Tinkling Sound of Coins

The mailman came with a money order. The Mother affixed her left thumb impression on the receipt and someone attested it: ‘Left thumb impression of Sri Sarada Devi.' Then the mailman counted the money and handed it over to the Mother, who put it in a box in her room. She then gave some refreshments to the mailman, talked to him a little, and bade him good-bye. No one knew who had sent the money or how much. Later, at her leisure, she gave the money order coupon to her attendant and asked him to write a letter of acknowledgement with her blessings to the sender. If the attendant received the money order, she asked him not to count the money, saying: "My child, the tinkling sound of the coins generates greed in the minds of human beings. And the money has such power that even a wooden doll opens its mouth to take it.' 

                    - ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P525

 

Malaya Breeze

Another day Swami Keshavananda said to her, "Either rectify the wrong attitudes of the people of our locality or relieve me of my urge for philanthropic work. None is there to build; they know only how to destroy." At this the Mother replied, "The Master used to say, 'The Malaya breeze transforms all trees with substance into sandal wood.' Since the breeze of divine grace has come, now all trees (meaning aspirants), excepting bamboo and banana, will turn into sandal wood." 

Disciple: Mother, there are very poor people who cannot afford to travel to Varanasi or any such holy place. How can they gain the merit which others visiting those places obtain?   

Mother: Why, they can gain the same merit by visiting Dakshineswar or Belur Math, provided they have such genuine faith! He for whom one visits Varanasi is present at Dakshineswar and Belur Math. 

                                   - The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P307

Last Birth

 

Presumptuous

 

Embodiment of Service

Her [Holy Mother's] motherly love obliterated every vestige of the vanity of position from her and endowed her with a readiness to do even menial services to others and to silently forgo her own comforts and conveniences so as to save troubles for others. It has already been already seen how forgetful of self she was in the service of her disciples and relatives. 

Once Akshay Kumar Sen, a disciple of hers and the author of the metrical biography of Sri Ramakrishna entitled Ramakrishna Punthi, sent some vegetables to Jayrambati with a coolie woman. As it was evening when she arrived, she was allowed to spend the night at the Mother’s house. Being a malaria patient, she got at night high fever with vomiting. Before others had got up, the Holy Mother went into her room early in the morning and saw the place strewn with the vomit. At once she herself removed the dirt and washed the room with water. There were others in the house to do this work, but she knew that they would scold the woman severely and she wanted to save her from it.   

        - ‘Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother’ by Swami Tapasyananada, P204-05

Mind as Guru

In 1910 at Jayrambati the Mother told a monk regarding spiritual practices, 

"Every morning and evening perform Japa and meditation with a cool brain. It is not an easy task. Compared to meditation, it is easier to till a plot of land." 

Pointing to a picture of Sri Ramakrishna, she further said, "Nothing can be attained without his grace." When the monk submitted that the work of the monastery kept one too busy to find time for regularly performing Japa and meditation, the Mother said, "Whose work are you doing? It is His work only." She continued, saying, "In time to come, your mind itself will turn into your Guru and advise you." 

                      - The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P305

Jagannatha

 

True Nature

 

Keep on Calling God

 [Letter] Written [by Holy Mother] to Kamala Sengupta ſundated]:

My dear daughter Kamala,

Keep some religious books with you and read them when you have time and opportunity. Always meditate on the form of God and repeat His name. Whatever divine form you like, meditate on that form. As it is not possible to have holy company always, so study the holy books. Thus the mind becomes pure and perfect. 

Don't yield to laziness, which ruins both the body and the mind. While working with the hands, repeat God's name mentally. If you don't feel any urge to repeat the mantra, force your-self to practise it. It will definitely purify your mind. Do not worry. Just call on God. He is compassionate and loving. If you call on Him whole-heartedly, His grace will dawn on you. Don't be afraid. Keep on calling on God; you will witness His infinite grace.

