Amma's radiance all around!

373. Om kamesvara-prana-nadyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the very life of Kameshvara, Her consort.

The book is well worn. It's pages have lost their crispness. There are pictures tucked away as also rose petals found at Amma's feet. Each page houses 7 to 8 mantras. There are small tears and signs of wear. There is a familiarity within these pages. As soon as I open it, the words reach out to me like an old friend. I recognize the mantras as I speak them out: some, with a deep understanding and some spoken without too much attachment. Yet they are there for me every night, welcoming me and embracing me warmly. Each mantra holds a meaning and a promise for a deeper understanding of the world around me. How do I connect so deeply with this book? After all what is it but just another prayer book? It isn't. It's a prayer book that holds 108 names of Amma. A book that has a 1000 paeans to Amma. Which is why the book feels so good. Each mantra is reflecting a small bit of Amma's radiance. Each mantra is giving us a little bit of Amma's warmth and love. Little wonder then that the prayer book feels like a beautiful companion always!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A life filled with Amma!

372. Om bhakta-manasa-hamsikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is a swan in the minds of Her devotees

My own relationship with Amma has developed over the years. In the beginning, I was in awe of Amma. She was this big Guru, important in our lives. Someone who seemed magical and could read my mind. All She needed was to look at me and She would know what I was thinking. There was a supernatural aura around Her. But in my own day to day life, I was busy with daily, mundane things. I never prayed regularly except when I was in trouble. Amma wasn't an integral part: She was someone I went to for a coveted hug!

Then I began praying. Regularly. That's when I received some answers. And yet Amma stayed on the magical periphery. She was now a Goddess. Which meant I had to fear Her for I was brought up with the concept of the punishing God. So Amma now occupied the altar which I looked to for help and for retribution. But I couldn't 'find' Amma. She was only there when I got Her darshan. The next morning, She left the city. And my heart.

The next phase had me on a roller coaster in life. Ups and Downs. Trials. Which is when I sat down and began fervent prayers. I also began to discover Amma, thanks to Bindu. For the first time I took Her away from the supernatural and placed Her on the altar as my Mother. I began talking to Her. She listened. She listened very keenly when my daughter was born. She has listened very keenly many times since. I have been on several journeys with Amma. Some days I talk to Her angrily. I question her. I demand to know why She doesn't answer me. Some days I kneel in gratitude and thank Her for everything. My journey continues. Amma remains an enigma but now I know that She is the only true friend I will ever have. She is the only one who cares enough about my problems and She is to whom I need to take my thoughts, my silence. Finally, all that matters is that everything in life is nothing but Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Everything magical!

371. Om vaikhari-rupayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of manifested sound.

I am not sure what this mantra exactly means but as usual, I only want to see all of Amma in it. Amma manifests Herself in everything around us. Sometimes I wish we could only hear Amma's voice in everything that we do hear around us. This way, nothing we hear will ever hurt us. Because Amma will never hurt us. She is here to make our lives easier and to give this entire journey of ours a meaning. I was looking for pictures for today's post and I realized that in every picture of Amma, She looks serene and beautiful. She never poses for a picture; we have seen photographers take pictures of Amma at various programs. The fact is that how many ever hours have passed without rest, Amma's true nature of spreading love and happiness is so strong that everything pales in comparison. Every second of every day is a wonder for Amma. She only sees beauty all around Her. And it is this beauty and simplicity that reflects on Amma. This is what each picture captures! Once again, I thank the universe for making me a part of this magical world in which Amma is my mother, my guru, my guide and guardian angel!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My awesome Guru!

370. Om madhyamayai namah: I bow down to Amma who stays in the middle

One of the most beautiful quotes I have read about Amma is from the late Khushwant Singh:
 In all my life, I have not met a warmer personality than Amma. Even an agnostic like me had great difficulty in holding back my tears.

~ Sri. Khuswant Singh

Author and Journalist

Amma makes no distinction between anyone, rich or poor, young or old. The famous writer felt the exact same emotions that you or I are overwhelmed with. It was exactly what the Hollywood actor Jim Carrey had to say about Amma. Through the world, Amma's backdrops may keep changing but Amma remains the same. And it is Amma's incredible warmth that makes us feel so intensely moved. After all, who isn't moved by love and compassion? When I go to Amma for darshan, She welcomes me like Her ONLY child in the world. And Amma does that for each and every person who has stood in that queue for Her darshan. Each one of us is special, privileged, loved. When we look at Amma's picture, each of us is whispered a special message. When we close our eyes and pray to Her, Amma reaches out to each of us in Her own way, which makes it so special for us. Nobody will have the exact same darshan as another person. There is nothing factory line about it. The 30 million hugs Amma has given to the world: they're each special and unique. This isn't a poetic observation. This is a miracle based on fact! What an incredibly awesome Guru we are blessed with!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The sunshine of Amma's love!

