Become Love: Anni and Friends for Amma
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Anni left this world on June 21st, 2007, due to cancer, at the tender age of 19. Two months later, her family and friends from around the world began this journey of music. Over one hundred people have contributed to these songs. This album is more than music: it is a journey to joy; a journey to Become Love.
Wise Earth Publishers gave over 500 CD's and the master copy to Amma's organization to make copies to raise money for Amma's charitable works. If you don't see it, ask for it!
Become Love (music album) is the culmination of nearly a decade of songs, inspired by living with Amma. Over the years, Anni and family began singing the songs that came from their hearts with young ashram children and international guests who came to visit the ashram. The songs evolved, the children all grew older. Through the musical genius of Karthik Shah of Mumbai, they finally received a rounding out, that has created an album which is filled with joy, with devotion, with love of life. With songs in English, Hindi, and Malayalam, this album seamlessly creates a true fusion of world music, dedicated to music's highest purpose: praising God.
The album was presented to Holy Mother Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi Devi) on Saturday, May 14th, 2011. Amma said she liked it very much. The Master copy, along with over 500 ready made CD's were given to the organization to make as many copies as desired to raise money for Amma's charitable works. The Album should be available in India and on her USA and Europe tours. If you don't see it, ask for it!
Anni left this world on June 21st, 2007, due to cancer, at the tender age of 19. Two months later, her family and friends from around the world began this journey of music. Over one hundred people, many of them from the original groups that sang and played their instruments for Amma with the family, have contributed to these songs. This album is more than music: it is a journey to joy; a journey to Become Love.
Playlist:
- Shivane Amma
- Of My Amma
- Become Love
- Aaj Khelo Shyam
- Green Grass Blue Skies
- Take Me There
- Prem Ki Jyot
- O Mananthavady
- I See Now
- Green Grass Blue Skies (coda)
- Sweet Mystery
Each song in this album has a story. Check the links to each song's page for lyrics, translations, and samples! We will be adding chordsheets, guitartabs, downloads, and more to this site in the next few days. Check the links below to see more, and Come Back Soon!
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1. Shivane Amma
This Song's Story
Shivane Amma is a song of invocation.
Whenever Holy Mother Amma holds Satsangs (spiritual discourses), she starts by whispering "Shivane... Shivane... Shivane..." This is her invocation to God. After that, she says "Prema swarupam, Atma swarupamayirikkunna elaavarkkum namaskaaram," which means "I bow to all the people here who are the embodiments of Love and God."
This song was composed in 2000 on the North Indian Tour. Holy Mother Amma had encouraged her entourage to compose songs, and this song was written in reflection that She gives such honor to all of us, where all honor should truly go to Her. We wanted to let Amma know that every part of India was in adoration to her Love, Majesty, and Mastery.
Shivane Amma starts with Amma's invocation, and includes mantras 405 to 408 of the Sree Lalita Sahasranama, and invocations from around India. In India, traditional greetings between people are in the form of invocations to God. For example, when one greets another, they say "I bow to God [in you]", to which the other gives a similar reply. Therefore, most of the greetings in this song can be found in common parlance around India, from different religions, and localities.
Listen Online!
See the links below for lyrics and chords.
Shivane Amma Lyrics
Shivane, Shivane, Shivane
Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma!
Shiva dutii, Shivaaraadhyaa, Shiva Murtih Shivankarii,
Shiva Shankari, Shivankarii, Shiva Shankari
Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma!
Sat Shri Akaal, Amma, Sat Shri Akaal (Sikh Greeting)
Namostute, Amma, Namostute (Pan-India)
Vanakkam, Amma, Vanakkam (Tamil Nadu)
Glory to Thee, Amma, Glory to Thee
As-Salaamu `Alaykum, Amma, As-Salaamu `Alaykum (Muslim Greeting)
Tashi Delek, Amma, Tashi Delek (Tibetan Buddhist Greeting)
Om Namah Shivaaya, Amma, Om Namah Shivaaya (Kerala)
Shivane, Shivane, Shivane
Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma, Shivane Amma!
Sing Along!
2. Of My Amma
This Song's Story
Of My Amma was born during a long, hot, bumpy bus ride on Amma's 2002 South Indian Tour. Stretched out luxuriously in the isle of the bus at foot level, the verses just popped into their heads. The original song has several more verses. At the next lunch stop, a bunch of people got together and rehearsed, hoping to be able to sing to Amma, but that stop, in the midday heat was unfruitful; Holy Mother Amma was taking a much-needed rest after her program which had ended early morning. After a few more hours in the bus, Amma met with everyone for tea in a field. With a group of game tourmates, the song was first sung to Her. Back at Amritapuri, with the help of Yovanny Adant and Abby (two very talented, fun, guitar players) the tune was worked into what you hear on this album. Over the course of four more years, singing the song to Amma with groups of children and youth visiting Amritapuri from all over the world, the song was pruned and polished to the tune and lyrics it is today.
