Our guiding light!

435. Om campeya-kusuma-priyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is especially fond of campaka flowers

We live such fragile lives. One moment we are down in the doldrums while the next moment we are singing with the birds. The emotional roller coaster is sometimes too much to bear except that when we think of Amma, we stabilize it all. Or rather, She stabilizes it all for us. If we are able to do meditation on Amma's form, then nothing is impossible. We will be able to achieve the highest state of zen when we concentrate on Amma's form or even Her name and focus all our thoughts on the most positive influence in our lives. We are truly blessed that the form we can chose to focus on is so amazingly wonderful and such a beacon of hope always. May She always guide us from the untruth to the truth; from darkness into light and from life into immortality. All our prayers start with the dhyana, wherein we focus on Amma's physical form. And that in itself is such a strong prayer - such a strong connect with the divine presence in the universe. Thank You for this Amma. Thank You for guiding us always onto the right path.
Always by Your feet, my darling Amma!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Lighting up our lives!

434. Om candana-drava-digdhangyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose body is smeared with sandalwood paste

In gratitude I write, Amma, that I am grateful for the wonderful friends in my life. I am grateful for the presence of people who enrich my experiences every day. Above all, I am grateful that You are lighting up my journey with Your divine presence. And each word of Yours is a beacon of light in understanding ourselves better:

"Whenever celebrations and holy days take place, Amma gives a message. However, in reality, these messages are not different; they are all one. Their essence is one. Although religions are many, spirituality has only one message. It is just that this message is presented in different ways.

“If you want to put it in phrase, this message is “Know yourself.” This is the supreme message. This message is not only relevant on the spiritual path. Regardless of our chosen field of action, if we want to attain results, we should first know our own sakti—our own power. We should know both our strengths and our weaknesses. This is one level of “knowing one’s self.” However to understand one’s self merely at the level of the mind is not the peak of self knowledge. For this, we need to go deeper. Because in knowing ourselves at the level of the mind, we neither come to perceive all of our strengths and weaknesses, nor are we able to completely transcend them. On the other hand, the message given to us by the scriptures is: “You are neither weak nor incapable. You are the source of unlimited power.” This is the supreme reality. Understanding this truth is the goal of life. This is the one message that the rishis and gurus have been giving to humankind in various ways according to the time in which they lived. "

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A precious gift!

433. Om mada-patala-ganda-bhuve namah: I bow down to Amma whose cheeks are rosy with rapture

We were lucky to be a part of the birthday celebrations of Amma, at the sg ashram. How beautiful was the experience of the homam and the puja! It was like Amma was right there, blessing us all. Every year we celebrate Amma's birthday and every year I stand in front of the altar and wonder what I should gift Amma? Should it be my ego? My fear? My anger? My jittery faith? Which one should I totally and wholeheartedly sacrifice by Her feet so that She can take it away once and for all? Many years ago I had decided to give Her my fear but selfish as I am, I took it back. I hope I can totally surrender it one more time to Her. For I know not what to do with it but Amma will. Some day soon, I will find the courage to give Amma my ego, anger and lack of faith too. And as a return gift I would like to take back some peace wrapped in the bright colors of happiness and faith. But then Amma always gives that out to us. We just literally are unable to do much with this beautiful gift. Amma, happy birthday once again and please give us the understanding to realise just how precious a gift You Yourself are, to us.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The religion of Love!

432. Om mada-ghurnita-raktaksyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose eyes are reddened, rolling with rapture and inward-looking

I spoke to a child today who insisted she was an atheist. When I asked her exactly what she thought being an atheist meant, her answer was a revelation about religion: "I'm an atheist because I don't follow all the things my mother does every morning, like praying and all." To this child, this was religion. And therefore, spirituality.

How fortunate our children are who have been born knowing Amma. There are no empty rituals in their lives; no hollow prayers. What they know of is a very loving, compassionate God who protects them every step of the way and keeps them on the right path. Everything connected to Amma is important. Keeping a small photo of Amma in their bag is a reassurance that God is walking with them. Saying a little prayer at the start of the day isn't a ritual; it's a connection with the divine. There is intact nothing ritualistic about religion to them at all. We have grown up seeped in rituals but not them. Amma has made spirituality and religion so open and so clean for them. She has given everything pertaining to religion a whole new meaning. When prompted to state my religion in a form, I wonder what I should write. Love? Amma? Amma has injected a strong thread of compassion and love to it all. Now if only the entire world could become like this!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

This gorgeous Mother of mine!

