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Mata Mookambika Ki…. Jai!
The Chicago Devi Bhava just ended. The stage downstairs was filled to capacity as everyone wanted to feel the contact with Amma again even though it’s just a few days when we saw her last. But then again, whoever gets tired of Amma? It was especially lively tonight as there was a bunch of kids on the stage in front of the webcam and Amma spent quite bit of time talking with them. The expression on Amma’s face is so unique when she interacts with children that it really melts your heart. There was again the usual ritual of “Makkale!”…
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Saturn Transition
Amma’s Last Devi Bhava was from Iowa. It was sweet to watch as always. About the color of the sari it’s a bit difficult to say because of the limited color scale of the webcast and our screen, but luckily the minds eye has no such limitations. So I would say that it was a startlingly beautiful violet that blended perfectly with Amma’s lovely brown skin. At the end of the Devi Bhava Amma said that everyone should pray a lot and do a lot of Japa in the near future due to an upcoming Saturn transition. Vishwanath 6 July…
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Listening to Amma on cellphone
Om Namah Shivaya, This time I could not go to Chicago. However my wife had the blessings to be there with Amma in Chicago. I was very anxious to listen to Amma’s bhajans and she blessed me with a very unique way. My wife called me on her cellphone when Amma started singing bhajans. I was on the call for about 2 hours, listening to Amma’s bhajans, calling “Jai” when she said “Mata Rani Ki”, and the meditiation thereafter. I was in such a bliss that it almost felt that I was in the hall listening to Amma. Thank you…
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In the Joy of others
Jai Amma ! Amma came into the hall in Dallas looking beautiful and radiant and full of Her Supreme Loving energy that is beyond all comprehension as always. The Pada Puja ceremony was performed and Amma made Her way up on to the stage. Some local officials came up to greet Amma but this one missed all that because he was busy running after the Pada Puja water and Sandal Paste and Kum Kum that had just been offered to Amma. A satsang was given by Bramachari Shantamrita Chaitanya followed by Amma’s Satsang. Then the Bhajans began. And guess what…
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I can easily fit in the bag
Poland is another country waiting eagerly for Amma’s visit. In previous years, groups from Poland would come for Amma’s programmes in Europe, and were very eager to start activities there. On their invitation, Br. Shubamrita visited the beautiful capitol city of Warsaw from July 2 to 4. Held in a school hall, near the centre of the city, the venue was packed to the capacity. People came from many other cities of Poland also, driving hours together. The evening programme started with the viewing of the “Embracing the World” video in Polish language. As the organiser mentioned in his introduction…
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time table bhakti
Today, Swami discussed the 12th chapter, Bhakti Yoga. Here is one shloka; ‘tesham aham samuddharta, mrtyusamsara sagarat,Bhavami na cirat partha, mayyaveshita cetasam.’ 12.7. The Lord tells Arjuna, ‘For those devotees who surrender all actions to Me, intent on Me, with one-pointed devotion, I rescue them from the ocean of death, this Samsara, in no time at all, when there minds have entered Me.’ Here, Swami said some interesting points. One is that we are studying the Shankara Bhashya, by Sri Shankaracarya. This shloka is a promise to the devotee, that ‘I will save you from Samsara, I will liberate you.’…
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Para bhakti and Jivanmukti
Today Swami discussed part of the 12th chapter, Bhakti Yoga. Here, there were a few questions by the brahmacaris. One asked, ‘what is the difference between para bhakti (supreme devotion) and jivanmukti (liberation while alive)? Because once para bhakti is attained, ignorance should be destroyed, isn’t that the same as jivanmukti?’ To this, Swami replied that we should understand that these are two separate things. The idea of ‘jivanmukti’ is only spoken of in the scriptures of Advaita. The idea of ‘para bhakti’ is something said in the scriptures of bhakti (bhakti shastra). We shouldn’t mix these two up. Jivanmukti…
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Devi in Dallas
Day before yesterday we were watching the webcast from Dallas, Texas and I couldn’t but wonder at Amma’s leela. There Amma was giving Devi Bhava in Dallas like it was a completely normal thing to do. What I mean to say is how incredible it is in a way that Amma is going to all these places to shower her love and enact the sacred ritual of the Devi Bhava. A place like Texas is culturally so far removed from where Amma was born in Kerala that one might think a connection cannot be made. But with Amma it can!…
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inevitability of destruction
Today Swami discussed more about the 11th chapter, vishva rupa darshana yoga. Here is another shloka; ‘Dronam ca bhishmam ca jayadratham ca,Karnam tatha’ nyan api yodhaviran,Maya hatams tvam jahi ma vyathishta,Yudhyasva jetasi rane sapatnan.’ 11.34 The Lord says to Arjuna, in His vishva rupa, ‘All of these brave warriors, Drona, Bhishma, Karna, Jayadratha, etc., are already killed by Me. Don’t hesitate, kill these enemies and fight!’ Here, one thing Swami pointed out in particular is the habit of commentators of the Gita in today’s time. Here, the Lord says, ‘jahi,’ ‘Kill!’ Some people don’t like this. They want peace, and…
