WHAT IS KAMALAMBIKA TATTVAM

---

The intrinsic, inherent and the most distinctive quality is said to be the essence or tattva of a thing, person or a concept.  This essence retains the basic nature and is an abstract of the unique qualities. What is the essence of Sri Mata Kamalambika? What is that Tattva that nourishes and uplifts our lives?

We move on to contemplate in this angle only after completely realising that Mata can’t be confined to physical boundaries. She is the essence of the ABSOLUTE and the ULTIMATE REFUGE i.e. PARABRAHMAM and PARANDAMAM. Sri Mata Kamalambika is a spectrum encompassing all the aspects of the UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS. Let us pray that She sheds light on us to understand Her tattva! I have tried exploring only a few approaches and leave the remaining philosophies for your kind consideration.

“KAMALAMBIKA   -   THE GURU TATTVAM”

It is needless to emphasise the importance of a guru in one’s life. Right from our birth we are taught and guided by various people. Our parents and siblings at home, teachers at school and college, our friends and peer at work; by and large the society as a whole teaches a person how to be and how not to be! A guru is a very special person who guides us in our spiritual pursuits. The guru knows our current spiritual state and also devises the most appropriate method to guide and take us forward. The guru himself is a sadhak in a higher plane. He knows the obstacles in the path of sadhana and just as his own guru helped him, he also helps the sadhaks directly or indirectly. It is only from a burning candle that other candles can be lit! Thus by being in his own sadhana principles obtained from a guru parampara the Guru guides, leads, observes and periodically checks the progress of his sishya.

Mata Kamalambika was firmly rooted in her practices as instructed by her gurus and passed on the tradition, tapas and deeksha; thereby taking charge   of her sishyas.

THUS SRI MATA KAMALAMBIKA IN ESSENCE REPRESENTS  THE GURU TATTVA!

Let us further explore the other philosophies embedded in Her tattva in the forthcoming parts of this inquiry.

JAI SREE MATA…..

HOW KAMALAMMA GARU BECAME SRI MATA KAMALAMBIKA (Part 3)

---

The divinity of Kamalamma garu got noticed not only by similar sadhaks, even ordinary people from far and near were drawn towards her Tejas. She exhibited extraordinary compassion for the suffering specially the women. Instead of simply providing instant remedies for their problems through her spiritual powers she introduced and initiated them to niyamas and deeksha. She guided and continues to guide Her devotees and disciples through Her words and presence. Her guidance can be felt even to this day by people who are intimately connected to Her through their love and devotion. There are so many experiences narrated by those elevated sishyas! Since Her innate nature is to guide people and impart the true nature of the Self, She is the very essence of GODDESS SARASWATHI!

There are no words to describe Her compassion. Devotees talk to Her for solace, express their doubts and problems; cry their heart out and seek Her divine intervention and help. In no time their prayers are answered and they are assured of protection and guidance (Abhaya). Thus She is Parvathi Incarnate in instilling faith, discipline and devotion in the hearts of Her disciples!

The Divyacharitra relates how the devotees witnessed various Siddhis of the Mata. Materialising of sufficient food for all the bhaktas who arrived without any intimation, curing of dreadful diseases like cancer and tumour, converting the tumour of the stomach into a baby for a childless mother, saving the life of devotees who were at different places while she was at Eluru, predicting the calamities that were to befall on Her devotees and also suggesting remedial measures…… are some of the innumerable experiences related to us. There are so many incidents that we do not know and are far beyond our understanding! Such an Animadyashta Siddha Mata is definitely the very element of Mother Mahalakshmi!  In this context I remember an incident narrated by a young lady in very recent times. She had not seen, heard or even known about Kamalambika Peetam or its followers. She was casually following the narration of Mata Kamalambika’s Jeevitacharitra in one of the Telugu TV channels that was telecast at a very odd hour in the afternoon 1.30pm IST. There was no display of photographs or pictures of the Mata or the Peetam during the program. In a few days, this lady had a repeated vision of an old lady seated on a wooden chair and handing out precious gems to her from a huge pot. Somehow she got guidance and came to Bhuvaneswari Devi temple at Dilshuknagar. She saw the photo of Kamalamma garu kept there and identified her to be the lady whom she saw in her dreams. Who other than Narayana Priyavallabha can bring out precious stones from a pot and distribute them to the devotees. That is why we say that She was Mahalakshmi Herself!