369. Om para-devatayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the supreme deity, Parashakti

Amma, I miss You so much! I often think of the last time I saw You. What is this connection? What is this overwhelming need to be in Your presence all the time? Every darshan with You is so special. There's something You do differently with us each time we come there for a special hug. And in Your own way, You awaken the divine in each of Your children. There's never one devotee who doesn't return misty eyed and happy. In a span of 3 days, You give each of us a life time. When we walk out back into the material world, it's this dull ache that pervades us - a need to see You and a voice that keeps goading us to get back into the darshan hall. You truly are the supreme deity, the Parashakti. For those who haven't yet discovered Your overwhelming love or fail to see it, may the universe give them this blessed opportunity some day. How much easier You make it to ride this journey of life. We undergo so many trials but it all seems bearable only because we know You are guiding us through it all; because we know You are there to hold our hand through it all. There are days when I have felt abandoned but like the sun and the moon, You are always there. It's us who are tossing through night and day. We fail to see You. Thank You for Your ever loving presence. May the sunshine of Your love never set in our lives.

Om Parashaktyai namah! Om Amriteswaryai namah!

"To become fit to receive grace, we must develop humility in our words and actions." -Amma

Everything Divine!

368. Om pasyantyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the second level of sound (after para, before madhyama and vaikari)

In gratitude, Amma, for the fact that we are alive today. That we have had the good karma of being Your children. The very fact that You have chosen us is enough for us to be living a divine life. Nothing of the material realm matters; we have the Goddess of the Universe in our lives! Given below are some of the best quotes from Amma:
“Our inner relationship or bond of love with the guru is actually the unity we feel towards our own True Self—the Atman. So, we should not mistake the love or closeness we have towards our guru as mere external closeness. We are turning inwards and getting closer to our True Self because the guru is not the mere body. The guru is also the pure God consciousness that is beyond all names and forms. This is why attraction to the guru leads us to freedom.” — from Amma’s talk on the occasion of Guru Purnima, July 12, 2014, Toronto
"Some believe that Lord Shiva is at Kashi alone or Lord Krishna is only in Brindavan. Dear children, do not think that God is confined to the four walls of a temple or a place. He is omnipotent and omnipresent. He can assume any form of His choice."

"Ravana was a devotee of Lord Shiva, but his devotion was only a means to increase his material power. The spiritual aspect was totally missing in him. In other words, he had no renunciation. He was intensely desirous of accumulating, possessing and enjoying as much as he could. Although he was strong and courageous, he had no love or compassion. Just like any other dictator, he was a power-monger, a person who cared only about himself and his own security. His power, which he derived from the Lord, made him so egotistic and blind that he even tried to lift Mount Kailas, Lord Shiva’s abode.

Without renunciation and humility one cannot be content. A true devotee has both of these qualities. A person who lacks renunciation and humility can never be content because he still craves material prosperity. His desires are countless and insatiable. He is never satisfied with what he has. Instead he thinks about accumulating more wealth, more money, a bigger house, a better car, more and more comfort."

Let us all follow in Amma's divine footsteps and enrich our lives forever. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A life lesson in a hug!

367. Om pratyak-citi-rupayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is of the nature of unmanifested consciousness or Brahman

Everything surrounding us is Amma, unmanifested consciousness or Brahman.

Sometimes I am so jubilant about the fact that Amma is such an important part of our lives. There is a spiritual purpose and a spiritual meaning to our lives. The very fact that Amma has touched the lives of over 30 million people is beautiful; that She may well have turned their lives around for the better, is divine. When we get Amma's darshan, we aren't just receiving a hug from Amma: we are being blessed with a conscious decision to always look at the world wearing the most nonjudgmental glasses ever. We are being taught an important lesson being human. We are being blessed with an attitude of acceptance. We are being shown that the entire world is connected by a common thread of fate. When we are made aware of it, we will never leave our co passengers stranded. We will learn that everything we do impacts the whole world. We will learn that goodness can only come back around. We will also learn that wherever we are, Amma is really just a prayer away!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A beacon of divine light!

