Amma says: “The attitude ‘I will only accept success’ is wrong. Learn to also accept the responsibility of failures.” How do you understand this?
Please make your answer brief and clear (maximum 5 or 6 lines).

Ma, I know not why there are the Sun, the Earth and planets,
Bound by the Universal Force, Prana, held safely in Thy arms.
But I know, Thou art there always everywhere to care us,
Helping to rejoice and celebrate even in the midst of sorrows.

Ma, I know not why there are countless Universes,
Confounding the little human intellect that counts.
But I know, Thou art there to teach us in humble ways,
Helping ever to love, serve and celebrate all our days.

– Sridhar

Every mantra vibrates on each petal.
Feels your vibes of love and compassion.
Oh! Mother of universe how blessed are they,
to be offered at thy holy feet.

Even a grain of sand is blessed,
to receive your foot fall on it…

As you trot; a chant of AUM reverberate.
Nature stands still in meditation.
A sweet breeze smears a fragrance of jasmine.
your pure whiteness percolates around.
Oh! Mother let me be a grain under your feet,
a blade of grass, just to feel your grace.
Let me be an insignificant creature,
who always significantly captures thy caress

by Sateeshan Rangonath

The cows came travelling a long distance from Mysore Amrita Vidyalaya, where they were being tended till now. When Amma was in Mysore last, may be the cows pleaded with Her that they want to come and live in Amritapuri, in Her Presence. Just like many of Her householder children.

They are all of pure indigenous breeds. Three of the most attractive, fat brown ones (mother, son and daughter by names Ganga, Govinda and Tunga respectively), you may have seen such cows in Krishna’s company in pictures, are from the Gir forests of Gujarat. They are shimmering brown in colour with stunted horns and downward hanging big ears. The huge twosome with huge horns and frankly opened big ears, (mother and child with names Sharada and Ambika), that appear like Shiva’s bull, also hail from Gujarat, are from Kankrej breed. Though they look robust and wild, these are very calm beings. The very white ones, Durgamba, Maheshwari and Gauri are from a Karnataka breed called Hallikaar. Chamundi Lakshmi is from the Karnataka native Amritamahal breed favourite of the Mysore royalty. Kenchi, and her children, Hamsini and Manjunatha are a cross breed of the two native Karnataka breeds mentioned above, and have varied colours.

- Sandhya

Soon after archana, when the ether is still gray, go to the juice stall area and look up. The early white birds are stretching and beating wings even on the perch. At one point `phew!’ these egrets take to wings and go in an unmistakable direction.

The black cormorants are early to bed but late to rise. The sun has to shine on them and stir them from slumber. However, since they are not pretending to be asleep, reminding us of one of Amma’s oft repeated precepts, they do eventually wake up. They stretch and haggle a little before deciding to take to wings. But they all eventually do. Birds obey all natural laws.

And the mynas go on chirping in shrill voice, living in their own world of din and noise, till it is time for the dapple winged little mynas to go their way.

It is worth missing your morning chai one day, i tell you.

PS: There are not many crows here now, you know? Their cawing is heard under the screeches of kingfisher or kuhukuhu of the noisiest-of-the-season, koel, or the hysteric laughter of the woodpecker.

- Sandhya

Amma says: “Surrender and living in the present are one and the same.”
How do you understand this?
Please make your answer brief and clear (maximum 5 or 6 lines).

Three Triveni Sangamas became blessed by Amma this India Tour time. How is that?

Some of our river- sisters had cherished a dream for a long time. When Amma comes on tours Amma blesses different landscapes with Her presence, Her touch, Her sight and so on. River Kaveri was the luckiest of them all; on Her annual south India tour Amma mostly always stops by the Bhavani with Her children and spends the evening. Each time She has stopped, myths and legends abound the incident. You could browse on the web. The fact is that Bhavani is historically a very holy spot where River Kaveri joins Her tributary Bhavani. Amma’s first evening stop during this year’s North India tour was at Bhavani.

Kaveri meets Amma regularly on yet another spot. That is at Gosai Ghat, off Mysore city. Kaveri playfully becomes two before the historical city of Srirangapatna, and soon joins as before, making the town an island. The latter spot is one of Amma’s favourite stops.(Kaveri plays a similar game at Sirangam in Tamil Nadu, and both these island towns have temples for Sri Ranganatha in reclining position, as Anantasayana.) This time, unlike other times, Amma was travelling from Bangalore to Mysore, and She didn’t forget to meet Her friends, birds, trees, plants, rocks and waters of the confluence. Amma sang several songs. Amma saw the water birds returning to roost, in groups of dozens at a time, lined up like children. Amma said, “Just as we are going homeward, these birds also are flying to their homes. This was last but one stop with Amma on the tour. Also, after Mysore, about a third of the ashram children were returning since their turns ended.

Last time around, when the holy river-sisters met in the heavens, discussions came up. Kaveri really didn’t mention the social turmoil caused among her children in the states she flows; but she remembered to recount the pleasantness Amma granted to her serene surroundings by stopping by her, along with white clad hundreds of Her world children, singing God’s glory, distributing Prasad, praising Mother Nature for her bounteous gifts in Satsang etc.

Ganga and Yamuna, the glory of ancient India, had indeed many stories to exchange with fellow river- sisters. But this time they felt ‘left out’ when they heard Amma’s early visit to Bhavani. ‘Amma comes to North India as well. Amma passes by the two rivers several times as She travels on road from Delhi to Kolkata. But well, Amma has not stopped by us.’ Why, the two sisters even have seen Amma’s caravan of two dozen vehicles driving fast on the fly-over bridge overlooking the Prayag at Allahabad. “But, never has She come down to meet us,” wailed the two some.(Prayag is the north Indian term for Sangama in South India, both meaning confluence of rivers.)

