Anandmayi Maa

0
945

We Indians entered new year with auspicious, pious, graceful and symbol of strength  the nine goddesses manifesting in infinite forms to nurture, balance, strengthen, prosper and illuminate the human beings on this earth. We bow and pay our gratitude to the Shakti who is magnificent  pouring her love and blessings in different avatars. Goddess Parvati, Shakti is the first yogini just like Lord Shiva is the Adiyogi. Their grace and aura spread like water, inhaled like air, absorbed in the soil, lit up like fire and reverberates in space of earth. Yoga touched people irrespective of their gender and form. Thus, we become fortunate enough to know the saints comprehended the mystery of life, what yoga actually means and establish a strong connect with the divine. 

One such Yogini was Anandmayi  Maa who even after fulfilling the commitments of household since the age of 13 continued her quest to connect with divine and received enlightenment which she sprinkled over every being she met. She was born as Nirmala Sundari Devi on 30th April 1896 at Kheora village now in Bangladesh. She was a joyful and carefree child raised in a Brahmin family by his father Bipin Bihari Bhattacharya, a great singer of devotional songs and a devout of Lord Vishnu. Maa Anandmayi’s mother, Mokshada Sundari Devi was a devoted wife and mother. Anandmayi Maa had many spiritual experiences since childhood. She got married at the age of 13 years to Ramani Mohan Chakravarti or Bholanathji as she called him. They both lived a celibate life as she was somewhat a sadhvi. Later their relationship turned into that of a Guru and Shishya but her dedication as a wife remained the same for Bholanathji. She was not only religious but secularly religious who used to chant the name of Hari and Shiva, offered prayers of different religions while on her visit to different pilgrimages. She was considered to be totally absorbed and intoxicated while listening to any devotional song or doing dhyana on her own. Also she is considered to possess mystic powers to read mind of her devotees and heal many people by her touch. She met many renowned spiritual gurus  like Swami Paramhamsa Yogananda, Swami Ramdas, Swami Chinmayananda, Sri Mahesh Yogi, Swami Sivananda, Daya Mata to name a few in her life whom she met as companion in her journey of ascetic life. She also drew famous people like Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Kamla Nehru. Though not educated much she possessed the profound understanding of every subject related to spirituality and divine. She believed that divine is present in all forms of nature. Ma Anandmayi believed whatever she does is by the wish of the supreme power. Everyone should perform every act with compassion, simplicity and complete devotion to achieve its fruit.That’s the reason why she always stayed happy and contended in even odd circumstances with calmness on her face. Her performing difficult postures and completely surrendering to God reflected in her physical and emotional expressions.

Moreover she always preached to take out sometime for God. Our material pension expires one day but spiritual pension continues even after death.Her wisdom was music to ears of whomsoever she met and her affectionate and warmth was welcoming even to strangers.  She always remained at ease being herself wherever she went be it attending a crowd of followers or staying aloof in a temple even in freezing weather.  Several books have been published and recorded elaborating the life and teachings of Ma like Mother As Revealed To Me, Sad Vani both by his first disciple Bhaiji, As the Flower Sheds Its Fragrance , Words of Sri Anandmayi  Maa by Sri Atmananda, Svakriya Svarasamrit published in different volumes by Br. Kumari Chandan Puranacharya to name a few.

Maa Anandmayi was truly a mother as she enlightened, nurtured and touched every being she met with a gentle and loving nature introducing them to the infinite forms of a mother and a woman.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here