Assignment on

Modern Religious and Secular Movements

Topic: Guru Movements: Mata Amritanandamayi & Sri Sri Ravishankar
Submitted to, Submitted by,
Rev. Dr. V.S. Varughese John K. Jacob (BD IV)
Date: 21st February 2020

Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Trust and Embracing The World

Introduction
The word guru stems from Sanskrit, where it traditionally was said to signify someone dignified, whose
words and actions carry weight. The modern usage has the same connotations: describing a spiritual guide or
teacher who has attained a high level of spiritual knowledge or enlightenment. However, when the term applies
to Hindu world views, overtones emerge: the guru is the skilled preceptor and divine saint through whose grace
and assistance disciples make the spiritual crossing from the ocean of samsara, the endless cycle of birth and
death, to the ocean of awareness, from the changing flux of phenomenal reality to insight into the real,
Brahman, the far shore of liberation, from death to immortality. 1
Early Life, Message and Activities
Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Trust (MAMT) is one of the initial not-for-profit organizations founded
by Mata Amritanandamayi, who is officially known as Amma meaning mother. Amma is a contemporary
transnational guru originally from the South Indian state of Kerala, who is perceived to be both a guru and
goddess incarnation by her devotees. In 1981, Amma formally established the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission
Trust and Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM). Both are not-for-profit organizations with their headquarters
located in Kerala, India, at Amma’s primary āśram, Amritapuri. The Mata Amritanandamayi Math is a publicly
designated registered public charitable trust, with a mission stating that it is dedicated to serving humanity
without distinction of nationality, caste, race, or religion. As Amma increased her global travel outside of India,
her organizational and international presence expanded rapidly, and she developed a global persona as a guru
particularly dedicated to humanitarian initiatives. The Embracing the World proclaims its central mission with
the branded slogan “Love and Serve,” summarizing simply the humanitarian commitments of Amma and the
millions of her devotees who organize and administrate its operations. Amma (originally named Sudhamani
Idamannel) was born Sep 27, 1953, into a low-caste Hindu family in the backwaters of the South Indian state of
Kerala. She was educated only until she was nine years old, when she was needed at home to manage domestic
responsibilities. The hagiographical accounts of her early life suggest that she often suffered discrimination both
within and outside of her home because she was dark in complexion.2
The accounts of Amma’s life are distinct, however, in that they distinguish her specifically by her
commitment toward self-sacrificing compassion for those who were suffering and impoverished. Devotees
explain that even as a child, Amma encountered great poverty and suffering through her daily chores of
gathering food scraps from villagers. Seeing their suffering, she began to take supplies from her own family’s
meager reserves and distribute them to those in need. In 1975, when Amma was still a young woman, she began

