Amma's Kerala New Year message

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Even heaven will be converted into hell...

 

Amma's Message for Vishu: the New Year

 

15 April 2003

 

Vishu [the Kerala New Year, this year on April 15] is

the Spring equinox. Astrologers calculate the positive

and negative effects of the planetary positions on

this day for the following year. During Vishu it is a

tradition to keep an adorned image or the picture of

the Lord along with fruits, vegetables and flowers

around the image in the puja room. This puja setting

is the first thing we look upon on the morning of

Vishu. In this way we enter into the new year with the

Lord's darshan. Surrender to the Lord is the basis of

all success in life. Therefore we should give the Lord

the highest place in our life. We also keep a mirror

along with the other offerings in which we see our own

reflection. This is to remind us that God is not

somebody seated on a golden throne high up in the

skies, but is the all-pervading consciousness within

us, our true nature.

 

 

Vishu is a very auspicious day to start new things

which we plan to do throughout the year. Any work

which is well begun is already half done. If we

perform good actions at an auspicious time, the

benefits will be two-fold.

 

Another achara (custom) observed on Vishu is the

elders giving money to the younger generation. This is

to remind us of Sri Krishna giving gold coins to the

poor and small children. It also conveys the ideal

that one should not be possessive of wealth and should

be ready to share it amongst others. What really needs

to be given by the elders to the younger generation is

love. Only this love will help to bridge the

generation gap.

 

Spiritual knowledge is the first and the most

important thing that we have to gain in life. The

successful application of all other knowledge is based

upon this spiritual knowledge. Today, knowingly or

unknowingly, we ignore spiritual principles. Vishu

reminds us of the importance of transmitting the

lessons in dharma and spirituality to the younger

generations.

 

However we may try, it's difficult to change the world

outside. The change should happen within us. If we

change, there will surely be a change in others too.

Actually it is our vision and our mental attitude

which makes the world either beautiful or ugly. If we

have the right attitude, we will be able to create

heaven in hell. If our attitude is not proper, even

heaven will be converted into hell by us.

 

http://www.amritapuri.org/spiritual/message/vishu03.htm

 

 

 

 

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