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On the morning of the 27th of September 1953, in a small poor fishing
village, Parayakadavu in the Quilon district of Kerala, a baby
girl
was born. Her parents gave her the name Sudhamani. She came into
this world not in tears as babies usually do, but with a beaming
smile on her face, as if prophesying the joy and bliss she was
to
bring to the world.
Sudhamani spent the years of her childhood and teens immersed in
intense spiritual practices in order to present a living example
for the world. Even as a small child, she could often be found absorbed
in deep meditation, totally oblivious of her surroundings. By the
age of five, she had already begun composing devotional songs laden
with deep mystical insight.
Another quality that was clearly manifest in Sudhamani from this
tender age was her love and compassion toward her fellow human beings.
Though only a child, Sudhamani did whatever she could to ease the
suffering of her elderly neighbors. She washed their clothes, bathed
them and even brought them food and clothing from her own home.
This habit of giving away things from her family’s house landed
her in deep trouble. However, no amount physical abuse or punishment
could stop the expression of her inborn compassion. She later said,
" An unbroken stream of Love flows from me towards all beings
in the cosmos. That is my inborn nature."
‘Amma’ as she is known all over the world today, has
inspired and started innumerable humanitarian services. She has
earned international recognition for her outstanding contributions
to the world community. She is recognized as an extraordinary spiritual
leader by the United Nations and by the people all over the world.
Though Amma makes no claims herself, those who watch her closely
notice that she is the greatest example of her teaching. Her disciples
and believers imbibe her teachings by just watching her.
For the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplifting
of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an
embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more
than 25 million people throughout the world.
When someone asked Amma why she receives every person who comes
to her in a loving embrace Amma replied, “ If you ask the
river,' why do you flow?' what can it say?”
Amma spends most of her waking hours receiving the distressed and
all who come to her for comfort, day after day without a break.
Once a press reporter asked Amma how was it possible for her to
embrace each and every one in the same loving way, even if they
were diseased or unpleasant. Amma replied, “ When a bee hovers
over a garden of varied flowers, what it beholds is not the difference
between the flowers but the honey within them. Similarly Amma sees
the same Supreme Self in each and every one.”
As Dr. Jane Goodall, while presenting Amma with the 2002 Gandhi-King
Award for Non-violence said,
" She stands here in front of us. God's love in a human body."
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