Category: WithAmma

travelling with amma

surprise devi bhava

yesterday came as a pleasant surprise. after the evening bhajans, a rumour started going around that amma would do bhava. i didn’t believe it. i knew there were two padapujas scheduled, usually done at the end of darshan. sometimes, during padapuja, amma is adorned with a silk sari and crown by the devotees. that happens once in a while.

but yesterday was different. while i was assisting amma during mantra initiation, i sensed the rumours are true. after the mantra, amma stepped down from the peetham and the stage doors were closed.

the news spread quickly across the ashram. the hall filled up. people waited in silence, anticipation thick in the air. a completely different vibration.

after few minutes the doors opened.

amma was seated on the peetham in a red sari and blouse with yellow and golden designs, a crown on her head, malas adorning her neck. eyes closed. hands full with flowers. the hall froze. utter silence.

yes. devi bhava.!!!

goosebumps. tears rolled down the cheek.

mantras were chanted. arati was done. the family started performing the pada puja, were in tears. they themselves were unsure if amma would accept their prayer, if she would appear in silk sari and crown before them.

there were two padapujas. because of the first family even the second family got the chance to do theirs in devi bhava.

in amritapuri, amma has not performed devi bhava for the last 17 years. children born after the 2004 tsunami have never seen it. most ashram children hadn’t either. so when the doors opened, some were thrilled, some cried, some trembled, few couldn’t contain their emotions.

the whole session lasted hardly 30 minutes. but late into the night, people kept speaking about the beauty of devi bhava and the blessing they received. today, a few told me they couldn’t sleep at all. such was the power. such was the energy.

* * *

how it happened—amma explained today, just before bhajans. the devotees doing padapuja wanted to place the crown on her head. instead of simply draping a sari over her white clothes, she had to wear it properly. that meant changing the white dress, putting on a blouse, untying her hair, and then placing the crown.
none of this was planned or intentional. amma wasn’t aiming for anything. it unfolded naturally, shaped by the prayers of the devotees.

** ** **

from now on, many will surely pray to do padapuja in devi bhava. and amma may oblige. who knows how the divine responds to the prayers of devotees.

what is special about devi bhava? nothing special really. amma only gives us a chance—to understand who she truly is… which she always is.

dhyanamrita
23 dec 2025, amritapuri

25 Dec 2025
“It was special”

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to connect? To truly connect with someone, even if it’s someone we’ve just met?

On my journey with fellow students from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham to volunteer for the inauguration of Amrita Hospital in Delhi, one person caught my attention. While we were all enjoying, making conversation, and singing our hearts out on a two-day train trip, he simply admired things, clicked pictures of moments and wandered alone like a reserved traveller. He seemed more engrossed in his own world of thoughts. What fascinated our eyes didn’t seem to interest him.

There was something about him that made me want to notice him more. Even when we tried to engage him in conversations, he would simply not utter a word.

And just like what we call a miracle, there seemed to be a visible result of divine intervention.
It was the day we got darshan from Amma. Most of us were here to meet Amma for the first time and I was curious about how this person was going to answer Amma if she talks to him.

We were all taken by surprise when we saw him interacting with Amma. To this day, I wonder about how such a reticent person spontaneously asked Amma for a selfie. This moment felt more meaningful than just someone asking Amma for a photograph.

They say:

“Muukam Karoti Vaacaalam Panggum Langghayate Girim |
Yat-Krpaa Tamaham Vande Param-Aananda Maadhavam ||”

This describes the wonder of Lord Krishna, by whose mercy a mute can possess the power to articulate, and the lame to cross mountains.

This incident was about how he felt that he belonged, how he was comfortable and how his heart found the connection. What did he find in Amma that he didn’t find in anyone else? Why only Amma?

Was it Amma’s welcoming presence, her contagious smile, her warmth, or her unconditional love?
It’s always surprising how one can have a connection with Amma, regardless of age, race, religion, culture, or class. Because none of that matters and that’s the beautiful thing about connecting to the purest form of love. And when asked about his moment with Amma, his words were: “It was special!”

