Amritapuri ashram

Category: Darshan

meeting amma and experiences

  • A priceless return gift

    ‘Its such an auspicious day’…. is what I thought of when I opened my eyes on the morning of 27th September 2011. I scrabbled for my Amma’s photo on my table next to my bed and wished her a Happy Birthday with a birthday kiss and a big hug… tears welled up in my heart when I recollected how blissfully I had spent one of Amma’s birthday in Amritapuri. It was Diwali, Navratri, Christmas, New Year all rolled up in one day…Amritapuri had worn a festive look and there was a blissful vibrancy all around, as if the whole universe was supplicating to the Mother of the Universe on her special day. Thinking of those cherished moments I got up and braced myself to face the world all over again!!!

    I lost the count of what day it was, while cooking food and packing lunches for the family. It was finally when I sat in the car that I realized that I had to rush to office if I wanted to have the glimpse of live web cast from Amritapuri. With a firm belief in my bad luck, I was sure that the office net connection would be down (as it always is, when I need it the most) I raced towards my workplace. Somehow I managed to reached on time and the wonders of wonders everything was working just well…

    Connecting to the website where webcast was being telecast live, I suddenly saw my Amma sitting on a splendid stage on a peetham with joined palms, closed eyes in all her splendid and pristine glory!

    When was the last time I ever saw the live padapuja of Amma so so clearly. My memories traveled back to Amritapuri, and I remembered reaching the Birthday venue before time and still being unable to find a seat for myself anywhere. I don’t remember seeing the padapuja. I only remember hearing the chanting of the mantras…

    And today here was I in Delhi, witnessing the pada puja of my guru and Mother. She looked so pretty (btw, when does she not?)

    I thanked Amma and her children for all the pains they had taken to make this web cast a reality. Through this little article I would like to thank the web team of Amritapuri on behalf of all the hundreds of viewers who had logged in that day to catch a glimpse of Amma.

    Personally, seeing Amma live had such a cathartic effect on me, all my tensions, sadness and frustrations fizzled out when I saw the Mother seated ‘ekagrachitta’ on the peetham.

    Even before I could think of an offering to my guru she gave me a blessed return gift on her 58th birthday.

    Amma how did I get so lucky to have been noticed by you and be woven into your family.

    Thank you Amma, for being a part of my life. I love you Mommy!!!!

    – Divya

  • Dream and Reality

    Do you believe in the realisation of dreams?  Does a dream ever come true?  Have you ever met a stranger who appeared in your dreams?  If you asked these questions to anyone… they would surely be puzzled and amazed.  We asked the same questions to Ghanshyam and his response was spontaneous and affirmative.

    Ghanshyam, a native of Spain is a resident of Amritapuri Ashram since five years.  He shared with us his unbelievable experience of how dreams do come true in real life.  Here is his narration:
    “I’m from a small village in Spain.  The source of income for the family was an herbal retail outlet that was owned by us.  This happened when I was in Germany and my mother, father and sister were in Spain.  One day a lady came to our shop and gave a pamphlet about a spiritual leader.  The pamphlet stated that some spiritual leader from India called AMMA was visiting Barcelona.  As my sister scrolled further below, her eyes caught the glimpse of the picture of ‘the lady in white attire’ which she had dreamt only last night….. Her amazement knew no bounds: can a dream come true so closely and this soon, she wondered!

    My family immediately booked their tickets to Barcelona.  I couldn’t go with them as I was busy with my work in Germany.  My sister shared her experience with me later as to how they all had a good time with Amma, had Amma’s ‘darsan’ and attended a long session of ‘bhajan’.  This made me recollect a story I had read somewhere about a girl who was made out of water and changed the world from the then current state of animosity, unrest and hatred to a state of peace and harmony.  An unusual urge took root in me that I should see this ‘Amma’.  Was it a matter of coincidence that at this same time I also came to know that there were less expensive and special discount tickets available to those who wanted to attend Amma’s 50th birthday celebrations in Kochi and my family eagerly reserved these tickets to Kochi.

    We landed in Kochi as per schedule and I was blessed to have Amma’s darshan.  After seeing Amma, I felt something unusual and special as if my own dream of something had come true, that a difference had been carved out.  I decided to leave my job, family and I to join Amma’s Ashram.  Now I’m involved in recycling of waste and enjoying the work more and more every day.  It is like bliss, living a life which I had dreamt of…  Anyone can be sure that a dream is  always a pointer to some reality… only, you must have trust in it and patience to wait for it to take shape and happen… !”

