That which She purifies...!

71. Om jvala malinikaksipta vahni prakara madhyagayai namah: I bow down to Amma who has taken position at the centre of the fortress of fire created by the goddess jvalamalini

She stands at the very centre of the fortress of fire only so that we may lead a trouble free life. It's the fire in which She burns all our sins and karma. And She is constantly standing in the centre of this fire because in our selfishness, we are always adding vices to this world. But Amma's selflessness is such that She won't berate us for it; instead She will quietly absorb it in order to ensure that we lead happy lives and our own sins don't touch us.

This is truly the beauty of Amma's life. She makes everything look so effortless. During Her birthday celebration, Amma sat for over 26 hours, giving darshan to every person who came to wish Her and participate in the occasion. It's not even a fathomable task and yet Amma does it unquestioning, unrelenting. There are no conditions laid; no rules. Just a steady stream of children who eagerly await a  hug from a mother they know will never refuse them.

I remember many years ago, an earthquake destroyed a village in China. When they dug through the rubble, a sad and sweet sight caught the world's attention. A mother had died protecting her child from the quake. The child was nestled in a fetal position under the mother, who had formed a protective cover with her body, for her child. I've been unable to forget that sight. And to me, that's exactly how our Mother is. Amma will always hold Herself as a protective cover over us. No matter what the calamity, She's there battling our karma, head on. She will not allow us to be swept away by the tsunami of fate or the crumbling crush of destiny. We're Her children and no mother will want anything but the best for Her children. Let's march ahead exactly with this knowledge. It's so incredibly empowering and humbling all at once. That the jagad janani, the Universal Mother, is there to look after me! To ensure that my happiness is paramount. And all She asks in return is a life lived in love and an attitude of dignity towards others.

For you Amma, anything!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Amma, Shakti!

70. Om kiri cakra ratharuda dandanatha puras krtayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is escorted by the shakti Dandanatha, seated in the Kirichakra chariot

Amma is the representative of Shakti. She is Shakti: the power that moves mountains and spins the world on its axis. The power to separate right from wrong. She has the power to grant us our every wish just as much as She has the power to rewrite the course of our lives. In fact, once under the umbrella of Amma's grace, horoscopes and planetary alignments hold little meaning, for we are now orbiting the brightest star ever. The usual parameters fall away. Amma's grace ensures a rewriting of the earlier codes as recorded in our birth charts. And everything She does, is for our own benefit. Sometimes we are unable to see the entire road, with its many twists and turns. But Amma has a clear view and thus what may seem a difficult stretch may actually turn out to be our biggest and best lesson ever.

Amma's benevolence has immense power in it. It can fell down evil with a single stroke. As Amma walks the earth spreading the message of love, She is also consistently cleansing us and our minds. She is widening possibilities of thought and allowing us the space to explore goodness in our hearts. When Amma hugs us, She allows us to carry away a part of Her righteousness, so that we have the fuel to ride the long path to our final destination.

When Amma consciousness rises in us, every part of the world aligns to play by our will. For even the world knows that if we have allowed Amma consciousness to arise, then there is only space for all things good.

May the consciousness spread like an endemic!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The charioteer of everything positive!

69. Om geya cakra ratharuda mantrini pari sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is served by the shakti Mantrini riding the Geyachakra chariot

There are only forces that serve Amma. Forces that are pulsating with the positive energies of the world. Because everything about Amma is positive. Which is why we feel energized, happy, contented, relieved, amazed, comforted and blessed when in Amma's spiritual circle. Amma has never made any distinction amongst Her children. It matters not to Her whether we are physically clean or whether we come to visit Her in a convertible; it matters not whether we wear shorts or are carrying a red purse. She is only concerned about our mental and spiritual happiness which will then reflect on our physical state of being. It does matter to Her whether we are petty or large hearted. It does matter to Amma whether we are generous or mean. Did our words create unhappiness within someone? Did our actions benefit even one soul? Did that smile warm someone's heart?

What is the point of visiting the abode of the most beautiful and highest power in the universe if all we can take away from it is the superficial? Amma is so incredibly beautiful, so resplendent and so amazingly divine. Let's recognize the fact that we are privileged and blessed to be living within Her aura! Our actions have to justify the respect we feel for Her; not our clothes. Or the car we drive. Nor the food we eat. If I can be good and make even one person happy in a day, I have done Amma's constant 'tapasya',  justice. But if I wear clothes I falsely assume Amma has set a code out for us to wear but am unable to respect another being, then what use am I making of that aura She has touched me with?

We are all ambassadors of Amma. Every word we speak, every action we deal is a reflection of Amma. Being Her child is no mean feat - it requires a responsibility far beyond any other. When Amma, the universal Mother never sits in judgement and loves us for who we are, then who are we to do otherwise?

May we always have the wisdom to live our lives in exactly the way you are showing us, by living Your own life with the highest degree of austerity. May we learn even a degree of what You are forever teaching us, Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Happy Birthday, Amma!

68. Om cakra raja ratharuda sarvayudha pariskrtayai namah: I bow down to Amma who shines in Her chariot Chakraraja, equipped with all kinds of weapons.

You are the celestial star that shines brightest in our spiritual sky. You are our guiding star; the lodestar of our life. Amma, this is a blessing for there are many who traverse their entire life without having even a whiff of Amma!! Imagine a life bereft of Amma, with no hand above our heads and no grace to ensure we stay on the right path! Even imagining it is frightening and that makes me doubly grateful to Amma for letting us be a part of Her life.

Amma is our leader who is there to take us to the highest spiritual realm. Her life is the perfect inspiration to us. She never speaks one unkind word. She never indulges in one unkind action. She only thinks of us. Today, on the occasion of Amma's birthday, thousands have congregated in Amritapuri to wish Amma and get Her darshan. Amma will sacrifice every material comfort to ensure our happiness. Even today, Amma's thoughts will only be with us, Her children.

The path you walk is illumined with the footsteps of truth, kindness and compassion. Your empathy for each living being is testimony to your unending divinity. Your deadliest weapon is the love with which you envelop everyone. Faced by it, even the hardest hearted cynic will realize the futility of ignoring the presence of Godliness.

