“THIS Atman is not to be attained by recitation of the Vedas nor by keen intellect, nor by often hearing Scripture. He whom It chooses attains It. To him Atman reveals 1ts form” says ‘Kathopanishad.’ If it is so with the Atman, it is equally the case with Its manifestations in human form. How else can we understand the beautific experiences that mother lavished on Srimathi Rukmini who never believed either in God or His devotees?
Smt. Rukmini is the wife of Sri B. Yoganan dam who is a Karanam. She never believed in God, or his incarnations leave alone the myriad Swamiji’s that can be heard of and seen everywhere. She happened to see the photograph of Mother in her uncle’s house in 1958. It was at that time that she was not moved by even the slightest desire to visit her, at that time. But whenever she could steal sometime off her domestic duties, she used to visit her uncle’s house to see Her photo there. Her curiosity and the desire to see it never abated even after seeing it several times.
Days trickled by and imperceptibly, there grew in her a vague desire to see Mother. “What’s lost if I see her once?” she silenced her scepticism and on the eve of the full-moon day in the month of Magha (i. e. February), she visited Jillellamudi for the first time. By the time she arrived Ashram, Mother had just finished her oil bath,” ly tied her black hair to be dried, wore an ordinary sari, put on bangles fully and appeared at the door with the prominent round of kumkum between her eyebrows which is charecteristically her own.
Smt. Rukmini was told that she was the Mother. She was first of all amazed at the utter simplicity and informality of Mother. Perhaps, ever since she had heard of Mother, she imagined Mother to be wearing the ochre robes and turning a rosary while sitting on a deer’s skin in some dark corner! She was so completely different from all met. But she could at once struck by the radiance of Her face and her extraordinary love. Later, Mother mixed the food and fed several devotees with her own hands. Rukmini was among them and she got five loafs to her share.
Next morning, i. e. on the full-moon day, Mother set out for the nearly river accompanied by one and all. She bestowed a mantra to all of them, in accordance with her promise which she made at the request of Srimati Desaraju Rajamma of Bapatla. She initiated Rukmini also and asked her to come again in week days.
On her return from the river, Mother was taking her bath. Rukmini sat outside the bathroom. She was talking herself silently that if Mother were really to be Divine, she (Rukmini) must be called inside the bathroom. Just at that moment, someone came out and told her that Mother wanted her! Her Sur and joy knew no bounds.
On the evening of that day, Sri Lakshmikantha Yogi was delivering a lecture in the presence of the Mother. In the middle of the lecture, Rukminamma had a desire to touch Mother; and exactly at that moment Mother got up from her chair and while passing into her apartment patted on Rukminamma’s head! The touch sent a thrill of joy all over her body. She had a strange feeling of slipping away into Her influence.
In accordance with Mother’s directions, Rukminamma revisited Jillellamudi. Then Mother told her to perform the japa of that mantra four lakh times in forty days. Rukminamma returned to her house and started doing the japa strictly as she was directed. She soon saw that the Mantra held her attention incessantly. None of the domestic duties interfered with her japa. Every word she heard sound ed her like the mantra. She saw the Mother’s form everywhere and in all objects. Even she attended to the calls of Nature, mantra rang in her ears. When she was a bit afraid that the Mantra might be defiled by the place, the whole of the latrine assumed the form of the Mother! In whichever direction she turned her gaze, she was seeing the smilling face of the Mother! Which object can she now consider to be defiling?
In their bedroom, there was a photograph of Mother. Feeling that was not the proper place for the photograph, she shifted it to some other room. When she visited Jillellamudi the next time, Mother asked her “Well child? Do you think that I can’t see you if you remove my photo? There is nothing there that I should not see!” and smiled.
On a Friday, Rukminamma requested her hus band to procure a coconut for her. Being out of temper at that moment, he hastily left the house, refusing to get her the coconut. When Rukminamnia entered her prayer room, she saw a sudden flash of lightning there. Her eyes dazzled. But when grad ually her eyes recovered their clear vision, she saw a coconut resting before Mother’s photo. Rukmina mma lost herself in joy and called out her husband loudly. He too was utterly surprised to see that!
Even afterwards, as long as Rukminamma sta yed at Ipurupalem, whenever she left a plateful of offerings before Mother’s photo and closed the doors behind her, she used to find the plate completely emptied by the time she reentered the room. Mother used to visit her in her divine form and used to accept her offering.
Doctors had finally declared that she cannot have any children. All her relations pressed Rukmini to beg Mother for children; but Rukmini never begged for children; for she was sure that if Mother feels that it is in her interest, then certainly would she bestow children without her asking. Whenever she visited Jillellamudi her only prayer was to bestow Her service on her.
In the year 1962, when Mother had left Jille llamudi for Chirala, a nearby town, She stayed only in Rukminamma’s house. When Mother left for Madras, she took Rukminamma with her. Even to day Mother says that whenever she visits any place, she would like to take Rukminamma with her. On her return from Madras, Mother brought Rukmina mma and her family to Jillellamudi on 9th of August 1962. Ever since they settled at Jillellamudi.
One day when Mother was sitting on her cot, Rukmini was sitting on the floor near her feet. At that time, she saw a divine vision reflected in one of the rings on Mother’s finger. Therein she saw a pond with a lotus leaf in it. She also saw a child resting on that leaf who suddenly assumed the form of a ten year old girl; she beckoned Rukmini to follow her. Mother took her into several strange regions. In one place she saw several great sages who stood in honour of the girl and bowed to her. The girl spoke something to them which she could not follow. At another place to which she was led, Rukminamma saw Lord Parameswara (Siva) who also bowed to the girl and she spoke something to Him. Then she came under a tree where she assumed Mother as she is finding her who then showed all the visions in her chest. All the while, Rukmini lost her extravert consciousness. She had many such wonderful expe riences during her stay at Jillellamudi.
Above all, contrary to all expert medical opinion, and the findings of modern scientific studies, Rukmini became pregnant. The doctors said that it is impossible for her to have an easy delivery. So she was made to stay with a lady doctor at Repalle for a month. One day Rukmini could not repress her desire to see Mother and so decided to return just in a day and started for Jillellamudi by a taxi. But that night, she experienced the labour-pains. On 24th February 1965, Rukmini had the delivery. One child came out but the other remained inside, having been dead days earlier. She was rushed to the hospital at Bapatla by a taxi where the doctors could not understand how such a delivery took plac and how the mother survived at all.
Rukminamma had no need for anxiety when once she was graced by Mother. She did not suffer the labour pains for long. She slept soundly and it was Mother who had to undergo extreme pains in her belly all through the night!! When Mother was asked about the mystery, she evaded a direct answer by the misleading logic which is so charecteristic of her If only I could relieve Rukmini of her pains, why should I take them over myself? Can’t the suffering be eliminated instead of being transferred to myself?”
The child is now happy and Mother named him as Rahi’ meaning Love and Bliss.
To-day Rukminamma asserts that there is no God save Mother. She never gives place for any thought besides believing that Mother is the abode of all Gods and all holy places.
Under the benign grace of Mother, not only did the tender shoot of Mother’s life get transformed: it blossomed with a sublime glory and perfume.