Category: AshramDiary
life at the Amritapuri ashram
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New Bhajans
There were a couple of new songs tonight. In between a few songs there was some commotion as Amma wanted the wireless mikes to be changed. Some laughter followed from the audience as She took down one of the mikes while making a face at the mixer and handed it to Karthik, the sound guy. Amma sang the following bhajans tonight: Hare Murare Ushakala Neram Krishna Govinda Gopala Chintakalkantyam Om Namah Shivaya Tedal tudangaum Daiva Tedal ( Tamil) Kalpantarangalkkum Jinki Karuna Hai Apar The little girl that yesterday was coming up the ramp holding her hands over her ears mustered…
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Amma soap
‘Amma soap’ Today, Gaia Amrita, went to Amma for darshan. Then she went to her mother and said, “Having darshan is like taking a shower, because afterward, you smell so good. We need a soap that smells like Amma so we can always smell like her and pretend to be her.”— – – — — — — — Last night, after Bhajans, Gaia Amrita said, “I was so happy during bhajans tonight! Every time they started to play one, it sounded like they were going to play ‘Om Namah Sivayah.’ Then when they did finally play it, they played it…
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My Mother has come
Amma arrived back from Her tour yesterday. As I stayed here for those three weeks it was really sweet to see Her again. She always looks so mysterious and beautiful and you can never get tired of her beauty and grace, but there is even more receptiveness in the mind after being separated for some time. Anyway, everyone knows what I’m talking about so no need for me to go on about it. The bhajans were sweet. At one point a little girl walked up the ramp towards Mother holding her hands over her ears. Maybe it was too loud…
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tamil nadu yatra
Ashramites and Westerners (about 500) are leaving Amritapuri today for a three week tour of Tamil Nadu with Amma. Blog postings of stories from the South Indian Yatra can be found at http://withamma.blogspot.com/
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Last Bhajans before Tour
Tonight’s bhajans were the last before Amma departs for Her South-Indian tour tomorrow. Amma was practicing and recording some Tamil songs in Her room today for the delight of Her Devotees in Tamil Nadu. She really feels strongly that people should hear devotional Songs in their mother tongue. It has a very profound effect when the language goes deep into the psyche and the message gets engrained in the heart. Personally however I enjoy most listening to Amma sing in Her native Malayalam, which is such a beautiful language. Especially Her old songs are simply the best thing one can…
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Mata Rani Teri Kripa
Darshan continued throughout the duration of the bhajan today. Itcontinued on after the bhajans finished also. Hundreds of people werethere. Chandramohan, a little boy from Kozhikode who is mentallychallenged, was next to Amma’s chair. Amma asked him to hug and kiss thecheeks of the devotees who came for darshan. Seeing a Sardarji sitting beside Amma, Amma told him, “I have a newbhajan in Punjabi. Have you heard that?” “Yes,” he said. Amma then called all harmonium and tabla musicians to come and startedsinging “Mata Rani Teri Kripa Barasai” [The Mother Queen Is ShoweringHer Grace Upon Us.] It’s melody and rhythm…
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Tears of Devotion
Tonight Amma sang the following bhajans: Mridula Neela KalebaraAmma Nin RupamRote Jag MenVilical Vili KelkanJanani Tava PadamOm Namah ShivayaOm Hari Om HariJinki Karuna Hai Apar The song Janani Tava Padam (lyrics below) was simply fantastic tonight. Amma sang with such force and feeling that I noticed that even the little boy sitting next to me had the hair on his skin standing on end. It is not rare that I have noticed a few tear drops falling from one of the children’s eyes during bhajans. Have you ever noticed that tear drops of devotion fall from the outer corner of…
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Dancing Party
Tonight the stage was full of kids and it was evident from the beginning that they restless with energy. The little girls beside me kept nudging so I would give my attention to them for various things. I could barely close my when one of them would come up with something new. Amma kept turning around to them every now and then, and would also glance at me with a mischievous smile probably as I was looking a bit lost with what to do with all these children that were getting wilder and wilder. Having come to live a spiritual…
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Amma’s Heart…
Returning from the Calicut-Kodungallur tour, I was greeted by my 4-1/2 year old daughter Gaia Amrita who ran and jumped into my arms. The one-week tour was the longest time we had been separated, and when I first departed, she was in tears, begging me to stay. Upon our return, her mother later told me that while I was away, Gaia Amrita dreamed that our whole family was in Amma’s heart. She said that in the dream, Amma’s heart was bigger than our room at the Ashram, so it was ok that I was on tour with Amma. while they…