From Ananda Mayi Ma sent by Swami Sadasivananda

[Guest guest]

This posting is from Swami Sadasivananda who I am pleased to tell you is joining

the Group.

 

Alan

 

Anandamayi Ma, a lady Jnanai visited Ramansramam and laid the Foundation stone

for Bhagavavan's Samahdi. She siad " He is the Sun, we are only stars. "

 

 

 

 

Anandamayi Ma Training a Disciple

 

 

 

(From " As the Flower Sheds Its Fragrance " by Atmananda)

 

 

 

(Note: Atmananda was originally from Austria, but came to Ma in the 1940's and

spent the rest of her life in Ma's Presence. Though gifted and sincere, she had

a quick-tempered anger that she struggled with for years. The following incident

shows how Ma worked with those who were Hers with strictness tempered with humor

and love.)

 

 

 

While walking, Ma picked up a bougainvillea twig and commented to me, " How

beautiful! Look the leaves are gerua! " (The color worn by Hindu ascetics)

 

" In my country all leaves become gerua in autumn, " I remarked.

 

" In your country? " said Mataji, " which is your country? "

 

" Where I used to be before I came to India. "

 

" Before? " questioned Mataji, " what does it mean? And before that where were

you? "

 

" With you! "

 

" With me? How do you know? "

 

" You know! "

 

" How do you know that I know? "

 

" I don't know! "

 

" How do you know that you don't know? "

 

" I don't know anything, I am a fool! "

 

" How do you know that you are a fool? "

 

" Now I shall have to become silent. "

 

" And what will be the use of this silence? "

 

" Idle talk and nonsense will remain unsaid. "

 

" And to what good? "

 

" I don't know. "

 

 

 

Mataji: " You don't know? Again you repeat that you don't know? Has one who does

not know anything the right to become angry? One who knows gets angry because

this or that is not as it should be. But a fool cannot be angry since he does

not know how things should be. Always remember that you are a fool and that

therefore you cannot become angry. It is the " I " that gets angry and it is the

" I " that has to be dropped. Then the fool (buddhu) may perhaps become

enlightened (Buddha)! Anyway, bear in mind that you know nothing and therefore

there is no rhyme or reason in getting angry. Then the " I " will go and

" Atmananda " (meaning " the bliss of the Self " as well as her name) may become

revealed.â€

 

Mataji handed the bougainvillea twig to me and said: " Pluck all the petals that

are gerua, dry them and keep them. "

 

The dried flowers are still with me, but they have lost their beautiful color.

 

 

- OM OM OM -