366. Om parayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the supreme, who transcends all.

Amma's energy permeates everything surrounding Her. Thankfully, even the devotees who line up for hours to get that magical hug from Amma are touched by Amma's magic. We do feel such a beautiful change that takes over our lives. Some call it a miracle; some, a divine touch. One amon the many incredible stories of change in Amma's children:
"Lawrence Nzeako, a real estate agent from Jamaica, Queens, says Amma appears to him in his dreams as a representation of the goddess Kali. Born a Catholic, Nzeako initially wanted to become a priest. But the Hindu convert says that praying to Amma has helped him stop smoking, drinking, and eating meat. He’s also started the dubious practice of ingesting the vibhuti, or holy ash, that Amma has blessed—swearing that it has helped him ward off evil spirits and thwart people who are trying to poison him. His wife and children are still Catholics, but he prays that they will come to Amma one day."
I think if Amma can get even one person to do away with a negative attitude and only concentrate on prayer and goodness, that is a miracle. So many of us spend our free time at satsangs and singing bhajans or praying. That is also a miracle. So many people waste their time on so many irrelevant things. Being able to keep our mind on God is to change the very basis of our thinking. We truly are blessed to have such a wonderful beacon of divine light in our lives. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma-bliss!

365. Om svatmanandalavi-bhuta-brahmadyananda-santatyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose bliss outshines the bliss of Brahma and others

365 Days of writing this sahasranamam. An entire year of remembering everything wonderful about Amma!! May the journey continue with Your blessing, Amma. Amme Sharanam!
Today I had some beautiful moments when I was totally immersed in thinking about Amma. I was listening to Amma singing "Shivoham Shivoham". My Goodness! How incredibly beautiful Amma's voice sounds! How peaceful, calm and full of divine love Amma's voice is! I was driving and enjoying every moment of the bhajan. And that is the bliss we experience when in Amma's presence. I was reminded of those times when I have sat in Amma's luminous presence and listened to Her beautiful rendition - or offerings to the universe - through bhajans. It is so easy to lose oneself listening to these songs. As I hiked up the volume and allowed the songs to uplift me, I felt Amma's presence ever so strongly. Bindu had told me that as we grow older, we are supposed to need Amma's physical form even less. We are supposed to mediate on Her form and not crave to be around Amma all the time. But maybe I haven't reached that level of spiritual maturity because I crave to see Amma as often as possible. I need my Amma-fix. I envy people who actually travel to be with Amma. I envy those who can lay aside their work and give importance to what really is more important than anything else in our lives! You are the very reason of our lives, Amma. May we always bask in this divine bliss.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Seeing life as a prayer!

364. Om cid-eka-rasa-rupinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is of the nature of pure intelligence, who is the cause of knowledge

Talking about puja as a means of attaining mental clarity, Amma said: “We need to see life itself as a form of puja. Live with that puja bhava—the attitude of seeing all your actions as worship and accepting all the experiences that come to you in life as prasad. Knowing that everyone and everything is a manifestation of the Atman, regardless of whether someone scolds you or praises you—that is verily Advaita. We need to cultivate the ability to accept everything as grace. Or cultivate the ability to see the negativities of others as reflections of our own flaws. Such attitudes are puja bhava. Ultimately, puja bhava is seeing the Self, or God, in everything. Even though initially this is difficult, gradually the feeling of oneness arises.

“A staircase is needed only until we reach the higher level. For Amma, there is nothing to reject; everything is accepted in love. Considering the feelings of others, spiritual aspirants should learn to love all, respect all, and feel everyone’s difficulties as their own. Some people do not have the good fortune to have sweetness in their lives. Understanding this, you should share the sweetness you’ve been fortunate to receive with others.

“Like the crow in the parable that could only drink the water in the fluted vase if it dropped rocks in it first, we should invoke god within with the required effort. Gaining control over our mind is the goal. All of the various forms of spiritual practices are means to achieve that common end. So, Amma cannot reject any of them. They were established by the rishis, and the rishis were not fools. Seeing God in all forms, they accepted all forms as appropriate means for helping the mind gain focus. If one looks into the depth of all the various spiritual practices—even just singing bhajans to oneself—you will see that they are not different from the Atma; they are, in fact, keys that open us up to that truth.”

The above has been extracted from an article on www.amritapuri.org. I found it appropriate in these times where nothing is making any more sense in the world and where the word humanity has been left as a mere word tossing about in the wind looking for a meaning. I hope we are able to see all of life around us as a prayer, a dedication to Amma. It's possibly the only comforting and sane way to move forward.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The embodiment of truth!

