Divine Mother's Message

Part four of Amma's benedictory address in Amritapuri on the occasion of Her 47th birthday

Bharat (India) is the land of rishis (seers). They have handed down to us a timeless culture that stands for the welfare and uplift of the whole world. That culture is our mother. We need to revitalise and safeguard this culture. Our ancestors advised us in the following terms: "Matrudevo bhava" ("Regard Mother as God"), "Pitrudevo bhava" ("Regard Father as God"), "Acharyadevo bhava" ("Regard Preceptor as God") and "Atithidevo bhava" ("Regard Guest as God"); they also practised these tenets in their lives. The underlying love is the link that unites society. Today, that link is breaking up, and more and more, we see each individual living like an island unto himself or herself.

There is a lot that we have to learn from the Western culture. However, we have to preserve and cherish our own culture at the same time. Today, everything is an imitation. Even our lives have become imitations. Disowning our culture while embracing another is like cutting the body to fit the dress, or biting into an artificial apple to appease our hunger. Because of this imitation, we are losing our spontaneity; we are becoming physically and mentally sapped.

We need to shower love on our children and enhance their awareness at the same time. What do we mean by awareness? Suppose we walk along a particular course on a grassy path over many days, a trail will form easily; but no trail will form no matter how much we tread a rocky path. We can shape wet clay into a good pot. Similarly, if we instil culture in children from their formative years, we can mould them easily. If not, it will be difficult to do so when they are older. A plant in a dark room will grow in the direction of sunlight. Likewise, children yearn for love, acceptance and attention; they will go where they can find them. That is why we must give them these.

In the olden days, spirituality was the inspiration behind the games and art forms promoted by society. Through such means, a positive culture was ingrained in people. In contrast, television, cinema halls and other contemporary forms of recreation are becoming threats to culture. To retain the harmony and rhythm of society, it is necessary to revive the spiritual basis of the arts.

Everyone desires freedom. Today, each one is concerned only about his or her rights. People forget about their responsibilities. Excessive freedom in one place will create a wound in another. We should not forget this. The harmony and rhythm of nature are lost when self-centredness and unrighteousness increase. Trying to satisfy the endless desires of an uncontrolled mind will lead to disappointment. As soon as one desire is fulfilled, two more will take its place. Therefore, we should learn to discriminate between what is essential and what is not, and thus control our desires. We should realise that to give is a higher dharma than to take. Or else, our dharma will perish.

Woman is sister, mother or wife. Man is brother, father or husband. We should give each his or her proper place and be able to see each with a pure attitude. We should be able to safeguard and perpetuate good practices and culture. The unitive understanding that both are of one soul should colour the relation between husband and wife. Similarly, we should teach our children to love and respect elders and teachers.

We should revive the love that upholds family life, social life and nature. The debt that children and youth owe to their parents and teachers, the indebtedness of the individual to society, the obligations of the student to the teacher, the responsibilities of the elders towards the younger generation, the duties each citizen has to the nation - we should try to awaken a sense of all these in the hearts of people.

We can never repay the debt that we owe our mother, who carried us in her womb for nine months and raised us thereafter. Nevertheless, we should cultivate an attitude that predisposes us to sharing her pains, obeying and loving her, and meeting her needs at appropriate times.

Our culture and motherland are our mothers. If we break this culture-bound bond, we will be like kites with snapped twines, drifting in the sky. Cherishing our culture and serving our motherland constitute our dharma. By nurturing our culture and dharma, we can build a new nation and a new world that will usher in a dawn of peace and prosperity. In this way, we can re-establish harmony and rhythm in all of nature.

For this to happen, Amma's children should work together with a firm resolve. Amma prays to the Supreme Being for the success of Her children's endeavours.

(continued in February)