170. Om nir-lobhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is without greed
How else can Amma be? She takes nothing from us. Her long road in life, is replete with everything She gives of Herself to others. She gives us Her time, Her love, Her good karma, Her mothering, Her everything. She has kept aside every material comfort so that we, Her children, may remain happy. There are no relaxing days or days off. There is no medical leave taken. Even for Her own self, Amma shows no greed. The only thing She knows is to console and make happy everyone around Her. The whole concept seems so fantastical because we are nothing like this. We are attached to our worldly possessions and create a false sense of happiness by gathering material objects. Going from strength to strength essentially means from one house to a bigger house. One car to a swankier one.
Amma lives in a small room in Amritapui. Even while traveling, Amma's needs are basic and Her time anyway is consumed by attending to all Her children. If there is one person who knows not about excess and gives everything She can, it is Amma. Money sent to Amma by devotees and by the sale of items, goes into charitable activities around the world. For Amma, charity truly begins at home. I remember while doing line monitoring once, a gentleman asked me what the charges were for meeting Amma. I almost laughed out aloud! But then quickly realized that this is possibly how a lot of people perceived it all. Here She was, this amazing Goddess, sitting in one place and healing the world. Surely there must be a price to it?! In Tokyo, volunteers stood outside advertising "Free Hugs".
Funny isn't it that this extremely valuable hug, this life changing embrace is actually for free? Here is the one thing as precious as the air we breathe, that does not succumb to inflation. It's just there for us. For everyone. For the asking. Amma knows nothing of greed. If ever She were to pick up a strand, it would only be so Her children may have a better life. In fact for me, one of Amma's gestures sums up everything about Her. After a strenuous nightlong Devi bhava darshan, Amma doesn't just get back into the curtained stage to change. She stands there, showering flower petals on Her children. It's tiresome for sure but She's no mere mortal. She stands there for a long time, a smile playing on Her lips, showering it again and again and again. Giving. The one verb She knows very well.
She in fact is the very definition of the word.
Om Amriteswariye namah!
How else can Amma be? She takes nothing from us. Her long road in life, is replete with everything She gives of Herself to others. She gives us Her time, Her love, Her good karma, Her mothering, Her everything. She has kept aside every material comfort so that we, Her children, may remain happy. There are no relaxing days or days off. There is no medical leave taken. Even for Her own self, Amma shows no greed. The only thing She knows is to console and make happy everyone around Her. The whole concept seems so fantastical because we are nothing like this. We are attached to our worldly possessions and create a false sense of happiness by gathering material objects. Going from strength to strength essentially means from one house to a bigger house. One car to a swankier one.
Amma lives in a small room in Amritapui. Even while traveling, Amma's needs are basic and Her time anyway is consumed by attending to all Her children. If there is one person who knows not about excess and gives everything She can, it is Amma. Money sent to Amma by devotees and by the sale of items, goes into charitable activities around the world. For Amma, charity truly begins at home. I remember while doing line monitoring once, a gentleman asked me what the charges were for meeting Amma. I almost laughed out aloud! But then quickly realized that this is possibly how a lot of people perceived it all. Here She was, this amazing Goddess, sitting in one place and healing the world. Surely there must be a price to it?! In Tokyo, volunteers stood outside advertising "Free Hugs".
Funny isn't it that this extremely valuable hug, this life changing embrace is actually for free? Here is the one thing as precious as the air we breathe, that does not succumb to inflation. It's just there for us. For everyone. For the asking. Amma knows nothing of greed. If ever She were to pick up a strand, it would only be so Her children may have a better life. In fact for me, one of Amma's gestures sums up everything about Her. After a strenuous nightlong Devi bhava darshan, Amma doesn't just get back into the curtained stage to change. She stands there, showering flower petals on Her children. It's tiresome for sure but She's no mere mortal. She stands there for a long time, a smile playing on Her lips, showering it again and again and again. Giving. The one verb She knows very well.
She in fact is the very definition of the word.
Om Amriteswariye namah!
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