On this day Amma, thank you for making this world such a beautiful place to live in. For allowing us to   rejoice in your magnetic charisma. Unexplainable as it is, you exude a force that draws each of us to You. But that's just our good karma. And may we be born with that every lifetime.

Om Amriteswariye namah! Happy 60th birthday, Amma!

I miss You!

67. Om asvarudhadhisthitasva koti kotibhir avrtayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is surrounded by a cavalry of several million horses which are under the command of the shakti ashvarudha

In Singapore, as I write this, Amma, it is Your birthday already!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY DARLING MOTHER!!

What an inspiration you have made of your life. Every step you take is an inspiration, a nudge in the right direction. To celebrate your 60th birthday, thousands of your children have descended onto Amritapuri. And yet we know that it's you who will give. Of yourself. Birthday or no birthday. 60th or otherwise, you will sit for prolonged hours and ensure that every child who has come to see you will walk away a happy child. Please remember me Amma as you envelop so many thousands of your children with your everlasting love. Bindu is there to be helped forward in her momentous journey in life. Michael is there to keep to the path of peace. I sit here, thousands of kilometres away from you. My way of showing my love has always been different, Amma, as dictated by circumstances. I will sit here but think of you every minute. I rejoice in your birthday, I rejoice as the world celebrates you.

As you shower blessings on us, the heart swells with gratitude. How fortunate to live in an era underlined by a spiritual awakening. In a time when God Herself is accessible. To love, to help, to correct. She is right there for us. All we need to do is keep the faith and reach out.

To all those who are there with Amma: how fortunate you all are! For all of us others, we will celebrate Amma's birthday in our hearts. Amma, you truly are surrounded by a cavalry of your children. Each of them loves you and worships your every step, your every word, your every gesture. May we always have the fortune to live a life that celebrates and rejoices in these divine gifts of yours!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

How I wish...

66. Om sampatkari samarudha sindhura vraja sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is attended by a herd of elephants ably commanded by Sampatkari

Amma's walk has always reminded me of an elephants' measured and majestic gait. She walks into a room and it's the way She holds Herself. Radiating dignity. There's a regality to Her manner. Truly, the Queen of the universe and definitely of our hearts!

A day more to go before we celebrate Amma's birthday. Michael and Bindu are heading to Amritapuri, as are thousands and thousands of Her children. But I'm not going there. Tied down by circumstances and commitments, I will stay on in Singapore while thousands of others will enjoy and celebrate the day in Amma's loving company. How blessed are these children?! It isn't a decision they made to head to Amritapuri. It's Amma who's played Her magic on them and allowed them this opportunity. I haven't been chosen for this...but I'm there Amma! In spirit and in prayer. I'm there thinking deeply of You and of every thing You stand for, in my life! I exist because of You. My life has unfolded the way it has, only because of You. Every line of fate I have treaded, I owe to You. And thus my present and my future is also in Your hands. Am I a line in Your hand, Amma? You aren't just a line in mine; You're the entire path.

I know you will embrace thousands on Your birthday, Amma. Please do remember me, a child of Yours, who's thinking of You on Your birthday. My entire day goes into ploughing through my work. I wish I could be there, in the shadow of Your love. I wish I could be there reveling in Your presence; celebrating You. But I'm not there. Send me a hug, Amma. Send me a wish. Send me a sweet. An embrace. A promise. Anything that'll help me get by till I see you again.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's perfect world!

65. Om bhandasura vadhodyukta sakti sena samanvitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is endowed with an army of shaktis intent on slaying Bhandasura

3 more days to go for Amma's birthday! 3 more glorious days leading up to Shakti's birthday. A day millions will celebrate all over the world as the day the universe decided to grant us a gift: the gift of the ever benevolent Amma! 60 years ago, the winds changed direction. In a moment of stillness, all of creation stood silent as if only for a moment, everything good with the world came together. All the forces of nature allied to give birth to a phenomenon known as Amma. We are so incredibly blessed to have been born in the era of Amma. This era is the counter to kalyug. It is the fitting reply to evil and every vice that dares rear its ugly head on earth. Be it jealousy, violence or hatred, nothing dark can ever stay in it's rawness in front of Amma's blinding spiritual light. Everything loses its ugly edge and finds its true place in the sun.

Amma's reign on earth has only just begun. A day will come when everyone will know about Amma. The truth is that Amma, is everywhere. Some people are blinded by other beliefs, to see Her. There will come a day when She will be the Queen of the entire world. When Love will become a religion and Compassion will be the only path. Selflessness will be second nature and goodness, an essential virtue. The march towards that beautiful day has already begun! Every footstep of Amma's that covers a part of the earth ensures a cleansing of that space. The purification has already begun. Someday, very soon, Her footmarks will define the globe. On such an auspicious day, an army of Shaktis will have aligned to eradicate evil forever. From our lives and our hearts. The world, finally, just the way Amma envisions it.

Om Amriteswariye namah!     

She who owns my heart!

64. Om devarsi gana sanghata stuyamanatma vaibhavayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose might is the subject of praise by multitudes of gods and sages

Amma's might which She chooses to show purely through love, is praised by the multitudes of Gods and sages in the universe. For She is seen for what She truly is: the Queen of the universe. 

How beautiful life becomes when we allow Amma a seat in our hearts. When we allow Amma to actually permeate our nature thus bringing back an innocence long forgotten. It isn't even physical space Amma asks for. It's a token of acceptance She needs from us, which represents a paradigm shift in our thinking. The minute that happens - the minute we go from worldly to opening up to our true nature; when we go from the outside to the cleansed inside - we have learnt to seat the Queen of hearts inside our own.  

And yet despite this seemingly easy wisdom, we don't do it. The cogs in the wheel of our life are defined by superficial irritants that we allow to take over our lives. How much simpler to just open our hearts and have Amma reside in it! Amma would willingly do it too. For where there is love and innocence, She will be there. She is after all the fragrance of the flower that selflessly wafts through the air, giving of Herself as much as She can.