Thus Kamalamma garu exhibited the essence of Trishakthi i.e. an AMBIKA in human form to lead and protect us. She firmly established Herself in that state of AMBIKA through Her internal yogic practices and Her external actions; which either became a service or an element of spiritual upliftment! She was among the worldly objects; its challenges and difficulties, its temptations and desires; its joy and sorrow; but She was far beyond and above these dualities. The troubles and trifles; joy and sorrow; loss and gain; victory and defeat of Her human life or that of Her devotees did not disturb Her inner tranquillity! She remained a true AMBIKA in all Her interactions by being detached yet compassionate (Nirlepa) and receptive yet unaffected (Nirmala)!

Since the human body in which she manifested had to degenerate as per Prakruthi Dharma, she dropped her body with ease and spread HER BOUNDLESS, ETERNAL SHAKTHI ALLOVER AND REMAINS AS NITHYA AMONG US!

Thus occurred the transformation of Smt.Kamalamma garu to Her Holiness Mata Sri Kamalambika!

JAI SREE MATA...

HOW KAMALAMMA GARU BECAME SRI MATA KAMALAMBIKA (Part 2)

---

Upanishads say that a human being can transcend to a divine plane only with the help of

   1.   Divine grace - Iswara Krupa

   2.  Guidance of a Sadguru - Guru Krupa

   3.  Sadhana - Svadyayam

Sadhana seems to be the most difficult step since the challenges of everyday life is huge for a middle class family homemaker. Kamalamma practised all her austerities without any pomp, show and display without compromising her family responsibilities. She has proved to us that family life is not a deterrent to upliftment.

     Firm conviction, commitment and obedience to the guru’s instructions shall lead us forward. Getting a mantra from the guru, merely falling the feet of the Guru or being in their physical service alone does not suffice. Treating the Guru as a solution provider to our mundane problems will not help in our spiritual progress. Kamalamma herself never invoked her guru to solve her domestic problems.

   Her devotion, practice and penance must have definitely blessed her with many Siddhis. But she never used any of these towards her benefit or for the benefit of her husband and children. This is where she stands apart from other spiritual aspirants. Most of the highly evolved Sadhaks have either taken to Sanyasa or have detached themselves mentally from their family. Some were busy exhibiting and establishing their divine powers by materialising objects, reading others mind and displaying their healing touch. As their popularity increased their ego got inflated and the time for their sadhana took a back bench and in that process they spiralled rapidly to the ground level.

   But Kamalamma garu’s devotion strengthened her spiritually; her austerities and penance made her a store house of Divine Energy. Most importantly she transcended from the plane of human love to that of divine love. Thus she crossed the barriers of human suffering of bondage, fear and strife through her inner strength and conditioning. Her love and compassion became unconditional irrespective of human relationship. Thus she balanced her Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic qualities and elevated herself to a plane which beyond the three Gunas - (GUNATHEETA). Thus began the transition of Kamalamma to Kamalambika.

In the following part we shall see how she firmly established herself in the Divinity!

JAI SREE MATA...

HOW KAMALAMMA GARU BECAME SRI MATA KAMALAMBIKA

---

From the Divyacharitra all of us know how Venkata Siri Narasamma came to be called Kamalamma, by her father Kokkanda Venkataratnam garu. But the question that arose in my mind was, “How did Kamalamma become Kamalambika?”

        Is it just a casual reference (or) a name born out of reverence (or) did she perfect her practices to rise to the level of being equated to a PARADEVATA (i.e.) a SHAKTHI or AMBIKA?

        Let us now carefully analyse her life which by itself is an illustration to show that a HUMAN can rise beyond worldly limitations and reach the level of GODHEAD! I would like to analyse in three different stages.

STEP 1: The inherent advantages by birth and through marriage     

STEP 2: Her own efforts or Sadhana

STEP 3: Progressing and sustaining the levels achieved through intense and continued practices

#       Being born to Kokkanda Venkatratnam pantulu garu itself is sufficient to show that a spiritually well strengthened soul had descended on this earth to start its divine journey

#       The religious atmosphere at home and her interest in singing devotional songs with her friends and meditating for long hours even at a tender age sowed the seeds for her future intense spiritual sadhana

#       The mantropadesam from her Sadgurus paved the path of ideal sadhana and was enriched by sastras.It also helped her in gaining the spiritual cooperation from her husband.

        But these ritualistic practices alone do not suffice to transform a human conscience to a divine presence. The intense desire to be liberated arises from within and ignites the mind and the intellect. This internal thirst to realise the truth propels one into action. Such a person becomes a true SISHYA and a SADHAK!

In the next part of this topic we shall see Kamalamma garu’s svadyayam!

JAI SREE MATA…