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Divine Mother born on Earth
Once when Shyamasundari
Devi was living with her father in the northern part of Shihar, she had
occasion to sit in the dark beside a potter’s oven under a bel (bilva, aegle
marmelos) tree. There suddenly issued a jingling sound from the direction
of the oven, and a little girl came down from the branches of the tree. She
laid her soft hands round Shyamasundari’s neck, whereupon she fell down
unconscious. She had no idea how long she lay there thus. Her relatives came
there searching for her and carried her home. On regaining consciousness, she
felt as though the little girl had entered her womb.
Ramachandra was then in
Gradually the time of
confinement approached. Autumn had now passed, and it was the beginning of the
month of Paush when winter had just set in. This was one of the happiest times
in
The Christian world was
eagerly waiting for the merry Christmas day. The Tantrikas were busy paying
visits to Kali temples, especially as such visits were thought to be very
meritorious in that month. And it was the day of winter solstice when the
longest night was over and the sun was beginning its northward course – the day
on which the Hindu gods and goddesses wake up from their long slumber of six
months. During such a time, a little after Thursday evening, on the 8th
Paush (22nd December, 1853) when the night had spread her
star-spangled cloth over the village of Jayarambati to lay it asleep after the
day’s labour, the blowing of conchshells from Ramachandra’s house announced the
happy news of the advent of Sri Saradamani Devi.
- Holy Mother
Sri Sarada Devi by Swami Gambhirananda, P16-18
May You attain Liberation
I bless you on this holy
day that you may attain to liberation in this life. Birth and death are
extremely painful. May you not suffer from them any more!
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P17 (To Devotees on Akshaya-Tritiya day)
Mother’s Divine Companion
A young girl resembling me
used to walk with me and help me in my work. We had great fun together, but she
would disappear as soon as anyone else approached. This experience continued
until I was 10 or 11 years old. When I entered a pond to cut grass for the
cattle, this girl went with me. As I cut and took one bundle to the bank and
returned to the water for more grass, I found she already had another bundle
ready for me.
- Sri Sarada Devi
and Her Divine Play by Swami Chetanananda, P30
As Jagaddhatri
… Aghormani, a companion and playmate of her girlhood, used to say of
her : "Mother was very simple in her habits. She would never quarrel with
anybody while playing. When others fell out, she would mediate and establish
cordial relations. In play she used to personate herself either as the mistress
or governess of the house. Among her playthings there were some dolls, but she
was more interested in the clay images of Kali and Lakshmi which she devoutly
worshipped with flowers and Bilva leaves. Once on the occasion of the
Jagaddhatri Puja, she was meditating on the Goddess with such deep
concentration and sense of identification with Her, that the sight of it struck
awe in the mind of Ramhriday Ghoshal of Haldepukur.
-
Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother by Swami
Tapasyananda, P15-16
I Am Bhagavati
… the Master was God. He
assumed a human form to mitigate the sufferings of humanity. He came to this
world incognito, like a king who visits the city in disguise. I am Bhagavati
[the Goddess].
- Sri Sarada Devi
and Her Divine Play by Swami Chetanananda, P19
Realization makes for True
Humility
If one is steady in
meditation, one will clearly see the Lord in one's heart and hear His voice.
The moment an idea flashes in the mind of such a one, it will be fulfilled then
and there. You will be bathed in peace. … … In the fullness of one's spiritual
realization, one will find that He, who resides in one's heart, resides in the
heart of others as well – the oppressed, the persecuted, the untouchable and
the out-caste. This realization makes one truly humble.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, Introduction, xii
Attendant Maidens
When I was 13, I went to
Kamarpukur; the Master was then in Dakshineswar. I stayed there for a month and
then returned to Jayarambati. After five or six months I returned to Kamarpukur
and stayed a month and a half. I lived with my brother-in-law [Rameswar] and
sister-in-law [Shakambhari] and others. I used to think: I am a new bride. How
shall I go to Haldarpukur and bathe by myself? One day I left the house by a
back door and was worrying about the matter, when eight young maidens suddenly
appeared, apparently from nowhere*. As I started for the tank, four of them
walked in front of me and four behind. Thus guarded, I walked to the water and
all of us bathed together. Afterwards they brought me home. This continued
everyday during that visit to Kamarpukur. I wondered who those girls were, but
I could not figure it out.
- Sri Sarada Devi
and Her Divine Play by Swami Chetanananda, P42
* According to Hindu mythology, the Divine Mother of the
Universe has eight maidens as attendants.
Peace of Mind
The less you become
attached to the world, the more you enjoy peace of mind.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P10
Symbol of Compassion
Everybody says regretfully, 'There is so much misery in the world. We
have prayed so much to God, but still there is no end of misery.' But misery is
only the gift of God. It is the symbol of His
compassion.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P36
Vision of God
He who will pray to God
eagerly will see Him. The other day one of our devotees, Tej Chandra, passed
away. What a sincere soul he was! Sri Ramakrishna used to frequent his house.
Some one had deposited Rs. 200 with Tej Chandra. One day he was robbed of that
amount by a pick-pocket in the tram car. He discovered the loss after some time
and suffered a terrible mental agony. He came to the bank of the
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P15
Guru and Ishtam
Do not make any distinction
between Sri Ramakrishna and me. Meditate on and pray to the particular aspect
of the Divinity revealed to you. Worship ends with absorption in meditation.
Start here (the heart) and end here (the head). Neither Mantra nor scripture is
of any avail; Bhakti or devotion alone accomplishes everything. Sri Ramakrishna
is every thing—both Guru and Ishtam. He is all in all.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P22
Work
The old lady said,
"Sri Ramakrishna gave us many instructions. But we have carried out very
few of them. Had we followed his advice, we would not have suffered so much in
the world. We are attached to the world and are always running after this or
that work."
The Mother said, replying,
"One must do some work. Through work alone can one remove the bondage of
work, not by avoiding work. Total detachment comes later on. One should not be
without work even for a moment.”
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P14
Bija
Disciple: See, Mother, this
seed is smaller than the seed of red spinach. And yet from this comes such a
huge tree! What a wonder!
Mother: Why not? Just see,
how small is the Bija (mystic syllable) of the Lord's Name. Yet from that,
springs forth in due time spiritual consciousness, devotion, love and what not!
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P157
God’s Name
Many may take the name of
God after their minds have been hardened by the contaminating influence of the
world. But he alone is blessed who can devote himself to God from very
childhood.
-
The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P22
Image Worship
One of the nuns asked,
"Is there any truth in image worship? Our teacher does not approve of it.
He instructs people in the worship of the fire and the sun."
Mother: You should not
doubt the words of your own teacher. Why do you ask me about it, when you have
heard the opinion of your Guru in the matter?
The nun: We want to know
your opinion.
The Mother refused to give
any opinion. But the nun was stubborn and began to press for a reply. The
Mother said at last, “If your teacher were an illumined soul—you have forced me
to say—then he would not have made such a statement. From time immemorial
innumerable people have worshipped images and thereby attained spiritual
knowledge. Do you want to deny this fact? Sri Ramakrishna never cherished any
such parochial and one-sided view. Brahman exists everywhere. The prophets and
incarnations are born to show the way to a benighted humanity. They give
different instructions suited to different temperaments. There are many ways to
realize the Truth. Therefore all these instructions have their relative value.
… ”
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P20
Desire
Disciple: Will the
sannyasins who profess the ideals of Vedanta attain to Nirvana?
