Amma's Message on International Peace Day

Tuesday, 21 September 2004 - Amritapuri

We should not turn the world into a desert. We should not allow love and compassion to totally dry up. If that happens, the human race will cease to exist. This beautiful world will become a forest full of human animals. Seeing today's situation, sometimes Amma wonders, "Is the number of those desiring peace and harmony decreasing?" 

Is humankind purposefully awakening its latent animalistic tendencies? Or is it simply helpless to prevent this descent? Whatever the cause may be, it would be a folly to rely on human effort alone - regardless of how great our efforts may be.

We should not hesitate to rely on God's power. By "God's power," we do not mean something outside. It is within us. We need to awaken that power.

Today, the need for prayer and spiritual practices is greater than ever before. There are people who think, "What can my individual prayers possibly change?" We shouldn't think this way. Through prayer, we are sowing the seeds of love. If just one flower were to blossom in the middle of a desert, at least it's something. If a tree were to grow there, wouldn't it at least provide some small amount of shade?

Terrorists, the violent and the warmongers - their love has run dry. They have no compassion. May the prayers of crores of people like us fill the atmosphere with love and compassion and thereby help bring about a change in their attitudes, at least to some extent.

What the world needs is not rogue elephants. They are selfish. They know only the language of killing and war cries - the language of ego. They do not know how to love or treat others with compassion. What we need today are loving and compassionate hearts. They are the strengths of society. Only through them will transformation take place.

The root cause of all destruction is the ego. There are two kinds of egos that create suffering in the world. One is the ego of power and wealth. The second one is the ego that believes, "My opinion alone is right. Everyone else is wrong. I will not tolerate anything else. My religion alone is true. The rest are all false. There are not needed here." Unless these two types of egos are eradicated, there will not be peace in the world.

Only love can smoothen the warped minds of humankind. Therefore, we should find out ways to develop love and compassion within, and implement them. Otherwise, the situation will only worsen. May that not happen.

What we need is not imposed peace or the peace of the dead. Only when all human beings live according to their dharma will there be harmony in the world. Only when human beings are able to perceive and acknowledge the Self in each other can there be real peace.

Amma has a desire: Everyone in the world should be able to sleep without fear at least one night. Everyone should be able to eat to his or her fill at least for one day. There should be at least one day when hospitals see no one admitted due to violence.

By doing selfless service for at least one day, everyone - from little children to the very elderly - should help raise money for the poor and needy... even if by making toys.

It is Amma's prayer that at least this small dream be realised.