-G Ananya

20 Aug 2022
Developing Shraddha

14 Aug 2022, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad

Amma always tells us that the first quality we need to develop is shraddha, awareness. Shraddha leads us to Bhakti, pure love for God, and Bhakti ultimately leads us to Vishvasa, unshakable faith in our true Self.

When we arrived in Faridabad, I was very impressed to see so many people working very hard sometimes in dangerous places without getting hurt, even ladies carrying heavy loads and using machines. I realised that this was possible only because they had developed concentration and focus on their work.

Jeevan during seva

So I started to analyze myself to see if I had such focus in my own life and realised how much I lacked shraddha in my actions: for example I would forget where I put my hat or my tooth brush, I wouldn’t pay attention while walking and would twist my ankle, or I wouldn’t listen properly to what I was told…

So, every morning I started asking Amma to help me develop concentration and awareness in my actions.
Soon I was able to get more focus and become more aware of things and beings around me. I was able to do my cleaning seva without getting hurt, and I was even able to sit for meditation next to Amma without being distracted by the other kids!

Amma said recently during meditation, when a blind man tries to walk in a new place he will have to put a lot of efforts not to stumble and fall, similarly we are all like blind people on the spiritual path and we need the help of a Sadguru to open our inner eye.

Amma’s grace is always there, all we need to do is to put the right kind of efforts instead of complaining about the situations.

I pray to Amma to help us develop awareness and perform every action with concentration and love.

Jivan, France, 10 years old

Jeevan from France

15 Aug 2022
Amma’s arrival transforms any area

07 August 2022, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad

Arriving at Amma’s hospital in Faridabad was an amazing sight. It was breathtaking to see the enormous grounds that stretched for miles on end. The towering buildings were unlike anything I had imagined and the air was filled with excitement. The hospital still had much work that needed to be done, and as I explored I pondered how it would all come together. It was quiet dusty and still largely a construction site.

Over one week later the hospital atmosphere has changed completely. Even after being with Amma on many tours, it never fails to amaze me how Amma’s arrival transforms any area, even a construction site into an ashram. The area, once quiet and dusty, now was filled with the hustle and bustle of Amma’s children of all ages as they sifted through debris, joyously preparing the hospital to accept patients. There are canteens, juice stalls, shops, medical facilities, etc. all erected in just the short week after Amma’s arrival.

Amma’s love and dedication transforms all that she touches. Amma always says where there is love there is no effort needed. Amma’s second hospital serves as an example of her tireless dedication to the upliftment of the world. As each year passes, Amma seems to be able to accomplish more and more. One would think this effort would grow increasingly difficult with each passing year, but Amma shows what it truly means to love.

-Shivesh, USA

9 Aug 2022
The face of endless unchanging Love

It is Europe yatra and Amma had started off the tour with Hof Herenberg, the German ashram center.
While attending to a friend from Mannheim who had been coming for many years and talking of Amma’s Germany program, a small girl about 3-4 years of age came running to another lady sitting in front of us at the dining area. The young mother looked at us and told us that she was American but living in Switzerland past many years. She was talking of stress reduction at her workplace and how she found at Amma’s program that many CEOs, professors, heads of organisations and other intellectuals go beyond logic and think from the heart and focus on compassion to all beings. She insisted that it was the message of Love that inspired her and that she wanted her daughter to grow up centered in Love towards all beings.

As this was being said, someone informed me that Amma was calling. Amma wanted to see Amritapuri children (ashram residents) via the internet and video conferencing. In a hurry, we took out a laptop, called for Ashram residents to come online. It was morning 5am Archana in India and Amma had wanted to see everyone during the chanting. Br. Sreenivas helped connect the Archana as it happened. Amma started watching the video screen during Darshan and pointing several names and faces as the camera panned. Amma’s expression and voice showed the yearnings of a Mother not able to contain herself on seeing her children who were not within a hand’s reach. After the Archana, Amma started conversing with them, making lovingly cute remarks personalizing every point. She would ask about health, talk of a head cap, pronunciation sound during Archana, sitting location of brahmacharies and brahmacharins, sleepiness in some, excitement in some others, faces she saw often, faces that were not so easy to spot, count the numbers of participants sitting in the dark, those sitting in the front, those who were chanting with a loud voice (which she wanted to hear and commenting that why some were not chanting morning Archana). She said seeing all of her children was like seeing a beautiful garden of flowers. Amma also added She is so happy to see so many praying together for world peace and happiness.