Mother: Surely. By
gradually cutting off the bonds of Maya they will realize Nirvana and merge
themselves in God. This body is, no doubt, the outcome of desires. The body
cannot live unless there is a trace of desire. All comes to an end when a man
gets rid of desires completely.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P110
Childlike Nature
One day Rakhal (Swami
Brahmananda) came to Sri Ramakrishna and said that he was very hungry. Sri
Ramakrishna came to the
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P16
Example of Renunciation
It is quite natural that
man forgets God. Therefore whenever the need arises, God Himself incarnates on
earth and shows the path by Himself practising Sadhana. This time He has also
shown the example of renunciation.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P178
Words of Master
The words of Sri
Ramakrishna have been recorded in books. If you can follow even one of his
instructions, you will attain to everything in life.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P23
Rich and Poor
The rich should serve God
and His devotees with money, and the poor worship God by repeating His
Name." – Sri Sarada Devi
Mad Elephant
My child, this mind is just
like a wild elephant. It races with the wind. Therefore one should discriminate
all the time. One should work hard for the realization of God.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P61
Musk in Navel
Sri Ramakrishna would say,
'Musk forms in the navel of the deer. Being fascinated with its smell, the deer
run hither and thither. They do not know where the fragrance comes from.
Likewise God resides in the human body, and man does not know it. Therefore he
searches everywhere for bliss, not knowing that it is already in him' God alone
is real. All else is false.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P49
Continuance of Play
In the course of
conversation she [Holy Mother] said, "At the time of creation, people were
born with the quality of Sattva, light. They had wisdom from their very birth.
Consequently they at once realized the unreal nature of the world. They
renounced it and practised austerity. They were liberated in no time. The
Creator found that the purpose of his creation was going to be frustrated.
These wise men, who were thus liberated, were unfit for the continuance of the
play of the world. Then he again started the work of creation and mixed the
qualities of Rajas, (activity) and Tamas (inertia) with, the Sattva. Thus His
purpose was fulfilled." Then she cited a popular verse bearing on the
theme of creation, and said, "In our young age we acquired these ideas
from the country dramas. But now these have become rare."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P29
Sympathy of Mother
It was evening when I went
to Baghbazar to see the Holy Mother. She was kind enough to ask me to spread
her small carpet on the floor and fetch her beads. She soon became absorbed in
her meditation. Across the lane there was an open space. A few labourers lived
there with their families. One of the male members began to beat a woman
severely, probably his wife. Slaps and fisticuffs began to be showered upon
her. Then he kicked her with such force that she was thrown to a distance with
a child in her arms. Then he started kicking her again. The Mother could not
proceed with her meditation any more. Though she was extremely modest and would
not usually talk even loud enough to be heard by people on the ground floor,
she now came to the porch of the second floor, stood by the iron railing, and
cried aloud in a tone of sharp reprimand, "You rogue! Are you going to
kill the girl outright? I am afraid she is already dead!" Hardly had the
man looked at her than he became quiet like the snake before its charmer, and
released the woman. The sympathy of the Mother made the woman burst into loud
sobs. We heard that her only fault was that she had not cooked in time.
Afterwards the man became his old self again and wanted to be at peace with the
woman. The Holy Mother saw this and came back to her room.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P31
I have a Mother
Why are you so restless, my
child? Why don't you stick on to what you have got? Always remember, "I
have at least a Mother, if none else." Do you remember those words of Sri
Ramakrishna? He said he would reveal himself to all that take shelter under
him, reveal himself at least on their last day. He will draw all unto Him.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P56
Last Birth
One lady from
belonged to the Bahai sect.
After she had left, I asked
the Mother, "How did you find her?"
Mother: Very nice.
Disciple: These people have
come from very far. Now the news has spread like wild fire! Where is
Mother: The Master had said
once in a divine mood, "In course of time, I will be worshipped in every
home. Innumerable indeed will be my devotees!" Nivedita once said,
"Mother, we too are Hindus. As a result of our Karma, we were born in
another country. But we too will become Hindus in true spirit!" This is
their (of Nivedita and others) last birth.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P121
One with Master
One morning in Kalababu's
grove in Vrindaban, the Mother was meditating, when she became absorbed in
Samadhi. All attempts to bring her mind down to the physical plane proved
futile. I repeated the Lord's name in her ears for a long time, but it produced
no effect. At last Swami Yogananda came and repeated Sri Ramakrishna's name,
which brought her mind down to the semi-conscious plane. Then, just as the
Master used to do on similar occasions, she said, "I will eat
something." Some sweets, water, and betel were placed before her, and she
partook of a little of each, as the Master used to do towards the end of such
periods of ecstasy. Even in taking the betel, she cut off its end in the manner
of the Master. We were surprised to find that her manners, her way of taking
food, and her general behaviour exactly resembled those of the Master. When she
finally came down to the plane of physical consciousness, the Mother told us
that the spirit of the Master had entered into her at that time. Swami
Yogananda put to her some questions while she was in that mood, and she replied
very much like the Master.
-
Yogin-Ma Reminiscence, The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P178
Guileless Mother
“… I had never seen water
taps before. I came to
Saying this, the Holy
Mother laughed heartily again. So sweet and innocent a laughter! I too could
not hold back my laughter any more and thought, "So guileless is our
Mother!
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P30
Saptarshi Loka (SVK Tithi
Puja)
There are different
heavenly planes, such as the Jana-loka, Satya-loka, and Dhruva-loka. The Master
said that he had brought down Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) from the plane of
the Seven Sages (Saptarshi). His words are verily the words of the Veda. They
can never be untrue.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P111
Carefulness in Service
“New devotees should be given the
privilege of service in the shrine room. Their new zeal makes them serve the
Lord carefully. The others are tired of service. Service, in the real sense of
the word, is not a joke. One should be extremely careful about making His
service perfectly flawless. But the truth is, God knows our foolishness and
therefore He forgives us." One woman devotee was near her. I do not know
if these words were directed towards her. The Mother was asking her to be careful
in picking the right kind of flowers and in making sandal paste for the purpose
of worship, as also in not touching any part of the body, cloth or hair while
working in the shrine. "One must work in the shrine room with great
attention," said she, "Offerings and the rest should be made the
proper time."
- The
Gospel of the Holy Mother, P31
Mind
The mind is by nature
restless. Therefore at the outset to make the mind steady, one may practise
meditation by regulating the breathing a little. That helps to steady the mind.
But one must not overdo it. That heats the brain. You may talk of the vision of
God or of meditation, but remember, the mind is everything. One gets everything
when the mind becomes steady.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P178
No Waste
A man came with a basket of
fruits. The fruits were meant for offering. He asked the monks what he should
do with the basket. They told him to throw it out in the lane. The Mother got
up and went to the porch. She looked at the lane and said to me, "Look
there. They have asked him to throw away such a nice basket! It does not matter
for them in the least. They are all monks and totally unattached. But we cannot
allow such a waste. We could have utilized the basket at least for keeping the
peelings of the vegetables." She asked someone to fetch the basket and
wash it. The basket was kept for some future use. I learnt a lesson from her
words.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P34
Effects of Words
“… … In the end the woman
confessed to him [i.e. to Sri Ramakrishna] all her sins and was thus released
from their evil effects.”
Nalini: How is it possible,
Mother? How can one be absolved from sin by simply expressing it in words? Is
it possible to wash away sin in this manner?
Mother: Why not, my dear
child? Sri Ramakrishna was a perfect soul. Certainly one can be free from sin
by confessing it to one like him. And one thing more, if at a certain place
people talk of virtue and vice, those present there must take a share of those
qualities.
Nalini: How is this
possible?
Mother: Let me explain.