When Gods and sages acknowledge Amma as the universal divine being, we are but conduits to spread the love! Please always use us Amma as channels for your love. I cannot think of a better way to live my life than be of service to you, Your Holiness, Amma. The Queen of creation. The owner of my heart!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

I asked Amma...

63. Om kama dayinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who grants all wishes

I asked Amma for a smile and She filled my heart with laughter
I asked Amma for a rose and She showered me with a bouquet
I asked Amma for a flame and She gave me the sun
I asked Amma for a moment and She gifted me time
I asked Amma for words and She gifted me Her life story
I asked Amma for forgiveness and She showed me the egoless path
I asked Amma for help and She extended Her hand
I asked Amma for a prayer and She gifted me Her thousand names
I asked Amma to listen and She let time stand still
I asked Amma for a wish and She let me achieve the impossible
I asked Amma for the impossible and She allowed me to dream
I asked Amma for a dream and She awakened me to achievement
I asked Amma for Her blessings and She leaned forward and wrapped me in Her aura
I asked Amma for love and She gifted me Rhea and Simba
I asked Amma for friends and She gifted me Bindu and Michael
I asked Amma for protection and She gave me the best family
I asked Amma for the world and She gave of Herself to me.

Amma, a thousand pranams to the most beautiful Mother of the world, who fulfills all desires and grants us our every wish!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Windows to the most beautiful soul!

62. Om kamaksyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose eyes awaken desire, who has beautiful eyes

Doesn't She just? Doesn't Amma have the most intensely beautiful eyes in all of the world? Amma's eyes aren't just beautiful; they're also so reflective of Her soft heart. It literally is the mirror to Her selfless soul. They have the power of taking in everyone and everyone's problems and desires. They scan an entire room of children, missing out absolutely no one. As we reach Amma for darshan, it's Her eyes that first reach out to us. Her loving eyes that look intently at Her children, sending out waves of love to us.

I've even noticed Amma's eyes in Her pictures. Notice them carefully. There's something very intense about Amma's eyes. Sometimes, while standing in front of the altar, they look at you as if conveying a love from continents away, wherever She is. Sometimes they dance with joy. Every time, they reflect what we are feeling. Even at the ashram, as we walk in, Amma's eyes in the picture seems to follow us, as if to say: You should unburden now, for you are in My presence.

Your eyes are truly a window to Your soul, Amma. One glance is enough to lighten a heavy heart. One glance is enough to wipe away layers of bad karma for us. One glance is enough to keep us on the right spiritual path. When I first thought of Amma in a Devi bhava, I imagined Her as Kali, with fiery, angry eyes. So imagine my pleasant surprise when in Devi bhava I saw Amma's eyes just as gentle and affectionate as every other time. There is never a trace of anything negative in those beautiful pools of the soul. Even if She berates, they remain soft and tender.

Eyes are also the way I drink Amma in for future moments of recollection. When Amma asks us all to close our eyes and meditate, I prefer to dwell on Her present form. Amma's meditative form. In white. Like snow capped Mount Kailasa.

Amma, you are the most beautiful sight my eyes have ever seen. Knowing that you are reflective of nature and creation, it will always be so. May you also be the last sight these eyes dwell on.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

That blissful center!

61. Om sudha sagara madhyasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the centre of the  ocean of nectar

In the ocean of nectar, Amma resides. In the very heart of it. Call it the nectar of love or the nectar of infinite compassion. She's the very epicenter of everything that's right with this world. Which is why we, Amma's children, love to watch Her every single move. Closely. Attentively. Whether it's a seemingly inconsequential flip of Her hand or a minute twitch of Her brow; whether She is consoling a devotee who is experiencing sorrow or sharing in the laughter and delight of another - we are absorbed by Her every motion. How many times we sit in front of Her, hoping to be at the receiving end of that sweetest of glances which are only Hers to throw our way. And those glances totally melt us!

But it's not only those glances which melt us. We melt every minute that we are physically with Her and, depending on the strength of our faith and love, also in moments of stillness when without Her physical presence. That's because we are watching one who is intimately familiar with and who resides in a state of absolute bliss! And we're enthralled. Why not be enthralled by Her? How is it possible to not be enthralled by Her? Not only does She reside in the centre of the ocean of nectar - in this very same bliss - She is that ocean of nectar. Not only does She reside in bliss, She is the Abode of Bliss.

And there is nothing more beautiful - no sight more divine - than watching bliss in action. For it isn't everyday that we are within an aura of divine euphoria. In fact, we should have done something very right to be able to live in a period that sees Amma's grace sweep over the world. We should have done something very right to be able to proudly proclaim ourselves as being Amma's children. We share our mother with a million others. And yet, how beautifully blissful. Because there is no jealousy. No rivalry. Only love for another who loves our Mother as much...if not more!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

(Thank you, Michael, for contributing so much to this. Amma's beloved son and blessed messenger. The harbinger of everything nice!)

Amma's life lessons!

60. Om kadamba vana vasinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the kadamba forest

Amma satsangs are so amazing to attend. That soft voice that guides us through life's instructions! She wraps each moral in the guise of a funny joke and as we laugh, happy to just be in Her presence, we learn invaluable lessons. Amma's life is a lesson in itself. Her silence when She was born is a lesson in meditation. Amma's unending love for each and every one of us is a lesson in being non judgmental. Amma tirelessly serving us is  lesson in devotion to a cause. Amma giving darshan to thousands of people at a time, is a lesson in selflessness. Amma walking the earth only so we could lead better lives, is a lesson in magnanimity. Even Her footprints are a lesson in working tirelessly for a cause. Why would we need to ever look elsewhere when the answer to every question that arises, lies within Her? Amma is a living scripture: Her every action defines a tenet of Her religion of Love.

In this 60th mantra, Amma resides in the kadamba forest. She sits there meditating in peace amongst beautiful nature. And yet, in actuality, Amma's every action is meditative. She gives Her undivided attention to each child of Hers. Not one child will ever feel neglected or forgotten when in Her presence. If we should feel it when we aren't physically with Her, the onus is really on us to open our eyes, still our minds and feel Her overpowering presence. It's as trivial as saying that unless we have our oxygen masks on, we aren't inhaling it! She's our very life breath; She's the certainty in our next step; She's the wind beneath our wings.

Om Amriteswariye namah!  

A Lotus heart!

59. 0m maha padmatavi samsthayai namah: l bow down to Amma who resides in the great lotus heart.

The only reality is that Amma resides in everything. Have you ever seen a tiny flower braving the cement lined sidewalk, and thought of Amma? Or the sweet smell of Jasmine as it fills the still air & remembered Her? There's a tiny bit of Amma in absolutely everything around us. But most of all, She resides in the lotus forest of our hearts. This is possibly why when we see Her after a long wait, the eyes reflect the joy of the heart and shed tears of welcome. This is also why Amma holds us close to Her heart during darshan. As Amma is the Goddess of Creation, Her throne is a heart filled with selfless love.

In this Lotus forest, look at the profusion of colours! The red of intense love, the pink of Unconditional affection, the green celebrating the timelessness of nature. Wrapped within these colours, is a heart that only beats for you and me. This heart asks not questions but is happy to feed us with an unending spiritual awakening.

Amma, you have always walked with us on each of our journeys. You allow us to make mistakes so we may rise. You set the obstacles and yet You only show us the way. Allow us to find our path in this spiritual forest. Show us how to overcome Maya so that our eyes can strip away every layer of illusion that stands between You & us, and reveal, in all its glory, the true beauty of life: You seated on a lotus, draped in a white saree exuding innocence and Compassion. And you're holding us tightly to your heart.
In that divine heartbeat, is a never ending promise: you live in me.
We do Amma, we totally do!!

0m Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's exalted seat!

58. Om panca brahmasana sthitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who sits on a seat made of five brahmas

The five brahmas can be interpreted as the five tanmatras or subtle elements but I cannot see it as that. Not because I refuse to, but only because I cannot. I don't want to lose Amma inside mantras and sub mantras. Or within the realm of religious texts. The mantra gives me two thoughts. I bow down to Amma. Which is such a beautiful thought in itself. Bowing down to creation. Being allowed an insight into an infinitesimal part of divinity and revelling in it.

The second thought and mental picture, is of Amma seated on Her jewel studded throne. For all practical purposes, all it is, is a wooden seat or chair. A thick cushion has been placed on it. A silken cloth covers it, tucked in neatly at all corners. But there's nothing practical when it comes to Amma. How does one level God on a scale of practicality? The seat by itself is nothing. But when Amma sits on it, there's a whole new dimension to it. This is where thousands come every day to pour out their raw sorrow and share their unbridled joy. It's the seat where Amma reclines as She consoles many a despairing heart. It's where joy is found and sorrow shown an exit. It's the birthplace of everything miraculous. Isn't that a special place? A place to be glorified ?

Amma, whether in a white saree or in Devi bhava, seated on an exalted seat, presides over the spiritual and overall well being of Her children. She is a Mother every one can relate to. Who can't relate to someone whose only religion, is Love? Who can't relate to someone who is there to take away all our pain and gifts us a new dawn?

When life leaves us on an incomplete junction, Amma, you are the Mother who completes us. You are the only road we know. May we always walk this path as best as we can.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

An aura so bright!

57. Om cintamani grhantasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in a house built of the wish-fulfilling gem

1000 ways to praise our Mother! The 57th of it celebrates Amma as one who lives in a house built of a wish-fulfilling gem. The only wish fulfilling gem I know of, is Amma. She can read our every thought and knows exactly which path is appropriate for us to reach self actualization. Her greatness lies in seeing all of us as equals, drawing no lines of difference between us. In the 108 names of Amma, the first celebrates Amma as being the complete manifestation of absolute truth. She is the only truth relevant in the world today. Everything else, is maya. An illusion that wouldn't hold smoke for even a breath. Amma is the only reality. In the world today where even parent-child relationships have their own tectonic shifts, She is the only constant. Isn't it wonderful how we are able to reach Her, the  storehouse of universal divinity?

There are times I wish everything would fade away and the world was only Amma. When our daily failures and pitfalls would give way to Amma realization. When the tiring moments would still and Amma would permeate every moment. But when I think of it at greater length or have some of those incredible conversations about Amma with Michael and Bindu, I realize that's actually exactly how it is!  Amma truly permeates every moment: if we allow Her to. Amma realization, is just a state of mind for us. It's really just one spiritual footstep away. All we need to do is find that elusive stillness and allow Amma to stay in our hearts.

Amma, every tear that drops, every plea that is cried out, is but a way to reach out to you. It's our own way of reaching your home, made of the wish-fulfilling gem. And the beauty of it is that the wish that got us there was to reach You. You shine brighter than the brightest of gems. Your aura can eclipse even the brightest star in the sky. May we always have the grace and understanding to recognize that!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

A city of Gold!

56. Om sriman nagara nayikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the Mistress of the most auspicious (or prosperous) city

Amma is the Mistress of the city of hearts. And if I'm not mistaken, we all live in that city. Or hope to live there. She has created this city and kept it open for all Her children. We are free to walk in whenever we want. The gates are always open, to anyone, irrespective of color, caste, creed, religion or social status. It's the golden city where with Her spiritual midas touch, Amma has created the most prosperous city in the world. It's where the only truth we need to know, is Her.

I went to such a city many years ago, young, impressionable. I still vividly remember the train ride to Her city. It was full of expectations and a sense of nervous anticipation. Who was this lady? Why did my father advocate Her? How could "God" walk away from the altar and sit in an ashram? Would I get rich? Beautiful? Would I need to ever sit an exam? Would She listen to my deepest, darkest secrets unlike the Gods I had prayed to before?

She was just a lady in white. She sat on a stage and a small queue snaked it's way up to Her. I took in the temple. The clean, neat space where all the devotees were seated. And something changed in the mind of a 20 year old. Or rather, She claimed the mind of a 20 year old. My train ride back was equally memorable. I didn't care to get rich, beautiful or good marks in my exams. I just knew I had met God. And what was incredible? God was actually quite human! She was a beautiful, dark lady with the nicest smile, the most incredible voice and the warmest of hugs. God had the softest hands and the simplest way of reaching out and loving us. My God, Amma, was going to be a wing mate for life.