363. Om tat-pada-laksyarthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the embodiment of Truth ('tat')

When the world faces disasters of the magnitude of what we have seen in the recent past, it is time to sit back and re-look at our spiritual choices. There's absolute madness and mayhem everywhere in the world. It's very easy to get down and out when swept by the wave of sadness that's threatening to sweep away our mental balance. And now, more than ever, we need to have a spiritual sadhguru like Amma. Amma is the embodiment of truth: the truth that the universe wants in each of us. Amma is the most beautiful truth of them all: She is proof that the universe does want something good for all of us. It is the reason Amma exists amongst us. We are lucky to be living in a world that is ruled by Amma where She looks after us and ensures that we are always on the right path. Amma helps us along in this tumultuous path of life and makes everything so much more endurable, livable. When the world around us is crumbling, the only way forward is to surrender every breath to Amma. She is the only one who can help cross this bridge of life.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, the highest intelligence!

362. Om cityai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of pure intelligence.

I am always in awe of Amma's ability to not only spread the love but to also attend to matters of administration and the running of the ashram. How many times we see Amma giving darshan while at the same the speaking to someone about ashram matters or giving advice to a devotee. The beauty is that Amma never compromises on either. Both get an equal share of Amma's attention, which I find so incredibly beautiful! Everytime I go to Amma for darshan, I pray fervently that someone will come with an important question and Amma will hold me in Her arms forever! But to be fair, even if no one comes to speak to Amma, in Her beautiful and warm hug lies a lifetime of love, compassion and assurance. Amma represents the spiritual and divine intelligence of this world. The knowledge Amma has of life, people and of course the scriptures has its firm roots in a divine intelligence. I love listening to Amma's satsangs because they are so practical and yet endearing. You realise that Amma is always looking out for Her children! The following is the excerpt from Amma's satsang at a retreat in Toronto. Michael send this to me and I am grateful to him for it. The answers Amma gives to how best to lead our lives is an eye opener. It also gives us a small hint of the vast expanse of Amma's pure intelligence!

"Ego is nyan-enna bhavam. Doing karma is not ego. It is action with the idea that "I" am doing it. Our
biggest richness is being able to speak kind words. But we never do.
Ego hurts others. Example: Because of something that happened at home, we give others (at work) a hard time. This causes pain in those that we hurt. That pain creates like a smoke or glass pane around our aura that prevents grace from reaching us. So we must not hurt others. We should use the ego as a tool. But be aware that when it hurts others it creates a block and prevents kripa from reaching us. Sailing the boat in the direction of the wind gets us there faster. That is grace. Going against the wind makes the journey harder.
Attachment binds us. You don't need to give up anything. But you need to understand the nature of objects and move forward with awareness. The scriptures say we should do three things with the guru's teachings. 1. shravanam (listening); 2. mananam (meditating and reflecting on it); and 3. nithidhyasam (practically applying it; practicing the guru's teachings).
Darkness can't be scooped out of our lives. It is there. But it immediately dispels in the presence of light. So we must bring light. One word is extremely powerful. We must speak with kindness and awareness. This will make tremendous difference in our lives. One single word is so powerful. So speak kindly, compassionately, use words with extreme care! Giving solace to even one person is a huge accomplishment. So think good, do good, speak good.
Awareness is there. We are ripe fruit. We are a huge powerful flashlight, but the lens is covered in dust so you don't see the light. Amma says we should practice detachment so that you won't be sorrowful. Attachment creates sorrow. So there is only oneness. When our finger pokes our eye, we console both the eye and the finger. Seeing both as one self. That is what we need to be practice awareness on.
Brahmacharis from ashram go to build houses. The villagers don't help. Instead they just think that the ashram is getting government dollars from it. The trucks won't reach some of these far inland locations. The brahmacharis load it into a wheel-barrow and push it to where it needs to go. The people (beneficiaries) will sit and watch and play cards, and will even give the brahmacharis a hard time. These brahmacharis work without eating in the gruelling sun. The brahmacharis tell Amma, "They won't even help us." Amma tells them that that is their dharma. They are ignorant. They lack understanding. Their nature is that way. Our nature is to help. Story of a mahatma bathing in river and trying to save a scorpion. Scorpion kept stinging the mahatma that was saving him. When questioned, the mahatma said, "It is my nature to save him. It is his nature to sting. I can't be mad at him for being true to his nature." Similarly our dharma is to help others.
Kindness and compassion in adverse situations is hard sometimes. So when we develop non attachment, we will not have/experience sorrow. Then we will spread light and help to others.
If you pour water on the leaves, it is no good; pouring water at base of the tree has benefit. So detachment allows us to work with compassion and kindness and understand the nature of the world.
Understand your dharma, understand your karma, understand the nature of the world, understand the situation and move forward. Action without understanding is like rowing a moored boat."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

May all the beings in the world be happy!

