogis or Gurus are the perceptive Lord Shiva as against the conceptual Shivalinga used in idol worship.
The dialectics of material and meta
Man understands this material world through his five senses. This material world also exists in his mind in absolute form (perception ) with the help of linguistics or symbols of light and sound. But the linguistics must also stand on some base. Shivaraja Yogis understands this base as the real universal force called Param. This is in dialectic to the forces of this objective world which is called Iham. The exact nature of param can be experienced only after removing all linguistics from one’s mind which is very difficult. When this unknown base joins with the illusion of time and space and linguistics in one’s mind, a new metaphysical force is developed which is called maya or impure Meta. Mind when filled with linguistics is impure meta and it has a natural tendency to ask for matter (conception) and it continuously aspire for that. An unknown force (param or Brahma) converts meta into matter and its dialectical counter part, man (Aham), converts matter into meta. This process is going on endlessly.
Every thought and every perception comes into being, exists for some time, and then comes to an end. This is the nature of Conception and Perception. In fact, every moment of our lives is filled with these mental moments of creation, preservation, and destruction. Between the end of one thought or perception and the beginning of another there is a gap. It may be ever so momentary but there is a gap. And-this is most important-within the gap shines that universal Reality of Shiva, which lies at the background and is the ground of all diversity. This gap is the vacuum or shoonya in which all material and meta objects are chained or linked together. This is in fact the Param, the citadel of infinite energy and knowledge. This is the form of God, the Superconsciousness and supreme realisation. Shivaraja Yogis tries to come out of the cycle of perceptions and conceptions and identifies himself (aham) with Param.
The principles of Sreechakra
Shivaraja Yoga accepts and allows moorthi pooja or idol worship among ordinary and lower aspirants and teaches saatvik upasana or worship of Lord Muruga, Lord Shiva, and Devi. It is to be noted that the orthodox Tamil Siddha tradition does not accept idol worship. Sreechakra is used for upasana of higher order.
The basic principles of Sankhya Yoga are adopted in Shivaraja Yoga and this can be explained in the nine triangles represented in the Sreechakra. The 36 principles of prakrithi, Purusha and Shudha Vidhya are encoded symbolically in it. The moolaprakrithi (female) principle includes the five elements or Panchabhoothas, five karmendriyas, five Jnaendriyas, five subtle sensory elements, four anthakaranas (Mind, Chittham, Bhudhi and Ahankar) and seven Purusha (male) principles including time, fate, Asudhamaya, Kala and raga. The individual atma is called Sakalatma and it attains salvation during pralayakala, ie., after a series of births and rebirths. Lord Shiva reveal himself to the sakalatma at this time and make the Sakalatma (individual atma) vijnanakala (universal or God consciousness) and shine inside him.
Sree Chakra is used as part of acquiring the universal knowledge of Adhvaitha and also worshiped as part of Tantra and as Maha Yantra. When used as Adhvaitha, the Sreechakra is meditated from microcosm to macrocosm to acquire universal knowledge and energy and then the Yogi assumes knowledge and power beyond this Universe by symbolically destroying the objective outer world. When used as Tantra or Yantra, it is worshiped as the citadel of all Devathas. Shodasi mantra is used for worshipping the female Shakthi. There are separate mantra and poojakrama (Tantra) for each Devatha. The different Devathas stand for different combination of cosmic energy, and represented by each sub triangle in the Chakra, controlled by Shiva and Shakthi who are indulged in the act of copulation (fusion or union ) and sublime enjoyment at the centre. This cosmic union of Shiva and Sakthi both at microcosm and macrocosm is said to be the reason for the birth of this Universe. By worshiping this great principle, the subject gets protection and energy from his great Grand parents ie. Shiva and Shakthi. The subject is born out of this copulation or sexual desire of the parents. This act of complete fusion of individual self in copulation is considered as holy and supreme source of bliss and energy. Due to lack or incomplete understanding of this knowledge, every human being is borne out of dialectical self of parents and the dialectics of parents are carried over to the next generations and thus every individual atma remain disturbed and imperfect and get moksha only after getting purified or satisfied during several births and rebirths.