431. Om mada-salinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is shining in a state of inebriation or intoxication

As I write this, it is already past midnight and therefore, already Amma's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMMA!!! I am intoxicated with love for YOU! You are my Guru, guide and saviour. I will never forget how wonderfully You took care of me yesterday and totally ensured my safety. You are the most incredible and AMMA-zing Mother ever! On this 61st Birthday, the biggest amount of love from each of Your devotees, Amma, for You. And yet, how will You spend Your birthday? Relaxing? No, You will spend it by dedicating it yet again to ensuring that humanity is the richer for having received Your hugs. All day and night You will hug the thousands who would have come to Amritapuri to meet and greet You. My perfect, darling Mother, once again a very very happy birthday and may we always have the fantastic and good fortune of living under Your ever shining grace!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Understanding divinity!

430. Om nitya-yauvanayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is ever youthful

Some beautiful lines I read in www.amritapuri.org:
"If we watch Amma, we will see the embodiment of all the divine qualities she is constantly encouraging us to cultivate. If you want to understand devotion, watch the tears as they roll down her cheeks during bhajans. If you want to learn about serving the world selflessly, sit by her side one evening as she embraces 12,000 people. If you have questions about sadhana, envision her years on the seashore when she sat motionless, completely estranged from the world. And whatever Amma does, it is meditation, whether sitting in silence, speaking to thousands or sweeping the ashram courtyard."

It is probably because of Amma's totally selfless nature that She remains ever youthful. For youth, like every other stage, is ephemeral. But a divine virtue like selflessness lives on forever. It does not reside in the physical plane. Instead, it becomes a part of the soul. And for Amma, Her selflessness is Her. May we always enjoy the grace from such an enlightened Master!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Glorious Amma!

429. Om nihsima-mahimne namah: I bow down to Amma whose glory is limitless.

Are a 1000 names adequate to sing praises for all that Amma does for humanity? Forget humanity, is it enough for each prayer that Amma has answered for us? Is it enough for each wish She grants us purely because She loves us wholeheartedly? Amma never wishes for us to sing Her praises. All She wants is for us to live in gratitude to the universe. To thank the God/Universe for the next breath which we are able to take. Amma's simplicity is Her greatest virtue. She just wants us to be good individuals who will never hurt anyone and will lead our lives with honesty and integrity. Amma only wishes for us to find heaven on earth. She provides us all the colors on the palette of life to paint the prettiest picture. It totally depends on which paint we reach out for. Keeping in mind the various glories and miracles of Amma, we must absolutely reach out for the prettiest, most beautiful colors, always!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The Greatest Guru!

428. Om panca-kosantara-sthitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is resides within the five sheaths

As Amma's birthday approaches, these are some beautiful words said by Shri Narendra Modi on the occasion of Amma's 60 birthday:

"As you are all aware, Amma’s entire life has been totally dedicated in weeding out of the suffering of the poor, the downtrodden and the deprived sections of the society. Ancient rishis have inspired us through their wisdom and teachings. They have shown us several methods of worshiping God. But one of the noblest and simple method of worshiping God, is serving the poor, the sick, the hungry and the needy. Amma feels that Maanav Seva is Maadhav seva (service to mankind is service to God). In Amma’s own words, “We have learned how to fly like a bird and how to swim like a fish, but we have forgotten how to live like a human being. It seems we have to learn that skill and it is only possible if we learn about yourself. We have to subject ourselves to self analysis.”
It has been told in our scriptures that “Gurunaam mata gariyasi” i.e. Among all Gurus, Mother is the greatest. But how magnificent would be the state where both Mother and Guru have appeared as one! “Na Maatahu ParaDaivatam” i.e. There is no God apart from Mother. There is no state higher than Motherhood." To this wonderful Mother do we bow and surrender our yesterday, today and tomorrow! 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Your will be done, Amma!

427. Om ayyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the dear one

Amma is the dearest Mother ever! My dear Mother, who has set so many of us on the right and correct spiritual path. Amma guides so many of us through our lives, giving it so much meaning and spiritual tones. I shudder to think how our lives would have panned out without Amma's hand of grace. The shudder is not because it would have been event wise miserable. Just the thought of spending our lives without 'knowing' about Amma and never having received Her hugs is upsetting! Please always keep us under the umbrella of Your grace Amma and please bless our every step. Bless our children as they walk out into the world. Be there for them, guiding them as You guide us all. Keep Your hand on their heads always as the ultimate blessing and protection. May we always do Your will, every step of our way!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My Amma, My everything!

