Unity in the true sense

[Guest guest]

Dear Divine Siblings,

 

First of all my humble thanks to all who conveyed their appreciation

about my post. I was pleasantly surprised to see a photo of myself,

walking behind Amma from the UN in Amritapuri.org (pic #2). There were

few more Amma's children at the UN and I would welcome them to share

their perspective and stories.

I realized with a sense of deep humility how great all of you really

are. One story of Krishna's rasa-lila goes like this - around midnight,

when the maddening strains of the flute could be heard, wafted by the

jasmine scented, cool breeze from the shores of Yamuna, all the gopies

woke up from deep slumber, hastily dressed and walked, mesmerized toward

the haunting malody. However, there was one Gopi, whose husband would

not let her go. He locked the bedroom door from the outside. You can

imagine the pain and suffering of this Gopi. She was trapped in the

room. In a moment of utter desolation, despair and hopelessness, her

soul simply burst from its physical bondage and flew faster to rest at

the feet of the Blue Boy of Blessed Brindavan!

I represent the gopies, who dressed in all fineries, sailed forth gaily

to meet their beloved. You all represent this Solitary Maiden, who

surrendered her all in all to merge in her Beloved!

Hence, let me recapture the final farewell of Amma, which was really

more for you all than those who were present - Amma could feel the

strong pull from Her children. I am 100% positive that had She been

given a choice, She would have preferred to sit with Her children and

attend to their needs than sit in this glamorous amphitheater, where

giant egos clashed with each. Amma knew Her children were anxious to see

Her, hence word was sent to as many people as possible that She would

grant darshan in Her room. Knowing that the hotel management might not

like this sudden deluge of people, I had made the humble offer that we

could hold the darshan in a devotess's house. However, Amma had other

plans.

Newark airport was not as large as Kennedy. One could walk in and check

in at the counter. There was a cement seat outside the entrance, to the

side. The weather was sunny and yet pleasant. We had gathered around

6:30 pm. as Amma's flight was leaving at 8:20 pm. She was to depart from

Gate 63. Not knowing where to wait, some of us waited near Gate 63.

After about a half hour, suddenly I had an urge to just walk upstairs.

Just as our group emerged from the escalator, who should we see but Amma

walking over to this seat by the side of the building? Joyfully, we ran

over and somehow I managed to get as close as possible! Very quickly we

surrounded Her and hastily, a darshan line was put in place. Two little

children became the prasad givers. A few of us sang bhajans as Amma gave

darshan one by one. There were two couples celebrating their

twenty-seventh wedding anniversay. It was very sweet to watch Amma

quickly grab a garland and put it on their necks. She was symbolically,

tying them in one bond!

While giving darshan, Amma suddenly removed her right slipper and

somehow I managed to get hold of it and held it to my heart. What more

could I have asked than standing close to Amma, helping people with

their belongings, directing traffic and HOLDING the GURE PADODAKAM

(Guru's slppers)! My heart simply sang in bliss. I wished there had been

thousands, so the darshan could go on unending. Amma attended to

everyone, according to individual needs - a woman, who had recent foot

surgery, a sick patient, old folks, young children, couples. In between

Amma kept beaming at me. Suddenly Swami Dayamrita came up. It seemed the

officials wanted Amma to show Her face at the counter! (Was this Her

leela to grant them darshan, as they could not leave their official

post?) As Amma put on Her slippers, She called out, reassuringly:

"Children! Wait! Amma will be right back!" (Do you know what flashed

before my eyes? When my sons were very young, I would give them some

toys to play in the kitchen as I cooked. Children, though absorbed in

games, have this uncanny ability to sense when the mother is in the room

and when she is gone! The minute mother leaves the room, they drop the

toys and begin to bawl! Usually, mothers will keep talking to their

children from the other room, so that the babies would not panic!)

Hearing Amma telling Her children to wait seemed just like that. My dear

most beloved Babies of Amma! Do you know how fortunate we are that the

DIVINE MOTHER hovers around us in the most concerned and attentive

fashion? She never lets us alone for an INSTANT! Nay, She cannot let us

alone for an instant! Are we not Her hapless Babes?)

My friend C. who was chatting with Sneha at the counter almost fainted

when she found Amma by her side. As Ron tried to sort out the matter,

Amma kept asking Him, "Finished?" Soon as he nodded, She was out the

door in a flash, back at Her seat! The darshan continued for about 30-45

minutes. By this time Swami Dayamrita was looking a bit agitated as time

was ticking by and Amma had to get in the plane. Amma speeded up the

darshan. I thought to myself, "You have been basking in Amma's presence

for almost a week, so don't go for darshan. Amma will have one person

less to hug! (I have still to understand Amma's Compassion and Love!) As

we started down the stairs, we could accompany Amma only till the

check-in. But a few of us managed to get beyond it. What I saw next

wrung my heart like a wet towel. Amma was standing 6 feet from us. Tears

were streaming down her face and her lips quivered as She tried to

withhold Her pain at parting from Her darling children. We too were

sobbing, "Amma! Amma!" Seeing Her pain, I called out in Tamil, "Amma!

Please don't cry!" Next, something happened that I hope remains etched

on my soul forever! Amma walked toward me with outstretched hands and as

we hugged, it seemed for a moment we both rested our heads on each

others' shoulders. Dear Brothers and Sisters - for the first time in my

life, it did not seem like a Morther-Child hug, but as though two sakhis

(female friends) were sharing their sorrow with each other. Many a time,

in my dream I have seen Amma and I interact with each other as though we

are intimate friends, but this was the first time, I ever felt it in the

physical sense. (Please, I beg of you - don't misunderstand me. I am not

claiming that I am equal to Amma or Her friend. I am simply stating a

bhava (attitude) of a Sakhi. In the path of devotion, there are several

attitudes, Dasya (servant), Sakhya (friendship), Madhurya (romantic

love) and Vatsalya (parental)etc. Sudama and Arjuna had the attitude of

being Krishna's friend. No attitude is lower or higher.)

I am taking the liberty of sharing this innermost feeling, knowing that

many of you live these experiences vicariously through these words. If

Amma uses me as Her pen to convey these feelings, I am thankful to Her.)

 

Once again to those of you, who meditate on Her with more intensity,

especially when you are not in Her presence, I can say with utter

conviction that Amma is closer to you than your very breath. May She

remove this veil of Maya which creates an illusion of separation.

Jai Ma!

Chandrika