Mata Amritanandamayi's Spiritual Realization Without a Traditional Guru

The journey of Mata Amritanandamayi towards spiritual realization without the assistance of a traditional guru is a compelling narrative that resonates with many spiritual seekers. Many wonder how she, like other exalted souls, achieved such profound enlightenment through their own direct access to the divine.

Direct Access to Inner Guidance

Mata Amritanandamayi shares in the belief that every individual has an inherent connection to the greatest of gurus—the divine within. This inner guru, also known as the soul, can guide individuals to various other sources of wisdom and enlightenment as required. The key lies in learning how to listen and trust this inner voice.

Silence of the Guru

There are instances where senior disciples and gurus choose to remain silent about their own gurus. For example, in my interactions, a senior disciple and guru designate of my Gurudeva never even mentions Gurudeva's name. He addresses him simply as 'Baba'. This silence is not mere tradition but is rooted in the belief that these gurus only connect with eligible souls without the need for external propagation.

Many great saints and religious founders have not explicitly stated the names of their gurus. Bhagwan Rama and Krishna, for instance, acknowledged their gurus but emphasized the yogakarma lineage. In the era of Kali Yuga, from about 5000 years ago, most exalted souls remained silent about their gurus to preserve the original scriptures and sadhana practices. In this period, the clear lineage of yogakarma initiation became rare and nearly impossible to find.

Eligibility and Timing

A Guru for yogakarma initiation is present all the time, but only connects with eligible souls when the time comes. These gurus have access to the entire creation and do not need to propagate because they are self-sufficient. They ensure that seekers who are ripe are connected with yogakarma initiation.

Insight into Mata Amritanandamayi's Realization

While I haven't read any biography of Mata Amritanandamayi, it is known that some souls are born with good karma or sanskara from previous lives. These accumulated efforts in previous births can lead to sudden realizations. The realization process varies from one individual to another. For instance, about a year before, someone from Maharashtra shared details of a Kutastha visualization that he experienced a few times. This visualization is described in Lahiri Mahasaya's diaries as an exalted state of kriyayoga.

While this individual did not stabilize in this exalted state, he was directed to read the book 'Purana Purusha', which detailed the experience. Since he did not solidify in a static state, he had to be born again. However, due to the sanskara and natural inclination, he reconnected with the path. As Lahiri Baba stated, without kriyayoga practice, Brahma mergence is not possible, and one may need to take multiple births until mergence is achieved.

Mata Amritanandamayi and many other exalted souls today have yet to achieve complete settlement. Once a sadhaka (practitioner) achieves settlement, access to exalted states and God-realization becomes accessible anytime. Some of these exalted sadhakas might become known to humanity due to their karmic connections, while many remain unknown. The percentage of unrecognized yet exalted yogis is much greater. In the lineage of Lahiri Mahasaya, many householders achieved exalted states but remained silent and self-sufficient.

Understanding that every seeker has access to their own inner guru, and recognizing the importance of listening and trust, can aid in the spiritual journey. The wise silence of gurus ensures the preservation and transmission of true spiritual knowledge.