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I. T Park at Jlmrita Institutions, Ettimadai, Coimbatore

(From L to R) Shri Pramod Mahajan, Br.Abhayamrita Chaitanya, Correspondent, Amrita Institutions, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, MP, and Mr. Marcus Wah-Onn Lim, Manager, Asia Pacific, on the dais

Shri Shibulal, Director, Infosys, inaugurating the VLSI counter

Shri Pramod Mahajau, Union Minister for Information Technology, unveiling the foundation stone of Amrita Information Technology Park

Shri R(tmadmtti, CF.O, Tat a Consult a nc:y Servi ccs, i 11 rtllg lfl 111 i ng the CAl)/( ';1M l.tth by lighting tbt: /11111 fJ

Matruvani·· April 2001

Vol.>l2, No.8

tents

Cultivating Good Habits - II .......... 7

Swami Ramakrishnananda

Amrita Ohara .............................. 1 6

Swami T uriyamritananda

The Four Leaf Clover ................. 19

Bri. Nirma!amrita Chaitanya

Printed and published by Everything has Value ................. 28 Swami· Jnanamritananda for Children's Column

and on behalf of

Mata Amritanandamayi Th G · G d II 30 MissionT~ust, e UfU IS O • '' ... "" .• '" ''. '.

Amritapuri P.O., Radhika Nair Kollam Dt.,

Keralam 690 525, India . . Phone: (0476) 896278, Amntapun News ......................... 38

896179, 897578, 896399,

at Amrita Offset Printers Hon. Editor:

Br. Shubamrita Chaitanya

Question: Many of the students who practice yoga and other spiritual disciplines are householders. Their families and friends are important to them. Will this be an obstacle on their spiritual path?

Mother: A householder can definitely attain Self­

realisation. But for this to happen, he or she has to perform his or her actions selflessly, without attachment and with an attitude of surrender at God's feet. A true householder has the attitude, "Everything that is mine belongs to God; nothing belongs to me." He or she has the strong conviction that God alone is his or her mother, father, relative and friend. But this attitude of surrender and self-sacrifice is difficult to cultivate. Continuous effort is needed.

Amma never asks householders to run away from the world for the sake of the spiritual quest, for to do so is cowardice. We should try to perform our duties in the world as diligently as possible. Those who run away from their worldly responsibilities aren't

really fit for spiritual lilt· . That is why, in the MahafJ/J(frata. Sri Krishna did not allow Arjuna to run away from the battiL'field and become a sannyasi. Life is a battlefield. We cannot run away from it. We. may go to the Himalayas or to a forest or an ashram, but the problems in life will continue to chase us even there . An intelligeQt person goes through life using his or her discrimination, performing his or her duties with great attention. To truly live is to build one's life on a strong spiritual foundation.

We should not forget that compassion towards the poor

"

t:ti t\.ATI{UVANI ~·

O(J}mntJ oft{"tA l~ A . . . h A b L' d ./\_1 n 1nterv1ew Wlt mma y 1n a ,L

11 1

Johnsen for the Yoga Journal. ~' ,._'J?,I)

and the suffering is our duty to God. Our quest for the Self starts with our selfless service in the world. If all we do is sit in meditation with our eyes closed, anticipating the third eye to open, we will be disappointed. We cannot escape from the world by keeping our eyes closed. Spiritual practice is the effort we make to see the oneness of all beings in creation, with open eyes. When that vision becomes spontaneous, that is Self-realisation.

Death can come to us at any moment. It will snatch everything away from us, even our own body. That is why Amma stresses that through our spiritual practice we should develop the attitude of detachment towards everything in the world. Only with this attitude will we be able to face death fearlessly. By absorbing the highest spiritual ideals, we are preparing ourselves for this transformation to take place: the transformation of attachment into detachment.

The state of sannyas or relinquishing the world has not gained that much prominence in the West. The life of a sannyasi is a life of surrender, both externally and internally, for the good of the world. A true householder leads the life of a householder externally, ani the life of a sannyasi internally. To renounce everything may not be easy for everyone. But we should try to cultivate the inner attitude of renunciation. A householder may be facing many problems in life, but he can still be absolutely calm within, This is not impossible. If we read the Puranas, we will find that most of the ancient Rishis [Self-realised Seers] were householders. They were ordinary people. If they could still attain the Truth, surely you will also be able to do so. You

A~'tit 2001 3

~ A T R U V A N I

have that inner strength. A householder should be like a bird sitting on tl ll' ( lry twig

of a tree. While perching on the twig, the bird may hl' eating something or it may fall asleep, but it is always alert :trH..I wide awake within-always ready to fly. It knows that if there is a strong breeze, the branch could suddenly give way. Similarly, a householder should be aware that all relationships in the world are just temporary and can end at any moment.

We should look upon our duties in the world as being assigned to us by God. If we have that strong faith, we will be able to perform all our duties as God's servants, without any sense of doership. We have to perform the duties that have been assigned to us. We should think of those actions as being part of our spiritual practice. We should perform each action as a form of worship. We shouldn't be attached to what we do. We should never let our focus stray from our awareness of the Self. This is the centre of our existence. We are now living as if we were locked up in a jail, the jail of our likes and dislikes. But that is not our real abode. We shouldn't see the objects of our desires and attachments as ornaments adorning us-they are chains that bind us. Until we realise the Self, we will never know what true freedom is.

..:'!!'; ,.._..;v~·

·~~~

Question: What is real freedom? Mother: The life of a person who has realised the Self is like a crystal clear stream flowing from a lake in the mountain terrain. We may see water continuously gushing forth from the lake into the valley as waterfalls. But the bottom of the lake is still and peaceful. This lake never dries. It will always be full. Anybody can drink water from it and quench their thirst. In the same way, it is the nature of those who are established in the Self to constantly give of themselves. They never ask for an) thing in return. A real sannyasi aspires to be like an itKl'lls<' :--tick, spreading fragrance all around while burning llirn <l!' ill'rsclf 4 A;fPtd 2001

.'\ A T R

We should look upon our duties in the world as being assigned to us by Qod. If we

have that strong faith, we will be able to perform all our duties as Qod,s servants,

without any sense of doership. We have to perform the duties that have been assigned to us.

We should think of those actions as being part of our

spiritual practice. We should perform each action as a form

of worship.

out. That is motto of the sannyasi's life. When the ego is eliminated we become that Supreme

Consciousness. In the life of a Mahatma, there is something new in every moment. A Mahatma is the Supreme Consciousness · residing in everything, illuminating everything. When we transcend the ego, we become everything. Then our minds can never be enslaved by anger or lust. We become the whole of creation. We experience the state of a jnani [o.ne who has attained supreme knowledge and wisdoml. That is real transformation. Such beings who experience the Truth have always existed. They exist even today. Let us make every effort to reach that state. Let us surrender to the beauty of the infinite Self. Let us becomes perfect examples for the whole "or! d.

