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March 5 – March 19, 2018
Amma’s Visit to
Northern California , U.S.A.
Sri Vasudevananda Swamy Trust
Naidupeta, Nellore Dt.,
Andhra Pradesh, India.
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March 5, 2018 – Welcome Back to the Golden State! Beloved Amma! ???

Amma arrived at the familiar surroundings, the lovely home of Dr Srinivas Pyda. Amma was received with traditional Poorna Kumbham amidst the recitation of Vedic chants.
The altar and Amma’s seating area were well decorated and so was Amma’s private chambers upstairs.?

March 5, 2018 – The evening worship program at Dr. Srinivas Pyda’s home in Livermore, California.???

March 6, 2018 — Morning Arathi ??

Less than a couple of weeks ago I had the good fortune of celebrating my birthday in Amma’s Divine Presence. Today is Prasuna’s blessed day to celebrate her birthday; Amma always makes such celebrations very memorable filled with fun and laughter. ???

Going cross-eyed for us?

Prasuna had enough of that!

The blessed memory for all of us??

After the morning worship program Amma and the devotees left to the home of Smt Latha & Sri Krishna Varanasi in nearby San Ramon, California who welcomed Amma with the traditional Poorna Kumbham amidst the Vedic chanting.?

The blessed family had the good fortune of doing the Paada Puja to Amma’s Holy Feet.???

After the Puja the Varanasis served specially prepared lunch for Amma in privacy while we all enjoyed the delicious lunch in the backyard. After lunch Amma took a little stroll in the family’s backyard.?

March 6, 2018 – The evening worship program at Dr Pyda’s home.?

Cake cutting ceremony in celebration of Prasuna’s birthday.?

March 7, 2018 — After the morning worship program Amma went to Mountain House, California to visit the home of Smt Roja & Sri Prasad Ravuri.???

Amma blessed the new home by walking around on a tour with the blessed hosts.?

Amma was seated comfortably in the well set up Jhoola (swing), and the host family proceeded with the sacred Paada Puja.???

The memorable home visit to the Ravuris ended with a delicious lunch feast that everyone enjoyed before returning to the home base at Dr Pyda’s home in Livermore, California.??

March 8, 2018 — The morning worship program…

Amma lending a creative helping hand in the kitchen.???

March 9-12, 2018 — NIRMALA YOGA SADHANA CLASS. Many devotees in the Bay Area and a few from the other parts of the USA took advantage of attending the special yoga class directed by Dr. Srinivas Pyda under Amma’s divine guidance and immediate presence.  The program started in the very early hours each morning and concluded late in the evening. Besides learning the fundamentals of Pranayama the attendees were blessed to receive Amma’s personal guidance on the posture and aspects of breath control. Amma also gave talks on the intricacies of the yoga sadhana.??

March 10, 2018 — The Blessed Day of the Phalguna Bahula Navami, the Aradhana Day of Her Holiness Sri Sitha Mahayogini; the day she became One with Her True Reality leaving behind the mortal coil. What a great blessing for the devotees who had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate the sacred day in the presence of Vasamma who is the selfsame incarnate of the great soul.???
The program of the event started very early in the morning with devotees gathering quietly in front of the closed doors of Amma’s private room. Devotees began the program with the 21 Omkar recitation followed by the singing of melodious Awakening song and bhajans. When the doors to Amma’s room opened it is as if the doors to the heavenly abode are open and everyone rushed in and sat around Amma. Amma was presented with a beautiful framed picture painted by Smt Gita Goyal, a very talented artist devotee from the Bay Area. Amma was very pleased with presentation that depicted the Oneness of both the incarnations, Amma and Sri Sitha Mahayogini. Amma blessed everyone present individually. Slowly as everyone left the room with a few of us still in the room, Amma created the fragrant Vibhuti and poured in our hands and asked it to be distributed. And then suddenly Amma extended both the hands over the picture painting and poured out a large amount of the sacred Vibhuti covering the whole picture frame end to end. Over the next hour we kept ourselves busy packing the special Vibhuti and distributed to all present and saved some for other devotees to distribute.???

