Rock like faith!

558. Om kamalaksa-nisevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma in whom Vishnu takes refuge

When a day begins and ends with the word "Amma," you know that your ultimate refuge is the Divine Mother. She is the one to whom even the Gods look, for refuge. I read a beautiful quote by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: "Faith is a great wealth and gives you strength. Just because a few small things did not go in your favour, it does not mean that you should make your faith so fragile and delicate that it breaks every now and then."

Our faith in Amma should be stolid, unbreakable; immovable. There should be absolutely nothing fragile about it. Like a rock that no tornado or typhoon can move. Rock steady, as it were. And then the rock will gain even more power and strength from the grace that will flow towards it from the compassionate Master.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma, the destroyer of Time and ego!

557. Om kala-hantryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the destroyer of time (death)

Amma is the ultimate destroyer of TIME. I can't comment on the metaphysical level but for me, all I notice is how timeless the world seems when at an Amma programme. There is no concept of the digital or analog. All movements of the universe get connected to Amma. The time when Amma will arrive, when darshan starts, when it is my turn to get darshan, when Amma will leave. That's the clock that ticks when Amma is around. And suddenly, nothing else matters in our landscape but a vision, a look at our dearest Amma. It's like even the non conforming time slinks away to make way for the divine creator. Amma's presence helps us achieve states of no-mind, where Time truly takes a back seat. It is when we kill our ego that we destroy time and are able to live in a blissful state of timelessness where all we need do is dwell on our beautiful Mother.
Some beautiful words from Amma: “If one loves a true master, this will mean sorrow. If we fall in love with the master it is like falling in love with the sun, or the moon. This is because the master does not belong to anyone. Due to our ego, we believe that Amma is only our own, and this will undoubtedly lead to sorrow on the outside, but inside it builds the fire of tapas (heat), which burns the ego. The master, or the Mahatma works with the seeker until his/her impurities are burned away.”
Amma continued saying, “When we fall in love with an Avatar we will go beyond the body consciousness. With this fire of love, we can cook sweet pudding to offer at the feet of the Supreme. However, the love we have for fleeting objects just keeps burning and no good comes of it. Outside love is attachment, internal love is detachment. Amma, however, is attached to Her children, but it is an internal attachment.”
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's child!

556. Om katyayanyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the daughter of a sage named Kata

When I first became Amma's devotee, I always wondered about the relationship. Was it really God I had met? Was Amma a Guru? But the name meant Mother, so could She be my Mother & Father and therefore me Her child? And if that were so, then what about my parents? How exactly could I look upon Amma in my life.

What a silly question, on hindsight. As Amma had accepted me as Her child, of course She had become all of the above. My God (what better God than She who preaches and practices Love), my Guru (Every word of Amma's is a vedic truth), my Mother. As for being my parent, I see my biological parents, as Khalil Gibran says, as my custodians but not my owners. Only Amma owns us. My parents are themselves devotees of Amma and are happy to see that I look upon Amma as my Parent. Wouldn't every parent want exactly this for their child?
You truly are my everything, Amma. And so will it be till the end of Time.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The ocean of forgiveness!

555. Om kali-kalmasa-nasinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the destroyer of the sins of the age of Kali

Amma is the destroyer of everything evil in our world. And yet my Mother is non judgmental and will never hold the vice against anyone. In a day and age when all we hear is news of religion diving the people pretty much like in the dark ages, Amma stands like a unifying force. Her religion is LOVE. And that is something everyone can identify it, never mind which God they bow in front of.
These are the words of Union Minister Rajnath Singh, who spoke about Amma. His words echo everyone's thoughts: “Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is definitely a spiritual power within whom manifests the Ocean of Love, Compassion and Forgiveness. I personally believe that the solution to all problems of this country, the earth and the entire universe is only possible through Love, Compassion and Forgiveness. These qualities will never arise in a person who is narrow minded and closed in heart but will definitely arise in a person who is broad minded and who has a very open heart. Only such a person will achieve happiness, joy, bliss and even immortality."

Amma is the very ocean of forgiveness, Love and bliss. May we always find a place by Her divine feet!

Om Amriteswariye namah!
 

A permanent state of bhakti!

