Oh! AMMA, ever since long do I wait for
The blissful moment of being with you
That I could serve you a wee bit; longing
Always for such glorious elusive moment
I yearn to be the soil you tread on.
The fire in your cooking hearth
Equally so the water for your ablutions
Be the airy space for your cosmic expression
Oh! When do these intense longings of mine
Find fulfillment? These deeper yearnings within
Find realistic expression in my fleeting life?
Much more do I wish for mobility?
In your moves in this universe; would that
I be the light in your eyes; be the sound in
THY words; in finality drop like the little flower
That adorns your holy, ever glorious feet
Those shower THY grace ever on this universe.
Oh! AMMA, this is my ultimate submission in this
Little mortal form to be with you in its core
And all its elements it comprises; seeking deeply
And ever am pining for such moments of bliss.
This depicts the inner soulful longing of Brother Raju to be with AMMA and be within AMMA from his core. This intense yearning, inner potent wish found touching expression in this lyric as it flowed from his creative pen blessed by AMMA.
Often as is well said in our scriptures, the devotee deeply cherishes three types of bonding with the divine he worships from his inner being. Firstly to be with the divine form, termed nearness or proximity to the divine (Sameepam). Secondly he ever longs to be within the divine self or form he always worships (Sayujyam). Thirdly he aspires for the ultimate liberation, freedom from bondage (Salokyam), the fusion with the godly.
These aspirations are abundantly expressed and dealt with in all our epics and devotional literature. This lyric has given an explicit and vivid presentation to these states. Even so, it needs to be mentioned that AMMA said. “It is of greater delight to savor the divine with the self apart rather than being the divine”. To paraphrase the same truth in AMMA’S words, “Laddu Avatam Kanna, Laddu Thinatamlo Ekkuva Anandam Vundi” as said in the vernacular.
Now to get into the vivid detail, the sincere plea is to be near AMMA and be of any little bit of service within his reach or capability however little it could be. The effort is not so consequent as the submission and supplication to the divine.
Our scriptures also clarify that the physical form is made up of the five elements in the set given proportions which are held together by the life force connected to the body by the life breath. If so, as merits the true devotee, wishes to serve AMMA through all the elements that comprise his physical person.
Brother Raju pines to be the soil on which AMMA treads the water for AMMA’S ablutions. He wishes to be the fire in AMMA’S cooking oven; the vacant space in the sky that affords the scope for AMMA’S diverse expression in this cosmos.
Brother Raju continues earnestly pleading AMMA when does she grant all these wishes? When does SHE grant fulfillment of all his deep inner aspirations, the pent up hopes?
He continues in this vein, stating that he shall be the mobility in AMMA’S movements on this earth; the light in AMMA’S eyes, to be the sound in AMMA’S words. In ultimate submission, he seeks that he could drop like the flower at AMMA’S glorious, gracious feet which shower mercy on this order in its entirety inclusive of Brother Raju’s little self. Thus culminates in the soulful song of Brother Raju pleading AMMA for the fusion in AMMA’S timeless, cosmic self.
(Adapted from ‘ANUBHAVA SARAM’ by Brother Mannava Butchi Raju Sarma. Song No.63, Page No.67, “Eppudo, Eppudo”. Also gratefully acknowledge the work ‘LOCHOOPU’ by Brothers Sri Ravuri Prasad and Sri AVR Subramaniam).