Darshan
June 26, 2004
Los Angeles, California
It was the last night of programs in L.A., California. Amma's darshan
assistant standing by her chair saw an old devotee standing close
by and watching Amma. "Did you come for darshan?" the
darshan assistant asked her. "No, I did not," the woman
said. "I had a darshan token. But then I saw someone who had
come in late and was very sad that she could not get darshan from
Amma. So I gave her my token."
The assistant sensed how hard it was for this devotee to give
up her sweet hug from Amma,, especially since it was the last day
in the city. It would be a while before she would be held in that
warm embrace again….
"Hold this flower basket for Amma," she told her, seeking
to allay the woman's sorrow slightly. The woman gladly agreed.
It was a busy night with thousands of devotees lined up for Amma's
darshan. It was 12 noon the next day by the time the program was
done. The program had started the previous day at 6:30 and Amma
had begun darshan at around 8:00pm.
After 16 hours of darshan, as Amma got ready to put her sandals
to exit the hall, once again this lady was called upon to keep Amma’s
sandals ready. Amma put on her sandals and walked quickly by. As
Amma walked down a few paces, the woman’s heart called Amma
in a silent prayer with all the intensity of parting….Amma
suddenly stopped and turned around. She chided herself aloud, "Oh,
I did not give darshan to her..." Retracing her steps, Amma
gathered the woman up in her arms lovingly, kissed her and hugged
her deeply in a long darshan. Needless to say, the woman was in
tears, deeply touched that Amma had responded to her inner call.
Amma always says that if we call with genuine intensity, she will
come; indeed, she will have to come. Amma is also the Mother who
sees all her children's actions. How could the daughter's sacrifice
and intense yearning go unnoticed by the Mother's eyes? Hence Amma's
love and grace flowed, blessing her daughter with a blissful experience
much deeper than she had ever imagined!
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