It is a spiritual spring when the primordial energy which gave birth to the universe took a female form some ninety eight years above and moved on this earth. An embodiment of the motherly aspect, she assumed maternal responsibility. It is the play of eternal consciousness. It is a historical and wonderful fact that in the southern part of India (south of Vindhya mountain ranges), in the land known as ‘Trilinga Desam’ (where three very important Saiva shrines are located), an Avatara arrived.
Whether it is abiding in the ‘Shambhavi Mudra’ or surprising Mouna Swami of Kurthallum Peetham by revealing glimpses of her divinity or spreading grace, compassion and timeless intelligence which wafted with divine fragrance or making applicable Indian thought, tradition and culture to the society or explaining Vedanta in chaste Telugu, the language hailed as Italian of the East!… all these in her childhood! The greatness that was shrouded got revealed with the passage of time and from her thirties the entire society was drawn to Amma’s lap irrespective of caste, creed or religion! The spirit of socialism was put into practice in the community that grew around her. It is virtually an abode of joy! Amma’s life of sixty three years in the body and as all pervading principle in the later thirty eight years is an arena of applied philosophy.
In the sixty years of her sojourn, whatever Amma did revolved around education, medicare, serving the society, restoring traditions, individual development, evolution of personalities, ideal lifestyle, states of liberation, compassion to all beings, seeing Atman everywhere. It is like a cool shade woven around noble thoughts. There, each one relates with the others and Amma is the prop for all!
Amma’s Sankalpas have taken shape and today they are the torch bearers inspiring the human race.
In the temples of education one can see the fire of knowledge glowing brightly and lighting many lamps. In the temple of medicine several people are having a new lease of life by Amma’s grace.
True to its name, the abode of Amma which is christened as the ‘House of All’ by her, has become a refuge for thousands of persons. It is considered as the birthplace by countless people irrespective of their gender. It is a loving memory to all those who enjoyed Amma’s affection in childhood and who became famous in later years. It is an exotic empire the memory of which fills the heart with joy. The fragrance of brotherhood and amity waft through the atmosphere creating an aura of happiness. Those who can subdue their ego and overcome their sense of “I” ness are rewarded with the knowledge of Atman.
The suffering caused by hunger is the most fearsome of all the sufferings. Amma’s keen wish is that no one should die due to non-availability of food. The fire that was lit in the kitchen some sixty years ago is still burning today! The same feeling, inspiration and affection and loving attention can be felt even today in the Annapurna layam which is the heartbeat of Amma. It is an eternal stamp of love in human history.
It is not the happiness after death…
“The person who hears, criticizes. The person who sees, explains” so said Amma and it is universal.
A person who had the darshan of Amma even once will develop a sense of sweetness in life, the beauty of coexistence, the power in the perception of equality in all, faith in God, inspiration on human relations, pleasure in sharing, satisfaction in giving, strength in the traditions, cultural development, ability to experience life in right perspective, insight into dogmatic beliefs to keep away. All these grant clarity that spirituality is not about life after death. This happens without somebody telling the others. There is no deluge of speeches to drown any one. In the process people are not afraid of getting misled by mere ‘sayings’ that are not practiced. The ‘House of All’ at Jillellamudi is a holy place which remains as a pious space immune to external influences! Each one does his work and indulges in Sadhana. However the spiritual Sadhana that every one seems to be doing as ‘One’ is a unique sight to see.
“Is there a miracle greater than this creation?”
“Eat whatever you have with contentment and share affectionately with others!”
“Think that everything is ordained by God”.
‘There are people who can not live their lives. Help them. Entire creation is God. Serving society is serving God. The contentment and happiness you get from such service is real wealth. Contentment is liberation”. Thus goes the enlightening teaching of Amma like the ‘Anahata Nadam’, an endless primordial sound. The teaching is alive and vibrant with vitality. The hand that protected and helped innumerable persons directly those days is still showering grace like the balm of cool sandals. It is still feeding all. It is caressing with love those who are in nescience. Fragrance of humanism is still in the air.
With the birth of Sri Rama, Ayodhya,
With the movement of Sri Krishna, Mathura,
With the arrival of Sri Ramana, Arunachala, because of Saibaba. Shirdi,
With Bhagawan Sri Sathya Saibaba, Puttaparthi,
With the arrival of Amma… Jillellamudi, became holy places.
Vedanta is to be lived rather than preached. To a contemporary society which is in a state of total disarray, the memory of Amma is a ray of light; a moon-lit path; an inspiring colorful festoon. It is a spark of Jnana; a touch of humanism! Amma is a bright gem whose incessant grace extinguished the fires of hunger of millions which is comparable to an unprecedented Yajna. The gracious rays are a blessing to the human race.
It comes as a whiff of air over the mountain that there is no commercialism but motherly affection even in these times. What is lost is in the past. But what is still there can brighten lives. There lies the beauty of Amma and her Sankalpa, a firm resolve!