That was 23 years ago. And nothing has changed. Bindu spoke about Amma's simplicity today. And that's exactly what Amma is. Simple. Simply beautiful; Simply wonderful. She's the very core of nature. Our nature, which we lose in the web of life. When we reach this golden city, She untangles all the knots and presents it back to us. Which is why we feel that unbridled joy when we get a hug from Her. Even the mere sight of Her is enough to get our hearts singing. As we walk the countdown to Amma's 60th birthday, may we all find the grace to discover this simplicity and make it an integral part of our life.

Om Amriteswariye namah!
   

An ever watchful Mother!

55. Om sumeru madhya srngasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who sits on the middle peak of Mount Sumeru

Amma watches over us as only a mother would. Never mind that there are thousands of Her children waiting for Her coveted hug, She will stop and take the time to listen to us. We go to Her with fatigued and aching hearts, dispirited morales and She will silence time. Everything slows down as Amma looks at us with love and hears out our worries, our despair. Then She reaches out, hugs us tightly, whispers the sweetest notes to us and helps us on our way. A lifetime was just lived in those 30 seconds. An entire year of waiting and praying comes to fruition. We go away, hope clutched tightly in the packet of sacred ash and love in the form of a sweet.

Even when we aren't around Amma, we may forget Her but She never forgets us! We may wonder if the move to Bali is the right thing to do, or if a film made with love will ever get released but She's watching, at all times. Our next minute isn't a certainty- and it definitely isn't in our hands. But Amma holds our life strings...and thankfully so! Let's be happy puppets in Her hands! And why shouldn't we be? Imagine the divine good fortune of knowing that God Herself is playing the orchestra of life for us?! Imagine our luck to be born at a time when Amma's rays are falling across our lives! We are truly blessed by Her in every way. And it's wonderful to realize that every path we tread is designed by Her. Why would the architect ruin the building? The architect of our life will always ensure She makes the strongest and the mightiest foundation for us.

Amma, you watch lovingly over us as you sit on the middle peak of Mount Sumeru. From this high peak, you have the most wonderful view of your millions of children. And yet you are able to hear my sister sing a soulful, heartfelt bhajan to you. I know my prayers reach you every day. I know you can see Michael super excited at leaving for Amritapuri very soon. I know you can see the fervor with which every one is preparing for your 60th birthday. Here we are Amma, your loving children, sending a million hearts your way. One of them, fluttering in the wind, is mine. It says: I wish I could be there at Amritapuri, Amma. But I'm thinking of you every minute of every day.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Shakti, the female energy!

54. Om svadhina vallabhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who keeps Her husband always under Her control

Amma is all about Shakti. The incredible female power which is the root of creation, has unfortunately been marginalized over time. What started as equals: yin and yang; Shiva and Shakti, has become an unequal partnership, frayed by the ambiguous reading of religion and scriptures. A woman's feminine energy is so important in creating a conducive framework for the world and yet, in this dark age, we are unable to fathom it or even realize it's true force.  

The very core of power in the universe rests with Shakti, Durga, Amma. It is from here that Amma performs Her miracles and magic. It is to this power that even the holy trinity bows low. It is to this power that we reach out when the world seems upside down and the future, bleak. It is this power that gives us the ability to walk our determined paths, safe in the knowledge that our future is well set.

What we see of Amma - or rather, what Amma allows us to see of Her, is but an infinitesimal degree of Her real spiritual might. How can Amma giving darshan in Chicago know of Her son's discomfort in a small village in Kerala? Why do we even seek to look for an explanation or an answer? Can we ever hope to look beyond the tallest mountain? Or look into the deepest oceans? She's every part of nature. Every thing around us is nothing but Her. My omnipresent, omniscient Mother! You dwell outside of me and within. You, who has the power to control even Shiva, are all pervading.

Which is what makes this life even more beautiful. Because you are the beginning, the destination and the end and every day is but a splendid journey towards you my gentle mother, my Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Amma, our Mother, today and always!

53. Om sivayai namah: I bow down to Amma who bestows all that is auspicious

Life's a great teacher. It teaches us patience, surrender and peace. It can also take us on the path towards becoming faithless, impatient and stressed.
So which, for us, will be the road not taken?

When ultimate trust is placed in Amma, life's burden's are more than halved. Suddenly the stress of a move overseas seems to reduce dramatically and the worry of the future passes by like a leaf fluttering in the wind. All it needs is Amma's endless love, compassion, grace and selflessness. All it needs is for us to understand and imbibe in us the fact that faith, is everything. Faith is what helps us get up in the morning and look forward to the wonders of a new day. It's what keeps us under the protection of Amma's ever mindful gaze. Being a mother, She watches over us, ensuring we aren't hurt or distressed. She's there for us, always! Let's look back just once at our past. Through all the vicissitudes of life, Amma would have left Her loving mark, carrying us, cajoling us and carefully nurturing our every need. How much we owe this wonderful mother of ours?! For the very fact that She sits for endless hours giving darshan, only to ensure our happiness, is in itself a blessing She's swaddling us with. How truly blessed we are!

Every now and again when a challenge looks us straight in the eye and nudges us into a corner, we so easily forget that Amma will always haul us away from that corner. We give Her time, we lay conditions, we throw spiritual bribes Her way. What a laugh, for we are defining limits to the sky!! If only we could walk away from the limits we have set ourselves and realize that there, just beyond the horizon, Amma's waiting patiently to bestow everything beautiful and auspicious on us. Everything wonderful that's happened in our lives is a touch of Amma's goodness. And with this goodness, She will continue to bestow the best unto us.

For the believers, the golden bridge to Amma, is but a step away.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's little leelas!

52. Om siva kamesvarankasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who sits in the lap of Shiva, who is the conqueror of desire

Amma is an ever benevolent, ever loving mother who holds us close to Her heart and gently takes us to our desired destination.

Today Amma played a significant leela in our lives. Something beautiful happened when my sister got through a tough interview. But it meant she would have to leave very soon. She was extremely unhappy as it meant missing out on Amma's birthday celebrations at the ashram. She was sad but as is Amma's teaching, she decided to leave it all up to Amma. And just when a desire was conquered and surrendered at Amma's feet, the miracle happened. The date for her leaving was postponed. She will now get to be with Amma as the world celebrates the Universal Divine Mother's 60th Birthday!
All it took was desire to be vanquished, for a miracle to blossom. All it took was for her to step back and let Amma overtake any yearning.

