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Mata Amritanandamayi Devi was born as Sudhamani Idamannel on September 27, 1953, and is lovingly known as Amma (Mother). She is a Hindu spiritual leader, a guru and a humanitarian who is also revered as the “hugging saint” by her followers.
She embodies love, compassion, insight, inspiration, wisdom, laughter and light. She represents universal motherhood which accepts and embraces everything, a life of pure giving and celebration. Humanitarian, Mother, Friend, Guru, God… people see her differently. Amma has offered herself to the world. But, in reality, Amma is beyond all such roles, knowing her true nature to be the true nature of us all—the blissful divine consciousness that pervades this universe.
Amma’s darshan emerged as a loving mother’s embrace, beginning when She was only a teenager and held and comforted the lonely and suffering in Her village, extending up to the present day. She has dedicated her entire life to alleviating the pain of the poor and those suffering physically and emotionally.
Amma makes herself available to anyone wishing to receive her blessing. There is never any charge, and no one is turned away. Hour after hour, day after day, year after year — for over thirty years, She has embraced all who come to Her. Man or woman, sick or healthy, rich or poor, regardless of religious faith, caste, young or old—even the very elderly and her parents regard Her as their very own Mother.
Amma now travels across India and to over a dozen countries worldwide. Everywhere She goes, She gives darshan to all who come to Her. Over the past thirty-five years, She has embraced over 34 million times!
‘My Desire: Everyone in the world should be able to sleep without fear, at least for one night. Everyone should be able to eat his fill, at least for one day. There should be at least one day when hospitals see no one admitted due to violence.’ ~ Amma
Timothy Conway, Ph.D., author of the book ‘Women of Power and Grace’ and an expert on spiritual figures, describes Amma as ‘one of the most glorious lights to appear in the history of religion. Just her stamina – embracing these millions of people one by one, day after day, without a break, all over the world – is some kind of divine gift. No mere human resources could accomplish this.’
‘Hers is an unconditional love which expresses itself through the unique vehicle of Her darshan: being ushered into the awesome presence of a Master, the sheer power of Her gaze, the indescribable sweetness of Her smile, the hug that ensconces one in eternity, the earthy voice whispering words of assurance, the gentle nuzzle on the cheek, and the gift of prasad.’
Since 1993, Amma has regularly been invited by international organisations to address the issues of religious differences, the environment, education, and peacemaking. The Parliament of the World’s Religions chose her as President of Sanatana Dharma in 1993. In 1995, her address was a highlight of the Interfaith Celebrations in New York. In 2000, Amma attended the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit giving her vision for the millennium.
In 2002, she was presented with the Gandhi-King Award for Non-violence at the U.N. headquarters in Geneva, where she also gave the keynote address at the Global Peace Initiative of Women and Religious Leaders. In 2004, she addressed the Parliament of World’s religions held in Barcelona.
In 2012, she addressed the UNAOC (United Nations Alliance of Civilizations) in Shanghai. In 2014, Amma joined Pope Francis in the Vatican and ten other world religious leaders in signing a declaration against human trafficking and slavery.
In 2015, at the United Nations Academic Impact – START/Amrita University Conference on Technology for Sustainable Development, Amma gave the keynote address asking world universities to use ancient Spiritual Wisdom and Modern Technology for societal transformation.
In 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated Amma for the largest contribution to the Government of India’s Clean India Campaign Swachh Bharat Mission. In addition, she was the first recipient of Vishwaratna Puraskar (Gem of the World Award) by the Hindu Parliament.
Amma was born to a low-income fishermen family in Karunagappally, Kollam District, in the state of Kerala (Southern part of India) as a third child of Sugunanandan and Damayanti. She has six siblings.
Her Mother relates that the child wasn’t born crying as babies usually are, but with a beaming smile on Her face, which is why her parents gave her the name Sudhamani (Ambrosial Jewel). Even as a small child, it was clear that She was unique. At six months, she could walk and talk; by age three, she was constantly singing. By age five, She was composing beautiful, extraordinarily profound hymns to Her beloved Krishna.
Sudhamani received only four years of formal education. Neither did she have the chance to study scriptures under any enlightened teacher. Nevertheless, She charmed and delighted everyone around Her. But as She grew, Her divine moods, including frequent meditative states, singing, and ecstatic dancing beside the seashore, began to annoy Her family. At age five, Sudhamani was already subjected to severe scolding.
When Sudhamani was nine, Her Mother became ill. Although Sudhamani was the brightest girl in Her class, She had to leave school and take care of Her entire family. It was a gruelling task, with seven brothers and sisters to feed and clothe and animals to tend. She virtually became the family servant, working from before dawn till midnight.
