Category: Interviews

interviews with diff personalities

Heaven on Earth can be built ….only on the basis of Love

Soon after our beloved Amma’s 62nd birthday celebrations got over, we got an opportunity to interact with Swami Shailendra Saraswati, who is a disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and currently teaches Transcendental Meditation. He had come here for Amritavarsham ’62 and had his first darshan from Amma.

“This was my first visit to Amma. In fact, before I met Amma, something had started happening in my mind. I am a teacher of Transcendental Meditation, worked with Maharishi Mahesh yogi for about twenty years… then, I was associated with Swami Ramdevji. Last month, I was going through Amma’s website and, getting to know about Amma, of course my intellectual mind was saying “yes, this is something good”. But, for the first time, I realized that in my heart something was happening. My background is of Physics and I am a very intellectual kind of a person. I never believed in things of the heart, but for the first time I realized that ….all of a sudden, a song is coming in my mind ‘Mujhe apni sharan mein le lo Maa’. I don’t know why! I was supposed to land on 23rd in Delhi. On the same day, I decided (to come to Amritapuri) and within a few hours, I took a train to this place and on 25th we reached here. On that day itself, we had a very good fortune to have darshan of Amma… and just it’s like on first sight itself decision is made that this body and mind is for Amma now; whatever She says is my decision now. It is really overwhelming … an overwhelming experience!

One thing I have noticed is that in order to go beyond our present limitations, we have to surrender to some Higher Power. But, being a very cautious person, I was also very careful about whom to surrender to. You can’t just surrender to anybody …. and intellectually also I had set some criteria that the person should be like this and that …. for the first time, I realized that ALL those criteria are being fulfilled here. Also, for the first time in my life, I am realizing that my decisions are not only being made by calculated intellectual understanding but from the heart also. I just know that this body and mind is for Amma.”
When asked whether he got any special message from Amma, directly or indirectly, which he would like to share with all, Swamiji said “The very look on Her face and the way She hugs people, and not only that, the reaction of people also shows that She is really something special. All human beings are part of Her, not just disciple or devotees. It is like if a pin pricks my hand, I feel the pain…my cell is being damaged but the pain is felt by me. Similarly, it seems like all individuals in the world are part of Amma …like cells in a big body …and I just want to be a part of that big body.”

Regarding meditation, Swamiji expressed his complete surprise. “Everyone seems to be always meditating here. Even when they are walking, talking etc, they seem to be in that state of samadhi.”

On the work being done by the ashram, Swamiji shared his views: “Normally, spiritual organizations are not that tech-savvy. Modern education etc is not very common in them. But, here I find the latest researches are being done. Whatever I used to think are important for the country and the world, I find all those things are being taken care of here …. like the cyber security which people normally don’t realize the importance of, the business incubators, and biotechnology which is the most important field. All those things that are important for the future (are being addressed now, here). And, I just came to know that Amma has studied only till fourth standard!! But, (Amma having) that vision of future technologies and everything is really beyond my understanding! Another thing is that a person’s greatness is known by the followers. I find that everybody I met here are highly educated, highly knowledgeable and totally devoted. Most important to note is that nobody is working here because they have to; it is because they love it. People are really attached to Her.

So, from every angle, now I find that this is something very special… the world will be transformed. Maharishiji (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) always used to talk about “bringing heaven on earth”. But it seemed to be a difficult task and a long term plan. I used to wonder how it can happen. Of course, I was willing to contribute what I could but it was only a long term hope; that some day it will happen. But now, practically one can see how people are getting connected and the strength with which they are united ….(seeing this, I feel) it can happen now. Heaven on earth can be built and it has to be built only on the basis of Love. It cannot be through intellectual planning.”

– Prashant & Megha

14 Oct 2015
Amala Bharatam, Clean India: Karma has its consequences

As Indians we all dream about a clean India free of garbage. It is with this idea of creating a clean community, as an initial step towards a clean India, that the Amala Bharatam Campaign (ABC) was initiated. Mahita, who was associated with it since its incipience, spoke to us about her involvement with clearing the garbage inside and outside the ashram premises and how, with Amma’s support, a small individual step was converted into a model worthy of emulation by all.

