To Ananthasree on Karunamayi

[Guest guest]

Ananthasree wrote:

 

I was just browsing the Internet for articles on our beloved Amma,

when I happened upon a website of someone called "Amma Karunamayi". I

had never heard of this person before, and out of curiosity, I read a

little bit of what was on the website. I was a little bit taken aback

to see that this person has a biography almost identical to Amma's,

teaches the same things, offers darshan, and has an almost indentical

mission statement. I did not get a good or sincere feeling from any of

this, and found myself thinking I had stumbled upon someone

impersonating my mother.

 

 

 

Dear Ananthasree ~ if you are talking about Karunamayi, who is also called

Amma (mother) by her devotees, I have met Her, and find Her very sincere. My

experience with Her was also very different from my experience with Amma.

Karunamayi was born to a rich family; Amma to a poor one. Both families were a

bit upset (Amma's more so, I think) by their daughter's turn to the spiritual

path. Karunamayi waited until She had attended college, and then She told Her

parents She was leaving and went into the forest and practiced austerities for

many years before people began to gather to Her. I had no feeling of Her

trying to copy Amma or even be like Amma. Just as dear Shree Maa is another

sacred Mother, yet very unique.

 

When I saw Karunamayi, it was during Her first trip to the US and in a small

"temple," that had been made out of a converted caretaker's home on the

person's estate. She initiated everyone who was interested individually by

writing a sacred mantra on their tongues with a piece of basil (tulsi ~ very

sacred) stalk and honey, and then left the piece of stalk in our mouths. LOL

That

was interesting. No one knew what to do. No one wanted to spit it out.

I think we all just mushed it around in our mouths until it dissolved or got

soft enough to swallow (which took a long time). Then She went upstairs and

saw whoever wanted to come individually, talked with the person. It was very

personal. The program also included Her doing some teaching. It was all very

sweet. And that night, after Karunamayi had left, my sister slept in the bed

She had slept in, and I got to sleep in the bed that Amma had slept in, when

years before, She had visited the same "temple." Can you imagine?

 

Anyway, if you are familiar with Linda Johnsen's book, "Daughters of the

Goddess: the Women Saints of India," you know or, if you choose to read it,

will

find, that there are many women in the book, and all unique and different.

Of course we all have to make up our own minds who we choose to follow, and

that is somewhat a matter, I believe of personality and chance and fate all

coming together. As it has been said by many sages, there are so many paths

because people are so different. (This was even said in "River of Love" by one

of

Amma's swamis).

 

I have met and loved Mother, Karunamayi and Shree Maa. And there are more.

Mother is my Guru, but I love the others for their Presence and feel we are

very lucky, during this Kali Yuga time, to have so many Great Souls walking the

earth. Jai all the Ma's ~ Linda