426. Om tubhyam namah: I bow down to Amma who is referred to by "Thou"

You are the Mother I can turn to for absolutely any conversation. In times of stress, distress, happiness, pain, dreams, hopelessness. Anything. You are the father I can turn to for advice and for when I need to hide away from the downs of life. You are the friend I can always talk to and share thoughts I would hesitate to tell others. I don't need to watch my step with You when You are my friend. You are my sister who I can call and unburden everything to. You are my daughter who I can have fun with and love unconditionally. You are my pet who I absolutely adore. You are my work which I thoroughly enjoy. You are that part of the day when I put my feet up and finally rest! You are the 3 minutes of the night when our soul rejuvenates itself. You are the reason why the flowers smell lovely and the waters of the sea glisten in golden hues. You are absolutely everything that's perfect in this world. Thank You for agreeing to tint our lives with so much beauty, love and compassion!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, the Supreme Truth!

425. Om tasmai namah: I bow down to Amma who is meant by 'That,' the Supreme Truth, Brahman.

"Our thoughts are our own creation. We make them real by cooperating with them. If we withdraw our support, they will dissolve. Observe the thoughts closely, without labeling them. Then you will see them gradually going away.": Amma

Amma, who is the supreme truth, advises us to move to a state of mind where there are no thoughts. That state can only be achieved when we watch each thought as if we were looking at something as bystanders without identifying with it. The minute we engage with it, the thought takes on gargantuan proportions. Everything seems unreal and our own reactions become heightened. When we live in a state of Amma-consciousness, the only 'thought' or rather truth occupying our minds is the Divine. With that, we would have conquered our base thoughts and thus the root of all sorrow. We would have progressed from the purely material plain to a state of being in tune with the universe. But this is easily said than done. Mahatmas achieve this state after years of sadhana and meditation. We are lucky to be disciples of Amma who was born divine and has thus taken form on earth with the express purpose of spreading love and compassion to humankind and to make this journey of ours more joyful!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's message of surrender!

424. Om tattvasanayai namah: I bow down to Amma who has tattvas as Her seat, who abides in tattva

In all the soul searching one may do, the reality is that Amma is our guiding force. Whatever birth we have come from, the fact is that Amma is now the one charting our path and allowing us to move ahead on the right spiritual path. Sometimes it may feel like we are under the full force of our past life karmas but Amma is bearing the onslaught of it all and cleansing our aura for us. Amma's own aura shines through because She always abides in truth. Amma will only do that which is beneficial to humanity and will create love and happiness all around. This fact has to move like a thread in the very warp and weft of our lives, just so we never forget.

Here are some beautiful words from Amma on the occasion on Onam:
"We celebrate Onam to remember the good times that have been lost to antiquity—memories of an age when prosperity, equality and brotherhood prevailed. Onam also awakens expectations for the return of such an age. Onam belongs to the present as well because when we celebrate it we forget everything and live in the here and now.   At the same time, Onam is not just an occasion to celebrate and enjoy. It’s also an occasion to remind us of the importance of certain values:  of sharing, of protecting Nature, of humility and self-sacrifice, of surrendering ourselves to the Divine, of being charitable, and of performing our actions in a spirit of yajna (mind control, study of self, gaining wealth of virtues etc… done for self-purification). These are some of what Onam teaches us."
May we always have the attitude of surrendering to the divine!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

My compassionate Mother, always!

423. Om dvija-vrnda-nisevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by the twice born

This is one of the most beautiful videos I have seen of Amma:

Not only is the song sung beautifully, Amma's tears of compassion is not only wonderful, it's also heart wrenching. This was just after the 2004 tsunami and you can see Amma reaching out to all the lost souls - living and dead - through Her tears. She is crying out in love, compassion and pain. You truly are beautiful Amma! On the website, this is what was written: "She had lost Herself in the bhava of the song. Her cheeks became wet. The words came like a whisper. Amma sat still in the silence that followed."

May we always realise that Amma will always be there for us. Even Her tears are only for us, Her beloved children!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A rainbow from Amma!