As part of Her work, She had to collect food for the family cows. So she would roam the local villages, gathering grass and visiting neighbourhood homes to ask for vegetables and leftover rice gruels for the cows. At times like these, Sudhamani saw many things that troubled Her. She saw how some people were starving while others had more than enough. She saw that many people were sick and suffering from intense pain, unable to afford a single painkiller. And She noticed that many of the elderly were neglected and treated harshly by their families.
Her empathy was such that the pain of others was unbearable to Her. Though just a child, She began to contemplate the question of suffering. She asked Herself, why do people suffer? What is the underlying cause of suffering? So powerfully did She feel the presence of God within Her that She wanted to reach out and comfort and uplift those less fortunate than Her.
In many ways, it was then that Amma’s mission began. She would share Her food with the starving and bathe and clothe the elderly who had no one to look after them. She was punished when She gave away the family’s food and belongings to the poor, but Sudhamani would not stop Her acts of kindness. She took refuge in the solitude of the night, spending hours meditating and fervently praying to Lord Krishna.
During Her early teens, Sudhamani was sent to the houses of relatives, where She laboured for long hours, taking care of their households as well. Throughout her duties, she incessantly sang and chanted Krishna’s name and imagined that all the work she did was for him. Sweeping the yard, she imagined that he could arrive at any moment. As she prepared food, she imagined that Krishna would appear as a guest at the table. In this way, she never resented her duties nor the abuse her family gave her but only prayed to be given more of the Lord’s work.
By Her late teens, Sudhamani was abiding in the experience of inner bliss. And by 1975, at the age of 22, She was fully established in the state of Supreme Love. Then, however, a significant incident occurred in September 1975 that lifted one veil from Her divinity. One day, as Sudhamani was walking home, holding a bundle of grass aloft, She overheard the final verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam from a neighbouring house. The reading had ended, and the devotional singing had just started.
Sudhamani stopped abruptly, appearing to listen intently to the singing. Then, suddenly, She ran towards where the devotees had gathered. Overwhelmed by divine bliss, Sudhamani’s inner identification with Lord Krishna transformed Her features and movements into those of the Lord.
Regarding the onset of the Krishna Bhava (the divine mood of Krishna, in which Amma experienced that She was one with the Lord), Amma says, ‘In the early days, I used to dance in bliss and move about alone, persisting in Krishna Bhava, but no one knew. One day I strongly felt the urge to be absorbed in the Supreme Being without returning. Then I heard a voice from within saying, ‘Thousands and thousands of people in the world are steeped in misery. I have much for you to do, you who are one with Me.”
After that, Sudhamani regularly appeared in Krishna Bhava, during which people flocked to meet Her on the beach near Her home. However, a group of youths from the surrounding villages, calling themselves the ‘Rationalists’, rallied against Her and tried to harm Her. Seeing the harassment his daughter was subjected to, Amma’s father took pity on Her and converted the family cowshed to make a proper place for Her to meet people.
Sublime as it was, Krishna Bhava was not the culmination of Sudhamani’s sadhana (spiritual practices). One day, soon after the advent of Krishna Bhava, She had an unforgettable vision of Adi Parashakti (the Primordial Power, or the Divine Mother). So enrapturing was the vision that Sudhamani yearned with all Her being to become one with the Divine Mother.
Before this, Sudhamani had been able to continue doing the housework on days between Krishna Bhavas. Now, however, She could not even care for herself. She often forgot to bathe or even eat; such was Her longing to see Devi. She considered even these daily necessities a waste of time; she wanted to spend every moment thinking of the Divine Mother. She would not even take a step without uttering, ‘Amma.’
Sudhamani’s elder brother chastised her terribly, unable to comprehend Her exalted state. One day, in a fit of anger because of the gatherings around his sister, he threw Her out of the house. From then on, Sudhamani lived outdoors by Herself.
While Sudhamani was living outside, animals looked after her and became her close friends. Her family had more or less abandoned her and were against her spiritual life, but the animals adored her and did their best to make her as happy and comfortable as possible. No matter the weather, they always stayed close to her and protected her. The animals seemed to understand her much better than any human.
Animals brought food for Her – an eagle dropped fish into Her lap; a family cow each day presented its udder to Her for milk; a dog brought her packets of food–and watched over Her in Her deeper states of meditation and longing. Unable to bear the sight of Her suffering, several animals were seen shedding tears while watching over Her.
Sudhamani’s longing for the Divine Mother became so intense that she could no longer think about anything else. She didn’t take care of herself or notice anything around her. She no longer knew the difference between day and night and just lay on the ground in deep meditation. She didn’t notice when the sun was burning hot or when it poured with rain. One day, wishing to remain one with her Lord, she decided to give up her body in samadhi. But just then, she heard an inner voice urging her not to do so but to work for those leading miserable lives on this earth.