554. Om acintya-rupayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is of a form beyond the reach of thought.

I'm convinced that in life, if our hearts are clean enough, all we need to do is ask. Ask with a pure heart and we will receive. There is a bounty in the universe and it is for those who have an innocence about their actions. Sometimes it takes an age to let go of an old hurt. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to forgive. And yet when we have a Guru like Amma, it becomes so much easier to set aside the pain and focus only on the divine!
Here is a beautiful story on devotion from Matruvani:
"This is a wonderful story about a famous Shaiva woman saint called Punyadavati. She is also known by the name Karaikkalamma.
Punyadavati was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Karaikkal, near Pondicherry. Punyadavati grew up to be very beautiful. A merchant in another town wanted his son to marry her, and so it was arranged and they were married. They were very happy together. They lead an ordinary married life in Karaikkal, and everything seemed to be quite normal. Punyadavati's husband was also a merchant. His father gave him a lot of money and helped him to get established in the business.
One day, when the husband was sitting in his shop, a group of businessmen arrived to discuss a business deal. One of them gave him two big, juicy mangoes as a gift. He handed them to a servant and told him to take the mangoes to the house and to give them to his wife, with the message that he would have them for lunch when he came home. So the servant took the mangoes to Punyadavati.
Punyadavati was busy with her cooking. She had just finished cooking the rice, but hadn't yet prepared the other dishes. Just then a sadhu came to the house. He was a Shiva devotee. He stood at the door and begged, "O Parvati Devi! O Divine Mother, please give me some bhiksha (alms)! Please give me something to eat!" Punyadavati was also a devotee of Shiva. She loved Shiva, and ever since she was a child she had done puja to the Lord. So when she heard the sadhu, she came running to the door. She said, "Oh Swamiji, please come in! Please have a seat." She put a plate of rice in front of him. But nothing else had been cooked. Then she remembered the mangoes. She thought, I'll give him a mango as a side dish, with some yoghurt, and then he can mix it all together and it'll be delicious."
So she gave him one of the mangoes. The sadhu ate all the rice, the yoghurt and the mango. He was very happy, and, after he had eaten, he blessed her and went on his way. After some time, her husband came home. He took a bath and sat down for lunch. Punyadavati served him rice and many different dishes she had prepared for him. When he had finished he said, "What about the mangoes? I sent you some mangoes, didn't I?" She brought him the remaining mango on a leaf plate and he ate it. He said, "Oh, this is very delicious! Bring the other one." Punyadavati was in a fix. She didn't say anything. She could have said something -- she could have said, "I gave it to a sadhu" -- but she hesitated because she did not want to displease her husband. She went to the storeroom and started crying, "O Shiva, Shiva! What am I to do? My husband is asking for the mango, but I don't have it. I could have told him what happened, but I didn't. What am I to say? O God, please save me!" At that moment, a mango manifested in her hands. With tremendous gratitude, she took the mango and gave it to her husband. He ate the fruit and said, "Oh! This mango is ten times sweeter then the first one! Where did you get it? Is this the same mango that I sent you? How could that man have given me two mangoes that were so completely different? I can't believe it!"
Punyadavati thought she'd better tell the truth. So she said, "A sadhu came here earlier. I gave him one of the mangoes. When you asked for the second mango, I prayed to Lord Shiva. The Lord gave me the second mango."
The husband said, "Oh yes? Sure! If He gave you the second mango, shouldn't He be able to give you another one?"
Punyadavati said, "I don't know. I'll pray to God." So she went to a corner of the room and prayed, "O Shiva, please save me from this situation!" Just then another mango appeared in her hands. She went back to her husband and offered it to him. But the moment he touched the fruit, it disappeared. Not only was he shocked, he was also afraid, because he realized that his wife was not an ordinary woman. He asked her, "Are you a goddess?" Punyadavati didn't answer. She was confused and didn't know what to say. So he came to the conclusion that his wife must be a goddess, and from then on he was afraid of living with her. And so, being a merchant, he went away on a ship. He decided that he'd never go back to Karaikkal, and he sailed across the seas on many different ships. Eventually he made a fortune. He returned to India and settled down in Madurai, which is quite a distance from Karaikkal. He married again and had a daughter, whom he named Punyadavati after his first wife.
All this time, Punyadavati had been waiting for her husband to come home. But he never came back. About five or six years after he had settled in Madurai, some of Punyadavati's relatives went to Madurai and happened to see him there. They went back to Karaikkal and said to Punyadavati, "We saw your husband in Madurai." They decided to send her to her husband. They hired a palanquin and Punyadavati travelled to Madurai. Someone in her travelling party went ahead and told her husband that she was on her way. When she arrived, he came running out with his second wife and his daughter. As soon as she got out of the palanquin, he went to her and lay down, stretching out in full prostration at her feet. Punyadavati didn't like this at all, because when they had been together, she had been the one who had bowed down at his feet. So she was very upset. She backed away exclaiming, "What is this?" Her husband then told everyone the whole story. He said, "This lady is not an ordinary woman. She is a goddess. By her grace, I got remarried and I have a child. I worship her in my home as the goddess Punyadavati."
At this point Punyadavati was so upset that she prayed intensely to Lord Shiva, "O Lord! I have been preserving my beauty for my husband, and now he doesn't want me anymore.
So, from now on, let only You, my Lord, be my All in all. Take away my beauty." Punyadavati's appearance suddenly changed. She became all shrivelled up, thin, and strange looking, almost like a ghoul. They say she became ghostlike. Everybody ran away when they saw her.
Punyadavati was happy, because this was the beginning of her complete renunciation. She felt that all this had happened because of God's will. She walked all the way to Mount Kailas. She had darshan, a mystic vision, of Shiva. The Lord asked her, "What would you like? I will give you a boon."
She said, "I want to be in a state of constant bhakti (devotion). I want complete, permanent, continuous devotion to You. Also, because I think of so many things, my mind wanders around from one thing to another. I want my mind to flow only towards You, without a break, like the Ganges river flows towards the ocean."
The Lord said, "That's fine. You will get it. What else would you like?"
She said, "I don't want to be reborn again, because there's nothing in this world that I desire. I want only to be at Your Feet. If I have to be reborn, if I still have some prarabdha karma (deeds to be done as a consequence of one's actions in the past lives), then let me always be conscious of Your existence. Let me never again fall asleep in Your maya, forgetting that You exist. Let me not think that only this world is real, that only this world is valuable. Even if I am reborn, let me be in a state of God-consciousness." Finally, she prayed that she would be able to see the cosmic dance of Shiva at all times.
Shiva said, "Yes, you shall have that vision. You shall be given everything you asked for."
The Lord asked her to go and stay in a certain Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu. There she spent the rest of her life in meditation and ecstasy. This is the story of Punyadavati. She wrote about 130 songs, which describe her experiences and her vision of God, and her mystic union with Him."

