The full moon is purnam, signifying wholeness, completeness, and infinitude: the qualities of the Guru. And like the full moon, Amma dispels the darkness of ignorance to illumine the light of wisdom in her children. This was evidenced in this year’s Guru Purnima celebrations in Amritapuri on July 29th as thousands gathered to honour their Guru with gratitude, surrender, love, and happiness.
“God is the embodiment of bliss. The source of that power resides within everyone. It is through this connection that the disciple realises it,” said Amma in her message. “But to attain this, surrender is necessary. Surrender is the perfection of faith and devotion towards the Guru. Surrender is the gateway to the infinite power of God.”
The day began early before the sun had risen. In Kerala, it is a beautiful season when the moon shines brightly amidst the dark rain clouds. Homa fire kundams were built along each side for the Guru Purnima Maha Homam and Puja. In reverence to Amma’s revolutionary initiatives for women, 150 pujarinis (women priests) performed a sacred Guru Homa. Senior monastics performed the rituals with quiet concentration as they poured ghee and the flames leapt up high, sizzling.
Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, Amma’s most senior disciple, arrived just after 8:30am to share personal stories about his life with Amma. He also explained with great depth the unique relationship each one of us has with her as our spiritual mother and Guru.
“Even when dark clouds surround the full moon on all sides, the Guru’s brilliance, radiance, and perfection remain completely unaffected and continue in their full glory. Who are these dark clouds surrounding the full moon during the time we celebrate Guru Purnima each year? They are us—the devotees and so-called disciples,” said Swamiji.
“But the full moon is not affected; the Guru is not affected. The full moon retains its sacred and divine quality. As the radiant moon eliminates the dark rain clouds, so Amma’s grace enters the hearts of her children.”
Then she arrived. At 9:45am, Amma majestically walked to the stage, with scores of Swaminis and Brahmacharinis sounding their conches. They had been practising for weeks with great enthusiasm for this very moment. It was symbolic of offering their ego to their Guru so that they can become instruments of service to humanity.
Amma has no personal interest in these celebrations or in the ritual of pada puja. Amma accepts them only because they bring joy to her children.
Amma
In eternal surrender to Amma’s lotus feet, Swamiji performed pada puja, worship of the Guru’s feet, while the audience chanted the Sri Lalitha Sahasranama (1000 names of the Divine Mother). Even though he has been with Amma since 1978, he bows like an innocent child each time he is given the blessing to carry out this sacred ritual. Amma’s senior monastics then came to garland their Guru, each one approaching her with a serene humility.
Amma led the audience to still their minds through a meditation for world peace. Next an experience of joy began as she called devotees to clap hands with each other while she sang the bhajan Nerane Neraninnitu Rarari. Amma says that when we touch each others’ palms it transmits positive energy. This will create a culture where devotees help each other.
One of the traditions of Guru Purnima is a musical offering of nadopasana from all of the musicians in Amritapuri, from small children to householders to monastics. Swamiji led the familiar bhajans with a classical flair and a beautiful accompaniment of violin and mridangam. It was a wonderful scene where the normal order is reversed; Amma usually sings for the hall on the stage, but now, the whole hall was singing and playing for Amma.
Partway through the performance, Amma called women and men disciples to come beside her on stage to blow their conches again. Forming a brilliant fire of ochre, yellow and white, they echoed the joyful sound of their devotion to Amma. The flame vastly expanded when Swamiji himself took a gigantic conch to contribute to the sacred vibrations. As his breath filled the white shining shell before his lips, his pure love for Amma resonated through hearts across the Ashram. In response, Amma’s compassionate smile transported all ears to a realm of inner silence.
As Amma began to give darshan, devotees stayed in their seats listening to the radiant bhajans from senior swamis like Swami Amritatmananda Puri and Swami Pranavamritananda Puri. At 7pm, Amma also took her turn to sing with her children. And then at 9pm, she returned to her peetham to give darshan until just before 11pm, more than 13 hours after her arrival in the morning.
Many devotees had come from across India to celebrate this auspicious day with their spiritual master. There were also many international devotees who made the special trip to be in their Guru’s arms again. As the full moon rose, shining the cool light of devotion on Amritapuri, Amma spread the fragrance of love like night blooming jasmine.
Excerpts from Amma’s Message
Guru Purnima is a day for a disciple to express heartfelt gratitude and indebtedness to the Guru. It is not merely about conducting a Guru Pooja ritual; rather, the disciple’s heart should overflow with feelings of humility, gratitude, indebtedness, devotion, and self-surrender at every single moment. However, Guru Purnima is a day specifically dedicated to remembering and invoking this feeling.
The Guru is the full moon who dispels the darkness of our ignorance and showers the light of wisdom. Usually, we use the phrase the “sun of knowledge”. But here, the term “full moon” is used to highlight the Guru’s completeness and otherworldly beauty.
Along with the light of knowledge, the Guru also possesses the nature of showering soothing coolness and bliss upon the world, much like the moon. Therefore, the Guru is compared to the full moon, and the day is compared to Purnima (the full moon day).
God is the embodiment of bliss. The source of that power resides within everyone. It is through this connection that the disciple realises it. But to attain this, surrender is necessary. Surrender is the perfection of faith and devotion towards the Guru. Surrender is the gateway to the infinite power of God.
Maturity is accepting others with love and respect, without speaking ill of them or mocking their weaknesses. Failures are a part of life. No one is exempt from them. However, maturity means learning from these failures and not disrespecting righteousness (dharma) in our interactions with others.
Maturity is thinking about what you can do and acting accordingly, instead of placing expectations on others. Maturity is trying to change your own attitude rather than trying to change others through advice. Maturity is the realisation that happiness does not merely grow in accordance with material wealth.
May all of Amma’s children have the focus and dedication to elevate themselves to that state of being.