Amma’s Love was overflowing. All this happened during Darshan and two lines of people were being given due attention and smiles. While people would be sad, Amma helped uplift their spirits, when people were happy Amma would reflect with them. Amma’s emotions spontaneously reflected her children’s like a river flowing and the banks and rocks would cause the river to meander at points. Amma’s Love was only increasing. She had so many children to see but yet She could not stop occasionally waving to her children 5700km away. Amma then requested that She wanted to have the video conferencing twice a day. It has been several places now and crowds who come to see Amma has been increasing yet Amma is patient and enthusiastic and eager to see every face from Amritapuri.

As Europe yatra was coming to a close, crowds at Valencia increased many folds and yet Amma would ask for the video to be kept closer to Her. Amma saw many faces pointing at many on how beautiful they look. At some moments, when I asked her if I could move the laptop away, Amma would say “No, let those who want to go, go! Let others be, I want to see them.” It was as if Amma could stay hours gawking at the many faces peering over the internet video. Amma would even look at the Shastra class being held and smile often when she saw focussed eyes and ears away from the camera attending the class at Amritapuri. Amma would ask for the laptop at the end of the Darshan and would wave and send flying kisses. As Amma says, “Motherhood is the symbol of love, compassion and forbearance” and Amma sets a high example through her actions. May Amma’s Grace help us bring such Love into our everyday life.

-Shyam, Europe Yatra 2017

11 Dec 2017
A real live miracle walking the Earth today

Think about it for a second.

You walk up onto a stage in a huge, packed auditorium.

You sit still and allow people to perform a ceremony around you, even though you don’t really want it, even though so many flower garlands around your neck are heavy. But it means so much to the people, and you love them so much, that you allow it.

You then give a talk, with no notes, with spiritual advice to suit the hundreds of thousands of people either present or tuning in.

Then you sit down at the edge of a small wooden platform on the stage, with just a small cushioned brace for your back, and you hug people. One after the other. Non stop. You don’t get up to stretch your legs. You don’t go to the bathroom. You certainly don’t sleep. You almost certainly don’t eat or drink, other than maybe a sip of water.

One after the other. Tens, hundreds, thousands of people. Sweaty, crying, stressed, blissful, hungry for compassion or love or guidance or wish fulfillment. All kinds. Individuals. Families. People with tragic stories. People who pawned the family jewelery just to get a bus ticket to visit one time. People who’ve been raped. People who are addicted to drugs. People who make more in a minute than some do in a year. People who not only don’t know where their next meal will come from, they haven’t had a meal in days. People who are dying of cancer, or AIDS. People who can’t afford medical care. People who can’t even afford a wheelchair and they drag themselves around. Journalists. Celebrities. Spiritual tourists. One after the other. Each hug literally lasts seconds, but you give so much love that each person comes away feeling full. You arrange for the hungry to be fed. You arrange for the sick to get care. You arrange for return transportation. You give advice. You have seconds per person to do this, because there are tens of thousands of people waiting. One after the other.

Minute after minute. Hour after hour.

For over 25 hours.

Without complaint, without anything other than continually overflowing love and compassion, welcoming everyone as your very own child. Not just patiently, but joyfully. Even the ones who smell bad. The ones who show up drunk. The ones who pull at your weary body. The ones who bump the bruise that never leaves your cheek, from keeping your face against people’s ears to whisper your love to them. The ones who are only there to try to prove you’re a fraud. Everyone. Your own child. Absolute, unconditional love.

Cameras are in your face. Strong lights constantly shine onto you. Even as you hug people, others come up to your side to ask you questions. You direct massive charitable operations, all while hugging people. You don’t miss a beat. You don’t get impatient. You simply keep on loving.

And if even ONE person among the tens of thousands does not show up to be hugged, even if you only saw them one time before or even if you never saw them at all, you know. You call for them to be found and brought to you.