That's the incredibly beautiful thing about Amma, isn't it? We can want and wait and nothing may happen. But the moment we are able to leave that "want", that overwhelming desire behind, Amma begins to weave Her magic. Because that's when we're surrendering and truly allowing Her to work Her divinity. For what is our life if not a blink in universal time? We are but a microcosm of the universe. Can our will really be taken to fruition by us? What power do we even hope to wield in a world that only understands the harmony of nature? Every step and every thought has to be dedicated to Amma. How can we not dedicate it to Her, from whom the very universe was created?!

When the stars align to help us understand this absolutely essential truth, She will sit on Shiva's lap, hold our conquered desire in Her beautiful hands, smile her beatific smile and whisper: So be it!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Be still my soulful heart!

51. Om sarvabharana bhusitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is resplendent with all types of ornaments

This post is for my sister, Bindu.

In life we have gone through several ups and downs. Sometimes the journeys have been on stark roads and sometimes we undertook it on scenic routes. Either ways, if we had sat still and listened well, we would have heard a soft tinkling. Very gentle, steady, rhythmic. Sit even more still and we would have felt a gentle hand on our drooping shoulders. And if it were possible to hold our breath and assume total stillness, we would have bathed in the aura around us. That soft glow that began following us at the very beginning of the journey. I guess when we're away from Amma, this is how we can see and feel Her. When we're on the many roads life forces us to take, this is what our co-traveller does for us. She's there and yet She isn't. She walks slowly by our side, matching us step by step, all the time ensuring we're protected against the hail storm. That rain we felt? It was what the hail storm finally became after Amma caught the full flow in the palm of Her hand and reduced it to a steady downpour. That stab of uncertainty? It's what was left from the ashes Amma made of the disaster that was headed our way. She will willingly stand in the way of our karma, till karma realizes what it's up against. Never mind what we came into this world with, She's always there 24/7/365 to protect and nurture. She's always there to listen to our most silent of pleas. Pleas that escaped us with a soundless cry only because there wasn't a word that could justify it's pain.  

Tomorrow as you undertake another path in life's landscape, sit still for a moment. Do you see Her? The most beautiful woman in the world! She's decorated with exquisite jewels of unquestioning love, kindness and divine nobility. And as these tinkle gently, you'll be touched by an angel.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In gratitude, forever!

50. Om anavadyangyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose body is worthy of worship

How fitting that the 50th mantra should be the finest: I bow down to the universal mother whose body that is seeped in divinity, is worthy of worship by each being in the world.

Fifty days ago, I undertook a journey to write my thoughts related to successive mantras in the Sri Lalita Sahasranamavali, every day. I knew there was so much to celebrate but I had no idea what an inspiring journey Amma would put me on. Each word I write is a celebration of Amma. The words seem to mould in order to be able to fit into anything to do with Amma. Very much like us, Her children who aim to mould and fit in order to please Her.

In Her true red and resplendent form, Amma is Devi, Kali, Durga, Saraswati, Lakshmi. She's Shiva, Ganesha and everything celestial. I never need a temple to feel Her presence. It's enough to close one's eyes and it's Amma! She's seated on a throne and She looks royal. Her feet are placed on a soft silk cushion. Her feet, smeared with sacred ash, is decorated with lotus flowers. She wears a bright red saree that sparkles Her divinity. There are gems everywhere. On Her wrists, She wears a lovely rudraksha bracelet. Her face, beautiful as ever, shines brightly. On Her forehead Amma wears the crown Her children have bestowed on Her. She's the queen of our hearts. And in all, She is the universal embodiment of peace. She's a warrior fighting evil with the most deadly weapon: unconditional Love.

How difficult this is to us mere mortals. We're unable to look past what may well be an irrelevant slight and extend even an iota of love to our wrongdoer. But look at Amma's greatness. She doesn't care what thoughts we have burdened ourselves with or what irreverence we may bring. All She knows is to reach out and engulf us wholeheartedly with Her love. What feels like a lifetime is really just a ten to twenty second hug most times. And when we get up and teary eyed, walk away, Amma may well be consoling yet another of Her children. And herein lies Her true holiness. Not one of us feels a disconnect. The umbilical cord stays strong. It doesn't matter if the mother doesn't have Her eyes on us; Her heart still beats close to ours.

To the celestial being who has allowed us space within Her ever compassionate heart: I bow down to you, Amma. And May I always remain, in gratitude, Yours!

Om Amriteswariye namah!     

The red of creation!

49. Om sarvarunayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is entirely red in complexion

Red is my favorite color. There's something so riveting about this color. To me, it represents determination, creativity, spirituality and a sense of being renewed. And so, when the mantra translates to describing Amma as entirely red in complexion, I cannot but enjoy the image. She's determined to cleanse the world of evil: evil thoughts, deeds, actions. She is creation. She defines spirituality. And once Amma's shadow touches our life, there's a sense of renewed birth. Everything changes. All equations have only one answer: Amma. Once touched by the rays of Her divinity, even Karma bows low and steps aside. Even the planets and stars realign to serve Her and Her 'sankalpas'.

Red is the color I always wish Amma would wear during Devi bhava. A color that shows the power that lies behind compassion. The strength of love. How beautiful She looks when the curtains finally part and Amma is there resplendent in red! It almost feels like the aura of that color reaches out to the very end of the hall, enveloping every one in Her selflessness. And then like slivers of iron, we're all drawn to this overpowering magnet.

Amma is unlike any other guru in the world. She's unlike any other person. I find it incredible that I'm born in a time when Amma has decided to grace the earth. Imagine a life where we wouldn't have been touched by this magnificent love! All we would have known is a mundane life; a life that felt a deep longing for something indescribable. A life which felt incomplete. Let's not forget what Amma thus brings to our life. Our life falls within Her circle of love and makes it complete. A beautiful red circle, emanating Her love, Her kindness and Her warmth.