If only we could have Pnyadavati's devotion for Lord Shiva, towards Amma:)

 Om Amriteswariye namah!

Thank You for everything, Amma!

553. Om agra-ganyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is to be considered the foremost.

There is little point standing within the crowd of judgmental beings and crying when judged. Only God doesn't judge. That is the truth. And for us, for whom Amma is God, She is the non judgmental God in our lives. The power of NOW is Amma's life. She lives each moment with each of Her devotees with a 100% dedication to the moment. And it isn't that Amma isn't multi tasking at the same time. But She makes each of us feel so important and more importantly, wanted! Thank You Amma! You are the world's greatest Mother, Guru, Spiritual leader and You have made me feel special over and over again. Thank You for valuing me. Thank You for showing me the power of living in the present moment. Thank You for absolutely every lesson - bitter, harsh, sweet - that You have taught me. Thank You for allowing me to grow so much. Thank You for knowing that I prefer being a spiritual being and helping in my progress. Thank You for absolutely EVERYTHING!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

By Amma's feet, lies heaven!

552. Om sarva-mrtyu-nivarinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who guards Her devotees from all kinds of death.

The best way to realise God is to see Her as your best friend. Confide only in Her. We keep expectations of people and when that fails, we falter. We get upset and open ourselves to negative emotions. The only relationship that works is the one with our non-judgmental God. She will never question; She listens. While others will hear us and find humour in our sorry, Amma will find solutions. While people will pass warped judgments, Amma will wrap us in the warm cocoon of Her unending love. There can be nothing better that confiding our problems only to Amma. Whether this requires us to 'talk' to Her through prayer or just immerse ourselves in tears, Amma will listen. And all we need do is tell Her and walk away from the problem. Amma has already picked it up and She is already working at solving it, at unravelling all the negative threads surrounding the issue. How much better can this get? Amma is the ultimate listen. the ultimate problem solver, the ultimate medicine of love. It is at Her feet that we will eventually find our heaven.

Om Amriteswariye namah!
 

A God of so many forms!

551. Om sarva-vyadhi-prasamanyai namah: I bow down to Amma who removes all diseases and sorrows

To some, God is male. Powerful. Blue. To some, God is yet again male. Loving. Resting on a lotus. For those who want all obstacles cleared, God is an elephant trunked being. For those who seek academic excellence, God is a beautiful woman, showering the blessing of knowledge. To the hard worker, God is a woman from whose palms flows bounty.
Each of us carries with us our own vision of God. We carve them in stone or carry it as a beautiful thought in our hearts. For some, God is a cross, a sign, a name, a song. In any form, God is loving, compassionate, punishing, forgiving, caring. For Amma's devotees, God is an extremely compassionate being whose every second is dedicated to helping a person in need. For those who seek happiness, Amma is happiness. For those who seek peace, Amma will grant peace. For those who seek spiritual enlightenment, She will grant us this. Amma has access to the bounty of the universe. When She sees a devotee requiring this, Amma will dip into the universe's coffers of happiness and place it in the palms of Her deserving child. All we need to do, is ask. Ask Amma, with a pure heart. For Amma is our God, our Mother. And She will always fulfill our every wish.

Om Amriteswariye namah!  

A letter of longing to Amma!

550. Om viyadadi-jagat-prasuve namah: I bow down to Amma who is the Mother of the Universe, formed from ether and the other elements.

Where are You, Mother?
Are You where I frequently visit? That space I call our own? That little space tucked away between the lanes of joy and sadness, where I visit often to unburden my wearied soul? Why do I then look for You at every street corner, every junction, every beautiful landscape, every moment of every day? Why do I look for Your approval when a new thought arises and Your support when off on a long journey? Why does every journey begin and end with Your name? Why is it that the only comfort I find is within the gentle folds of Your name? Why does it happen that my fear is alleviated by Your name and my happiness heightened by thoughts of You? Why is it that my life should revolve around You? Why is it that You are beyond a simple definition of Mother or Guru? Why should it stand that conversations between 2 friends only revolve around You and those really are the best conversations? How is it that my past, present and future is really an unraveling by You and You alone? Why is it that I crave for You to be my only breath?

I long to be in Your presence Amma and towards that I send out to the universe my sincerest prayers!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma is the only word!

549. Om vidyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of knowledge

When we ask something of the universe, we will get it. It's just a matter of time. Which is why we have to be very careful and mindful of our negative thoughts because the universe will see it as our desire and make it manifest. And there are so many reasons to doggedly stay positive. And each reason begins and ends with one word: Amma. Amma, who is in the form of knowledge. Knowledge that once Amma has taken us under Her wings, we need throw fear and worry out of the window. The knowledge that once we are Amma's children, life's many tribulations will find their own solution. The knowledge that Amma will always hold the roof of protection over our heads at all times. The knowledge that as Amma's little child, we have the ultimate grace coming our way. The world is our oyster and Amma will seek to protect it in every possible way, for us. She tirelessly works to keep this world a safe haven for us. And all She wants in return is a clean heart and a clear mind; a devoted mind free of ego. Thank You Amma for showing us the way, at all times. May we only walk down Your path.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The Guru's grace!