1
Vishal Magalwad, The World of Gurus (New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House, 1977), 19.
2
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers” Brills Encyclopeadia of
Hinduism 22/5 (May: 2013), 523 – 524.
1
to exhibit → Kṛsṇ ̣a bhāvas (ecstatic moods), wherein she would suddenly display the playful and mischievous
nature of the Hindu god Krishna. But when disbelieving villagers routinely challenged her and her burgeoning
following of devotees, Amma suddenly transformed her playful → Krishna bhāvas into wild and dangerous
Kālī bhāvas. During Kālī bhāvas, Amma would display the ferocity of the Hindu goddess Kālī.3
During most darśan programs, Amma usually dresses in a simple ascetic white saree. But usually once
per location, Amma dresses in the elaborate bejeweled costume of the goddess, performatively reminding
devotees of her claims of divinity.4
In the midst of all of this, Amma embraces a steady stream of queued attendees anxious to receive her
darśan in the form of her famous hug. Darśan programs can last from eight to more than twenty hours, during
which Amma constantly embraces individuals and families. She takes no food or rest for the duration of the
darśan program. Amma is said to have embraced more than 32 million people worldwide. Her darśan embrace
enables devotees to gain unmediated proximity to their guru (and goddess), a highly sought after commodity in
the field of contemporary guru-devotee relations.5
She encourages her followers to retain their extant religious commitments, but also to incorporate her
message of love, compassion, and selfless service into their spiritual practice. Amma’s branding slogan, “Love
and Serve,” suggests the parallelism between Amma’s theology and social action. Amma’s theological message
congeals bhakti with the radical equanimity inherent in neo-vedantic monism Both inhere within her
humanitarian impulse, which aims to construct programs that enact this theological imperative in the world. 6
Every individual in essence is ātman (the essential self), which consists of the same substance as
brahman (the cosmic essence ofthe universe). As Amma says simply, “We are all one.” If every human consists
of the same ātman, the same essence of being, all persons should be treated just as we would treat ourselves.7 If
there is truly no difference (nonduality), we should feel compassion and even pain when others suffer, as Amma
often says, just as our right hand would feel pain if the left hand was injured. In order to implement this
theological understanding in the material world, Amma advocates for the uplift and empowerment of those
disenfranchised by current systems of exploitation and oppression. She focuses her efforts particularly on those
whose voices have been occluded in society: the poor, elderly, sick, women, children, and the environment as
the personified ideal of a suffering mother earth. Amma has received numerous international awards for the
charitable, humanitarian, and interfaith work done in her name under the auspices of Embracing the World.
Most notably, Amma has received the Gandhi-King Award for Non-violence (conferred by The World
Movement for Non-violence, Geneva, 2002), the James Parks Morton Interfaith Award (New York, 2006), the
Prix Cinéma Vérité (Paris, 2007), and an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York, Albany
(2010). In addition, she has given many international public addresses, the most significant of which were at the
Parliament of World Religions (Chicago, 1993), the Interfaith Celebrations at the 50th anniversary of the United
Nations (New York, 1995), and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (Shanghai, 2012). She also gave
keynote addresses at the Millennium World Peace Summit to the UNGeneral Assembly (New York, 2000), the
Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders (Geneva, 2002), the Parliament of World
Religions (Barcelona, 2004), the summit of the Global Peace Initiative of Women (Jaipur, 2008), and the
inauguration of the Vivekananda International Foundation (New Delhi, 2009). Organizationally, in 2005, the
3
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 527.
4
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 528.
5
Robert D. Baird, Religion in Modern India (New Delhi: Manohar, 1981), 72.
6
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 530.
7
D.S. Sharma, Hinduism Through the Ages (Bombay: Bharathiya Vidhya Bhavan, 1989), 49.
2
United Nations (UN) conferred Special Consultative status to the Mata Amritanandamayi Math because of its
extensive humanitarian initiatives, particularly those in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.8
Beyond these administrative activities aimed at spreading Amma’s mission and message, the primary
impulse behind Amma’s organizations focuses directly on humanitarian activities. Unpaid devotees who labor
in efforts to transform themselves spiritually through sevā perform nearly all of the initiatives undertaken in
Amma’s name. It is through sevā that she claims devotees will diminish the cumulative ill effects of “negative
karmas” and stimulate their progress toward spiritual liberation. Within Embracing the World, sevā means both
the traditional notion of selfless service to the guru (Amma) and the more modernist notion of selfless service to
humanity. Because of this dual valence, devotees believe that both spreading Amma mission and message and
