Amma, my best friend!

267. Om govinda-rupinyai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of Govinda (Vishnu) for the preservation of the universe.

I think I'm quite sure on this one: Amma is my best friend. Friends normally come and go out of your life so easily. Sometimes they are there heaving you through good times and bad. Sometimes the villainous ego comes into play and friends leave your life in the blink of an eye. Not all can be trusted. Sometimes circumstances take friends away from us. There are so many variables when it comes to friends. But think about this: Imagine living life having Amma as our best friend. We will tell only Her our deepest darkest secrets. Only She will be privy to our tears and we will share our joy first with Her. How do I contact Her, you say? Why, speak to Her of course! Yes there is no physical number one can call but Amma makes it easy for us. She's omnipresent. Sit in a corner and speak to Her and Amma's for sure listening. I find the idea of sharing our tears only with Amma very cool. She's the only one who won't disconnect the phone and call others to gossip about us. She's not going to sit in judgement of our situation. She'll actually give us a solution. She'll handle us with love and care. What's not to be best friends with our dearest, darlingest Amma?

And my best friend is also the preserver of the universe. She preserves each of us in Her cocoon of unending love. She preserves the moral fibre of society. She preserves the goodness in each of us. Like a good friend would!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

My support forever!

266. Om goptryai namah: I bow down to Amma who protects

It was my birthday today and I was lucky to start the day by being at Amma's ashram. I had a strange experience as soon as the prayer commenced. I felt uneasy. I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt a deep panic overtake me. It was frightening and painful. That's when I looked at Amma's picture and asked Her to take care of me. I want to finish this puja, I told Her. I requested Amma to let me be fine. The panic passed only to be replaced by a deep sense of calm. The switch was so immediate, even I was taken aback. I felt Amma's gaze upon me. And in that instance I knew Amma had looked at me and decided to calm me down. I felt happy, relieved, at ease. In all, I felt a deep and wonderful sense of being protected by the protector of the universe. I know that every step we take, Amma protects us. She is there as only a Mother can be, overseeing us and ensuring that we are taken good care of. Thank you Amma for helping calm my panicked heart. Thank you for being there, my stoical divine support!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A Mother, our Creator

265. Om brahma-rupayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the form of Brahma for the creation of the universe

To me, Amma is the creator. The creator of my life and my life path. And the beautiful thing is Amma is the creator of all our life paths. Each of us is able to relate to Amma as our Mother. A Mother, our creator. She protects us from every obstacle and ensures that we are able to leave fearlessly and happily.

"If you put your hand in fire, it is going to get burned. If you touch a live wire, you are going to get a shock. It doesn’t matter whether you did so inadvertently or not. Whether our actions are done with or without awareness, they still bear fruit. So, we should be extremely alert. All of our actions must first go through the filter of awareness. Awareness can protect us.

The guru is like a chumatu tangi [a roadside rack onto which travelers can set down their loads]. When a traveler sees one near, the load he is carrying becomes more bearable just because he knows that he can set it down at any time. So, too, it is with the guru’s presence. We know if our load becomes unbearable, we can always set it down. Thus, the guru gives the disciple the strength to forebear.

Children, adversity and death come for everyone. Our prayer should be, 'May my mind become capable of only thinking good thoughts and only doing good deeds.' Such people live forever." Excerpts from www.amritapuri.org

I hope I am able to live my life in exactly the perfect line that Amma has drawn for me. May my life be lived in the shade of Amma's ever compassionate love. 

Om Amriteswariye Namah!

Every moment in gratitude!

264. Om srsti-kartryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the creator

The creator of our world. The creator of everything beautiful in our world. The creator of everything we should be grateful for. She created us and the many journeys on our life line. We owe Her everything that is beautiful in our lives. Today is my daughter's birthday and I am reminded of a day 12 years ago. The pregnancy was a tough one. Bindu and Menon Aunty sat down on the floor outside the operation theatre and recited the Sahasranamam. For me, that was a moment of Amma's creation. A creation of a life long friendship. A creation of eternal gratitude and of knowing that once Amma has done a sankalpa, even the Universe puts its own plans aside. Amma created for us the best life possible. She gave me a daughter who has given us so much learning and happiness. She is Amma's child in every way. Everyday I thank Amma for giving me such meaning in my life. For giving me a higher purpose of bringing up a child. For giving me an opportunity to make myself a better person. Amma has defined my life in the bestest way possible. I look into my daughter's eyes and see Amma's love, generosity and compassion. Now if only my heart were bigger like Amma's and I had the grace to see this in everyone! Thank you Amma for everything.

