Matrusri Anasuya Devi (born 28 March 1923 – 1985), better known simply as Amma ["Mother"], was an Indian spiritual guru from Andhra Pradesh.

Anasuya Devi
Personal
Born
Anasuya

(1923-03-28)28 March 1923
Mannava, Mannava Panchayat, Guntur District, (now Andhra Pradesh), India
Died12 June 1985(1985-06-12) (aged 62)
ReligionHinduism
Quotation

"Mother exists forever and includes everything within herself. She who is everything and everywhere is Mother. It is not correct to say Mother of the Universe. The Universe itself is the Mother"[1]

Early life

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Anasuya Devi was an Indian guru from Jillellamudi (now partially known as Arkapuri), Guntur District, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Anasuya Devi was born in a small village in Andhra Pradesh, on March 28, 1923.[2] Her parents were Seethapathi Rao, the village officer of Mannava, and his wife Rangamma. Five of their children had died before Anasuya's birth.[3][4][5]

On 5 May 1936, Amma's wedding took place at Bapatla with Brahmandam Nageswara Rao who became later the village officer of Jillellamudi.[6]

Charitable career

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At Jillellamudi, as a young housewife, Amma looked after the needs of her family which came to include two sons and a daughter. In addition to performing her household duties, Amma devised and organized a grain bank to help the poor and needy.[7] Amma used to give food to every visitor to the village.

She founded the common dining hall Annapurnalayam on 15 August 1958. This place serves simple vegetarian food day and night to all who came. In 1960, the "House of All" was founded to provide lodging to the residents and visitors.[citation needed]

Amma established a Sanskrit school in 1966 (now the Matrusri Oriental College and High School) and within a relatively short time, one could hear the inmates speaking Sanskrit fluently.[8]

Amma saw only good in people and had no concept of "sin", treating all alike irrespective of faith and religion.[9]

Death

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Amma died on 12 June 1985.[1] A temple Anasuyeswaralayam was built, in which a life size statue of Amma was installed in 1987.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b "The Path of the Mother By Savitri L. Bess", ISBN 0-345-42347-X, p.68
  2. ^ Conway, Timothy (1996). Women of Power & Grace: Nine Astonishing, Inspiring Luminaries of Our Time. New York: Wake Up Pr (April 1996).
  3. ^ "50 Spiritual Appetizers: Principles of Good Governance By Vinod Dhawan", ISBN 978-1-4828-3471-0, p.43
  4. ^ Mother of All: A Revelation of the Motherwood of God in the Life and Teachings of the Mother, ISBN 8178221144, Section 20
  5. ^ Bollée, Willem. "Physical Aspects of Some Mahāpuruṣas Descent, Foetality, Birth." Wiener Zeitschrift für Die Kunde Südasiens / Vienna Journal of South Asian Studies, vol. 49, 2005, pp. 5–34.p9 https://www.jstor.org/stable/24007652.
  6. ^ "[1]", 17 February 2007, p.108
  7. ^ Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India by Linda Johnson (Yes International Publishers, ISBN 0936663-09-X)
  8. ^ "Matrusri Oriental College(MOC), Jillellamudi | College | Arts". eduhelp.in. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Mathrusri Anasuya Devi - Gurusfeet.com". Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
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