more direct humanitarian projects alike function together as a service to humanity. 9
Disaster Relief
Since her rise to global fame, Amma has made significant financial contributions and programmatic
commitments to alleviate suffering in the wake of natural disasters. She contributed substantial humanitarian
relief efforts in response to the earthquakes in Lahore (1992) and Gujarat(2001). In 2004, Amma provided
humanitarian relief in response to the Kumbhakonam elementary school fire in Tamil Nadu, but most
significantly in that same year, Amma’s home state of Kerala and Amritapuri were devastated by flooding as a
result of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. She immediately began organizing to feed, clothe, and
provide medical care to the villagers. She also established a temporary tailoring facility, and she along with her
devotees began to use Amritapuri’s supply of bolts of cloth to sew sarees for homeless villagers. In the wake of
the Indian Ocean tsunami, Embracing the World constructed 6,200 homes in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands, and Sri Lanka; each home was constructed according to government standards, and the
final home was turned over to residents in 2008.10
Housing/Care for Children/Fighting Hunger
In addition to the homes that Embracing the World constructed in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami,
Amma has also committed to the “Free Homes Project,” an initiative aimed at eradicating homelessness in
India. In 1996, Embracing the World (then under the auspices of the MAM) established Amrita Kuteeram, an
initiative to build 25,000 homes for the homeless. By 2002, the project had met its 25,000 free home target, and
Embracing the World renewed its commitment with a second goal of 100,000 free homes for homeless
throughout India. Embracing the World has also initiated major slum rehabilitation initiatives, building 11
blocks of five-story apartments in Ajanta Nagar, Pune, and 20 blocks of flats (housing nine hundred families) in
Hyderabad. Embracing the World has also developed significant initiatives to house and educate orphaned
children. Beginning in 1989, Embracing the World took over the administration of an orphanage in Paripally,
Kerala. Now called Amrita Niketan, the orphanage houses and educates five hundred children, many of whom
are from poor tribal communities of rural Kerala. Here too, Amma centralizes her commitment to gender
equality, training both boys and girls in all subjects and encouraging girls to perform Kerala’s traditional temple
music (pancavādyam), a practice usually reserved only for boys. Embracing the World has also established
Amrita Watoto Boma, an orphanage serving 108 AIDS orphans and disadvantaged children in Nairobi, which
when fully completed will also include dormitories, classrooms, a playground, sports facilities, and a medical
clinic. In Hindu traditions writ large, it is quite common for ascetics and gurus to initiate substantial events
8
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 532.
9
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 537.
10
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 538.
3
during which they feed countless attendees as a public service. Embracing the World established Anna Danam
(The Gift of Food) in efforts to combat malnourishment in India; Mother’s Kitchen is a similar Embracing the
World program to alleviate hunger in the United States. On average, Embracing the World feeds two million
people throughout India each year, while Mother’s Kitchen provides approximately 73,000 meals to the
homeless in the United States.11
Empowering Women
One of the most salient features of Amma’s institutional practices focuses on empowering women.
Many of her humanitarian initiatives centralize issues aimed at enabling women to raise their socio- conomic
status. Embracing the World is committed to the ideal that “empowering women with equal economic
opportunity is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty throughout entire communities”. Acting on this
philosophy, Embracing the World has initiated Amrita S.R.E.E. (Self-Reliance, Education, and Employment
[śrī means “lady/woman” in most Indic languages]). Amrita S.R.E.E. employs volunteer program coordinators
(unpaid Amma devotees) to interface with unemployed women and develop microcredit programs for groups of
women to start small businesses and vocational training. Volunteers identify community needs, establish
training programs, and nurture each “women’s self-help group” toward successful independence. Embracing
the World self-help groups currently operate their own businesses in a wide range of fields: handicrafts, female
hygiene products, stationary, bakeries, culinary products, saree painting, umbrella making, and so on. In the
religious field, Amma also situates women (regardless of ethnic and caste identity) as central ritual actors within
her organization. In so doing, she publicly defies traditional norms of Hindu orthodoxy that would prohibit
women and low castes from becoming sanctified ritual officiants. Amma uses two primary justifications for this
radical innovation that upsets traditional gendered hierarchies within Hindu traditions. Firstly, as mentioned, she
ascribes to a neo- vedantic understanding of subjectivity, wherein all persons in their ultimate essence are
ātman, a transcendent cosmic essence of self, stripped of the mundane qualities (guṇas) of human existence.
