Fwd: Amritavani # 138 ~ English ~ the eVoice of Amma

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for Good - Make a difference this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Ôm

Amriteswaryai Namah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

eVoice:-

nº 138

Mata

Amritanandamayi Math, Amritapuri,

India

15th

December 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this Amritavani

Ø- Amma's Words:- Real prayer is wiping the tears of the

distressed

Ø- Around Amma:- Creation: The Divine Joke

Ø- Amritapuri Updates - Mothersite

Ø- Mahayatra - Itinerary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Satsang

 

Amma's Words

 

Real prayer is wiping

the tears of the distressed

 

 

 

 

Amma's satsang on the occasion of the President

of India's handing over of 500 tsunami houses constructed by the Ashram.

 

18 December 2005, Amritapuri

Amma is happy to take part in this function of handing

over the houses to the children who lost everything in the tsunami

tragedy. Amma doesn’t feel that she is the one giving these houses.

By the grace of the Paramatman, Amma and her children were able to render

at least some service to the suffering.

 

 

We are not isolated islands. We are all links of the same

chain. All of our actions—whether done intentionally or

unintentionally—have an effect on others. If we hold back from

changing until others change first, no change will ever take place. But if

we are ready to change first, it will effect a change in others as

well.

What has taken place in this village is a perfect

demonstration of this truth. Since the tsunami struck, through the current

day, the Ashram children have been fully engaged in the construction of

houses. Seeing their hard work, initially about 10 villagers joined in,

soon it became 20, then 100 and, as of late, more than 1000 children from

the surrounding villages have been taking part in the construction

seva.

Women, men and youngsters—followers of all political

ideologies and religions—have been happily working hand-in-hand,

united in heart. When Amma sees this, her eyes and heart overflow. In this

world where selfishness prevails, to see such selfless children is a

delight for the eye. It is proof that the world has not totally forgotten

the language of compassion and selflessness. It is through the mirror of

selfless service that human beings are able to behold their own true

beauty.

We might not be able to stop natural disasters like the

tsunami from taking place. Though they bring the darkness of sorrow, we

should try to light the lamp of optimistic faith. Situations in life might

not always turn out in our favour. But we should try to live our life like

a river that always flows on regardless of the obstacles before it. Our

vision of life should inspire us to live this way. The awareness that

God’s power is always there supporting us will help us to move

forward.

There are certain situations in life that we simply cannot

change. But regardless of the situation, we always have the freedom to

choose how to respond. If we have the correct attitude, we will be able to

progress without breaking down, no matter how difficult a situation may

be. If we have the attitude of surrender, we will understand that there is

nothing in life to reject. We will have the attitude of acceptance alone.

If plants are able to grow from manure and give fragrant flowers in

return, if the civet cat and the musk deer can spread sweet fragrances,

why can’t we transform our lives into flowers that are eternally

full and fragrant? Why can’t we become like a never-fading rainbow,

eternally bring joy to one and all?

Our Rishis taught us to love and serve the world, seeing

everything as God. Real service is the power that sustains this world.

When human beings serve nature, nature serves human beings. When human

beings serve the flora and fauna, they serve humankind in return. In life,

we should have the attitude of trying to understand and respect each

other’s feelings. Through selfless service, we should be able to

construct a bridge of love that will bring all of us together.

Real prayer is wiping the tears of the distressed. If there

is no shoulder for the sorrowful to lay their heads upon, it would be the

greatest darkness.

Once the different parts of the body were arguing over

which one was the most important. The hand said, “If I weren’t

here to do all the hard work, then how would all of you be able to

eat?” The eyes said, “If it weren’t for me, even the

greatest man would fall into every hole or ditch.” The tongue said,

“After the body dies, all of you will be no more. Only the words

that I have uttered will remain.” The argument continued on like

this till it became a huge fight. Finally, they had to take the argument

to God.

God said, “All of you are definitely very important.

However, the most important part is the shoulder.”

All the body parts were stunned. “The shoulder? He

didn’t even mention any of his abilities while we were arguing! So,

how did you suddenly feel that he is the greatest?”