Someone said, “Amma regards all and everything as holy. Even the backwaters She regards them as Devi. She bypasses Vrindavan, She bypasses Kashi, what to say of other places! She preaches to make one’s heart Vrindavan or Kashi…. But She accepts everything and rejects nothing.”

“In that case She will not refuse to come to us,” the two sisters felt comforted.

Ganga and Yamuna took vows. They prayed that Amma visits them and bathe in them and makes them holier. Their prayer consummated during the grand Maha Kumbha Mela celebration, in 2013, Jan.

Amma was invited to visit the place; Amma’s feet touched the land of Kumbha Mela. Amma bathed at the confluence. Amma dipped hundreds of Her world children in the waters of the confluence. And the whole world celebrated it.

- Sandhya, Bharata Yatra 2013

Amma called us to the auditorium on the top floor of the Amma School in Pushp vihar where we were staying. Amma served us dinner Prasad. As She served, like She always does, She wanted to do several other things at the same time, saving time or rather utilizing time for more than one activity, Amma asked for jokes and experiences. One western daughter had saved a special doormat to show Amma on such an occasion. She showed it, and on it was written, “Egos and Footwear Outside, Please”.

All of us broke into laughter, seeing egos equated with something despicable like footwear.

But Amma is awareness incarnate all the time. She enjoyed the joke but provided further clarification, in Her unique Satsang.

Egos are despicable at all times. Footwear however have a role to play, are useful when we are outdoors, though. In Sanatana dharma nothing is unimportant. We use footwear and get protection from dirt, thorns etc. Once we return, we give it its place outside our doors. Not so with Ego. It is always despicable. At no time can Ego be entertained. Amma explained.

Who were they? They were the families of the watchmen and gardeners of the nearby posh farm houses of the Delhi elites.

Amma’s representative in Delhi ashram saw them as children of Amma but deprived of many things in life. They had all the time to waste after their school hours; they just lounged about, doing nothing. Whenever there was an event in the ashram, they came dressed, and ate and went back. Nijamrita ji thought he has to help them; he has to do something about them. Amma’s blessings were always there. He invited them whole heartedly to participate in the ashram activities. Ayudh was just teeming anew; these little boys and girls were organized and made members of Ayudh.

They came every evening for bhajans, and prasad. They got into several good habits, like maintaining cleanliness, visiting temple with devotion, singing namavalies etc. some of them grew fond of puja related activities, and they were encouraged along their interests. The regular activities of Ayudh made their involvement more intense, as they got to mix with youngsters from devotee families. Ashram devotees donated and provided them with many of their necessities; also they offered more services towards them. As a result, some women devotees hold tuition classes for these children every day in the ashram premises. They coach them in spoken English, math, science, Hindi, Sanskrit etc; as a result they fare much better than before in their schools.

Their parents are happy their children got a good pastime: ‘ hamare bacche har roz mandir jate, ashram jate!’ Basically these families are from villages far from Delhi, so they have a god friendly good culture. Delhi atmosphere would not support their wish. But thanks to Amma’s ashram there, the parents are happy their children are not lost in the city’s carefree culture.

This time, on the eve of the brahmastanam program, when I went on my usual long walks into the farmhouses’ area, I observed a big change. The little children moving in those lanes were smiling to us, recognizing us as Ashram people come with Ammaji from Kerala. Some of them called out Namah Shivaya. One of them Ramu, stopped his bicycle to talk to us. “haan ji, ham ashram ke ayudh bacche hai.” “haan haan. bhajan gate hai.” “Tuition me padte bhi.” “Gurucharanam sadgurucharam aata he ji.”

Next day as the program started, we got to see these little boys and girls, wearing volunteer badges with glee, and doing seva, such as serving our first chai, water, removing garbage, moving things, washing dishes, regulating vehicles in the parking area, assisting senior volunteers in various departments and so on. Happiness was writ large on their faces. On the second day towards the end when Amma called volunteers for darshan, some of these boys hurried up, and after darshan, like an expert secured place by Her peetham and spent such intimate moments with Amma that they drew everyone’s attention. In the end when Amma sang Matarani and Bandalo, the boys jumped from Her side to Her front and clapped Amma’s hands!

- Sandhya, Delhi – Bharata Yatra 2013

Today, when thousands of Her children from Amritapuri –ashram residents as well as students of the University- went to form a human chain from Vavakavu to Karunagapally on the national highway Amma was offering a beautiful solution to the international social problem bothering women. Amma was drawing attention of the public for the need for empowering women by teaching values to both men and women at large. Amma made us take vows to respect all women as one’s own mother, to allow women to progress alongside men, and made everyone see women as complementary to men in society.

The human chain comprising of mostly women drew attention of the public by its very quiet presence. Kerala roads are familiar with protest marches and demonstrations with shouting slogans. But this was solemn and different. Many a gentlemen paused to take the handout from us, and patiently read through it.

The highlight of the morning outing was this: Bhakti, Amma’s dear doggie, joined the activity. She crossed the backwaters on the setu along with ashram women, walked along side them to the bus station on the university campus, and showed solidarity to the women’s movement.

Bhakti stood when women stood waiting for the respective buses; she got into one of the buses for a while and got down only to go and sit in the shade under a bus from where she could see us off. She was obviously thirsty but she didn’t go looking for water like any dog would have done. But she stayed on with the lolling tongue, showing how much she was with us for the cause.

- Sandhya