548. Om vimarsa-rupinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of Vimarsa

Who can ever know the ways of our Guru? They see the dance of the cosmic energy all around and know the secrets of the future. Their third eye is open to everything. Their awareness is supreme. For us, Amma is the all knowing Guru. And She is our guardian, guru, guide. I would pray that absolutely very step I take int his world, every breath I breathe, every word I say, every thought I think, every thing I hear, every sight I see, every thing I touch - should be with Amma's grace. My ego set aside, I should have the heart to enjoy and dwell in Amma's compassion.
There is so much in the world that is cause for sadness. We can only cleanse away all our negative emotions at the feet of the Master. For only there will we ever find true solutions to everything. May we all always enjoys our Guru's grace!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

"As a candle melts down, its flame gets brighter. Similarly, praying and singing with a melting heart takes us to the state of Supreme Truth. Crying for God is not a weakness." - Amma - See more at: http://www.ammanewengland.org/blog/satsangs/new-hampshire-satsang#sthash.WLVcalB0.dpuf

"As a candle melts down, its flame gets brighter. Similarly, praying and singing with a melting heart takes us to the state of Supreme Truth. Crying for God is not a weakness." - Amma

- See more at: http://www.ammanewengland.org/blog/satsangs/new-hampshire-satsang#sthash.WLVcalB0.dpuf

By the feet of Amma!

547. Om barbaralakayai namah: I bow down to Amma who has wavy locks of hair

A Q&A from Amma's New England site:
"What is the significance of the Guru's sandals and feet?

The guru’s sandals can be compared to the scepter of a benevolent king. When we see the scepter, it remindes us of a king who rules the country with wisdom and love, and our mind immediately thinks of him with veneration. In a similar way, when we worship or offer our love to the guru’s sandals, our mind automatically gets filled with reverence and love for the guru. We benefit through an attitude of humility and love. By worshipping the feet or sandals with reverence, we are surrendering our intellect and mind to the guru and that allows our hearts to blossom."

Amma, I wish to surrender my intellect and mind to You so that I can enjoy and dwell in a state of no-mind bliss. So that I can leave the tyranny of the overthinking mind and enjoy the full force of Your grace and unending love. So that I can see the world and its dynamics of shifting sand dunes and enjoy Your steady compassion and protection. I love You Amma and may I always be by Your feet, so that my heart can blossom to the Universe.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's messages!

546. Om bandha-mocinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is free from bonds; who gives release from bondage.

When we are under Amma's grace, we find messages around us. From writers, thinkers, children, parents, helpers, friends, nature. Strewn around for us to pick up and make our own! I like to think of them as Amma sending us messages from different sources. Here's one I found from Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now:
"Intense presence is needed when certain situations trigger a reaction with a strong emotional charge, such as when your self image is threatened, a challenge comes into your life that triggers fear, things 'go wrong' or an emotional complex from the past is brought up. In those instances, the tendency is for you to become 'unconscious.' The reaction or emotion takes you over- and you 'become' it. You act it out. You justify, make wrong, attack, defend...except that it isn't you, it's the reactive pattern, the mind in its habitual survival mode.
Identification with the mind gives it more energy; observation of the mind withdraws energy from it. Identification with the mind creates more time; observation of the mind opens up the dimension of the timeless. The energy that is withdrawn from the mind turns into presence. Once you can feel what it means to be present, it becomes much easier to simply choose to step out of the time dimension whenever time is not needed for practical purposes and move more deeply into the Now. This does not impair your ability to use time- past or future- when you need to refer to it for practical matters. Nor does it impair your ability to use your mind. In fact, it enhances it. When you do use your mind, it will be sharper, more focused."

Om Amriteswariye namah!   

Amma and optimism!

545. Om pulomajarcitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by Indra's wife, Pulomaja

"Life is filled with God’s light, but only through optimism will you experience that light. Look at the optimism of Nature. Nothing can stop it. Every aspect of Nature tirelessly contributes its share to life. The participation of a little bird, an animal, a tree, or a flower is always complete. No matter what the hardships, they continue to try, wholeheartedly." AMMA

Optimism is the toughest thing in life. It's an off shoot of faith. And these 2 "virtues" stand on the side lines, laughing at our spiritual floundering and mocking our egos. They throw little incidents our way to see what we will do. And when we fall into the trap by whining, moaning, crying and berating destiny, optimism and faith stand by laughing their guts out. Because they know what we don't: that Amma is ALWAYS there for us. And yet we question, we wonder, we rethink. While the more faithful will just go with the world order knowing that the universe knows just what it's doing. If nature can be the epitome of optimism, then the universe knows, doesn't it? And with us in Her fold, Amma will only do what's best. For us. Just as a policeman would stop us if there was an accident ahead, so also Amma will stop certain events from happening because She can see what lies ahead. At that time we may cry and wonder why She's doing this but FAITH is knowing that Amma can TOTALLy see the road ahead. And with that knowledge, drive safely on the road of life.

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

In the footsteps of the Guru!

544. Om punya-sravana-kirtanayai namah: I bow down to Amma who bestows merit on anyone who hears of Her and praises Her

It's always wonderful to be able to realise that the spiritual leaders of our society are more realised souls:

"It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way, the traditional notion of God is outdated. One can be spiritual but not religious. It is not necessary to go to church and give money - for many, nature can be a church. Some of the best people in history do not believe in God, while some of the worst deeds were done in His name." POPE FRANCIS
"The problem arises when we say, 'Our religion is right; yours is wrong!' This is like saying, 'My mother is good; yours is a prostitute!' Love and compassion are the very essence of all religions. What, then, is the need for us to compete?"AMMA

Obedience to the guru is necessary for attunement with his wisdom. It is not slavery to follow the wish of a God-realized guru, because his wish gives independence and freedom. A true guru is the servant of God, carrying out His plan for your liberation. Realize this, and you will always obey, until you find perfect freedom in Spirit." SRI SRI PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA
"When you wish good for others, good things come back to you.
This is the LAW of NATURE." SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR

Om Amriteswariye namah!