“There is no doubt in my mind that one second of my life spent in this ashram offering this life, this body, this breath and this thought to Amma’s feet makes this life worth living and I don’t really understand the purpose of life without making it for Her. I don’t know why I would ever do anything, there is no purpose to life but for Her.”

Regarding the waste management activities, Mahita said “since the first year I arrived in the ashram, I began collecting waste from the ground. I was raised Hindu, and I went to temple and meditated on Krishna as a child and I had all these ideas in my mind about what India would be like. I knew India didn’t have these toilets and sanitation. As a little girl I would tell my mom and dad that when I become rich I am going to make toilets for India. When I got here and saw the reality, I was really shocked and disappointed. I lived in a beautiful place in America with lots of open spaces and strict ecological laws being enforced all the time. I just started to pick up the trash because that was the only thing I knew. Even here in the ashram it was difficult – a lot of people wanted to challenge that as they thought I shouldn’t pick up the trash outside the ashram… some others felt I should not pick up trash inside the ashram. There are lots of ideas about waste and it makes people uncomfortable. It took me a long time to learn why waste is such a hot topic in India. I had to learn about the idea of purity and impurity, and cleanliness and how that affects the evolution and your karma is good or bad based on how clean or dirty you are. If you touch things it becomes impure.

And I also realized that actually there is not much people can do if they are not given the assistance. I was also confused as to what to do after picking up the trash. You can’t burn it, you can’t bury it. So I had realized that if there is no help here, so what are they going to do. There is no awareness because they haven’t cultivated it. India was an organic culture just until 20 years ago, before plastic came. I don’t think it has been realized yet that the plastics are not organic. It’s not the same thing as clay pot or a banana leaf. For a couple of years, I just did the collection by myself and I started helping with the recycling center a little bit, just collecting the waste around the ashram. It was when the students of Amrita University wanted to do this waste cleaning and asked me to get involved as they knew I liked to pick up trash. I was so happy and they did such a good job…. and Amma asked us western children to name the movement. By this time those of us working in recycling were interested in the seva and, before I knew it, I was full time into waste management. I was asked to start a recycling center on the beach and then Amma asked me to make it a professional model. I was really excited because it had Amma’s Shakti and grace to just go all out to make it as beautiful and amazing as we could. And Amma gave so much support and gave the budget and She really wanted it to succeed and it has.”

Continuing on the spiritual transformation this seva has brought in her, Mahita said “It is so humbling to be in a position to do what nobody else wants to do. You go through a lot of feelings like you are left alone and you also watch your mind …. (it) has so many judgments about other people and their habits or their lack of habits. Mind wants to be very negative when it stays with this situation of all this gross waste and the mind wants to go to a good place. It brings up millions of strong battles to be compassionate and be humble to realize that all of this negative thinking is not serving anybody. We have to be positive to make a change. We don’t accept anything but success. Many times this project could have failed. We have to pass through many challenges, like you make some progress and something pushes against that progress, you have to push through and persevere. And Amma has taught me that the only way to make it happen is to do it and no one else is going to do it. YOU do it and maybe others will follow. Even if they don’t follow you still have to do what you know to be right. And then God’s grace will come, and that conviction, that belief and that perseverance is between you and God. Amma says wherever there is love, action is effortless. If you love what you’re doing, love it as your own child then you don’t ever doubt spending sleepless nights or your body aching or being dirty from head to toe for hours. You just know that this is your life and you have to keep doing it.

I am so grateful to Amma for giving so many of us an opportunity to have a purpose like this to live for. This is a seva that affects so many people, not just in India, but even the international devotees are so impressed by what is going on here. And another beautiful thing is when we see waste, I never really thought of Karma in such a practical way, but now I really understand… for instance, potato chips: It takes only one or two minutes to eat a whole bag but I realize that what we leave over, that bag, it lasts forever compared to the potato it had. It is causing so much harm to the community. What are the choices I am making? The consequences of our action are surely there. It has made me more aware on many levels and have more compassion for humanity. Everyone wants to lead a good life but not everyone is able to because they are not provided the opportunities. Amma says we have to extend our hands. Amma has been teaching me everything through this seva.”

