6 Dec 2007

My trust with intellectual spirituality ended the day I was first blessed with a darshan of Amma – then began the blessed period of experiential spirituality. Everyday she makes sure I see Her /feel Her presence – as though telling me that She is always there with me [and surely with each and everyone who has been fortunate to be in Her Divine presence]. In every place of worship I am reminded of Amma and see Her divine form – not different from the deity but merging with the idol of worship.
On the 30th of November, we were at Guruvayur to perform at the Melpathur auditorium. Our teacher, Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, wanted the new Dasavataram (play about the 10 incarnations of Vishnu) to be first performed for Guruvayurappan. We started our recital with an invocation – the Cholkettu, which is the sloka that begins: yaakunnendu tushara hara dhavala…. As we went on stage, I wished we were at Vallikkavu, performing for Amma. My next train of thought was, is there any difference? Isn’t it all the same?….At the end of the invocation, as we took the final pose, the finale began with “sarva mangala mangalye sive sarvartha sadhake……” At the end of our performance, a person from the crowd came to me and told me that the final pose during the invocation, with “sarva mangala”…. playing in the background, reminded them of their Guru. Something made me ask who their guru was. Their reply: AMMA!

Is it not Amma’s Kripa that I get singled out amongst a group of six dancers to hear the devotees words?

-Sujata