Swami Mangalananda - A Goddess Among Us

Swami Mangalananda

A GODDESS AMONG US

First published in India in 2007 by

Yogi Impressions Books Pvt. Ltd.

1711, Centre 1, World Trade Centre,
Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005, India.
Website:

Published by Yogi Impressions at Smashwords

First Edition: June 2007
Revised Edition: April 2009
Second reprint: March 2012

Copyright 2007 by Swami Mangalananda

Cover concept, design and edited by Shiv Sharma
Photos courtesy: Richard Lannoy and Ashram Archives

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, or transmitted in any form, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Who is Anandamayi Ma, and how do we write about her? Ma is the Mother of All.

For six consecutive years (1976-1982), I lived and moved in Mas Presence. During this entire period, there was not a single moment when I perceived Ma as a simple human being, but always beheld her as a living, human manifestation of complete and perfect divinity.

An American disciple of Ma, Swami Mangalananda has lived in our ashram in India for many years. He has performed an invaluable service in writing this brief and readable account of the events of Mas life.

Mas spiritual message is that: All is One; we have gathered here on earth not to quarrel, but to make the best use of our existence, to make our lives meaningful by realising Truth.

By reading the pages of this book, you will not be reading the life of a historical character alien to yourself, but you will have literally begun the discovery of your own deeper self. When you finish this book, you will undoubtedly feel an unknown urge arising from the innermost recesses of your heart to be one with Ma. This will lead you to your real destiny and be a lamp shining on your path to the fulfillment of the very purpose of the evolutionary process. At its conclusion, it will be seen that the path, the struggle, and the goal are all none other than Ma herself, the Divine Supreme.

Jai Ma!

Swami Kedarnath
Mata Anandamayi Tapo Bhumi,
Omkareshwar,
Madhya Pradesh, India.

PREFACE

There are many authoritative and well-written books about the life and teachings of Anandamayi Ma. But, all the existing books are rather voluminous and are available only from a limited number of sources.

What was lacking was a brief biography that included the high points of Mas life, with a few suitable pictures. Such a book could be priced fairly, distributed widely, read quickly, and would, hopefully, serve to acquaint people with the divine life of Anandamayi Ma. If anyone wanted to know more, there was always the standard literature one could acquire. It is hoped that this short biography, written specifically at the request of the devotees of our ashram, will fulfill this need.

To some extent, almost all biographies reflect the subjective views of the author, and this b ook is certainly no exception. It is not meant to be a reference book, but an informal introduction to a divine and inspiring life that should never be forgotten.

Although the life of Anandamayi Ma is filled with supernatural and miraculous events, it is not the life of a legendary figure of some bygone era, embellished with fanciful folk tales handed down from generation to generation. Many people living today, including the author, witnessed the events recounted in the books written on her life. Most of these are drawn from the personal accounts of friends, relatives and other witnesses who experienced these incidents and occurrences for themselves. May all who had the grace of meeting Ma, continue doing everything possible to keep her memory alive and teachings relevant for succeeding generations, so that this unique entity who came among us, may continue to influence and uplift the human race.

Swami Mangalananda
Mata Anandamayi Tapo Bhumi,
Omkareshwar,
Madhya Pradesh, India.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the history of humankind, great saints and sages have come to spread the light of spirituality in a darkened world. In India, it is believed that God Himself has incarnated or appeared many times to restore victory of good over evil, re-establish the Path of Righteousness, and guide humanity to the revelation of its innate divinity.

Anandamayi Ma was often asked the pertinent question, Who are you? She would reply to this question, at different times, in different ways. She once told a very close disciple, I am the vyakta rupa of the pure aspiration of all true spiritual aspirants. You called for this body, and now you have it among you. By this definition, we see that Ma belongs to all who feel an inner yearning for the Divine, and she came for all of us. To know and study her life is of great importance and significance.

Many times, Ma stressed that the manifestation of her birth was not a result of karma , as is the case of a soul trapped in relativity. We are bound by our karma and by the destiny we have to fulfill. Ma was a completely free being, and her every action and word was an expression of this freedom and divinity. Therefore, every minute detail of her life bears a moral lesson. Those who saw her felt that every movement of her body was a divine expression of sublime beauty and grace.

Ma frequently said that everything she did was for all of us. The lila that she performed on the world stage was for all those who had joined their minds and hearts to hers. She became a repository of all spiritual blessings and powers, and still is, to those who know of her and think of her.

Ma also said that no one could think of her unless she first thinks of them. Therefore, in the knowing of her life, and in thinking of her divine lila, we tune in to all her virtues and perfection for the blessing and upliftment of our own hearts and lives. The more we know about her life and teachings, the more that eternal life lives in us, and her words can constantly guide our actions in the difficult times we live in.

Anandamayi as the young Nirmala Sundari Devi

A DIVINE CHILD

O n 30th April, 1896, a beautiful girl-child was born at Kheora village, in the Tripura district of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Her family traced its descent from Rishi Kashyapa, who was a devout worshipper of Lord Vishnu. Her mother, Mokshada Sundari Devi, the embodiment of simple and pure virtues, would play an important role in the childs later manifestation as Ma . She was affectionately addressed as Didima . Before the birth of this child, she had many visions of gods, goddesses, and the divine light that entered into her.

The childs father, Bipin Bihari Bhattacharya, was a very religious and otherworldly man, who spent his days singing the praises of God in a sweet, soul-stirring voice. Sometimes, he would stay absent for months at a time, wandering as a penniless mendicant, singing bhajans and practicing spiritual discipline.