Home Interfaith Summit H.H. Madhvacharya Swami Vishvesha Tirtha

His Holiness Madhvacharya Swami Vishvesha Tirtha
Ruling Pontiff of Pejavar Math
Udupi, Karnataka, India

The Madhvacharya's Amritavarsham50 Interfaith Summit speech:
"Amma's Seva"

"Meditate on the form of the Lord. Along with this, one should serve the poor. Shankaracharya has clearly said, along with devotion, serving the poor and needy must be given due importance. Madhvacharya said, 'Constant remembrance of the Lord, along with service to humankind is as compulsory as paying tax to the government.' "In a similar way, the tax we have to pay God is service to humankind. Service to humankind is the tax to the Lord. Anyone who doesn't pay taxes is committing a crime. One who, in the name of God, does not do any service to society, may be considered as a criminal. The message of service, the message of the Gita, the message of Shankaracharya, the Message of Madhavacharya, the message of all the Saints of the world: "Along with devotion to the Lord, in this world one should do service." "As King Bhagirath flowed Ganga in the land of Bharata, our Mother, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, is flowing the Ganges of Love over the entire world. For this I offer my special gratitude to Amma.

"Under Amma's guidance, let peace and harmony be established in this world." —Sw. Vishvesha Tirtha of Pejavar Math in Udupi

"I feel very happy when I look at the service Amma is rendering to the world. She sees the vision of the Lord not only in all of humankind, but even in animals. Watching the service that Mata Amritanandamayi is rendering for the welfare of the entire world—today's society that is blemished with selfishness—one sees She is flowing the nectar of love and reviving the entire society.

"She is the Incarnation of the Lord. She is the Avatar of Devi. To give amrita [nectar] to the devas [demigods], the Lord took the Mohini Avatar. But now, Mata Amritanandamayi—not only for the devas but for the entire humankind, for the entire animal world—She is the giver of amrita. I offer my salutations to Her. Under Her guidance, let peace and harmony be established in this world."

[translated from Sanskrit]