One of the most valuable conversations which I read is the one between Amma and Sadguru Sri Sivananda Murthy garu. It was brief but, for contemplation, richly fruitful. Rev. Sivananda Murthy garu declared “Amma is Mother Kali, her very Incarnation.” “Oh my God!” I said to myself. Amma as Kali – even to think of the implications itself takes deep meditative effort. And even then, we gasp for breath! We recall a song Sri Ramakrishna used to sing :
Who is there that can understand what Mother Kali is?
Even the six Darshanas are powerless to reveal Her.
It is She, the scriptures say, that is the Inner Self
Of the Yogi, who in Self discovers all his joy:
She, of Her own sweet will, inhabits every living thing.
(The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna p. 106)
All things including “the insects, animals and children, (Pasuvulu, Sisuvulu, in the originals). “Amma is Anasuya”. And in this context, the one who transformed the Trinity of Gods into Consort of Atri Maharishi Anasuya. Not just confined to the pundit’s meaning: one who has no “jealousy”. And Amma herself explained what Brahman is: “That which who is all-pervasive.”
In this background let us try to understand the kernel of that conversation between Rev. Sadguru and Amma. It begins with Amma’s welcome “O! the Dear One, All Pervasive ! “And the unique Jnani responded: “Amma, how are you? Are you doing well? Health is OK? Is the body sick?” Amma’s response is so startling that one can go on and on and not arrive at any point of no return. My poor translation of Amma’s reply is:
“I am all right. My body is not well. What disease can there be for me! I am neither the one who arrives nor who departs. I am that which remains forever. I am not one who is an object for propaganda !”
The simplicity of the original Telugu is beyond my limping translation. In the original it is, if you permit me to say, a condensed Upanishad with a simplicity inexhaustible to manana. Taking the ancient structure of CHAMPU (Prose + Poetry) the Telugu original is placed here.
“ఏం, లోక బంధువు, వచ్చావా?” అన్నది అమ్మ. “ఏం అమ్మా! ఆరోగ్యంగా ఉన్నదా?” అంటే “నేను బాగానే ఉన్నాను, శరీరం బాగా లేదు. నాకేం జబ్బు? నేను వచ్చేదాన్ని కాదు, పోయేదాన్ని కాదు. ఎప్పుడూ ఉండే వస్తువును నేను… ప్రచారం చేసే వస్తువుని కాదు.”
This is the passage in the original. (I read it in one of the recent issues of SUPADHA, the journal founded by Sadguru Sivananda Murthy.)
Are we not reminded of Ramana Bhagavan’s classic mantra “who am I?” The same simplicity of approach – in trying to understand – marks both the sutras. When Raman Bhavagan had that carbuncle, the devotees almost forced surgery, ignoring even his perception that his body is outside his consciousness. It disappeared with that very first experience. Even Sri Ramakrishna transcended body consciousness for a few minutes when he was about to leave the body to dispel Vivekananda’s doubt.
Sri Ramakrishna used to say that there are such beings whose body is suffused with love that is unconditional, free from dualities and their bifurcation. Hence the manifestation of SHAKTI alongside SHIVA. Let us conclude with a poem: As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our Mother. What, do you wish to know your Lord’s meaning in this thing?
Know it well, love was his meaning…
Who reveals it to you? What did he reveal to you?
Love. Why does he reveal it to you? For Love (Julian of Norwich).
GOD OUR MOTHER OUR SHAKTI.