17 Feb, enroute from Amritapuri to Mysuru – Bharata Yatra 2019
After leaving Amritapuri in the early morning hours for Mysore, Amma and the group stopped for lunch by a cowshed and farm fields in a village, Mopperipalayam in Tamil Nadu. After serving the lunch to everyone, Amma spoke about the need of love to realize God. Amma said our intensity for realization should be compared to how much one would be grasping for breath if we were forcefully held under water.
Amma then reminded everyone to chant our mantras and to imagine that our Ishta Devata (the favourite form of God we meditate upon) is traveling with us on the bus. While looking at the sky, we should feel the vastness, and while looking at the beauty of nature, we should see our Ishta Devata in all these. We should convert all action into a worship so that this Bharata Yatra is fruitful.
In the evening, Amma and the group stopped at the outskirts of a forest area near Chamraj Nagar, Karnataka. Sitting under the rising full moon, Amma gave Satsang, sang Bhajans, and led everyone in meditation. It was so beautiful. One could see many bats on top of the eucalyptus trees on the grounds.
Amma told stories about her early life – how her father gave a small cow shed for her to use for darshan. While giving darshan, Amma would put one hand on the cow. Amma also stayed and slept in the cowshed, and resting there she would kiss the cow and tell the cow stories.
Amma explained how, in the past, people used to live as one with nature. After cleaning the courtyard, people would sprinkle the ground with cow dung mixed water or apply the cow dung as a paste on the floor . This was considered to be antiseptic. If you had an open wound, cow dung would be applied there. But today, it has become poison because the food, water, and air which the cow eats, drinks, and breathes has become contaminated and is toxic. Cow dung and urine have medicinal properties. Sacred ash is made out of cow dung and has medicinal power.
Cows also have the role of a guardian. The cow gives us more than what we give her. She feeds us with milk, and supports us throughout our life. Cows are used to plough the fields. Because of the cows’ help, man is able to live a better life. The cow is also connected with Krishna. The cow was his pet. It was also Krishnas vehicle. The cow has always held in a high place in Indian culture – that is why we are reluctant to slaughter cows and eat beef. We should feel grateful for the cow and we should feel that killing one is like killing your own father or mother.
After bhajans, meditation and dinner with Amma under the moon light, the group proceed to Mysore.
-Sakshi
