08 August 2022, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad
When Rama decided to build a bridge over the ocean to rescue Sita from Ravana’s clutches, the huge army of monkeys went to work carrying huge rocks for the construction. However, a small squirrel couldn’t carry such loads, so, in order to contribute to it, it rolled around in the sand, climbed onto the bridge under construction and shaked its body to drop the sand between the rocks.
That’s exactly the feeling I’ve had since we arrived here, to be this little squirrel in the middle of a gigantic work, with buildings that touch the sky, in the middle of a pharaonic construction site. I am a small bubble in the middle of this hospital which is itself a small bubble in the universe of the Divine Mother, our beloved Amma.
This is so true here, when we see the workers, men and women, hospital staff, swaminis, swamis, brahmacharinis, brahmacharis and westerners working together as nimitta matram (instruments of the Divine) to prepare for the inauguration of the hospital.
This project is a huge Yagna, and everyday, we can feel Amma infusing Her divine energy more and more into this place, making this hospital more and more sacred, ready to receive and alleviate the sufferings of the world.
It is also so obvious that this site under construction is a reflection of our own mind, also undergoing work to attain citta suddhi (purity of mind). This Yagna is going on here inside all of us at all times, burning away our negativities and bringing light and joy everywhere.
The squirrel in the Ramayana teaches us the attitude we should cultivate: service, humility, acceptance and of course, puja mano bhava (performing every action as an offering) and prasadha buddhi (accepting the outcome whatever it is). This is the perfect place and time to try to put these teachings into practice. And then tears of joy and gratitude to be part of this historical event spontaneously start to flow down our cheeks.
We are so blessed to have Amma in our lives, and the world is so blessed to have such an incarnation of the Supreme demonstrating once again through this hospital Her unconditional and infinite love for all humanity. Satakoti pranams to You Amma (millions of prostrations to You).
Jyotirup – France