Gurudev Nityananda’s mother, Devaki Amma, passed away on July 13, 2003, on the day of Guru Poornima – the full moon of the Guru. The news was whispered to Gurudev while he presided over the Guru Poornima celebrations at the Shanti Mandir Ashram in Walden, NY. As the program came to a close, Gurudev asked for the tambura and with tenderness and tears he offered the Pasayadan prayer to his beloved mother.

That same afternoon saw Gurudev, along with Ashok and Devayani travel to Mumbai to provide and oversee the final ceremonies with all the sacred honor and respect that Amma so deserved.

In addition to being the birth mother of Baba Muktananda’s ’s two successors, Swami Nityananda and Swami Chidvilasnanda, she was of course a treasured devotee of Baba’s and was known and loved by many people. The entire experience of her passing from this world - the timing and manner in which she departed, the funeral procession, the final ceremonies and the outpouring of love and remembrance from all over the world was an experience that has inspired and comforted us as we bid her our final farewell.

Amma had not been well for a number of months. Just prior to Guru Poornima it was learned that her health was failing considerably. Gurudev had prayed that she might not linger in pain or in a helpless state for an extended period. His prayer was answered.

Directly following the end of the satsang, arrangements were made to maintain the body until Gurudev’s arrival in Mumbai. From New York, he sent instructions that she would be cremated near the river in Ganeshpuri.

The height of the monsoon - many people were apprehensive about traveling to Ganeshpuri for the cremation ritual with the rain so constant and heavy. It was considered by some to be a huge undertaking. On that morning, the rain subsided at exactly the right times and the proceedings were soaked only in the sacred honor and loving acknowledgement Gurudev had hoped to offer her.

The ceremonies began in Bombay on Tuesday, July 15 with the priest performing rituals where Amma left her body and where the body was kept. Afterward, many were asked to apply chandan (sandalwood paste) and the women privately bathed the body and lovingly wrapped her in her favorite sari. Amma’s body was then placed on the veranda of 21 Malti Niwas and more rituals were performed and many dozen garlands offered.

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishveshwarandji was also present throughout the morning and accompanied Gurudev and the others to Ganeshpuri. On behalf of Swami Chidvilasanand, Nirmala and Shirishbhai Thakkar and Pratima of Ganeshpuri came to offer flowers, a shawl and water and they said that Gurumayi was sending all of her shakti.

Amma’s body was gently placed on a simple stretcher made of bamboo poles, then carried to the waiting ambulance and the yatra to Ganeshpuri began.

When we reached Shivaji chowk, everyone stopped and climbed out of their vehicles. The local villagers of Ganeshpuri had arranged for a tractor that was waiting there decorated with flowers and garlands. The procession began towards the samadhi of Bhagwan Nityananda, Baba’s Guru, for Amma to have her final darshan.

As the procession paraded through the streets of the village, various people came out of their homes to offer incense and garlands, Gurudev Nityananda, Swami Vishveshwaranandji and the devotees walked behind the tractor and everyone chanted Raghupati Raghava Rajaram until reaching Bhagwan’s Samadhi shrine.

The villagers had closed the shutters of the their shops – in this way acknowledging her loss, their loving support was touching and overwhelming. .

When her body was outside of Bhagwan’s Samadhi shrine, all the women were requested to offer her water in the mouth with tulsi leaves. This was a very emotional moment for everyone. It would only be a few more moments before the men would carry her body to the cremation ground and no longer would we have the darshan of her physical form. As the men carried her away, the intensity and grief was palpable and for a few minutes the air was filled with the clouds of sorrow. At the cremation, Shri Lavarji, accompanied by priests from Ganeshpuri ensured that all the final rites were complete. Gurudev and company returned from the cremation area, bathed in the hot springs and offered their gratitude to Bhagwan.

In India, there is a 12 day period, after death or after birth, during which sacred Vedic ceremonies are performed for the soul. According to tradition, during these 12 days the soul, along with the subtle body is in transition. Once a person dies, and until the 13th day, the repetitious chanting of the Bhagvad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranam continues.

After Amma’s cremation in Ganeshpuri, the following days of formal observance were filled with chanting and ceremonies at the house in Mumbai.

Anant Lavar Shastriji, assisted by a priest, performed the 10th, 11th, & 12th day ceremonies, as counted from the day she left her body on July 13. Sanjay, the youngest son, was the yajman (host) of all the ceremonies. Vijay Bhat, a South Indian priest from Gokarna, performed the 13th day ceremonies.

During this time, many devotees came from Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra and other places to offer homage to Amma and spend time at Ganeshpuri. On Friday afternoon, after the 13th day ceremonies, everyone proceeded to the village of Ganeshpuri so to be present at Bhagwan Nityananda’s punyatithi (lunar) celebrations on Saturday, July 26th.

Arrangements had been made for over 125 people to stay overnight in the village of Ganeshpuri that evening. There was an all night chant for Bhagwan's samadhi day at the Bangalorewala building where he left his body. The chant was ecstatic and continued to resound in our mind for many days afterward.
Morning abhishek to Bhagwan’s statue was held from 4:00 – 6:30 a.m.

As observed during the time of Baba Muktananda, cloth & sarees were distributed to the poor. This was done in Devaki Amma’s honor and hundreds of men and women were pleased to receive the offerings.

Simultaneously, we visited schools and distributed cloth to the children. To our amazement, at the conclusion on one of these occasions, the school principle requested the children to sing various shlokas for Gurudev. The children concluded their performance with Pasayadan, the prayer by Jnaneshwar. This was a very emotional moment for all of us as the Pasayadan was the first formal offering which Gurudev made so beautifully to Devaki Amma during the Guru Poornima celebrations in Walden and very shortly after he had been notified of her passing. Now in Ganeshpuri, we were concluding the ceremonies with 300 children so beautifully making their final offering to her soul.

We spent the entire day in Ganeshpuri and every moment was filled with activity. We attended a Vishnu Yagna performed for Amma at a local priest’s house; we went to the finale of the chant; we attended as food was offered to the villagers; we visited the temples; and we were able to bathe in the hot springs. Throughout all of this, Gurudev visited with many of the local people who have known him since he was a child. He was to say later of the experience, “It was reminiscent of our childhood days with Baba. Many of the people who had been there then came and we were all happy to see each other. “

In the evening, after having darshan at the Vajreshwari temple, we returned to Mumbai. Of all the emotions we felt that day, most acute was the tremendous gratitude felt towards the Sadguru for the perfection surrounding all aspects of Amma’s departure from this world.

Shanti Mandir continues to experience opposition to date all over India by people who are devotees of Swami Chidvilasanand. They continue to create trouble and hardship for Shanti Mandir, but it was appreciated that throughout all of the ceremonies and last rights offered in Amma’s name, there was no negative demonstration or resistance. For that we are grateful.

Having returned to Mumbai, the final ceremony of the weekend was held at Sannyas Ashram on the 27th. It was a Shraddhanjali sabha, a gathering to pay homage to Devaki Amma on the 15th day. This event was attended by many family members who had not seen Gurudev in over 20 years. Many who attended were touched and expressed their gratitude for the all of the organization and attention to detail that was evident in the ceremonies and events of the last 13 days. Through all of the final ceremonies, Sanjay and Rani graciously maintained their full participation and loving support.

Amma’s ashes went to Nasik to the Godavari, Kankhal to the Ganges, and to the ashram in Walden, NY.

In the Indian tradition, death, though sad and filled with grief, is also celebrated because the departed soul has evolved further. The dramatic auspiciousness of Amma passing on the actual day of Guru Poornima has allowed the perfection of the event to be more keenly felt by those that will miss her. There has been sorrow in knowing she is gone, yet also present is intense trust in and deep gratitude to the Sadgurus for taking her on such a holy day.

n the Bhagvad Gita, chapter 8, vs. 24, Krishna talks about the two paths a soul may take upon departure from this world and of the “path of no-return” he says, “Fire, light, day-time, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern solstice; following this path, men who know Brahman go to Brahman.” Swami Chinmayananda, in his beautiful commentary on the Bhagvad Gita says of this stanza, “…. According to the Upanishadic tradition, “he who lived a life of rituals (Karmas) and worship (Upasana), to enjoy the result so accrued, will walk the ‘Path-of-the-gods’ (Devayana) and entering through the Sun, will go beyond it to the Brahmaloka.”

We feel great comfort in knowing that Amma took the “path-of-no-return”, the “Path-of-the-Gods.” There could have been no better conclusion for her.

In Amma’s honor - pooja, chanting and generous service remained the perpetual themes throughout all of the ceremonies and offerings acknowledging her passing – the same steady themes that she perpetually honored during her life.

She was a remarkable woman of honor, dignity and grace. She was quiet and unassuming, simply going about her life and work. Her service to the Guru remained constant and uninterrupted throughout her life. Although there were extremely difficult periods which she traveled through, her faith remained unwavering and steady. We are grateful and feel most fortunate to have known Amma and to have shared what time with her that we were given.