God said, “When a person cries, the only place he can

rest his head is on someone’s shoulder. The shoulder is the greatest

because he gives comfort to the sorrowful.”

Today we are shouldering the burden of our

prarabdha, of our past actions. Let us offer them to the

Paramatman. And let us take up the spirit of self-sacrifice.

May the rest of the lives of the children who suffered so

much due to the tsunami be filled with peace and happiness.

Let us pray together for the peace of all the beings in

creation.

 

 

 

 

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Around

Amma

Creation: The Divine

Joke

 

 

19 December 2005 — Amrita University, Coimbatore

 

 

When Amma stopped for lunch at the Coimbatore

campus of Amrita University on her way to Nagapattinam, she started off by

asking people to tell jokes. “Whether we smile or cry, life is still

going to keep passing by, so why not smile,” Amma said.

After a few jokes were told—some bringing forth

laughter, others groans—one of Amma’s American devotees stood

up. “Do you want to know how to make God laugh?” she asked.

“Tell Her your plans.”

Half groans, half laughs.

Amma said, “God smiles when He sees someone

crying because of their identification with another person's suffering and

then reaching out to console and comfort them.”

 

 

An eight-year-old boy named Eknath then came forward and

told a quite intricate joke involving an ant and an elephant getting into

an accident while riding a motorcycle. Why was only the elephant hurt?

“Because the ant was wearing a helmet.”

Again half groans, half laughter.

Another eight-year-old boy, Ramu, then asked Amma,

“Why are you God?”

“Because you are a fool,” Amma sweetly replied.

Then in order to help Ramu understand his foolishness, Amma asked him a

question of her own: “Where is God?”

Ramu pointed up to the sky.

“No, inside,” Amma said. “God is

inside of you.” And then pointing to the 400 or so people circled

around her, “God is inside each and every one of these people here.

We should serve everyone, seeing them all as embodiments of

God.”

Amma then asked the boy to explain his concept of God.

 

 

“God created the world and all the

people,” Ramu said.

“The world is not God’s creation,”

Amma replied. “It is your creation.”

Amma’s sutram—one of the highest

truths shot forward with the compactness and swiftness of an

arrow—struck the hearts of everyone assembled. A thousand pundits

can speak such a truth and it will never have the impact that comes from

hearing it directly from the mouth of a Satguru, one who speaks from their

direct experience.

 

 

Voluminous works like the Yoga Vasishtha and

in-depth commentaries like Sri Gaudapada's Mandukya Karika have

been composed in order to illumine this raw truth: the fact that the

entire universe is indeed nothing but a projection of the mind. As such,

Ramu stood perplexed. Then, staring up into the infinity held within

Amma’s eyes, he finally—without confidence—said,

“Amma is joking.”

—Sakshi

 

 

 

 

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Mothersite

 

 

Amritapuri.org

Updates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amritapuri is the

Land of Compassion,

the Land of Love, the Land of Beauty "

 

 

 

 

Real

prayer is wiping the tears of the distressed:Amma's Message

 

Bharata Yatra: Amma's

Programme Dates

 

President of

India to Visit Amritapuri

 

 

Send Amma Cards for Xmas & New Year

 

 

Festival at

Edachira:

House Building with Love and Compassion

 

 

For 6,000 Euros,

Could You Hatch an Egg?

Self-realization cannot be given;

 

 

Helping The

Students to Fully Blossom

Amma Holds Discussions With U.S. Professors

In what way should students start developing?

What are the areas in which you think we are

lacking?

 

 

President Kalam

Addresses Students & Professors

of Indo-US e-Learning Project

 

 

Indo-US

Inter-University Collaborative Initiative

15 leading U.S. Universities

including Harvard, Yale and Princeton sign MOU

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mahayatra

Itinerary of Amma

 

 

Tamil Nadu

Nagapattinam

Dec 20, 2005

Chennai Brahmasthanam Festival

Dec 22 - 23, 2005

Kerala

Amritapuri

from 25 to Jan 04 For details of all other programmes, please visit Mahayatra

 

 

 

 

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Ôm Namah

Shivaya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

eDharma

Mothersite

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