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AMMA'S PUDDING MIRACLE

This is the account of how Amma began hugging which began with this miracle. After the pudding miracle, she first manifested the bhava (mood) of Krishna as she was hugging. Later she began to also manifest the bhava of the Divine Mother. Still later, she stopped Krishna bhava and only manifested Devi (Divine Mother) bhava. The following is from Amma's biography which is available at www.ammashop.org. Over the past 30 plus years Amma has hugged over 34 million people.

"Young Sudhamani (Amma’s birth name), whose entire being had found eternal rest in the Supreme, now struggled to carry on with the household chores as before. She tried hard to discharge her duties, but, as we shall see, this was not what the Divine had in store for her.

"On a Wednesday evening in the month of September, 1975 (she was 22 years old), certain events occurred which would later mark the beginning of a new chapter in the annals of India’s spiritual history. Sudhamani had just finished collecting grass for the cows, and was returning home about five in the afternoon, accompanied by her younger brother, Satheesh. Carrying a big bundle of grass on her head, she was in her usual sublime mood and the melody of a devotional song was on her lips. As the two passed the entrance gate of the neighboring house on the northern side of Idamannel, Sudhamani came to an abrupt halt. She had overheard the final verses of the Srimad Bhagavatam being read aloud in the courtyard. The reading had come to an end and the devotional singing was just beginning.

"Sudhamani stood motionless, captured by the moment, and appeared to be intently listening to the singing. Suddenly her mood changed dramatically. The bundle of grass fell from her head as she ran to the spot and stood in the midst of the devotees gathered there. Overwhelmed with divine bliss, her inner identification with the Lord overflowed into her external being, transforming her features and movements into those of Sri Krishna Himself!

"Stunned, the devotees believed that Sri Krishna had indeed come to them suddenly in the form of this village girl in order to bless them. Sudhamani asked one of the devotees to bring some water, which she then sprinkled on everyone as sacred water.

"News of Sudhamani’s Divine Manifestation spread quickly, and soon a large crowd gathered. Some skeptics raised objections to the little one’s sudden Divine Mood saying, “If you are really Lord Krishna, then you must show us proof through a miracle. Otherwise, how can we believe?” Instantly came the reply, “An object which does not already exist cannot be brought into existence. All things are really only the projection of the mind. Having the Real Gem within you, why do you crave an imitation? Even though Pure Being is within you, ignorance is veiling it!”

"Unable to grasp this sublime truth uttered by one established in Pure Being, they pressed her again and again to show a miracle. Sudhamani responded, “I am not interested in making someone a believer by showing a miracle. My intention is not to show miracles. My goal is to inspire people with the desire for liberation through realisation of their Eternal Self. Miracles are illusory. They are not the essence of spirituality. Not only that, once a miracle is shown, you will demand to see one again and again. I am here not to create desire, but to remove it.”

"The skeptics insisted, “No, we won’t ask again; show us a miracle once, we won’t insist again!” At last Sudhamani conceded, “In order to inculcate faith in you, I will do it once, but never again approach me with such desires. Those who doubt, let them come to this same place on the day of the next Srimad Bhagavatam discourse.”

"When the next Bhagavatam discourse was held, a huge crowd had gathered inside and outside the house. The non-believers even climbed trees and perched on rooftops, hoping to expose a fraud. Revealing her oneness with Krishna, Sudhamani told one of the doubters to bring a pitcher of water, which, as before, she sprinkled on the devotees as sacred water. Then she asked the same man to dip his fingers in the remaining water. To everyone’s amazement the water had become pure milk! This was then distributed among the crowd as a holy offering from God.

"Then Sudhamani called another skeptic, asking him to dip his fingers in the pitcher.  The milk in the pot had now turned into a sweet and fragrant pudding (panchamritam) made of milk, bananas, raw sugar, raisins, and rock sugar. All present raised a cry, “O God! O God!” and believed themselves to be truly in the Divine Presence of Lord Krishna.

"The panchamritam was distributed among more than a thousand people who had gathered, yet the pot remained full to the brim. Some people who were sitting at a distance near a small banyan tree at the seaside also received the sweet pudding, but still the vessel’s contents did not diminish. A few skeptics, still not satisfied, declared the whole incident a feat of mesmerism, insisting that the panchamritam would vanish within a few seconds. Much to their disappointment, it did not vanish, and the sweet scent remained on everyone’s hands for several days.  This event greatly increased the faith of the villagers, who now all firmly believed in Sudhamani’s divinity.

"Referring to the advent of Krishna Bhava, Sudhamani subsequently explained, “In the early days, I used to dance in bliss and move about alone, persisting in Krishna Bhava, but no one knew. One day I strongly felt the urge to be absorbed in the Supreme Being without returning. Then I heard a voice from within saying, ‘Thousands and thousands of people in the world are steeped in misery. I have much for you to do, you who are one with Me.‘“ 

"It was after hearing this voice that Sudhamani manifested her inner identity with Lord Krishna to the villagers.  Sudhamani continued, “I was able to know everything concerning everyone.  I was fully conscious that I, myself, was Krishna, not only during that particular time of manifestation, but at all other times as well. I did not feel, ‘I am great.’ When I saw people and knew their sufferings, I felt immense pity for them. I was conscious of devotees offering salutations to me and addressing me as ‘Lord’. I could understand the sorrows of the devotees, even without being told.”

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