Imagine a man confessed to you his virtue or vice. Whenever you think of that
man you will remember his virtuous or sinful acts. And they will thus leave an
impression upon your mind. Is it not true, my child?
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P36-37
Human Birth
My child, you have been
extremely fortunate in getting this human birth. Have intense devotion to God.
One must work hard. How can one achieve anything without effort? One must
devote some time for prayer even in the midst of one's household duties.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P59
Attachment to Body
Everything, husband, wife,
or even the body, is only illusory. These are all shackles of illusion. Unless
you can free yourself from these bondages, you will never be able to go to the
other shore of the world. Even this attachment to the body, the identification
of the self with the body, must go. What is this body, my darling? It is
nothing but three pounds of ashes when it is cremated. Why so much vanity about
it? However strong or beautiful this body may be, its culmination is in those
three pounds of ashes. And still people are so attached to it. Glory to God!
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P49
Alert and Careful
Sri Ramakrishna spoke about
nothing but God. He used to tell me, 'Do you notice this human body? Today it
is and to-morrow it is not. And coming to this world it suffers no end of
misery and pain. Why should one worry about taking another birth? God alone is
eternally true. If one can call on Him, it is good. Taking a body one has to
suffer from its accompanying troubles!' The other day Bilas said to me,
'Mother, we have to be always very alert. We always tremble with fear lest we
should think any unholy thought.' That is very true. A monk is like a bleached
cloth, and the householder is like a black one. One does not notice the spots
in a black cloth so much, but even a drop of ink looks so prominent on white
linen. The monk's life is always beset with dangers. The whole world is
engrossed in lust and gold. The monk must always practise renunciation and
dispassion. Therefore Sri Ramakrishna used to say, 'A monk must be always alert
and careful.'
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P57
Did We Come for Eating rasagollas?!
Another day, when I visited
the Mother, I heard the monks telling her, "Mother, after your recovery
this time, we will not allow anyone to receive initiation from you. You have to
undergo a lot of suffering by taking upon yourself the sins of your disciples."
The Mother smiled softly and said, "Why, my dear children? Did Sri
Ramakrishna come only to eat rasagollas'?" That silenced all. O
Mother! How much indeed did you express in those few words: ignorant that we
are, how little could we understand!
This reminded me of another
episode. A woman from a respectable family had fallen on evil ways. But perhaps
due to some merit of previous life, she fortunately came in contact with a holy
man. Under his guidance, she realized her mistake and became repentant. He
advised her to visit the Holy Mother.
One day she came to meet
the Mother at the Udbodhan Office. She felt shy to enter the prayer-hall. So
standing near the doorstep, she confessed to the Mother all her dark past, and
said, "O Mother, what will be my fate? I am not even fit to enter this
holy shrine to meet you." The Mother herself went forward and embracing
the woman, told her lovingly, "Come, child, come inside. You have
understood what sin is, and you are also repentant of your deeds. Come, I shall
initiate you. Surrender everything at the feet of Sri Ramakrishna. Why should
you fear?"
Accepting the sins and
afflictions of mankind on her own shoulders and raising the 'fallen', it is
only the all-compassionate Mother, who can smilingly say, "Why! Did Sri
Ramakrishna come only to eat rasagollas?"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P70-71
Spiritual Life
What else is spiritual life
besides praying to the Master [Sri Ramakrishna], repeating his Name, and
contemplating on him? – Sri Sarada Devi
Redemption of Mankind
Is it ever possible for a
man to free himself unaided, from the clutches of Maya? It was for this that the Master performed
spiritual austerities to the utmost extent and gave the results thereof for the
redemption of mankind.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P76
Pure Mind
On moonlit nights [at
Dakshineswar] I would look at the moon and pray with folded hands, 'May my
heart be as pure as the rays of yonder moon!' Or, 'O Lord, there is a stain
even in the moon, but let there not be the least trace of stain in my mind!' If
one is steady in meditation, one will clearly see the Lord in one's heart and
hear His voice. The moment an idea flashes in the mind of such a one, it will
be fulfilled then and there. You will be bathed in peace. Ah! What a mind I had
at that time!
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P59
Desires cause Rebirth
As long as a man has
desires, there is no end to his transmigration. It is the desires alone that
make him take one body after another. There will be rebirth for a man if he has
even the desire to eat a piece of sweetmeat. It is for this reason that a
variety of foodstuffs are brought to Belur Math. Desire maybe compared to a
minute seed. It is like a big banyan tree growing out of a seed, which is no bigger
than a dot. Rebirth is inevitable so long as one has desires. It is like taking
the soul from one pillowcase and putting it into another; only one or two out
of many men can be found who are free from all desires. Though one gets a new
body on account of desires, yet one does not completely lose spiritual
consciousness if one has to one's credit merits from previous births.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P89
Motherhood
… the Master developed in
her [Holy Mother] a better realization of her grave responsibilities as his
spiritual counterpart and released her latent sense of motherliness towards all
beings. She could therefore say, when questioned by a devotee why she survived
the Master, ‘You must be aware that the Master looked upon all in the world as
Mother. He left me behind for demonstrating that Motherhood to the world.
- Sri Sarada Devi
The Holy Mother by Swami Tapasyananda, P75
Sri Ramakrishna used to say
that his body had come from
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P64
* Tradition has it that the
birth of Sri Ramakrishna was heralded by the vision his father had at
Mantra Initiation
The Mantra purifies the
body. Man becomes pure by repeating the Mantra of God. Listen to a story. One
day Narada went to Vaikuntha to see the Lord and had a long conversation with
Him. Narada had not, at that time, been initiated. After Narada left the place,
the Lord said to Lakshmi, "Purify the place with cow-dung." "Why,
Lord?" asked Lakshmi. "Narada is your great devotee. Why, then, do
you say this?" The Lord said, "Narada has not, as yet, received his
initiation. The body cannot be pure without initiation."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P76
After Ripening
Disciple: Mother, one gets
spiritual realization at any time the grace of God descends on him. Then he
does not have to wait for the right time.
Mother: That is true; but
can the mango which ripens out of season be as sweet as the one which ripens in
the month of Jaishtha that is, the proper season? Men are trying to get fruits
out season. You see, nowadays one gets mangoes and jackfruits even in the month
of Asvin (autumn). But these are not as sweet those found in the proper season.
This is also true of the efforts that lead to God-realization. Perhaps you
practise some Japa and austerities in this life; in the next life you may
intensify the spiritual mood and in the following life you advance further.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P90
Everyone’s Due
After some time a beggar
came to the house and shouted for some alms. The monks felt annoyed and said
rudely, "Go away now. Don't disturb us." At these words the Holy
Mother said, "Did you hear their remarks? They have driven away the poor
man. They could not shake off their idleness and give something to the beggar.
He only wanted a handful of rice. And they could not take the trouble to do
this bit of work. Is it proper to deprive a man of what is his due? Even to the
cow we owe these peelings of the vegetables. We should hold these near her
mouth.”
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P34
Grace of Mind
One should accept the
Mantra from a Guru at least for the purification of the body. The Vaishnava,
after initiating the disciple, says to him, "Now all depends upon your
mind." It is said, "The human teacher utters the Mantra into the ear;
but God "breathes the spirit into the soul." Everything depends upon
one's mind. Nothing can be achieved without purity of mind. It is said,
"The aspirant may have received the grace of the Guru, the Lord and the
Vaishnava; but he comes to grief without the grace of 'one'." That 'one'
is the mind. The mind of the aspirant should be gracious to him.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P76
Maheshwar and Maheshwari
(SRK Tithi Puja)
Our Master alone is
Maheshvara (Supreme God) and Maheshvari (Supreme Goddess) as well. He alone is
the embodiment of all Deities. He alone is the embodiment of all mystic
syllables. One can worship through him all Gods and Goddesses. You can address
him as Maheshvara as well as Maheshvari.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P163-164
All God’s Will
The Mother was engaged in a
conversation with me in the morning.
