Amit Shah praises Mata Amritanandamayi's five decades of selfless service

Kollam, Sep 26 (UNI) union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday praised Mata Amritanandamayi for dedicating five decades to selfless service and said her 73rd birthday should be celebrated through acts of service.

Addressing the 73rd birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi here as the chief guest, Shah said she had made wiping the tears of the suffering her spiritual practice and duty for five decades. He said being in Amma's presence enabled one to understand the true meaning of being human by rising above worldly responsibilities.

"Even an insensitive person, upon visiting this place, is filled with a sense of gratitude for the service done by Amma," he said. Shah said that while systems sustain society, compassion binds it together, and Amma had enabled millions in India and across the world to understand and empathise with the suffering of others. He said Amma's affection had made millions realise that they were not alone in their suffering and that she stood with them. Recalling her relief efforts after the devastating Gujarat earthquake in 2001, Shah said Amma had constructed 1,200 houses and established an entire village, complete with essential facilities including a town hall, educational institutions and a hospital.

The settlement is now known as 'Amma's Village', he said. Shah said Amma was born on September 27, 1953, into an impoverished family at Parayakadavu in Kollam district and had subsequently become an instrument for dispelling deprivation, sorrow and despair from the lives of millions. He said Amma's life could be understood through three facets - 'Bhava', 'Karma' and 'Karuna' - devotion, action and compassion. The innate compassion reflected in Amma's personality had touched people across the world, while her embrace evoked an affection deeper even than that of a mother, Shah said. He said while many people engaged in selfless service at different stages of their lives, very few dedicated their entire lives to it.

Amma had spent her entire life in selfless service, he added. Shah said Amma had not only transformed her spirit of service into an institutionalised effort but also developed it into a global movement. For her, 'Seva Dinam' never ended, as her service continued throughout the year. Referring to her humanitarian initiatives, Shah said there were currently 86 Amrita Vidyalayas across the country. From the Gujarat earthquake, tsunami and Uttarakhand disaster to the Wayanad landslide and COVID-19 pandemic, Amma and her followers had set an exemplary standard of service during every crisis, he said. He said Amma had undertaken significant initiatives in health, education and livelihood, planted more than one million trees and worked towards making 101 villages self-reliant.

Shah said Amma had conveyed the message of Hindutva and service on international platforms, including the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit and the Parliament of the World's Religions. He said that during India's G20 presidency, Amma had presided over the Civil-20 process. Shah said Amma had also extended her blessings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve for a drug-free India. "With her blessings, the entire nation will become drug-free, and we will certainly achieve this goal," he said. He said Amma had dedicated her life to the principle of "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay" - the welfare and happiness of all.

UNI DS