- Why was Anasuya Devi called endearingly as Amma by innumerable persons?
- It is simply because she displayed motherly qualities right from her childhood. Whereas, usually the biological progeny alone is considered as our children, the Mother of Jillellamudi feels – all men, women, animals, objects and even feelings are her children. She treated everyone and everything with tender love that even biological mothers cannot lavish on their offspring. When such an unqualified divine love was showered, it appealed to the yearning hearts and a feeling welled up in them that she was the Mother of All.
- When onwards Amma experienced that she was the Mother for everyone and everything?
- The feeling that she was the Mother of All was with Amma from her childhood. When she was five years old, little Amma told her mother “I will be the Mother when I am no more”. Her gentle and loving counseling acted as soothing balm even on the wayward behavior of many and transformed them.
“I am not God and you are not the devotees; I am not the Guru and you are not the disciples. I am the Mother and you are the children”. This is the reflection.
- You say that Mother behaved as if she was the mother of all and her behavior even while she was very young reflected this attitude. Can you quote some instances that reveal her universal motherhood?
- Her maternal nature manifested in all her actions and at every moment that protected, saved and healed many. It is common knowledge that even octogenarians and nonagenarians curl up in her lap like little children to receive her affection. Animals behaved as if they knew her as their mother. In fact, even the animals felt her boundless love and empathy more than human beings with complexes and inhibitions.
Several people experienced her unbounded motherly affection even when she was a child. A police constable Mastan who approached Amma with an evil intent and tried to snatch the gold chain adorning her neck was changed into a noble and righteous person gradually with the enlightening words of Amma. Young Amma helped an old beggar by mortgaging her gold ornaments. Though he misused that money. Amma bailed him out of a critical condition.
When Amma was found alone, a fisherman after taking away her golden ornaments in the sea beach, threw her into the sea lest she might report to the elders. While Amma reached the shore on the crest of an obedient wave, the fisherman himself was about to be drowned and it was Amma’s benign grace that saved him. Little Amma left all the ornaments with him in spite of the appeals of the errant but repentant fisherman to her, to receive back the jewels.