– Prashant & Megha

14 Oct 2015
What people say about Amma

“I met Amma about three years ago in USA. This is my first time in the ashram. She is an embodiment of compassion and love for me, and the longer I stay, I feel she is inside my heart. She has really changed my life and my whole life is different now.” – Jeffery, USA

“I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to be here with Amma, especially on her 62nd birthday. My experience with Amma is that she is the ultimate example of loving kindness, highest that we could as a human being can ever conceive of. She is the extreme example of love and compassion and I would say the biggest inspiration that we could find.” – Calia, Los Angeles

“I would like to become pure like she is and emulate her example of selflessness, hard working whether it is day or night. Doing bhajans it touches my heart and hopefully I would love to help the world before I leave the planet. ” – John Douglas, Washington DC

“Yesterday was the first time I met Amma. I came to know Amma from my spiritual teacher. After meeting Amma I felt calm and energetic. I had pain in my shoulders for a long time but when I sat near Amma, I felt relief and there was a change of feeling.” – Lee Wanhou, Shanghai, China

-by Megha and Nelson, during Amritavarsham 62

6 Oct 2015
What people say about Amma

“Amma has brought many changes to my life. What I am today is because of Amma’s grace. My children study at Amma’s school. It has instilled good values in them. I got a good job because of Amma. After meeting Amma there has been financial upliftment in my family.” – Praseeda, Insurance Agent, Wayanad,

“Amma has given us a future. My husband was an alcoholic. He has quit drinking after meeting Amma. Our life is dedicated to Amma’s selfless service.” – Sheeja Murali,Chengannur

“Amma has really blessed me with everything in life. There has only been progress in my life after meeting Amma.” – Ponnamma, Kottayam

“We waited 3 hours to meet Amma. But those five minutes of darshan made me forget all the struggles till then.” – Kiran Verma, ILM Institute of Language Management

“Experience with Amma can’t be described in words. In one word it would be defined as magical and out of the world.” – Abhilash, Chartered Accountant, Bangalore.

-by Sundeep, Prashant, during Amritavarham 62

6 Oct 2015
One who has found a place in human hearts is God

23rd September 2015
Amritavarsham’62 celebrations have started early on and the ashram is already in a festive mood.

Poet “Kalaimaamani” Andal Priyadarshini, Station Director, Head of Office, Doordarshan, Podhigai, Coimbatore came to meet Amma for the first time, shared with us her thoughts on her visit to Amritapuri and getting Amma’s darshan.

“Although I have received the Kalaimaamani Award, and many other awards and recognition for my literary creations and other works, I consider Amma affectionately addressing me as ‘dear daughter, dear daughter (ente mole, ente mole, en chella magale)’, the greatest award I have ever received. Today is a most sacred day for me and a blessing that life has given me.

Since morning, I have been searching for words, from within and outside all the dictionaries, but I can’t find any words which satisfactorily describe Amma’s greatness! No words could I find …so, I thought of talking about Amritapuri instead.

Pure Love & Motherhood
Amritapuri is the quintessence of the kural (a verse from the classic Tamil sangam literature “Thirukkural” consisting of 1330 couplets or “Kurals”) “vaiyyaththul vaazhvaangu vaazhvaan vaanuraiyum theiyvaththul vaikkapadum” (“the one who lives a righteous, dutiful life in this world will be placed amongst the gods in heaven”). Until today, I have been searching for the explanation of this kural. Today, having come here, seen Amma and received Her darshan, I have realized that, more than being placed and revered amongst the gods (“vaanuraiyum deivaththul vaikkappadum”), the One who has found a place in human hearts, and abides there, is the true God.

Generally, all the god-men I have seen so far live in ivory towers, maintaining a distance from us “ordinary” people …. their attitude is “don’t touch me, don’t come near me, I am superior to you, the gap between us cannot be bridged at all” … their main focus would be only on projecting their own vainglory. But Amma represents simply, simply, simply pure love alone. The message Amma gives is “All are My children. Anyone can come and embrace Me, and share with Me their worries”. This is a supremely unique virtue found only in a mother.

