Anandamayi Ma

The last guru required in my research list was Anandamayi Ma. As soon as I spotted her photograph in a library book, I became fascinated by her blissful face. I felt as if she was pulling me to her. Since it was my last few days studying in San Diego, I feverishly read the book and realized that she was the woman guru I wanted. She fulfilled my definition for a spiritual teacher. Ma, as I would refer to her, was one of the four spiritual giants in my study who transformed my life.

Ma was born on April 30, 1886, in the remote Muslim village of Kheora in East Bengal, now Bangladesh. She came from a pious Brahmin family. Her father, Bipin, was a gifted musician and singer who, at the time, had left home for three years as an ascetic in the renunciation of the world. Ma’s mother, Mokshada, was a wise and loving person who also loved to compose and sing spiritual chants. Before Ma appeared in her mother’s womb, Mokshada had a variety of mystical events and experiences. She saw in her dreams various Hindu Gods and Goddesses who filled her home with radiance even after Ma was born. Mokshada welcomed and worshipped them. Ma’s home was a humble mud house with a thatched roof and walls that you could see through. Although the family seemed poor and a father intermittently home, Ma’s family lived contentedly and sufficiently. They never experienced starvation.

Ma’s birth was amazing. When she was born, she never uttered a sound. In addition, she was aware of her surroundings. Later on, she mentioned to her mother about her uncle, who was visiting on that day of her birth. The love of her mother influenced Ma’s formative years as well as her father, family, neighbours, and villagers and her mother’s rites of daily worship and kirtan (devotional singing). Ma’s inherent power of attraction and cheerful nature made everyone fond of her. When Bipin returned home, he was very attentive to his little girl. He taught her to read, sing, and worship Hari. Ma would ask her father who Hari was. He would patiently describe God, the Lord of the Universe. As a small child, when listening to prayers or kirtan, Ma would become withdrawn and forget herself for a time. Her mother and family thought she was a simpleton.

Ma’s education was from kindergarten to about half-a-year of grade one. She had to help at home and could go to school only with an escort. When Ma grew up, her signature was just a circle. She later said that a circle was everything. From two and a half years of age, Ma began to experience trances as she did in later life. Even at this very young age, Ma was helpful. One day she observed her mother crying deeply for three younger brothers who had died. Ma began to cry loudly and inconsolably. Her mother stopped crying to look after Ma.

The people of the village of Kheora were Moslems, Hindus, and even Christian missionaries. As a child, Ma remembered loving the hymns the Christians sang. She always requested to go to the missionary tents to sing. At thirteen years of age, according to the ancient Indian custom, Ma was married to Ramani Mohan Chakravarti. He was much older than Ma. She spent time with her parents and in-law family. During this time, Ma demonstrated her keen interest and quick ability to spin fine threads, needlework, cane work, other handi-crafts, cooking, and housecleaning. At eighteen years of age, Ma went to live with her husband in Ashtagrama.

Bholanath and Ma

It was here that Ma’s spirituality daily unfolded. Other than what her parents taught her, Ma never learned about meditation or yoga from anyone. The other gurus in my research had teachers. Neither could she read any of the sacred Vedic scriptures. Her spiritual journey was a step-by-step and stage-by-stage unfoldment precisely as written in the Vedic teachings and what a student studied and practiced from a guru for self-realization. Ma did not have a guru. Her only guru was the One within. Ma’s husband, Bholanath, was a simple villager who had an intrinsic religious bent. He only had a rudimentary knowledge of religion and sadhana that he practiced daily. In the atmosphere of his simple home, when he began to witness the natural unfoldment of Ma’s unique spiritual power, he was filled with awe because he did not understand any of it. He only knew that he was married to a spiritually exalted woman and that he had to take care of her. Their marriage was different in which Ma’s spiritual discipline helped shape Bholanath’s from being quick to anger to that of a renunciant in service to Ma.

Ma’s self-realization that officially began in Ashtagrama was like a play of God, not haphazard, but in order. It comprised of Divinely originated incomprehensible acts that psychically and unexpectedly emerged from Ma. At first, an idea would come to her came then she would begin the role as a practitioner in many ways for self-realization. Every evening after, Ma had prepared meals for Bholanath and did her housework, she prepared her room to sit and say the names of God. She did not know about meditative poses or ritual words or actions. All of these just manifested on her body. Ma’s night-ly spiritual practices were not a secret. Through the leaf-lattice walls, curious neighbors witnessed her prayers and yoga; they announced her as a witch. They ordered Bholanath to have her exorcised, and relatives urged him to remarry. When the exorcist touched Ma, he instantly fell to the ground in pain. Other relatives of Bholanath saw in Ma, a person of superior spirituality.

After four years in Ashtagrama, they moved to Bajitpur, where Bholanath found employment. Here, Ma’s spiritual exercises became deeper and deeper through mantras, complicated postures, Sanskrit stanzas, trances, and supernormal powers mysteriously manifested. One night, as Bholanath lay awake, seed mantras emanated from Ma’s mouth. These were the mantras of initiation. All the articles for initiation appeared from nowhere, and as the mantras emerged, Ma initiated herself. Six months later, breaking all spiritual conventions, Ma initiated her husband. By virtue of Ma’s phenomenal spiritual power, she helped her husband live a celibate life. After Bholanath’s initiation, for three years, Ma lived in complete silence.

After six years in Bajitpur, they moved to the Shahbagh Gardens, where Bholanath found a new job as a manager. Ma continued her spiritual sadhanas until at times her body displayed a golden glow. Her exalted state began to attract devotees who witnessed her trance-like states, peace and resonance of hymns and seed mantras that emerged from her mouth. As devotees started to grow, Bholanath realized that he had to disregard the Indian convention and now allow Ma to be accessible to the public. Ma’s spiritual play mystified, overwhelmed, and enchanted Her devotees. She exhibited various powerful aspects of rapture that convinced devotees that Ma was indeed a divine personality.

As Ma’s trances grew longer, it was evident that she could not cook, eat, or even take care of herself. Gradually, Ma’s closest devotees gathered to her to help look after her and learn. Ma now had the time for the extraordinary job of traveling and teaching about God. The Indian scriptures verified everything that Ma taught, performed, and lived. For Ma, God was both in and beyond all manifestation. She believed that in this age of Kali Yuga, the easiest way to focus on God is to sing and chant spiritual hymns, songs, or prayers. Ma taught through stories, parables, puns, and even jokes, for She loved to belly-laugh.

Ma believed that “Whatever happens was destined to happen.” She often stated that God comes to us in disguise as suffering. We are purified by suffering. Ma envisaged a revolutionary change in the status of women and said that women would take their place at the helm of society. She believed in the education of girls and told men to treat women honorably if they want to be successful in life. Ma, while uneducated, still met with Kings, queens, prime ministers, and dignitaries from around the world who sought an audience with her. Ma lived a long life on this earth. At the age of eighty-six years of age in 1982, Ma died. Thank you, Ma, for calling me to you.