Thus, in ultimate terms, the true subject is beyond distinctions of gender. Therefore, because both human
women and men are in essence the same ātman, she argues that there should be no restrictions placed upon
women that are not placed upon men equally. Secondly, Amma argues that in ancient vedic society women
were worshipped and respected as living embodiments of the goddess, and women performed sanctified ritual
action independent of their male counterparts. In the religious field, Amma has established a significant network
of Brahmasthāṇam temples in India, wherein Amma herself consecrates the mūrtis (effigies of the god or
goddess), and female pujāriṇīs (priests) can often be found performing rituals often reserved for male Brahman
priests.
Education
In 1994, Amma founded the Amrita University as a school of engineering with 120 students and 13
faculty members. It began with one small campus located in a small village, Ettimadai, in the Coimbatore
district of Tamil Nadu. Since then, it has developed into the highly competitive Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
University, a network of higher education institutions consisting of five locations (Amritapuri, Bangalore,
Coimbatore, Kochi, and Mysore. The Amrita University system focuses particularly on the sciences, offering
centers in nano sciences, biomedical engineering, environmental sciences, molecular medicine, wireless sensor
networks, computational engineering and networking, cyber security, biostatistics, and cancer research. Based
on evaluation of all campuses and programs by a peer review committee, the university has been accredited by
the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with an A grade. In a review conducted by the
11
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”... 539.
4
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the Indian government has also ranked Amrita University
in the Ivy League of Indian Universities, where it shares esteemed company with the Indian Institute of Science
(Bangalore) and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Mumbai).12
Medicine
In 1998, the then prime minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, along with Amma inaugurated the
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) at the health sciences campus in Kochi. The Amrita Institute of
Medical Sciences is a 1450-bed “super specialty” hospital that offers subsidized and free treatment, totaling
over Rs. 25 crores per year, to disadvantaged patients.13
Critics
Very few critics condemn Amma and her movement on the basis of the activities of her organizations,
though some challenge the opacity of the āśram’s financial reporting and expenditures. Instead, usually the
critiques are directed toward Amma and her behavior (her supposed: claims to divinity, abusive behavior,
spreading disease through her hugs, and/or affiliation with Hindu nationalism) or toward the behaviors of
devotees at Amritapuri (their supposed egoistic, abusive, manipulative, and/or sexually transgressive
behaviors). In 1985 Sreeni Pattathanam, the head of the Indian Rationalists Association, wrote Matha
Amritanandamayi: Sacred Stories and Realities, a controversial critique first published in Malayalam that
focused on debunking Amma’s supposed miracles and highlighting what the author concluded were numerous
unexplained deaths at the Amritapuri ashram.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar & Art of Living Foundation
A Short Biography
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was born on 13 May 1956, in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, South India to Vishalakshi
and Venkat Ratnam. The family moved to Jayanagar in Bangalore when Shankar was a small child. In India,
Ravi is a fairly common name meaning sun. The name Shankar, however, is derived from the Hindu saint Adi
Shankara, with whom Ravi Shankar shares a birthday. François Gautier‘s biography The Guru of Joy: Sri Sri
Ravi Shankar and the Art of Living (2008) is one of the most extensive, compiling stories from Ravi Shankar‘s
childhood from his father, sister, aunt and old friends. Spiritual interests appear to have been evident in Ravi
Shankar‘s life from early on. A well-known legend among devotees is that as an infant Shankar‘s traditional
Indian hanging cradle, supported by metal chains, fell to the ground. Instead of crushing Shankar in the cradle,
the chains fell outward as if by a miracle of physics. Various other sources state that as a four year old Shankar
would recite passages from the Bhagavad Gita, one of the holy texts of Hinduism. The sources tell stories about
his early-age rebellion against the practice of untouchability and other forms of injustice, and his unwavering
devotion to religious practice through daily pujas and Sanskrit studies. Science was also an interest for the
young Ravi Shankar; he graduated from St. Joseph‘s College in Bangalore with a Bachelor‘s degree in physics.
However, for Shankar his scientific interests and an ordinary life as a bank employee were not enough he also
became a scholar in Sanskrit literature, and ultimately chose to follow a spiritual path. 14
Art of Living teachers were trained and sent out into the world. In the thirty-odd years since he founded
the movement it has grown into a vast organization with ashram headquarters in Bangalore and Germany. As