422. Om sandyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of twilight

Somedays I feel like I'm walking the twilight zone as everything feels a deep grey with no respite in sight. So it is good to know that Amma is present even in this semi darkness watching over us. We all have days when it becomes ever so difficult to see the positive side to anything! We are unable to rake up enough faith. Everything seems bleak, dull and grey. Like Twilight. That unspecific time when it is neither light nor dark but like colors gone wrong on a palette. And yet Amma dwells in that nothing-space giving hope to so many of us who feel stuck there. For all those in that space, let Amma be our ultimate hope. Because Amma loves us and would never like to see us unhappy, She will get us out from the abyss. She will hear our cries. She will hear us as we look for the elusive rainbow. And one day, She will send it our way.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's power of speech!

421. Om vyahrtyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is of the nature of utterance, who presides over the power of speech

Amma always says that anger is like a double edged sword, grievously harming the one who is angry and the one who it is directed against. Words spoken with a hint of darkness have exactly the same effect. And I am glad that Amma presides over the power of speech, for then She ensures that what we speak is carefully thought out and does not hold the power to hurt anyone. Once a word leaves us, it is like an arrow on a deadly path. When it finds its mark, it can easily maim. Which is why we need to utter Amma's name before we say anything to anyone. And never, ever speak when angry. These are all words of wisdom from Amma who knows just how to soothe with Her words. Amma will never harm anyone with what She says or does. Amma could never ever have even one bad thought. Amma's thoughts are always in the realm of the wondrous wherein each word is like a miracle medicine healing every wound given to us by life. Amma's voice in itself is so beautiful. It has a quality to it unheard of in anyone else. Amma, my beautiful, beautiful Mother: please give us the grace to have control over our speech so that we can never, ever hurt anyone with it.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My perfect Amma!

420. Om gayatryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the gayatri mantra

I remember when I was learning the 1000 names, this was one of the easiest mantras to learn as the gayatri mantra is something most people know. And it's one of the most beautiful mantras ever.

ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं
भर्गो देवस्यः धीमहि 

धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of Sin and Ignorance;
May He open our hearts and enlighten our Intellect.


Every line / interpretation of the gayatri mantra is true of our Mother. She is the glory of the creator and is worthy of worship; the embodiment of knowledge and light. Amma is truly perfect! When the gayatri mantra is chanted, all 7 of our chakras are cleansed. In the same way as when we chant Amma's name, She comes to our rescue and cleanses every sphere of our life!

Om Amriteswariye namaha! 

The picture speaks!

419. Om jadatmikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of the inanimate world

My Amma is so beautiful. To me some days it is enough to gaze at Her physical self and feel a deep sense of calm. I love the picture of Amma in the Singapore Ashram. Amma's eyes follow you around, as if gently mocking us for all our imagines worries and fears. As if gently nudging us to brew up more faith. As if gently reminding us that She is always there for us. Amma's pictures always speak out to us.  However inanimate the feel, Amma is totally living within them, watching over us from Her space. Sometimes when you feel that beautiful warm comfort wash over you while holding a picture of Amma to your heart, it is real because Amma is truly there. There is something so reassuring about glancing at Her picture when feeling a sense of anxiety. Or even just touching it gently for reassurance. Some days I wonder if Amma can even see me. But some days the sense of calm is tremendous. And I would scarce think it has anything to do with me! It's just that I am finally feeling the soul behind a supposedly inanimate picture.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's guidance from the impure to the pure!

418. Om jada-saktyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the maya that has transformed itself as the power of creation.

For some reason, I am reminded of the buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum: ओं मणिपद्मे हूं. 
The 14th Dalai Lama has interpreted this mantra as so: 

"It is very good to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum, but while you are doing it, you should be thinking on its meaning, for the meaning of the six syllables is great and vast... The first, Om [...] symbolizes the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind; it also symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

"The path is indicated by the next four syllables. Mani, meaning jewel, symbolizes the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love.[...]"

"The two syllables, padme, meaning lotus, symbolize wisdom[...]"

"Purity must be achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom, symbolized by the final syllable hum, which indicates indivisibility[...]"

"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

May Amma and Buddha give us the means to purify ourselves in every sphere of our lives. Let us become worthy to receive God in our hearts. 

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In sync with the universe!

