Revered as the “hugging saint,” Amma’s embrace has become a symbol of unconditional love and compassion, reaching across boundaries of culture, language, and faith.
From humble beginnings in a small fishing village in Kerala, she has built a global humanitarian movement that continues to uplift communities through education, healthcare, disaster relief, women’s empowerment, and spiritual guidance. In an era shaped by conflict, climate instability, and a renewed search for meaning, Amma’s initiatives—ranging from international disaster relief to pioneering educational and healthcare programmes—reflect her unshakeable commitment to the welfare of all, regardless of belief or identity.
Her philosophy of “embracing the world” is not just symbolic but an active response to the challenges and diversity of the present moment. In this exclusive conversation with the TNIE, Amma shares her thoughts on love, service, the shared responsibilities of humanity, and the deeper meaning of existence.
As the world stands at a crossroads with challenges both material and spiritual, Amma’s wisdom offers a gentle reminder of the strength that lies in compassion and the unity that binds all.
Amma, your life has been a testament to the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world as one family. How do you foster the feeling of unity in diversity among millions, and what steps do you believe are most effective in bridging divides?
The deep feeling of love alone can bring people’s hearts together. Despite all manmade divisions, everyone has a crying child inside—a child longing for pure love. Even after leaving the mother’s womb, regardless of age, nationality, language, religious beliefs, or culture, we still carry that desperate and helpless child within us. Love is an innate quality present in all living beings.
The physical expressions of love are just a tiny fraction of the immense wellspring of love within us. Love exists on multiple levels, like the rungs of a ladder. Even the love fuelled by selfish motives, which we see in the world, shouldn’t be dismissed. The key is to avoid getting stuck at that level. Keep ascending and don’t stop until you’ve reached love’s highest peak. As your inherent love becomes more purified, it assumes a transcendental nature. Only this kind of love will serve as a bridge to connect all differences.
Many people struggle to move beyond the “us versus them” mindset. What everyday practices do you recommend for building genuine connection, regardless of background?
There are no quick-fix solutions. People’s minds are so conditioned that breaking free requires determination rooted in compassion. Each person has a self-created image of themselves, and their ego feels hurt when others don’t appreciate or acknowledge that image. The fundamental problem is the ego. This is an age where ego rules the world.
The universe and life are one. They form a totality. All divisions are humanmade. It’s like a game of chess. There is a king, a queen, pawns, and so on. Who created this? It is merely our imagination— not reality. It’s okay to imagine for entertainment and competition, but such manmade rules aren’t the same as the ones of the universe. The universe believes in unity and oneness. We are tiny versions of the universe and nature. What exists outside is also within us. Unless we recognise this oneness and align ourselves with nature and live by it, the feeling of a “genuine connection” will remain out of reach.
Through AYUDH, your youth movement, you have inspired countless young people around the world to serve with compassion. What unique strengths do you see in today’s youth, and how do you help them channel their energy into selfless action?
Today’s youth are intelligent and technologically savvy. However, they lack emotional maturity and proper discernment. We need to create the necessary conditions for them to imbibe dharmic principles from a very young age. This will enhance their inner potential and help them become saviours of the future world, which is filled with uncertainties. This is the purpose of AYUDH. The youth who are part of the global AYUDH movement take delight in the joy of selfless service and have become a significant force.
We only need to create the right atmosphere and conditions for our youth to promote their self-unfoldment. They should feel inspired. The joy of selfless service creates that magic. Once they experience the bliss of selfless service, it stays with them. To experience it becomes like an addiction. However, unlike bad habits, the inner happiness they gain from selfless actions leads to a change in their attitude. They feel uplifted, which helps them overcome their weaknesses, thereby improving their understanding and strengthening them mentally, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
Amrita institutions have become beacons of excellence across education, research, and humanitarian outreach. As their guiding light, what blend of scientific pursuit and spiritual wisdom do you believe ensures both innovation and compassion at the core of these world-class centres, and how do you ensure scientific progress is always rooted in empathy?
Everything we do should be rooted in spirituality. This is what Sanatana Dharma and the ancient rishis have taught us. Our nation, Bharat, with its incredibly rich cultural heritage—more extensive than any other country’s—has its own unique identity and place in the world.
