"I believe in Amma"

Friday 13, 2004 — Thalassery

"He always starts crying when he sees Amma. His minds stops functioning and he does not remember what he wanted to ask Her," says Deepika, her voice full of love and devotion. She is talking about how her husband, Sadanandan,   and how they met Amma years ago. Indeed,   as we are talking, Sadanandan has still got the tears in his eyes. They just spoke briefly with Amma as She was on Her way to Her room in the Thalassery Ashram.

Deepika and Sadanandan are ardent devotees who have supported Amma's charitable works in this part of Kerala for many years.

"We try to do what we can," Deepika says. "Meeting Amma has helped us so much. Amma teaches us how to take everything in life as it comes and to accept it."

It was some 20 years ago when Sadanandan and his wife went to visit the Azhakodi Devi Temple in Calicut. As they were walking out, they saw a group of people walking with a small lady clad in white. As they came closer, this lady smiled and touched them. That lady in white was Amma.

"He knew right away after She touched him," continues Deepika. "He was crying. For him, it was clear the moment he met Amma. He knew She was his Guru and, on some level, understood Her greatness. He saw some form of enlightenment around Her. For me, it was different."

After that first meeting with Amma, Sadanandan got involved with Amma's work, much to his wife's discontent. "I did not believe in human Gods. But then one day Amma invited us to Her room. She knew how I felt, and She started explaining what She was doing. How She wanted to help people and how She wanted to change them. Then I knew. Amma never says She is God. Since then many experiences followed, and Amma even blessed our house with a visit.

"Our son met Amma for the first time in New Delhi. Without anybody telling Her, She immediately knew who he was. She said, 'You are Sadanandan's son, and your father is having some business trouble."

After all these years, does Deepika still not believe in human Gods? She starts laughing and says: "I believe in Amma!"

—Devadath