I feel immense joy in compiling, writing and editing this book entitled 'The Gospel of Her Grace Shri Shri Anandamayi Ma". Teachings or the words of Shri Anandamayi Ma are no less then a Revelation, hence, 'The Gospel'. For this volume, material has been compiled from approximately 160 issues of Anandavarta, 20 parts of 'Shri Shri Ma Anandamayi' authored by Shri Gurupriyadevi, 8 parts of 'Shri Shri Ma Anandamayi Prasanga' written by Shri Amulya Kumar Dattagupta, and various other small and large sources.
This book has its own uniqueness, compiling Shri Shri Ma's words scattered across different contexts on a single topic and presenting them under one title with a brief introduction. This task has been highly laborious, as the ocean of Shri Shri Ma's divine words is so vast that it appears to have no boundaries, no shore. However, as Shri Shri Ma has said, "Why consider toil and hardship in one's own work? The sense of hardship only arises when one does not see the work as their own." This is true. As the writing progressed, an indescribable joy kept growing, a deep sense of gratitude towards Shri Shri Ma awakened, and an inexpressible bliss and fulfilment flowed from within.
In this process, as I repeatedly turned the pages of Anandavarta issues, the 20 volumes by Didi, and the 8 volumes by Dattagupta, I discovered new words of Shri Shri Ma, new incidents, and new insights. It often left me wondering-what should I keep? What should I leave out? And then, I would recall Shri Shri Ma's words: "What will you hold on to? What will you leave behind? When everything is Me alone." True.
Out of concern that the book might become too voluminous, I had to reluctantly leave out many important topics. However, I cannot claim that I have compiled all the words related to the subjects that have been included.
What I can say with certainty is that whatever has been done has been carried out with utmost care and authenticity.
Even so, being human, errors are natural. If there are any mistakes due to ignorance or oversight, I sincerely seek forgiveness at the sacred feet of Shri Shri Ma.
The three appendices provided at the end of this book hold special significance. They contain a collection of certain aphorisms, emergence of which has its own unique history.
Approximately 22 years ago, a powerful spiritual emotion surged within due to the inconceivable Grace of Shri Shri Ma. In that very state, despite having no knowledge of Sanskrit, a spontaneous flow of prose and poetic aphorisms centred around Shri Shri Ma emerged. These were immediately recorded. Later, a Sanskrit scholar refined and corrected them linguistically and grammatically, after which they were published. Those Grace-bestowed aphorisms are now being republished in these appendices.
The embodiment of truth and eternal Dharma, Shri Shri Anandamayi Ma, was born in the village of Kheora in the Tripura district of East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Her birth occurred during the auspicious Brahma Muhurta, at 3:00 AM, On Jyestha Krishna Chaturthi, Vikram Samvat 1953, corresponding to Thursday, April 30, 1896.
Her parents named Her Nirmala Sundari Devi. Over time, She received six additional names: 1. Kamala, 2. Vimala, 3. Gajaganga, 4. Dakshayani, 5. Tirthavasini, and 6. Anandamayi. The name "Anandamayi" was given to Her in 1925 by one of Her devoted disciples, Shri Jyotish Chandra Roy (Bhaiji), recognizing Her blissful nature. Since then, She has been universally known by this name.
Early Life and Household Responsibilities Despite not formally entering the household life in the worldly sense, Ma set an exemplary standard as a devoted family woman. She managed all household duties skillfully, including cleaning, cooking, fetching water, preparing meals, and caring for the children of Her elder brother-in-law, Shri Revati Mohan Chakraborty. Her work was always flawless, and Her adherence to the norms and dignity of a traditional household was impeccable, earning Her the affection of everyone around Her.
After the death of Her elder brother-in-law in 1914, Ma lived at various places, including Aatpara, Vidyakut, Ashtagram, Bajitpur, and Dhaka; with Baijtpur and Dhaka being particularly significant. While Her extraordinary spiritual traits began manifesting in Ashtagram (1914-1918), they became more evident during Her stay in Bajitpur (1918-1924). This period saw Her practising yoga postures, pranayama, and other yogic disciplines, alongside devotional practices. Here the divine state of "Oneness with All" was profoundly visible during this time. She often expressed, "Everything I see, hear, or say is Myself. This too is Me; that too is Me."
Spiritual Realisation and Silence In this state of non-dual realisation, Ma entered a three-year silence, marking the culmination of Her spiritual practices. This silence concluded with the dissolution of dualities such as knowledge and ignorance, form and formlessness, Saguna (with attributes) and Niraguna (without attributes). She transcended distinctions between the self and non-self, and between God, the soul, and the world. What remained was an indescribable state of existence that She encapsulated in the phrase, "Whatever you say, that It is."
Compassion and Universal Love Despite being eternally free from worldly attachments, Ma's life was marked by universal love, compassion, and selfless care. She treated everyone as Her own and never distinguished between people. This made Her beloved by all who came into Her presence. Many saw Her as their mother, experiencing a love that surpassed worldly bonds. Her universal compassion and maternal affection left an indelible impression on countless hearts. Ma once said, "If there is anything truly my own, it is the entire universe."
Vedas (1216)
Upanishads (507)
Puranas (634)
Ramayana (759)
Mahabharata (372)
Dharmasastras (167)
Goddess (519)
Bhakti (251)
Saints (1558)
Gods (1310)
Shiva (392)
Journal (181)
Fiction (62)
Vedanta (383)
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Visual Search
Manage Wishlist