For the disciples of a unique and genuine spiritual mas-ter-someone established in sahaja-samadhi (constant abid-ance in highest state of awareness)-illustrating their first-hand experiences with the guru is an attempt to express the inexpressible. Yet, this is exactly what has been going on in Amritapuri-the abode of Amma, Sri Mata Amritananda-mayi Devi-for the last year and a half, during the coro-na-pandemic lockdown.

The fundamental principle of Sanatana Dharma, the Hindu faith, is all-inclusiveness. It advocates many paths and forms to ensure none are excluded and to provide a full pal-ette of choices for its seekers and followers. As Amma says, "One path will not suit everyone, as the nature of people's minds and their inherent tendencies are different. Insisting on one path is like promoting only one size and model of shoes." So, in fact, Hinduism is monotheistic. It believes in a single, undivided, supreme reality-Brahman-the one and only truth, the very substratum of this manifested world of name and form.

Amma follows this ancient lineage of the rishis. She ac-cepts everyone and all paths-karma, bhakti and jnana-and discards nothing. Therefore, in this compilation of talks, you will see a beautiful blend of devotion, selfless action and Ve-dantic knowledge.

These talks and their wide-ranging insights and experi ences provide much to reflect upon. They present us with an opportunity to better understand and internalize the mystery that is Amma, as well as a gateway to access wisdom rooted in the personal, internal growth that accompanies spiritual-ity and a close relationship with a living guru. As the stories unfold, an unambiguous path unlocking the doors of your heart is revealed through an incessant flow of divine experi-ences, thought-provoking lessons and meditative moments.

The key is love the unbroken stream of pure uncon-ditional love that flows from Amma to one and all. Am-ma's love manifests as a full circle, embracing everyone and continuously circling back-"a real meeting of hearts," as Amma puts it. The 'negative' experience of the coronavirus lockdown has spawned a transformation at Amritapuri-a 'celebration,' if you will, the divine and blissful experience of everyone's stories being shared. Through this, everyone has developed a deeper understanding of the depth of Amma's knowledge and its impact on the world.

It would not be an exaggeration in any way if I were to say that this compilation is a treasure a priceless gift from Amma to Her children all over the world. It is not a mere collection of experiences, but an excellent reference book providing a glimpse of true spirituality. It presents the vast expressions of the genuine guru-disciple relationship as en-visaged and maintained by the ancient sages of India. It is a guide for spiritual seekers, an elixir to instill self-confidence, determination and detachment as the seeker faces internal and external challenges, and almost an encyclopedia of ways in which seekers have used Amma's teachings to overcome the constant confusion created by the mind.

Each talk has references and stories from the Vedas, Upa-nishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutras, Puranas and Itihasas, etc. Besides the sannyasis, brahmacharis and brahmacharin-is, other ashram residents including householder devotees and professors and researchers serving in the various schools of Amrita University-have participated. Hence, some of the talks are elucidated with scientific and logical references to clarify the perspective of the speaker.

For one and a half years now-since the commencement of the pandemic-the live international webcasts from Am-ritapuri have been the only solace and refuge for Amma's children all over the world. Complete with Amma's medi-tation, bhajans, talks by the ashram residents seated beside Amma, and Amma's own messages and question-and-an-swer sessions, these daily Webcasts have been tremendously enriching, instilling devotees with the self-confidence, faith and courage required to cope in these trying times. Through these programs, the physically gap between the devotees and Amma has been as if removed. The devotees are able to ex-perience Amma's presence and protection. Every day they have something to inspire them to remain patient, fearless and peaceful.

In the Amritapuri Ashram, these pandemic days have been filled with ongoing Sanskrit and scriptural classes, dis-cussions based on those classes, meditation, 'Ma-Om Medi-tation' and 'White Flower Meditation,' followed by bhajans, question-and-answer sessions with Amma and much more.

The Amritapuri Ashram is a huge community-a conglom-eration of people from around the world, including sannya-sis, brahmacharis, brahmacharinis and families. Every single person, from little children to adults, is being provided the opportunity to talk and discuss. Usually, Amma gives them a topic, with Amma Herself elaborating at the end in Her own simple, descriptive manner. As a whole, it is an inspiring spiritual feast.

The talks included in this book are not merely beneficial for spiritual seekers. They can shed light on all spheres of life, regardless of one's profession, nationality, language or religious faith. As the residents opens their heart, the read-er will also feel their heart opening. It is like beholding the enthralling beauty of a bud blossoming into a flower. Each of these speeches has a personal aspect because the speakers share some of their personal struggles, family situations, in-ner conflicts, the way they lived life before meeting Amma, and how a change in perspective occurred due to Amma's influence. The talks will also help you learn how to over-come some of your own weaknesses-things you consider as stumbling blocks on your path. If you heart is open enough, you can gain insight into how to change things you have al-ways believed to be 'impossible to change.' Don't be surprised if you see yourself in some of the speakers.