'.,~·' ,.._\;{A, ·~'Xf

"If world peace has to become a reality, peace and harmony first have to fill the heart of every individual. Love

for humanity has to be awakened within us." - Amma (UN Speech 2000)

Aft-~td 2001 s

.t1' t\ A T R

Amma'·s Itin~ra.ry April2-3: Calcutta

May 2-5: Coimbatore Brahmasthanam Pratishta Mahotsavam

& Australia

April 6-9: Reunion Island April 10-12: Mauritius Brahmasthanam Mahotsavam April 14-16: Singapore April 18-22: Melbourne April 24-25: Sydney April 26: Brisbane April 27-29: Gold Coast

Swarr\T · Q.amal).rishnfiiuindaj{~'Visits Australia ,:),(:tf{I'@i%0~

Q wami Ramakrishnanandaji's U annual visit to Australia took place from February 1 to 17. Swamiji held programmes at Adelaide, Melbourne, Tasmania, Brisbane, Byron Bay; Sydney; and Perth, which were well attended. His programmes included meditation retreats, seminars, satsangs and bhajans. 1'1 Swamiji also led a Dosha Nivarana puja in Adelaide, and a Kalasa Puja in Perth. 1-J;

Kalasa Puja held at Perth under Swamiji's guidance.

Satsang at Adelaide

tl A T R U V A N I n

Culti~•ting Goo.d H.hits •. , .• W4, Qf :u.~ •. ,~~~·il', QUi o, •. titv.d~ (;Q a .•••

A talk by Swami Ramakrishnananda at M.A.Center, San Ramon on the occasion of Ammo's Birthday.

Part II

1) ~

"'\VJhen we stand before great Masters, we become silent W with awe and admiration. Suppose we are standing in

front of the great Himalayas. Seeing their height and greatness, we will feel overwhelmed with awe and even fear. We become silent and humble. We feel that we are totally insignificant in the presence of such great phenomena, or in the presence of a great Master. Prostrating at the Master's feet represents humility. In return, the Guru turns us into someone like him or her. · That is the greatness of the Guru. In worldly • life, an officer may not want his subordinate to become greater than him. But a Master is different. The Master wants all of his disciples to be like him , or to become

Ap'tiC zoot 7

r!,;, .'\ A T I<. U V A N I

even greater. This is because a Master's love is s<:llless; it is not based on conditions. This is not the case in worldly life.

What we can do is just be grateful to Amma for having come into our lives, even though Amma doesn't want anything from us. This gratitude means being conscious of every little act of kindness towards us. Someone once said that gratitude is the means by which we draw the forgiveness and mercy of God towards ourselves. When we feel grateful to somebody, there is no need to compare what he has done for us with what we have done for him. Forget about what we have done. Remember only the good things that others have been done to us. All our spiritual practices are done to eliminate the ego. The ego can creep in even while we are doing good things.

I remember a story about a priest. One day he had a special experience that made him feel God's grace. That evening, as he was standing before the shrine, he prayed to God: "Oh Lord, I am really grateful to you. Your compassion and grace are so great. I am nothing. I am an insignificant creature in your presence." As the priest was praying Ehus, the caretaker overheard his words. He too started praying, "Oh Lord, I am nothing. I am an insignificant creature on whom you are showering your compassion." The priest's assistant nudged the priest and said, "Look who thinks he is insignificant and nothing! He speaks to God just like you." Even though the caretaker was also expressing his gratitude to God, the priest thought, "How dare he say that!"

What the priest felt was not gratitude. Amma says that gratitude should be expressed in our words, deeds and thoughts. But the ego is very subtle. All our spiritual practices are aimed at eliminating the ego.

The advice that Amma gives on this matter can be classified into three categories, just as Lord Krishna classified it in the Bhagavad Gita. The first category is yagna-worshipping Cod or praying to God. The second is danam-charity. The third is tapas--penance. F Aft~te 2001

.'\ I\ T I<. u \' A :"! I

Yagna means worshipping or praying to God purely out of gratitude, without expecting any favour. After all, we owe our very lives to God. To express our gratitude, to repay our indebtedness, Amma says we have to worship God. Worship or yagna can take different forms: chanting the 108 or 1000 names, meditation, chanting the mantras or reading the holy texts.

The second category is charity or danam. Amma says that it doesn't have to be in the form of money. If you are rich, you can help others with money. For example, if you know of children who are not able to go to school for want of money or if you know of some orphans, you can help them financially. Perhaps you can't give any money, but you have a skill or talent. With that, you can teach those children something. Or if you are physically strong, you can do some service in a temple, church, hospital or home for the elderly. Thus, charity can take the form of our skills, talents, physical strength or money. Amma says that these are also ways of expressing our gratitude to God.

The third category is tapas or penance. Tapas means heat. Whatever creates heat in us is tapas. Struggle is also tapas. Struggle implies striving towards something good, not something bad. It is easy to perform bad actions. Good habits, like controlling one's anger, being patient, not judging or finding fault with

Aft~te 2001 li

1'\. A T I{ U \ ' :\ :'{ I

others, involve a lot of struggle. This is bccausv we arc not used to doing all these things, and now we want to do them.

Suppose I am used to drinking coffee at seven o'clock and meditating after that. One day my wife forgets to bring it at seven. I may get angry. I postpone my meditation to 7:30, then 8:00, and then 8:30. But she has forgotten my coffee. And there goes my meditation. Instead of waiting for my wife to bring me my coffee, I could go and make a better cup of coffee, because if I make it for myself, I will do it very well. Or why can't I meditate and then drink the coffee? There is nothing wrong in drinking a cup of coffee. But instead of waiting for the coffee to arrive, let me start my meditation. But don't meditate on coffee!

Or let's take the case of taking a shower early in the morning. Taking an early morning shower is also tapas. We always feel fresh afterwards. So, before meditating or doing our spiritual practices, we should take a shower. Lord Krishna says that there are three ways of avoiding our early morning shower, based on the predominant quality in us. One is the tamasic way. Lazy people will think, "Why should I take a shower early in the morning? There's always water in the tap--24 hours a day; I can always take a shower in the evening." Rajasic people will say: "I am a very busy person. I have so many appointments. If I take an early morning shower, I may fall sick or catch a cold, so I will do it later." There is also a sattvic way of avoiding a shower early in the morning: taking a sponge bath. Just wet a cloth and rub it on your body!

Thus, even with a bath, we can cultivate tapas, if taking an early morning shower involves a struggle for us. Our intellect says, "It is good. Aroma says that we should shower early in the morning." But our mind resists: it says one thing, but our conviction and discrimination say something else. Eventually, the mind wins most of the time. That is why Amma says that tapas can start with simple things like drinking coffee and taking a morning shower. We can start our tapas with cofTet~ "From 1o Aft'Z-it 2001

1'\.ATRUVAN

tomorrow onwards, if I don't get my coffee, even if it's seven o'clock, I will go and meditate. And after meditation, I will drink my coffee."

