2 Mar 2012, Amritapuri

I have heard of a yogic technique called “Samyama ” using which an accomplished Yogi can find out anything about any object in this universe. Moreover, they say that for a Self Realized Mahatma, the whole universe is an open book – any object will reaveal its nature of itself, as the Mahatma knows the inner nature of everything . Thus a mahatma will know the inner nature of an object, though He may not use the terminology that we are familiar with .

Well yesterday, I had an experience which was possibly a glimpse into this phenomenon.

As a test project, some of my students here wanted to install a large wind turbine on the tallest building roof in the ashram as there would be a lot of wind there and thus they could generate electricity for the building. They wanted to ask Amma’s permission to do so.

I asked them to write the details down on a piece of paper in Malayalam so that Amma could read it. I also warned them that Amma will ask very detailed questions, so they had better write all the specifics- the weight, blade length, KW rating etc etc.

I asked them a few questions about the vibrations, resonant frequencies, dynamic loading, etc.

A student told me “Sir it weighs around 500 Kg, of course sir that’s only the static load, not the dynamic load.”

The weight is 500 kg when it it at rest, but when the turbine is in operation, with the wind blowing and the blades rotating , the actual load would be higher- that’s called the dynamic load.

I told him, ‘No, no you don’t have to mention dynamic load and vibrations at all. Just write the static load- 500 kg.’

So the student wrote down his letter and we went to Amma.

No sooner had he asked if he could install the wind turbine on the ashram building did Amma reply “No, no the building is not designed for such a load.”

Amma then asked, “What’s the load?”

The student said, “500 Kg.”

Amma asked, “That’s all? No….”

To which the student replied, “Yes Amma, it weighs only 500 kg”.

Immediately Amma replied, “That is only the weight- but when the wind blows the load will be more- due to the wind velocity, you will set up additional forces – the load in operation will be more.”

Amma was describing the ‘Dynamic Load’…

Amma was not finished. She next asked, “What about the ‘tharangam’?” (Tharangam means vibrations). “Not only the dynamic load, but also due to the rotation, vibrations will happen.” – That’s the “sound.”

Indeed, she used the word ‘sound.’ I was dumbstruck again because- vibrations are waves travelling through the windmill tower, through the material medium. That is the same as sound travelling through them. Not only that, in some velocities the frequency will be in the audible range!

Amma had just discussed vibrations! The two topics I thought I should not tell her, Amma just described beauifully.

She then went on, “If you use aluminum the weight will be less. You can use wires for support.”

Then she took 3 bananas from the prasad table near her, inclined them towards each other as if they were along the edges of a prism. Pointing to the inclined bananas she said, “Make the tower supported by three cables like this, in this fashion – with a circle on top and the three wires like this.”

Amma had just described what is known as a “truss” in mechanical engineering. Wow.

Then Amma said “I don’t think the E building roof is designed for such loads. At this rating you can’t use it on the building now. Maybe you can use a small turbine on a building near the sea shore. Take the current generated and charge a battery with it. Study the effect at various heights by putting the turbine at different locations. Then come and tell me. If you want to discuss this further you have to consult some engineers!”

Amma had just give a nice lecture on dynamic loads, vibrations, studying current generated, and to optimise wind turbine performance.

But of course, the terminology she was using was different. Still I could see the concepts were all the same. What I had learnt in class, this ‘4th grade drop out of school’ was telling me with a smile, without missing a beat!

I got a glimpse into what the Upanishads mean when they say “…By knowing That by which everything else becomes known”…

My students came back probably thinking “next time I have a doubt, I wont ask my teachers – I shall simply ask Amma”.

– Bala