When I saw Amma embracing and blessing Her children, the only feeling I had was of seeing a mother again and again breast-feeding each and every child. I could not help but wonder “Isn’t Amma, in all-white, the very embodiment of pure mother’s milk?”

The Knowledge Revolution
In our country, we worship Saraswati Devi as the Goddess of Knowledge (kalvi deivam). However, the real Goddess of Knowledge that I see before my eyes is Amma only. What a “knowledge revolution (kalvi puratchi)” Amma has brought about in our society! My life is complete and overflowing with the joy, having met such a Goddess of Knowledge (kalvi deivam), a great personality that has brought about such a huge revolution, but who still lives and moves amongst us as one of us. What more can I say?!”

When asked to explain a little more about the knowledge revolution mentioned by her, Andal said “The school children who come here mostly hail from middle-class and lower middle-class families. Amma has ensured they all get education, as She feels education is very important for these children and, only if they are educated, they can serve the society better. Thus, Amma has created an opportunity for such children which She Herself did not get in her childhood. How many educational institutions Amma has started… this is the real Revolution! One can bring about thousands of industrial revolutions, blue revolutions, white revolutions etc… but Amma has proved that only a nation that brings about a “knowledge revolution” can progress…. and that is actually progress on the path of spirituality.

Apart from the above, here at Amritapuri, we can see many foreign nationals, who have left their country and are settled down here. There is no dearth of anything material in their country ….whether it be money, or the luxuries that it brings or modern technologies, they are much ahead of us in fact. Yet, some “one thing” must be amiss for them too. And, when they come here in search of that “one thing”, they find it here and their lives attain completion. If we ask what that “one thing” is, it is “Amma”, nothing else! It is Amma’s pure love alone. What they were really missing is Amma and Her pure love.

As long as we have Amma’s love, affection, compassion, blessings and grace, our nation will remain a spiritual superpower. We are realizing today that Amma’s name ranks among the top echelons of great mahatmas who have made India the foremost nation in spirituality. I surrender to Amma with gratitude for giving me this great opportunity”

– Prashant

26 Sep 2015
Students singing to Amma

Students from Amritavidyalayam Bangalore visited Amritapuri on 20 and 21 August. They were delighted to get the chance to sing bhajans to Amma during darshan.

Here is what Sagar, Prerana and Sahana, three of the visiting students, had to say:

“This is the yearly school trip that our school organizes for us to come to Amritapuri. We all look forward for this chance to enjoy a visit to the ashram and have Amma’s darshan. I also like the food here!” (Sagar, 10th standard)

“We practice bhajans once a week at Bangalore. It was so special to come here and get Amma’s darshan. We were at first very tense when we sat to sing bhajans in front of Amma. But all went well after we started. Music is our soul.” (Prerana & Sahana, 12th standard)

23 Aug 2014
Jayathu Samskritam, Jayathu Bharatam

“I thank Amma for her Grace and blessings in making me win a Prize of Honour in the Indian National Level Sanskrit competition.
I came to Amritapuri yesterday to give my pranams to Amma, thank her for her never ending Grace and provision, and offer the Prize and Certificate of Honour at her feet.
Saresham kerthe mama pranamaha.
Jayathu Samskritam, Jayathu Bharatam.“

– Amritavarshini, 10th standard, Amritavidyalayam Wadakara, Kozhikode

22 Aug 2014
Vyasa met Amma in 1982 – II

Vyasa (USA) visited Amma in Amritapuri in 1982. This is part 2 of Vyasa’s interview by Priyan. (Read part 1)

