Category: AshramDiary
life at the Amritapuri ashram
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Bhajans
Yesterday Amma was meeting with the press for quite a long time. In the evening the bhajans were: Gopala Govinda Krishna Karuna Nir Katale Man Re Sikh Prabhu ka nam (Hindi) Kalpantarangalkkum Amme Yi Jivente Mere Hridya Sree Rama Base (Hindi) Ni Intri Verarumillai (Tamil) Om Namah Shivaya Jai Ma Ambe Vishwanath25 August 2007
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at Amrita Niketan
A visit to Amrita Niketan, the orphanage and boarding school for disadvantaged children at Parippally, is often a highlight for visitors to the Amritapuri ashram. The recent visit of 45 international visitors was no exception. The children gave the visitors their usual warm-hearted welcome. The older students were having exams, but the younger students were available to share their songs and dances with the visitors. Everyone enjoyed the Adivasi (tribal) dances. These are the circle dances the children learn in their villages. They sing in call and response as they dance. Often the leader will create new lyrics on the…
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Celebration and Culture
As I crossed the bridge going to my seva I knew something was up. Sacred drumming was coming from the direction of the Biotech Building and loud cheers rent the air from time to time. All the female students I saw were dressed in their best. Many were wearing the traditional white cotton Kerala sari, bordered with gold trim. Fragrant jasmine strands adorned their hair. When I arrived at the building I was amazed to see a huge statue of Kali, two elephants with Amma’s picture on their backs and many costumd dancers. They were awaiting the arrival of the…
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Double Darshan
Yesterday while Amma was giving darshan in the evening, everyone was captivated by a divine play. There was this small child (about five years old) who could only speak broken, yet very sweet, Malayalam. It (not sure whether it was a boy or a girl) wanted to come near Amma, so it started making loud noises and its mother tried hard to calm it down. Suddenly Amma looked at it and called it to sit near her. The child was extremely happy. It went and sat right next to Amma. For some time it kept looking at Amma intently. Since…
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Tuesday Bhajans
Tonight’s bhajans were: Manasa Chora Radha Krishna (Hindi)Arikil UndenkilumDehachya Muralita (Marathi)Anantamayi PatarunnaMohalu Champpara (Telugu)Oru Nalum PiriyattoOm Shakti Om Shakti (Tamil)Jai Jai Kali Ma Vishwanath21 August 2007
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Mind, Speech and Action
Through Mind, Speech and Action Tonight Amma treated us to the following Bhajans: Sri Krishna Saranam Azhikullil Jagadiswari Janamanaharini Nirajanam (Telugu) Bholanatha Re (Hindi) Manasa Vacha Enaikakka Unaiyantri (Tamil) Jai Jai Janani Jai Ho Teri (Hindi) The old song Manasa Vacha Karmana is just so beautiful that I could stay up a whole night listening to Amma singing it. The lyrics are so sweet: Through my mind, speech and actions I am remembering Thee incessantly.I am a miserable destitute. I have none but you, O Mother.Give me some peace of mind lest I become a lunatic.Please stop your tests, extend…
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Three Avatars
Three Avatars: In Amma’s Presence Only last week my mind was specifically drawn to one of the 1000 Divine Names of LalitaDevi – Karanguli nakhotpanna narayana dashaakruti.- meaning,“Devi, from Whose nails rise the 10 Avatars of Lord Narayana…..” The ten incarnations that find mention in the Dashavatara in the Bhagavatam trace a kind of evolution from lower to higher levels. While the list begins with a tiny fish that grew gigantic, the last ones, Sri Rama, Vamana and Sri Krishna, are incarnations of Vishnu in human form. God the Lord would not mind taking any form in order to protect…
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Melting Pot of Languages
Amma’s Melting Pot of Languages at the Seva Desk Each morning, at the Seva desk, we get a list of those who have checked in the day before so we can distribute little ‘Seva’ reminders to their room inviting them (if they wish) to help with Seva during their stay. The list is a veritable melting pot of countries, languages and cultures – 34 countries at last count, the majority from Europe. The list includes people from almost all continents except Antarctica and Africa (though I recollect seeing Kenya and Cameroon in the past). This season, (Aug/Sep), there are quite…
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First meeting….
This evening, as I was walking towards the Bhajan Hall, I noticed a large group of westerners gathered in front of the main temple. Figuring they had just arrived and might need some help, I offered. Indeed, they had just arrived an hour ago and would be leaving around 7:30pm. They were all from Germany and were sad at having missed darshan – none of them had met Amma before. I gave them a brief introduction to the Ashram and managed to gather a few Embracing the World brochures even though the Information Center was closed at the time. I…