Category: AshramDiary
life at the Amritapuri ashram
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Neela, Neela!
Last night and this morning there was Devi-bhava again. This time it was in Holland. Before it began Amma was talking to everybody here again through Skype, asking if it was raining, making jokes, and wanting to know which color sari She should wear for the Bhava darshan. The boys shouted “Neela, Neela” wanting Amma to put on a blue sari. And lo and behold, when the curtains opened Amma was indeed wearing deep aquatic blue. There was an especially interesting moment during the darshan when Lakshmi Akka, Amma’s long time attendant, who is from Holland, went together with her…
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Adorable Aqua Blue
for the past few days it has been raining heavily here. the afternoons were exploded with the crackers (left over of Diwali?? ) and flashing lights of the nature by heavy thunders and lightnings. kashtam! we lost the internet at the ashram. the wireless stopped working after the lightning. the equipment is repaired now and we are back to normal. thanks to srinivas. today we were able to connect to the Holland program. alin were translating amma’s satang into dutch. it’s a nice feeling to be able to feel that you are attending one of amma’s programme which is actually…
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Mental Renunciation
Today, Swamiji explained some shlokas in the 5th chapter of the Gita, including the 13th. ‘Sarvakarmani manasa..’ This is ‘renouncing all karmas mentally, the Yogi dwells happily in the city of 9 gates, the body. He neither acts nor causes to act.’ Here, Swami Kaivalyanandaji explained that renouncing mentally doesn’t mean that we perform any action without presence of the mind. Instead, it means that the Yogi sees inaction in action, while performing karma. He doesn’t identify with the actions of the body. His determination is, ‘the senses are acting among their objects, while the Self is unattached.’ 27 Oct.,…
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Swallowed by Love
Yesterday morning all eyes were glued to the screen again waiting for Amma to talk to everybody once again through Skype. The Devi-bhava ended and Amma got up in her Maroon colored sari showering all the devotees with flowers. She stood slightly swinging from side to side for what seemed an eternity. After the “doors” were closed and Amma disappeared from everybody’s view, the web-cam team waited outside. Then after a while Amma invited them inside, and the joyous chorus calling “Amma!” here, blasted the roof beams once more. This time Amma was in contact with us even longer than…
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Knowledge through Shraddha
Today Swami explained the 39th shloka, 4th chapter; ‘shraddhavan labhate jnanam,’ one who has faith obtains Knowledge.’ This is a famous shloka. When our faith becomes so ingrained that it is spontaneous, then knowledge will shine from within. From shraddha comes wakefulness, from which Knowledge arises. Swami said that if we have true shraddha, then the Guru or scriptures are no longer needed. For example, in the scriptures, there is the story of Dattatreya. He took every creature to be his Guru; birds, animals, etc. This is the state of perfect shraddha; where we see the Guru everywhere. If we…
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Guru Seva
Today we discussed an important shloka in Swami’s class. This explains about how to obtain Atma-Jnana, Self-knowledge. There are three factors of this, in the 34th shloka, 4th chapter; these are pranipatena, pariprashnena, and sevaya. Pranipatanam is the act of bowing before a True Master, a Sadguru. Swami explained this custom. The feet represent travelling. By bowing to a Master’s feet, we are expressing the dedication, ‘I am following your path.’ That is the significance of bowing at the feet of a Realized Master. Then second is pariprashnam, where the disciple asks questions to the Master to clear all doubts.…
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Flying Kisses
Last night and this morning we had a internet connection to Amma again in Switzerland. It was Devi Bhava in green sari. This time according to Amma’s wishes the web-cast was extended also to Amma’s university campus in Ettimadai and to AIMS. There were some moments of funny confusion as everybody tried to make contact with Amma in a slightly chaotic way, but Amma took charge of the situation by addressing all places one by one. After the Bhava Darshan while inside the “temple-tent” Amma communicated to all of us in India for quite a long time. The people waiting…
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Brahmarpanam
Today Swami Kaivalyanandaji discussed the significance of chanting the 24th shloka of the 4th chapter of the Gita before eating. This is ‘brahmarpanam…’ For the karma yogi, all actions are Yoga. This shloka is connected with the 31st shloka, ‘yanti brahma sanatanam,’ those who eat the remains of the sacrifice, which is amrita, go to the eternal Brahman.’ For the karma yogi, even eating is part of karma yoga. All beings must eat food, but for the Karma yogi this even becomes amrita, because he eats for the sustenance of the body, to perform karma yoga. A sadhak eats not…
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Satsang and bhajans in Cyberspace
Last night for the first Amma’s Satsang and bhajans were cast through the web from Switzerland for the joy of us all here. Previously it has been Devi Bhava’s only, but during the last program and bhajans Amma was reportedly thinking about everybody here in Amritapuri and thought how nice it would be if all Her children here could also participate in them. So the connection was put up. It was really sweet as Amma could also see all of us here and kept looking at us through the web-cam. She even pointed out to Swamiji to take a look…