Splendour of Narayani
Sakthi Amma is an avatar or incarnation of the Divine Mother in her form as the Goddess Narayani. Ma-ny hundreds of years ago, our Rishis appealed to her to take birth in the Kali Yuga to guide humankind on the path of truth and righteousness.
Her presence today in Sripuram near Vellore is result of her infinite compassion in acceding to the wishes of our Rishis.
Her mission lies in alleviating human suffering, establishing charitable activities that bring people to spiritual life and bringing about peace and prosperity to humankind.
Her teachings are as profound as they are instructive. Consider for example her utterances on the importance of a temple: “Temples are not just brick buildings. They are the focal points for attaining peace of mind and to receive God’s Grace, both of which are essential in one’s life”. Or her position on the importance of selfless service: “If you dedica- te yourself to the world you wi- ll be given the energy and the strength to do great things”.
Similarly, she emphasises the critical importance of possessing a positive disposition: “Each person must have good thoughts, good words and good deeds. When you practice all the three, you will lead a blessed life”. And the importance of faith, devotion and surrender: “When we have complete faith in God, we do not have to ask for anything. In fact, we will not even feel like asking for anything”. This means that all needs are met when surrender is total and complete.
One of Amma’s central teachings lies in highlighting the fact that all life forms have a purpose and it is important for humankind to live in harmony with that purpose. The precious gift of life must be received with gratitude to nature and the five elements that constitute the foundation upon which all life is supported.
The Narayani Peedam was established in Sripuram near Vellore in 1992 when Sakthi Amma was just sixteen. Even its design is special. As Amma once declared: “Certain shapes absorb good energy from nature such as the pathway around Sripuram which s in the shape of a star”. Since then Amma has been conducting numerous pujas and yagnams for world peace and harmony and successfully initiated several large scale projects in pov- erty alleviation and charitable activities.
Other teachings contain marvellous insights: “The ultimate goal of human life is service to others. Only human birth has this opportunity. This is wisdom and knowledge”. Or: “The ability to do great things comes from the heart”. A visit to the Golden Temple, (it is situated in a lush hundred acre landscape), is an extraordinary and hugely uplifting experience.