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Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.See the links below for lyrics and more.
Of My Amma Lyrics
In the child in the streets are the eyes of my Amma
The laughter in our heart is the joy of my Amma
In the pure and noble mind shines the light of my Amma
In the truth that we are One is the peace of my Amma
The Wind in the leaves has the grace of my Amma
The flowers in the field have the smell of my Amma
The trash on the Earth is the dirt on my Amma
The hands that pick it up are the hands of my Amma
The breaking ocean waves are the curls of my Amma
The sparkle in the stars is the shine of my Amma
In the blind, halt, and lame is the patience of Amma
In the journey of life to death runs the song of my Amma
The feet that run to serve are the feet of my Amma
The arms holding others are the arms of my Amma
In our kindness to each other is the love of my Amma
Impatience for the Goal is the fire of my Amma
Sing Along!
3. Become Love!
This Song's Story
Become Love! This song was inspired by Amma's words during a phone call on Guru Poornima to the Amritapuri Ashram, in which She mentioned "and how many of you have become love?" Her words stuck in our minds, and a few days later after morning meditation, this song came to us. By Her grace, we met Hector Rivera, who helped us to refine the tune, and with his Mexican background, gave it a defining beat.
We sang this song, borrowing a guitar from the Amritapuri music room, with Hector to Amma just before she left for Her 2004 Europe Tour. Amma was on the Green Roof, meeting with the ashramites. We crowded into a room which had a vent right next to her (since the crowd was too thick to actually get near Amma) and sang her Become Love and Nature's Child (maybe another album?). Amma seemed to like it, and said to come and sing in the hall, but we were too shy...
Until a ton of kids, eager to sing for Amma, descended on Amritapuri in the fall after the tour. Then we all sang it together, with gusto!
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Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Check the links below for lyrics and more!
Become Love Lyrics
Become Love, Become Love, Become Love!
No I, nor Me, nor Mine,
No You, nor Yours, so Sweet and Divine…
Relax, discover who you are,
No tension, worry, or strain…
Nothing to get, nothing to gain,
expecting nothing, seeking nothing…
No one’s really different,
We are all the same…
Only thee, only thine, Amma…
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
4. Aaj Khelo Shyam
This Song's Story
Krishna, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, chose to come on the Earth as a cowherd boy of Vrindavan. Through His Divine Pastimes (lilas) became the Source of Divine Joy for the inhabitants -- the Gopis and Gwaals -- of Vrindavan.
It is said that even the wise sages were awed by the Pure Devotion the Gopis had for Krishna. For the Gopis, Krishna was their Prana (Life Breath), they spent their days only thinking about different ways to please Him.
For Gopis, Holi was a festival when Krishna would smear colors on their faces, the thought of playing Holi with Krishna filled their hearts with immense joy when they start singing "Aaj Khelo Shyaam".
This song, Aaj Khelo Shyam, was composed and sung by Nirali, a beautiful Hindustani classical singer.
Believing herself to be one of the Gopis, she tries to see Krishna in His various moods. While singing Aaj Khelo Shyam, she imagined herself calling out to her Gopi friends to shun everything, to rush where Krishna is waiting with the colors (to play holi), to immerse in the Love of the Lord while playing Holi with Him. In her own words: "And this thought itself colours me with the color of Krishna!".
For a great description of Holi, please see the Wikipedia entry.
Listen Online!
See the links below for lyrics, translation, and more!
Aaj Khelo Shyam Lyrics and Translation
Aaj khelo Shyam sang hori re
Aao aao jora jori re
Vrindavan ki Kunj galin mein
Naache gopi gwal
Krishna rang mein man rangaayo
Bhar bhar maare pichkaari re
Translation
Let us all play Holi with Shyam!
Come Out, Come Out, in pairs!
In the blooming bylanes of Vrindavan,
The Gopis and Gwaals are Dancing in Joy,
My heart is soaked in the Colour of Krishna,
Who is actually showering His Love with the Pichkaari*...
*A Pichkaari is essentially a squirt gun, which shoots a gentle stream rather than a pressurized blast.
Sing Along!
5. Green Grass Blue Skies
This Song's Story
Green Grass Blue Skies was written and tuned by Anni on the last day she spent in Math class (she was in her freshman year of college, majoring in Information Technology), looking out the window. She sang it to us when she came home, and we all knew it was a hit.
