8 Aug 2010

Every day, with Amma, is so very beautiful. Yesterday was the second day of Darshan after the USA Japan programs. Amma spent long days starting at 11am until 2am the next day spending time with each person who had come.

Yesterday evening turned lively as Amma called in for Amrita University students. Amma’s interaction with her student children is really touching. Amma asked the whole stage to be emptied for her students to sit. Many of the students were new and hence as they sat behind after seeing Amma, they saw her with a new tinge of amazement, their child-like curiosity leading them to tell where they were from and asking the bramhacharins whether Amma does this so regularly.

Amma was so loving asking if they feel comfortable in the campus, do they study well and so on. A boy came to her and showed her the face. The young student had previously prayed in the past that he wanted some beard(facial hair) since it did not grow fast on him. Reminding him the episode, Amma said “Oh you now have hairs on your chin”. The boy said “Amma even that is your Grace!” Amma broke into laughter saying “He says even this is my Grace!”

Then there was another student who came well-dressed with a new shirt. Amma teased saying “Oh you are dressing so well since you want girls to ogle at you. Wait come here.” She started readjusting his shirt. The boy meekly replied “i had that thought previously but not now” referring to the publicity he was getting being in Amma’s presence.

Amma would ask students whether they study enough. She would be happy to hear comments on achievements from her children.

It was around 10pm and Swamiji was singing Bhajans. Beside Amma there was this young boy, Eknath, of 12-14 years from Michigan. He was looking everywhere around in amazement. Amma suddenly turned towards him and asked him in English “”Eknath, Eknath” followed by “are you ok?”. The boy started looking all around to guess where that came from. He then looked at Amma and said “I’m very ok!”. Then Amma asked him “Don’t you want to dance?” It seems during Amma’s tour Eknath would dance whenever he heard Bhajans. Looking at Amma and smiling, Eknath replied “Yes, but i want to dance with YOU”. Amma spontaneously remarked “Endammae”, which in Malayalam closely translates to the shock-surprise remark like in Italian “Mamma Mia”! Everyone around laughed hearing this beautiful conversation.

Lot more of nicer things happened and with Amma this list is endless. The celebration continues. What a Grace indeed!

shyam

On Mondays and Fridays Amma has regularly been going to the beach and leading meditation and question and answer sessions. Monday the 16th, however, it had been raining heavily. So, we were surprised when we heard the familiar three bells announcing that Amma was coming out to join us. But where? In the bhajan hall under a tin roof reverberating with raindrops we discovered.

Amma was accompanied, as usual, by Siddarth who sat by her side. When another little boy came up and got a kiss from Amma, Siddarth clearly wanted to be sure he got his share of attention and cuddled up to Amma! Toward the end of the Q and A, little tots from all over the world began to slip through the crowded hall toward Amma. Blond, brunette, male, female, Eastern and Western, they all were attracted to Amma like filings to a magnet. They surrounded Amma, sitting on her peetham, at her feet and standing by her side.

At the end of the Q and A, Amma asked Siddarth to sing, Mayyaji. This was a particularly poignant moment, as he was about to leave India to return to America to start school.

O Mother, I need you. I need you every moment…Only you can make me smile. I need you. I need you with me.
Amma kept encouraging him to sing faster and he followed Amma’s instructions exactly. After that, Amma walked up the middle ramp to the stage for bhajans.

- Rita

Kobe, July 30, 2010:
Amma was wearing a beautiful Teal color saree. The color combination appeared to be that of a Kimono (Japanese traditional garment), apt for the Devi Bhava in Japan!
Swami Amritaswarupananda sang an old Malayalam bhajan “Tarapadangalae…” The lyric of this bhajan has a nice meaning:
“O stars, can’t you please come down? Mother is here to sing a lullaby to you. She is the stream of never-ending Love and She is the shade-giving tree for seeking minds.

O cool, gentle breeze, who comes slowly humming silent songs in the night, what did you whisper sweetly in my ears? Is it the sweet stories of my Mother?

The sun and moon slowly rise and set in the blue sky everyday (above the dark clouds). Don’t you have the desire to see my Mother who has given this divine splendor to you?”
Amma took a group photo with all the sevites from Kobe as well. Amma mentioned that some sevites in Japan have been doing seva for the past 10 years, but have never come for darshan!
After five days of programs in Japan, Amma left for Amritapuri.
- Sudhakar

Tokyo, July 27, 2010:
Amma was wearing a beautiful golden saree with red border. One of the devotees described Amma in that saree as “Sinduraruna vigraham” (Meditate on the Divine Mother, who has a body of the color of saffron/vermilion-red).
The Tokyo program was made possible by the tireless efforts of the sevites. One could see people doing seva in every corner of the hall and outside (snack shop, kitchen).

When Devi Bhava ended, Amma came out of the temple and started walking towards Her car. Then She stopped and looked at all the sevites and asked them to come closer. In appreciation of all their efforts, Amma wanted to take a group photo with all the sevites from Tokyo. There must have been about 200 sevites and they all happily surrounded Amma for a photo. Amma asked them to say “Namah Shivaya” – they did, which made them smile. The sevities around Amma looked like colorful butterflies surrounding a beautiful flower – Amma!