417. Om cetana-rupayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is pure consciousness

Amma's awareness of everything that is happening down to the minutest detail is such a miracle in itself. Amma will attend to the ashram's needs as She gives darshan while also listening to many devotees speak to Her of their troubles. No one feels left out. No one feels unattended to. Through all this of course Amma will also remember so many details about so many devotees. It is quite a wonderful experience to be near Amma and see Her making everyone's life so much better. Being in a state of pure consciousness is being in tune with the present. And with each vibration in the universe. How beautiful that our Mother is in sync with the universal divine aura. Amma is really the best Mother one could have asked for. She is the best guide and Guru. Someday when I am able to have better divine vision, I hope to be able to fully appreciate the true extent of Amma's splendor. Till then I will have to learn to deal with my fractured faith!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In Amma consciousness!

416. Om cicchaktyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the power of consciousness

If we could find ourselves in the true state of Amma, as I like to call that peaceful moment. then we are living life in exactly the way Amma wants us to. In that state we are not worried about consequences. Instead, the actions do not seek any reward. Actions are committed purely based on dharma and not because we are looking beyond and hoping for what it can get us. There is no ulterior motive. If we do good, it is because we believe in goodness and not because we wish for others to recognize this goodness on us. In that state there is no past. And thus there is no regret. There is no future either. And so fear ceases to exist. In that state, our thoughts revolve solely around Amma. And so there is absolutely no place for anything else. In that state, we are whittled down to becoming non judgmental, compassionate beings who trust the universe unequivocally. In that state there can only exist happiness. We are so full of Amma consciousness, that every trivial whimper and whine dissipates and becomes a distant memory. We exult in Amma. We become a part of Her. Towards such a state should we strive to move. With Amma's grace, we will!

Om Amriteswariye namah!  

Amma's will be done!

415. Om mano-vacam-agocarayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is beyond the range of mind and speech

Today I dissected my own faith. It started with a phone call from a dear friend & brother who called to give me good news. I was happy for him. I advised him to take life as it came towards him and welcome it with all his might. "It's Amma's will," I observed sagaciously. And yet my voice crackled as I spoke of the many turns my own life had made. I couldn't seem to welcome anything. All I could see was Amma deserting me. I sat down on the path of futility and dissected my imagined misfortunes and pains. It felt real enough so maybe the use of the word 'imagined' may be a tad harsh on myself. My friend heard me out and was able to observe my pain too. We spoke, each in our own way underlining Amma's influence in our lives. He, positively. Me, negatively. How could a Mother abandon Her child, I demanded to know. Was She ever listening? Had She ever listened at all, I questioned. I cut into the lane of doubt and marched on only to realize that I had left faith far behind. In God. In a higher being. And I was riding solo, on my ego. I can see it now.

It doesn't matter what path my friend takes or when I decide to finally choose happiness over fear. What matters is that we ultimately realise that everything is really Amma's doing. She sees the larger picture while we fumble at corners. No one can ever clear our doubts except the little voice in our own heads which surprisingly will speak like Amma! Or whoever the God we choose to be with. All we need to listen is stay silent. And listen. Because Amma, our God, would never, ever hurt us. She'll make sure we get safely onto the road of realization.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A true believer's ways!

414. Om svaprakasayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is self-luminous

In a world enveloped in darkness from within as much as from the outside, Amma lights up our lives with Her spiritual luminosity. That is nothing but the sweetness from within. The sweetness that can never cast anyone aside. The sweetness that accepts everyone as Her child. And it is this brightness that lights up every path that we take which actually Amma has pre ordained. What we may see as the many faults in our destiny is nothing but a blip in our faith. We just don't have the faithful eyes to see the preordained path that Amma has in store for us. We don't believe because we choose not to believe. And when we find our faith shaky and a turn in our lives when we question the darkness around us, it probably means we are looking for another path to walk on. Maybe it is fitting for us to find another path that seems to be more well lit at that point. And so long as it's a righteous path, it may just be ok to walk on that. If we are true from within, if we are righteous in our quest, then we will find ourselves back on the path that Amma has charted for us. Someday we will have the spiritual maturity to realise that this path was always the right path after all.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, in all Her splendour!

