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| (Excerpts from an essay “The person I most admire,” written by Sai
Ganesh Nagpal)
Perhaps no other person has had such a profound influence on my life than my very own mother, and when I think of the many people I admire, she stands out as the most glorious of them all. A personality so strong, dynamic and positive as hers is difficult to come by today, and though she left her mortal frame a few months ago, her commitment and dedication to the ideals that she aimed to instill in me are what continues to motivate and inspire me even today. It is but natural that a child should love and admire the mother most of all, and such is the case with me too. But most importantly Mommy was more than a mother. She discharged her duty as mother by being the greatest friend in times of need, the greatest support in times of doubt, the greatest hope in times of sorrow… in short… she was the perfect companion. When I needed guidance she was the mother, when I needed to share my joy and happiness she was the closest of buddies and when I was down and out she was the sunshine come to cheer me up. Never did my sister and I feel that she was somewhere up there- instead, she was always one of us. Not by preaching but by her own example did she teach us some of the greatest lessons of life. And that is her biggest miracle. She presented before us the perfect ideal, and in the short span of time that we were destined to be with her she taught us so much by just being herself. It is difficult to even contemplate listing out what qualities I admire in her, for her very being was perfection. Her name was Poornima, which in Sanskrit means ‘fullness’ or ‘perfection’, generally used to describe the full moon. Like the full moon she seemed to radiate the love and power of the Almighty, and she bathed all creation in the light of compassion and peace. Anyone who came in contact with her, be it even for a few minutes, was transformed in some way, and when I look back now I cannot even imagine how many countless lives she changed. One of the many outstanding qualities in her that strikes me as being so special was Her unshakable faith in the power of God, and Her devotion and love for Her Beloved Lord Sathya Sai, and for all the great spiritual masters of the world. She considered herself to be an instrument in the hands of Sai, and with a spirit of surrender to His will, she served all creation until her very last breath. She taught me that to achieve one must believe, and to believe one must have faith. She always reminded me that the sky is the limit, and that I must always think big, have great dreams and believe that these dreams will come true. She taught me that as long as I live my life in tune with Natural law, following ‘Dharma’ or ‘Righteousness’, Nature would support me and make my dreams a reality. This invaluable lesson I shall always treasure. For it taught me that no feat is too large to be accomplished and no dream is too grand to cherish. Her commitment to principles was unflinching and I learnt from her example never to compromise on my principles. To her, principles were an integral part of life, and even something seemingly insignificant as crossing a red traffic light, was a violation of principle. She had very strong views on a number of issues such as vegetarianism and natural health among others, and though she had to face stiff opposition from various quarters for her strong views, like a pillar of strength she withstood it all and motivated so many with her message. And what she taught to others was first practiced in the home. Such commitment, such confidence, such dedication, such faith in truth,…. all this and much much more gives her the distinction of being ‘Poornima’. She was such an inspiration to the younger generation, who were so motivated by the confidence with which she spoke to them on the greatness of Indian culture and on the need for a Sattvic lifestyle. She was friend in need to so many children and as a loving mother she gave them guidance and put back the perspective into their young lives. And perhaps the greatest lesson of all that she taught was the lesson of death. Fear of death was something she never knew, and she was instrumental in removing this fear from the minds of many. She would always tell me that Death is nothing but a transition- a passing on and nothing very out of the ordinary. Even in her last few moments as I sat by her side she smiled at me and told me “Why do you cry? I will not die even if my body does.” And with the same grace and strength, with which she touched the entire world, she left her body and merged with the Paramatman. She was a legend, a goddess come to reform the world, and I am honored to be her son. All that she taught my sister, my father and me is beyond words and what I have mentioned in the above lines is only a small part. She lives on in me and she has passed on so much great knowledge to me. It is my duty to live up to Her ideals always. And the beauty is that I know no other way. She laid the path on which I walk today, and I owe my all to Her. I sing these lines to Her in the sanctuary of my heart…
- Sai Ganesh Nagpal
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