Amma sings about Her transcendental union with the Divine Mother in the mystical song, ‘Ananda Veethi’ – The Path of Bliss (in her mother tongue, Malayalam).
It was the moment of eternal bliss (Ananda), the moment of Her realization of the Universal Mother. From that moment onwards, Sudhamani became ‘Amritanandamayi’ (one who is full, filled with eternal bliss). When She was Sudhamani, She was full of ecstasy. She was lost in Herself. But when She had the realization of the Divine Mother, She became ‘Amrita’, the divine nectar that bestows eternity. She began to flow out of Herself for the benefit of mankind, in the form of Love and Compassion.
Ananda Veethi
Once upon a time, my soul was dancing
in delight along the path of bliss.
At those times, all the inner foes, beginning with attachment,
ran away, hiding themselves in my innermost recesses.
I forgot myself. I, that day,
through myself, merged in a golden dream.
The desires that manifested in my mind
became clear without any impurity.
With bright gentle hands
The Divine Mother caressed my head.
With bowed head,
I told Mother that my life was dedicated to Her.
Remembering what Mother said that day,
today I tremble all over.
O embodiment of existence and consciousness!
O she whose own nature is all truth! I will heed your words.
A gracious smile flowed forth, and that divine effulgence
dove deep and merged within me.
The events of million years gone past
arose in my exquisite nerves.
O people of the world, fulfil
the purpose of human birth!
To declare this the Mother who showered
my tender mind with many colours spoke to me.
From that day onwards, I could not see differently.
I remembered that everything is my own atma (soul).
Having merged in the Goddess of all, I went forward,
renouncing all pleasure.
Oh, man, merge in your Self!
such principles that Mother told me
I proclaimed, wandering all over the world
in order to give refuge to sinners.
On the soil of Bharat (India),
thousands upon thousands
of jnanis (enlightened masters) have taken birth.
The principles that great sages saw aeons ago.
To remove the sorrows of the world of men
How many naked truths are there!
Oh my darling, come to me, stopping all other works.
You have always been my very own.
Today, why are you late, O my Mother?
Why did you give this life?
I don’t know anything, please forgive
all my mistakes today, O my Mother.
After this experience, the Universal Motherhood that was awakened within Her made Her spontaneously embrace everyone who came to Her, experiencing each one as Her very own child. Hundreds of people were coming each day to spend a few moments in Her arms. Amma would listen to their sorrows and console them. She also began teaching them about the true purpose of life.
Meanwhile, the village youths intensified their harassment to the point of trying to kill Her. Sudhamani’s parents were devastated by the events rocking their family life. But seeing their daughter’s courage and steadfastness, Her compassion and equipoise in the face of all adversity, they began to understand that Her life had an extraordinary purpose.
In 1979, Amma’s first monastic disciples came to reside permanently by Her side. They named Her Mata Amritanandamayi (Mother of Immortal Bliss). Then, an ashram was established as more young men and women felt inspired by Amma’s selfless compassion and began coming to Her for spiritual guidance. Thus, in 1981, the construction of a few humble thatched huts next to Amma’s family home marked the beginning of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
But Amma’s children would not be restricted to India alone. In 1987, in response to their invitations, Amma embarked on Her first world tour. Today, Amma spends most of the year travelling throughout India and the world, where people flock to see Her and are inspired by Her example of pure love and compassion.
Amma’s home at Amritapuri, in the State of Kerala, South India, is now also the home of monks, nuns, householder devotees, and students (Brahmacharya, Gruhastha, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa). They all have been inspired by Amma’s teaching — by her life — and have dedicated themselves to serving the world through Amma’s vast network of charitable projects. When Amma is at the ashram, thousands visit her every day from every corner of the world.
It is important to note that Amma’s spiritual awakening has not followed the traditional guru-disciple path but was a spontaneous manifestation of divinity in the face of severe challenges and opposition.
For Amma, Advaita (non-dualism) is not mere philosophy but something to be lived. ‘Seeing nothing as apart from my own Self’ was Amma’s vision. Everything in creation was part of Her own Self. At that time, the Divine Mother also imparted to Her a mission — to ask people to fulfil their human birth through the message ‘Oh man, merge in your Self!’
‘May we see others’ pain as our pain and their happiness as our happiness. Just as one hand spontaneously reaches out to soothe the other hand when it is in pain, may we all console and support others as we would ourself.’