Please accept my affectionate blessings,

Your well-wisher 

Mother 

                    - ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P510

No Harm

 

Don't Neglect Spiritual Practices

 

No End to God's Mercy

Once Basudevananda and other monks were making a lot of noise downstairs. Golap-ma became upset and said to Holy Mother: “What is this? You have no control over these boys. The Master would discipline his disciples. No one could misbehave even slightly."

The Mother replied: "What can I do? I don't see any fault in others, so how can I discipline them? Moreover, I am their Mother. How can I punish them? I receive them and clean away their dirt and impurities. They are all the Master's children. Is it so easy to punish them? He has his own way of making everything right. His overwhelming love will set them straight. Our Master was the embodiment of love. There was no harshness or rudeness in him. When people say, 'Well, God will give the result of that person's karma,' I then pray to the Master, 'Master, do good to both the ignorant and the intelligent.' 

I tell the boys: 'Don't harbour ill-feeling for others. Don't pray to God to take action against others. Rather, pray for the welfare of the oppressor.' God's judgement is well-balanced and there is not the slightest mistake in it. There is no end to His mercy." 

              - ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P587

Motherland

 

Precious Diamond

 

Great Role Model

… the main strands that enter into the complex make-up of her [Holy Mother] personality are her Divinity, her motherliness, her absorption in the Master [Sri Ramakrishna], her artlessness, her simplicity, and her holy innocence which overshadowed her many gifts of both head and heart. 

Taking into consideration all these colours in the spectrum of her personality, Swami Premananda once spoke thus of her glory: “You have seen with your own eyes, how this Mother, who is in reality the great Goddess ruling over those who wield the destinies of kings and emperors, has yet chosen to become a poor woman, plastering the house with cow-dung, scouring utensils, winnowing rice and clearing the leavings of the devotees after their meals. She undertakes all these tasks to teach the householders their domestic duties. What infinite endurance, limitless mercy and absolute absence of egotism are there!” 

          - ‘Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother’ by Swami Tapasyananada, P227

My Child

 

Why Worry?

 

Sorab Modi and Mother

Once Holy Mother returned to Calcutta from Jayrambati after suffering from malaria for a long time. She was very weak and the devotees were not allowed to see her. At that time a young Parsi man named Sorab Modi [he later became a famous actor and director of Hindi films in Bombay.] came from Bombay. He had read a book by Vivekananda and felt drawn to Vedanta. Impressed by his sincerity, Saradananda gave him permission to bow down to Holy Mother. Arupananda escorted him to her. After bowing down, Sorab prayed in Hindi: “Mother, please give me a mantra so that I can realize God."

Holy Mother asked Arupananda: “Shall I initiate him? Let me do so."

Arupananda replied: "How is it possible? You just recovered from a fever. Moreover, no one is even allowed to see you now. What will Sharat Maharaj think? You had better initiate him later."

Holy Mother said: “You go and ask Sharat." Arupananda rushed to Saradananda and informed him of the matter.

Saradananda replied: "What can I say? If the Mother wants to initiate that young Parsi man, let her do it."

When Arupananda returned to Holy Mother, he found that she had already spread two asanas and was ready with the Ganges water. After initiation, she said to Arupananda: "This boy is good. He understood whatever I said.” Amazed, Arupananda realized that this was the Mother’s play. 

                    - ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P483

My Parts

 

Try to be Pure

Disciple: Mother, so long as I am here, I feel happy. No worldly thought disturbs me. But as soon as I return home various bad thoughts haunt me. I again get mixed up with unholy companions and commit evil deeds. However hard I try, I cannot get rid of bad thoughts.   

Mother: All this is owing to the impressions gathered in your previous births. Can anyone forcibly get rid of them in a trice? Live in holy company. Try to be pure. And everything will be achieved gradually. Pray to the Master. I am with you. Know that you have already achieved liberation in this very birth. Why do you fear? In time he will do everything for you. 

                         - The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P277