Q: “What are some special moments with Amma that you remember from these days?”
A: “Well, Amma was literally with us all the time. She ate with us, fed us, meditated with us, sang bhajans with us. I fell sick once and she came to check on me in my hut regularly, showing caring, concern and at the same time She made me feel that after all, the sickness of the body was not that important! Bhajans took place right outside the cowshed.
“I remember asking her once, still intrigued by the bhavas: “Is Devi real?” She answered with a smile: “She is as real as you are!”. The goal for all of us back then was ‘Self Realization”, so everyone did maximum practices to get closer to this goal. About this, I asked Amma once: “When will I know that I have become realized?” She answered: “When you realize that you are none other than me!”
On another occasion I asked her about the Hatha Yoga practices that I was trying to keep daily. She didn’t give it any importance, making me feel that she feared that they could bring forth and encourage yet another identity that the ego would enjoy holding, with pride! As soon as realized this aspect, she added that it was OK that I keep doing my yoga. But now I had become aware not to allow the ego to make an identity out of it. She warned me once also, not to start pranayama practices unless it is with a Realized teacher.
One time too, as we were walking near a Tulasi plant, she pointed at it and said that she once lived a whole year simply on Tulasi leaves!! She added laughing: ‘But don’t try to do it yourself, you won’t be able to survive…”

Q: “In those days, did you or anyone ever imagine that this place could become what it is today?”
A: “Absolutely not! The focus then was just on doing spiritual practices, mainly meditation and devotional singing, spending maximum time with Amma, with the goal of attaining God Realization without any distractions. Even seva was considered as a way, an excuse for the ego to disrupt the practices. I can say that the change happened as Amma felt the need to make us feel more compassion for others, serving them and thus being less self-centred. Everything just came at its right time, as she must have planned it… But I would have never thought that her mission amongst us would include having big charitable work, institutions, etc. Those high building rising right here now, are like a dream reality compared to the olden days.”
Vyasa stopped for a moment, and added:
“But from 1987 onwards, I mean when She started with Her world tours, I could see that she would have a presence in ‘The World’ and that it was going to expand. Still, all this is a true miracle, as in 1982-83, the few who lived with Her had barely the needed to get fed. For example, seeing the pitiful conditions of the kitchen utensils and plates, cups and spoons that we were using were, I went to Oachira one day with a couple of ‘hut boys’ (as the brahmacharis were called) and I was happy to offer a whole set of new stainless plates, cups, spoons and cooking vessels.
“What I remember the most from that trip to Oachira though, is that on our way back in the taxi, one of the brahmacharis informed me that last night, Amma told him that it would be good if we got some new kitchen utensils. This completely blew my mind of, as I felt that Amma had the power to invade my mind and thoughts and make me go buy all this!! I felt that she was more in control over my mind than I myself do!! I was shaken by this thought…”

Q: “So, how long did you stay here on that first visit?”
A: “Three months. Initially, my intention was to stay at least for 3 years, but I did not create illusions to pretend that I didn’t still have attachments to various things in the world. And I was particularly missing my young boy whom I had left in Santa Fe. So I stayed from August to October 1982, then flew back home.”
“My daily connection to Amma remained very strong. I had brought with me photos of Her, bhajans cassettes and a video, which I started showing around while sharing my experience. One person, who was immediately and irresistibly touched by Amma was a young woman living in my neighbourhood. She actually came with me back to India few months later and is since known as Kusuma. She helped prepare Amma’s first visit to the USA in 1987. So, when I was back the second time to Amma in 1983 I was accompanied by Kusuma and Kristin my teen-age daughter.”

Q: “Were there changes to the place during your absence?”
A: “Well, there were a few more huts built and a few more people living with Amma. The ashram was now legally registered with the government. Also, the cowshed had been put down and was now replaced by a more solid cement structure, which is exactly what the Kalari is today, with a cement floor and cement walls.”

Q: “You seem particularly centred on the Kalari. Any particular special memories related to it?”
A: “Of course many. Today, it is the only place that remains as it was back then. It is the place where I got my mantra diksha (initiation) from Amma. I remember it was the 2^nd October 1982. The same day that Rao (Swami Amritatmananda) got it! I remember the date, because after my initiation I went to my hut and Nealu took a photo of me with a calendar showing the date hanging right behind me. In the morning I had asked Amma for a mantra. She agreed and said she would do it after the Krishna and Devi Bhavas. She instructed me to take a shower before the start of the Bhavas. According to the tradition I took a shower with the clothes on. Then She said that I should prepare a plate of fruits and just sit and wait behind the cowshed till the very end and She’ll send someone to call me. I was in a very elevated state. Amma received me in the cowshed, with just one of the brahmacharis with us. She made me sit on the peetham (Her chair) and whispered the mantra in my right ear, while the brahmachari closed my left ear….”