- Sudhakar

4 Aug 2010, Amritapuri

Tuesday is a special day indeed with close Satsang, Q-and-A with Amma and most blessedly, getting the Prasad from Amma’s hands. This Tuesday was the first after Amma’s long US-Japan tour and as Amma came in, the crowded Kali temple became silently lively and joyfully dynamic. Amma sat in the center surrounded by her children. The little boy, Siddharth sat right next to Amma. After leading a beautiful meditation, Amma asked food to be brought so she can hand it over to one and all. Amma also asked little Siddharth to sing a song and in a beautiful voice came “Chita Chora Krishnaaa”. As one amazed at this kid’s voice and his song’s call, Amma’s voice followed his bhajan, putting us all in unpolluted delight. Amma later started distributing Prasad and while doing that she asked Siddharth to tell stories. To the amazement of many, the little one started telling stories of depth and wonder revealing the mysteries of Chamundi, Ambika and Ramayana in his style, even including an animated “twang” to indicate that arrows of Rama were released from the bow. Amma’s presence was like a sweet tender-coconut drink after a deserted two and a half months.

*****

Amma also came later in the evening for Bhajans. Past two days, another boy, also from US, would accompany Amma on stage and would “air” play instruments or try to imitate Amma during the Bhajans. He would sit right next to Amma near the Tablas and sing and shake as if he was playing tablas or drums. His finishing exclamations “Oh Wow”, “Weeee”,”Oh what a night”, “Keep it going” “This is exactly the way i like it”, “This is why i say, I love India” would even add a comical lightness to all. Amma lovingly smiled at him. As bhajans were about to sung, even the tune was enough for this boy who sat next to Amma and Siddharth sitting just behind Amma to start singing. As Amma decided one bhajan and the musicians started playing the tune, these two boys started singing the Bhajan in their own styles in two different tunes. Amma then started singing and shortly paused the song, and with a smile restarted to finish the Bhajan. Amma later said these two kids started singing the song earlier on and that she lost the rhythm hearing both singing. Most of us had not even realised Amma had paused in between. We had rather thought Amma was jokingly enjoying the song and the delay was deliberate to reveal the Vedantic punch. What an evening! Amma finished the Bhajans with “Om Namah Shivaya” followed by “Amma Amma Taye” taking one and all to the beautiful Devi Bhava memories. As arati was going on, Amma looked deeply into all her boys and girls with her smile as if saying “i still haven’t seen you enough”.

Smiles in faces, gatherings, family lunch and all – Festival of Joy indeed here at Amritapuri and this is just the beginning.

– Shyam

In Tokyo, white orchid stems leaned in a graceful arc from the edge of the stage toward Amma. In Kobe, delicate salmon pink rosebuds lined the stage behind her chair. The flowers seemed to reflect the delicacy and grace of the Japanese people as they came for darshan, falling like pearls into her lap.

For those used to the hustle and bustle of programs in the USA and Europe, the programs in Japan were an interesting change. The people here seem quiet and inward in their approach to Amma. During meditation, time there is pin drop silence as they sit in deep concentration with Amma. However, there is plenty of bustle in the bookstore, where the devotees avidly peruse the latest books translated into Japanese such as Purnamrita Swami’s new book and Swamini Krishnamrita’s Sacred Journey. It gives one a start to see the familiar books with striking new covers and the graceful Kanji script. The usual cast of characters working in the bookstore also is absent, replaced with locals.

The devotees also are entranced by all the information on Amma’s charitable activities. There is always a crowd watching the Embracing the World video. Japan is notable as the country that sends the most housebuilding volunteers to India. Large groups of students come every year to help build houses for those displaced by natural disasters or who are too poor to provide a home for themselves.

During darshan, the Japanese devotees also sing with a distinctive style. They alternate Amma’s traditional bhajans with their own unique compositions. They use some traditional Japanese instruments and melodies to create a haunting and memorable effect.

What will some remember from Amma’s Japan tour 2010? Heaps of rose petals at Amma’s feet after the Guru Purnima pada puja. Amma’s Devi Bhava mustard gold and scarlet sari and her outstretched hands embracing her seva children at the end of Tokyo Devi Bhava. And most of all, her most beautiful, soft, radiant smile as she beamed at the sea of faces gazing at her with tearful devotion.

- Rita

They have been our trusted ‘chalaks.’ Rick, Steve, and Corey. These three drivers have been bringing us from city to city for the past two North American Tours. While we are fast asleep, exhausted after a long Devi Bhava, they are wide awake – navigating the highways across the US.

They became part of the family – they know most of us by our first name. Amma knows them too (of course) – they have gone for darshan more than once. And yes, they drivers also caught the seva bug. Where other bus drivers would probably stay in their rooms watching TV, eating food, or out sightseeing until they are needed for the next leg of the tour, these drivers made their way to the kitchen in Washington, D.C. washing dishes and pots, and also chopping veggies. Rumor had it that they were lured there by the promise of a pizza (made by one of the tour staff – which they have praised up and down repeatedly). No matter whether it’s pizza or spiritual enlightenment – these guys were having a great time scrubbing and chopping away.

They started with the tour in LA, and their job ended upon our arrival in Toronto. While we were setting up for the first Toronto program, they headed on their way back to Missouri where their headquarters are located.

We hope they come back next year – and every year thereafter……

- Sri Pati