About Amma

On the morning of 27 September, 1953, a baby girl was born in Parayakadavu, a small fishing village in Kerala, south India. Her parents gave her the name Sudhamani (Pure Jewel). She came into this world not in tears as babies usually do, but with a beaming smile on her face, as if prophesying the joy and bliss she was to bring to the world.

Sudhamani spent the years of her childhood and teens immersed in intense spiritual practice in order to present a living example for the world. Even as a small child, she could often be found absorbed in deep meditation, totally oblivious of her surroundings. By the age of five, she had begun composing devotional songs laden with deep mystical insight.

Another quality that was clearly manifest in Sudhamani from this tender age was her love and compassion towards her fellow human beings. Though only a child, Sudhamani did whatever she could to ease the suffering of the poorest of the poor and of her elderly neighbors who were being neglected by their families. She spent much of her spare time taking care of the old ones who had no one to look after them; she washed their clothes, bathed them and even brought them food and clothing from her own home. This habit of giving away things from her family's house often landed her in deep trouble. However, no amount physical abuse or punishment could stop the expression of her inborn compassion. She later said, "An unbroken stream of love flows from me towards all beings in the universe. This is my inborn nature."

Amma (Mother), as she is known all over the world today, has inspired and started innumerable humanitarian services. She has earned international recognition for her outstanding contributions to the world community. She is recognized as an extraordinary spiritual leader by the United Nations and by people all over the world. Though Amma makes no claims about herself, those who watch her closely notice that she, herself, is the greatest example of her teachings. Her disciples and devotees imbibe her teachings by just watching her. During the past 35 years Amma has dedicated her life to the uplift of suffering humanity through the simplest of gestures – an embrace. In this intimate manner Amma had blessed and consoled more than 25 million people throughout the world.

When someone asked Amma why she receives every person who comes to her with a loving embrace, Amma replied, "If you ask a river, 'Why do you flow?" what can it say? To flow is the nature of the river."

Amma spends most of her waking hours receiving the distressed and all who come to her for comfort, day after day without a break.

A press reporter once asked Amma how was it possible for her to embrace each and every one in the same loving way, even if they were sick or unpleasant. Amma replied, "When a bee hovers over a garden with a large variety of flowers, what it beholds is not the difference between the flowers but the nectar within them. Similarly, Amma sees the same Supreme Spirit (atman) in each and every one."

As Dr. Jane Goodall said, while presenting Amma with the 2002 Gandhi-King Award for Non-violence: "Amma stands here in front of us. God's love in a human body."