Q: “What about the photos that you took inside this temple? Those oldest photos existing today of Amma’s Krishna and Devi bhavas?”
A: “Well, this was truly unique and very precious. Nealu knew that it was not appropriate for him to take the photos. So, he pushed me to just carry the camera, go inside the temple during the bhavas, and take photos! I did. No one was pleased with this; but Amma didn’t show that this bothered Her. I started clicking and clicking, each time daring to get closer to Amma, and trying various angles. Sometimes I was just 2 feet away from her!!
“Some of the most special photos are those of Amma giving darshan to Dattan the leper and licking his wounds. These well-known photos were taken by me. I remember that in 1983, I was once in Oachira and heard someone calling me. I turned back and it took me a moment to realize that it was Dattan. His wounds were fully healed, the skin was dry and parts of his face had regenerated.
“As everyone was uncomfortable with me taking the photos, I took once the opportunity to ask Amma whether it was a problem that I did it and if I should stop. Her answer was striking: ‘In this, do whatever you feel, but don’t hesitate!’

Q: how did u get your name?
A: “Another time, as we were casually gathered around her, some brahmacharis were saying that they had difficulties pronouncing my name (Gregory). Amma said: ‘Then from now on he will be Vyasa…’ This is how I got my name!”

Q: “Vyasa, the last matter we want to hear from you about is the kaimanis (hand cymbals). I heard that you have been making them for the ashram and for Amma since many years.”
A: “Yes, correct. This is the whole story: During my first visits here, when listening to the bhajans, I felt that everything was perfectly in tune, except for the kaimanis, which seemed out of tune. I took a set of them with me to the US and tried to fix this. It was a very refined work, so I began to study bell metals and bell physics, and decided to try to make new kaimanis myself. After further research I found the correct metal blend needed and the best proportions to use, and I taught myself how to make models and started casting them (putting the metal in molds). When done, I worked on fine tuning them to get the ideal sounds. From then on, each year when Amma visited the US, I had improved new sets of kaimanis to give to the swamis. Amma has a pair that I made for her too. She carries it around the world with Her. Every time She uses it, She reminds those around about ‘Vyasa’, the american old-time devotee who learned how to make them. She often adds that I was the first american to travel all the way from the US to meet Her in India!!
“Right now, while I am at Amritapuri, I am teaching the musicians here how to improve the sound and quality of the Kaimanis that they use, and eventually how to make them.”

Q: “Having visited Amma here 31 years ago, what do you have to say about the occasion we are celebrating this year: Amma’s 60^th Birthday?”
A: “I think all this doesn’t mean anything to Her. She is happy just because people use this occasion to be themselves happy… Actually, I see clearly that the real Amma is still the very same. I mean that one can still get the exact same spiritual benefit from coming to Her, provided he/she opens up properly. She still gives and gives and gives very generously… She did it before to 20/50 people and now to Millions; and still She is the same, unaffected by the numbers or by any other consideration.
“She still finds the best ways to reach the deeper layers in each one and make us learn and growth spiritually. She is unique. She was so in 1982, when I met Her first and She was just 29 years old, and still is today as She is turning 60!!!”

The end.