    – Amrita Nandakumar, Chitra and Lakshmi PR

  • Fruit of complaint

    This happened a couple of weeks back. I was mentioning to some of my brothers at the ashram that in the 10 years since meeting Amma, She had not given me a fruit on any of the darshans that I had in all these years. More than mentioning it was a kind of complaining that other than me all those of my friends and my other brothers who met Amma around the same time as me and came to the ashram had got a fruit from Amma at least on one occasion.

    Following this I had the sweet opportunity of getting to sit near Amma during darshan that week. Amma looked at me and gestured me to come near Her.

    I went and sat next to Her chair, while She was giving darshan. I got the chance of holding Her glass of water too :). Felt quite happy and was not in any idea of going for darshan. Then Amma had to talk to somebody and asked him to sit beside Her after his darshan, so I got up and was about leave. At that moment Amma called me to come for darshan and I went. Out of the blue She took a banana and gave it to me after darshan. I was too dazed to even react to it 🙂 . She knows exactly what we feel inside and what we complain about.

    The point was that I had never thought of going for darshan that day and had not even planned to go and sit next to Her. But all this happened and on top of it here She was making sure that I understand that my complaint was heard and redressed. The most interesting part of it was that one my brothers said that maybe I should go and ask Amma for a fruit if I felt so bad that She had not given me one in all these 10 years, but at that time I told him that if I were to get one, then Amma will definitely give one to me at the right time. I don’t know if it was the right time or my whining about not getting a fruit, but my small desire and complaint was heard 🙂 . Now my brothers mentioned to me that I need to be careful about complaining because Amma has clearly indicated that She is hearing everyone of our words.

    Its really a great feeling as to how Amma assures that She is listening to even the smallest of our complaints and redresses them.

    – Sudharsan

  • Gift of Amma

    25th, July 2010, Mysore

    Mysore ashram was fully decorated, every where people were walking with a hearty smile, atmosphere was filled with devotion and divine vibration and it seem to be as if our AMMA would come!! Early morning the conclusion of 9 days Guru Gana Homa, then Guru paduka abhisheka, bhajans, satsang, afternoon flute concert, and evening ‘Nagara sankirthana’ where more than 500 devotees participated by singing bhajans and playing drums. It was a memorable Guru Poornima celebration. The students of Amrita colleges did an amazing seva. The decorations, vegetable cutting, cleaning, serving food and plate washing….

    My seva on that day was subscribing Matruvani. In the morning I was about to start my work by sitting in the entrance of the hall. I saw a devotee coming near. I said “Namah Shivaya. Your Matruvani renewal is pending. Please, open an account with a life membership!” She looked at me in dilemma.

    She said “I always want to subscribe for life. Every year renewal will be late and i miss some Matruvanis and feel sad. But giving Rs.500 at a time is difficult for me. What shall I do?”

    I know her financial difficulties, her faith and love for Amma. So I said “No problem. Today is Guru Poornima. You subscribe for life membership. Amma will help you. For time being I will pay for it. Whenever you have the money, pay by installments.”

    She was so happy, little emotional too. She subscribed for life membership with a wide smile.

    Within next 20 minutes, she again approached me with beaming smile. She slipped her hand into the purse and took out a new-fresh 500 rupee note and handed it over to me. “Amma has given me” she could utter only that much and she was in tears.

    Later she narrated how she got that money… After subscribing she walked outside feeling happy for subscribing and sad for lending loan for that and praying Amma. When she stepped outside the gate, a car was moving slowly and suddenly it stopped. A devotee was in that car and called her and gave Rs.500 by saying “This is for you on Guru Poornima. Om Namah Shivaya”. The car moved away.

    She stood like a statue for a while with that crisp new note in her hand, exactly five hundred rupees, unbelievable, yet, true…tears rolled down on her cheeks…

    I was overwhelmed and my eyes were wet. Yes..this is our Amma, all knowing compassionate Amma. She has given a precious gift for her daughter on the auspicious day.