‘The first step in spiritual life is to have compassion. A person who is kind and loving never needs to go searching for God. God rushes toward any heart that beats with compassion – it is God’s favourite place.’
‘Different people will think different things – that is the nature of the world. People have the right to have faith or not to have faith.’
‘The common expression is ‘I love you.’ But instead of ‘I love you,’ it would be better to say, ‘I am love — I am the embodiment of pure love.’ Remove the I and you, and you will find that there is only love. It is as if love is imprisoned between the I and you. Remove the I and you, for they are unreal; they are self-imposed walls that don’t exist. The gulf between I and you is the ego. When the ego is removed, the distance disappears, and the I and you also disappear. They merge to become one — and that is love. You lend the I and you their reality. Withdraw your support, and they will disappear. Then you will realise, not that ‘I love you,’ but that ‘I am that all-embracing love.’
~Sourced from amma.org and awaken.com
Throughout Amma’s life, we have witnessed her teaching. If we watch Amma, we see the embodiment of all the divine qualities she is constantly encouraging us to cultivate. If you want to understand devotion, watch the tears as they roll down her cheeks during bhajans. If you wish to learn about serving the world selflessly, sit by her side one evening as she embraces 12,000 people. If you have questions about sadhana, envision her years on the seashore when she sat motionless, completely estranged from the world. And whatever Amma does, it is meditation – whether sitting in silence, speaking to thousands or sweeping the ashram courtyard.
When asked, in 2002, to what extent she thought her embraces helped the ills of the world, Amma replied, ‘I don’t say I can do it 100 percent. Attempting to change the world [completely] is like trying to straighten the curly tail of a dog. But society takes birth from people. So, by affecting individuals, you can make changes in society and, through it, in the world. You cannot change it, but you can make changes. The fight in individual minds is responsible for the wars. So, if you can touch people, you can touch the world.’
In the book The Timeless Path, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, one of Amma’s senior disciples, wrote: ‘The [spiritual] path inculcated by Amma is the same as the one presented in the Vedas and recapitulated in subsequent traditional scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita.’ Amritanandamayi herself says, ‘Karma [action], jnana [knowledge] and bhakti [devotion] are all essential. If the two wings of a bird are devotion and action, knowledge is its tail. Only with the help of all three can the bird soar into the heights.’
She accepts the various spiritual practices and prayers of all religions as different methods toward the same goal of purifying the mind. Along these lines, she stresses the importance of meditation, performing actions such as karma yoga, selfless service, and cultivating divine qualities such as compassion, patience, forgiveness, self-control, etc. Amritanandamayi has said that ‘these practices refine the mind, preparing it to assimilate the ultimate truth: that one is not the physical body and mind, but the eternal, blissful consciousness that serves as the non-dual substratum of the universe.’ This understanding itself Amma referred to as jivanmukti (liberation while alive).
Amma also said, ‘Jivanmukti is not something to be attained after death, nor is it to be experienced or bestowed upon you in another world. It is a state of perfect awareness and equanimity, which can be experienced here and now in this world, while living in the body. Having come to experience the highest truth of oneness with the Self, such blessed souls do not have to be born again. They merge with the infinite.‘
In her public talks and articles, Amma has taken up many social issues, including the importance of selfless service, the need for inter-religious harmony, environmental protection, and desegregating science and spirituality. She also regularly speaks on the importance of women’s empowerment and gender equality as well as that of humankind, cultivating what she refers to as visva-matrutvam — an attitude of motherliness towards all beings in creation, specifically through expressing compassion, patience and selflessness.
Amritanandamayi has recorded more than 1,000 bhajans, or devotional songs, in 35 languages. She has also composed dozens of bhajans and set them to traditional ragas. Regarding devotional singing as a spiritual practice, Amma says, ‘If the bhajan is sung with one-pointedness, it is beneficial for the singer, the listeners, and nature as well. Later, when the listeners reflect on the songs, they will try to live in accordance with the lessons enunciated therein.‘ She added that in today’s world, it is often difficult for people to attain deeply focused concentration in meditation. A person can be aided in reaching this level of concentration with bhajans.
Some of the daily practices that Amma recommends are in the link below:
Daily Practices
More of Amma’s teachings can be found in these links:
https://www.amritapuri.org/teachingshttps://amma.org/teachings
https://amma.org/teachings
The nectar of Amma’s teachings:
Amrita Sootra – the Aphorisms
Lighting lamps without oil
Her own brother tried his best to spoil her worship. One day he broke the oil lamp that used to be lit in the temple when she used to go into Krishna Bhava (for those who don’t know, Krishna Bhava is when she used to act like Sri Krishna after going into a state of trance). The devotees who came for darshan were very disappointed to see the lamp broken. So, they were told to bring sea shells, place wicks in them and light them. Lo, the miracle happened. The wicks lit and burnt throughout the night. Such was the power of the great miraculous woman.
