Soon after our beloved Amma’s 62nd birthday celebrations got over, we got an opportunity to interact with Swami Shailendra Saraswati, who is a disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and currently teaches Transcendental Meditation. He had come here for Amritavarsham ’62 and had his first darshan from Amma.
“This was my first visit to Amma. In fact, before I met Amma, something had started happening in my mind. I am a teacher of Transcendental Meditation, worked with Maharishi Mahesh yogi for about twenty years… then, I was associated with Swami Ramdevji. Last month, I was going through Amma’s website and, getting to know about Amma, of course my intellectual mind was saying “yes, this is something good”. But, for the first time, I realized that in my heart something was happening. My background is of Physics and I am a very intellectual kind of a person. I never believed in things of the heart, but for the first time I realized that ….all of a sudden, a song is coming in my mind ‘Mujhe apni sharan mein le lo Maa’. I don’t know why! I was supposed to land on 23rd in Delhi. On the same day, I decided (to come to Amritapuri) and within a few hours, I took a train to this place and on 25th we reached here. On that day itself, we had a very good fortune to have darshan of Amma… and just it’s like on first sight itself decision is made that this body and mind is for Amma now; whatever She says is my decision now. It is really overwhelming … an overwhelming experience!
One thing I have noticed is that in order to go beyond our present limitations, we have to surrender to some Higher Power. But, being a very cautious person, I was also very careful about whom to surrender to. You can’t just surrender to anybody …. and intellectually also I had set some criteria that the person should be like this and that …. for the first time, I realized that ALL those criteria are being fulfilled here. Also, for the first time in my life, I am realizing that my decisions are not only being made by calculated intellectual understanding but from the heart also. I just know that this body and mind is for Amma.”
When asked whether he got any special message from Amma, directly or indirectly, which he would like to share with all, Swamiji said “The very look on Her face and the way She hugs people, and not only that, the reaction of people also shows that She is really something special. All human beings are part of Her, not just disciple or devotees. It is like if a pin pricks my hand, I feel the pain…my cell is being damaged but the pain is felt by me. Similarly, it seems like all individuals in the world are part of Amma …like cells in a big body …and I just want to be a part of that big body.”
Regarding meditation, Swamiji expressed his complete surprise. “Everyone seems to be always meditating here. Even when they are walking, talking etc, they seem to be in that state of samadhi.”
On the work being done by the ashram, Swamiji shared his views: “Normally, spiritual organizations are not that tech-savvy. Modern education etc is not very common in them. But, here I find the latest researches are being done. Whatever I used to think are important for the country and the world, I find all those things are being taken care of here …. like the cyber security which people normally don’t realize the importance of, the business incubators, and biotechnology which is the most important field. All those things that are important for the future (are being addressed now, here). And, I just came to know that Amma has studied only till fourth standard!! But, (Amma having) that vision of future technologies and everything is really beyond my understanding! Another thing is that a person’s greatness is known by the followers. I find that everybody I met here are highly educated, highly knowledgeable and totally devoted. Most important to note is that nobody is working here because they have to; it is because they love it. People are really attached to Her.
So, from every angle, now I find that this is something very special… the world will be transformed. Maharishiji (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) always used to talk about “bringing heaven on earth”. But it seemed to be a difficult task and a long term plan. I used to wonder how it can happen. Of course, I was willing to contribute what I could but it was only a long term hope; that some day it will happen. But now, practically one can see how people are getting connected and the strength with which they are united ….(seeing this, I feel) it can happen now. Heaven on earth can be built and it has to be built only on the basis of Love. It cannot be through intellectual planning.”
– Prashant & Megha