In all the excitement unfortunately no one had the presence of mind to take the photo or video of Amma pouring out the sacred Vibhuti on the picture frame, but here is the picture with still enough residue traces of Vibhuti after we carted away all the Vibhuti and packed it for distribution.?

A few of us also got smeared with the Vibhuti residue left on the hands by Amma.?

Over the past six months since Amma’s last visit to the USA, a small team of devotees lead by Sri MN Reddy worked on reproducing the small idol of Sri Sitha Mahayogini that is Amma’s constant companion. Using the 3-D printing technology the team was successful in getting resin replicas. These idols were placed in the morning worship program and Abhishekam. Later in the evening Amma distributed them with blessings.?

Later in the afternoon Smt Priya & Sri Sanjeev Tanugula along with the rest of the family visited Amma to extend a personal invitation to preside over the Sacred Saptamatruka Puja at their home on the 17th.?

Soon the evening Devotion program got underway….

After a little hide-and-seek Amma was ready to distribute the sacred idols of Sri Sitha Mahayogini.?

Nearly 50+ blessed recipients of the sacred idol of Sri Sitha Mahayogini.???

March 11-12, 2018 – Home of Dr. Srinivas Pyda, Livermore, California, USA.?

The morning worship program included the much coveted Pada Puja to the lotus feet of our Beloved Amma.???

Mischievous, cute and adorable — that’s our Lord???

Program concluded with the Mangala Arathi ???

Amma displays the torn out upper dhoti feigning anger at me and the rest of the Organizing Committee for not caring; guilty as charged we take all in jest and as Amma’s Prasad and blessings.???

More pranks and lovely mischief ?

Satsang with Amma; Amma is elaborating on spiritual concepts and principles with parables from Hindu epics and mythology. This is the hallmark of all great teachers and Divine Incarnates who simplify the high spiritual truths and messages by such illustrations.?

Those of us who are blessed enough to watch Amma’s creativity in action in preparing unique and original culinary delicacies cannot wait to partake them especially when it gets dished out by the very Divine Hands; Amma too enjoys watching us relish the food just like a loving Mother.?

Evening worship program – – melodious bhajans ?

Everyone looks forward for the post-dinner informal and intimate gatherings that occasionally follow the evening Devotion Program.

Sitting facing Amma on the left end of the picture is the young and beautiful Ananya who came straight from her dance competition and came first; Amma was like a proud Mother to hear the exciting news. The day was even more special for her parents the Goyals as their son Anant ranked first in the Regional running race competition.??????

Anant gets special hug and blessings from Amma for his accomplishment.?

March 12, 2018 – Today marks the final day of the four-day Nirmala Yoga Sadhana class.?

It’s also a special day for Smt Joanne Pesce who came along with her husband Sri Jerry Pesce to celebrate her birthday in Amma’s Divine Presence. Amma received their offerings of love and blessed them and presented Smt Joanne with a beautiful saree on the special occasion, following the cake cutting ceremony.???

The evening program gets underway… the program includes distribution of Certification of Completion of the 4-day intensive Nirmala Yoga Sadhana Class, and closing with melodious bhajans.?

A devotee makes loving offerings to Amma.?

The Course Director, Dr. Srinivas Pyda was garlanded on the occasion by Sri Thallapragada Rao, on behalf of all the Course Participants.?

Distribution of Certification of Course completion to the participants.?

That was young Showmik singing the melodious song in adoration of Lod Shiva.??

The program ended with Mangala Arathi.?

March 13-19, 2018 – Home of Dr. Srinivas Pyda, Livermore, California, USA.?
This is the final week of Amma’s visit to the USA.
I promised myself that I will complete the postings of this visit of Amma before the next month-long visit to the USA which is scheduled for July 3, 2018.
Also, there is a scheduled three country visit covering Singapore, Bali (Indonesia) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) from June 21st through June 30, 2018; more on that later.?

March 13, 2018 – Morning worship ???

Concluding Mangala Arathi?

Amma is always ready to give a helping hand in the kitchen; and it is more than a helping hand Amma is giving Jhansi a tip or two in creative cuisine.?

