Seeing off Amma - the episode of last minute Grace

It was just a few days ago that Amma had left Amritapuri for the Japan-US tour. To describe the emotion filled days before Amma's departure for the tour is not so easy. Many eyes seem lost as they seeked her to fill up every ounce of memory before that embodiment of Love leaves on the US tour to see her other children. Amma is an embodiment of that very Universal motherhood. It is so wonderful to lose hours just gazing at that Mother.

The tour days mean many of us will miss Amma's physical presence for the next 7-9 weeks. Just two days before the trip, Amma had sweetly spent time with us all in the swimming pool which left us floating in immense joy. Then came the final day, the day of departure. Amma was supposed to leave at 6am so many of us had gathered outside her room at 04:30am. There was a small crowd, some scattered in prayerful silence, others in joyful expectation, some chatting while others painfully sad-however all with one eager goal, to see Amma that morning. Even Archana was speeding up so as to meet up Mother. One by one the other wagons including those of Swamis and tour members travelling with Amma left the Ashram premises. The steps near Amma's room saw multitudes of ashramites gathering to catch a glimpse of the Mother. A car was ready and waiting for the journey to Thiruvananthapuram airport. Suddenly a shout and then, a bout of yells "Amma Amma Amma...". It was our Amma, she had just stepped out of the room and when everyone expected her to come down the stairs and get into the car, she did something wonderful.. Amma walked into the temple to give a last-minute Satsang. People filed in to sit close to Amma as is done every Tuesday.

It was a unique Monday morning. Amma started her discourse lovingly mentioning about how she wants a photo of all her children with their faces up so she could keep it with her while traveling. It was more like Amma misses us...than we miss her. Amma mentioned the importance of Seva and regular spiritual practices. Titbits of advices flew to all corners touching various aspects of the many children around her. Amma drew examples from her life telling how beautiful is Nature and how ideal it served as a teacher. She talked about love, compassion, righteousness, spiritual practices in her won unique simple way covering many aspects of the Sanskrit words prema, dharma and sadhana. Just minutes before the journey, it was her reminder of what we should follow as everyday practices while seeking the Grace of the Divine Mother. The tune of every word seemed leading us to do better for ourselves and the world. Through her simple words, Amma insisted that we go ahead in our Sadhana. Amma's concern was that of the Mother- a loving mom who has sent her only child abroad for doctoral research. She insisted that we remain patient and put in more efforts in our daily practices. As Amma's face carried the most enchanting smile, her eyes and words spoke of the deep concern for her children as they walked their steep road of spiritual advancement. The smile of Amma is more than the description by any known set of words. As the warmth of that smile engulfed us in its loving embrace, Amma got up and started walking towards the car that was parked in front of the temple. After one more look at the morning gathering, Amma boarded her car and the last set of tour wagons started off towards the airport.

Such is our Amma. How much we miss her already!

Om Lokah Samsthah Sukhino Bhavantu:

Swimming with Amma

Yesterday was a festival. Amma's US tour starts in a few days and Amma had called all to the swimming pool. She had just finished days of continuous Darshan spending time day and night to talk, console and uplift her many children. Amma's Darshan is so special and those of the last days more special as none would get a chance so special otherwise. It had been just Amma and the person. So after all those days of continuous Darshan, when one hears Amma is calling us out to swimming, excitement broke its bounds.

The first session was with the girls. With Amma, the pool was occupied with the girls who yelled in the happiness of being in that very presence. Each bout of yell grew stronger and stronger and after some time as boys waited, a bhajan started. Bhajans indicated that the session was getting over and excitement broke out amongst the boys. There was a intermittent "Mata Rani ki.. jai". The boys came in all ranges of age. Most of the boys undressed into a simpler mundu-shorts-towel dress in front of S.achan's house and as the patience seemed waning they started trickling in to see Amma even while the girls were trying to get out all through a small door. Inside the pool, Amma, seated on a white plastic chair at the very edge of the deep end of the pool, had actually been surrounded by many boys already and the scene looked like what is described in Bhagvata as Sri Krishna and the gopis. Amma started asking each one whether he knew swimming and then pushed him into the pool. For the one who knew, they prostrated in front and then took a jump with a symbolic nudge from Amma. For the ones who dint know, there was a big floatation ring and then N-ji who served to help them reach to reasonable distance so they could stand on the feet. Amma made everyone feel special. To one, She asked about how much he knew swimming, to another about how good he was in diving, to another was a remark if he was courageous enough, on another Amma made us all smile saying his stomach was already a floatation vest and so on. One incident was that last year K was jumping in with the ring around him. Our K wanted to do his prayerful sign by lifting both his hands palms folded and Lo he had gone inside the water with the floatation ring on the top of the water. N-ji had to swim to bring him up. Amma reminded us all that and playfully coaxed him to dare. K out of full faith was so eager to jump that he almost did. Amma pulled him back and with such force that he almost reactively sat down. Later she got him to wear a ring and a nudge.. splosh. Amma appreciated those who jumped gracefully and one such person got a double thumbs-up. To another Amma reminded him about not drinking water while swimming as he had drank some pool water out of anxiety last year. It was amazing to see how she connected with each of her many spiritual children. One person was a university researcher and was an ashramite there. He prostrated before Amma to get her blessings and told her that he did not know how to swim. Amma told him "PhD and yet.. Do you know how many Phd's Narada had...62" Amma was referring to the Sage Narada, who is considered as a wandering seer, traveling the world and spreading his knowledge to all. Puranas tell us that Narada used a tambura and moved about in the universe singing the glory of the Lord. Ity is said that this only symbolic and Narada is regarded as taking the spinal column representing veena, the nerves or the nadis as the strings and the breathing in and out as constant contemplation of the Divine Name. Amma was probably teasing that even after the education of living, one could be a toddler in the actual education of Life. What is beautiful is that Narada Muni's example suited that child of Amma who actually worked on neuroscience as his area of research.

The rest of the swimming pool seemingly filled up soon and after some time Amma started talking about one of her early experiences in swimming with her Sanyasi disciples. Two swamis were almost drowning in a river and that Amma and another Swami jumped in to haul both of them out. While Amma was trying to catch and drag the drowning SwamiA. He held on very tight all around her making them both incapable to swim. She had to actually kick him away and then drag him by hair to the shores. Amma laughed at several other stories and it was so wonderful. Amma then started singing "He giridhara gopala" and followed by "Srishtium Niyae" both in the top of her lungs. Amma the started a new bhajan "Ananda rupini Ammae" (Mother who is embodiment of bliss..) Since most of us didnt know the lines of this bhajan it was just Amma and few other bramacharis. Amma slowly got up wore her footwear and gracefully walked alongside the pool. She stopped at S.achan's house. Amma came out for a moment to call out all her boys to get out of the pool. After some time, Amma came out and walked all the way to Her room. It was past 2:30am and we were all blissfully excited and sleep was far off.

O Mother dear, How beautiful is this Life in Thy hands!

Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu