Oh! Bounteous mercy,
though Ever outpouring,
yet subject To a singular fate that is utterly
Relentless and stringent that allows
Little scope of choice for any one.
In the given order that is forbidding,
The good done in this world,
is Verily known to the bad vented;
And the ill deeds of the other worlds,
Are equally met by the accumulated,
Good on this material earth, and the
Tally of the good and bad
Committed is only known to the
Divine presence spread all over.
Beseech thou, Oh! MOTHER,
Mitigate the evil and kindle the
Righteous in all the worlds,
Which are but thy domain!
Is forbearance so difficult to suffer?
And restraint too painful to put up,
Are these so rare and invaluable on
This mundane earth and all the worlds.
Verily the fire on this earth,hardly is
Ever aware of the gold’s worth that is burnt
For purification and giving it a form.
Truly when the eternal fire emanates,
Or the deluge overtakes, are when
The catastrophe arises and the
All ending cataclysm overcomes
The worlds and the whole universe,
Or the consequent void emerges,
Thou shall be the ark giving
Refuge, succor and the shelter,
For regeneration and resurgence,
In resplendent, eternal glory,
Oh! MOTHER, Oh! AMMA,
The bounteous mercy and the
Embodied compassion for
The whole creation and all beings.
Mercy is like a gentle shower that pours from the heavens. Always, in all the scriptures both of the east and the west, mercy is construed as a flow from the higher realms to grace the beings. Once in AMMA’S presence, one of the sisters said that brother Pannanala Radhakishna Sarma is coming to AMMA, getting soaked in the rain. AMMA responded that he is drenched in HER ‘Kripa Drishti’, meaning the shower of grace.
This apart, AMMA is considered the repository of kindness and compassion that ever emanates for all the beings equally.. Several instances and experiences confirm this beyond any trace of doubt.
But in AMMA’S real life it is observed that such a fountain of mercy could never be exempt from acute suffering and worldly turmoil which SHE pulled through with little choice. This prompts the feeling that in the given order or the pre-ordained course; or more commonly termed as fate or destiny; there is little room for choice, for any one, who has to go through the allotted lot. Nonetheless, it is deemed that the suffering of the exalted is exemplary and meant only to set the righteous norms for the others and to leave a legacy worthy of emulation by the ordinary.
Yet, AMMA being herself, the author of human destiny, could and did interfere in some exceptional cases, as recorded and evident from well known instances. Viewed so, verily the law maker cannot be the law breaker and such divine intervention is also covered in the preordained destiny. To put it in AMMA’S own words “Adi Kuda Nirnayam Lonide ” – meaning, such positive intervention for the good or better, is also within the preset design. Notable examples from legend being that of, Sage Markandeya in the remote past and Jagadguru Sankaracharya in the recent times of a few centuries ago.
Again such intervention, in some other cases could be a saving grace, like that the thorn that is to pierce the eye, may prick the sole of the feet, as said by AMMA “Kantlodigalsina Mullu Kaalilo Digatame Rakshana”. Despite the ever-flowing grace, suffering is inevitable in life and it is only a difference of degree and not total absence in almost all the lives. Again suffering is not altogether to be eschewed for it sublimates. The sculpture suffers the chisel to gain its beauty. In AMMA’S original words “Silpaaniki Andam Raavaalante Uli Debbalu Avasaram”
A more ordinary process of the gold being put to fire for purification and giving it an ornate form. But in all this purgatory process the fire on earth is hardly ever mindful of the value of the gold, its purification or the ornament being made. The raging fire only fulfills its duty or dharma, more so swadharma.
The good and bad that the individual begets is said to be the resultant of one’s own worldly actions. Ordinarily it is understood that good deeds bring good times and bad deeds, invite troubles and difficult times in life. Yet who arbiters this calculus of good and bad; right and wrong, conventionally known as punya and papa.
The being reaps the fruits of his actions on this very earth without exception. In terms of the scriptures, extraordinary good deeds may make the person eligible for entry into the celestial realms and life there. Again the very wisdom of yore depicts that the celestial realms (swarga) are not without passions and frailties totally and at best this could be a difference of degree and finesse. If so, the person is again subject to his mortal lot, after expending the accumulated good or even when the outcome of his foibles if any finds vent in the higher worlds.
Thus the chain of action or karmic cycle is never ending if there is prolonged indulgence. This catalog of good and bad, consequent suffering and enjoyment shall continue endlessly. This becomes a continued bondage. Perhaps, no one could keep a tally or reckon the course of this mortal cycle.
True freedom consists in exiting from this cycle of action or bondage of karma. As expounded in our ancient Gita, this liberation is attained by giving up the fruits of action. To make an exception, one should renounce the fruits and indulge in action without expectation of “Nishkama Karma”.
Besides, the cycle of creation is positive and progressive, duly enhancing the good and lessening the bad, promoting virtue and discarding vice and so on, among the dualities. One need only seek and continually yearn for grace, to facilitate or hasten this positive, progressive, process for eventual betterment.
In course of time he shall get over the worldly desires. Once the desires are fulfilled, he is freed and liberated. Contentment is emancipation, freedom from desire, as AMMA proclaimed “Trupthe Mukthi”. Thus freed from worldly desires that necessitate action, he gets out of the chain of dualities, like good, bad, evil, virtue, punya and papa and so on. Pray, AMMA thus shall grace the beings.
While the individual shall redeem himself thus through contentment and consequent freedom from desire, the universe too goes through the cycle of creation, sustenance and destruction on the mega time span, marked in yugas and kalpas. Here too, it is the onus of the all encompassing divinity that shall come again to the rescue and offer the refuge.
Even the so-called deluge or cataclysm is but another mega structural change for renewal of the life force and regeneration of the universe. In essence, there is nothing like an abrupt end, but a perennial change of varying degrees.
Even in such times of twilight, Pray, AMMA in HER ever bounteous grace, and being the personification of boundless, causeless mercy, shall be the ark for the renewal of the life and resurgence of the universe, in resplendent glory.
(Adapted from ‘Anubhava Saram’ by Brother Mannava Butchi Raju Sarma – song “O! Dayanidhi!”)