413. Om apremeyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is immeasurable by the senses

Absolutely nothing can totally or wholly encapsulate who or what Amma is. Who is Amma? A Mother? A loving Guru and Guide? Is there also a Goddess there? To me, Amma is a Guru, Guide, Mother, Confidant, Friend, Punching bag, the Pillow I weep into, the Listening ear, Goddess. She's also a Philosopher, Doctor, Psychologist, Healer, Keeper of Secrets. There is no richter scale or vernier caliper that can measure Amma's spiritual divinity. There is nothing that can weigh out Amma's love for us. She is immeasurable even by the senses because there is no means of measuring goodness yet. Amma is a concept, She is a thought, divinity, love cloaked in compassion. And when all these virtues blend together, Amma sits before us in all Her glory. She reflects in many ways. A fleeting smile from a stranger; a helping hand from a friend; a reassuring hug from your child. Amma's always there for us in Her most mysterious ways. While we do not have the eyes to see Her in all Her splendor, we can only pray to Amma to give us the grace to finally be able to see Amma for what She truly is: a splendid reflection of the universe.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The universe's lessons through Amma!

412. Om sista-pujitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is always worshipped by the righteous

To worship Amma is to worship the goodness in the universe. To be a true Amma devotee is to know what goodness is all about. To surrender completely to Amma is to know the power of goodness. And love. To pray to Amma is to realise the full potential of prayer. Amma changes our lives in every which way. To truly know Amma is to know fearlessness. To have full faith in Amma is to know that the soul is indestructible. It is to know that Amma is always hovering around us like the perfect halo, protecting us, taking care of us. Each path that Amma opens up for us every morning is the absolute perfect path chosen by Amma for us. Can it be anything but perfect? Amma has handpicked it for us. And somewhere in that path is a lesson that's going to make us spiritually stronger. Till we feel that strength in our very fibre, Amma will continue to throw another lesson at us. She will do everything to make us righteous, perfect. Just like the universe is.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Guided by Amma's loving grace!

411. Om sistestayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is loved by the righteous, who loves righteous people.

There is such an integrity to Amma's sense of right and wrong. Amma will never judge our actions. But She will beautifully guide us through the many happenings in our life. She will always tell us just what we need to do in the circumstances. People queue up for advice from Amma and absolutely everything Amma says is borne out of a sense of deep righteousness. The righteousness Amma has can only come from a heart so pure, it has no place for pettiness. Amma can not only see the smaller strokes, She can also see the bigger picture. And from this ability comes Amma's deep sense of calm. And from this meditative state arises the righteousness with which She spiritually rules us and makes us move in the right direction. There are so many times that we don't have Amma physically by our side and are forced to make important decisions on our own. At such times it is important to trust that we are being strongly guided by the loving grace of Amma and it is this belief that will actually see us move towards the right direction. Please help us to always feel this grace, Amma. We are helpless beings who are unable to see right from wrong. Please help us to be righteous so that we are worthy of the grace from the greatest Guru of all times.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Shiva and Shakti!

410. Om siva-parayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is solely devoted to Shiva

Amma's thoughts on Lord Shiva:

Before creation, Shakti (the Primordial Nature, Cosmic Energy) heard an ethereal voice. It said, “There is only sorrow in creation. You should not try to do it.” It was the voice of Shiva (Pure Consciousness). Shakti replied, “No, it needs to be done.”

After creation, Shiva, the Pure Consciousness aspect, moved away. He went and hid. In reality, He has nothing to do with all these things happening around. Later, Shakti went running to Him, complaining, “I have no peace. Look here, the children are scolding Me. They blame Me for everything. Nobody takes care of Me.”
Shiva said, “Hadn’t I told you at that very same time that it was going to be like this and that you should not pursue that (creation)? Now you created an uproar, having pursued that. Aren’t you the one who is responsible for all this that has happened? There was no problem when it was I alone, was there?”

And here's my favorite!: "The meaning of linga is not phallus; for not even fools would pray to a male’s sexual organs for protection!"

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Every step of the way!

409. Om siva-priyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is beloved of Shiva

Amma is the Queen of the universe and that is why Amma is the beloved of everyone. How can you not love someone whose religion is love? Who is non judgmental and only knows how to accept every the way they are. Who has dedicated Her life to changing the destinies that may await us by coming in the way of our bad karma. To such a Mother we must always prostrate with gratitude. We must also acknowledge the role the universe has played in choosing us to be Amma's devotees. Not everyone ends up being Amma's devotee. But we have already experienced the life changing moment when Amma decided to be our Guru. And since then, every turn of our life has been dictated by Amma. Amma has taken us under Her wings and has promised to always watch out for us. She is our real and true Mother whose love towards us knows no bounds. Amma will always be there protecting us at every step of the way. All we need to do is recognize and realise the fact that Amma is such an  integral part of our lives. Even the next step in our lives, the next breath even, is an uncertainty. So how can we live on the ego that it is we who are making things happen??  Everything is Amma. From Her, because of Her. May You, my beloved Amma, always be the blue print of our life.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My Mother who confers spiritual prosperity!

