Landermere space
 Landermere space

A first meeting with Anandamayi Ma

It is difficult to say when I met Ma for the first time. I can emphatically say it was an eternal relationship. Could anybody get Her love and affection without Her divine wish?
The earliest darshan of Ma that I can distinctly recall was in the last week of November 1958, when I was studying medicine in Lucknow Medical College. During the Kalipuja festivities Ma had come to the Late Rameshwar Sahay's house in Lucknow and I had accompanied my parents to that place.
In 1941-42, when I was barely three years old, my parents used to take me along to meet a Mataji on the banks of river Gomti. A description of that period is found in 'Ma Anandamoyee' (a book based on Didi's diary) and it suggests Ma had stayed for a week at Sitalprasad Dharmashala in Lucknow.
The scene is still alive in my memory. The Dharmashala on Gomti's banks, which survives even today, used to be frequented by my parents in the evenings when Ma would be sitting in spotless white robes on the sprawling terrace. My father would hand me over a garland of white jasmine flowers he bought on the way, and ask me to place it at Ma's feet. Only this much do I remember after all these years.
She was seated on the dais. Her charming face exuding a kind of divine happiness. I felt like meeting Her at a single breath but who could allow me? That was not to be. The clock struck quarter to nine, the lights, except a faint blue one, were put off. Later I came to know, it was silent prayer time at the Ashram.
The changed mood and ambiance was fascinating. At nine o'clock, the lights were back on. A slow, light music began to play and soon Ma left the place with folded hands. I watched intensely this moving image of love, compassion and kindness. The feeling of a novel experience however wasn't there. Instead, the feeling of familiarity and bondage overcame me. Before returning home, I bought a picture of Ma and Bhaiji's book 'Sad Vani'.
Next day, as Ma was scheduled to leave for Delhi by Lucknow Mail we went to the railway station. Ma could be seen amidst a massive crowd and getting close to Her meant an impossible task. But inspired as I was, I managed my way not only to the compartment but to the coupe in which Ma was travelling. I touched Her in reverence and asked: "Ma, how can one meet God?"
Very sweetly she said and repeated "call Him".
Ma's sweet words rang in my ears as I left the train in silence.
My father, who was watching me from a distance, was delighted that I was able to reach
Her. Patting me he said: "we could not move past the crowd but were glad to see you talking to Ma."
My first visit to Ma was with my father's kind efforts. Later it was my mother who took the cue to encourage me.
As a student of Medicine, I knew little about Ma. For nine long years, I hadn't met Her. On a couple of occasions, I had a glimpse of Her from a distance. But memories of the first darshan lingered on and the desire to meet Her again remained as strong as ever.
I came to Delhi in 1966 for a job-related interview with the Indian Railways. From Delhi, I accompanied Nanaji (my maternal Grandpa) to Vrindavan. Nanaji, who went there to have darshan of Bankey Behariji, would generally put up at Swami Sharanandji's Ashram. It was just a coincidence that he left for some work but I stayed there. Here I came to know, Ma was staying in Vrindavan those days and Her Ashram was just next to Swamiji's.
    6

In fact, I went through the gate that separated these two Ashrams to meet Ma. It was half past one in the afternoon and was told that Ma was taking rest. Deciding to wait, I sat on a platform
surrounded by neem trees. Hardly had I spent sometime before a girl came running to me and said Ma want to meet whoever was sitting under this tree. Delighted, I quickly responded to this unexpected call.
Ma had no knowledge of my academic background. We had never talked about it. But what followed was an introduction to Ma's supreme blessings and divine power.
"Are you a railway doctor?" I said 'No, not yet'.
Dumbfounded, I was quick to realise that the interview in Delhi must have gone in my favour.
Silently I stayed at Ma's feet for sometime before she spoke again.
"Pray to God."'Call Him'.
"Call Him with your heart and soul."
In a strange coincidence she was saying the same thing to me nine years later.
She gave me a big apple as prasad uttered something divine and blessed me. This was my
first chance to spend some time with Her and words are not enough to describe the infinite happiness I derived from it.
I joined the Railways as a doctor at Kashi (Varanasi) in January 1967. It was in Kashi I worked for the next twenty two years before opting for voluntary retirement in January 1989. During these years I was fortunate by Ma's infinite grace to see and meet Her in public and private- these are the invaluable treasures of my life.
During these years, she filled my cup to the brim, my empty bag with Her tender love and affection, pity and compassion, mercy, sympathy, and kindness and what not. She had not left any corner of my being empty. Can anything in the world be more valuable than Her compassion and love? I say no for an answer.
Despite being in Kashi for the whole of 1967, I hadn't met Ma even once. How could one be so thoughtless and unfortunate? the reasons dawned on me later. But again the call came due to Ma's blessings alone.
In January 1968,1 came to know that Ma had come to Kashi and celebrations were going on at Ma Anandamoyee Ashram. My house and the Ashram were located at two different ends of the city. Nevertheless, the news of Her arrival inspired me once again to seek Her blessings.
I went there in the evening and was moved by the location of the Ashram on the banks of the Bhagirathi. Ma was on the terrace of Kanyapeeth; Satsang was going on and the place was full of Her devotees. My heart was filled with immense happiness when I had Her divine darshan again. Satsang over, Ma got up as well as others including me.
Somebody beckoned me when I was climbing down the stairs. In fact, it was Ma who had called me. I went to Her small room on the second floor.
This time Ma asked me about my work, my family. I told her, my father was no more. He left us for his heavenly abode in 1963. My mother lived with my younger sister in Lucknow or with me at Kashi.
After that day, I frequently visited Ma's Ashram. One day, after Satsang was over, Ma asked me: "How are you?" I went along with her to Her room where Didi was also present.
Ma asked me about my family, occupation all over again and then turned to Didi.
"This young girl is a doctor, unmarried, what do you say, Didi?" Didi said, "Ma's 'Kheyal is there, what else is required?"
7

Ma asked me whether I had taken 'Diksha' I said "No". Then she said, "tomorrow is an auspicious day: get initiated".
I hadn't made up my mind yet. That's why I put forward my mother's absence in Kashi as an excuse. When I returned home, I found my mother there. She had suddenly come to Kashi.
I told her about the whole episode. She said, "Take Diksha tomorrow itself when Ma has desired it".
So with all Her blessings, compassion and love overflowing in Sri Ma's divine presence I underwent the rituals of spiritual initiation on 18th February 1968. A wonderful experience - and Her blessings continued to shower down but the collecting vessel was upside down....


Jai Ma