 

In the sunshine of Her love!

543. Om punya-labhyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is attained only by righteous souls

A top angle picture of Amma's Erode programme has been doing the rounds on social media. We are amazed that there are nearly 20000 people in that picture. Waiting for our darling Amma. And 15 hours later, each of them had been hugged, consoled and attended to by Amma. She hadn't delelgated a hug by someone else so She could rest. She didn't ask anyone to cut off the tokens at a particular point so that She may relax. Amma's true nature is to love, to reach out to humanity. And that is exactly what She did. Amma's sense of seva towards us is so strong. It's Her nature to constantly give. We are lucky that we are in a position of grace to receive from Amma, whether it be Her love, compassion, understanding. She gives, no questions asked. She will never ever stop us and ask us if we are worthy of Her love. She deems us all worthy of it. She never stops and questions our moral fibre. For Amma, whatever it is, She can heal and change us with the power of Her immeasurable love. Let us always grow in the sunshine of Amma's love.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's will, love and grace!

542. Om punya-kirtyai namah: I bow down to Amma whose fame is sacred or righteous

Amma is like our umbilical cord to the universe. She connects us to the very life source. Some of us feel that connect very easily. Some of us resist and play out our ego at all levels. While the divine energy is flooding the universe, we allow our egos to stand in the way of receiving this blessing. We close ourselves to close. We have to learn to open ourselves to everything from Amma by just accepting everything as Her higher will for us. We missed the bus? Well, Amma knows best. A friend turned foe? Well, Amma knows best. Acceptance. That's what it all comes down to. Putting aside our own sense of importance and realising that without Amma or Her unending grace, we are NOTHING. We can talk with unbridled pride and ego but even the next moment isn't a surety. Then with what ego are we thinking about ourselves all the time?

Everything is Amma. Her will, Her desire, Her wish. Her love, Her compassion, Her grace. Let's accept it at every level. And then sit by and watch the beautiful universe play out its cosmic dance for us.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The love of Krishna!

541. Om anuttamayai namah: I bow down to Amma who us the best, to Her who is not excelled by anyone.

A beautiful explanation by Amma on why Lord Krishna stole butter. (from www.amritapuri.org)
Amma arrived at the Kovai ashram in the morning, but the tour group didn’t arrive until the evening. At dusk Amma sat with the devotees and volunteers of the program along with the big tour group. Amma sang a few bhajans and started distributing prasad dinner – chapathi, idli and curry. She asked people to share a joke or story with spiritual significance.

Two or three people spoke about their life experiences. One teacher from Amrita Vidyalayam mentioned a mischievous boy in kindergarten. The boy had a bad habit of stealing significant objects in the class room. First the teacher tried to lovingly tell him that it was wrong. But the boy didn’t take her seriously. So she had to be strict with him. During Sri Krishna’s birthday celebrations the students narrated different stories about Krishna. This particular boy stood up and asked his teacher, “If it was alright for Krishna to steal, why shouldn’t I?” Another child supported him saying, “That was why Krishna was born in the prison.” The teacher was shocked to hear this. She prayed fervently to Amma and felt strongly that Amma answered her from within. She replied, “Actually, the gopis prayed to Krishna daily to visit their homes and steal their butter. Answering their prayers, Krishna came and stole their butter.” The teacher was amazed to read a detailed response from Amma (about this particular Leela of Sri Krishna) in the next issue of Matruvani. She thanked Amma for providing the answer to her.

Amma decided to elaborate on the philosophy behind this to the children so that their faith in Krishna was not lost.

Amma said, “Sri Krishna was not a thief. Just as the Sun doesn’t need the light from a candle flame, Sri Krishna never needed anything from anyone.

“Some of his childhood friends were poor. As Krishna and his friends went out to play, the friends complained that they were hungry. So Krishna visited the houses of different Gopis, took the butter and offered it to his friends. He didn’t do it for his own sake.

“Secondly, the family members of the Gopis were not fond of Krishna. They thought that Krishna was a mere cowherd boy. But the Gopis had deep devotion for Krishna. They longed to offer butter to Krishna, but were forbidden by their family members. Even while churning the butter, the Gopis prayed to Krishna to accept the butter as their token of love. They stored some butter in pots and left to sell other milk products such as buttermilk, butter and cheese.

“By stealing the butter, not only did Krishna answer their prayers, but also stole their hearts. That was why he was known as chitta chora, stealer of hearts. As the Gopis went out for business they thought constantly, ‘Will Krishna visit my house today? Won’t he grab his share of butter?’ Thus they were constantly thinking of Krishna.

“By engaging himself in the divine sport of stealing butter from different households, Lord Krishna hit three birds in one shot. Apart from satiating the hunger of his poor friends, Krishna responded to the prayers of the Gopis and helped them to think of him constantly.”

Amma's religion!