12
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 540.
13
A. Malinar eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers”..., 540.
14
Aleyamma Zacharia, Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust), 1992.
5
the organization has grown into a global religious/spiritual movement the guru can now travel comfortably
around the world enjoying the fruits of his labor as a religious entrepreneur.15
Art of Living Foundation
The Art of Living Foundation is a volunteer-based, humanitarian and educational non-governmental
organization (NGO). It was founded in 1981 by Ravi Shankar. The Art of Living Foundation has centers in
more than 156 countries. Art of Living offers several stress-elimination and self-development programs based
on breathing techniques, meditation and yoga.16
Programmes and course
Its stress-elimination and self-development programs are based on the breathing technique Sudarshan
Kriya, meditation and yoga. This technique is a major part of Art of Living courses, which are conducted by
instructors, most of whom do voluntary work. These courses have also been conducted for students and
faculty, government officials, firemen, ex-militants, and prisoners.17
Social service
Its areas of work cover conflict resolution, disaster and trauma relief, poverty alleviation, empowerment
of women, prisoner rehabilitation, education for all, and campaigns against female foeticide, child labour and
for environmental sustainability.18
Project Vidarbha
In 2007, the foundation initiated the 'Project Vidarbha - 'Swavalamban programme', with the aim of
instructing and supporting farmers in severely drought hit regions to improve their living conditions. Over 1000
volunteers provided training in organic and zero-budget farming, rainwater harvesting, hygiene, and the
construction of toilets in addition to the Art of Living course. A similar initiative was started to educate farmers
in Andhra Pradesh to implement 'zero budget farming' to end suicides to due to financial stress.19
Mission Green Earth
In partnership with United Nations Millennium Campaign and United Nations Environment
Programme the 'Mission Green Earth Stand Up Take Action' campaign was launched in 2008 with a goal to
plant 100 million trees across the world to help reduce global warming and protect the environment. In 2010, in
Bangladesh the foundation participated in the 'Billion Tree Campaign' started by United Nations Environment
Programme.20
River Rejuvenation Project
A three-year program to rejuvenate the Kumudavathi River (in Bangalore) was initiated by the
foundation under its 'Volunteer for Better India' campaign in collaboration with civic authorities and
environmentalists in February 2013. "The project aims to address the water shortage problems through
rainwater harvesting, increasing green cover and de-silting existing step wells, among other methods."
Volunteers join the villagers every Sunday to participate in these activities under guidance of a geological
15
www.aolf.org.
16
Inga Barden, A Study of the Art of Living Foundation (Tromso: IHR, 2012), 56.
17
www.aolf.org.
18
www.aolf.org.
19
www.aolf.org.
20
www.aolf.org.
6
scientist. To create awareness about this program, Art of Living founder Ravi Shankar, joined by other NGOs,
prominent citizens, civic authorities, farmers and volunteers led a walkathon in Bangalore City. Apart from
reviving some water bodies used by birds and animals, the project had revived five water-recharge wells,
constructed 74 boulder checks, cleaned up 18 step wells and planted 2,350 saplings in seven villages by June
2014.21
Volunteer For a Better India
The Art of Living, combined with UN agencies, NGOs and civil society, launched Volunteer For a
Better India (VFABI) on 5 December 2012. VFABI is involved in many activities, including protesting against
the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case. In May 2013, 1,634 volunteers distributed medicines worth Rs. 2.2 million
under the guidance of 262 doctors to over 20,000 slum dwellers in Delhi through 108 free health camps
organized in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association. In September 2013, the 'I vote for better India'
initiative was launched to increase awareness of the importance of voting as a responsibility towards the
nation.22
Key practices in Art of Living
The AOLF manifests itself slightly differently depending on the cultural context. However, the courses
and techniques taught are more or less the same everywhere in the world, and it seems that all teachers receive a
very similar and comprehensive training. One of the main characteristics of the educational courses offered by
the AOLF is that the courses aim to provide participants with a set of techniques, skills and knowledge through
which they can achieve a better quality of life. The participants are taught ways of coping with mental and
physical stress, and also how to react to the many stressful situations that arise around different tasks and
demands in daily life. The techniques, which consist of breathing techniques, meditation and yoga exercises
promise to improve health and well-being. The Vedic mathematics and Ayurvedic cooking to Apex programs
and the Blessings course, stating that through meditations the participants “become a perfect instrument for the
Master’s Grace to flow through.” Other courses at the Bangalore ashram seem to be more esoteric, and thus
aimed at individuals who have climbed high in the AOL “spiritual hierarchy.” Both Guru Puja and Eternity
Process further reinforce Art of Living’s family resemblance to Hinduism.
Sudarshan Kriya; “the breath has a great secret to offer”is an important programme. The three-stage
pranayama is a cycle of breathing in various stages. In ujjai breath, a special technique that produces a hissing
sound in the back of the throat, a particular number of inhalations, holds and exhalations are performed with
hands placed on hips, chest and shoulder blades. Practitioners then move on to the bhastrika technique, a very
forceful form of pranayama. Sitting on the knees in vajrasana one inhales and lifts the arms above the head, and
with a strong exhalation the hands are brought down to shoulder level. The cornerstone of Art of Living
teachings is the breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya. According to Ravi Shankar the rhythm of breath is
very specific. It corresponds to one’s emotions and body, and also to the rhythms of earth and nature. For
various reasons these rhythms are often out of tune with each other, and it is the mission of Sudarshan Kriya
(SKY) to bring them back into harmony. By controlling the rhythms of breath the AOL teachings say that
people can also control their emotions, their bodies and their minds. It is suggested that the practitioner then lay
down for a while, thus entering a state of meditation where the mind and body is aware but deeply rested. 23

