The 600 crore Shakti Amma

Posted on December 30, 2007 by Ashwin

I have absolutely zero tolerance for the new age gurus who claim themselves and/or everybody to be God. Thirty-one year old Mr. Shakti Amma seems to be the latest addition to the list.

Claiming himself to be an ‘avatar’ (divine incarnation) of the ‘Narayani’ aspect, he has built a Rs.600 crore ($153 million) temple for Mahalakshmi (the consort of Lord Vishnu) and gilded the outside and insides of the temple with gold. The website of this new kid on the ‘I am a God’ block describes him as being capable of exhibiting mystical powers (siddhis) and that has done so many miracles.

*Sigh* As long as gullible people are around, these ‘avatars’ will never cease to manifest every now and then.

Filed under: Commercial Religion, General, Hall of Shame

« Are you a “brahmana”? Oneness… yeah right! »

2 Responses to “The 600 crore Shakti Amma”

  1. Ron Gold, on May 28th, 2008 at 12:31 am Said:

    My wife and I recently attended a meditation in NYC using the chants of Shakti Amma. Though not divine…it was nevertheless a very positive, peaceful and subconscious-pleasing experience.

    “Avatar” or not, he definitely has something “good” to offer. Just sayin’.

    RDG

  2. Ashwin, on May 28th, 2008 at 9:22 am Said:

    Mr. Gold,

    What you have stated is the root cause of the problem. The meditation and yoga and what not is no something exclusively taught by people like S.A (and many, many more new age ‘gurus’).

    Many people think that because they experience a good feeling when following certain meditation or chanting, they should ignore the outrageous claims made by the person ‘marketing’ such stuff.

    Yoga in itself is just the means. And I have a problem when some people put themselves or their assumed aspects as the “End” to be reached.

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