Soon after, she and Mom went up to AIMS to get to the bottom of her chronic painful cough.
She never went back to college. The last two weeks of February 2007 were spent in AIMS, consulting with doctors there and, with Uncle Jeff's help, doctors in NIH. On March 1st we flew for the USA, hoping for a treatment plan with chances of survival. The whole journey is chronicled in the archives of Tale Of Grace, the blog we started at that time.
Mere hours before we left AIMS for the airport, Kartik and Suresh flew down from Mumbai to see us off. Anni showed Kartik, our musical genius-friend, her new song.
Back in the insulated and isolated hospitals of the USA, we got an email. Kartu had taken the song, arranged it with drums, pads, guitar, and the works, sung it beautifully, and sent us the MP3. It was beautiful, and cheered us up immensely, as well as all the other hospital patients and friends we showed it to.
This is the song that persuaded us to work on this album. Enjoy!
That's great, but why does the same song come twice in this album? Read the rest of the story to find out.
Listen Online!
Use the links below for lyrics and more!
Green Grass Blue Skies Lyrics
Green Grass, Blue Skies,
In this Beautiful World.
One Lord, One Love,
Has Created it So…
Can’t we Love each other?
Fill this place with Harmony?
One Time, Everywhere,
Let’s Try! Make it happen today…
Mountains, Valleys,
On our sweet planet Earth.
One Love, One God,
Has Created it So.
Everywhere beauty abides,
Singing aloud the Glory of Thee.
Flowers, Fields and Rivers,
Alive with your sweet song of Day…
One Time! Everybody!
One Love! Everywhere!
Strive for The Wonder of Wonders,
Who has made it So.
Love Her, With All your Heart,
And All the People will Know…
One Time! Everybody! One Love! Everywhere!
Sing Along!
6. Take Me There
This Song's Story
Take Me There came a long, long time ago, but not so far away. Sometime in 2005, the verses were written down, and a rough tune formulated. A friend translated it into beautiful Malayalam, which Amma read out one Tuesday satsang at Amritapuri. She mentioned that it was a "good song" (high praise!).
But it was never sung to Her. The tune was just not right. With Kartik's help, we worked out a better tune for the verses, right there in the studio, and then recorded. It came out simple, and sweet.
Listen Online!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Click the links below for lyrics and more!
Take Me There Lyrics
Take my hand, Lead me along,
The path is narrow, I’m not so strong.
Lord you’ve got to care for me,
Take me where you want me to be...
Take me there, where streams run clear,
Take me there, where skies are near,
Take me there, where love is dear,
Take me there, where you are…
There’s times when I think you’ve gone away
You’ve left me in the dust and gone away,
But if I turn, and look behind me,
You’ve been there all along!
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
7. Prem ki Jyot
This Song's Story
Coming Soon!
Listen Online!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Check the links below for lyrics and translation!
Prem ki Jyot Lyrics
Lyrics
Prem ki jyot jalaao Maa
Andhiyaare ko mitaao Maa
Koi bhuul hui to maaf karo
Man ke tamas ko saaf karo
Is duniyaa ki raahon pe ham
Gir jo pade to haath daro Maa
Bhatak rahaa thaa ye man meraa
Ab komal hai kaliyaan jaise
Pehle pathar thaa par ab ye
Niraakaar hai nadiyaan jaise
Ahankaar ko mitaao Maa
Dhyaan ki raah dikhaao Maa
Aandhi tuufhaan kuch bhi aaye
Lau ko hawaa se tuu hi Bacchaaye
Teri ek jhalak main o Maa
Chaaro dhaam hai ham ne paaye
Chod ke yun naa jaao Maa
Ham ko gale se lagaao Maa
Translation
O Mother, Light the Lamp of Love,
Destroy the darkness,
Forgive us for our mistakes,
Purify the dirt in our hearts,
If we fall on the path of this strange world,
Lend us Your Hand, O Mother!
My heart was groping in the dark,
Now it is soft as a flower bud,
It was hard as a stonebefore,
Now it is free flowing like a river,
Destroy the Ego, O Mother!
Show us the Path of Knowledge, O Mother!
Even in worst of the storms,
You protect the flame from the winds,
Wiith your one Glance only,
We have found the Absolute
Dont leave and go like this, Mother!
Give us your loving embrace, Mother!
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
8. O Mananthavady
This Song's Story
Mananthavady is a small town in the stunningly beautiful hills of northern Kerala, where Amma consecrated a Brahmasthanam Temple in 2001. The Mananthavady Brahmasthanam temple is situated on top of a hill. It is surrounded by beautiful sylvan hills and valleys, as far as one can see.
