Being the change!

442. Om kumara-gananathambayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the mother of Subrahmania and Ganesha

Amma is everyone's Mother. There is absolutely no one Amma will ever turn away be they sinners in the eyes of the world. Once a devotee has accepted Amma as their Mother, Amma will fulfill every duty as Guru and Mother towards that person. Therein lies the greatness of Amma. She accepts each of us exactly the way we are. We run about in our lives pumped up by ego and pretending to be better and more virtuous than others. There's such a lovely story about it at www.amritapuri.org:

There was once an old man who was looking back on his life. He sat in a tea shop with his friends, telling them his story. ‘When I was a young man, I was arrogant and thought I knew it all. I felt I could do anything, and wanted to change everyone. I would pray to God to give me the strength to change the world. When I reached middle age, I awoke one morning and realised that my life was half over. I had done nothing, and I hadn’t changed anyone. So, I prayed to God to give me the strength to change those who were close to me since they needed it so much. But now I am old and my prayer is very simple: ‘God, please give me the strength to change at least myself.’ ”

“Children, don’t try to change the world or other people before you are able to change yourself. If you try to change others without changing your own attitudes, it will not have any effect. Change yourself, the world around you will change.”

Please let us move forward each day with the primary thought of bringing change for the better in our own lives.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

A blinding faith!

441. Om kaula-marga-tatpara-sevitayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is worshipped by those devoted to the kaula tradition

I saw a picture of Amma initiating my daughter into writing and learning. Amma had held on firmly to her hands and was guiding her through writing a mantra on rice. I remember the entire event so clearly. I had stayed up making a garland at the Tokyo programme and everyone was so respectful and mindful of Amma's divinity - even in the back rooms. When our turn had eventually come at the end of Devi bhava, it was something I had waited years for! Isn't it exactly what Amma does with us even in life? She holds our hands so firmly and guides us through the many paths ensuring that we are cared for and looked after. We literally just need to move ahead with the absolute faith that Amma is there. She is there when we wake up and She is there when we go to sleep. She is there at all times guiding us quite firmly through it all. Through the many ups and downs we face. It is ONLY when we forget of Amma's presence that we really, really suffer. That we feel abandoned and alone. That we feel the need to find solace elsewhere. Imagine Amma waiting patiently by our side, hoping that we will look up and finally see Her. But we just continue, blinded by ego and the laughable thought that we are actually orchestrating every event. Even when we know it is Amma, we then tend to give up our faith in the thought that She has actually abandoned us for She would never let something so terrible happen to us. Those are the worst times but that's also when we need to display a virtually blinding amount of faith. Come what may, Amma is there for us. She will never hurt us; She will never let any harm befall us. Let us, each one of us, move forward with only this blinding faith.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

Your teachings are timeless!

440. Om kula-kundalayayai namah: I bow down to Amma who abides in kulakunda (the centre of Muladhara chakra)

You answer all our questions in the most wonderful way possible. Every day You show us that the only way to live our lives is by being helpful to others. You ensure that the lessons we learn are gentle and effective. You keep us on such a beautiful path of learning. You allow us to make mistakes and when we feel like we are about to shrivel and die, You will weave such beautiful magic to ensure that we never give up hope. Some days You teach us some harsh lessons. But maybe we need the harshness in order to learn the lesson effectively. You are accepting of everyone. You are totally non judgmental. You view the world with the kindest, the most loving and the most compassionate heart. We can only hope that Your legacy will never be diluted by the dogmas of religion but instead everyone decades from now will stay true to the essence of Your teaching: acceptance of everyone and love towards all of mankind. Your teachings are timeless, Amma and someday hopefully even we will be able to imbibe this successfully and lead happy lives.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In Amma's shadow!

439. Om kulesvaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the ruler of kula (triad of the knower, the known, and knowledge)

We lost a dear member of the family today. Someone who made sure he prayed for all of us. Who gave us as all the spiritual advice he could. Who always checked on our horoscope, peered into our future, found remedies  and conveyed the findings back to us. There's always someone like this in every family who reaches out in every way known. I would like to think Prabhakareatan was taken away because his knowledge was required up there. Or wherever it is the God's dwell. Amma says God dwells in our hearts, in which case my uncle spoke to God many times. Amma, please bless his soul for he was a good man. Kind, compassionate and caring. He painted Amma once! And he was definitely Amma's child. So Amma will be helping him cross the rainbow to the bright side. Much as She guides us step by side in this life itself. Death is always such a great leveler. We think we have it all in control and yet absolutely nothing is in our hands. As Amma says, even the next breath isn't in our hands. Keeping this in mind, we need to lose our ego for whatever happens to us isn't of our doing. The divine grace must always shine in our lives. May we all always walk in Amma's shadow and always feel the bright light of hope.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

We only need to Believe!

