APAROKSHANUBHUTI

1. Whether any religious practices were followed by Amma? Whether she initiated her followers by giving a Mantra or suggested any spiritual discipline?
2. Accept life as it comes. Attribute everything to the invisible Cosmic Energy and remain a witness to all that happens….” This Maha Mantra is rational and universal!
3. What are the views of Mother on Caste System?
4. Caste is man-made. In course of time, that turned out to be a system. As humans lean more towards division than vision, the system drew curtains among communities. The menace was effectively erased by Amma in her own inimitable way.
5. Having been born in an orthodox Brahmin family, she might have been subject to criticism and disapproval from the elders in the family and the society for her seemingly ‘radical’ actions? Whether Amma was trying to tell anything to the society by such actions?
6. She was not radical. She was rational. She was Brahmin by practice and not by caste. She touched the brahmanical aspect in everything from beast to Brahman.
7. From your answers, one might be tempted to call Amma a social reformer. On the other hand there are millions of persons worshiping Her as God incarnate or an Avatar. Which is the correct perception?
8. As we all know, Sastras by themselves are explicit at times and silent many times. The dogmatic and selfish interpret them as per their needs and convenience. The defect lies with the interpreter and not the Sastras.

God always assumed human form to eradicate social evils, uphold Dharma and maintain social order. In the process, God resorts to teaching, preaching and practicing righteousness. In that sense, Amma played her part as the situation demanded. However, correction is not different from reform. She was more humane and hence Divine.

1. If we accept the above premise, don’t you think that religious practices like worshiping images in the temples/ homes, visiting holy shrines, performing Yagnas etc., might pale into insignificance?
2. For progressing towards life’s fruition and to be able to live happily and peacefully, religion lays a royal path. Religion is founded on a belief system. The heart of any religion is Love. Dharma is timeless; it ennobles life in the universe and is beyond a religious framework. Whatever the path, the aim and goal is the same. There is no better religion than treading a righteous path.

Having said that, let us come to the ritualistic practices you have mentioned. Various persons with widely differing temperaments follow different austerities. But it has to be remembered that practicing these rituals should be mainly to cleanse the mind of its impurities. Without a deeper understanding, performing austerities mechanically is not enough.

In order to cultivate desirable tendencies and to live in accordance with Dharma appropriate to humans, religious austerities help. If human life is a paper, religion is like a paperweight. Religion has the power to shepherd the wavering mind. Practicing any of the austerities close to one’s heart and suited to one’s temperament will cleanse the mind.

1. The scriptures enjoined the performance of ritualistic worship. The Sanatana Dharma prescribes ‘Dos and Don’ts’ to be observed by the persons in the Society. Whether Amma’s teachings and actions are in consonance with these principles?
2. The prescriptions relevant to the ancient times have to be suitably modified for adoption to the current context. Amma was able to give the essence of the scriptures and the principles of Sanatana Dharma which are adoptable in the ever
3. While Amma followed the age old, “man woman wedlock” her saying on the institution of marriage clearly indicates equal role for both the spouses. How have we understand this?
4. She proved beyond doubt that the marriage institution is the substratum and also edifice to practice great virtues and brought forth its efficacy and share – care vis-à-vis loyalty – trust aspects, primarily to build and sustain a perfect society if not an equal one.time she epitomized the essence of all religions, the religion of Love.
5. One would wonder why people including city folk and even foreigners visited remote villages braving discomfort to see Amma, though there were no spiritual discourses or explicit teachings and more so when Mother said that she was not a Guru! Can you throw some light on this?
6. By focusing on the innate goodness of a person and by awakening positive human traits, Amma silently made innumerable persons useful not only to themselves but also to the society.

Wealthy, famous or successful people also need love. Lack of love is the root cause of misery. With subdued ego alone love is experienced. In the experience of untainted love, the six strangleholds (Arishad vargas) loosen their hold. An awakening into a genuine human dimension unfolds. The conscience is cleansed. The change occurs naturally and unobtrusively. It all begins from worshiping the individual, the idols and ends in worshiping the ideals. Doors open into a life of emulation to a new way of life. This silent inward journey moves towards Self enquiry. That is how under Amma’s tutelage Jillellamudi evolved as a humanistic arena, not embroiled in dogmatic arguments and counter arguments.

A cool shelter is built by Amma wide open to mankind. What Amma expounded is not a new religion nor did she indicate a new path. She widened the narrowing paths and showed the proper way.

Amma’s presence and subtle influence brought about so much transformation, people thirsting for unconditional love flocked to her, in her times.

Even a biological mother is the first guru to any. It is in her lap, one is transmitted all that is virtuous. As Amma herself declared Motherhood as her real aspect, her state as Guru needs no deliberation.