    — AP Lalitha

  • The fragrance of Amma

    “Why don’t you smile?”, Amma again and again tells us to be happy irrespective of circumstances, that ‘Ananda’ is our true nature, and so on.
    “Smile…keep smiling…” an ashramite friend told me in Amritapuri few days ago. She reminded me of the last program day in Pune last March. At the end of the program, while singing new Kannada bhajan ‘devi devi devi..’, Amma looked deep into my eyes so lovingly and through gestures She communicated ” Why have sorrow? I am with you!”. All knowing Amma! My friend continued “Think that Amma is in front of you, looking at you with Love and smiling beautifully. Amma is with you, She is with us all”. I admitted in sorrow “But i am not able to see Amma within me or outside. I don’t even feel Her presence. She has to help me in this!”At lunch time i another long-term ashramite. He inquired about my spiritual practices and asked me whether i could feel Amma’s presence. With pain and ashame, I honestly replied “No”.

    That night, I went for Amma’s darshan. I was in Her arms for a long time as She was talking to someone. I could feel the warmth and heavenly fragrance coming out of Her as if She was dipped in a perfume furnace! After a while She whispered “Muddu magale..” (darling daughter) repeatedly. That is all. I touched Her sacred feet and came out. Amma did not speak; no special smile or no intent gaze on outword. But it was the most beautiful and unique darshan experience that I started feeling grow in me slowly. I was covered by that sweet smell for many hours. I slept peacefully with the feeling that my Amma was holding me tightly in Her arms. Next day morning i woke up at 4.15am for archana. And, yes, Amma’s fragrance was still around me!! I asked my friends whether they had applied any perfume and started sniffed the room here and there!

    We left Amritapuri at around 9am. On our way back to Mysore, we visited the AIMS hospital in Cochin, Kalady, the birth place of Sri Shankaracharya, and the Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayoor. Sometimes i was experiencing a kind of heat in my heart, some other times on my crown or in my ears or hands….and oh! along with that was the fragrance of Amma. Now and then i was covered by that heavenly perfume which i could smell, but not my friends. I had no other option but to immerse blissfully in the presence of Amma.
    We reached Mysore early the next morning, and the fragrance was still there as I chanted Amma’s 108 names.

    A spiritual friend explained to me: “The fragrance was coming out of the Amma who is within you, not from outside. Amma has awakened your inner Amma temporarily and that is why you felt Her presence. Now it is upto you to awake the inner Amma, in other words yourself, by intense spiritual practices and feel Her divine presence permanently”
    Now this child of Amma is craving, searching and longing for AMMA. i know that Amma is within me and everywhere else. I know that Amma knows my every thought, feeling and action. Yet i commit mistakes after mistakes – some are small and some are BIG! Even then She, the ocean of love and mercy, shows incomparable love,concern and compassion; showers so much of Grace. In return, what shall i offer, other than myself??
    I pray  “Amma…forgive me, accept me and merge me in You…Amma..Amma….”

    lalitha

  • Always with me

    Om Namah Shivaya!

    I bow to my divine Mother, Amma, who watches over me with love. It has been 3 years now since I had Amma’s darshan: I got excited when I saw Amma’s poster for her Delhi program in 2007. I called up the Delhi Ashram and I was given directions to reach the place. I reached the Ashram without any difficulty as it was Amma who was guiding me every step of the way. I reached early and had the good fortune of sitting fairly close to the stage and  reveled in gazing at Amma for over 2 hours until it was my turn for Darshan. When Amma hugged me that day, She filled my being with love and reached the depth of my heart.

    10 days after Amma’s darshan, I discovered a tiny lump in my right breast. My Husband is a surgeon in the Army Hospital so all the tests, including the FNaC and the true needle biopsy were fast tracked. I had a key chain of Amma in Devi Bhava in my hand through all the tests and I could feel her loving presence all through. The FNaC results indicated it was a benign filloid and I was to have my surgery three days later. All through that week I could feel Amma’s love and I had the confidence that everything would be fine. I would talk to her all the time and I felt like a baby in the womb completely protected by Amma’s love and Grace.

    Two days before the surgery I saw Amma in a dream and heard her say: ” tu, tu, tu” and I knew that Amma would be there with me always and would make sure that I was fine. When I was on the OT table I closed my eyes and began performing mentally a Pada Puja to Amma’s feet. 3 hours after the surgery I was out of hospital and back home. When the results came in, the tumor was confirmed as being benign. I never realized how worried my husband and parents were until the results came in but I wasn’t worried for a moment as Amma was with me all through. Amma was with the surgeon who operated on me, with the pathologists who did my tests. She is with me always and I feel so full of love and courage. I am so fortunate to have Amma in my life and in my heart always.
    I wish to share this love with everyone around me all through my life.
    Om Amriteshwaryai Namah! Amma I love you with all my heart!