361. Om tamopahayai namah: I bow down to Amma who removes the ignorance born of tamas

The world seems to be in turmoil. The bizarre and impossible has happened while a twisted humanity kills and rapes children and adults all over the world. All decency has been lost; all civility, thrown to the winds. This is when we need to change the universal vibes. When we need to reflect everything that Amma has taught us.
Lokah Samastaha Sukhino Bhavantu
May all the beings in the world be happy
I read a beautiful quote on Facebook. It said, "My problems are big but my God is bigger." It whittles down to faith. Especially now more than ever, we need to reflect on our faith and look at ways to strengthen it. Amma has spoken extensively on meditation and I am now reaching a point where I want to follow Amma "blindly" on anything Amma says. I want to sit quietly in a corner and meditate on Amma's beautiful form. I want to think of Amma as often as possible and I want to surrender every waking and sleeping moment to Her. As the world is showing us, absolutely nothing is our hands. Only an evolved soul like Amma has the power to heal and forgive. Only Amma can help us sit back and reflect. Only Amma can help us cross the turbulent waters of the ocean of samsara. May the world right itself at the earliest. may we all enjoy Amma's infinite blessing and grace.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The only shelter: Amma!

360. Om tanu-madhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who has a slender waist.

Yet another tragedy that has struck and yet another moment to sit down and say a prayer for all those who have died in the attack on MH17. Yet another moment to recognize the fragility of life and the futility of ego. All that helps live life to the fullest, is prayer. How many of us would have known a passenger carrier would get shot down? How many of the 295 on board would have had an inkling of impending death? Even though death is an absolute certainty, our ego still makes us feel invincible. The only shelter one can take in life, is Amma. The only time our trials and tribulations become bearable is when Amma showers Her blessings on us. I hadn't seen Amma  for nearly 16 months. I needed to see Her. Amma is like air and water for us. And when I finally saw Her, nothing mattered. Even the go slowly melted away to give place to Amma. For those 2 days, everything was bliss, perfect. I have carried a large chunk of that and hopefully it will see me through till I see Amma again. It's very difficult to live without seeing Amma all the time but prayer is a powerful umbilical cord that attaches us to Her.

May Amma give the world the strength to walk through the many tribulations. May Amma bless the families of those who have died today.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In search of God...!

359. Om tapasaradhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by ascetics

Amma's swamiji, Swami Purnamritananda Puri gave this beautiful talk on his experience when he first met Amma:
Before I met Amma, I had many questions about God. Along with my friends who were rationalists, I went to many places to study superhuman abilities, ghosts and spirits and haunted houses. We stayed in houses that were reputed to be haunted. We questioned people who claimed to possess superhuman powers. We finally understood one thing. Man's beliefs are exploited everywhere. We realized that ghosts and spirits are not as dangerous as human beings. It was that quest that brought me to Amma. I asked Amma, "Does God exist?" Amma replied, "That is a silly question, son. Why do you ask?" 
If God exists, I am angry enough to kill him!" I said. 
Amma laughed, "Why is that?"
"There are so many people in this world who suffer from poverty and disease. On the other hand, many enjoy unlimited prosperity. In this creation, every creature has been created as another creature's prey. If there is a God that created such a cruel world, it makes me angry enough to kill Him."
Amma said to me, "Amma really likes you, because your anger against God isn't for any selfish reason. It is because of your compassion for others. God dwells in the heart which is full of compassion for others."
Then Amma explained, "God never punishes. God does not know anything about punishment. God is the one who saves. We are the ones who punish ourselves. Each unhappy experience is a result of our thoughts and actions."
Amma reminded me of a precept of modern science. " 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction'. Newton's law. This reaction occurs in both gross and subtle planes. Even a thought has a reaction. So the reason for all our sorrows is our thoughts and actions. Having attained a human body, if we continue to live like animals, we may be reborn as an animal and become food for its predator. God is not responsible for this. God is the epitome of love; the essence of compassion. But Nature has laws. Nature has no compassion. Whether a little child throws a rock, or a learned man, or a celebrity the rock falls back down. The rock may fall on their heads. Nature does not consider that the child may have thrown the rock in ignorance. So there are only laws in Nature. Now that the rock is thrown, what can be done? Put on a helmet. That is the only way out. We have done many actions in ignorance. So get protection through prayer and good actions. God has no part in this."  
Then I asked Amma, "Amma, are you God?"
"Amma is just a crazy woman" Amma replied, "I am surviving because no one is putting me behind bars.  Amma does not say that you should believe in Amma or in a God that lives above, son. Just believe in yourself. Everything is in you. Like the seed that contains the large tree within itself, the power of God exists within each and every animate and inanimate creation in this universe. If man can awaken and develop this power through concentrated practice, positive actions and meditation, he can attain wholeness. Man can go beyond the laws of nature. He can go beyond the cycle of birth and death. The secrets of the universe will be revealed to him. At that supreme state, he is able to see God everywhere. This life is an opportunity for man to attain wholeness. Someone who sees God everywhere will be able to love and serve everyone alike. Mahatmas take birth in order to guide man to that state.  God is not an individual but a state of being. The president of a nation is not an individual - it is a position. Anyone can reach that position, but they need the vote of the majority. Similarly, it is only with the blessing of every creature in this universe that one can attain God-realization. Amma's life shows us that it is possible to attain God- even if you are born in the most adverse circumstance. 
When I saw every quality of God in Amma, I put an end to my search for God. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A Guru such as Amma!

