nirantara

As Amma says, “In these times strength is found in unified action and the unifying force is love. If we can open our hearts and minds to these voices—in whatever form they appear—there is no limit to what we can achieve.” Amma has been known to spend as many as 20 to 30 hours at a stretch, hugging devotees and visitors at her congregations. Clad in a snow-white sari, the beaming Amma literally holds thousands to her bosom, whispering in their ears, "my child," "darling son" or "darling daughter", listening to their troubles and their deepest spiritual longings, without pause for food or even a sip of water. Amma treats everyone alike, from a billionaire to a beggar, from the newborn to the elderly, from the antagonist to the ardent admirer. “Each person who goes to see Amma, even if he or she be the seven-thousandth person in the darshan (divine glimpse) queue, will receive the same attention from her.” This familiar closeness is so moving that many burst out in tears. Asked once whether she felt tired after giving darshan for so many hours on end to thousands of people, Amma replied, “Where there is love, there is no effort.” She says, “When you give more, your coffers are always full. You acquire the double of what you give.” Intrigued by this unusual guru, The Los Angeles Times asked Amma, “Why do you hug people?” She replied, “This is like asking the river, ‘why are you flowing?’ Does anyone ask his or her mother, ‘why do you hug me?’” she replied. During a memorable discussion, the BBC channel vented a doubt; “You hug millions of people all over the world, who hugs you?” The answer was, “The entire creation hugs me.” The 'hugging saint' has an explanation for her now famous hug, “From the outside it looks like an ordinary hug. But when Amma hugs people, she is transmitting a bit of her spiritual energy into them, which will help them feel the Divine Love and eventually they open up more.” Bill Schekner of the CBS also wrote that Amma's hug is an expression of the need to embrace the world and flood it with love. Amma never forgets to emphasize the need for love. In a live interview aired on July 10, 2001, the NBC Today show host Ann Curry asked Amma about her impression of present-day USA and its need for the kind of compassion Amma teaches. Amma replied, “Whether in America or in any other part of the world, motherhood is not a quality that women alone should have.