Scientific awareness
Shivaraja Yoga does not demand any pre-concepts, blind or false beliefs from the aspirants as required or stipulated by some religions. Hence this Yoga is beyond all religious strictures. The Yogi goes step by step guided by the results of his practices as in the case of scientific experiments in a laboratory. One should ascent from individual consciousness to universal God Consciousness. This Yogic system emphasizes not only the intellectual understanding of the concepts of origin and end of this Universe, but also the direct realization, the direct experience, of its truth. The truth, as universal, is said to be unexplainable. Words cannot express or reveal it. If truth is to be known and understood, it must be experienced through direct realization.
The ultimate aim of the practice of Shivaraja yoga is to experience this Universal truth and attain ‘Punaravarthirahitha kaivaliamukthi’ or freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth which is nothing but the realization of God consciousness. At this moment the individual body becomes irrelevant and sometimes a burden to him. Although the yogi can live in his body for any number of years, he permanently transform himself into the Cosmic principle and the body is laid to rest into a state called Samadhi.
Practice of ShivarajaYoga,
The methods of traveling from limited consciousness to universal Consciousness is called yoga and the adoption of methods depends on adhikaribhedha or the ability of the aspirant and the strength of awareness of the perceived. The aspirants should possess such power of subjective consciousness that the practitioner's one-pointed subjective awareness is not overshadowed, either by objective experience or thoughts. "I" consciousness is the basis for all thought or perception, it must be present for any perception or thought to take place. Yet it is eclipsed in such a way that in the act of thinking or perceiving it is not a part of conscious awareness. Developing strength of awareness means gaining the ability to think thoughts and experience perceptions without losing self-awareness.
The adhikaribhetham or determination of the eligibility of the aspirants to the realm of yogic practices depends on the level of awareness, intelligence and vairaga of this objective world. Vairaga means devoid of any passions or craze for material or meta objects. To utthamadhikaris or highly eligible aspirants, the aspirant achieves entry into Supreme Consciousness (Jnana) just by the grace of his master or Guru, without adopting any process. He does not use thought (dhyana), mantra, or any other aid to meditation. The yogi has nowhere to go. Instead he/she only has to be in his/her own nature. This is real mystical absorption. The madhyamadhikaris or average aspirants achieves mystical entry through contemplation of that mental object which cannot be spoken or recited (Yoga). To adhamadhikaris or lower aspirants the mystical entry takes place through concentration on parts of the body (sthanaprakalpana), contemplation (dhyana), recitation (Japam), taking the support of the breath (prana), and mantras. All these are grouped as Kriya.
Techniques for Utthamadhikaris
Utthamadhikaris or most eligible aspirants are initiated to Jnana yoga (supreme consciousness) by the Guru. Shaivaraja yogi of utthamadhikaris must possess supreme strength of awareness so that he/she does not need support to maintain his/her consciousness of self. Such yogis have only to maintain the thoughtless (nirvikalpa) state continuously. Here the aspirant must reside in the subtlest state of knowledge, which informs him that he does;nt know. The yogi has only to maintain thoughtlessness, and follow or merge with the inside knowledge that informs him that he doesn’t know. The yogi just wills to be there and he is there in his own limited subjective awareness, maintaining the continuity of thoughtlessness .
In this state the Shaivaraja yogi, maintaining an unbroken thoughtlessness, is waiting at the threshold of Universal Consciousness. Having accomplished this much there is nothing left for him to do. From this point an the entry into universal God Consciousness is automatic. It is by the grace of God (Saktipata)-in the form of the grace of the master-that Lord Shiva is revealed. When the disciple yogi, by maintaining thoughtlessness, reaches the entrance of the God consciousness state, he is said to be capable of receiving the master's grace.
The aspirant is to develop ever-increasing firmness of awareness, making himself capable of receiving the Guru's grace. When the yogi reaches this state he is said to be in that state which is described as "being at the feet of the guru." This aspirant is then fit to achieve absorption in universal Consciousness. When this yogi receives the grace of the guru, he reaches that state of mystical absorption that merges and is one with the supreme mystical absorption. Here the Guru acts as the will of supreme consciousness.
Techniques for Madhyamadhikaris
Yoga is taught to the madhyamadhikaris or the middle level aspirants by the Guru. He achieves absorption in universal Consciousness by concentrating on the Supreme Being as found in the junction between conception and perception or any two actions or thoughts. In this method there is no need for the recitation of mantras or concentration on the breath. Here the aspirant has to mentally catch hold of that junction which resides in all the activities and thoughts that make up our lives. The Guru points out the centre or the spot where the disciple has to fix his mind. To accomplish this centering the aspirant must develop great firmness of awareness. Without this intensity of awareness the aspirant will not be able to enter into universal Consciousness existing in the center between any two thoughts or actions.
Through developing this intensity of awareness the yogi will be able to maintain a continuity of unbroken awareness. It is only by maintaining a chain of unbroken awareness that the yogi will be able to discover the reality of the gap. To utthamadhikaris these gaps exist everywhere. While raising his arm and putting it down, between two steps, between the waking state and the dreaming state, between the dreaming state and the state of deep sleep, between the outgoing breath and the incoming breath, at all of these moments junctions exist.
Techniques for Adhamadhikaris
The aspirant of lower eligibility needs support and help from all sides to maintain, focus, and strengthen his awareness. Charya and Kriya are advised to such aspirants. His strength of awareness is such that only one point is needed as a support for his concentration, namely, the center. Form worship or deity worship, mantra worship etc. are required for him whereas the aspirant of higher eligibility has developed such strength of awareness that he only needs to will to be in his own nature and this takes place. There is nowhere for him/her to go and nothing to be done. He is already residing in the object of this means
The aspirant of lower eligibility takes the help of many different processes to aid him/her in maintaining and strengthening his/her awareness. He/she may need concentration on breathing (pranayama), concentration on experience through a particular sense organ (karana), meditative contemplation (dbyana), or concentration on some particular place (sthana-prakalpana). All of these various practices, may be undertaken together or separately as an aid to developing his/her awareness. Such yogic practices are carried out in the presence of Guru or at such holy places (samadhistanams) which makes things work faster.
Kundalini and Khechari yoga
Shivaraja yoga emphasizes Kundalini and Khechari Yoga whereby the breath, carrying one of the vital airs known as prana, flows into the solar and lunar currents which run from the right and left nostrils down to the base of the spine and are there brought into union. The point of this union is at the root Muladhara, Chakra the first of six chakras or nerve plexuses through which the Kundalini energy will flow. This energy is moved by the solar and lunar streams of vital breath that have entered the central current at Mooladhara and will ascend upwards through the six chakras, each corresponding to a higher and more expansive state of consciousness. According to sage Agasthyar the air (breathe) that goes out of man is Shiva and that stay within him is Sakthi. Thus Shakthi attracts Shiva and tries to live in the body of limited consciousness. The reverse process is Jnana or Moksha. The individual awareness is sublimated into divine union at the crown of the head (Sahasrara Chakra). Amrita, which is conceived of as both the nectar of spiritual ecstasy and the elixir of immortality flows from here.
The macrocosm is reflected within the microcosm, and the universe, in all its totality, is contained within the body of the individual. The spine, along which the Shushumna or central channel ran, become the cosmic axis. All the Gods that oversee the mechanism that is in this universe are hidden in the lotus centers of the body's chakras, like blossoms flowering on the vine of the spine.
Alchemy
Alchemy, ie, preparing a tincture of mercury and sulfur, can afford to expand the lifespan to 150-200 years. Mercury was viewed as the seminal seed of Shiva. It formed a part of the alchemical triad of mercury, sulfur and air, corresponding to the trinity of moon, sun, and wind. Breath controlled through the practices of Pranayama, transformed the body's winds into a spiritual mediator that could unify the solar and lunar currents within the body. Much like the alchemical process applied air to mercury and sulfur to form the amalgam that brought the work to completion. Consciousness was seen to ride the vehicle of breath into union with the absolute in the Sahasrara Chakra at the top of the head. TheYogi could, through the intercession of the Goddess, placated by manipulation of the breath, expand consciousness to the point where it becomes what is called the Maha Chitta or "Great Awareness" which is the God Shiva himself.
