Death, Beauty, Struggle. Margaret Trawick

give good, cool substances. Coconut water, milk, buttermilk, varieties of fruit, we must give all this. We must not give hot spices. We should not give meat and all. Like that, for the mother. That mother makes pearls [causes pox]. In the person of a child, or in the person of an adult, following her desire she comes, because she feels attracted to someone she comes. She will not enter everyone’s person. Ordinarily, the kind of person she likes most is someone of an untouchable group. In such a person she has much desire. Into them she will come very often. She will come in a Muslim’s person. Christians—she recognizes no caste or religion. She will come in every kind of caste. But, only in your religion she will not come. Will she come in your religion? Has the mother come to you? In your religion she will not come at all. In all the other religions she will come. In your one religion only she will not come. Because … desire. We have a belief that in your heart is a god. Nevertheless, you will not use it. You will not use her power.

      Now you are doing research to see what she is. Does she have a form? Does she have a power? What all can that power accomplish? This whole world, that is her power, isn’t it? The creation of man is her power. She has a power to create. The saying that the harvest of her life is peace, that is a power. Everything is her power only. Therefore, we are unable to accomplish anything. By our own efforts we can do nothing.

      Those who do not have the devotion of Māriamman, they do not know belief in her at all. They do not know what she is or what her belief is. To those who have her belief, “If we make even a small mistake, it is just because we made this mistake that we must be like this?” So saying we must pray to that mother. Mustn’t we? When much trouble comes, when there is a torment that we cannot change, that will not go away, “O mother, you will end my sorrow.” But she will not come directly and give us money. Her way is this: for our living, for our earning, the way of clearing our debts, is that by means of her power, somehow or another she will show us something. If we go to this place, something good will happen. Her work will bring about good for us. If she seeks and gives us work, from that work we will be able to move forward. Because of that work, praise will come to us. Because of that, we will be able to clear all our debt and lead a good and happy life. Thus a word of feeling she will come and say. That word will be true. That is her belief.

      She has a name, she has power, she has substance, everything is in her hands. We cannot stand opposite her and ask her who she is. According to the wish of her mind, whatever she wants she will accomplish. If someone says, “This is wrong. You are no deity. Where is Māriamman?” In that place, very close to them, she will not show her power. Patiently waiting, afterward she will show it. People will say there is no deity, they will not be good. The foods they eat will not be good, their family life will not be peaceful, they will have no learning, they will have no good customs.

      [Even if someone has no learning, can’t he be a good person?]

      A man who has no learning is poor, but he will have that mother’s devotion. If someone wants to do research in the world, they can do nothing. But the man with devotion, no one can deceive him. In any life, in any labor, he will have all wisdom. The reason is that he has that mother’s grace. Because he has belief, even if ten people come to get him, he can say, “Go away. My mother is here to protect me.”

      Those ten people will think he is lying. One of them will say, “Let your mother come and speak in person. I’m listening.” Thus he will ask.

      But what word is that? A word without action, a word of disbelief. But because the man who has no learning has belief, he will say, “My mother somehow will protect me.”

      And what will the educated man say? “I have education, I have money, I have everything. What do I need a god for? I have more charity than a god. Do you have the luxuries I have?” Thus he will ask.

      But how is this? Do you understand? The educated man will suffer disease, he will suffer torment, in his family a lawsuit will arise. He will not have wisdom at all. He will have money and luxury. But he will not have the stomach to eat till his stomach is full. She will cause a disease to arise in his body.