Conquer others with love and patience: Amma

The two-day festival at the Brahmastanam temple at Ayyanthole off the city, in which Mata Amrithanandamayi participated, concluded on Saturday. Mata Amrithanandamayi Math sources said that about 2,00,000 devotees participated in the festival in four sessions.

The temple festival had got off to a start actually on Thursday itself with Mata Amritanandamayi reaching the city. The highlight of Friday’s programmes was the inauguration of the Amrithanilayam Working Women’s Hostel by Thrissur Mayor R Bindu. At the inaugural, the Leftist Mayor had praised the Amrithanandamayi Math and the Mata for their poverty-eradication programmes. A souvenir titled Amritharagam 2007, written by industrialist PNC Menon, chief of Sobha Group of Companies, was launched by handing over a copy to novelist PR Nathan.

Among the luminaries who visited Mata Amrithanandamayi at the festival venue included poet Akkitham and Kalamandalam Kshemavathi.

Talking to her devotees, Amrithanandamayi said: “Today we have knowledge but no consciousness. We have know-how but no dissemination of it. Our brain is developing, but our hearts are shrinking. We have beautiful houses but there are failing families around. We try to catch the moon, but our neighbours are away from us.”

She further said, “We might well be able to attract and control the scores of people by showing our wealth.

“However, this will not sustain. Not only this, but it will only make people see us with revengeful eyes and will be hurt humanly,” she added.

Amrithanandamayi said, “With our qualities such as love and patience we will be able to conquer all. If a person follows you because of these qualities, he will not be mentally hurt. He will acknowledge you with his self,” she said.

This was the second anniversary of the Brahmasthanam temple here, construction for which had started in 1995.

About 1,000 inmates including foreign followers are touring the country along with Amritanandamayi. There were four darshans altogether during her two-day stay here. Various poojas were performed as part of the festival.

Amrithanandamayi had come to Thrissur after completing her tour to Palakkad and Ernakulam and now she would be heading to Vallikkavu, the headquarters of the Math.