Our country achieved maximum material growth, preyas, when our developmental policies were rooted in sreyas—a spiritual outlook aimed at the ultimate good. The rishis thoroughly explored both the inner and outer world. Their self-inquiry, “Who am I?”, led to the realisation that consciousness is the fundamental essence of everything. At the same time, the rishis were brilliant scientists. Among them there were brilliant mathematicians, astronomers, experts in medicine and surgery, economists, proponents of atomic theory, alchemists and more.
The point is, the heart of Bharat is spirituality. Its atmosphere and every grain of its sand are imbued with the vibrations of our rishis. As such, if we stray from the path shown by the rishis, we will lose the heart and soul of our nation. So, I have told all the researchers at Amrita that their goal should be “Compassion Driven Research.” Whatever they do should be aimed at benefitting society, especially the less fortunate. This is the spirit with which everyone works.
From environmental initiatives to disaster relief across continents, your organisations respond quickly to crises. What drives such scale and speed, and how do you foster volunteerism as the core of your global movement?
For me, compassion is most important. When you’re grounded in unwavering compassion, the ways to achieve your goals will naturally appear. This has been my experience all along. Love and compassion are the same. When your heart is filled with love, it manifests as compassionate actions. True love and compassion inspire and effortlessly transform others. The first and last step of spirituality and life is compassion.
Are there practices readers can adopt to introduce more compassion into their communities?
Compassion cannot be taught. It can be practiced, but the prerequisite is an inner desire to serve others selflessly. The scriptures describe this as nishkama karma—selfless action.
Just as every place in the world has a structure, the universe also operates based on an unchanging framework. It’s easy to dismiss and ignore this because the universe’s laws are subtle. They are not directly visible like human-made rules. However, by observing the world, nature and the solar system, you can see the presence of an all-pervasive harmony, rhythm, and coexistence. This serves as clear evidence of this subtle structure.
Observation is not just intellectual analysis. It should be meditative. It involves your whole heart. This means adopting a humble, loving, and reverential attitude, which will reveal the essential oneness behind this diverse universe. Once this occurs, you will experience an inner expansion that allows you to accept and respect others. Harmful thoughts will have no home in you because everyone has become part of you, not separate. When this transformation happens, you can only be compassionate toward others.
Reflecting on decades of service and as you celebrate another year, what message of hope and compassion would you like to share with the younger generation facing new challenges?
Practice self-control; otherwise, disaster awaits humanity. There is a section in the Srimad Bhagavatam called the “Kali Yuga Varnanam”, which presents life in this materialistic age. It offers an indepth description of today’s world. The conversations in it unfolded thousands of years ago, but you will be surprised to see that everything mentioned there is happening now.
Despite our incredible advancements in science and technology, there is a clear decline in values and virtues worldwide, especially among today’s youth. Despite their talents and abilities, they neglect their elders, even look down upon them. They feel no remorse for their mistakes, and they lack discernment. Their understanding of love and life is very superficial. Our youth place more faith in machines than in humans. They disrespect and mock God—the supreme power that pervades and transcends this universe.
A certain degree of fear is beneficial to foster alertness and respect. This is completely lacking in our youth. Even as they indulge in various pleasures, including drugs, they still feel unfulfilled. As this feeling deepens, they become even more dependent on intoxicants. This trend is on the rise. If not addressed, it will spell disaster. However, it is unfair to blame only the youth for this; parents share equal responsibility. This is because it is they who failed to instill the right values in their children when they were still impressionable. You can’t expect your children to be loving and caring if you don’t set a good example.
The condition of elderly people and parents around the world is heartbreaking. They have wealthy children, but they remain sad and lonely, almost abandoned. Why? Because their children fail to fulfill their duties to them. Their children are not available when they need them. The elderly parents may have been given a lovely apartment, but they—who raised their children with so much hope—are almost imprisoned within its walls. So, my warning to parents is this: Providing your children with a good education isn’t enough. You also need to teach them the fundamental dharmic values they should live by. If you don’t, they will suffer, and your suffering will be even greater.