You are the ever resplendent mother of the universe. The red of the rising sun. The red of the coral flower. The red of the fresh earth. Everything wonderful in the world.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of it all!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

A joy for ever!

48. Om maha lavanya sevadhaye namah: I bow down to Amma who is the treasure house of beauty

Beauty. Noun. A combination of qualities such as color or form that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

A dictionary definition.

Can Amma be described justly in words? Can Amma ever be encapsulated within a manmade framework of beauty? Can we even begin to think that we have finally understood the aura that Amma emanates? It's the same as capturing a rainbow in a bottle. Or the fragrance of jasmine in a closed fist. Or even capturing the soothing sounds of waves within your ears. All these ethereal sensations can't be merely seen, smelt or heard. It has to be "felt" deep within a recess of the heart. That recess which opens up in joyous celebration when you see Amma. That recess which feels a deep stab of undiluted pain when She waves Her goodbye.

How do I give a word or even a generous sentence to the mix of tearful joy, gratitude, thankfulness, elation, relief, calm, anticipation one feels while approaching Amma for darshan? Even if the queue is snaking way behind a pillar or a wall of people, you manage to catch glimpses of Amma. It may just be Her eyes or Her arms but it's enough to wash over us with a deep sense of calm. And the moment when you're three heartbeats away from Amma...!!! What bliss to have the divine opportunity to gaze at that beautiful face and drink it all in. What absolute bliss to be able to look at Her eyes or Her hands...it's been 24 years and yet every time the thought is the same: I've never seen eyes like this before! I've never seen hands so soft and so compassionate. So where and how can I use a simple noun to capture everything universal that Amma stands for? How can I stand in front of a mountain and hope to capture it's magnificence by merely calling it "majestic"?

The closest we can come is through this mantra. Amma truly is the treasure house of beauty. She's a treasure. She's beautiful. Absolutely every thought, every action, every gesture, every look is one of beauty. We owe our happiness to Amma. We owe our present to Her. And as we think about Her, the heart swells with gratitude. How can I thank Her who has given me a life that's truly a miracle? How can I adequately sing peans about someone who is responsible for the mosaic of goodness that I dwell in? How can God Herself, who knows only how to love, be anything but the treasure house of beauty? For in Her rests the innocence of nature and the splendor of the universe. She is the way Creation intended the world to be.
Simple. Beautiful. Uncomplicated. Loving.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

To be the most beautiful!

47. Om marali manda gamanayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose gait is as slow and gentle as that of a swan

To walk the earth with a beauty that can parallel none other.
To be wrapped in a love so strong, it can reach out to every child around the world.
To speak words that only bring joy to every heart fortunate enough to hear it.
To hear only the prayers of your children the world over
To have thoughts that only encompass others
To have helping hands that reach out and wipe the tears from wearied faces
To have a heart large enough to hold each of your children
To have the wisdom to teach humanity about life
To have the humanity to teach life all about wisdom
To know what's best for your children and grant it to us
To realize that we will walk the path best suited to us
To create the finest roads that we can tread to reach our destination
To have the slow and gentle gait of a swan.

To be the path

To be the journey

To be the destination

Amma, the true spiritual queen of the world! Thank you for just being you.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Everything you, Amma!

46. Om sinjana mani manjira mandita sri padambujayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose auspicious lotus feet are adorned with gem-studded golden anklets that tinkle sweetly

Many years ago someone was recounting to me how she had been scared to stay alone at her home at night. So she prayed fervently to Amma and at night she heard the soft tinkling of anklets. She wasn't afraid then. Because she knew it was the sounds of Amma, as Krishna. "Chilanga ketti odi odi vaayo..."

There are some things which we associate very strongly with Amma. The smell of roses. The fragrance of agarbatti that gets caught in my Amma doll. A flicker of the candle. Orchids. Lotus flowers that are the best to adorn Amma's feet. A rudraksha. The dried petals of flowers once used for Devi bhava. The holy water given out after the puja. A grain of rice showered on Her, that quietly stayed behind on a carpet.

Just so many wonderful reminders of Amma. My personal list is even longer. The bag I bought during Amma's visit. Perchance I open it, to be welcomed by a beautiful fragrance of vibhuti. And there it is. That one small, forgotten packet of sacred ash that She gently placed in my palm. As I pick it up, it smears my hands, as if playing "joy tag"! And it works! Or the soap nuts I bought from the Ayudh counter. The piece of silk cloth that was used a few years ago, for the pada puja when Amma entered the hall. Gentle reminders that Amma is there with me, all the time. I hoard my "Amma things." I can't bear to throw away broken bracelets bought from the Ashram shop. How can I? Each bead is a devotion to Amma. I can't think of getting rid of frayed lockets. Or distended rings. Anything that has ever been made with the intention of being dedicated to Amma is blessed enough to find a place in my heart and my home.

And in much the same vein falls the sweet tinkling of Her anklets. Soft sounds. Reassuring and calming. For when the storm is raining down in all it's fury, just the soft bells of Amma's anklets are enough to calm the highest of high waters. As the gentle sounds overpower the mightiest waves, Amma walks across our hearts. And each footstep speaks in unison: I love you!

I love you too Amma. More than I ever thought possible!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A radiant lotus!

45. Om pada dvaya prabha jala parakrta saroruhayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose feet defeat lotus flowers in radiance

What a beautiful picture! There's something so gorgeous and intensely stunning about a lotus flower. That it is born in still water and yet throbs with a beauty that can only emanate from the elixir of life. It's  leaves are broad and a dull green, almost as if they're there to protect the fragile leaves that are meant only for a higher purpose: to adorn Amma's feet.

Is it their karma to find themselves on Amma's feet? What have they done in their previous birth that allows them this privilege? Why can they nestle so calmly on Amma's radiant feet while the rest of us ache for one rare blessing to touch Her feet? And why is it that a lotus flower is divine enough to be in a mantra with Amma?  

But look at those feet!! There's something so perfect about them. As gentle and divine as Amma Herself. There's an unhurried bliss to Amma's feet...the perfect place to lay your head down and allow the moment to take over. It is the only place where a parched soul will be able to water their destiny. 