358. Om tarunyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is ever young

"Our inner relationship or bond of love with the guru is actually the unity we feel towards our own True Self—the Atman. So, we should not mistake the love or closeness we have towards our guru as mere external closeness. We are turning inwards and getting closer to our True Self because the guru is not the mere body. The guru is also the pure God consciousness that is beyond all names and forms. This is why attraction to the guru leads us to freedom." —from Amma's talk on the occasion of Guru Purnima, July 12, 2014
"Now our hearts are closed buds that harbor anger, jealousy and selfishness. But when Love flows and washes away the impurities, our hearts will flower and bless the world." -Amma

Somedays, I find it difficult to write about Amma. Words seem inadequate and a heart overflowing with wonder and gratitude, doesn't help! How does one describe the most compassionate and beautiful person in the world? How does one describe Amma whose only religion is love and whose life is dedicated to making yours and mine a better one? How does one describe the only person in the world who makes you happy, content, at peace? 
I will eternally be grateful to the universe for considering me deserving of a Guru such as Amma. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Spiritually richer!

357. Om tapa-trayagni-santapta-samahladana-candrikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the moonlight that gives joy to those burned by the triple fire of misery.

When I opened my message and saw this photograph of Amma's sent by Bindu, there was such a feeling of joy! I remembered those moments of seeing Amma recently and being in Her divine presence. This photograph, like millions before this one, is able to capture only a part of Amma's beauty. No photograph, no video can ever capture the full extent of the miracles Amma performs regularly. Every second of the day, we are touched by a compassionate angel who loves us and will sacrifice Her life only so we can have a better tomorrow. We are lucky to have this angel in our lives and She has decided to stand in the path of our karma. Not one person who meets Amma is unaffected by Her. All one needs to do is look around and see the lit up faces and the lines of pure joy creasing everyone's countenance. In a hall jam packed with people, Amma touches everyone's lives. And all it takes is a darshan for us to get back home spiritually richer, more righteous and definitely kinder to the world.

If only all of the world could be privy to the biggest saint the world has known: AMMA!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My perfect Amma!

356. Om sadacara-pravartikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is immersed in (and inspires others to follow) right conduct

Amma is always a perfect example of how to live one's life. Amma always hears the perfect word, She speaks the perfect word and She sees only perfection around Her. We are never judged by Amma; She loves us just as we are. In fact, I wonder if Amma ever sees us for what we are: egoistical and selfish people caught up in a material world. But for Amma, everything is love. Every moment of every day. Amma gives of Herself as much as She can. The first day in New York saw a reasonable number of people for darshan. Not the same numbers as in Singapore. One would have thought Amma would rush through it. But Amma stayed on for nearly 16 hours! I politely asked a lady I met there if she had had a good darshan. She considered the question for a second before answering in all seriousness: "Is there anything as a bad darshan?" She wasn't being sarcastic - merely teaching me an important lesson. I realized how often we ask our friends how their darshan experience was. We are hoping to hear stories of miracles and recounting of amazing moments. What we miss in all of this is that every moment spent being Amma's child is a miracle in itself. It is an amazing moment. Just being in the sheer presence of such an incredible Master is enough to cloak us with a miraculous life. Everything connected with Amma is beautiful, virtuous, miraculous, right. Which is why thousands turn up for Her darshan. Neither good nor bad. Just 'darshan' which should now be synonymous with 'magical.'

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, our Guru!

