Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, Amma’s most senior disciple, travelled across North America to share a message of universal love, infinite compassion, and world peace. From November 1st to December 15th, Swamiji’s tour brought great joy to the hearts of hundreds of Amma’s devotees. In 14 cities, they expressed their sincere gratitude to him as a guiding light.
As well, Swamiji delivered an inspiring address at Arizona State University on November 12 and at University of Illinois on December 3. With the theme ‘Compassion in Action: Addressing Today’s Global Challenges’, he shared that the essence that beats at the substratum of every human heart is compassion.
“All virtues and vices can be brought under two categories: love and grief. Love and grief. All virtues such as compassion, patience, forgiveness, perseverance, etc are offshoots of love,” said Swamiji.
“In contrast, all vices such as lovelessness, impatience, hatred, jealousy, depression, etc are offshoots of grief. Because the end result is grief. That’s the fundamental problem.”
Having been with Amma since 1979, Swamiji’s life is dedicated to her mission to love and serve all of creation. During this tour, he was accompanied by Swami Dayamritananda Puri and Brahmachari Ramanandamrita Chaitanya, with both committed to leading Amma’s spiritual teachings and humanitarian initiatives across the Americas.
Swamiji’s satsangs were a tangible expression of Amma as a mother to all and a concrete experience of ‘living Vedanta’—a sense of being that reflects the eternal scriptural truth that all is one. This truly manifests when one’s thoughts, words, and deeds are completed in the form of self-sacrifice, compassion, and mental equanimity.
As part of the programs, Swamiji led deeply profound bhajan sessions with the people gathered singing in response. The depth of bhakti (devotion), that was shared cannot be captured in words. However, a divine harmony resonated within all voices as they expressed their love for Amma.
Swamiji also held retreats in four locations—San Ramon, California; Seattle, Washington; Washington, DC; and Chicago, Illinois. The theme was ‘Forgiveness, A Path to Spiritual Unfoldment’. The teachings shared were a light in the darkness as our world faces grave global tensions. It was an encouragement for all to evaluate how to move forward as Amma’s messengers of peace and find the eternal happiness that shines within every soul.
Photo albums from each tour stop
Swamiji held programs in San Ramon and Los Angeles, California; Seattle, Washington; Phoenix, Arizona; Washington, DC; New York/New Jersey; Ann Arbor and Chicago, Michigan; St Louis, Missouri; Groton, Massachusetts; Atlanta, Georgia; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Dallas, Texas; and Toronto, Ontario.