438. Om kurukullayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the shakti kurukulla

For me, Amma is the highest form of Shakti. I had a conversation with a friend about high frequency children and the soul. Pulsating at the back of all these conversations and thoughts is the fact that Amma in Herself is a high frequency vibration energizing the entire world. Why do we feel so attracted to Amma? She's the bright light shining up our lives. She's the feel good factor in our lives. She's the much needed torch in the darkness. Amidst fear and hatred, the beacon of hope is Amma. She's the ultimate light house ensuring that little boats like ours, bobbing up and down on the stormy waters of samsara, do not crash into the treacherous ego rocks. Instead, She steers us slowly onto the spiritually rich shores wherein we can then wash away all our vices. All we need to do is BELIEVE. Believe in Amma and that Amma will always help us cross every stormy sea. She is there purely because we want Her to be there. When we fail to believe, we fail to see Amma. She is always there for us. May we be blessed to have the faculty to recognize this incredible fact.

Om Amriteswariye namah!

In the Mother's grace!

437. Om komalakarayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is graceful in form

One of Amma's stories to ponder over: "Before the Mahabharata battle began, Lord Krishna gave Arjuna and Duryodhana a choice. Krishna told them, ‘I can give My entire army to one of you but I will not come. Or, I can come without any weapons as your charioteer and My army will help your foe. Which do you choose, Me or My army?’ Without hesitation Arjuna said, ‘I want you, Lord. You alone are enough. I do not need the army.’

Now within the battle itself, Arjuna had a fight with Karna who was a far superior archer. Intending to severe Arjuna’s head, Karna shot a divine missile. Lord Krishna, Arjuna’s charioteer, foresaw this great karmic danger coming towards Arjuna. Immediately, the compassionate Lord made the five horses kneel down and pushed the chariot wheels a few inches down into the earth by pressing hard with his big toe. This made the arrow take away Arjuna’s crown without injuring any part of his body.

There are a few points to remember regarding this story. First, the Lord was Arjuna’s charioteer. This means that Arjuna chose the Lord to be the one to hold the reins of his life’s chariot. Arjuna knew how to discriminate. He chose the Divine Lord alone to help him. That makes a big difference. The Grace of the Lord lets the karmic arrow pass over your head, maybe destroying an insignificant crown or something similar, but saving you from a fatal mishap.

Second, Duryodhana and the Kauravas were a much bigger and better army than Arjuna and the Pandavas. They had many great warriors and were stronger in every way. Duryodhana and his army represent human power and strength without the aspect of Grace. Thus, as a result of their arrogance, wickedness, and egotism, the Kauravas were ruined. However, Arjuna and the Pandavas were able to win the battle through effort coupled with the Grace of the Lord."

May we win all our battles small and big with Amma's grace always! 

Om Amriteswariye namah! 

Our spiritual growth!

436. Om kusalayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is skillful

We're each on a long spiritual journey, trying to make some sense of what we are wading through. As many events and situations come to us like snowballs from a blind side, it's easy to fall by the side. Some of us find the strength to pick ourselves up and walk on. Some, just decide to fold up. When Amma is the guiding light in our lives, the first thing we must surrender is that false sense of security aka ego. And then walk with faith. Such a strong faith that even the thickest and wildest of snowballs will never find its mark. And we will walk unscathed through it all. We must walk with the faith that the juncture Amma has got us to is exactly where we are supposed to be. If we are going through a patch of immense fortune, there is no point wondering when all of it will leave us. It's better to realise that we are exactly where Amma wants us to be at and go through the moment. Amma is a skillful navigator. She will take us on the absolute right path that is much required for our spiritual growth. Once we traverse all these paths, spiritual enlightenment is but one warm Amma-hug away!

Om Amriteswariye namah!