Exhibits of Greatness

The first place to look is Amma’s biography.  Reading this is highly recommended for any who wish to understand Amma.

From a very young age, Amma was absorbed in the Divine in the form of Krishna.  She would dance with him, talk to him, meditate and carry on this way all through the night.

Amma would care for and feed the poor, sick and elderly often being beaten by her parents for giving away family food and jewelry (her family was very poor and her father was a fisherman).

By the time she was a teenager, she was in possession of all yogic powers (levitation, bilocation, divine healing, reading other’s thoughts etc.).  The biography presents many instances of the use of these divine powers including bringing the dead back to life.  Siddhis (powers) do not indicate enlightenment although most if not all incarnations have them.  What is of interest here is that she attained these powers while still a teenager without the help of any teacher or guru.

While still a teenager, the Divine Mother of the Universe merged in her.  From that time on, Amma saw nothing as separate from her Self.  This is such a young age for such occurrences and underscores the extraordinary divinity of Amma’s being.  
To follow is an excerpt from A Biography of Mata Amritanandamayi by Swami Amritaswarupananda describing this.

“Her voice became choked. Her breathing stopped completely.  Sudhamani (young Amma) fell unconscious. The Will of the Mother designates the moment.  The Divine Enchantress of the Universe, the Omniscient, the Omnipresent, the Omnipotent Being, the Ancient, Primal Creatrix, the Divine Mother, appeared before Sudhamani in a living form dazzling like a thousand suns. Sudhamani’s heart overflowed in a tidal wave of unspeakable love and bliss.  The Divine Mother benignly smiled, and, becoming a Pure Effulgence, merged in Sudhamani.

“The divine event is best described in Sudhamani’s own composition, Ananda Veethi or The Path of Bliss, in which she has tried to make intelligible that mystical union which is beyond words:

Ananda Veethi

“Once upon a time,
my soul was dancing in delight
through the Path of Bliss.

At that time,
all the inner foes
such asa ttraction and aversion
ran away, hiding themselves
in the innermost recesses of my mind.

Forgetting myself,
I merged in a golden dream
Which arose within me.

As noble aspirations
Clearly manifested themselves in my mind,
The Divine Mother,
with bright, gentle hands,
Caressed my head.

With bowed head, I told Mother
that my life is dedicated to Her.
Smiling, She became
a Divine Effulgence
And merged in me.

My mind blossomed,
Bathed in the many-hued
Light of Divinity
And the events
of millions of years gone by
Rose up within me.

Thenceforth, seeing nothing
as separate from my own Self
A single Unity, and merging in
the Divine Mother,
I renounced all sense of enjoyment.

Mother told me to ask the people
To fulfil their human birth.
Therefore, I proclaim to the whole world
The sublime Truth that She uttered,
“Oh man, merge in your Self!”

Thousands and thousands of yogis
Have taken birth in India
and lived the principles
visualized by the Great Sages
of the unknown past.

To remove the sorrow of humanity,
How many naked truths there are!

Today I tremble with bliss
Recollecting Mother’s words,
“Oh my darling, come to Me,
Leaving all other works.
You are always Mine.”

O Pure Consciousness,
O Embodiment of Truth,
I will heed Your words.
O Mother, why are You late in coming?
Why did You give this birth?
I know nothing, O Mother,
Please forgive my mistakes.”

 

Next Chapter: Absorbed in Ecstasy

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