Aroma says that all of us have to practice some sort of tapas in our lives, because it's a challenge for us. This is the only way we can tame our mind. Whatever instructions Aroma has given us can be categorised into these three classes: yagnam, danam and tapas. We are all doing spiritual practices, no doubt. But if you want to get the full benefit of that, some discipline is also necessary.

You must have heard of the ayurvedic system of medicine. More than the medicine, the discipline we are supposed to follow after taking the medicine is very important. Certain foods have to be avoided if the ayurvedic medicine is to have an effect. They'll tell us to eat only those items that we don't want to eat or which we don't like at all, for example bitter gourd. In the same way, we should also practise yagnam, danam and tapas if we really want to get the full benefit of our spiritual practices.

We may spend a whole day listening to discourses about Aroma and thinking about Aroma only. That is a good thing as we rarely get such an opportunity. But tomorrow we may think that it's okay even if we don't meditate. However, if we want to have the full benefit, Aroma says, "Whatever we do, whatever we say, whatever we think - all of these things should prepare us for meditation." Otherwise, it is like taking ten steps forward and then moving back. So, whatever we do in life, even if it happens to be a worldly job, we should turn it into a spiritual endeavour through our attitude. Amma says that a fifty-fifty approach will not give us the full benefit.

I remember a story that Aroma narrated. There was once a businessman. While on a business trip, he had to go to many places and one day he got stuck in a remote village. That night he stayed in a small hotel. As he had been travelling for two or three weeks, he missed his wife, children and especially the

Aft'Z-it 2001 II

n A r R U V A ~ I

delicious chicken curry his wife used to prepare. He was thinking, "Oh, how peaceful and happy I was when I ate chicken curry prepared by my wife." As he continued thinking about it, his desire for chicken curry became overwhelming. He looked in the Yellow Pages. To his surprise, he found that there was a good restaurant just a few blocks away from the hotel where he was staying. Since it was already late, he didn't want to take a chance. He ran until he reached the restaurant. There, he looked at the menu and saw the exact dish he had been thinking about. No sooner had he ordered that dish than the waiter served it. He was surprised by the size of the serving also. For such a reasonable price, the dish contained so many pieces of chicken breast. He thought, "Oh, I must tell all my friends to come and eat here." As he had not eaten much lunch that day, he was really hungry. He started attacking the food immediately. Within a short time, he finished almost all of the curry.

Then he realised, "They gave me so many pieces of chicken, but it didn't taste like chicken. It tasted like something else, like steak." He called the waiter and asked him, "What is in this dish?" The waiter replied, "Just chicken breast, nothing else." But the man was not satisfied with the answer. He rushed to the manager and asked in a raised voice, "I asked for chicken curry but they gave me something else. Not even a single piece tasted like chicken!" The manager said, "No, sir. It is definitely chicken, nothing else." The businessman said, "I don't believe it. I am going to complain to the authorities!" Then, the manager said in a low voice, "Sir, if you have any complaint, I will refund your money. You do not have to pay." He called the cook who had prepared the dish and asked for an explanation. The cook replied, "It is true, sir, that we ran out of chicken today. All I could find was one very small chicken. But there were so many orders. And the only other thing available was a big buffalo. So I cooked the dish in a ratio of one-to-one." The manager asked, "What do you mean, one-to-one?" The cook replied, "Fifty-fifty, one-to-one. I put in one chicken ;1nd one

..., A- ·" -- -~ {.:; Ap~te ZOO!

To get the maximum benefit, Jlmma says that it is important for all of us to cultivate some

sort of discipline or tapas in our lives: fasting, keeping a vow of silence, doing more meditation or chanting more mantras-it can take any form, depending

on what suits us.

buffalo." No wonder the curry tasted like steak! One chicken means five pieces, maybe. One buffalo is a thousand pieces! So how could the dish have tasted like chicken?

Likewise, we may spend one day here (at the ashram), and the next day we do whatever we want. Whatever benefit we get from doing spiritual practices will not be fully realised, just as the taste of one chicken will be overwhelmed by the taste of the steak. To get the maximum benefit, Amma says that it is important for all of us to cultivate some sort of discipline or tapas in our lives: fasting, keeping a vow of silence, doing more meditation or chanting more mantras-it can take any form, depending on what suits us. Try to practise at least one discipline every year.

This year, I heard that the motto for Amma's birthday celebrations in India is to cultivate a good habit each day. "Today I am not goilJg to talk harshly to anybody. I am going to talk to everybody with a smile on my face." This is one vow. The next day, "I am not going to find fault with anybody."

Many other good habits will follow that one good habit. If one ant goes somewhere, other ants will follow it. Likewise, one good habit is enough to make other habits follow suit. In order to avoid the benefits of our spiritual practices from fading into oblivion, let us make a commitment today that "this year, I will try to cultivate one good habit." Not that we don't have any

Ap~te ZOO! 13

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~ A T R U V A N I

good habits, but we always want to cultivate just one more. Today is navaratri, an auspicious day to make a good

resolution. Navaratri means nine nights of celebration to worship the Divine Mother or Goddess. The nine nights are divided into three sets of three days each. The first three days are for worshipping Durga, the next three days are for worshipping Lakshmi. Today is part of the second set of days, and coincides with Lakshmi puja. Lakshmi stands for auspiciousness, all the good qualities and the abundance in our lives. Let us therefore make the resolve: "I am going to cultivate a good value in my life." Just one more good value.

In short, gratitude to Amma should be expressed through our actions, words and thoughts. Only then can we start to repay Amma for what she has given to us. The most important thing she has given us is a glimpse into our own Self or the Truth, by gaining which, there is nothing more to be gained. So let us be grateful to Amma and remember her in our every action. Amma doesn't want anything from us. After a flower has fully blossomed, whoever happens to come near the flower will receive the gift of the flower's fragrance. Likewise, Amma is full and complete. She is overflowing with love, compassion and grace. Whoever goes near her will naturally receive all of this. In Amma's case, you don't even need to go near her; you can be far away physically. Just as the wind carries the fragrance of a· flower, by thinking of Amma, we will experience her love, compassion and grace even if we are far away from her physically. L~ us receive as much of this love, compassion and grace as we can. And the best way to become instruments fit enough to receive Amma's blessings and grace is by being willing to practice what Amma advises us.

Let us all pray to Amma to give us the strength of mind to make this commitment this year, to cultivate one extra good habit. Thus, we can progress toward the goal of Self-realisation.