Dattan, a leper
At a very young age, he contracted the disease and was an outcast. People spat on him because of his ugly looks and foul-smelling wounds. So he went to visit the ‘mother’ during her Krishna Bhava Darshan day. She invited him in, licked his wounds, sucked out the pus and blood, and applied sacred ash all over his body. Dattan was transformed. All his wounds healed, his eyes opened, and there was no more blood and pus oozing. And a new medicine for leprosy had been discovered. Apply the spittle of the ‘divine mother’, and it shall heal.
Multiplication of food
As usual, her ashram was overcrowded with devotees. There wasn’t enough prasadam (divine offering of food). The ‘divine mother’ applied her miraculous power, and the food multiplied. It was more than enough to go around.
More miracles can be found below:
Roadside miracles on the way to Hyderabad
Amritapuri Ashram, Kerala, India
Located in the small fishing village Parayakadavu on the coast of Kerala, the Amritapuri ashram (also called the Mata Amritanandamayi Math) is one hour north of Kollam, two-and-a-half hours north of Trivandrum and three hours south of Kochi. Today, Amritapuri is a fast-growing small city with about 3,000 residents. Everyone is always welcome to visit, whether as a regular long-term visitor, a one-day visiting tourist, or a serious spiritual seeker.
Amritapuri translates into ‘Amma’s abode.’ For many, Amritapuri is a sacred place. It is not only Amma’s main ashram, but also the very place where she was born and grew up as a child. The location is exactly where Amma’s parents’ old house used to stand. With time, the place started to expand as the number of people coming to see Amma and stay with her increased. The lands around the parents’ original home were bought over the years whenever more space was needed.
The most special place is the old Krishna temple or the Kalari. It is the family’s original cowshed, which became the first place for Amma to sit and meet people. Later a few huts were built on the father’s original land, followed by the first small cement constructions. From 1988-1992, the Kali main temple was built. Amma used to give darshan there until it became too small for the growing crowds. Today, the large auditorium where the devotional singing takes place is where Amma gives darshan. It also serves as a large dining hall.
Over the years, Amritapuri has evolved to offer maximum basic comforts for any type of person. Many elderly people and even small babies from all over the world live in Amritapuri today.
Amma stays in Amritapuri for about four months every year. The best time to visit her are the months of August and September, during which she usually stays there continuously. Amma usually travels outside of India in the months of April, June, July, October and November. From early December till the end of March, she usually goes on tours inside India, staying at the ashram in between. She is always at the ashram for Christmas and New Year.
Divisions of Mata Amritanandamayi Trust (More information can be found here: https://amma.org/global-charities)
Mata Amritanandamayi Educational Trust
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Amrita Institute of Computer Technology
M.A.M. Industrial Training Centre
Amrita Sanskrit Higher Secondary School (Amrita Aranya Jeevanam)
Amrita Vidyalayams (CBSE / Matriculation / English Medium)
Vedanta Vidyalayam, Amritapuri
Amrita Vidyapeetam
Mata Amritanandamayi Medical Trust
Amrita Institute for Medical Science and Research (AIMS)
Amritakripa Charitable Hospital, Amritapuri
Amrita Medical Mission of Ayurveda
Amrita Ayurvedic Research and Production Centre, Kollam
Mata Amritanandamayi Religious
Brahmasthanam Temples (all over India)
Other Divisions / Programs
Amrita Kuteeram – Free Housing Scheme (for poor and disabled persons).
Amrita Nidhi – Pension Scheme (for widows and needy).
Amrita Niketanam – Orphanages.
Amrita Kripa Sagar – Hospice (for terminally ill cancer patients).
Anbu Illam – Home for Senior Citizens.
Amrita Rehabilitation Centre for Women, Thriruvananthapuram.
Amrita Speech and Hearing Improvement School (ASHIS), Trichur.
Free Meal Scheme.
More information can be found below:
https://amma.org/groups/international-headquarters
Mata Amritanandamayi Math
Amritapuri P. O., Kollam
Kerala – 690525
Ph: +91 476 2897578
Website: www.amritapuri.org
Amma: Healing the Heart of the World by Judith Cornell
The Eternal Truth by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Author)
Messages from Amma: In the Language of the Heart by Janine Canan
Getting to Joy: A Western Householder’s Spiritual Journey with Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) by Karuna Poole
For a listing of available books:
https://theammashop.org/collections/books
© MyDattatreya 2021 All rights reserved
Designed by Tamara Lj.