Disciple: Mother, if there
exists some being called God, why is there so much suffering and misery in the
world? Does He not see it? Has He not the power to remove it?
Mother: The creation itself
is full of misery and happiness. Could anyone appreciate happiness if misery
did not exist? Besides, how is it possible for all persons to be happy? Sita
once said to Rama, "Why don't you remove the suffering and unhappiness of
all your subjects? Please make all the inhabitants of your kingdom happy. If
you only will, you can easily do it." Rama said, "Is it ever possible
for all persons to be happy at the same time?”
"Why not?" asked
Sita, "Please supply from the royal treasury the means of satisfying
everyone's wants." "All right," said Rama, "Your will shall
be carried out." Rama sent for Lakshmana and said to him, "Go and
notify everyone in my empire that whatever he wants he may get from the royal
treasury." At this the subjects of Rama came to the palace and told their
wants. The royal treasury began to flow without stint. When everyone was
spending his days joyously, through the Maya of Rama the roof of the building
in which Rama and Sita lived, started to leak. Workmen were sent for to repair
the building. But where were workmen to be had? There was not a labourer in the
kingdom. In dire absence of masons, carpenters and artisans all buildings went
out of repair, and work was at a standstill. The subjects of Rama informed the
king of their difficulties. Finding no other help, Sita said to Rama. "It
is no longer possible to bear the discomfort of the leaking roof. Please
arrange things as they were before. Then all will be able to procure workmen.
Now I realize that it is not possible for all persons to be happy at the same
time." "Let it be so," said Rama'. Instantaneously all things
were as before and workmen could once more be engaged. Sita said to Rama, "Lord,
this creation is your wonderful sport!"
No one will suffer for all
time. No one will spend all his days on this earth in suffering. Every action
brings its own result and one gets one's opportunities accordingly.
Disciple: Is everything
then due to Karma?
Mother: If not, to what
else? Don't you see the scavenger carrying the tub on his head?
Disciple: Whence does one
first get the propensity, which leads him to an action, good or bad? You may
say, as an explanation of the propensities of this life, that they are due to
the actions of the previous life, and the propensities of that life to the
preceding one. But where is the beginning?
Mother: Nothing can happen
without the will of God. Not even a blade of grass can move. When a man passes
into a favourable time, he gets the desire to contemplate on God. But when the
time is unfavourable, he gets all the facilities for doing evil actions.
Everything happens in time according to the will of God. It is God alone who
expresses His will through the actions of man. Could Naren (Swami Vivekananda)
by himself have accomplished all those things?' He was able to succeed because
God worked through him. …
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P91-92 (25th September 1910)
Realized in Spirit
Even the injunctions of
Destiny are cancelled if one takes refuge in God. Destiny strikes off with her
own hand what she has written about such a person. What does a man become by
realizing God? Does he get two horns? No. What happens is, he develops
discrimination between the real and the unreal, gets spiritual illumination and
goes beyond life and death. God is realized in spirit. How else can one see
God? Has God talked to anybody devoid of ecstatic fervour? One sees God in
spiritual vision, talks to Him, and establishes relationship with Him in
Spirit."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P86
Spirit Body
I had heard that a boy in
the
Mother: All people,
excepting highly evolved souls, live in the spirit body for a year. After that,
food and water are offered in
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P93
Moving Wheel
Disciple: Is it possible
for one to attain to a higher state if one's Sraddha ceremony is performed in
Mother: Yes, that is true.
Disciple: Then what is the
necessity of spiritual practices?
Mother: These dead souls,
no doubt, attain to a higher state and live there for some time, but afterwards
they are again born in this world according to their past desires. After their
birth in a human body some of them obtain salvation in this life, whereas
others take inferior births to reap the results of their Karma. This world is
moving around like a wheel. That indeed is the last birth in which one gets rid
of all desires completely.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P93-94
Fingers
Disciple: What is the need of repeating the Mantra
with the fingers? Is it not enough to do so mentally?
Mother: God has given the fingers that they may be
blessed by repeating His Name with them.
-
The Gospel of
the Holy Mother, P91
Significance of Japa
I asked her about Japa and
other spiritual practices. The Mother said, "Through these spiritual
disciplines the ties of past Karma are cut asunder. But realization of God
cannot be achieved without ecstatic love (Prema Bhakti) for Him. Do you know
the significance of Japa and other spiritual practices? By these, the dominance
of the sense organs is subdued."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P87
Action Countering Action
Mother: … … our present
actions can counteract the effect of past actions.
Disciple: Can action ever
cancel action?
Mother: Why not? If you do
a good action, that will counter act your past evil action. Past sins can be
counteracted by meditation , Japa and spiritual thought.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P93
Work and Mind
How can the mind be kept
well without any work? Is it possible to meditate for all the twenty-four hours
of the day? So one has to take up some work. That keeps the mind in good shape.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P105
Photo of Incarnation
The people nowadays are
clever—they have taken his photograph! Take the case of Master Mahasaya. Is he
an ordinary soul? He has noted down all the words of the Master. Which Avatara
has been photographed, and whose words been recorded in this fashion?
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P123
Love for God
Referring to ecstatic love,
the Mother said, "Did the cowherd boys of Brindavan get Sri Krishna as
their "own" through Japa or meditation? They realized Him through
ecstatic love. They used to say to Him, as to an intimate friend, 'Come here, O
Krishna! Eat this! Take this!'"
Disciple: How can one yearn
for God without seeing the manifestation of His love?
Mother: Yes, it is
possible. There lies the grace of God."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P87
Compassion Incarnate
Disciple: Mother, one day I
had a dream. I saw that a man with shaggy hair came to you and insisted that
you must do something for him at once. He had previously been initiated by you.
But he himself would not practise any spiritual discipline. You said, "If
I do something for him then I shall not live; my body will fall off
immediately." With all the earnestness I could command, I forbade you to
show any kindness to this man and said, "Why should you do anything for
him? He will achieve his own salvation. Let him practise sadhana." As he
insisted again and again, you became disgusted with him, did something to him
by touching his chest and neck, and said repeatedly, "If I do something
for him, then I shall not live; my body will fall off immediately:" Then
my dream disappeared. Well, is it true that one's power becomes limited when
one is born in a physical body?
Mother: Yes, that is so.
Many a time, disgusted with the repeated requests of some persons, I think,
"Well, this body will die some day. Let it fall off this moment. Let me
give him salvation."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P113
Power of Words
One day in the rainy season
of the same year, 1911, Swami Saradananda, Yogin-Ma, Golap-Ma and several other
devotees went to Kamarpukur from Jayrambati. Yogin-Ma slipped on the road. Some
parts of her body were injured and blood flowed. I returned to Jayrambati ahead
of the party and told the Holy Mother about Yogin-Ma's accident. The Mother
said sadly, "Golap said before they set out, 'Yogin is going with us; let
us see how often she slips on the road.' Yogin fell down to vindicate Golap's
words. After all, those were the words of a spiritual woman. She practises
spiritual disciplines. Therefore her words must bear fruit. Hence a holy person
must not say anything bad about anyone."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P112
Realization
Disciple: Mother, does the
vision of God mean the attainment of knowledge (Jnana) and spiritual
consciousness (Chaitanya)? Or, does it signify something else?
