Amma's Onam message

[Guest guest]

Translated from Malayalam at

http://www.amritapuri.org/teachings/message/onam2004.pdf

 

 

Amma's Onam Message:

 

"How nice if everyday was an Onam day" children are often heard to

mention this. The intent behind making this statement is to go around

joyously and enthusiastically the whole day. This is their dream and

desire.

 

But it is not children alone who have this desire, grownups also

desire this. Circumstances permit this only once a year. Grand Onam

celebrations cannot be carried on everyday. But nevertheless we can

turn ever moment of our lives into a celebration. Our great Rishis

have shown us the means to do so. But we have to prepare ourselves

for this mentally, this preparation is called "SPIRITUALITY".

 

During the time of Mahabali, everyone was treated equally. There was

no falsehood, cheating etc, so goes the story. Mahabali treated his

subjects equally and served and loved each person, that is the true

meaning of the story. This is not possible for an ordinary human

being. Only a great renunciate can do this. There was true democracy

during the time of Mahabali.

 

Till many centuries ago there was no caste discrimination in Kerala

and Onam was the celebration to give happiness to each person without

discrimination, but today this state of affairs is no longer present.

There may be many causes for this happening, but Amma feels the main

cause is that the human mind is filled with greed, dissent, revenge.

 

But even today Onam is very dear to small children. In truth today,

they are the only ones who can truly forget everything and dance

around happily. The reason for this is that their load of troubles is

very small; and also they have greater purity of mind. But older

people cannot celebrate Onam like in older times. The reason being

that as time goes by disputes and fights in the name of caste,

religion, nationality are ever increasing.

 

The message of Onam is that of unconditional love. But nations and

individuals are fighting among themselves to attain hegemony over

each other.