In Trichy, during darshan, in the wee hours of the night, a special darshan was there. He had 4 legs, but he didn’t walk. He could fly because he had wings. He was a small black bat, very tiny, like the size of a small mouse. Somehow it ended up on the stage – on the Women’s side – and there was a big freak out – everyone was afraid. A Westerner caught it and brought it to Amma. Amma stopped darshan, and put it on the backside of her hand, and started to caress it, brought it up to her face, while stroking it’s back, and softly kissed it. Oh, it was a sweet darshan! Amma asked what to feed it – and gave it a banana. It sniffed the banana but didn’t eat.
In Ettimadai, Amma was with a calf, fondling its neck, stroking its face and head. She kissed it, and kissed, and kissed. The calf licked Amma’s face.
Back in Amritapuri, one day, a small baby sitting on its mother’s lap came for Amma’s darshan. Amma took the baby on her lap. The baby had a pacifier in her mouth. She looked at Amma, took her pacifier, and put it in Amma’s mouth. Amma was sucking on the pacifier just like the baby.
Sounds simple, these small acts. The act is simple, but to do it so spontaneously without aversion, you need immense courage, love, and wisdom–the wisdom that everything is your own Self.
It’s easy to talk Advaita but to live it, not easy.