16 April 2010, Bangalore

Inspired by Amma’s Love and Service for the humanity, Amma’s Bangalore children also wanted to do squirrel’s seva in the great Service been carried out by Amma for the flood victims in Karnataka and Andra Pradesh.

Under the leadership of Swami Amritegeetananda Puriji, a team of 19 members left for Raichur. I remember how eager our hearts were to reach there. We reached on 5th Monday night and were received by the warm love of our brahmachari brothers in Raichur, who are in charge of the constructions.

Our day started with the archana after which we had a cup of tea and started our seva by 7.30 in the morning. Though still only 7.30, the sun’s heat was of the heat experienced around the time of 10.30 am. One of the Brahmacharis told us that we will be able to work only upto 10.30 or 11 in the morning, after which due to the scorching heat we won’t be able to do any seva out in the sun. We didn’t believed his words. But as the day progressed we realized that their words. The temparture reached 48 degrees at noon. So we took a break and start our seva back by 3.00 pm up to late in the evening.

We all got exhausted due to the heat. Even at night, the air which used to blow strongly is hot. Added to this is, there used to be power cut for 12 hrs in a day. Each week the power cut timings used to change. For eg, the first week the power used to go from morning 12 to night 12, next week it will be night 12 to morning 12. If we were there in the next week after night 12 when power goes the melodious sound of mosquitoes will start due to which one will loose his sleep.

But still we felt great joy doing seva for Amma. One of the team member asked a question about the meaning of tapas, for which the answer came spontaneously, “yes we are doing tapas, our heart is burning with the zeal of serving Amma and the temperature is also 48 degrees, which is burning everything under the sun. The word tapas means – HEAT.

Further came a question: “if we do tapas, how many days will it take us to realize God?”

Again came a spontaneous reply, “see if you want to do just tapas, stay in Raichur for one day and do seva in this heat. If you dont see God, you may then stay for a couple of days more and do seva. Even then if you dont realize God then stay here for a month and do “Ghora Tapas” (intense tapas) in this scorching heat and do the seva for Amma unconditionally, definitely by the end of a month you will be realized”.

Unfortunately, we could do only tapas as we had to return by Saturday. Alas! we couldn’t stay there upto the stage of realization.

Although the heat was extreme and a lot physical hardship was there we clearly felt Amma’s Grace which gave us so much of joy and strength and our heart is longing to get back to Raichur and to get purified in Her Love and Service.

We experienced an inexplicable peace and joy while working for Amma. If any of Amma’s children want to get realized in one month, here is a chance to do tapas in Raichur. And the course is free, but you should have the attitude of Love, Surrender and Service in your hearts.

Krishna Kumar