Open your mouth
Back in 1993, in Australia, it was the rage to run after Mother's car when she left a program. There was one boy, age 10 or 11, very devoted to Mother. He would continue to run after Mother even when all the others had stopped. Sometimes Mother would say to stop the car and she would pop a cashew into his mouth.
One year, we were at a retreat in Somers, just outside Melbourne. I was driving Mother in those days. We left the hall after the morning program - heading to a house nearby where Mother was staying. The usual group ran after the car for about a hundred meters or so. The boy was actually ahead of us, running. We passed him, and in the rear view mirror, I saw Amma smile. He was really pumping. Mother didn't indicate to stop as she usually did, so I kept on driving - out of the retreat site to the road. I could see him in the rear view mirror still flying along. I sped up on the road, but after 600 or 700 meters, there was a sweeping bend to the left. I lost site of him then. After about another half a kilometer, Mother looked back. She indicated for me to pull over and come to a stop. Then I saw him way back. We waited as he came running to the car. Mother wound down the window. He was huffing and puffing, but with an ecstatic smile spread across his face. Mother was radiating pure love. The car was filled with it. Just as she reached for a cashew, I turned to look. She held the cashew back a little, making him open his mouth wide. When he did that, I saw the whole universe in his opened mouth. I swear - just for a second, it was all there. The whole universe.
She popped the cashew in and waived at me to drive on.
I told that story once or twice since then, but though, I have seen that boy many times over the years, I never told him...
A few weeks ago in Amritapuri, just before New Years, I found myself standing next to him at the rear of the stage while Mother was giving darshan. He is 25 years old now and has recently completed a medical degree. He was about to start a month of practical observation at AIMS.
I asked him if he remembered running after the car all those years. He looked a little perplexed. "Sure," he said. "I remember!"
I told him the story of seeing the whole universe in his mouth.
He looked at me in awe. He said, "I've never told anyone this. I'll never forget that day. I knew she would eventually pull over. As She went to put the cashew in my mouth, she held it back. She smiled and opened Her own mouth really wide. When She did that, I saw the whole universe in Her mouth!"
We just looked at each other and then turned to watch Her.
What can you say? She is the Divine Mother of the whole universe and that universe is reflected in each and every one of us.