    Your loving daughter
    Priya Kaushik

  • Silent reassurance

    It’s been more than fifteen years now, when I first saw Amma giving darshans and fell in love with her after getting her hug. Many experiences have got me to the realisation that Amma is not bound by the limits of her physical body and that she will transcend the barriers of time, space and distance whenever she hears the heart wrenching calls of her children. No matter where Amma is physically, she is always a tiny little prayer away from us!

    I had a wonderful experience which I would like to share with the world. The incident happened on 28 July 2009.

    28 July 2009 was just another day for the rest of the world. For me, though, it dawned to herald in a new beginning in my life. I was to get engaged the same evening. I woke up with a happy heart and the realisation that Amma had physically blessed this union. I obviously had every right to feel blessed on my special day.

    But somehow, with ‘the evening’ approaching, I was getting restless and nervous, wondering whether I was actually ready to take the plunge into married life. Negative thoughts took over and within no time I plummeted into the dark recesses of depression.

    Finally… under the grip of a massive panic attack, I asked my brother to take me to Amma’s Ashram in Delhi so that I could let go off the negativity. This had been my practice for a long time. Whenever I felt lonely, sad or just not my usual self or even happy I would rush to D-3, Vasant Kunj, (that’s the ashram’s address), my spiritual home.

    As soon as I reached the ashram I removed my shoes, near the elephant statues (as is my usual practice) and dashed to the temple. I prayed asking Amma to help and guide me. I prayed fervently and looked for a sudden calmness, apparent peace and renewed faith to engulf me. But nothing happened. I was as restless and nervous then as I was when I walked into the temple. With time not exactly on my side, I quickly completed the last circumambulation asking Amma why she had forsaken me on such an important day!

    Lost in my own thoughts I proceeded to the place where I had removed my shoes. With a dejected and rejected heart, feeling Amma hadn’t blessed me with her silent reassurance. With a heavy and gloomy heart I wore my footwear almost absent mindedly. I nearly tumbled over so instinctively I grabbed one of the elephant statues at the entrance. HEAVENS!! I couldn’t believe what I saw. There were two neatly folded brown envelopes containing vibhuti (the way Amma gives them during darshan) I was totally blank. I didn’t know how to react since I vividly remember not seeing anything on the particular elephant earlier. Wasn’t this short of a miracle! I ran back to my brother and recounted the whole incident. With Amma’s blessings very apparent in my hand we drove back home, happily.

    It’s surprising how Amma helps her children and takes pain to make us realize that we are not alone in this Universe and if we look around we will find subtle and not so subtle signs of her omnipresence.

    Those packets were clear indicators that Amma listened to my prayers. It is so humbling to know that Amma, the Universal Mother has had time for this insignificant soul. That she took out time to tell me that she is there for me is the biggest engagement gift I could ask from you, my dearest Mother….

    Needless to say, the two packets are always with me and have since then become my lucky charms.

    – Divya Sharma

  • Take advice seriously and simply follow

    ramanathanINTERVIEW WITH Mrs and Mr RAMANATHAN

    The sweet couple, Mrs Radha Ramanathan and Mr Ramanathan smiled at me disapprovingly, when asked for an interview.  But soon, they began to share their valuable experiences quite spontaneously.

    Dr Ramanathan is a Professor of English in Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham at Amritapuri Campus.  Ms Radha serves in the HQ administrative office of Amrita Vidyalayam Schools of Amma, helping in co-coordinating the activities of several schools, most of them affiliated to the CBSE Board.
    When asked about Amma, they responded enthusiastically, describing Amma as ‘everything’.  They are very much inspired by Amma’s acts of selfless service, love and compassion.  They feel that it is not necessary for any individual to think of being spiritual ‘separately’ or ‘additionally’ – it is enough to take her advice seriously and ‘simply’ follow Amma.  Life would become meaningful, beautiful and complete as a matter of course, then.
    When asked about their first meeting with Amma, they felt nostalgic. They came to know of Amma about twenty years ago from their friend Prof. V.A.Muralidharan.  They met Amma for the first time in Chennai and felt a deep sense of devotion sprouting from within towards ‘The Lady in White’.  They soon became devotees of Amma and decided to be at Amma’s service till their last breath.  They decided to settle in Amritapuri and to spend their time at the lotus feet of Amma.

