Smt. Mannava Kameswaramma, is the step mother of Amma. and so is called by everybody as ‘ammamma’ (GrandMother). There was not much difference in age between Amma and Ammama when the latter joined the household of Mannava Sitapati Sarma, her husband, soon after marriage and so both of them used to move very closely. In the beginning years Ammama did not know much about Amma but with the passing of years she started noticing and understanding the Superhuman and Divine qualities in Amma, which brought her to a stage of worshiping Amma.
Generally we treat elders with respect and honor giving them the status of a teacher or guru, but converse is not true, however much intelligent and extraordinary the children are as our elderly status acts as a block. But interestingly in the presence of Amma everyone right from a baby in the cradle to the graying old, experienced the Divine and motherly love even from Her childhood. Many of Amma’s relatives including her own brother Raghava Rao and father Sitapati Sarma worshiped Her, later in their lives, having come to realize Her Divinity. Similarly ‘ammamma’ also having become aware of Amma’s Divinity worshiped Her as God incarnation. The pinnacle of her devotion to Amma has gone to such an extent that she built a temple for Amma at Her birthplace entirely through her single handed efforts. She treated this as the sole and ultimate goal and spent every moment of her life in the service of Amma.
In Indian culture and tradition one is taught to see Cod in everything and everywhere. While Amma bestowed Divinity to Her daughter Hyma, making her the model and ideal worthy of worship, Ammamma’ loved her daughter Amma and established her name in the history as a model, worshiping her daughter (Amma) as God.
Though many people wished to have a temple for Amma constructed at Her birthplace it is remarkable that the credit of achieving this has accrued to Ammamma’. It is also particularly remarkable that this temple at the birthplace of Amma has taken shape through the hands of Her own step mother. In this case She stepped aside and remained steps ahead of other step mothers. Through her single-minded devotion and service to Amma She got liberated on 16th January 2003, from the earthly shackles to reach the heavenly abode of Amma.
Padmanabhan:
Among the devotees that throng to Mother in Jillellamudi there are several great persons, saints, tapas ins and jnanis but it is difficult for us to recognise them till Amma herself tells us. This is because everyone appears to us as common folk and we consider them as great devotees, those who visit Amma very frequently to worship Amma and experience Her Grace.
Once when PSR Anjaneyulu of Guntur visited Jillellamudi along with some others and entered Amma’s room. She turned towards them showing, the Garland of Sandalwood balls made of Sandalwood paste and said to them “This is the garland of sandalwood balls made by Padmanabhan and Rajayalakshmi of Madras out of sandalwood paste derived so patiently and assiduously grinding the sandalwood log against the stone while chanting Amma namam. Hearing this they were amazed at the extent of devotion of this couple. They were also extremely happy to note that this couple is engrossed totally in the Amma ‘nama Japam’. He wondered whether such an idea of making a garland of Sandalwood balls out of Sandalwood paste in the way they did, chanting amma’s namam would ever occur to anybody.
Furthermore. over and above establishing Amma in the temple of his heart, Padmanabhan with the help of many friends like P. Venkateswarlu, B. Hemachalam and others and under the auspices of ‘Viswajanani-Jillellamudi Amma Seva Samithi’ got a Temple for Amma constructed on the old Mahabalipuram road over a land accrued to him from one Mr. Narasimha Reddy of Madras. It is a matter of great satisfaction to note that this temple assumes the prime of place in the temple complex there.
The couple Padmanabhan and Rajyalakshmi were always in the forefront in the celebration of Amma’s wedding day every year and it is his desire that the members of his family should continue to participate in Amma’s wedding day celebration for generations to come.. He also secured a promise from Amma that the temple of Amma would develop on the lines of Jillellamudi.
Another very important and significant aspect demonstrating Padmanabhan’s devotion to Amma is that he used to emphasize and insist that any printed material like invitations, magazines etc.. relating to Amma should not just be only in Telugu and plead with the management not to limit Her or confine Amma only to Telugu land as She is the Mother of All and Universal in Her reach of Love and Compassion. He used to repeatedly suggest bringing out invitations etc. at least in English for the benefit of non-telugu devotees.
It is unfortunate and a great loss to the institution at Jillellamudi that such a great devotee should depart, though to reach the Divine feet of Amma. He left this earth on January 12. 2003 at his residence in Madras to a great farewell from all his sons and kith and kins.
We hope and wish his Atmashakti would engulf us and continue to inspire us to attain greater heights of devotion and shakti.
Kondamudi Ramamurty
This very name brings to our mind the personality that Sri Ramamurthy was ever smiling at, a smile that never fades from his lips, unflinching devotion to work. so affectionate, particularly towards brothers and sisters in the Jillellamudi circle. Helpful attitude towards those in need, most of all very hospitable to those who visit their house, making his own house as Jillellamudi and an attractive individuality define the personality of Ramamurty.
Though the soulful attachment to Jillellamudi developed very late (in our estimation) he took charge as Secretary, Sri Viswajanani Parishat in a very short time, winning the affection. of every one and providing a lot of rest and relief to Amma during his tenure. He is such a dedicated person, he used to attend to the tasks sensing the wishes of Amma and thus cause Him immense happiness.
Treating with sympathy those working in the institution courteous to those who provided backing and support to the institution, having firm conviction about the way the institution is to develop and extreme skill in communicating his views in unambiguous terms, are the ornaments that adorn Ramamurty.
Even though he remained confined to the bed because of paralysis for nearly a decade, his entire thoughts and mind used to hover around Jillellamudi and the activities there. His constant concern was that the activities at Jillellamudi should continue with the same vigor and orderliness as they used to during Amma’s physical presence. Amma’s words that constant thinking about an object or person (Dhyasa) itself is ‘Dhyanam’ have come true in the literal sense, in his case.
It is difficult to accept the fact that such a personality as Ramamurty garu, an elderly and guardian- like personality is no longer amidst us. It is not clear as to how to fill this void. The all pervading consciousness called time alone should fill the void. It doesn’t appear to be a coincidence that he left his earthly frame on the Aaradhana day of Nannagaru’. (17th Feb. 2003)
He had a definite blueprint for the development of the institution at Jillellamudi. He made several suggestions for the implementation of the plans. Let us pray that his dreams about the universal appeal of Sri Viswajanani Parishat will be fructified so that the rays of light radiating from Amma spread far and wide and that Sri Ramamurty garu should bless us all in contentment watching the eternal glory from the heavens standing as a polestar in the firmament.