408. Om sivankaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who confers prosperity (auspiciousness), who turns Her devotee into Shiva

How wonderful a mantra is this! Not only does Amma confer prosperity on Her devotees, She also turns us into Shiva. Here is yet another of Amma's thoughts on Shiva:
"The Shiva represents the aspect of Brahman, which cleanses us of all impurities. Brahman alone can remove all our impurities. In the Puranic story, it was Shiva who took the prarabdhas of others and swallowed them Himself. Shiva is the divine filter that receives the prarabdhas and impurities of the people, thereby making them pure."

And here is something Amma says about being a devotee of Lord Shiva: "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."

This makes me think about the many material comforts I constantly crave for. And I realise how much I need to realign myself spiritually in order to be worthy of receiving Amma and Shiva in my heart.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The perfect satguru's teachings!

407. Om siva-murtyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose form is Shiva Himself

Shiva, Amma. The same energy that runs the world. They're like the power plant unit that gives electricity to the city. Shiva and Amma are synonyms of this massive universal energy that can create heaven in this world for those who have the eyes to see the faith and the heart to believe in it. I read the following at www.amritapuri.org:

Can Lord Shiva be called “Mother”?
Amma: Yes, of course, He can be called so. It is said that the “I” has become the father, mother, child, brother, sister and all. Everything is Him alone. You call Him, giving any name. One will say “palu,” another will say “milk,” and yet another will say something else. Whatever the name, there is no difference either in the color or taste of the milk. God can be called both as Father and Mother. You were told that He is the Father, weren’t you? He is the real Father who disciplines you by removing the ego and correcting you, and He is also the real Mother who looks after and protects you lovingly, compassionately and affectionately. Both are two different facets of the same God. Both aspects are unique. That is what manifests through a Perfect Master (Satguru), the perfect balance of both Divine Fatherhood and Motherhood. Everything is pervaded by the Supreme Self. He who has realized this can manifest any aspect at any time by Self-will.

We have the perfect satguru. Now is the time to internalize it all and await the results.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, my strong & unyielding wall!

406. Om sivaradhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by Shiva

Amma, as we move towards another new moment, thoughts of You fill our hearts. You are the ultimate Goddess whom even the great Lord Shiva worships. You are the only one whom we can turn to in times of trials through life. Through all the many mountains we climb, You are the only one holding our hands and allowing us to overcome our past life karma. You watch our every step, our every breath. You are the only one who can take us towards our destination. There is a pre destined path You have drawn out for us. All we need to do is walk that path in absolute faith. Faith that what You have decided for us will only be for our good. That You would only draw a blue print that would help us. That You would only make us walk the path of virtue and goodness. That Your shield of love can protect us from even the worst of fates. That You will stand like a strong and unyielding wall so we can make our journey towards the peace that we all seek. After all, even Shiva worships You because He knows that You and only You will protect this universe. Thank You for allowing me a space under the umbrella of Your unending grace.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, the cleanser!

405. Om siva-dutyai namah: I bow down to Amma for whom Shiva is the messenger

Yet another mantra that explores the beautiful union of Amma and Shiva. I found a beautiful story about why we bathe the Shivalinga:

A legend from the Ramayana speaks of King Bhagirath who once meditated before Lord Brahma for a thousand years for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. Pleased with his devotion Brahma granted him a wish. He requested the Lord to send the river Ganges down to earth from heaven so that she could flow over his ancestors' ashes and wash their curse away and allow them to go to heaven.

Brahma granted his wish but asked him to pray to Shiva, for he alone could support the weight of her descent. Accordingly he prayed to Shiva and he allowed the Ganges to descend on his head, and after meandering through his thick matted locks, the holy river reached the earth. This story is re-enacted by bathing the 'linga'.

I love this story because Amma is also the sacred Ganga who has come down on earth in order to wash away all the curses on humanity. Someday when the world is alight with Amma's radiance and each and every one of us has been touched by Her magic, we will finally be cleansed of all vices. And on such a day, there will be heaven on earth.

Om Amriteswariye namah!