Mother: What else can it
mean except the attainment of these? Does anybody mean to say that a man of
realization grows two horns?
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P113-114
Subtle and Pure Mind
In the course of
conversation I asked her, "Why do you have so much attachment? Day and
night you talk of nothing but Radhu, just like people terribly entangled in the
world. Many devotees come to you but you pay no heed to them. Is such deep
attachment good for you?" I had spoken to her in this strain several times
earlier also. At this, the Mother used to reply humbly, "I am a woman, and
I follow my womanly nature." But today the Mother said rather animatedly,
"Where will you find another like me? See if you can find my peer. Do you
know, those who are much given to contemplation on God develop a subtle and
pure mind. Whatever object such a mind takes hold of, it sticks to it tenaciously.
That's why it appears like attachment. A flash of lightning is seen in the
glass panes but not in the wooden shutters."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P309
Karma
Disciple: We hear of ghosts
and spooks. Are they the attendants of Siva or simply spirits? Or are they the
spirits of dead people?
Mother: They are the
spirits of the dead. The spirit attendants of Siva belong to a special group.
One must live very carefully. Every action produces its results. It is not good
to harass others or use harsh words towards others.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P94
Mukti
Once I visited the image of
Jagannath at Puri at the time of the Car Festival. I wept in sheer joy to see
so many people having a view of the image of the Deity. 'Ah,' I said to myself,
'it is good. They will all be saved.' But later on I realized that it was not
so. Only one or two who were absolutely free from desires could attain
liberation. When I narrated the incident to Yogin-Ma, she corroborated this by
saying, 'Yes, Mother, only people who are free from desires attain liberation
(Mukti).'
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P89
Deity Eating Prasada
Disciple: Does the Master
really partake of the food-offering?
Mother: Yes, do I not
notice whether he partakes of the food or not? The Master takes the seat before
the plate and then partakes of the food.
Disciple: Do you then
actually see it?
Mother: Yes. In the case of
some offerings, he actually eats and in other cases he merely looks at them.
Take your own case. You don't like to eat all things at all times. Nor do you
relish the food offered by anyone and everyone. It is like that. One's love of
God depends entirely upon one's inner feeling. Love of God is the essential
thing.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P101-102
Disciple: What happens to
those for whom no Sraddha ceremony is performed in
Mother: They live in the
spirit body until some fortunate ones born in their family perform the Sraddha
ceremony in
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P94
More than Necessary
One morning the Holy Mother
was assisting in husking paddy. It was almost her daily job. I asked her,
"Mother, why should you work so hard?" "My child," said she
in reply, "I have done much more than is necessary to make my life a
model."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P80
In Time
Disciple: Mother, a margosa
tree does not produce a mango, nor does a mango tree produce a margosa fruit.
Everyone reaps the result of his own Karma.
Mother: You are right, my
child. In course of time one does not feel even the existence of God. After
attaining wisdom (Jnana) one sees that gods and deities are all Maya.
Everything comes into existence in time and also disappears in time.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P94
Desires
Disciple: Can all get rid
of desires?
Mother: If they could, then
this creation would have come to an end. The creation is going on because all
cannot be free of desires. People with desires take their births again and
again.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P111-112
Compassionate Mother
In this connection another
incident comes to my mind. I was then at Jayrambati with the Holy Mother. One
day I returned to Jayrambati from Koalpara with an old woman carrying a
headload of things for me. The old woman put down her load and bowed down at
the Holy Mother's feet. "What is the matter, my daughter?" she said.
"You have not come this side for so many days?" The old woman replied
in a piteous voice, "Mother, now-a-days I am in great difficulties.
Searching for food, I go to different places. And so, when there is an occasion
to bring a load here, the gentlemen do not find me in time. A few days back, my
young earning son passed away." The Holy Mother was much affected to hear
this and her eyes were filled with tears.
"What do you say, my
daughter?" she said. On the Mother expressing her sympathy, the old woman
gave way to her grief and wept loudly. The Holy Mother was overcome by a wave
of sympathetic grief, and she began to lament with the woman, resting her head
on a post of the verandah. The other women of the house rushed to the spot on
hearing the sound, and stood transfixed there for a minute at the sight they
saw. A few moments passed in this way. When the intensity of their grief
subsided a little, the Holy Mother asked for some coconut oil. It was brought
and she poured it on the old woman's head. After properly oiling her hair the
Holy Mother tied a quantity of puffed rice and molasses in her cloth. Bidding
her farewell, with her eyes still glittering with tears, the Mother said,
"Come again, my daughter." The woman departed, highly consoled by the
compassionate conduct of the Holy Mother.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P386-87
Spiritual Life
Suppose the moon is covered
by the clouds. Only when the wind gradually takes the clouds away the moon
becomes visible. Do the clouds vanish in the twinkling of an eye? Spiritual
life also is like that. Karma is exhausted gradually. When one realizes God, He
endows one with spiritual illumination within. One becomes aware of it oneself.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P117
Sri Ramakrishna’s
Renunciation
Disciple: Whatever you may
say, Mother, renunciation and dispassion and the chief things. Shall we ever
acquire them?
Mother: Certainly, you will
gain everything if you but take refuge in the Master. Renunciation alone was
his splendour. We utter his name and eat and enjoy things because he renounced
all. People think that his devotees also must be very great, as he was a man of
such complete renunciation.
Ah me! One day he went to
my room in the Nahabat. He 'had no spices in his small bag. He used to chew
them now and then. I gave him some to chew there, and also handed over to him a
few packed in paper to take to his room. He proceeded; but instead of going to
his room, he went straight to the embankment of the
Disciple: Why did he go
towards the river?
Mother: Because I put a few
spices in his hand, he could not find his way. A holy man must not lay things
by. His renunciation was hundred per cent complete.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P124-125
Disciple: Please tell me if
one dying in
Mother: The Scriptures say
so. Besides, so many people come here with this faith. What else can happen to
him who has taken refuge in the Lord?
Disciple: It is, of course,
true that he who has taken refuge in God will be liberated. But take the case
of those who have not surrendered themselves to God, who are not His devotees,
or who belong to other faiths, - will they also get liberation by dying at
Mother: Yes, they too.
liberated.
Disciple: Are you speaking
the truth?
Mother: Yes, it is true,
indeed. Otherwise how can you explain the glory of the holy place?
Nearby there were some
sweets that had been offered to the Lord. A fly, buzzing about, sat on my arm.
Pointing to it, I said, "Even this fly?"
Mother: Yes, even that fly.
All living beings of this place are filled with the spirit of God. Bhudev
wanted to take home two young pigeons that had been caught in the niche over
the staircase. I said to him. "No, no; you must not take them away. They
are inhabitants of
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P150
Karma and Japa
The result of Karma is
inevitable. But by repeating the Name of God, you can lessen its intensity. If
you were destined to have a wound as wide as a ploughshare, you will get a
pin-prick at least. The effect of Karma can be counteracted to a great extent
by Japa and austerities. … … Chanting God's holy Name lessens the intensity of
Karmic effects.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P133
Sraddha Ceremony Food
Lalit Babu: Mother, what
rules and regulations should one observe regarding food?
Mother: One should not eat
the food given at funeral obsequies (Sraddha ceremony). It does harm to
devotional life. Sri Ramakrishna used to forbid it. Besides, first offer to God
whatever you eat. One must not eat unoffered food. As your food is, so will be
your blood. From pure food you get pure blood, pure mind and strength. Pure
mind begets ecstatic love (Prema Bhakti)
Lalit Babu: Mother, we are
householders. What shall we do at the Sraddha ceremony of our relatives?