Om Amriteswaryai Namah

Aft"'it 2001 Is

ft A T R U V A N I

...... ~ ..;~

• l. a "' ·l d' .... ,

A poetical rendering of Amma's immortal

utterances by Swami

Turiyamritananda, offered at the Lotus Feet of Amma on the occa­

sion of Her 46th Birthday.

(English translation: Prof Muraleedhara

Menon)

·· mf'ifa ~h.a-ra

' 0 ~: e

Come quickly, my sweet children! You are the very essence of Om. Be adorable, cast off your sorrows, Become one with Om, the Pranava EternaL

We care not for the earth and the creation around, But are in great haste to reach heaven. Not knowing how to knock at the very door, We go about knocking at all distant doors in vain.

I 6 Ap.'tit 2001

ft A T R U V A N I

The ignorant and the deluded are prone to fancy Cjod as a remote entity, away from their reality. The wise ones who plunge within themselves and contemplate Know well He is none other than his very own Self.

Divine love is the supreme passion Before which all earthly love is trivial. It is more intense, deep and abiding Than what a mother's heart pours out to her babe.

Seek and know for certain, my children, Cjod's kingdom is in your very heart. Sing the hymns in rapturous devotion; Reach His Lotus Feet and be blessed.

The luminous rays from heaven, all-purifying, Will flood the hearts devoted solely to Cjod. Their path is straight, dear and illumined, And the end is the ultimate merger in Clod's eternal bliss.

:: 0 : e

(concluded)

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Kollam Dt., Keralam - 690525 Ap.'tit 2001 17

'1-

·1~· t\ A T R U V A N I

ATTENTION DEVOTEES:

Coimbatore Brahmasthanam Pratishta Mahotsavam

(Correction of dates that are on page 6)

The Brahmasthana Pratishta Mahotsavam at Coimbatore will be held from 30th April to 4th May, 2001.

If rlp'£it 2001

t ~~pered man He will not become angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, He.will shout at him to steer

clear. the. shol._!t is not heard, he will_

t\ A T R U V A N I P

lrlht<e JF <O> lUDF-lL<e <alf

<Cl <O>V<e JF By Bri. .Nirma1am.rita

Part I

Bri. Nirmalamrita gave this satsang just a few weeks before she merged in Amma in the spring of 1999.

~· .. 0 0 0 ~ Om Amriteswaryai Namah. I offer my salutations to our

beloved Amma and to all of my brothers and sisters sitting here. •

Once about eight years ago, I was taking a walk with my brother and his son through a beautiful redwood grove on the Northern California Coast. It was the first year that I had been sent early from India to the California ashram for the purpose of helping to plan and prepare for the tour. I was fee ling very sad to be so far away from Amma and was feeling out of place in what used to be my homeland. Because I had been living in India and hadn't seen my family for a couple of years, we went

Ap.'£it 2001 19

M A T R U V A N I

on a picnic one afternoon in the coastal redwoods south of San Francisco.

The forest was deep, dark, cool and lovely and I was enjoying the natural beauty that surrounded me. As you all know, redwood trees are the tallest trees in the world and the forest floor only gets the filtered rays of light from above. In a dense grove of redwood trees it can be quite dark and very beautiful with the tall tree trunks rising high like the columns of an ancient cathedral. And like in the ancient cathedrals of Europe, we felt a silence that we didn't dare betray, so when we spoke it was only in hushed tones. .

As we walked along, we saw ahead of us a brilliant shaft of light that penetrated an opening in the green canopy above. The beam of light pierced the darkness of the forest and illuminated a lovely, bright-green patch of clover on the forest floor. It was as if a spotlight from heaven was illuminating something sacred and mysterious on the forest floor, beckoning us towards something important. Captivated by this sight, I thought aloud, "Oh, Amma! Wouldn't it be wonderful to find a four-leaf clover!" In delight I ran over to the shining patch of clover and, looking down, I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't even have to search; it was the first thing my eyes rested on­a four-leaf clover!

This really blew my mind. Never before in my life had I ever even seen a four-leaf clover, except maybe something preserved. in resin in some key chain somewhere. And here one was, immediately after I'd had that thought. Clearly, it was Amma's doing. Her loving presence flooded my being and I felt completely loved. At that moment I knew without any doubt that Amma was there with me, guiding me, loving me and holding me even on this little outing with my family.

My brother caught up with me and said "Far out! You found one! That's a sign of very good luck." I couldn't even begin to tell him what I was experiencing. Silently we continued our walk and I reflected on my good luck. "Yes, it's true," I thought, 20 A~t-,_c:t 2001

t

1

M A T R U V A N I

"I am lucky, luckier than anyone can imagine, because I am Amma's child. I'm hers completely, under her Divine guidance, protection, and care, and she loves me so much. She is here with me right now and she just gave me this incredible gift. And even more than that, she is my beloved Guru who is taking me Home."

And that's what I want to talk about tonight: about our incredible good fortune to be Amma's children and to be under her tender and loving guidance and care; about her rare gift to us and her presence, and about simply being with Amma. But more importantly I want to talk about the power of the mind and mental attitude and how it can allow or deny us all these things.

Mother really stresses the point of mental attitude. In her birthday speech last September she told us that we cannot overcome the problems we face by merely trying to change aur outer circumstances. Instead, she said we have to change our attitude and our mentality. If changing the external situations could solve our problems, those that live in air-conditioned rooms and travel in air-conditioned cars would have peace of mind. Amma tells us that it is our mental state that needs to be altered.

I remember a story that Amma narrates often. It is about a big tough samurai who once went to see a little monk.

""Monk," he said in a voice accustomed to instant obedience, "teach me about heaven and hell."

The monk looked up at this mighty warrior and replied with utter disdain: "Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn't teach you about anything. You're dirty. You smell. Your blade is rusty. You are a disgrace and embarrassment to the samurai class. Get out of my sight. I can't stand you!"

The samurai was furious. He shook, got red in the face, and was speechless with rage. He pulled out his sword and raised it above him preparing to slay the monk.

"That's hell," the monk said softly. Aft"'e 2001 21

~ A T R U V A N I ~t

The samurai was overwhelmed by the compassion and surrender of this little man who had offered his life to give this teaching, to show him what hell was. He slowly put down his sword, filled with gratitude, and was suddenly peaceful.

"And that's heaven," said the monk softly. Our minds make our heaven and our hell. All the great souls

have been great because of their mastery over their minds. There is the example of Mirabai, the famous saint of Rajasthan.

The Rana of Mewar wanted to kill her and sent a cup of poison to her. Even though Mirabai knew it was poison, she accepted the cup and drank it. But nothing happened. The Rana tried other means to kill her, but was unsuccessful. And thr~ughout all this, Mira remained blissful and unperturbed. Mother says this is because as far as Mirabai was concerned, everything was her beloved Lord Krishna. Her Lord did everything for her, whether it seemed good or bad. Whatever happened, she had no complaints. She simply accepted everything that came to her as his prasad. For her, the entire universe was Krishna and she had become one with all of creation. The whole of creation was protecting her, so how could any poison affect her unless she wanted it to?

Mother is the greatest example of someone who lives this principle. Throughout her childhood she underwent severe trials and tribulations, yet she was always able to confront all situations with a smile. She never complained about the way her family treated her, but instead cheerfully did all the chores that were asked of her. Her mind was constantly fixed on her beloved Lord.

Even when her own brother and cousin tried to kill her, she smiled at them and said, "I am not afraid of death. You may kill this body, but the Self is immortal and indestructible. You cannot kill the Self." Then she sat down calmly and quietly. The assassins were powerless; they couldn't do anything to her.

Once, when I first met Amma, we went out for an evening programme in another village, and returned to the ashram at 22 Ap~tit 2001

t l: ~ATRUVANI

about 3:00 a.m. We were standing on the other side of the backwaters at the boat jetty, waiting for a boat to take us across to the ashram. I was standing right next to Amma and she asked me if I was tired. I said, "Yes." Not knowing who Amma really was, I asked her if she was tired. She told me that she wasn't, that giving other people happiness gave her strength and energy. Mother is always showing us the truth to this statement. On Christmas Eve this December, the Devi Bhava in Amritapuri lasted until 10 a .m. Amma had started giving darshan at 10 in the morning and after only a 11fz-hour break in the afternoon, gave Devi Bhava darshan until 10:00 a.m. Christmas morning. That was 24 hours! Mother gave clarshan to more than 10,000 people! But what really impressed me the most was that she was smiling afterwards. Her body was so tired that she had some difficulty climbing clown the spiral staircase, but she was smiling. This is only possible because she is master of her mind.

Unfortunately, we aren't like Amma. Rather than being identified with the Divine, we are fully identified with our bodies, minds and intellects. Because of this identification, we are prisoners of our own limitations. We are prisoners of our minds, and fully convinced that we are this silly ego, which, in our delusion we think is something significant and great. This is the very source of our suffering.

Our state is like the state of the man who thought he was a worm. Thinking he was a worm, he couldn't go to work because along the w<ry there was a chicken farm and he was afraid he would get eaten. His wife took him to a psychiatrist and he underwent treatment for a few years until finally the psychiatrist said to him, "Congratulations! You are cured! You no longer think you are a worm. You don't need to see me anymore." The man thanked him profusely saying, "Yes, I am glad to be a man again and not a worm!" The next day he started walking to work, but when he came to the chicken farm he panicked and ran back home. His wife took him back to the psychiatrist who

Ap~tit 2001 2 3

~'M.ATRUVANI ~:,1

said, "What happened? You know that you aren't a worm. Why are you afraid?" The man said, "Yes, I know I'm not a worm, but do those chickens know?"

It's clear that attitude is what's important in any situation. But, like the samurai, we are slaves rather than masters of our minds. It is, however, not at all a hopeless situation, because we have Mother to teach us how to be masters of our minds so that we can even smile at death. Through Mother's guidance, Grace, and our own self-effort, the mind's negativity will be washed away.

Self-effort is all-important, and Mother gives us a simple prescription. She doesn't ask us to sit somewhere in a cave and to torture our bodies by standing on one leg or starving 'ourselves. What she asks of us is to follow the golden rule-to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This is seeing God in everyone. The exercises that Mother prescribes for us, such as constant repetition of the mantra, selfless service, bhajans and meditation, purify our minds. A purified mind will perceive God in everyone and everything. In other words, these practices tune our minds to Mother, giving us the experience of her constant presence, Then we, too, will be masters of our minds.

I would like to explore one aspect of self-effort here. This is the effort of consciously adjusting our thoughts and attitudes in a positive way. There are always going to be difficulties and challenges in life, sometimes more so than at other times, But these situations are always opportunities to grow and to learn. If we can maintain the attitude that Mother is at all times taking care of us, and if we can look to the positive and see the good in every situation, it will greatly relieve our suffering.

Like most people, I am sometimes a victim of a negative mind, This negative mind can really make me miserable. I find that by being in Amma's presence, and I mean really being in Amma's presence, a negative mind can be greatly relieved if not completely eliminated, One explanation for this phenomenon is that our egos, desires, and attachments are like clouds that 24 Aft"tt 2001

M. A T R U V A N I

block the sun's rays. God's Grace is always shining equally on all of us, but if we have clouded our minds with desire, we cannot experience that Grace. Sitting in the presence of a Mahatma [great soul] has the effect of a Divine cosmic wind that blows away the clouds of desire, allowing us to experience the Grace and peace that are our true natural state. Thus, being in Amma's presence is purifying.

Mother once told me that it isn't possible for us to remove our negative thoughts by ourselves. She said that negative thoughts need to be replaced with good thoughts and she advised me to pray for good thoughts to replace the negative thoughts.

Sometimes we aren't even aware of our negative thoughts. Amma gives us all sorts of situations and circumstances that make us grow, and give us a chance to observe our minds.

The mind can be a powerful ally; it can help us greatly or it .can destroy us. I remember an incident that happened many years ago, An ashram resident had been my roommate at Amritapuri for ten years. We are very close friends, but in the early days of our stay at the ashram there could sometimes be a little competition between us. One day I happened to walk into the Western shop while this resident was working at the desk as cashier, Suddenly a brahmacharini walked in and whispered

Self-effort is all­important, and Mother gives us a simple

prescription. She doesn,t ask us to

sit somewhere in a eave and to

torture our bodies by standing on one

leg or starving ourselves. What

She asks of us is to follow the golden rule - to do unto

others as we would have them

do unto us. This is seeing Qod in

everyone. ,.~,. . ~· l':4'-~

Aft"d 2001 2S

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something in the resident's ears. She got a little flustered and asked me to sit at the desk while she hurried out the door in the direct-ion of Amma's room. "What's this?" I thought. When half an hour had gone by and she still hadn't come back, the truth of the situation dawned on me. Mother obviously had called my friend to her room to talk to her. I tried not to get upset. When an hour had gone, I closed the shop, went to the roof and cried my heart out for two solid hours. I considered jumping over the edge, but thought, "No, that would be too messy." It wasn't that I begrudged my friend for this chance to be with Mother, it's just that I longed for it so much myself. Why does she get all the chances and not me? Oh, I was so upset! Finally I had to go down and the same brahmacharini who had come to call my friend saw my swollen red face and ·asked me what was wrong. Boo hoo, I started to cry again and somehow blurted the whole sad story. The brahmacharini laughed at me and gave me a loving pinch. It was all the imaginings of my mind. The brahmacharini had called my friend to find a letter that was extremely urgent and she had run down to the office to look for it. The whole thing was a projection of my mind and my suffering was completely my own creation.

Mother creates these situations so that we can see how our minds work. I viewed the world in that episode through the eyes of my own jealousy and insecurity, and the result was a completely false and miserable reality. How much of our everyday world and experiences are coloured by our negative emotions an<i create for us a completely false reality?

(to be continued)

.. ,/ we dive deep enough into ourselves, we will find that the one

thread of universal love ties all beings together ...

- Jlmma Afvtit zoot 21

~ A T R U V A N

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~~· .~ b Children's column

Everything has Value

O nce upon a time, there were two pupils who were ready to leave the Gurukula. They went to the guru and said, "Gurudev, please

tell us what gift we may offer you as our Gurudakshimi" The guru was pleased with the pupils' love and gratitude. He also loved their devotion, discipline and sense of duty. He expected nothing more from them. However, he decided to add a little more to his pupils' wisdom. So, he said to them, "Dear children, go into the forest be­hind our Gurukula and bring me some dry leaves for which no one has any use."

The boys wondered why their guru had asked for this strange gift. But being obedient, they left for the forest as their guru wanted them to do.

As soon as they entered the forest, they saw a small heap of dry leaves beneath a tree. As they were picking up the leaves, an old farmer came running to them and said, "Please put those leaves back! I have collected them. I am taking them to my field. When I burn them their ashes will make excellent manure, which will enable me to get a rich crop of grains."

The boys left the heap and went a little further into the forest. There they saw three women collecting dry leaves and putting them into their baskets. "What are you going to do with these dry leaves?" asked the pupils. "Dear children," said one woman, "I use them as

2f A;b't-d 2001

~ A T R U V A N I

fuel to heat our bath water and for washing our clothes." The second woman said, "We pin the nicest leaves together with reed-pins and make leaf plates which are used as dinner plates in ashrams and temples. In this way, I earn some money to feed my children. The third woman said, "I collect dry leaves from this particular tree. My husband is a doctor who uses them for preparing herbal medicines. He cures many ailments.

The boys went still further into the forest. They saw some dry leaves under a tall tree. As they both were looking at them, a big bird swooped down, picked up a leaf, and flew away. The boys watched the bird carrying the leaf to the top of a small tree, where it was building a nest of dry leaves and grass. They did not wish to take away the dry leaves that were so useful to the bird.

Both the boys decided to go back to the Gurukula. On the way, they saw a small pond in which a big leaf was floating on the water. "There is a big leaf which isn't of any use to anyone," they said. They went to the pond and picked up the leaf. To their surprise, they saw two red ants crawling on it. As one of the boys held the leaf in his hand, the ants stopped moving as if to say, "This dry leaf is our life­boat. If it weren't for this leaf, we would have drowned."

The boys gave up their pursuit and returned to the Gurukula. In a sad tone, they said to the guru, "Gurudev, we couldn't bring you any leaves because we discovered that even dry leaves have so many uses. All the dry leaves we saw were being used for some purpose. Please forgive us for not bringing you the Gurudakshina you asked for."

"Dear chjldren," replied the guru, "I have received the Gurudakshina I wanted. The knowledge you have gathered today is my real Gurudakshina. Even a dry leaf is of great use and of help to human, birds and insects. How much more precious then is a human body when we put it to good use! So, take good care of your body and use it to make your life, as well as the lives of others, happy. Never miss the chance to serve the needy, the sick and the aged. Always help the ignorant and the poor. Never forget the lessons you have learned today.

Aum Arnriteswacyai Namah

A;a~tt 2001 29

M A T R U V A N I d

W e are so fortunate to be in the living presence of Amma. Now that we have a perfect Satguru, our focus should

be on how to become true disciples. A true disciple should develop qualities like surrender, love, compassion, detachment, renunciation, humility and faith. It seems like a tall order, but when you really love you Guru, the rest will follow. Amma says that when you love your Guru, good conduct and noble qualities will develop; dispassion and surrender will arise spontaneously and you willingly let the Guru mould you.

But how should one love Amma? You should love her with all your heart. You can start by trying to see Amma in everyone and everything. See your husband, child, parents, boss, grocery man and postman-everyone as Amma. Visualise in them Amma's sweet form with the nose ring and the white sari. Think of that beautiful beaming smile, the wavy locks of hair, the divine hands and fingers, and above all, those all-knowing, penetrating eyes. You will find yourself being truthful, humble, compassionate and going out of your way to help others. Gradually this will become your very nature.

Amma says that by loving others and giving of yourself to 30 Aft~it 2001

.'\ A T k' ll \' A N I ·St.

others, you will spread light around you like a candle, or fragrance like an incense stick, and in the process your ego will burn up.

The gopis of Vrindavan were very one-pointed. Their hearts ached for their Lord. They were oblivious to the outside world. For every breath they took, they thought of their Lord. Every cell in their bodies vibrated with the name of the Lord. Whatever they did and wherever they looked, they were aware of nothing but their enchanting Sri Krishna. They identified everything with their Guru: Intoxicated with love, they would call a spoon Govinda, the sugar Gopala, the plate Mukunda, their clothes Madhava and so on. These are the different names of Lord Krishna. They even thought that they themselves were Krishna. Thus, the gopis were so consumed by love that their individualities disappeared and merged with Sri Krishna.

There is a beautiful story about a devotee's love for her Guru. Her name was Sabari. She was of a low caste. She lived in a forest near the ashram of a sage called Mathanga. Hiding behind bushes and trees, she would listen to the Guru's lessons. She considered the sage to be her Guru. Unseen by him, she served him by removing the thorns, stones and pebbles that lay on the track leading to the river where he used to walk.

She lived on fruits and tubers from the jungle. After many years of intense yearning and tapas [austerities], she was finally accepted by Mathanga, the mahatma, as a disciple. She had by then reached a ripe old age. He told her to come and reside at the hermitage and to rest. Soon thereafter the sage decided to leave his body. He entrusted the hermitage to Sabari. She pleaded with her Guru to take her, too, because she couldn't conceive of a life without her beloved Guru. But in spite of her pleas, her Guru told her that she should remain and await the arrival of Lord Rama, that she should welcome the Lord with devotion and due honour.

Afterwards, in obedience to her Guru's instructions, she spent every moment of her life waiting for the Lord. She thought, "He might walk in at any time, so I have to be prepared to

A~it 2001 31

~ A T ~ U V A N I

''"clcome him." And she was. Sabari always kept her house and its surroundings beautifully clean. Every clay she cleaned the room and made the bed so that the Lord would be able to rest when he came. Each day she decorated the house, and not one clay passed by when she forgot to pave the pathway to her simple home with fresh, fragrant flowers. She picked the freshest and choicest fruits for the Lord to eat. All the puja articles for the ceremonial washing of the Lord's feet were kept shining and ready for use. The seat for her Lord to sit on was beautifully decorated every day. A sweet fragrance filled the atmosphere.

Every morning Sabari made a garland with freshly picked flowers. The Lord's beautiful form was constantly on her mind. With her eyes fixed on the pathway, Sabari, the great devotee, waited and waited for many years. Finally, the mom~nt arrived when Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman walked into the ashram. Seeing the Lord, Sabari couldn't contain her ecstasy nor suppress her adoration. She ran forward and fell at the feet of the Lord. Through her tears she managed to say that her tapas had now born fruit.

Due to her Guru's grace, she was granted the vision of the Lord. This land had now been sanctified and her Guru's wish fulfilled. She seated the Lord on the peetham, and with tear­laden eyes proceeded to wash his feet. With all her love, she garlanded him with flower, and then proceeded to feed him. She would take a bite off each fruit before feeding it to the Lord, lest the fruit was not sweet enough for him.

Amma says: "Remembrance comes when we forget." Our lives are based on two principles: forgetting and remembering. These two opposing but interdependent acts support our lives. For example, when a doctor is in the hospital, examining and treating his patients, he has to concentrate on his work to the exclusion of everything else. If he keeps thinking about his wife, home and family, how can he fulfil his duty as a doctor? But when he is at home, playing the role of husband and father, he should be able to pay proper attention to his family. for this to happen, he has to remove all thoughts about his 3 2 rtft<z-it 2001

~ A T R U V A N I

work and patients. This is how it was with Sabari: she forgot herself and only

remembered the Lord. And it led to the eternal union with the Lord. Most of us come to Amma with the expectation of instant liberation. We need to develop patience and love for the Guru as Sabari did. With every breath she took, she thought of her Lord. She spent years pining for him. This doesn't mean that we have to spend years and years waiting like Sabari did, but as long as we love Amma and have faith and patience in her, liberation can come to us in an instant. Similarly, if we want to fulfil our lives and attain the goal of Self-realisation, we must forget our worldly surroundings and other affairs, and only remember God, concentrating on him alone.

Amma says there is still another very quick shortcut to our long journey towards reaching the heights of love for our Guru: crying for God with all our heart. In fact, Amma says that to cry for God for five minutes is equal to one hour of meditation. When you cry, your heart begins to open up; it is very intense and you lose yourself in that process. Your focus is only on God. You will find that after you have cried your heart out, your very nature changes. You soften and start to surrender and accept.

Being a mother, I have often had to discipline my children. My son, Krishnan Unni, used to be naughty at times. This was when he was younger. I used to ground him at the ashram, which meant no going out to play. At night before going to bed, while meditating, I would cry to Amma. So Krishnan Unni would stay awake, and after I had cried my heart out, he would approach me and get all his punishments waived. He knew his mom well, and being manipulative used this moment when his mother's heart had opened. Even a child knows that after crying for God his mother's divine qualities, such as love, compassion and forgiveness, will blossom. Normally we all have these godly attributes, but they are buried deep in our hearts. We have to unravel them. Amma says that the state we attain by crying to God is equal to the bliss that the yogi experiences in samadhi.

rtft<z-it 2001 3 3

tl A T R U \. A i'! I

Crying to God is not mental weakness; it makes the mind completely one-pointed.

Our beloved Amma has herself exemplified to the world how one's deep longing and tears for God can take one to the bliss of God-consciousness. Amma, being God herself, went through all the different phases of spiritual practice, not personally needing it, but creating an example for all future generations. When the all-powerful God took birth on earth, she didn't have to choose such harsh and pitiable surroundings as she did-she could have chosen to be born in the lap of luxury, or at least into a more comfortable childhood. But that was not to be. The embodiment of compassion had to show the world that one can attain God even if one has to go through the roughest childhood. She put herself through the path <!>f devotion, work, knowledge and meditation, declaring to the world that all paths merge into one.

There are so many ways to develop one's love for Amma. Once we make that tiny bit Qf effort, Amma's grace starts to flow. She starts to transform us. We all have some love for Amma. She is constantly working on us. Every moment she performs miracles with our lives. Looking back, we all know how we have changed. Many of us were impatient, arrogant, intolerant and less loving. Through Amma's grace, each one of us has changed. This is the untold miracle.

In our ashram, there are many miracles to tell. There is a boy from Germany who now lives permanently in the ashram. About three years ago, he and a group of his friends were travelling through India. He had been a drug addict and an alcoholic and had dropped out of school. His family was obviously very worried, but were unable to make him change his ways. This youngster was travelling on a tourist boat with his friends, and they happened to pass the ashram. He had no interest in spirituality, but he and his friends decided to stay the night at the ashram. They spent the day outside, thoroughly enjoying themselves on the beach, missing Amma's bhajans.

The next morning at 4:00 a.m. he woke up and decided to 34 Ap<tiC 2001

t\. A T R U V

take a walk and see the ashram for the first time. Stumbling into the prayer hall where the morning prayers were in progress, he decided to sit through it anc! found himself transfixed. That day, not knowing why, he broke away from the group and decided to stay behind and go for Amma's darshan. Well, the miracle happened. By Amma's single touch, he was transformed. He became a changed person, dropping all of his addictions and bad habits. Seeing this transformation, even his parents, who had never met Amma before, became ardent devotees. Only God or Amma can bring about the seemingly impossible transformation that happens within us.

Even in my case, I have a miracle to tell. My son, Krishnan Unni, had the habit of sucking his fingers. Except when he was talking or eating, he always had two of his fingers in his mouth. I tried to break this habit of his, trying many different techniques, but everything failed. All I could do was pray to Amma. We all have Amma. No matter is in~ignificant or small to her because, for her, everything is pervaded with God-consciousness. And above all, she always hears our prayers. So this concern of mine was Amma's concern too. I prayed to Amma to remove this habit of his. At the age of three, when Krishnan Unni flew with me to India to visit Amma's ashram for the first time ,

When you cry, your heart begins

to open up; it is very intense and you lose yourself in that process.

Your focus is only on c;od. You will find that after you have cried your heart out,

your very nature changes. You

soften and start to surrender and accept.

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even while seated on the plane and in the car, he kept sucking his fingers. But the moment he entered the ashram grounds, by Amma's miracle, he stopped this habit and thereafter never sucked his fingers again!

Every one of us has miracles to tell. Only God can do the impossible. In my case, I indulged in all the material pleasures around me. I had no special knowledge of the Vedas or scriptures, nor did I perform any pujas, selfless work, or have any knowledge of meditation. Yet, by simply loving Amma, with her grace I could painlessly give up my family, home and pleasures. This is my greatest miracle. We should be like the gopis of Vrindavan, trying to spend every moment we can with Amma. In her physical absence we should pine for her incessantly. Chanting her name, reading books about her life and her teachings, and visiting her ashrams-all this helps us to keep our connection with her alive.

