BHARATA YATRA 2004 - Deep Inside There is a Bond

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OM AMRITESWARYAI NAMAH

 

"Deep Inside There Is a Bond"

 

Link: http://www.amritapuri.org/amma/2004/403bond.htm

 

Wednesday, 24 March 2004 -- En route to Durgapur, West Bengal

 

It was dark, but Amma's face shone clearly in the glow of the

portable lamps. She had been singing bhajans in Bengali, but now She

wanted a story with a moral, a frequent request of Hers when sitting

with Her children.

 

One of Amma's Finnish devotees stood up and began to speak. She told

Amma how at one of the recent programmes, she had become quite

depressed. She had started to feel her connection with Amma

diminishing; it suddenly seemed to her as if they were strangers.

She decided to go near Amma, hoping it would make her feel better,

but sitting watching Amma laugh and joke in Malayalam as She gave

darshan only intensified Her sense of distance. After a little

while, she got up and decided to go outside the programme to have a

cup of tea at one of the local chai stalls.

 

 

Drinking her tea, she suddenly saw another woman about the same age

as her rummaging through a pile of trash for food. Almost

impulsively, she got up, bought the woman some food and walked over

to where She was searching. As she handed the lady the plate,

something happened. She told Amma that when their eyes connected,

she felt that they had connected. The differences of culture and

country fell away. For that moment, they understood each other and

were one.

 

As the lady's story was translated to Amma, it was clear She was

touched. "She was searching for food for the body, and you where

searching for food for Atman-- the soul," Amma said. "The attitude

of giving will bring the experience of completeness. The compassion

will help you in the search.

 

"Sometimes you may not feel thirsty, you may not feel bonded to

Amma. That doesn't mean you don't have any love for Amma. It is

there; it is the reason why you are feeling the bond's absence in

the first place."

 

Then Amma explained how our longing for God should have an intensity

like one starving for food. When you are starving, first you will

beg for food. If you don't receive any, you will start begging for

money. If you don't get any money, you will resort to stealing.

 

"'I am not feeling connected, I am not feeling the bond'--this

thought itself is part of the bond. Deep inside there is a bond."

 

::

Amma Sharanam