17 Sep 2013
Vyasa met Amma in 1982

Interview by Priyan

Vyasa (Gregory Mc Farland, USA) has been a devotee of Amma for 31 years now! He is visiting Amritapuri for a month, to be with Amma for her 60^th Birthday Celebrations. Even though since Her 1st world tour in 1987, he meets Amma every year when She visits the USA, it has now been 18 years since he came to Amritapuri… I fixed a meeting with him to ask him to share his memories from his earliest visits to Amma back in 1982 and 1983…

“In 1979, I was living in Santa Fe (New Mexico), when a friend who knew of my interest in Buddhism and Zen Buddhism, told me of a young spiritual seeker who lived in India following the Hindu tradition, and was visiting his family in Santa Fe for a short time. This is how I met Neal (Swami Paramatmananda). He hadn’t met Amma yet but had been doing very strict sadhana in Tiruvanamalai serving Swami Ratnamji who had been a personal attendant to Ramana Maharshi himself. His knowledge of the Hindu scriptures was impressive and he very obviously was a serious sadhak who was imposing on himself strict discipline and practices, despite his frail health condition. I enjoyed interacting with him until he returned back to India shortly afterwards.”

Vyasa continued:
“About 3 years later, I met a cousin of Nealu at a grocery store and he informed me that Nealu was back for a visit. I of course was interested in meeting him again. When I saw him, I was shocked at a major change that had occurred to him. He was now more loving, warm and sweet. He soon shared with me his most recent experiences and I started to understand the reason for this change. With great enthusiasm and liveliness, Nealu told me that he had met this great Indian young woman in Kerala, who is a Mahatma. That She had become his guru and that he now lived by Her side. He showed me photos of Amma and played an audio cassette of Her singing. As I was discovering bits and bytes about Amma, I was getting a clear conviction that I had to go to India at the earliest to meet this lady and maybe stay there for good!
“Nealu was traveling back in 3 weeks, and it didn’t seem possible and reasonable for me to accompany him: I was living with my wife and young son, had a job and responsibilities. I still needed a passport and a visa and had to deal with some property. Still, like magic, everything cleared out on time and without obstacles and I was able to join Nealu on his next trip to India, to Amma… It was August 1982.”

Q: “Vyasa, could you describe this first visit to Amma?”
A: “Our plane landed in Madras, and I remember being completely exhausted by the travel, especially that Nealu was very sick and weak to the extent that I was wondering whether he would really make it with me to Kerala! He had brought with him a lot of things. This held at the airport customs for hours. Finally when we were ‘released’, all we could do was get a hotel and rest for a couple of days in Madras, before taking a flight to Trivandrum. From there we took a taxi to Vallickavu. When we reached, the heat, heavy humidity and discomforts of the ride had completely worn me down. I remember Amma coming to meet us outside and giving me a first hugging darshan. But I was too tired to feel in it any special spiritual energy.
“I remember having barely had the time to settle in with Nealu in his hut and take a brief rest that I was told that a big event was to start shortly. Crowds started to flock to the place: It was Krishna Bhava!”

Q: “How did this place look back then?”
A: “The place consisted of a cowshed standing next to Amma’s parents’ house where Amma used to give darshan and hold the Krishna and Devi Bhavas. A short distance from the cowshed, were 2 rows of thatched huts, forming an L shape. I stayed with Nealu in one of these huts. Amma had a hut where she met people sometimes during the day; and the other huts were used by the 12 other seekers who stayed with Amma. All around were coconut groves, swamps, backwaters and open areas where we would wash or help with some household activities. The ashram was not officially established, so Amma’s father had just allowed them to stay in these huts next to the house.

Q: “Could you tell us more about that first Krishna/Devi Bhava night with Amma?”
A: “A totally fantastic and mysterious experience! It was way too much for me to comprehend or explain to myself. Maybe it would have been easier to land on planet Mars! And as soon as the beaming and all-shaking Krishna was gone, Devi replaced him with Her crown and special garments!! It was an experience far beyond what any reading or others stories could prepare you for. Nealu had spoken to me about the bhavas, but this live/life experience was way more than the mind and intellect could process.
“During these days I remember that we often discussed among ourselves whether Amma was just channeling Krishna and Devi during the bhavas, mimicking them, being possessed by them, or simply being fully them… I concluded after my first bhavas that Amma was none other than the Goddess Devi Herself, the historical Krishna himself. Nealu had done studies of the scriptures to prove this, and it was very convincing.
“I believe about 300 to 600 devotees would come to the bhavas, which took place 3 days a week! Barely time for me to rest from these repeated all-night sleepless events.”

… Continue with part 2 of the interview …

15 Sep 2013