And to this feet, it is only appropriate to say that it's radiance outshines a lotus. For while a lotus may have the mystical beauty of nature, Amma's beauty has the radiance of compassion and love to it. Amma, please do grant us the blessing to touch this radiance, one day!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

To walk in the sunshine!

44. Om nakha didhiti sanchanna namajanna tamogunayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose toenails give out such a radiance that all the darkness of ignorance is dispelled from those devotees who prostrate at Her feet

Ego. As Michael described it to me, that's a nasty acronym. Edging God Out. The times when we slowly allow God to walk out of our hearts by filling it with lofty and heightened thoughts of the self. Where the one upmanship and the desire to create a self that is totally higher than others is so high that we are unable to see past the self destructive mountain on which we stand. Ego. That moment when we are blinded by an anger that in turn arises from a false image of ourselves.

Amma. The only selfless, divine being who can help us cross the tumultuous river of ego. Being under the umbrella of Amma's grace and compassion is essentially a space where we are comfortable leaving our ego filled minds and walking into a space of nothingness. Where the only thought is of Amma. It's also the only space which truly allows us to live in the present. Even thoughts show respect and tread carefully. The mind only revolves around Amma and what beautiful moments these are!

So imagine a day where we could actually prostrate at Amma's feet. These feet that can only be washed gently with the sweetest smelling rose water, the finest quality honey and the thickest milk. To prostrate at Amma's feet and unburden ourselves there. To remove the outer layer of ego and place it at Amma's feet. That's when She will dispel our ignorance and illumine the path ahead; show us the only path that will ensure our happiness and unbridled joy! Allow us this blessing, Amma! What better way to feel your radiance! What better way to finally walk out into the sunshine!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

On the sands of time...!

43. Om kurma prstha jayisnu prapadanvitayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose feet have arches that rival the back of a tortoise in smoothness and beauty

I was inundated with the sweetest messages from Michael and Bindu, my spiritual siblings today. They convinced me I would have Amma's permission and blessings to do a pada puja. Soon, very soon!
Just the thought is enough to make me happy. I have already waited a lifetime. Every time someone does pada puja for Amma, I have looked on with a touch of jealousy. Every time Amma walks by, I keep telling myself: "Just bend down and touch Her feet!" But I know it's forbidden and thus the fruit just seems sweeter!

But once, a few years ago, after the Singapore programme, Amma visited the ashram. And after a puja there, Bindu excitedly gave me milk. I have no recollection whether the milk was actually used for pada puja but that's what I convinced myself...and drank heartily! Yet another time, Bindu and I kissed a slipper thinking it to be Amma's! It wasn't. To this day I have no idea whose it was. But the best part is that it still feels like I kissed Amma's feet!

Amma's beautiful feet. Like everything else about Her, they're divine. She has walked the ends of this earth drying tears, consoling people and sprinkling joy into our lives. She's walked in different continents and brought us together through Her motherhood. She selflessly does all She can to ensure that our lives become more spiritual, more joyful and more egoless. She's taught us to laugh without ego and cry without pain. With no rest, She has traversed paths to ensure that we are led to deliverance. She's truly left indelible footprints on the spiritual sands of time. My gorgeously beautiful mother, your feet are now the focus of my meditation. Please allow me the blessing of washing them with milk, honey, sacred ash and rose water. And as I dry them repeatedly for tears may wash over them again, may I only have the most beautiful mantra on my lips: Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Amma's feet, where I may finally rest!

42. Om gudha gulphayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose ankles are hidden

One of my biggest desires is to touch Amma's feet. We're told constantly not to touch Amma's feet but I  really want to. It's where I would want to rest my tired head . It is where I would want to unburden every inch of my ego and problems arising out of it. It is where I want to sacrifice every thought, every sensation, every feeling. It is where I want to take my daughter when she is miffed with growing up pains. It is where I want to take my father, his frail body racked with pains. It is where I want to take my mother when she's tired after a hard 18-hours-a-day-work. What better place to leave our journey's baggage and sit aside, a quietened mind which can then concentrate on divinity.

I had the good fortune of seeing Amma's ankles once. It was during a pada puja. After the cleaning of Amma's feet with water, honey, milk, curd and ghee, the devotee went on to dry Amma's feet and then put a beautiful thick anklet around Her ankles. That moment has remained firmly inscribed in my mind. The anklet and Amma's ankles. I wish I have the blessed opportunity to do pada puja one day. What a beautiful experience it must be. As I wash Amma's feet, each sliver of my ego can be shredded and placed on Her divine feet.

Please give me this opportunity, Amma. Please allow me this. For when it has your blessings, only then will the universe conspire to make it happen!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The God of Love!

41. Om indra gopa pariksipta smara tunabha janghikayai namah: I bow down to Amma whose calves gleam like the jewel covered quiver of the God of love

The quiver of the God of love is exactly what Amma's hugs should be called. For She is the God of love and loving is Her way. Amma has many paths, all of which She treads only to make us happier and better. I read this heartwarming story of a mother whose first impression of seeing devotees around Amma, was that this was mass hypnosis! And the first thought that struck me, was yes!! Why not?? It is mass hypnosis. When Amma enters a hall, every one sitting, standing, waiting, is mesmerized by the presence of this little, awesome woman from Kerala. When Amma raises Her hand in a namaste, every one holds their breath and does the same. When Amma settles down, everyone feels a sense of calm. When Amma sings, every one rejoices. And when Amma begins to give darshan, there's a mad scramble. Some run to get into line; others with a token that promises a darshan further down the night go grab a dinner. But nobody leaves. There's a buzz all around the room. People walk about the counters looking at possible things they can buy- anything that'll remind them of Amma for another 364 days. Mass hypnosis? Most certainly! How can we not be hypnotized when the God of love Herself is reaching out and hugging us? When She Herself is there to make a sankalpa and help us move ahead? Isn't it beautiful that we are blessed by the highest power Herself? Not as an idol or a photograph but in person?
And what's more: She has a quiver. When She launches it, it can even reach us long distance. Because from Her, we're never, ever far away!

Om Amriteswariye namah!