(Continued from April 2015 issue)
After taking leave of Amma I came to our house in Ponnur of Guntur District. In Dec, 1956, I joined service in Nagarjunasagar project. I was there up to 1974. In Dec’ 1974 I was transferred to Godavari Barrage Project, Dowaleswaram, E.G.Dist. At the time of taking leave of Amma in 1956 she asked me to keep coming to Jillellamudi whenever I came to Ponnur. But it did happen only in 1980.
Though I did not go to Jillellamudi during all these years I was informed through our father and from the articles in Matrusri about the Leelas of Amma. During this period in the place of the gabled house I have seen in 1956 a big Samsthanam, called Andarillu, was developed in Jillellamudi. Amma’s name and fame has spread not only throughout the country, but also to many other countries. Some Europeans who were drawn by Amma have settled there. It has given shelter to many and was giving free meals to hundreds and thousands of people daily who were stationed there and also to the visitors. The first word that Amma tells anyone who comes to her is to take their meals. Our last two brothers, M. Venkateswarlu and Dattu, were already there in the service of Amma. Our aunt Narasamma, who is also the grand-mother of Kondamudi Ramakrishna, the personal attendant to Amma was a resident in Andarillu. She was very old and was confined to bed. She was the younger sister of our maternal grandmother and thus associated with our family.
That was the situation in Jillellamudi in 1980, when I had my second darshan of Amma along with my wife, Sarojini. Then I was working in Dowlaiswaram and our second son has completed intermediate and wanted to go to Medical Course. So we have programmed to join our son in Ravi Tutorial College in Guntur, then go to my brother in Tenali and from there to Jillellamudi the next day. Accordingly, we have reached Jillellamudi in the morning hours.
After reaching Jillellamudi, we came to know that our aunt Narasamma expressed a few days back desire to go to Dowaleswaram to be with us for some days. But Amma told her that she need not go to Dowlaiswaram and that Hanumantha (referring to me), himself will come to Jillellamudi in a couple of days. Our aunt did not believe these words saying that one (i.e. me), who did not turn up for the last 25 years will come there in two days. In fact I have not informed anyone in Jillellamudi about my visit there. That being the case, how did she tell my Aunt I would be there in a couple of days?
After some time, our brother, Dattu has taken us to Amma’s room in second floor. I was amazed on seeing her. There is no comparison between the Amma I saw in 1956 and now in 1980. In 1956, when I saw her she was rather dark and slim, looking like an ordinary house-wife but in my second darshan she has given in 1980 she was looking radiant and majestically seated on a throne-like chair. Then I could see the three aspects of the Mother of universe in her, as described in Lalitha Sahasra Namas i.e. Sree Matha, Sree Maharajni and Sreemat Simhasaneswari. We were invited affectionately by Amma and were seated before her. Touching my ears tenderly she asked, “what happened to your earings?” (I had my earrings at the time of my upanayanam. I got-them removed before joining college. I actually forgot about them). She enquired about my family members, as if she does not know. I answered her queries. We were served coffee. Before going to Amma we purchased a saree for offering to Amma. As we humbly presented it to her, she immediately went for a bath and wore the saree. Our joy knew no bounds on seeing her in that saree. Actually the Divine figure of Amma has brought a magnificent beauty to that ordinary saree. After spending some time with her we went down stairs.
This may be called the most miraculous aspect of our trip. Our aunt Narasamma was enquiring with Dattu regarding our food arrangements. Then he said that Amma wanted us to go to her room at noon and that she would feed us with her own hands. Accordingly we were taken to her room. Another young couple also was there in the room. Thus five people were seated before her. She mixed all items one by one in a big plate. She put the first morsel of the item of food with her own hand in our mouths. All items of food were mixed with her own hand and put in our plates till the last item. After spending the night in Jillellamudi, we again had darshan of Amma the next morning. She presented us new clothes to both my wife and myself and also teertha, (coconut water) offered by an European devotee stationed there. Then we started our return journey. Then my wife said “I have not seen my mother at all, as she expired when I was a baby of few months. Many people say that Amma is the mother of Universe. Before starting at Rajahmundry I thought if She is the Mother of Universe She must feed us with her own hands. Most surprisingly, that wish is now fulfilled and Amma has proved to me that She is The Mother of All.” Dattu added that this is how Amma clears the doubts without saying a word.