Mother: Supervise the
ceremony and give help to your relatives so that they may not be offended; but
try somehow to avoid taking meals on that day. If you cannot do that, then on
the day of the Sraddha ceremony eat what is offered t6 Vishnu or other gods. The
devotees can partake of the food of the Sraddha ceremony if it is offered to
God.
Lalit Babu: Many a time
there remains an excess of unused food-stuff procured for the Sraddha ceremony.
Can one cook and eat that?
Mother: Yes, you can. That
will not injure you, my child. A householder cannot help it.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P158-159
Out of Compassion
Disciple: You initiate the
devotees because you desire to do so.
Mother: No, I do so out of
compassion. They won't leave me. They weep. I feel compassion for them. Out of
kindness I give them initiation. Besides, what do I gain by it? When I initiate
devotees, I have to accept their sins. Then I think, "Well, this body will
die anyway; let them realize the truth."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P120
Kedarnath
This Kedar and the Kedar in
the
-
Holy Mother about
The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P146
Solitary Place
Disciple: For practising
spiritual disciplines in
Mother: If you practise
spiritual disciplines for some time in a solitary place like Rishikesh, you
will find that your mind has gained in strength, and then you can live in any
place or in the company of anyone without being in the least affected by it. A
sapling must be protected by a fence all around, but when it grows big not even
cows and goats can injure it. Spiritual practice in a solitary place is
essential. When worldly thoughts crop up in your mind, and they possess it,
then you should go away from the company of others and pray to Him with tears
in your eyes. He will remove all the dross of your mind, and will also give you
understanding.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P213
Pure Mind
One could be
born with a pure mind if one had performed many austerities and spiritual
practices in a previous birth. – Sri Sarada Devi
Instrument of
Divine Mother
Golap-ma:
“Mother says that the Master is always with you. You have still many more
things to do for the good of the world.”
Swamiji: “I see
directly, I feel, and I realize that I am a mere instrument of the Master.
Sometimes I am myself surprised how such wonderfully great things are taking
place and how in the West men and women are ready to devote their lives to this
noble cause and to help me voluntarily in spreading the message of the Master.
I went to
Golap-ma
conveyed the Mother’s reply: “The Master is not separate or different from the
Divine Mother. The Master is doing all these great things through you. You are
his chosen disciple and son. He loved you intensely and predicted before all
that you were one day destined to be a distinguished world teacher.”
[Conversation
during Swami Vivekananda’s visit to Holy Mother at Baghbazar,
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P198
After Death
Human being – today he is,
tomorrow he is not. No one will accompany a person after his death. Only his
actions — good and bad — follow him; even after death. – Holy Mother
Effect of Place
A narrow place makes the
mind narrow, while a commodious place expands it. – Holy Mother
Regular Practice
Why can't one meditate if
one has a pure mind? Why should one not be able to see God? When a pure soul
performs Japa, he feels as if the holy Name bubbles up spontaneously from
within himself. He does not make an effort to repeat the Name. One should
practise Japa and meditation at regular times, giving up idleness. While living
at Dakshineswar I used to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning and practise Japa
and meditation. One day I felt a little indisposed and left the bed rather
late. The next day I woke up still late through laziness. Gradually I found
that I did not feel inclined to get up early at all. Then I said to myself,
'Ah, at last I have fallen a victim to laziness.' Thereupon, I began to force
myself to get up early. Gradually I got back my former habit. In such matters
one should keep up the practice with unyielding resolution.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P176
Compassion for All
He is unfortunate, indeed,
who does not gain my compassion. I do not know anyone, not even an insect, for
whom I do not feel compassion. – Sri Sarada Devi
One day the Mother visited
Sarnath. When she saw some foreigners observing with evident astonishment the
Buddhist ruins there, she said, "These are the very people who built these
things in their previous birth. Now they have come again, and are amazed at
their own doings!"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P146
Correct Mantra-Japa
Disciple: Mother, shall I
keep count while I do Japa?
Mother: If you count while
you do Japa, your attention will be drawn to the counting. Do Japa without
counting.
Disciple: Why doesn't my
mind get absorbed while doing Japa?
Mother: You will succeed
through practice. Don't give up your practice of Japa, even if your mind
doesn't become steady. Do your spiritual practice ardently. Repeating His name
will make your mind steadfast like the flame of a lamp protected from wind.
Wind makes a flame unsteady. Similarly, desires prevent the mind from becoming
concentrated. Besides, if the Mantra is not pronounced correctly, it takes more
time for one to achieve any result. A woman had ‘Rukmini nathaya' as her
Mantra. She used to utter 'Ruku', 'Ruku', and on account of this her progress
was retarded. But through the Lord's grace she later got her Mantra corrected.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P219
Mother: … … He [Sri
Ramakrishna] used to say, "One who remembers me never suffers from want of
food or from other physical privations."
Maku: Did he himself say
this?
Mother: Yes, these are the
very words from his mouth. By remembering him one gets rid of all sufferings. …
…
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P154
An Ideal Husband
The Master was interested
in nothing but God. When I asked him what I should do with the saris, conch
shell bracelets, and other things with which he had worshipped me when he
performed the Shodashi Puja, he said after a little thought, “Well, you can
give them to your mother, but be careful that when presenting the gifts, you
don’t look upon her as your personal mother but as the Mother of the universe.”
I did so. Such was his teaching.
My mother would grieve, “ I
have married my Sarada to such a crazy husband that she can’t enjoy ordinary
married life or have any children and hear them call her ‘Mother’.” One day the
Master heard her and said: “Don’t grieve over that, Mother. Your daughter will
have so many children, you will see, that her ears will ache at hearing the cry
of ‘Mother’.” He was quite right. Everything that he said has come to pass.
- Holy Mother, ‘Sri
Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P123
Master One with All Gods
At one time, from
Baghbazar’s Siddheshwari temple, the water used in bathing the deity used to be
sent to Sarada Devi. Once after the worship of the Master, Swami Vasudevananda
brought to Sarada Devi the sacred bath waters of Siddheshwari and also of the
Master. He brought them in two separate containers. She was then standing in
the veranda. She asked, “Why two containers?” The Swami replied, “One belongs
to Siddheshwari and the other to the Master.” She replied, “It’s all one.” When
the Swami came forward to give the separate waters to her, she said, “Mix
them.” “I will do so from tomorrow”, replied the Swami. She then instructed,
“No. Mix them in my presence.” She accepted the waters only after they were
mixed.
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P82
Another day at Jayrambati I
asked the Mother, "How can one realize God?—through worship, Japa or
meditation?”
Mother: By none of
these.
Disciple: Then how?
Mother: God is realized
only through His grace. Nonetheless, one must perform Japa and meditation, for
they remove the impurities of one's mind. One must practise spiritual
disciplines such as worship, Japa, and meditation. As one gets the fragrance of
a flower by handling it or the scent of the sandalwood by rubbing it against a
stone, similarly one becomes spiritually awakened by continuously contemplating
on the Divine. But you can become illumined right now, if you become
desireless.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P310
Always repeat the name of
the Chosen Ideal like the ever-moving hand of a clock. – Sri Sarada Devi
Padmabinode and Mother
Binodbehari Som, a student
of the school where Master Mahashaya taught, was introduced by him to the
Master who influenced him very much. But subsequently Som entered a theatre and
took to drinking under the influence of which he talked desultorily when
returning home at dead of night. He knew Swami Saradananda intimately and used
to call him his dost (chum). His friends nick-named him Padmabinode.