355. Om samhrtasesa-pasandayai namah: I bow down to Amma who destroys all heretics

Gurur Bramha
Gurur Visnu
Gurur devo maheswaraha
Gurur saksat param Brahma
Tasmai Sri Guruvey namah!
All it takes is a few moments in the presence of the Guru to know that the finest gift you can give yourself and others is the gift of positivity. Amma lights up with joy when we stand smiling, in front of Her. Every inch of that happiness comes from you,  Amma. She works really hard to ensure that we, Her children are happy at all times.
It's been a year since I started this blog as an offering of my devotion to Amma. On Guru purnima last year, I began this journey. It's been a tough year made bearable only by thoughts of Amma. This year,  finally seeing Her after a period of 15 months, all I could do was collapse in a pool of tears during darshan.  None of the words and thoughts I had strung together in my head came to my rescue. The tears that flowed were a mix of relief,  gratitude,  fear and sadness. But Amma soothed it all away.  By the next minute I felt all my cares ebb away. Like my burdens had been taken from me. Amma has done Her magic yet again.
Om Amriteswariye namah!

From ignorance to bliss!

354. Om pasu-pasa-vimocinyai namah : I bow down to Amma who releases the ignorant from bondage

She is everything pure and beautiful in our world. Every time we are blessed with Amma's darshan, we learn a few more important lessons about divinity, goodness, simplicity and humility. And as we learn, we are released from the bondage of the ego.  Just being in Amma's presence is enough to help us walk away from the shackles of ego. The all important 'I' becomes the very humble 'us'. In New York I met a wonderful lady who has dedicated her massaging skills to Amma. She uses her talent to raise money for Amma's charities. Amma has told her to see Amma in everyone She massages. How beautiful and real is that!  Ideally that is how we should live our lives, seeing Amma in everyone. We will never need the treacherous support of our ego ever again. Gone will be the shackles of pessimism and negativity. Replacing it will be the all powerful Love that can conquer the meanest and saddest of all hearts. Where Love exists, there can be no place for any negativities or bondage.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A sum total of the beauty within!

353. Om bhaktimat-kalpa-latikayai namah : I bow down to Amma who is the kalpa creeper to Her devotees.

I was looking at a picture of Amma's and the only thing that came to mind is: absolutely no picture does Amma any justice. She is just too beautiful to be captured in a frame. Amma is a sum total of Her unending goodness and compassion, Her non-judgemental love and Her selflessness.  These are the qualities that make Amma so endearing to absolutely everyone. This is the reason that people will travel halfway around the globe to see Amma. May we always have the moral fabric to recognise this greatness in Amma.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

352. Om vahni-mandala-vasinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the disc of fire.

As Bindu rightly pointed out,  as we grow spiritually, we are supposed to have less dependency on the physical form of our Guru. And yet we feel the need to be with Amma even more as the journey continues. Once a year is an absolute essential. Twice is a blessing. More than that, a divine luxury. The desire to always look at Her, bask in Her radiance, is so strong it hurts! Sometimes we wish time would stand still and we would be able to really maximise our moments with Amma. When Amma is holding us close and giving a beautiful darshan, please can the world around us stop if only for a while?? But when we aren't physically with Amma, our faith falters and we begin to question Amma. 'Do You know I exist?' 'Have You abandoned me?' 'Are You even listening to me??'
The Truth that a lot of us fail to realise is that Amma is omnipresent. She is there with us at all times. Like the stars in a sun soaked sky. We just don't have the faith filled eyes to see it. Someday when the clouds of doubt clear and we can see, we will know the true extent of Amma's incredible and unconditional love for us.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A strong dose of Amma love!

351. Om vama-kesyai namah: I bow down to Amma who has beautiful hair

The more I see Amma, the more amazed I am. Not just at Amma's inner strength and beauty which is superhuman and divine in itself but also at Her outer beauty. She is so gorgeous!  And as I write this, I know thousands of lucky souls in New York will be getting Amma's darshan in Devi bhava.  In this bhava, Amma appears in a colored silk saree fully immersed in Devi. She is beautiful,  powerful, generous and incredibly loving in this bhava.  Amma anyway displays all these qualities but in Devi bhava, all of Amma's beauty gets heightened.

I couldn't stay for Devi bhava but I am grateful that Amma allowed me 10 precious minutes in Her shadow today.  Thank You Amma for the lovely darshans.  This should keep me going till the next dose of Amma love!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A bit of heaven...!

350. Om vag-vadinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who speaks.

To write this blog while in Amma's physical presence is such an incredible blessing. Thank You Amma,  for this beautiful moment. Though every moment with You is an eye opener. How much compassion and love can one being hold? But You aren't just a being. You are Goddess incarnate, here only to help us cross this materialistic river safely to the spiritual bank. How blessed are we to have Your grace in our lives? Today I was told I have a strong current of Amma's grace in the river of my life. The charts say so. It's all Amma's doing. I find it beautiful that when we were born, Amma had already claimed us as Hers!! As Amma reaches out and consoles each one of us, She is spreading the important lesson of faith and compassion. There are so many different types of people here for Amma's darshan. Hundreds from different homes, faith, color, beliefs, mental states. And Amma accepts each one of us without a question. We're all Her beloved children!  Amma doesn't care what we look like or what we are clothed in. She only sees the beauty in each of us and works at granting each of us a piece of heaven. But heaven can only be by Your feet, Amma. For where there is You, there is goodness and grace.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

I see my Mother-finally!