540. Om smrtyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of smrti

With all the debate raging all over the world, I ask myself: what is religion? Is it a collection of beliefs? Is it a collection of people who have shared beliefs? Is it a collective belief in a higher power? I try and think back on my own life before i met Amma. Religion meant being a hindu. A temple. Lamps. Prayers. Idols. Altar. Beliefs. Rituals. Fear. Punishing God. No beef. My friends were christians and to me, their religion meant church. Cakes. Beef. Fancy weddings. After I met Amma, my focus of religion changed. Lamps, Prayers, Love, Compassion, Kindness, Forgiveness, Source of all answers, Meditation, Ultimate Power, Protection, Security, Happiness, Devotion, Shiva, Krishna, Sahasranamavali. Peace.

That's possibly what religion is actually meant to make us feel. And I find it in Amma. And so, my religion is definitely: AMMA.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's positive aura!

539. Om srutyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of the Vedas

Amma is every word in spirituality. When the world began with a word, for me, it was Amma. Which is why even our worlds begin and end with Her. She is the truth contained in the scriptures; the lessons contained in the Holy books. She is the wisdom of the universe and the compassion of the Gods. Amma has everything within Her, that we seek for in the world. Which is why it is easy to hug Amma and finally find peace. Even the act of waiting for that hug is enough to bare all our raw emotions and reveal our innocence. And this is what Amma is a Master at: helping us peel away the layers of negativity and connect with our joyful inner self. In Amma's world, there is no right nor wrong. There is just love. During Amma's programme, rarely would we judge others, rarely would be sit and gossip or feed on the negativity of others. We are enveloped by Her positive aura and revel in it. By Amma's grace, we should be able to carry Her aura into every road in our lives.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Language of love!

538. Om medhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of wisdom (knowledge)

Some days it all seems so pointless. Humanity is burdened with the ills of religion. It's better to give up our Gods than kill or insult in the name of it.

Thank goodness we have Amma to show us the right way.
Excerpts from Amma's acceptance speech when receiving the Gandhi-King award for non-violence: "There are two types of language in the world: the language of the intellect and the language of the heart. The language of the dry, rational intellect likes to argue and attack. Aggression is its nature. It is purely masculine, devoid of love or any sense of relatedness. It says, 'Not only am I right and you are wrong, but I have to prove this at all costs so that you will yield to me.' Controlling others and making them puppets that dance according to their tune is typical of those who speak this language. They try to force their ideas on others; their hearts are closed; they rarely consider anyone else’s feelings. Their only consideration is their own ego and their hollow idea of victory.
The language of the heart, the language of love, which is related to the feminine principle, is quite different. Those who speak this language do not care about their ego. They have no interest in proving that they are right or that anyone else is wrong. They are deeply concerned about their fellow beings and wish to help, support, and uplift others. In their presence transformation simply happens. They are the givers of tangible hope and of light in this world. Those who approach them are reborn. When such people speak it is not to lecture, impress or to argue — it is a true communion of hearts."

May we only speak the healing language of love.
Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's love!

537. Om amatyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of ignorance  or nescience.

There's something inherently wrong with a world that kills in the name of religion. These are times when, as Amma has always advised us, we need to chant the prayer for world peace: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all the beings in the world be happy. May we all help each other towards a greater spiritual growth. God is never an avenging being. And therefore neither should we be. Amma teaches us love as do all leaders of religious beliefs. And may we only spread this love amongst each other. May we learn to leave the world a better place for our children and not one fraught with tension. This is when we all need to really work on our spiritual threads and weave the finest cloth of love with which to wrap each other. Amma has put us, Her devotees, well on the path of understanding the power of love. This is the time to use this powerful tool.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The blanket of grace!

536. Om svadhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the object of the invocation 'svadha' at the end of mantras chanted while making offerings to the ancestors

Dear Amma, there is so much strife and problems in the world. Everyone is pursuing their own dreams, their own beliefs and in this journey, everyone is walking alone. Countries are caught up in terror attacks and there is a cloud of fear above all of us. You are our only source of calm and peace. You are the only one who can help us through the daily walk on the spiritual path as we stumble and fall. As we make decisions and choose between good and bad everyday. When we give way to our based instincts and fall down the moral ladder. When we judge others without living in their shoes for even a minute.
There is so much sadness, worry and anxiety all around. We are living in ruthless times. And You can be our only savior. Thoughts of You give us hope and the knowledge that You are always there for us. That You will take care of Your children. That You will always protect us from the grime of the earth. And for this blanket of grace, we are always ever grateful.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

From darkness to light!

535. Om svahayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the object of the invocation 'svaha' at the end of the mantras chanted while offering oblations to the fire in yaga ceremonies.

"From Amma’s Christmas Message
God is said to be the embodiment of infinite divine qualities. He is beyond word and thought. It is through the lives of mahatmas that one directly experiences the divinity of God. The specialty of mahatmas is that they practice what they preach. In this regard, Jesus Christ was no different. He was the embodiment of self-sacrifice, love, knowledge and spiritual experience. Christ’s life itself was his message. When we look at the lives of great like Sri Krishna and Jesus, we see that there were many evil powers that tried to harm them. There is a spiritual lesson in this: When spiritual knowledge—which can be equated to the divine child—is about to take birth, one’s selfish and materialistic tendencies will try to stop it. Only if one puts forth sincere effort with alertness and care will they attain Self-knowledge. If oil is poured over a spark, the spark will be extinguished. However, once the spark becomes a huge fire, no matter how much oil you pour on it, it will not be extinguished; the oil will be consumed by the fire. Similarly, when spiritual awareness is just beginning to expand within us, all of our negative tendencies and thoughts will try to block it. However, when one is established in Self-knowledge, there will be no place for materialistic tendencies and negativities. All great gurus take birth with the goal of removing the darkness of ignorance and adharma [unrighteousness] from the minds of humankind and spreading the light of knowledge."

