Many a times, I had thought of writing one of my experiences with my Spiritual Master - Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, lovingly we call AMMA. This is my small attempt to quote one of my experiences.
I
was one of the blessed among students who got the opportunity to study in
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. I completed my Masters in Computer Science in 2007
July with a placement in TechMahindra (Bangalore). I was very sad and reluctant
to leave Amritapuri Campus, when I had to join TechMahindra. But, as it was a
campus placement, it would be not fair to leave such an opportunity. This was a
period of transition for me, as I was also in severe ailment due to a
pre-chronic disease, but I never wanted to have any sympathy or empathy
wherever I was. Thus, I moved to Bangalore and joined the company by August
2007. It was painful time for me to be away from AMMA.
During 2007 December holidays, I came to my home in Kochi. And had booked back ticket to Bangalore 30th December, as 31st was a Monday, a working day. As I was walking through the Ernakulam station, I started limping with a pain in my right leg. I told my father that I have a pain in my leg, but he thought it may be a light pain, and maybe I slept wrongly the other day. And he took me to the train and the train left. The pain intensity was increasing, not knowing what to do, I just held on to pain throughout the journey. After reaching Bangalore, I had to take pain-killer injections to walk around. Suddenly, after one week it worsened to a state where I couldn’t even lift my right leg. I called my brother and my fiancée who were working at that time in Bangalore. Seeing the seriousness, my brother booked a ticket back home in a sleeper bus where I can lay down. I required a support to walk at that point of time. My parents were also worried. We went to AIMS hospital, took an MRI as it was urgent. Then came the shocking fact that my hip-bones have started detoriating and required to have a hip-replacement surgery. As, I was already on other medication and a chronic patient, my parents were distressed by this. We had to take a decision, somehow at that point of time AMMA was on tour and was not in Amritapuri, so we were put into an awkward situation.
At that time, my father had a swapna darshanam (AMMA came in his dreams), and told him to call his yoga teacher. My father had not been in contact with him for a long time. My father through his contacts and friends, somehow managed to get the contact of this Yoga teacher and immediately he gave an appointment. The yoga teacher, showed me some asanas and exercises which were practically impossible for me to do at that time. But with my father’s help and support in lifting my legs, I slowly started to pick up. When we came to know about AMMA’s visit in Ernakulam Brahmasthanam, we got ready and went to see AMMA. AMMA initially scolded telling, “why do you come to Ernakulam at this crowded program, how can AMMA talk at this peek darshan time”. We were sad to hear AMMA’s words, suddenly AMMA called back and told us to come to Thrissur program.
Father and I set for the next program to Thrissur, it was also a crowded program. We were entering the hall, suddenly an elderly man came towards us and told “these are two tokens, you can go for darshan now”. We were wonderstuck, we asked him why he is giving the tokens. He told us that he was sitting at the back of AMMA’s seat where AMMA is giving darshan, suddenly AMMA turned to look at him as if telling him that the tokens he have should be given to us who were entering the hall. My father and I had to hold our tears when we heard this. We looked towards the darshan line and the displayed token number, it was exactly the same token number as the one we got from him. We straight-away went to the queue, the stage was all well set by AMMA, when we reached near AMMA, we asked Her what should I do, if I should go back to Bangalore with this problem and continue the Yoga. She suddenly called Br.Sudeepji (now Br. Devidasa Chaithanya) and asked him “is it not that there is interview for teachers soon to be conducted, let her also take part in the interview”. That was the moment when AMMA decided my carrier (fulfilling my hidden desire to be a teacher and to stay in Amritapuri).
Also, as a passionate dancer, and this problem with my leg was a big blow for the dancer in me. Slowly, AMMA had started her treatment in Amritapuri for me in the form of AmritaSethu Bridge, which became my physiotherapy. Slowly, I could walk without support, even though certain movements were restricted. Even though still I have these problems with my legs, AMMA has made me dance as it is my passion and gave me chances to offer each dance at the lotus feet of Devi Parashakiti, my AMMA. When I dance, I feel like a dancing puppet where the strings to control the movements are in the hands of my Divine Guru.
AMMA
always protects me like a chick under the wings of the Mother Hen. I don’t know
how to show my gratitude to AMMA, but I keep on trying to be a good teacher to the maximum
possible ways, as I see this carrier as the service to AMMA.
Offering
this experience at the lotus of feet of AMMA.
AMMA’s
daughter, Thushara
(AMMA’s
Dew)