21
www.aolf.org.
22
www.aolf.org.
23
Inga Barden, A Study of the Art of Living Foundation..., 66.
7
Philosophy and teachings
Spirituality
Shankar believes spirituality is that which enhances human values such as love, compassion and
enthusiasm. It is not limited to any one religion or culture. Hence it is open to all people. He feels the spiritual
bond we share as part of the human family is more prominent than nationality, gender, religion, profession, or
other identities that separate us.
According to him, science and spirituality are linked and compatible, both springing from the urge to
know. The question, "Who am I?" leads to spirituality; the question, "What is this?" leads to science.
Emphasizing that joy is only available in the present moment, his stated vision is to create a world free of stress
and violence. His programs are said to offer practical tools to help accomplish this. He sees breath as the link
between body and mind, and a tool to relax the mind, emphasising the importance of both meditation/spiritual
practice and service to others. In his view, "Truth is spherical rather than linear; so it has to be contradictory."
Conclusion
The philosophical, religious and cultural impact of the gurus has already become a world-wide force to
be reckoned with. It is shaping the civilization of tomorrow’s India. A Guru is a human with divine element.
The teaching, life, message, and activities of Amma and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar helped to develop a wider horizon
of spirituality. Even though there are lot of criticism on their work and divine authorship, they are extending lot
of humanitarian activities.
Bibliography
Baird, Robert D. Religion in Modern India. New Delhi: Manohar, 1981.

Barden, Inga. A Study of the Art of Living Foundation. Tromso: IHR, 2012.

Magalwad, Vishal. The World of Gurus. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House, 1977.

Malinar ,A. eds, “Handbook of Oriental Studies: Some Modern Religious Groups and Teachers” Brills
Encyclopeadia of Hinduism 22/5 (May: 2013), 523 – 524.

Sharma, D.S. Hinduism Through the Ages.Bombay: Bharathiya Vidhya Bhavan, 1989.

Zacharia, Aleyamma. Modern Religious and Secular Movements in India. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust,
1992.