Through the darkest of times Amma, it is only the knowledge of Your presence in our lives that makes every event seem bearable and liveable.  May all the beings in the world truly become happy!
Om Amriteswariye namah!

A true leader of Her people!

534. Om yakinyamba-svarupinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of the Yakini yogini (described in the six preceding names)

Amma isn't just a spiritual Guru. She's a visionary leader who is changing everyone's mindset and the landscape of perceptions. This is from an article in embracing the world:
"Sanitation matters. It has far-reaching impacts on everything from health and safety to education and livelihood. Lack of access to adequate sanitation is a daily reality for 2.5 billion people. Better hygiene can dramatically improve the incidence of disease and mortality from diarrhea to stunting and malnutrition. It can keep children healthier and in school. In particular, lack of access to sanitation and hygiene disproportionately affects women.
In addition to the lack of privacy and dignity, women are far more vulnerable to the risk of physical and sexual assault. Women lose valuable time going far away from home just to relieve themselves or help a family member. When girls hit puberty, without access to private facilities, attendance and dropout rates increase dramatically. In the workplace, unhygienic facilities can cause women to have higher rates of absenteeism and subsequently lose productivity and income. Holding women back holds society back and individuals, families, and communities suffer the consequences.
India recently set a national goal to end open defecation by 2019. To address the lack of toilets in the country, Embracing the World, through Amrita University, is offering vocational courses in masonry, plumbing and electrical wiring to village women so they can construct, install and maintain toilets in their own communities. The women also learn about the importance of practicing proper hygiene for their personal health, thus empowering them to spread awareness and become ambassadors for change."With Amma at the helm of our journey, we are assured a meaningful walk through life!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Everything Amma teaches!

533. Om sarvaudana-prita-cittayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is pleased by all offerings of food.

Every decision in life must be made as an offering to Amma. It should be made because of Amma. Will She be happy with our decisions? That should really be the only criterion for every thought that we arrive upon. It's wonderful how then Amma will always make things happen in a way that will suit our spiritual journey. Because She is always there for us, Amma will always spread Her safety net under us. There will always be Her values that we can tether ourselves to. Amma will never leave us rudderless. The foundation of our spiritual journey lies in Amma's teachings. I started out on my journey only in Amma's teachings. It's only after I started following Amma that I began to have a sliver of understanding about the divine powers. From a decorated face caged in a picture, God became someone I had met. A Mother. Grace became a more familiar word. The whole concept of seeing Amma in everyone was at first a surprise. And then I realised just how difficult it was. It's almost impossible to put aside every difference and see God in another ordinary human being. And Amma does it everyday, seeing the divine universe in thousands of people, embracing them and swaddling them in the purest of the pure love ever!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Our pursuit of happiness!

532. Om sarvatomukhyai namah: I bow down to Amma who has faces turned in all directions

The busy schedule has already set in and the one fear I have is, will I be able to keep my mind Amma-centric at all times?
More beautiful thoughts from Amma's speech:
"God has given each of us a face. Whether it expresses love or anger is completely up to us. If we smile all the time, it will make others smile too. If we have love and peace within, it will create such feelings in others as well. Then the whole environment will be filled with happiness. In this manner, in this coming year, may we be able to make our families, countries and world blossom more fully in love. Let us step into the New Year with this prayer. Amma wishes all of her children a very happy 2015." -From Amma's New Year Address, delivered January 1, 2015
I hope we are able to have the strength to project happiness at all times. The pursuit of happiness is the saddest thing of all. We chase happiness with a feeling that almost borders on vengeance whereas common sense tells us this should be easy. Effortless. And the only time that feeling suffuses in us is when we feel oneness with the universe, with nature, with Amma. When we sit in front of Amma and meditate on Her beautiful form. When we lose the material world to the banality of everyday life and pick up the pieces of essential spirituality. And all this can only happen when we have the Mothers grace upon us. May we live in the most joyous manner possible!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's gifts!

531. Om sukla-samsthitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the semen

Amma is our creator, our preserver and our destroyer. Amma creates for us the spiritual path that we must take to move ahead in life. She preserves for us all our moral values that are needed when walking the path that will bring us closer to God and She destroys the basic ingredient of an unhappy life: ego. With Amma always besides us, we are the most protected travellers journeying through life.  And with this basic fact, we must learn to give gratitude to the world. I am hoping to live my 2015 by offering gratitude every day to the universe. Gratitude for the very fact that I am Amma's child and under Her protection. For the fact that the universe has me well covered. For the fact that Amma has taught us that happiness lies within us and so we need not look externally for happiness. For the Amma family that we all are a part of. For the beautiful friends and biological family Amma has blessed us with. Thank You Amma for giving us so many riches. Thank You Amma for enriching our lives in so many wonderful ways. Thank You for giving us the supreme gift of spirituality!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Amma's 5 point plan for 2015!