One after the other.

For over 25 hours.

Stop and ask yourself how it’s even possible.

I couldn’t do it.

I don’t know anyone else who could.

But it’s happening, right now, and even dipping a toe into that river of love could be the highest blessing and most transformative moment of your life.

There is a real live miracle walking the Earth today. It’s changed millions of lives. It’s changed mine. This is the real deal. Give yourself the gift of experiencing it while you can.

Image of Amma at the end of Amma’s 25-hour darshan session

-Pranada Devi (Toronto, Canada)

13 Oct 2017
Wildlife in Australia

Kangaroos! Kangaroos! Everyone on the the staff tour excitedly viewed the silhouettes on the misty hillside. “We really are in Australia!” someone shouted. Talk turned to the possibility of other unique local wildlife sighting opportunities on off days during the 16 day tour. This discussion reminded me of a similar one during Amma’s first tour to Kenya. Someone in the group asked Amma if they could go on a wildlife excursion early in the morning. Amma looked at her in amazement. “There’s a program tomorrow,” she said, looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

Many of us actually had thought it was a viable plan, to somehow fit in a trek early in the morning, and then rush to help facilitate the late evening program!

Amma, of course, has relinquished all sightseeing and focuses exclusively on her mission of upliftment. Amma went on jokingly, “Why go on a trek to see wild animals. We have all kinds right here. We have tall, thin people like giraffes… and Amma went on in this vein for some time and everyone dissolved in laughter and all thought of wildlife treks vanished. For Amma, her renunciation of all personal enjoyment and focus on putting others first has been an integral part of her being from childhood. For others of us, being on staff on tours is a great learning experience of letting go of vasanas and thinking of others first.

Amma has been coming to Australia for 27 years now and over time an ashram in the Melbourne area and a network of satsangs has come up. The ashram is truly beautiful and though near major highways, is surrounded by farm fields. (The theme of animal life continued when we woke up at the ashram and looked out the window to see huge cows gazing back at us from the field next door and heard many birds, including parrots, grosbeaks and species unknown chirping away.) A large hall for programs and cabins for retreats and special events have been added in recent years. Every detail of the landscaping is exquisite with many varieties of roses and other flowers blooming everywhere. Even the huge green rain water collection tanks are festooned with thick clusters of vines filled with flowers. Majestic eucalyptus trees dotted the grounds providing pools of shade and canopies of fragrant leaves.

Despite the long Singapore Devi Bhava and overnight flight, that evening Amma invited the local devotees to dinner. We had already been served a very delicious lunch by the devotees and now they mobilized to cook for a few hundred that evening. Amma arrived and beamed at everyone, just streaming an incandescent love, clearly transcending even a biological mother’s love for her offspring. In short order, plates of tasty food began streaming out to the devotees and soon Amma watched benevolently as everyone savored their prasad meal. Amma sang four songs and led us in meditation as well. One of the songs included a personal favorite “Mere Jopadi….” Many years back Australia opened the doors of its houses to Amma and Amma came!

In her satsang at the public program two days later, Swamini Krishnamrita spoke of Amma as a unique female role model…the long awaited arrival of a woman in her true power, blazing a unique path in the world. She mentioned that Amma had been given an award in India whose name, Vishwa Ratna, means Jewel of the Universe. For these few days, Amma would be the Jewel of Australia, radiating love and light across the country.

Rta S
Australia Tour, 2017

15 Apr 2017
How Amma inspires – an Amma birthday trail 7560 km away

I am currently visiting Cortona, Milano and Pavia, three places in Italy for research collaborations and official meetings. After one of the meetings, I was invited to attend a “party” near Busto Arsizio. As I was picked up from the station and taken to the place, my host, Sukhrita explained how Amma’s Birthday was important for her. Sukhrita (Manuela Ceresola) is one of those Embracing the World volunteers in Italy among the many who do a lot of selfless service. As a group, they organize musical evenings, free food dinners, fundraisers for education and healthcare activities of Embracing The World. She has been coordinating a Satsang group since January 2005. Here is a story as and how she explained Amma’s Birthday and Amma to me.

