Param Pujya Ma
Pujya Ma was born on the 26th of August, 1924, in the illustrious family of Mr C.L. Anand and Mrs Santosh Anand. Her father was the principal of the Law College, Lahore, for 30 years. He was a deeply respected, high principled and learned scholar. Her mother was a highly educated social worker of repute, who was spiritually inclined and well respected in society.
Even in her early life, Pujya Ma always exhibited a rare detachment towards herself, and an exemplary attitude of compassion towards others. She gave her all to those who sought refuge in her, knowing each one to be sent by the Divine Master. She would expend her physical energies and material resources with complete self forgetfulness to help others, not paying the slightest heed to her own wellbeing.
Pujya Ma said, “Do not dwell upon another’s negativity. Appreciate the other’s beautiful traits and endeavour to bring them within your own life. What greater worship, what finer prayer and what better proof of spiritual practice can there be?”
In 1957, Ma reached the pinnacle of her professional and social success as Director Physical Education Punjab University. Deeply committed to public good, she was involved in several spheres of service. Whilst contesting the elections at the invitation of the Congress, she was asked to address a large congregation. Endowed as she was with a impressive eloquence, her public orations often had a strong impact on her audiences. On one such occasion, she said that religion had become an opiate for the people – often discouraging initiative and promoting apathy in action, thus precluding progress and prosperity. This speech drew forth a thunderous applause and the audience rose to their feet, endorsing her statement whole heartedly. This response evoked a deep sense of restless enquiry within her.”Lord, what right did I have to speak against Your Word that has provided direction, comfort and succour to multitudes through the ages when I neither know You nor am I acquainted with Your injunctions.” She then made an irrevocable commitment to herself to discover the essence, and meaning of the Scriptural texts.
Her conscious, intense spiritual journey commenced on 9th March, 1958. She was then 34 years of age. The period of “sadhana” or spiritual practice refers to that period of her life which provided a blueprint of what spiritual practice should consist of for every true seeker. A fount of divine knowledge flowed forth from within her. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita and all the principal Upanishads were elucidated by her in the same manner, a spontaneous divine flow of song.
Click To Enlarge