The quiet in the hills is only broken by the sweet, soothing sound of birdsong, crickets, and other members of Mother Nature's chorus. This song was inspired by the pristine beauty of Mananthavady, and the profound respect people there have for Amma: when Amma gives her discourse, the entire audience of 30,000 people or more maintains pin-drop silence.
Originally written in English, this song was translated into Malayalam (the language of Kerala) by Prasanna Balakrishnan. It has been sung to Amma in both English and Malayalam, and sometimes in both languages together.
Listen Online!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Check the links below to see lyrics, translation, and more!
O Mananthavady Lyrics
Lyrics
Tejomaya Brahmasthanam nin hrdayattil
Sthappicchu nin hrdayattil
Ethu gaanam paadi nee
Ammaye Unartuvaan?
Aa raagam ennil cherkkanam
Aa raagam enikekanam
Ammayil nyan cheruvaan…
Translation
Oh Mananthavady
The Lord has placed Her sweet Brahmasthanam
in your Heart.
Which song did you sing,
To awaken Amma?
That song must merge in me,
I must hear that song,
that I merge in Amma…
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
9. I See Now
This Song's Story
Anni left us a treasure trove in her diaries. Around August 2007, we started going through them, scanning her drawings and doodles, reading soul-stirring poems, and we stumbled across this!
Anni had written I See Now quite some time ago, circa 2004 or 2005. Aunty Kamala and Link both remember her sitting with her violin, sounding out a tune, and writing down the swara notation (Indian notes akin to the western solfege system) to some song in her diary. This was that song.
While at Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, researching for the Earth Ethics book, Nirali sat and studied the notation, thereby re-constructing the song.
During the recording sessions in 2009 in Amritapuri, Kartik had a basic track ready to record on, but we didn't have anyone to record! While hanging out the laundry one morning, Aunty Kamala heard a little girl scolding her brother, and knew it was exactly the voice we needed.
Little Anupama lives in the Persian Gulf with her family. A star singer (whether she knows it or not) she was visiting Amritapuri for just a few days. (An amazing co-incidence is that Anni's name is also Anupama.) Though she had never heard the song before, she sang it beautifully in the studio, for hours. The final song is awesome.
Listen Online!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Check the links below for lyrics and more!
I See Now Lyrics
Lyrics
I see, I see, I see now
I know, I know, I know now
That you always were here.
I see the sea, the breeze a-blowing
Along with the flowers, rivers flowing
And I know that you always were here
Yes I know that you always were here.
I see the dew on the leaves a-shimmering
While all the birds and bees are singing
And I know that you’ve always been here
Yes I know that you’ve always been here.
Now when the times get rough, get spicy,
People around all acting icy,
I will know that you always are here
Yes, I’ll know that you always are here.
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
10. Green Grass Blue Skies (coda)
The Rest of This Song's Story
(continued from the first Green Grass Blue Skies story page)
Everyone who hears this song loves it. Kartik sang it for Amma live in Ahmedabad, on her 2007 North India tour. We all dreamed of when we could get back to Amritapuri, whole and healthy.
Mom and Link wanted Anni to sing this song, and make a new recording when we got back. Anni said that either she'd sing it, or she and Jasmine Adita, our dear and very talented friend from Germany, would sing it together.
Anni never came back, at least, not in her physical form. Many times during the work of this album we have felt her guiding us.
And Adita sang the song so beautifully... This album wouldn't be complete without her rendition.
Just before we left for the USA in 2007, Kartik recorded Anni singing her song. A clip of that recording comes just before this song.
Let's all try, to love each other, to fill this place with harmony, everywhere, today!
Listen Online!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.Click on the links below for lyrics and more.
Green Grass Blue Skies Lyrics
Lyrics
Green Grass, Blue Skies,
In this Beautiful World.
One Lord, One Love,
Has Created it So…
Can’t we Love each other?
Fill this place with Harmony?
One Time, Everywhere,
Let’s Try! Make it happen today…
Mountains, Valleys,
On our sweet planet Earth.
One Love, One God, Has Created it So.
Everywhere beauty abides,
Singing aloud the Glory of Thee.
Flowers, Fields and Rivers,
Alive with your sweet song of Day…
One Time! Everybody!
One Love! Everywhere!
Strive for The Wonder of Wonders,
Who has made it So.
Love Her, With All your Heart,
And All the People will Know…
One Time! Everybody!
One Love! Everywhere!
Sing Along!
Please Note: This is only a preview of the song.