During this period of introspection, more and more of the ashram residents are realizing the value of breaking the shackles of the limited 'I'- the false notion that "I am this finite body, mind and ego." Once that bond snaps, the all-pervading 'I-ness' the oneness, the essence of your true being shines forth. In that absolute state of existence, nothing is separate from you. You are in everything, and ev-erything is in you. There is a beautiful bhajan written and composed by Amma, in which She reveals this highest reali-zation in simple words: "annutott-anyamayi kanan kazhiññil-la ellam-entatmavennorttu" "From that moment onwards, I couldn't see anything as separate from me. I remembered everything as my own Selft .

As Uddalaka says to his son, Shvetaketu, in Chandog-ya Upanishad, 6.1.3: "yenashrutam shrutam bhavatyamatam matam-avijñatam vijñatam-iti katham nu bhagavah sa adesho bhavatiti"-"That teaching by which what is never heard be-comes heard, what is never thought of becomes thought of, what is never known becomes known." This indeed is the knowledge in which Amma eternally abides: "That by know-ing which everything is known."

This 'knowing' explains the attraction and inexplicable bond that all of us have with Amma. One of the most up-lifting, heart-warming and fulfilling experiences is watching the way Amma is grooming the little children in the ash-ram. Amma's understanding of the world, people and other living beings is incomparable. Needless to say, Amma un-derstands children better than anyone else. The way these children respond to Amma's questions-their devotion and loving connection with Amma and their eagerness to learn the scriptures-cannot be put into words. As is said, "You have to see it to believe it."

Allow me to recall Amma's words, "The Sanskrit word, 'samskara' (deep-seated impressions carried from previous lives), is usually translated as 'culture.' However, the word 'culture' also refers to 'culturing' a small sample of our blood or sputum in a lab, where an optimal environment is created for the bacteria in the sample to grow. It is the same with 'culture,' when it refers to inner growth. In order for our chil-dren to thrive, we first need to create a conducive atmosphere at home and then later at school." Amma not only teaches; she translates every single word She utters into action. So, it goes without saying that every moment Amma creates an at-mosphere for Her children to remember and contemplate on the sphere of the atma-the 'atma-sphere.' In that most con-ducive atmosphere, spiritual blossoming simply takes place.

I sincerely hope that these personal experiences told by peo-ple who journeyed through the inner and outer worlds-the subjective and objective realms, the spiritual and emotional planes-kindle at least a small flame in your heart, shedding light on the path of your quest to reality.

Om amriteshwaryai namah. When the lockdown was imposed in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Amma asked ashram residents to prepare satsangs (spiritu-al discourses). She said that doing so would help them take stock of their ashram life and reflect on spiritual matters. This led to the launch of a series of talks held almost every evening in Amritapuri. The talks were a generous sharing of the speakers' experiences with Amma. Thus, the satsangs lived up to the meaning of the word: sat-sangha, or compan-ionship with truth.

The speakers, initially the ashram's monastics, were asked to speak on scriptural topics assigned to them. Most of the topics were celebrated verses from the scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita. One would have imagined then that the talks would be scholarly, with speakers sharing their insights into the scriptures. They were not, for the swamis and swa-minis, brahmacharis and brahmacharinis spoke not as pun-dits but as Amma's children. As far as they were concerned, what they had experienced with and learnt from her were primary; the scriptures merely affirmed those learnings.

One speaker illustrated it humorously with an anec-dote. A student preparing for an examination studied cows thoroughly. But the exam question turned out to be about coconut trees. The candidate who knew nothing about them wrote reams about cows, and ended by noting that they were tied to coconut trees. In the same way, no matter what Am-ma's children are asked to speak about, they inevitably end up talking about her.

This does not negate the scriptures. On the contrary, when the scriptural texts are refracted through the prism of personal experience, they become more meaningful and relevant. In this way, Amma ensures that scriptures are not perceived as abstractions but seen for what they really are: the bedrock truths of life.

As a Guru, her primary tool of teaching is not the class-room but the crucible of circumstance, custom-made for each disciple. Hence, it should come as no surprise when a brah-macharini or swamini serving as a principal in one of the ashram's schools waxes lyrical about how Amma's unseen guidance taught her to work as an instrument in the hands of the Guru; when a brahmachari supervising kitchen opera-tions marvels at Amma's culinary expertise and management skills; or when yet another monastic's reminiscence of how Amma freed him from the clutches of addiction and termi-nal disease is tinged with wonder and reverence.

In other words, the work that Amma assigned them be-came their primer on sadhana (spiritual practice), sharana-gati (self-surrender), shraddha (attentiveness and faith) and the Guru's sarvajnatva (omniscience), among other spiritual principles. By pouring the age-old wine of scriptural doc-trines into new goblets of experiential understanding, she makes it even sweeter.

Soon after the talks began, many ashram residents, both monastics and householders, repeatedly asked how they could avail themselves of these talks, which they found so inspiring, relevant and beneficial to their own spiritual lives, and which they felt would constitute an archive of ashram life. This is how the idea of compiling the satsangs was born.

For the speakers, preparing these talks was a meditation on Amma. Giving them while seated next to her was yet an-other unforgettable experience. And listening to her children was joyful for Amma. We hope that this first volume of talks will also delight you, dear reader, and deepen your devotion and dedication to Amma.