Now, Padmavinode, when passing by the Mother’s house on his way home from the
theatre, used to call on his dost, who, however instructed everyone
neither to respond nor to open the door, lest the Mother should be disturbed.
One night, getting no answer from inside the house, Padmabinode started singing
under the influence of liquor:
Get up, Mother gracious, and open the door;
Nothing is visible in the dark; and my heart ever throbs.
How often do I call on thee, O Tara (Kali) at the pitch
of my voice!
And yet, though kind thou art forsooth, how thou behavest
today!
Leaving thy child outside, thou sleepest inside;
While crying, ‘Mother’, ‘Mother’, am I reduced to skin
and bone!
With proper pitch, tune, modulation, and cadence in all
the three gamuts,
I call on thee so often; and still thou awakest not!
Maybe, thou hast turned thy face because of my engrossment
in play.
Do thou look at me with upturned face, and I shan’t go
for play again.
Who but a Mother can bear the burden of such a wretched
son?
The plaintive appeal of the
song was irresistible. The blinds of the Mother’s window went up at once, and
then the window itself opened wide. Padmabinode noticed this and said with
delight, ‘Have you got up, Mother? Have you heart your son’s call? Since you’ve
got up, take this salute.’ So saying he began to roll on the street. Then
taking the dust from the street and putting it on his head he went away singing
another tune,
Keep Mother Shyama (Kali) carefully concealed in your
heart;
O mind, mayst thou and I only see Her, and none else.
and he repeated with some
gusto,
May I see Her, and not my dost.
Next day the Mother
inquired about him, and learning everything, remarked, ‘See, how firm is his
conviction!’ Padmabinode saw the Mother in that very manner at least once
again. Next morning, when her attendents remonstrated that it was not proper
for her to leave her bed at that unearthly hour, she replied, ‘I can’t contain
myself at his call.’
Not long after, Padmabinode
had a severe attack of dropsy, and he had to enter a hospital. During his last
moments he expressed a desire to hear the Bengali Gospel of Shri Ramakrishna,
which was read out to him. Tears trickled down the corners of his eyes and he
heard the blessed words, and he passed away in eternal silence with the
Master’s name on his lips. The Mother heard all this and said with evident
satisfaction, ‘Why should this not be so? Was he not the Master’s son? He was
wallowing in mud, and has now retuned to the lap to which he belonged.’
- ‘Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P206-07
Disciple: Men can't do
anything on their own. It is He who is making them do all that they do.
Mother: True it is that He
is causing men to do everything. But do they have that understanding? Being
filled with egotism, they think they are the doers of everything and that they
don't have to depend upon God. Those who rely on Him are protected by Him from
all dangers.
-
The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P212
Swami Asitananda said, “One
day in the Jagadamba Ashrama, the Mother was seated on a cot under a tamarind
tree. At that time a woman belonging to the dome caste came to her weeping. She
complained that her paramour had given her up untimely, whereas she had come
after renouncing everything for the sake of that person. Hearing her sorrowful
tale the Mother summoned that man and rebuked him affectionately, but in strong
manner, ‘For your sake she has left everything; moreover, all this time you
have been accepting her services. Now if you give her up, you will be
committing a grave sin – you will find no place even in hell.’ Hearing the
Mother’s words the person came to his senses and went home along with the
woman.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya,
P188-89
There is no happiness
whatever in human birth. The world is verily filled with misery. Happiness here
is only a name. He on whom the grace of the Master has fallen, alone knows him
to be God Himself. And remember, that is the only happiness.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P173-74
God has this infinite
creation. If you do not pray to God, what does it matter to Him? There are many
people who do not even think of God. If you do not call on Him, it is your
misfortune. Such is the Divine Maya that He has thus made people forget Him. He
feels, 'They are quite all right, let them be.'
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P175
Disciple: What is the aim
of life?
Mother: The aim of life is
to realise God and remain immersed in the contemplation of His holy feet
always.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P214
I said, "Mother, I can
hardly perform spiritual practices, and I don't think I shall ever be able
to." The Mother assured me saying, "What else will you do? Do what
you are doing now. Remember that the Master is behind every one of you. I, too,
am behind, you."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P229
Nivedita’s Letter
Beloved Mother,
This morning, early, I went to church – to pray for Sara. All the people there
were thinking of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and suddenly I thought of you. Your
dear face, and your loving look and your white Sari and your bracelets. It was
all there. And it seemed to me that yours was the Presence that was to soothe
and bless poor S. Sara’s sickroom. And – do you know? – I thought I had been
very foolish to sit in your room, at the evening service to Sri Ramakrishna,
trying to meditate. Why did I not understand that it was quite enough to be a
little child at your dear feet? Dear Mother! You are full of love! And it is
not a flushed and violent love, like ours, and like the world’s, but a gentle
peace that brings good to everyone and wishes ill to none. It is a golden
radiance, full of play. What a blessed Sunday that was, a few months ago, when
I ran in to you, the last thing before I went on the Ganges – ran back to you
for a moment – as soon as I came back! I felt such a wonderful freedom in the
blessing you gave me, and in your welcome home! Dearest Mother! I wish we could
send you a wonderful hymn, or a prayer. But somehow even that would seem too
loud, too full of noise! Surely you are the most wonderful thing of God – Sri
Ramakrishna’s own chalice of His Love for the world – a token left with His
children, in these lonely days, and we should be very still and quiet before
you – except indeed for a little fun! Surely the ‘wonderful things of God’ are
all quiet – stealing unnoticed into our lives – the air and the sunlight and
the sweetness of gardens and of the
Ever, my darling Mother, your foolish KHOOKI (baby),
Nivedita
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P216-217
A devotee asked the Mother,
"The Master said, 'Those who come here (meaning those who accept Sri
Ramakrishna as the spiritual ideal) will not be born again.' Again, Swamiji
said, 'None can have liberation without being initiated into Sannyasa.' Then
what is the way for householders?" The Mother replied, "Yes, what the
Master said is true, and what Swamiji said is also true. Householders need not
have external renunciation. Internal renunciation will come to them of itself.
But some people need external renunciation also. Why do you fear? Surrender
yourself' to the Master and always remember that he is behind you."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P305
Nirvasana
… we must pray for
Nirvasana, freedom from desire. Desire is at the root of all sorrows, the cause
of repeated births and deaths, and the main obstacle on the path of liberation.
– Sri Sarada Devi
I am Maya
One day some local
women-folk came to visit the Mother [at Benaras]. They found her very busy with
Radhu, Bhudev and other children, and asking Golap-Ma to mend her torn cloth.
One of them could not help blurting out, "Mother, I see you terribly
entangled in Maya!" The Mother replied in an undertone, "What to do,
dear, for I myself am Maya!"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P147
Hathat-Siddha
Kali, the Mother of the
universe, is the Mother of all. It is She alone who has begotten both good and
evil. Everything has come out of Her womb. There are different kinds of perfect
souls—perfect from very birth (Svatah-siddha), perfect through spiritual
disciplines (Sadhana-siddha), perfect through the grace of the teacher (kripa-siddha),
and made perfect all of a sudden (hathat-siddha).
Disciple: What is the
meaning of 'made perfect all of a sudden'?
Mother: It is like becoming
wealthy suddenly by inheriting the riches of another.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P135-36
Unconditional
Devotion
One day after
meditation Golap-ma remarked: “Mother, the Master said, ‘Only Ishwarkotis
[godlike souls] can have unconditional devotion, not jivakotis [ordinary
souls].”