Pranayama
The yogi must invite the breath, the outer space, to come within his body. He must imagine as if the sky and the earth and the wind and light becoming his flesh and spirit.
If the yogi is unwavering, placing the macrocosm in the microcosm as though he is putting oil in a lamp, both shall meet. Breath and God becoming one. Like wind becoming breath there is no individual intelligence. The Great Awareness becomes Siva. He and breath merge into one. It is this light becoming breath that redeems the soul.
Concentration on the breath, is a fundamental element of practice for lower aspirants. The aspirant concentrates on the flow of the breath and, in particular, on the point between the outgoing and incoming breath and the point between the incoming and outgoing breath.
There are many methods of practicing pranayama. The ultimate aim of the practice is independence from Panchaboothas or the five elements by which the body is constituted. The Yogi practices Kevalakumbaka which is the involuntary experience of calming of breath and he sits in the state of breathlessness. The practices particularly concentrated on attaining the state of breathlessness is called Hata Yoga. Such practices enable the Yogis to do many superhuman demonstrations such as floating in the air, water etc. However Shivaraja Yoga does not give much emphasis on Hata Yoga. The main pursuits of Shivaraja Yogis are calming the mind, and seeking the ultimate realization.
Dhyana
Meditative contemplation (dhyana) is another practice for lower aspirants. There are many different forms of dhyana. To meditate on the lotus in your heart, or on the meaning of a mantra such as ‘ohm’, "so'ham" or "Nama Shivaya," are forms of dhyana. In this practice the aspirant concentrates on these sounds, locations, or forms along with thinking and reflecting on their meaning. It is said that contemplation on the meaning of spiritual words is a higher form of contemplation than contemplation on an object with form. Anytime an aspirant uses mantras in his/her practice it is considered dhyana. And it is not uncommon to find dhyana combined with pranayama and karana.
Asanas, Mudras, Bhandhas, Tantra, Bhavana, Pratyahara, Dharana etc. are some of the other techniques (Kriyas) advised for lower aspirants. Various other meditation or yogic techniques have been suggested by Gurus of different school of thoughts, depending on the physical and mental condition of the aspirants. It is important to realize that though there are different yogic techniques, all of these techniques should lead the yogi to the state of one transcendental Consciousness.
Siddhis
Siddhis or the ability to perform miracles are the offshoot of this yogic practices. Anima, Garima, Lakhima, parakaya pravesa, aastral travel etc. are some of such mystic powers that yogi acquires in due course. But the Yogi should desist from such temptations which will otherwise stand as stumbling block for his marching ahead.
Moksha
Lord Shiva created this universe by means of his independence. Shiva's independence means complete unbridled freedom, freedom to will, freedom to know, freedom to do. A yogi can only be said to be liberated when he possesses this absolutely independence. For a yogi to be independent, nothing must be able to limit him or overshadow his universal consciousness. This means that this yogi must experience the same state of universal Consciousness, the same independence, in the external world. Until he attains this state he/she can not be said to be absolutely independent or to have attained moksha (liberation). To some extent even the Devas and the Lokapalas cannot be said to have attained this independence. They are under the command of still higher order of universal consciousness.
Samadhi
When the yogi is experiencing the state of internal mystical awareness, he/she is relishing the fullness of his universal Consciousness. At that moment if he/she is pulled out into the world of external experience, it is now filled with the oneness of universal Consciousness. Everywhere he/she looks, whatever he/she sees is filled with God Consciousness. Even though the yogi may try to stop this process he/she cannot. This process of going from inside to outside, back inside, and again outside is automatic and continues for some time.
