27 Sep 2025, Amritapuri – Amritavarsham 72
Excerpts from Amma’s birthday message
After ceremonial function of padapuja, Amma addressed gathering. She said “For 65 years now, Amma has been listening to her children’s grief, their small joys, their complaints and their laments. Amma intimately knows the depth of their heartaches and the pain behind their tears.
Even if we cannot completely give up our old bad habits, we must at least try. New habits that aid one’s inner growth and benefit society should take birth within us. That is the true birthday. In this way, countless new births of goodness will keep taking place. When such trees of virtue blossom within us, the colours and fragrance of their flowers will spread everywhere. They will bring boundless joy to us as well as to others. That is the real birthday celebration. Amma knows changing is not easy. But darkness is spreading all around, and anxiety about the future is increasing. In such a situation, each individual must become a little tree of goodness. Otherwise, the world will not change.””
“No one can escape God’s laws. No manmade law can overrule them. For example, if someone declares, “I don’t believe in the law of gravity,” and jumps from the 10th floor of a building, can he break the law of gravity? Never. Instead, he will break his own arms and legs. Today, we act only within the framework of human and governmental laws. Such laws, of course, are necessary. But often, we violate the great universal laws that govern both humankind and all beings. In worldly life, rules and distinctions are necessary. But the attitude, “The Earth and nature belong only to we humans; we will live as we like and do as we please,” is wrong.
“The main reason humans fail to act in accordance with dharma is because of the lack of spiritual values in society. People believe that they can live as they please, drowning their lives in alcohol and other bad habits. Thus, their entire lives waste away. Society used to function according to basic spiritual values. In the old days, one could obtain values and a sense of security from the family itself. The whole village also lived like one big family.
“Education plays a vital role in the upliftment of both the individual and society. Though we have made great progress in education today, values in society are declining. Divorce, depression, suicide, murder and drug addiction are on the rise.
Education must provide the strength to face life’s challenges, nurture the power of thought, awaken inquiry, refine character and develop compassion for fellow beings. Today we often speak of “value-based education.” In truth, education and values are not two separate things. They are one—like sesame seed and its oil. We need both education to earn a living as well as education for life itself.