March 14, 2018 — Amma’s love for children and their spontaneous attraction to Amma is so natural and it personifies the  ideal loving bond between a mother and the child. Children are eager to please Amma with their creative arts and long to engage Amma in playing games with them.?

Young Anuj and Anvi presentsd Amma with the board game they made based on the quiz game Amma frequently conducts, based on the theme and characters of the great Hindu epic Ramayana.?

On the Divine lap — Lucky and blessed son of Viswa.?

Au naturael??

Even God can feel overwhelmed at times?

Beautiful Alankaram and the Altar?

Later in the morning Amma blesseda Smt Bindu and Sri Balaji of San Ramon, California by making a surprise visit to their home.???

The blessed family availed the opportunity to undertake the sacred Pada Puja ceremony.?

The blessed family with their Beloved Amma.???

Soup for the Soul — from the very Divine Hands.???

Concluded with Mangala Arathi ??

March 16, 2018- Morning worship?

March 16, 2018 — Amma blessed Smt Lakshmi & Sri Suresh Pyda by visiting their home.
The family including their children welcomed Amma and held the sacred Pada Puja program. After the luncheon and s little rest Amma returned to Livermore, CA to Dr. Srinivas Pyda’s home.?

The blessed family availed the opportunity to undertake the sacred Pada Puja ceremony.?

Concluded with Mangala Arathi ??

March 17, 2018 – Sacred Saptamatruka Puja at the home of Smt Priya & Sri Sanjeev Tanugula, Santa Clara, California, USA.

On this very holy day of Ugadi, the Tanugula’s are fortunate to undertake the most sacred Saptamatruka worship with Amma presiding the function. I will post the pictures of that event later after I catch up with the month-long back up of news events.
But, Amma has given me the explicit instruction to first post the brief but very profound Ugadi message that Amma gave the attendees of the event.
(ABOUT UGADI – Ugadi (Ugādi, Samvatsarādi, Yugadi) is the New Year’s Day for the Hindus of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana states in India. It is festively observed in these regions on the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Chaitra. This typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugadi).

AMMA’S 2018 UGADI (VILAMBI) MESSAGE:
Amma’s stern message to all her loving children around the world was to NOT TALK ILL OF ANYONE AND AVOID BACKBITING. Amma warned that it is not befitting of anyone claiming to be Amma’s devotee, men or women, in indulging in gossip and spreading falsehoods calling by phone at gatherings. Amma compared such persons to dogs and pigs which relish filth, and they are even lower than the vermin in the filth. Amma continued saying that there is no benefit of undertaking any number of special pujas or sadhanas if one violates this cardinal principle of not speaking ill of others and avoiding backbiting.
Amma concludes the message extolling the great virtues of women of sacrifice, tolerance and forbearance; and when the women lead such virtuous lives the entire world worship them and now to their feet.???

Special Program – The Sacred Saptamatruka Puja was held at Smt Priya & Sri Sanjeev Tanugula’s home in Santa Clara, California. Tanugulas made long awaited to undertake this sacred worship in the Divine Presence of Amma and made elaborate and detailed preparations with much love and devotion. Today they are realizing their dream.
A little over a year ago Amma spoke about the spiritual significance and the benefits of undertaking such sacred Puja.
I am reproducing that along with the background about the Saptamatruka Puja that I wrote at that time.???

In a recent satsang Amma clarified the true import of many of these elaborate forms of worship.
Amma cited an old adage,
పుణ్యంకొద్దీ పురుషుడు; దానంకొద్దీ బిడ్డలు
meaning
Based on the punya (meritorious deeds) one has done one will get a good man (spouse); and the good children one receives are a result of the charities one has done.
Amma explained that doing such sacred worships as the Saptamatrika or Saptarishi Pujas, or Suvasini Puja etc. one accumulates punya, and doing charitable acts serving the society and fellowmen one accumulates merit as well.
According to Amma the ultimate objective of both such worship activities where man is worshipped as the very embodiment of Divine, and engaging in charitable activities serving fellowmen is to “see God in man”. What a noble idea!???