The yogi is experiencing the fusing of his/her inner and outer worlds in the oneness of God Consciousness. The yogi’s I-Consciousness, his/her universal Consciousness, is diluted in consciousness-of-this, consciousness of the external world, and consciousness-of-this is diluted in I-Consciousness. Here the fullness of I-Consciousness absorbs "thisness," external objectivity, and produces the oneness of internal mystical trance (samadhi) and external experience (vyutthana). The nature of this yogi and the external world become one. They are experienced as being completely united, one with the other. There is absolutely no difference between them. This process of absolute oneness of universal Consciousness and the outer world--is the state of absolute independence (Mahasamadhi). The yogi, in this state, experiences that the internal world of mystical trance and the external world are absolutely the same. This independence and absolute oneness gives rise to the state of jagad-ananda (universal bliss). It is a state that is completely unencumbered, where bliss (ananda) is found shining, where it is universally strengthened by the Supreme I-Consciousness of God.
This yogi whose being has become absolutely independent and who possesses the state of jagad-ananda, is said to be a jivanmukta, a being who is liberated while living. In the When the aspirant attains real knowledge of reality, which is the existent state of Lord Shiva, that is final liberation. The cycles of bondage and liberation are both one with Lord Shiva. It is only his trick that we think that some souls are bound in ignorance while others are elevated. As only Lord Shiva exists, there is not any second thing that could cover or bind him. It is only his play that we think that this covering of diversity actually exists as a separate reality which covers him. There is not a second being or reality. His trick, therefore, is our trick, because we are Lord Shiva. We have concealed ourselves in order to find ourselves. This is his play, and therefore it is our play.
The Yogi who has attained the stage of jeevanmuktha has only to observe that nothing more is to be done. Just to be is enough. In other yogic techniques the aspirant experiences that everything is filled with his own God Consciousness. In jeevanmuktha he is filled with the realization that he was never ignorant and is therefore not now liberated. He knows that nothing was lost and nothing is gained. They experience that it was their own play, their trick that they appeared ignorant before and liberated now. They know that they are Shiva and that this world is their own playground.
The Mahasamadhi Shiva Temple at Thycaud
A Guru who has attained this state of supreme consciousness (jeevanmuktha) can take the role of Shiva and bless the disciple to convert his individual atma (sakalatma) into vijnanakala as done by Lord Shiva during pralayakala. Hence gaining the blessing of a realized Guru is next to attaininment of God consciousness for ordinary mankind. But getting the blessing of a realized Guru is as difficult as attainment of the realization of Lord Shiva. As Acharya Swamikal has said, ordinary mankind are destined to run after false Gurus and get cheated. It is very rare luck that he come across a realized Guru and get his blessings. Shri Thycattu Ayya Guru Swamikal (1814-1909) was one such Guru who blessed many eligible aspirants in Travancore area including the two spiritual stalwarts of Kerala, ie., Sri Chattampi swamikal (1854-1923) and Sri Narayan Guru Swamikal (1856-1924). Swamikal emphasized that even the ordinary householder can practice this Yoga without difficulty and one need not take to avowed Sanyasa for attaining this. Swamikal himself was a householder and had five children. He worked as Manager of Travancore Residency between 1873 and 1909. At his 96th age he decided to permanently withdraw from this objective world and enter into Samadhi. He informed the Maharaja about his intention one week before his Samadhi and he preferred his body to be laid at the cremation ground. He sat in meditation continuously for seven days and on the night of the final day of his Samadhi, he came out of his room to go to cremation ground. When objected by his wife and son, he firmly instructed them that his body be laid at the cremation ground only. He attained Samadhi immediately, sitting in Yogic posture in the house itself, by closing his eyes after looking at the Karpoora Jyoti lit before him by his elder son and chanting his Guru mantra. Swamikal attained Jeeva-Jyoti Samadhi on 20th July, 1909 (1084, 4th Karkadakam, Makam asterism). His Mahasamadhi at Thycaud is now worshiped as a great Gurustanam by devotees and yogis. Sri Ayya Gurukulam and an Ashram are functioning there under the auspices of Sri Ayya Mission to guide the interested aspirants into this yogic techniques.
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