349. Om vandaru-jana-vatsalayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is full of motherly love for those who worship Her.

"Amma has been tirelessly fighting world suffering by offering hugs" New York Times
The beauty of attending an Amma programme beats anything in the world. That sweet anticipation as one waits for our daring Mother; those moments when tears threaten to reveal your fragility; that point when you can take it no longer and the accumulated sorrow and longing pours out. The heart cries out, Amma, where have you been?  I have been waiting for this moment. And may nothing enter my head and heart except thoughts of You, Amma.
Everyone in the hall seems like a kindred soul. We're all connected by this strong bond of Amma's love. If only the world outside were like that.
The longing is now concentrated on getting that precious darshan. It's wonderful to meet old friends who put things in Amma-perspective for you. It's so humbling to see people say a quiet prayer before their meals. Everyone is so nice to one another. And ofcourse Amma is here lovingly giving darshan to each of Her children as bhajans play in the backdrop. Everything is perfect, right. But how else can the buzz in this place be? It is after all the place where our Mother is. And where Amma is, everything beautiful and magical lives on...

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My adorable Amma!

348. Om vandyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is adorable,  worthy of worship

As the minutes tick by, all I can think of is how many more hours before we see Amma! Our mother whose infectious purity is the ray of sunshine in our lives; whose simplicity and love makes Her ever so adorable. I was curious about the New York programme and was quizzing a friend about it. He said that sometimes some unsavoury characters just walk in from the street. 'Are they allowed darshan?' I asked. 'Yes', he answered matter of factly. That blew me away. Amma never ever judges anyone and nor would She ever turn anyone away. I remember a programme where I couldn't sit in a particular place because the person next to me had severe body odour. Yet Amma hugged the person with so much love! Amma accepts each of us despite our many external and internal odours. In life's journey, Amma is the beacon of light showing us the spiritual path. If there is a universal definition of a mother whose only need is to light up the lives of Her children, it is our very adorable Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The purest of the pure!

347. Om vimalayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is without a trace of impurity

Amma is the purest of the pure. Amma does not have even a strand of vice in Her. We should be grateful for the tears we cry when in Amma's presence- it is the most beautiful prayer and dedication to the purest soul in the universe. It is also a way to cleanse our own spirit and soul. Amma's purity is the most magnetic trait in Her. It is what instantly attracts us to Her and the reason why millions throng to see Her every year. Amma has nothing else in Her heart except overwhelming love for us, Her children. The use of the word 'Overwhelming' is actually for us. We are the ones overwhelmed by the beautiful river of Her love. Amma's love flows towards us naturally, unconditionally. It is Her innate nature to do so. Amma has and will always exude love and compassion towards each of Her children. The whole persona and being of Amma consists of Her beautiful,  untainted purity and simplicity. It is this purity that makes Her see each of us as equal. It is this purity that has given Amma the universe in Her lap. What a divine being our mother is!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

The ever victorious!

346. Om vijayayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is ever-victorious.

When the whole world is happy in Your presence; when the whole world is able to forget their problems and surrender themselves to You; when Your children feel stronger at the mere thought of You; when the uphill task of living seems so much more en durable because You are in our lives; when life's lessons are there only to level our ego; when all that happens is what You allow to happen to us- we can only bow down in happiness to the ever victorious mother of the universe. Your life, Amma, is the perfect example of the triumph of goodness over ego and love over selfishness. May we all learn our own valuable life lessons from it.

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

So blessed are we!

345. Om ksetra-pala-samarcitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by Ksetrapala

Who isn't Amma worshipped by? We are all Her grateful children, happy to live in Her ever present grace. We are so fortunate to have Amma as a guiding force in our lives. I often wonder which route my life would have taken had Amma not been my spiritual Mother. It's such a scary thought! But I know that Amma's presence in the universe isn't a coincidence. Nor is the fact that we worship Her. Amma is the universe's plan for a better future for all of mankind. In just a few more days I will have the supreme fortune of getting Amma's darshan. I will be blessed to sit in Amma's presence. While I do, I will sit and thank the universe for allowing us such a big blessing!

Om Amriteswariye namah