It was a beautiful day at Bangalore. Amma's program was about to start. Some of us had just joined the program at Bangalore after a relaxingly long train journey. As we reached it seemed as if everything was arranged. To meet Amma in person is a beautiful chance indeed. Many would just spend lots of hours wait just to catch a glimpse of Amma. It is the very embodiment of Inner peace that Amma reflects through her beautiful Self.
As usual, many activities go besides Amma. There is so much Seva(Selfless service sometimes just meaning volunteer service around Amma) that needs to be done. There are seating arrangement, crowd control, sound crew, bookstalls, gift shops, ayurvedic products, multimedia shops etc. as activities extolling the various humanitarian projects and that which serve as token pockets of Seva. A small picture might cost as much as Rs. 3 (USD 0.059406) but each of such small offerings go into the better service of Amma's several Seva activities. Each small activity adds to its own beautiful contribution. Several of Amma's spiritual children(bramhacharis and bramhacharinis, ashramites, residents and even visitors) take part in this beautiful Seva.
Another aspect of Amma's tour is that one can see many spiritual aspirants and monks from various walks and Dharmas visiting Amma to catch a glimpse of Her and to have Amma's darshan. As we all watched carefully at Amma, there was this Buddhist monk wearing a dark red maroonish garb. The garb was itself an explanation of his detachment. As many monks do, he wore no shoes. After getting accustomed to seeing him for almost a day. We were having our lunch at one of the huge kitchen halls, when we saw him loitering around the food area. We had been telling each other various stories of our experiences in the recent tour with Amma. The jokes were so many that me and some others were not in the mood to break up our discussion even after seeing a monk around. However, after much reluctance and boosted by the aspect of seeing a detached monk from another Dharma (way of Life refering to his coming as Buddhist monk) i went to see him close. Already three young spiritual aspirants were around him. Indian manners to our spiritual elders includes offering some light drink or food to a monk when one sees him.
Someone brought this buddhist monk a glass of fresh gingered buttermilk to drink. Aroused by curiosity, i went near and then he started speaking. He said in a voice very low: "I am very happy to have been here. So much is my happinness that i am talking to you all". We asked him where he was from and he said he was not from here. Then we asked him if he lived in Bangalore and he said no. He had obviously travelled a very long distance by foot. He slowly said that the travel was an urge from within. He told us that he had tried subduing the urge but it came rushing so he started walking towards Bangalore driven by some urge. He found out that it was because of Amma. He mentioned that such urge to visit a place had also arosen in his mind in the past but very rarely. He told us that our great fortune of having a Master to lead us and how very true the path itself is. His talk was filled with riddles and some of his statements were poems. He chanted a sloka(spiritual recital/chant) indicating the blessed are the Ones who know the Divine Mother. He remarked saying that chant was in Sanskrit, a language which two of us were familiar with. When asked, he said even in Himalayas, where he had been to, countless Souls search for the blessed company of the Divine Mother. He mentioned through his short words about his staying many years in Himalayas. He said i do not usually talk so much but after seeing Mother i feel so much joy and seeing you boys i am here talking with you all. He drank his buttermilk slowly relishing not the taste but as if the offering was a gift. He then said "Remember even this is five elements, remember that always. Once you know what you are eating and drinking are the same five elements, the imprisonment of the sense of taste will be lost and by slow practice all such inhibitions will vanish once the senses calm down and then One can always indulge in Samadhi(blissfull peaceful state)". As we took his blessings and then parted, he reminded us the Samskara(way of Life) that we should never forget our Dharma and goal. He reminded us how lucky we are to have a Master, so Divine and so close that our paths will lead us to that very goal itself. In his last words he went into a soundless chant indicated by his moving lips looking us deeply into our eyes as if passing some special blessing which Spiritual Sadhaks (seekers) attain by the years of the hard practices.
We all felt happy as we turned and walked back towards Amma's beautiful presence. Amma always reminds us it is Guru's Grace that brings the disciple closer and one needs to be very thankful. What a Mother we have!
Om lokah samastha sukhino bhavantu
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