    Here is a very interesting incident narrated by them.  They had decided to leave Chennai for good to settle in Amritapuri and were considering if ten months would be sufficient to distance themselves from Chennai,  where they have their roots and for the completion of medical treatment Ms Radha was undergoing.  They, then happened to meet an astrologer who asked them if they were planning to move to a location of divinity soon!  They answered him in the positive, rather surprised at these words.  The astrologer then told them that if they were ‘really serious’ about their plan, they had better make it out of Chennai ‘right away’ – that, if they delayed, the chances would be that they would never leave Chennai!!  When the couple revealed to the astrologer then, that their plan was to go to Mata Amritanandamayi Devi’s Ashram in Amritapuri, the astrologer advised them to make it without the least delay, and they did.

    Within a week of reaching Amritapuri, Mr Ramanathan had to assume office as the Head of the Department of English in Amma’s University here – as if the ‘summons’ had been sent through that astrologer only for this purpose!  But before the first month at Amritapuri ended, Ms Radha had an accidental slip-and-fall, suffered a spinal jam and had to undergo related treatment at Amma’s super specialty hospital, AIMS, at Kochi.  Mrs Ramanathan feels that if that fall had occurred in Chennai, every word of the astrologer could have come true, whereas, here, though the ‘accident’ did happen, the hospitalization was for a couple of days only, the treatment surprisingly minimal and inexpensive, and the suffering quite ‘manageable’!

    The couple is convinced that the visit to the astrologer (whom they had never met before that day or thought of consulting!) was just one example of Amma’s immense Mercy towards Her children.  Here, it was for the dual purpose of giving Mr Ramanathan the opportunity to serve in Amma’s institution and to ‘take under protective care’ Mrs Ramanathan who had suffered health problems of serious nature.

    Mrs. Ramanathan became highly emotional about a recent incident too.  She was found to be suffering from acute pneumonia rather suddenly and was admitted to AIMS.  She was taken straight to the intensive care unit and those were moments of terrible anxiety.  That night, she woke up in the ICU feeling the scent of ‘vibudhi’ (holy ash, given by Amma) but found that no one else there, patient or nurse, had any idea of such a scent!  It suddenly occurred to her that it was Amma’s inimitable way of reassuring her devotees and felt confident that all would be well soon.  In the next forty eight hours, the doctors found her improving surprisingly fast (for her  age and previous physical conditions).
    This couple poured out their feelings which gave expression to their deep love and gratitude to Amma.
    This interview left me – a rather ‘casual’ interviewer – with a stronger faith on Amma, than ever before.  I was able to perceive Amma’s Grace, that the couple had experienced.
    Mrs Ramanathan assured me that Amma responds to any person whose prayers are sincere and for a worthy cause.  Nothing can bring one closer to AMMA, than staunch adherence to values like truthfulness, devotion, honesty and selfless service to all.

    by Raviteja

  • Amma with anyone who is in need

    vijayalakshmiMs.Vijayalakshmi, Principal of Amrita Vidyalayam, Kochi has been a follower of Amma for the past 18 years. We met her accidentally along with her collegue Ambika during Amma’s 56th birthday celebration on September 25, 2009 at Amritapuri.
    Vijayalakshmi could not control her emotions when talking about Amma. Her heart and soul is filled with Amma as she feels the presence of Amma in each and every breath of her life. In 1994, she had a miraculous experience which reinforced her trust in Amma.
    She was hospitalized for a major surgery. The cause of this health problem has been irritating her for past couple of years and surgery was the only solution recommended by doctors. She had never told Amma about this problem ever before.
    On the day of surgery, the doctor called her husband and had discussions with him on the procedures. Vijayalakshmi’s anxiety, tension and stress was increasing as she awaited to be operated, in her ward. Finally the doctor and her husband came to her ward and conveyed the matter that the surgery is going to take place that day itself. Just a few hours before the start of the surgery, her doctor received a telephone call. The caller told him that he was calling as per the instruction of  ‘Mataji’ and conveyed him not to perform this surgery and disconnected the phone.
    Doctor did not know what to do and conveyed this matter to Vijayalakshmi’s husband.  On hearing this she had nothing else to think. She requested the doctor to withhold the surgery and allow her to get discharged from the hospital. Vijayalakshmi remembers that at that time Amma was in San Francisco.
    Even after fifteen years from that day, she has not faced any health issues related to that surgery. She believes the condition which required the surgery was cured only because of Amma’s blessings. Vijaylakshmi believes that Amma will be with everyone who is in need and show the right path to follow in their life. She feels honored to have gotten a chance to serve in one of Amma’s institution and considers this as one of the most satisfying task of her life.