The human mind of today is like a jungle full of the wild beasts of accumulated desires. And the heart of most people has become like honey hidden in a rock. Infinite divine energies lie dormant in everyone, but people are unaware of this. They have become like fish that are dying of thirst even though they live in water. Amma’s mission in life is to awaken the infinite Divine Power that is innate in everyone, and to lead humanity along the right path of selfless service and love for others.
In the present-day world, no one has any real peace of mind. Even those who own huge ships, airplanes and enormous wealth are unhappy and discontented. One often reads about people committing suicide, even though they lived in air-conditioned mansions. If it were external conditions that gave one happiness, these people who lived in the lap of luxury wouldn’t have committed suicide. So we shouldn’t waste our lives seeking happiness in external things. Instead, we should strive to discover the true source of happiness and bliss—the Divine Self within us. This is the core of Amma’s message.
Real love and compassion have almost disappeared from the earth. Nowadays, love has become exceedingly rare. Amma’s mission is to demonstrate pure, selfless love to the world, and to awaken that divine love in people.
Today, many of those who as children prayed for the health and longevity of their parents now curse their parents who have grown old and infirm. They look upon their aged parents as a burden and pray that they will soon die. This is the kind of love that we see in the world today. All worldly love seems to eventually turn into hatred. People come closer only to separate later on. No one loves another more than they love themselves. Amma’s mission is to make people realise the insubstantial nature of worldly love, and to instil true love and spiritual values within them, through her own example. Amma’s message to the world is: ‘Awaken the Divine Love within you.’
When Amma speaks about the limitations of worldly love, Amma certainly doesn’t mean that you should stop loving others, or that you should resent anyone. Amma only asks that you transform your selfish and desire-motivated love into a selfless love that is free of expectations. If our left hand is hurt, we will eagerly extend our right hand to render service to the wounded hand, giving it relief and solace. We should love and serve others in the same way, seeing ourselves in their place, identifying with them.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian