Darshan by The Sea-Amma in Thiruvananthapuram

The waves were breaking just 50 feet from where Amma was giving darshan. Fishermen were hauling in their catches during bhajans. And the salty ocean air blew across the 40,000 people assembled for Amma’s program in Trivandrum all night long.

In fact it was Amma’s idea to hold the 2007 Trivandrum program in Sanka Mukham, a stretch of beach right near the international airport—a location famous for the annual ritual bathing of the Vishnu idol from the area’s ancient Padmanabhan Swami Temple.

Amma began her satsang talking briefly about Padmanabhan—Lord Vishnu depicted reclining on Ananta Sayana, the serpent who is his eternal companion and resting place. “Talking about Padmanabhan is like talking about sugar,” Amma said. “It is sweet all around. He is lying down not to sleep, but to awaken you.”