At Amritapuri, we have the climate of Hawaii, but every grain of sand there vibrates with Amma's divine energy because they have witnessed her play. The soil in Amritapuri is the most fertile soil in the world, for it nurtures the seed of spirituality, which has been planted in us by Amma. In that divine climate and soil, that seed will sprout into a beautiful, strong and sturdy tree, which not only provides shade to humanity, but also abundant fruit.

Through constant remembrance of our beloved Satguru Amma, we will start to bind Amma to us with the rope of love. And she will become our food. This constant process of spiritual purification ·stops the mind from functioning selfishly. The little "I" disappears and one becomes identified with Amma. Soon only the pure Self remains and all one's actions become selfless.

Let us all pray to our beloved Sat Guru Amma to grace us with strength and determination, so that we may truly become engulfed and consumed in love. Amma, please save us all by merging this very life and breath of ours in thy Lotus Feet.

Om Amriteswa1yai Namah

A;a'f.it 2001 3 7

Am~itapvo-Ai

Nevys

,.rJ.

1

Launch of Information Technology Initiatives at the Jlmrita Institutions

A mrita Institutions, Ettimadai, Coimbatore, pioneers in the field of education in the country, launched a series of Initiatives in

Information Technology on 17th February, 2001. Shri Pramod Mahajan, honourable Union Minister for Information Technology, laid the foundation stone of an Information Technology Park. This IT park will serve as an incubation center, by providing infrastructure facilities for startup companies as well as for established software players. Many companies, including Yodlee.com, Omnex Inc and Tradaction, and eminent computer professionals like Mr. Craig Larmon, an international authority in Unified Modeling Language (UML) from USA, and major Indian companies like Mascon Global and Eastman Software Solutions have agreed to set up units in the park. Companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Patni Computer Systems, and PSI Data Systems have evinced interest in setting up units in this park.

Shri Pramod Mahajan also inaugurated the CISCO Networking Academy. Amrita Institutions is a regional academy for this prestigious program of the networking major, CISCO Inc, USA for the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. CISCO is the second largest IT Company in the world and the world leader in Networking equipment. This regional academy at Amrita Institutions will train, mentor and support local academies. The Cisco Networking Academy Programme (CNAP) will impart students with the skill they need to design, build and maintain computer networks.

Shri Pramod Mahajan also inaugurated the website and on-line competitions of "Pragati 2001", an All India Level Business School Meet conducted by Amrita Institute of Management from 22 to 24

- ~ . - ~

3/f Atnit 2001

.M.ATRUVANI '

February, 2001. Participation from over 100 management institutes all over the country is expected for this management meet.

In the inaugural address, Pramod Mahajan said "Science and religion normally do not go together. Religion is based on faith and science basically starts in questioning the faith. But here in this institution, I see that the inspiration of Mataji has brought about a symbiosis of Vigyan (Science) and Dharma (Religion) here".

He also observed that IT had changed life beyond imagination. Words like Java, Amazon, chips, incubators, and park have taken new meanings. "India is no more a country of snake charmers but a country of mouse users. Today, you will see more dotcoms that stray cattle on the roads. India has, capitalized on its strengths in information technology and is rapidly becoming a superpower."

Mr. S. Ramadorai, the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) inaugurated the Amrita CAD/CAM Center and the Amrita-IBM Authorized CATIA Educational Partner (ACEP) Program, which is a joint venture between Amrita Institutions and IBM, USA to impart training in CATIA software, which is a powerful CAD/CAM tool.

Mr. S. D. Shibulal, one of the Founder Directors of Infosys, inaugurated the VLSI Laboratory of Amrita Institutions.

Mr. Marcus Wah-Onn Lim, Manager, Education Programs, Asia Pacific, CISCO Systems, USA, Mrs. R. Rajalakshmi, Director, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Mr. Rajagopal and Mr. Mohan Narayan, Directors of Cognizant Technology Solutions and software prqfessionals from many IT companies also participated in the function.

ExhibitiOJ1S highlighting the various service and charitable activities of the Mata Arnritanandamayi Math and latest developments in E-commerce were also on display on this day.

Br. Abhayamrita Chaitanya, Correspondent of Amrita Institutions, Ettimadai, Coimbatore presided over the function.

Aum Amriteswaryai Namah

·-~-' .,.~!:'l~ar.~ ~i..;')~ .#~~"

Aft'&d 2001 39

~ A T R U V A N I

Amma's darshan will be held at Amritapuri from the second week of May. For exact darshan dates, contact M .A. Math, Amritapuri Ph: (0476) 897578, 896399, 896179. Website: www.amritapuri.org There will be no darshan on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

INDUS CORPORATION LEKSHMI MANDIRAM, H .M.T COLONY - P.O.

KALAMASSERY, KOCHI - 683503 Phone: 0484-557019, 544508 Mobile: 98470-47109

LEAKPROOFING OF R.C.C BUILDING ROOFS WITH GUARANTE~

Aum Amriteswaryai Namah

Jlmrita Vidr~ltll.tlm in Belgaum

The Amrita Vidyalayam in Belgaum is the fifth of its kind in the state of Karanataka. It will not only provide the best academic education to the students, but will also

impart spiritual values for their all round development. . Admissions are open for L.K.G., U.K.G. and 1sT Std.

For all admission details, contact: The Correspondent, Amrita Vidyalayam, Plot No: 181,

Guruprasad Nagar, Mandoli Road, Belgaum-590 008 Phone: 442043

Advt:

40 Aft--.it 2001

Trade Mark

ESTD. 1902

A Timeless Tradition A Legend

Vaidyaratnam P.S.Varier's

ARYA VAIDYA SALA, KOTTAKKAL

Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal is synonymous with Ayurveda in the country. A renaissance that took place in Ayurvedic science in the small village "Kottakkal" years ago has now become a legacy for others to imbibe.

Founded in 1902 by the late Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier. The institution is famous for its traditional - Superior quality-Hygienic Health Care Products and its unique treatment centres-the Ayurvedic Hospital & Research Centre at Kottakkal & Delhi.

Ayurveda Science of Sages-Adapted to Modern Ages

Branches:

Kozhikode, Palakkad, Tirur,Ernakulam,..,_ Thiruvananthapuram,Aiuva1

Chennai, Kottayam, Kannur, Coimbatore, New uelhi,Calcutta, Secunderabaa, and 900 authorised agencies.

Phone :742216-19-742561-64 & 742571(STD Code-0493)

Fax :0493-742210, 742572

Web Site:ww~.aryavaidyasala.com

kottakal@ vsnl.com.

kottakal @md3.vsnl.net.in

For details please write to: The General Manager

ARYA VAIDYA SALA

KOTTAKKAL-676 503