The ShinsungHwa of Anandamayi Ma (2019): Mystery of the Eighteen-Layered Mandorla
A Brief Description of Anandamayi Ma’s ShinsungHwa
The striking feature of this piece is its magnificent 18-layered mandorla that radiates outward. I created this ShinsungHwa while meditating on Anandamayi Ma’s photograph, and the experience felt like receiving darshan through pure energy. At her feet appears a symbol of the cosmic principle, with energy flowing through and connecting to her hands. The composition clearly depicts the transmission of spiritual light into the world.
Quote
“As you love your own body, so regard everyone as equal to your own body. When the Supreme Experience supervenes, everyone’s service is revealed as one’s own service. Call it a bird, an insect, an animal or a man, call it by any name you please, one serves one’s own Self in every one of them.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“Ever afterward, though the dance of creation change around me in the hall of eternity, I shall be the same.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“Joys and sorrows are time born and cannot last. Therefore, do not be perturbed by them. The greater the difficulties and obstructions, the more intense will be your endeavor to cling to His feet and the more will your prayer increase from within.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“By doing service heart and mind are purified—be convinced of this.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“Try to treat with equal love all the people with whom you have relations. Thus the abyss between ‘myself’ and ‘yourself’ will be filled in, which is the goal of all religious worship.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“He alone knows to whom He will reveal Himself under which form. By what path and in what manner He attracts any particular man to Himself with great force is incomprehensible to the human intellect. The Path differs indeed for different pilgrims.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“Whether you worship Christ, Krishna, Kali or Allah, you actually worship the one Light that is also in you, since It pervades all things.”
_Anandamayi Ma
“Divine happiness, even the tiniest particle of a grain of it, never leaves one again; and when one attains to the essence of things and finds one’s Self—this is supreme happiness. When it is found, nothing else remains to be found; the sense of want will not awaken anymore, and the heart’s torment will be stilled forever. Do not be satisfied with fragmentary happiness, which is invariably interrupted by shocks and blows of fate; but become complete, and having attained to perfection, be YOURSELF.”
_Anandamayi Ma
The Joyful Saint Who Transformed Lives by Simply Being
In a forgotten village, a girl named Nirmala was born who would become one of India’s most cherished spiritual figures. Her path was not marked by rigorous study or harsh discipline but by a mysterious and joyful journey.
A Unique Child
While other children played in the dusty streets of Kheora village in 1896, Nirmala often drifted into deep reveries. Neighbors said she “seemed elsewhere,” yet everyone loved her. She had a remarkable gift for helping anyone in need, always with a smile and open hands. Even the Muslim families, who formed most of her village, affectionately called her “Our Ma,” a name that stayed with her.
More than kindness, Nirmala experienced profound, peaceful states from childhood, moments of inner joy that amazed spiritual seekers worldwide.
In 1922, at 26 and married, Nirmala had an extraordinary experience. On a full moon night in August, she performed her own spiritual initiation—usually reserved for trained teachers after years of preparation. Remarkably, she had never studied these ancient rites but performed them flawlessly, as if the knowledge flowed through her naturally.
“As the master, I revealed the mantra; as the disciple, I accepted it,” she explained. From then on, she was called Anandamayi Ma, meaning “Mother Filled with Bliss,” a name that perfectly captured her essence.
A Saint Who Defied Convention
Anandamayi Ma never claimed to teach anything new. When Paramhansa Yogananda met her, she said, “My consciousness has never been tied to this temporary body… I was the same child, the same woman, and I will remain so forever.”
This was no boast but her true experience. She often called herself “this body” or “this little girl,” avoiding the usual use of “I.” It was as if she saw herself as a temporary visitor, always connected to something greater.
Rooted in Hindu tradition, Anandamayi Ma welcomed all—Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and even nonbelievers. “All paths are mine,” she said, urging visitors to deepen their own faith rather than convert.
Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi sought her counsel. Yet she was equally present for illiterate farmers, curious children, or anyone needing peace. Her love knew no bounds, and her wisdom met each person’s unique needs.
Stories of her healing spread widely. People claimed illnesses vanished after her touch or glance. She never took credit, attributing healing to “the One in all.” She advised against chasing miracles, urging followers to find the miracle-worker within.
The real miracle was her presence. Witnesses said being near her brought peace, as if worries melted away. Her deep meditations could happen anywhere—on crowded trains, village porches, or during talks—and everyone nearby felt that joy.
Practical Wisdom for Life
Despite her mystical side, Anandamayi Ma’s teachings were practical. She believed spirituality should blend with daily life. “Life and religion are one,” she said. Whether working, playing, or caring for family, all could be worship when done with love and awareness.
Her advice was simple: “If you can do nothing else, at least morning and evening, offer your body, mind, and life in salutation and surrender, and think of Him a little.” No complex rituals, just sincere remembrance in a natural way.
Anandamayi Ma died in 1982 at 86, leaving no books or formal groups. Her legacy lives in the hearts of thousands touched by her boundless love. Today, her teachings inspire people worldwide through memories and recordings.