530. Om sarvayudha-dharayai namah: I bow down to Amma who holds all the known weapons


At a time when it is fashionable to make unlivable new year resolutions, Amma guides the way by giving us 5 principles to live by, in Her wonderful New Year message:

"If we want to live meaningful lives, we must keep five things in mind:
1) Never squander an opportunity to help others.
The help we render others will awaken joy, not just in their hearts but in ours as well. For example, if we feed an orphan, the child’s hunger will be appeased and we will be able to see the happiness on his face. How much contentment we will feel seeing that child’s happiness! This is the visible fruit of that action. There is also an invisible result—the punyam [merit] created by the action. So, never miss the opportunity to help and serve others.
2) In the coming year, we should avoid using harsh words. Never speak ill of others.
Doing so will disturb our own mind as well as those of others. Never forget that all good and bad originate in words.
3) Ensure that spiritual practices like chanting your mantra and meditation are not missed, even for a day.
These daily practices remove the impurities accumulated by the mind during the course of every day. They also bestow enthusiasm and peace. For example, suppose we have to reach our office at 10 a.m. Before we go to sleep at night, won’t we try to ensure that everything is ready, so that won’t be delayed at all the next morning? When we are focused on a goal, we will put forth utmost effort with enthusiasm and ignore all distractions.
4) Strive to spend at least a little time in Satsang.
Studying the scriptures and spending time in the presence of Mahatmas are ideal forms of Satsang. How much time do we waste in unnecessary talk and gossip? We can use that time to read inspiring spiritual books.
5) Every day, pray with all your heart to the guru or God for purity of mind and the strength to perform good actions.
If one wishes to make spiritual progress, this humility and devotion are absolutely essential. We should make a vow to be humble. When we are humble, it will automatically make us receptive to the factor of grace."

Om Amriteswariye namah!

The radiance of our Guru!

529. Om sarva-varnopasobhitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is radiant in many colors.



Isn't Amma just radiant in absolutely every color? There are times when we stand in front of the Devi bhava stage and wait for the curtains to part. Each of us wonders and prays for Amma to be wearing a particular color saree. Will it be purple or red? Green or blue?? And everytime the curtains part, we forget all our own wishes and are blown by the radiance of Amma! She looks breathtakingly beautiful and serene in absolutely everything She wears. I remember Michael sending us messages asking us to guess the color of Amma's saree. Purple has been my favourite choice but Amma's never worn that color the times I have chosen it. The prayer book is wrapped in a saree worn by Amma during Devi bhava. Purple:) It's frayed at the edges now but it's still as beautiful as when I first got it. Just the thought that Amma wore it makes me so happy. And the connect I feel when I hold the book, makes me feel safe and secure. Thank You Amma for providing so much happiness in our lives. Thank You for always ensuring our safety and security. We love You!!!

Meanwhile, here is Amma's loving message on New Year's:
"In olden days, New Year’s was seen as a holy day. People would visit places of worship and take part in prayers for their wellbeing and pray for the strength to perform good actions. It was also a day to feed the poor and other forms of charity. Today, the “holy-ness” of the holiday has disappeared. New Year’s has become just a time to get drunk, dance and celebrate. One doesn’t need to get drunk to celebrate. When people forget the true meaning behind a holiday and use just it for empty celebration, it becomes like eating the peel and throwing away the fruit. We cannot lose the values that make us human beings.
“Does God exist or not?” is not the relevant question at this time. Ask yourself, “Is there suffering in the world or not?” and “How can I remove that suffering—both mine and that of others? What can I do to put an end to it?” These are the questions we should be asking ourselves, especially on New Year’s.
Why do we find newness in a new year? Is there any real difference between the 31st of December and the 1st of January? It is our mind that creates this sense of newness and hope. If we are constantly engaged in actions that foster our own wellbeing and that of the world, we will find newness, vitality and enthusiasm in every moment. If we use the present moment in this way, it is enough. We shouldn’t put off for later what needs to be done today. We should fully immerse ourselves in doing good deeds. We must strive to see the world with a loving and joyous outlook, every single day."

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

My beautiful Amma and her 365 days of love!

528. Om sahasra-dala-padmasthayai namah: I bow down to Amma who resides in the thousand-petaled lotus

Happy New Year, Amma! Here’s wishing all of us a wonderful, Amma’s-grace filled new year. A year in which we only walk the path of Your love. Where we walk confidently because we know You are looking out for us and will keep us rooted in spirituality. A year of happiness and pure joy. A year of healing and forgiveness. A year of reaching out and helping those who need our hand. A year of sharing and caring. Happiness is a tough path to find. Like a weed ridden path, well hidden from the material eye. Please help us find that path. Truly, this year, Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu. May all the beings in the world be happy. May each of us always have Your protection and Your grace every second of the year. 365 days of Your unending love and ultimate bliss!

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Thank You for the year that was!

527. Om hakini-rupa-dharinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of Hakini devi described in the preceding six names

Thank You for this year, Amma. It’s been tough but I have learnt valuable lessons. About trust, friendship and the grace of the Guru. Of walking a path wherein we have to first be true to ourselves. And to strongly listen to the instinct that dictates all of our actions. For we have the power to make things happen when Amma’s grace is upon us. Thank You for an introspective year. You help each of us walk through all our situations in life, hand in hand with us. You will walk with us through the crowded paths of the material life. Please hold our hands just as dearly in the new year. May we carry the lessons from this year into the next. May we carry our love for each other into the new year and hopefully this love will only grow. Please continue to bless us this coming year. Hopefully 2015 promises much grace, many darshans and the opportunity to bask in the warmth of Your love. With much gratitude...

Om Amriteswariye namah!