Om Amriteswariye Namah!

Encircled by the Divine!

263. Om sarvavastha-vivarjitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who transcends all states

In The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother, the description of the mantra says that a yogin who has reached the state beyond the turya is known as mahayogin. All his words become mantras, because his mind is pure. Such great souls should always be approached because even when they are not instructing, their conversation itself is instruction. Their every movement is a gesture of worship.

To me, this description is for Amma. Amma's words are mantras of spirituality and goodness. When Amma gives us a mantra, it's actually a protective cloak She is handing over to us. When Amma gives darshan, why do so many people flock around Her? Only to hear pieces of Her nuggets. Even a smile from Amma is like an offering to the Universe. Everything Amma does is like a cleansing of the world. Her one gesture seems like She is removing pain. A smile seems like She is eradicating jealousy and hate. And of course that world famous embrace is Amma circling us with Her unending, compassionate Love. Amma's conversation truly is instruction and yes, Her every movement is a gesture of worship to the Divine. When Amma walks into a hall and greets all of us with folded palms, it is a gesture of acknowledging the divine in each of us. Amma knows our every move, our every thought. She knows when we are sad, frightened, happy. Her divine powers allow Her to understand everything about us. Which is why we must totally surrender to Amma. Heart, body, mind and soul. Amma is the only person we can totally and uninhibitedly surrender to. She will ask no questions. Nor will She judge. All She will do is take us into Her beautiful embrace and make our lives ever so divine.

Om Amriteswariye Namah!

The best choice ever!

262. Om turyayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is in the state of turya, the fourth state.

"Turya is the state in which the experience known as suddhavidya is attained- the ultimate realization of the Atman...In turya, the jiva exists just as a witness....The supreme state of turya can only be described as a wonder. Yoginis consider only this state as real. The concept of turya is one that astonishes modern psychology. The modern intellect retreats from the effort after talking about the conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind, whereas thousands of years ago, the rsis of India declared the existence of the turya state which was attained by the yoginis."
Excerpts from "The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother"

I find such things very difficult to understand because I am not well read in the scriptures. The only thing I understand crystal clear is the love I have for Amma. I adore Her and at the same time, I am also scared of Her. I don't wish to displease Her in any way. Over the years Amma has taught me some valuable lessons and while initially I may resist the education, I realise Amma always does it only for my good. While waking on this path which we have chosen...of being Amma's children...we need to keep in mind that we have chosen God for our Mother. Now this all powerful God can watch us at all times. While our own biological Mother has an unbreakable bond with us, Amma's bond with us goes much more deeper on many levels. And Amma will do anything for our happiness while also ensuring that we stay on the straight and narrow path. She can be a strict disciplinarian. But we've aimed highest and chosen God for our Mother. Could there be a better choice?!

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Omniscient Amma!

261. Om prajnatmikayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is not separate from the jiva in the state of deep sleep

"In the Devi Bhagavata, Devi says 'I Myself am the universe, there is nothing different from Me.'"
"Deep sleep is the state in which there is no power of discrimination. The experience in deep sleep is indeed: I know nothing. What remains afterwards is only the memory of: I knew nothing." From The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother

Amma is not separate from anything or anyone. We just need to recognize and realise this fact. Amma is there, omniscient, omnipresent. She is there to help us surrender ourselves to God. For some of us, God is Amma and so we find it easier to surrender ourselves at the feet of the most Divine Mother. Some days when the stress is high and life throws it usual curve balls at us, it is so much easier to just surrender everything to Amma than fight a losing battle. It is so much easier to just put down our defenses and tell Amma: I am tired and weary. Would you please help me out with this one?
We don't need to bribe Her or threaten. We just need to lay our soul bare and Amma listens. She hears each word we speak and each thought we have. Somedays when I am down and out I wonder if Amma is ever listening to me. But most days when the ego is under control and my spiritual quotient is at its highest, I just know that a Mahatma like Amma can't but be in the know of every heartbeat of Her devoted children.

Om Amriteswariye namah!