11. Sweet Mystery
This Song's Story
This song came to us around January 2006. Satyabhama (who has a very angelic inward personality) was in the room, Anni and Link were at college. Later on we went with Satyabhama for a walk by the ocean... Amma has yet to hear this song live.
Listen Online!
Coming Soon! Check the links below for lyrics and more!
Sweet Mystery Lyrics
Lyrics
May your Sweet Mystery
dawn in all our minds
May your Beauty be
as far as I can see
May your Love shine
In all the hearts around me
and may I become one with Thee
Amritanandamayi
Like a river, Lord, take me to the sea
Like a river, Oh Beautiful Mystery
Like a river, Lord, make me the sea
Make me forever Yours, Oh beautiful Mystery,
Amritanandamayi
May your Grace illumine the path before me
May your Light blaze for all the world to see
May your Fire flame up in me
Make my mind flow unto Thee
Make my thoughts witness Thee
Amritanandamayi
Sing Along!
(Coming Soon!)
Album Credits
Vocals
Adita, Aditi, Akshay, Amrita, Amrita Sindhu, Amritashri, Amritavarshini, Anni, Anupama, Aparna, Aparna Ashok, Aparna Mulberry, Ashwati Klecha, Astha, Aunty Kamala, Balwant, Daniela Figelt, Deepa, Devi Dayal, Dhanya, Diksha, Eswar Iyer, Filipo, Gagana, Gopi, Guruvinder, Janani, Jessica, Joel, Kanan Shone, Karthik Krishnan, Kartik Shah, Katarina, Krishna, Kriti Shetty, Lakshmi, Lata Wadhwani, Linkesh, Ludina, Madhuri Klecha, Mumta Ito, Manjusha, Manohari, Manu, Nandana, Nath (DE), Navya, Nirali Kartik, Nistha, Pooja, Priya, Punyavati, Qarrem Kassim, Rekha, Runa, Rupa, Sahana, Sharini, Shiva, Shreya, Shreyas, Shruti, Siddharth, Sneha, Sudha, Sujith Shaju, Tanmayi, Vidya, and more…
Instruments
Guitar: Kartik Shah, Balwant. Bass: Rishikesh. Sitar: Umashankar Shukla. Violin: Apoorva, Clara Rueff, Marcil Krol. Mandolin: Apoorva. Charango: Guruvinder. Whistle: Diksha, Nirali. Flute: Samuel Rueff, Sandeep Kulkarni. Clarinet: Shankar Tucker. Nadaswaram: Aanandi. Thavil: Prasad. Tabla: Br. Anandan, Br. Hari, Br. Sriram, Ayyappan. Amritapuri sound effects: Nath (FR). Kanjira: Shankar Tucker, Br. Sriram.
Equipment & more
Arun & Ajay Balakrishnan, Aratrika C., Arushi P.V., Ayyappan, Br. Karthik, Br. Madhu, Devanath, Divyasree R.S., Gunavati, Kartik Shah, Madhvi, Pashupati, Pooja P., Prananda, Pushpa, Roshima N.S., Santosh, Sarvaga, Sashwat, Satish Kumar, Shakti Prasad, Sreedevi R. Mohan.
Compositions
Lyrics and original compositions by Anni, Aunty Kamala, Linkesh, Kartik (song #7), Nirali (song #4), with help from Hector Rivera Nandaya (song #3), Yovanny Adant and Abby (song #2). Malayalam translation of song #8 by Prasanna Balakrishnan.
Studio Work
All songs recorded by Eswar Iyer and Kartik Shah at Amritapuri, Kerala. Additional recording by Umesh Maru at Studio Waves, Mumbai. All music produced and arranged by Kartik Shah. Track #3 & #8 co-produced by Shankar Tucker. Track #10 produced by Shankar Tucker. Additional arrangements by Devanath and Eswar Iyer. All songs mixed and mastered by Vinod Verma at Spectral Harmony, Mumbai. Additional mixing by Anish Gohil at Songbird, Mumbai, and R. Nitish Kumar at Premier Digital, Mumbai.
Artwork
Album artwork designed by Kartik Shah. Layout by Linkesh. “Love Tree” drawing by Anandan Bertock. Other drawings were selected from those found in Anni’s diaries.
Thank you All
This album was produced in the spirit of joy with the selfless help of so many people. Any and all profit from sales of these songs are dedicated to activities that “fill this place with harmony”. No royalties are collected by anyone.
Each song in this album has a story. Click on the links below for stories, downloads, translations, chords, and more.
Through the Grace of Holy Mother Amma, “Sahasra Shirsa Vadanaa” (the Thousand-Headed One), this album came into being, and to Her it is offered back, in service to the Love and Joy of her billions of children.