Ego or Guru?
On most years for Guru Purnima, Amma will give a formal talk during the darshan program. This year, because Guru Purnima fell on a Devi Bhava day, there was no special talk in particular. But it so happened that Amma gave a few words to us in this subject, in an informal way.
When the webcam was brought to Amma so that all of us could speak to Her, all of Her children connected from different called out ‘Amma!!!’ This continued for some time, from Japan, then from San Ramon, etc. Finally, one brahmacharini said, ‘Amma, today is Guru Purnima.’
Amma asked, ‘what is Guru Purnima?’ The brahmacharini said, ‘it is when the full moon destroys the darkness in our heart.’ Amma said, ‘what darkness?’ She said, ‘the darkness of ignorance, Amma.’ Amma said, ‘so that ignorance (ajnana) hasn’t left, has it?’
Then Amma said, ‘without a disciple, there is no Guru.’ Then to the brahmacharini, who had a broken arm, Amma said, ‘your arm has broken, but not your ego. Which do you want, the ego or the Guru?’
The brahmacharini said, ‘the Guru, Amma.’ Amma said, ‘there’s no point in just saying that with the lips.’ She replied, ‘I’m not saying with just my lips, but with my mind, intellect, everything.’
In this way, in an informal way, Amma gave us some points to reflect on about our relationship with the Guru.
Piyush,
July 31, 2007
Join the conversation! 3 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
That is amazing!!
I am not in Amritapuri right now but somehow I got the same message from Amma on the Gurupurnima. As long as we are not totally surrendered to our Guru and the path we’ll still suffer from our ego. I was having some bad days lately and sunday (29.07.07) was the worse. I had kind of a spiritual crisis and started to pray Amma to help me to see what was going on, to give me some sign somehow. It was after dinner that I turned on the tv and tuned with Amrita tv. Amma was on tv! There was a recorded satsang from tuesday with english translations on the bottom and after that Amma singing one bhajan, always with english translations. I don’t know the title but the lyrics were wonderful, the bhajan and the message from the satsang totally answered my prayers. Who was really really suffering? Who is really unhappy? It is my mind, it is my ego. Amma was able to reach me and give me the support I needed, regardless where I was. To be in India right now and having the Grace of being in the presence of Amma is the most precious thing could happen in my life.
After reading this blog I realized that Amma gave me the same message that She gave in the ashram on Gurupurnima.
Thanks for this blog and Thank You Amma for reaching your children wherever they are.
JAI MA!!!
kali amme pranamam
My apologies; there has been a slight correction as to Amma’s words. It seems that Amma didn’t say to the brahmacharini, ‘your arm is broken.’ Instead, the brahmacharini told this to Amma, and Amma responded by saying ‘the ego hasn’t broken.’ I apologize for the mistake.