The Ancient Sustains the Modern
Amma, the Universal Mother, has blessed Mother Earth with numerous gifts. In Lalitha Sahasranama, She is called:
Bhavadhava Sudhavrishti.
The beauty of the Sanskrit language is that this name of Devi can be split and the meaning understood in two different ways:
1) Bhavadhava Sudhavrishti
Devi showers the Divine Knowledge which puts out the blazing forest fire of worldly miseries, obstacles and bondage.
2) Bhava dha vasudha vrishti
Bhava also means Siva. So it means that She who gives us Siva or takes us to Siva, the Auspicious Chaithanyam of the nature of bliss.
Vasudha vrishti means “one who showers different kinds of wealth”. Vasudha and Vasundhara usually means “the Earth which holds and gives us different types of wealth”.
Among the different kinds of wealth, the wealth of knowledge is most sacred and important.
The Divine Mother’s Womb of Wisdom
Our Bharath Matha is also known by the name RATNA GARBHA which means the Mother who has carried priceless gems in Her womb. The gems are the great spiritual masters who took birth in Bharath Matha’s womb, and who gave the world the eternal knowledge of the Vedas. In the 1970s, when we were in school, there was a popular patriotic song:
“Mere Desh ki Dharthi
Sona Ugale, Ugale heer mothi,
Mere Desh ki Dharthi!”“The soil of my country is capable of producing the harvest of gold and pearls!”
The gold refers to the different types of cultures, material prosperity and glory, and the pearls again refer to the great spiritual masters of our country.
Witnessing our Swamiji, Amritaswarupanandaji going to Amma for Her blessings on his 60th birthday was a wonderful sight! On our birthdays, we are all “new-born”. And when newborns go to Amma’s Divine Presence, we must also go like a child, because we ARE CHILDREN in Her Presence! The newborn does not know what to ask its Mother, but the mother knows. The only thing the newborn DEMANDS from its mother is the mother’s attention, love and care.
Swamiji would have gone to Amma to offer himself to Her! When we go to Amma’s presence on our birthdays, we remember, “Many years back, I came to YOU and offered myself to YOU, O Mother!” The memory becomes fresh. And the best that the Divine Mother and Sadguru offers us in return cannot be seen by our naked eye, nor can our minds understand!
Emanations of Grace
The Universal Mother showers riches on us—“Vasudha Vrishti”. The best among what She gives us are the “Spiritual Masters”. When I saw Swamiji standing before Amma, I remembered what She had said when She gave Sannyasa to Swamiji: “This is Loka Puthran”—this son belongs to the world.
Years back when I was travelling to Amritapuri by train, a youngster asked me, “What are you Sannyasis doing here? You people should be in the forest, not in the modern world!” Another time, another youngster asked me, “Youngsters becoming bramacharis and bramacharinis—is it not wrong?” We, from the Ashram, seek the Knowledge of the Eternal Atma, the Abode of Infinite Peace and Joy within ourselves. Knowing this, the world of living beings becomes a universal family!
Especially in the West, the modern youngsters, having experienced all the enjoyments in this world, now ask the question “Now what? Where can one find real joy?”
We say, “Happiness is not a creation of modern science. It is discovered within oneself. Happiness is ancient and it is the ancient which sustains the modern”.
The Sun is ancient. The Moon is ancient; so too the wind, the fire, water, Mother Earth. . .they sustain all beings including the modern.
Science has made many discoveries. But to discover real happiness, the Ancient Wisdom alone can help us.
That day on which we offered ourselves to Amma and became Her Instruments, that day alone is our birthday! Like the flute in Krishna’s hands, O Mother may we be in your hands; and like the anklets on Kali’s feet, may we be at your feet!
Om Amriteswaryai Namah
Swami Amritageetananda Puri
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Thank you Swami Amritageetananda Puri so much for your deep insights and for sharing that sweet devotion. You are setting an example for the world by serving the world selflessly