This article is spurred by a comment from one of the old veteran devotees in response to my invitation over phone for the Puja to be held on 18th Nov, 2007 in my house to celebrate Hyma’s Birthday. Recalling those days when Hyma moved amongst us staying in his house and ours while in Hyderabad, either on her way to Aurangabad or during her return journey bound for Jillellamudi, “how nice were those days Sastry garu! Is it not difficult to visualize and think of Hyma as Divine?”
Yes. It appears so even for me, with Hyma having spent nearly six months with our family in our house in 1961-62 while in Parchur of Guntur District (Now in Prakasam District). I recall in this context how she was received and honored as the divine representative of Amma in a function in Inkollu, a village near Parchur when she accompanied my mother on invitation from the organizers. It also reminds me of how our brother Ravi used to tease her (his sister) calling her ‘Chinamata’ (Small Mata). It took only seven years for his words to come true, though he jocularly referred to her so, when she was bestowed the Divinity and installed by Amma to answer the prayers of many later devotees to fulfill their mundane wishes in the form of ‘Kameswari’.
I also recall how Hyma was treated with adoration and tender care and affection when she visited some of the brothers’ houses. in places like Guntur, Vetapalem etc, and I wonder how fortunate they were to have perceived her as the divine descendant that she was, and for them to have been blessed with such ‘Samskaras’. Contrary to this some people like me with myopic vision (in hindsight) viewed her only as any other ordinary girl, but endowed with some extraordinary qualities. Compassion for the suffering among those who visited Jillellamudi was one of her remarkable qualities. When she received the news about any of those being sick, she used to observe fasting, in spite of her own frail health, till the person became normal. Even when a little sparrow fell from its nest she used to tremble out of her compassion for this small creature and used to nurse it till it is able to stand on its legs and fly.
This takes us to the way Amma herself was viewed and treated during her childhood by her own kith and kin, who viewed her, because of their personal relationship, no better than any other girl of her age. They even brushed aside reports of her extraordinary powers, this relationship having clouded their v. They did not even entertain any kind of doubts about her unearthly demeanor and conduct as, apparently, time was not a ripe vision for them to recognize her glory. Exceptions to this were Late Sri Chidambara Rao, her maternal grandfather and Maridamma her great-grandmother among Amma’s relations who were blessed, particularly the former, with the visions of her Divinity. Of course, there were several people outside her family circle who, during Amma’s childhood, were blessed with direct experiences of her Divine form.
Coming back to Hyma, it is quite baffling to me as to how in spite of my long association with Amma’s family (Amma’s eldest son Subba Rao was my childhood friend long before I was drawn to her), and Hyma having stayed with us for quite considerable time, I could not get a glimpse of her divine qualities while in physical form.
Today, when I hear authentic reports of how she resolved knotty problems of some and bailed out yet some others from their difficulties, answering to the prayers and vows of those who had not seen her at all before and who were only late entrants to the Jillellamudi precincts, it makes me much more amazed at the way she operates. For instance, some people from Visakhapatnam made their maiden visit to Jillellamudi, accompanying the older devotees and participated in the Lalitha Kotinaamaarchana that was being held on Hyma’s one of the birthday functions after which they returned to their place(s). A couple of families from among them returned next year and performed abhishekam to Hyma, making several offerings to her (I happened to be there during that time). They told me that they came back to redeem their vows to Hyma as she solved their problems and helped them get over the difficulties!!
There were several other reports of Hyma appearing to some of the strangers in physical form (they recognized her later, after their visit to Jillellamudi) and gave directions to them to do such and such offerings on her subsequent birthday. Some used to hear the jingling of her anklets at their homes, indicating her presence there at that moment.
In this background of abounding testimony to her Divinity, I keep wondering what kept me away from the looks of her divine Grace. Then one might be wondering why I have been performing puja in our house every year in celebration of her birthday and also participating in the Lalitha Kotinaamaarchana being performed each year on her birthday in Jillellamudi. I must admit that it is precisely for this reason so as to unshackle myself of this barrier and seek her Grace to remove the veil of ignorance in me and grant me a clear vision to experience her Divinity!!!
Om Hyma Namo Hyma Sri Hyma Jaya Hyma!!