What is Saptamatrika Puja?
Here is some background material that I gathered from my internet searches. Later I will share the essence of the significance if this sacred worship that Sri Srinivas Pyda gathered from Amma.?
“Sapta Matrikas or the seven divine mothers, representing the saktis, or the energies of the important familiar deities are Brahmani (Saraswati) Mahesvari (Raudani) Kaumari (Karttikeyani) Vaishnavi (Lakshmi) Varahi, Indrani and Chamunda (Chamundi). According to a legend, the Matrikas were created to help Lord Siva in his fight against Andhakasura. When Lord Shiva inflicted wounds on Andhaka, blood began to flow profusely from his body. Each drop which touched the ground assumed the shape of another Andhaka. Thus there were innumerable Asuras fighting Siva. To stop the flow of the blood, Siva created a goddess called Yogesvari from the flames issuing out of his mouth. Brahma, Vishnu, Maheswara, Kumara, Varaha, Indra and Yama also sent their saktis to follow Yogesvari in stopping the flow of blood. Thus the Sapta Matrikas originated and Andhakasura finally lost his power and was defeated by Siva.”?
“The Sapta-Matrikas portray beautiful allegory. Siva is the spirit of Vidya, knowledge. Andhaka represents, ignorance or the darkness of Avidya. The more Vidya attacks Avidya the more it tends to arise and increase. This is represented by the multiplication of Andhaka and secondary asuras. Unless the eight evil qualities, Kama, krodh, lobha, mada, moha, matsarya, paisunya and asuya are completely brought under the control of Vidya and kept under restraint, it can never succeed in putting down Andhakara. The Varaha Purana state that the Matrikas are Atma-Vidya warring against Andhakara. The darkness of ignorance: “Etate-te Sarvam-akyatamatma-vidyamritam”?
“According to Khadgamala (vamachara) tradition of Sri Vidya, the eight Matrkas are located along the wall (four at the doors and four at the corners) guarding the city (Tripura) on all eight directions: Brahmi on the West; Maheshwari on the North; Kaumari on the East; Vaishnavi on the South; Varahi on North-west; Aindri on the North-east; Chamunda on the South-east; and, Mahalakshmi on the South-west. Please see the figure below.”?

March 19, 2018 – Another glorious visit of Amma to the USA has come to an end to the disappointment of many. It is hard to sum up the collective experience of the fun, laughter, love and spiritual uplift that Amma’s visit brings; and, don’t forget the FOOD, especially the culinary delicacies that Amma whips up on the fly and lovingly mixes and serves. Despite nearly a six-week visit it still felt short as devotees hungered more of Amma’s love and Divine proximity. As the flight of Amma’s return to India was scheduled for the early afternoon from San Francisco, we left Dr Pyda’s home in Livermore, California around noon. It is our good fortune that Prasuna and I were able to join Amma on the return journey to India.
At the airport many devotees came to bid goodbye to their Sweetest Lord, and many were moved to tears at the thought of parting with Amma. Many stayed around waving to Amma as we well passed the security check. It was truly a moving experience to witness the loving bond between Bhakta and Bhagavan (Devotee and the Lord).???

What remains with us — The fond memory of the Lovely Lotus Feet of Amma?

As we settle down in our seats on the flight, Smt Jhansi already started to go around to distribute some snacks to the entourage.

Throughout the flight Amma paid special attention to the loving mother of Sri Sanjeev Tanugula of the Bay Area who also joined us.

Since the flight was not full Amma too found comfortable seating to rest, but notice Amma has not resorted to any extra protection from the cold cabin temperatures. When enquired if it is not too cold and offer a shawl or blanket Amma declines saying that this is no where near the cold temperatures that Amma bears in the Himalayas without any protection. That’s Divine!

As we start descending into the Dubai airport (transit) Amma peeks out at the sunset through the window ??

The rest of the journey until we reached Chennai, India in the early morning hours of March 21, 2018 was uneventful. We reached the Ashram around 5:30 AM where the Ashramites were thrilled to receive their Beloved Amma back.

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