Many wonders that a young girl from an ordinary South Indian village is known worldwide as “Amma, Mother of All”. Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with a child, but with love, compassion, and selflessness. It is entirely inherent in giving one’s self.
If we look at Amma’s life, it is what we see – that has offered her every thought, word, and work for the benefit of others. Giving is the essence. It is just that when the homeless start crying for shelter and Amma gives them a house, we call them “humanists”. And when a sad person cries for emotional solstice and she gives them love, we call her “mother”. And when people who thirst for spiritual knowledge earnestly seek and he imparts knowledge to them, we call him “Guru”. This attitude of selflessly serving the whole creation, giving knowledge of the expansion of self to others, Amma means universal motherhood. And it is at this peak of human existence that Amma is trying to awaken the world through her life, teachings, and philosophy.
Amma has been clearing doubts of honest seekers on such subtle subjects since her youth. He had neither a master nor a study of the Vedas, yet he talks on the truths expressed within the scriptures with wisdom, clarity, and true insight. Hers is not academic knowledge, but a person who is ever established in the ultimate reality. It is for this reason that Amma’s simple childhood home has become a spiritual home for thousands of people – where ashrams reside as aspirants from around the world to assimilate Amma’s intelligence and realize their true nature. The seeker is instructed according to his level – from the child to the monk.
A vision of a world in which women and men move together, a world in which all men respect the fact that, like two wings of a bird, woman and man are of equal value.
Seeing the whole world as her own extension, Amma is ever ready to meet the needs of her body to bring a smile to one’s face, wipe her tears, or listen to her sorrows. The sweet way, in which he laughs and jokes with people, he has millions of shares around the world between his success and failure. In fact, many see Amma as her lifelong confidant and friend. Visiting in this way is the day of Amma’s life, day after day, week after week, year after year. In fact, Amma has been doing so ever since she was just 17, and has been hugging people continuously for 22 hours.
Amma is able to make such a personal sacrifice because the people in her arms feel safe, feel relaxed, loved, feel that eventually, she has found someone who knows them through and through. And with that feeling, he finds the strength to move forward in life, and this, Amma feels, is infinitely more important than her physical needs. Whether they are young or old, sick or healthy, rich or poor – everyone gets the same unconditional love. Nobody leaves Amma. The atheist has a place with Amma as a devotee.
She wish everyone in the world can sleep for at least one night, without any fear. Everyone should be able to eat their food for at least one day. There should be at least one day when the hospital does not see anyone admitted due to violence.
For Amma, Advaita (non-dualism) is not a mere philosophy, but something to remain. As such, every thought, word, and deed of Amma resonates with that greatest truth: everything within and without is divine. Accordingly, Amma oversees a vast matrix of human activities. Hospitals for the sick, homes for the homeless, disaster relief, orphanages, hospice, free pension, suicide prevention, employment programs … the list is endless.
Influenced by Amma’s example and experiencing her pure love, thousands of people around the world have been inspired to adopt a life of service – giving whatever time or money they can to help others. This is the seed of love Amma has planted within her to sprout which has brought about this. This has been Amma’s vision from the beginning. Amma says, “In today’s world, people experience two types of poverty: poverty due to lack of food, clothing, and shelter, and lack of love and compassion. Of these, the second type needs to be considered first. Is – because, if we have love and compassion in our heart, we will wholeheartedly serve those who suffer from lack of food, clothing, and shelter.”
This is the secret behind the success of Amma’s charitable mission and how it expands continuously and without end. And Amma’s brilliant plan is that not only Dalit upliftment but also self-servants, because the selflessness of their actions purifies their minds, enabling them to move slowly on the spiritual path. Amma’s charitable social services transcend all barriers of nationality, caste, ethnicity and religion and attract the attention of the world community. In 2005, Amma’s organization, Mata Amritanandamayi Math was granted special advisor status by the United Nations.
Human beings, mothers, friends, gurus, God … people see him differently. Amma has presented herself to the world. In fact, Amma is beyond all such roles, which despite knowing her true nature is the true nature for all of us – the blissful divine consciousness that pervades this universe. But with her immense compassion, Amma comes down to the level of whoever stands in front of her – poor, lonely, seeker – to give what she needs, which is needed. It was only for this purpose that Amma was born and for this alone that Amma lives today. In fact, Amma has said that she wants to fondle someone, comfort them and wipe their tears even when she breathes her last.
An embodiment of love and compassion, insight and inspiration, intelligence and action, laughter, and light… universal motherhood accepts everything and adopts a life of pure giving and celebration.