27 Sep 2026, Amritapuri
Vishwa Seva Dinam – Amritavarsham 73, Amma’s birthday celebrations
After the Sri Guru Paduka Puja, Amma led everyone in a prayer for world peace.
Speaking about the birthday celebrations, Amma said that she had agreed to the observance because it provides many opportunities to serve the world. “Amma only sees this day as a day of service,” she said.
Amma then addressed various topics concerning the life of the common person, including the importance of training and guiding the mind.
“The mind can be one’s greatest friend and one’s greatest enemy,” Amma said. She compared the present education system to going to a gym and exercising only the arms, while neglecting the rest of the body. In the same way, she said, education should also provide proper training for the mind.
Amma spoke about the role of spirituality in giving strength and instilling values, and reflected on the decline of values in society.
She said: “Today, because of the decline in values, society is gradually losing its balance and harmony. How many young people who could have done so much good for the world are instead destroying their lives addicted to drugs. We are all concerned about the external wars, but a more dangerous war that we should be really afraid of is the drug menace. Youngsters who could bloom and spread happiness like fragrant flowers are getting destroyed in the bud stage by these pests called drugs.”
She continued: “When values are missing in the youth, there is a decline in the moral fabric of society. Crimes like rape are reported to be increasing as people’s minds get polluted by all the negative things they see on their phones and also due to their addiction to intoxicants.”
Amma concluded by saying that the only solution is for humankind to return to a society based on love, values and dharma. Selfless service for the welfare of the world is the only way life becomes truly meaningful.