She picked me up at Legnano train station near Milano after I reached from a meeting at the University of Pavia. She was organizing a pot-luck dinner for almost 40 people. “Amma’s Birthday is my biggest party. At Satsang, I usually would love to cook all of it so people can eat their stomach’s full but these days we are bigger in numbers and so if to be sustainable, we all contribute as one family. That way we get many tastes in one evening.” She said Amma’s Tuesday Prasad distributions is more than just an epitome of charity but the very compassion she embodies. Sukhrita indicates, like Indians, Italians had their affinity to big parties, lots of laughter and more importantly, the reminder of something bigger than oneself.

Amma’s Birthday is always special, she says. In Italy, Amma Italia had a National retreat in central Italy where much would happen in addition to Satsang, meditation and bhajans. To some of those who could could not attend the retreat, local Satsang meetings would allow them to cherish and celebrate the inspiration and the message of Amma. Sukhrita and many others had been at the 60th birthday celebrations Amritavarsham in 2013. She recalls listening to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at the villages summit and how the then Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s now Prime Minister had brought in attention to Amma’s relentless service to humanity. When I asked her what did you do after the birthday, she added “Amma had announced the adoption of villages and for promoting sustainable development. We wanted something to line us with that message.” So last year they had gone to the city’s council here and had planted 1000 trees as a token to improve environment in the area Amma visited every year. She also indicated that this year on Oct 1, Bruno Steffen and their musical group from Switzerland would be playing music at an event to promote Amma’s chairities, Embracing The World.

As we reached the Satsang venue, I saw multiple big smiles at the door. The place is called “108” or “cento-otto” in Italian and 30-40 friends had joined. We started with an archana, a message from Amma was read followed by bhajans, Ma-Aum meditation, Arati and Shanti mantras. I was given a beautiful sticker of Amma as were others since it was a gift from Amritapuri. The “family” potluck dinner was wonderful. Amelia had brought around 30 pizza pieces, Montiji – an eighty-year-old Indian-origin gentleman had brought Samosas and bajjis, some had brought two rice dishes, baked pastries, cakes, salad, biscuits, drinks and more. It was a party starting with a “Brahmarpanam”. Everyone was reminded of Amma’s birthday celebrations and soon to happen Europe tour. Many had taken up seva for the days of the Italy program.

I was reminded of Amma’s words: “The beauty and charm of selfless love and service should not die away from the face of this earth. The world should know that a life of dedication is possible, that a life inspired by love and service to humanity is possible.” Amma’s Birthday is indeed the celebration of that service to society, an example set by Amma Herself. Perhaps this is why Amma’s birthday inspires so many across the world.

-Shyam

23 Sep 2016
We are here to kidnap Amma

Vaishnavi and Valsala are twin sisters. They are from Amrita Vidyalayam, Davengere (Karnataka). They came as part of a group from their school to visit Amritapuri and get Amma’s blessings. It was their first meeting with Amma. The meeting just blew them away… “There is so much energy, so much love, I feel like crying, I don’t know what’s happening” said Valsala.

But it seems that just meeting Amma was not enough for these two bold sisters… They wanted to keep Amma with them! Therefore, they came up with a plan and unveiled it when they came back to Amma. In an intransigent tone, they spoke to Amma: “Amma, we are here to kidnap you!! …”

Amma enjoyed the innocence and love of these two girls, meeting her for the first time. They are in the 10th grade and have all the enthusiastic ambition of 15 years old teenagers. Witnessing their darshan last night was special as Amma enjoyed interacting with them with laughter and love. Today, we had this chat with them:
? Is it true, you came here with a plan to kidnap Amma?
– Yes, we do! We are here to kidnap Amma and make her our own…
? But, how is this possible? How can you kidnap Amma?
– We will do so by entering her heart and then she will become ours!
? How do you do that?
– Now we have a mantra, last night she gave us. With that we will take her.
? Why do you want to kidnap her?
– Because we want her to stay with us all the time!

Ganesh
11 Aug 2016, Amritapuri

12 Aug 2016