Holy Mother
replied: “Ishwarkotis have fulfilled all their desires. Because they are devoid
of desire, they become recipients of unconditional devotion. Jivakotis have
innumerable desires, so they cannot have unconditional devotion.”
“It seems that I
shall never achieve unconditional devotion,” Golap-ma said.
“Why not, Golap?
If you can give up desire, you will attain it.”
“Can a jiva
[individual soul] give up all desires?”
“Yes, one can give up desire. That is why one
is supposed to practise japa, meditation, and other spiritual practices. The
mantra purifies the body. A man becomes pure by repeating the mantra. When a
man gets rid of desires by discriminating between the real and the unreal, then
he does not remain a jiva anymore. He becomes eligible for liberation.
Moreover, one can attain unconditional devotion by God’s will.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P179
Nivedita
Look at
Nivedita, a Western girl who came to our country and worked happily, forbearing
insults and harassment; and also enduring so much discomfort. She tried to
educate our children. When she visited some homes to register their children
for her school, she was humiliated; some did not allow her to go inside their homes;
and some allowed her to go inside but later purified the place by sprinkling
- Holy Mother, ‘Sri Sarada
Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P224
It is the nature
of water to flow downwards, but the sun's rays lift it up towards the sky;
likewise it is the very nature of the mind to go to lower things, to objects of
enjoyment, but the grace of God can make the mind go towards higher objects.
- The Gospel of
the Holy Mother, P175
A monk must be free from
anger and hatred, he must tolerate everything. The Master used to tell Hriday,
"You will bear with my words and I shall bear with yours-then only we can
satisfactorily pull on. Otherwise, the cashier of the temple estate may have to
be called for settling our disputes."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P214
Mother: … Everything
depends upon Karma (one's past actions). The moment one's Karma comes to an end,
one realizes God. That is one's last birth.
Disciple: I admit that the
cessation of actions (Karma-kshaya); spiritual disciplines and time are the
factors in the attainment of spiritual knowledge and consciousness. But if God
be our very 'own', then can't He reveal Himself to His devotees by His mere
will?
Mother: That is right. But
who has this faith that He is his 'own'? All practise these or those
disciplines because they think it their duty to do so. But how many seek God?
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P114
Another day I told her,
"Mother, you give initiation to so many people, but you never enquire
about them. You don't even give a thought about what is happening to them. A
Guru keeps a keen eye on his disciple, seeing whether he is developing
spiritually. It would be better if you did not give initiation to so many
people. You should initiate only as many as you can keep touch with." The
Mother replied, "But the Master never forbade me to do so. He explained so
many things to me. Could he not have told me something about this as well? I
entrust the Master with their responsibility. I pray to him every day, 'Please
look after them wherever they may be.' Besides, do you know that the Master
himself taught me these Mantras? He gave me Mantras possessing great
power."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P309
The mind is everything. It
is in the mind alone that one feels pure and impure. A man, first of all, must
make his own mind guilty and then alone he can see another man's guilt. Does
anything ever happen to another if you enumerate his faults? It only injures
you. This has been my attitude from my childhood. Hence I can't see anybody's
faults. If a man does a trifle for me, I try to remember him even for that. To
see the faults of others! One should never do it. I never do so. Forgiveness is
tapasya (austerity).
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P136
One day I asked the Mother,
"Mother, there are some who have different Gurus for their Mantra and
their Sannyasa. Now, whom should they meditate upon as their Guru?" The
Mother replied, "The giver of the Mantra is the real Guru, for by the
repetition of this Mantra one obtains dispassion, renunciation, and
Sannyasa."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P221
A man's mind runs after bad
things. If he wants to act virtuously, the mind fails to co-operate. In earlier
days I used to leave my bed daily at three o'clock in the morning to meditate.
One day I felt unwell and out of laziness dispensed with the meditation.
Because of this my meditation was stopped for a few days. Therefore, if one
wants to achieve something noble, he must be sincerely arduous and seized with
a firm resolve. When I used to stay in the Nahabat, on moonlit nights I would
look at the reflection of the moon in the still waters of the
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P212
… man achieves the highest
goal through the practice of Japa. Japa leads to success. Yes, Japa leads to
success! - Sri Sarada Devi
Master’s Cast
Mother: … … The Master
practised all kinds of disciplines. He used to say, "I have made the
mould; now you may cast the image."
Disciple: What is the
meaning of casting the image?
Bhudev: It means to meditate
on the Master and mould yourself after him.
Mother: Yes, he has
understood it. To cast the image means to meditate and contemplate on the
Master, to think of the various incidents of his life. By meditating on him,
one gets all the spiritual moods.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P153
Surrender
One day the Holy Mother
said, "However much of Japa you do, however much of work you perform all
is for nothing. If Mahamaya does not open the way, is anything possible for
anyone? Oh bound soul! Surrender, surrender. Then alone will She take
compassion on you and leave your path open." Saying this, she told an
incident in the Master's life at Kamarpukur.
"One day in the month
of Jyeshta, there was a heavy rain one evening. The whole field was covered with
water. The Master was going along the main road near Dompada wading in the
water. There, seeing that many fish had accumulated, people were beating them
to death with sticks. One fish kept going round and round the Master's feet.
Noticing it, he said, 'Hey, do not kill this fish. It is going round my feet,
surrendering itself to me. If anybody can, let him take this fish and set it
free in the pond.' Then he himself set it free and came home and said, 'Ah, if
anyone could surrender in this manner, then alone can he find
protection.'"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P408-09
Remembrance of God’s Name
One day I asked her,
"Mother, does not the practice of repeating God's name gradually reduce
the accumulated effects of a man's past actions?" Everyone must experience
the consequence of his past actions," the Mother replied.
"Nevertheless, the remembrance of God's name helps one this much—instead
of losing a leg one may suffer merely from a thorn entering one's foot."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P228
Food Offering
One day she asked me to
make food offering to the Master. I did not know the Mantras etc., for offering
food. So I told the Mother, "But, Mother, I do not know how to offer food
to the Master." The Holy Mother then explained, "Look, my dear, think
of the Master as your own and say, 'Please come, please sit down, please take,
please eat,' and you must think that he has come, he has sat down, and he is
taking food. Do you need Mantras etc., for your own near and dear ones? All
ceremonies and forms are like the honour and respect shown to relatives when
they come. With your own people you won't need all that. With whatever attitude
you give him, with the same attitude he will take." After that the Holy
Mother taught me a Mantra for making food offering to the Master.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P370
Mantra-Power
Power passes through the
Mantra-the Guru's goes to the disciple and the disciple's comes to the Guru.
That is why the Guru at the time of initiation takes on himself the sins of the
disciple and suffers so much from physical maladies. It is extremely difficult
to be a Guru, for he has to take
the responsibilities for
the disciple's sins. If the disciple commits a sin, that affects the Guru too.
On the other hand, the Guru is benefited if the disciple is good. Some
disciples make quick progress, and some do it slowly. It depends on the
tendencies of the mind acquired by one's past deeds.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P156
Supreme Compassion
When the Mother used to
stay at
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P187-88
Pure Mind
Pure air blows for eight
miles on both the banks of the
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P172-73
Guru (Purnima)
What do you need an
Incarnation for? To anyone, his own Guru is far superior to even an Incarnation
of God. Try to understand this and keep steady. – Holy Mother
Meditation
Disciple: Mother, I don't
have time even for meditation. Kindly make my Kundalini awaken.
Mother: It will certainly
awaken. A little Japa and meditation will awaken it. Does it wake up on its
own? Do Japa and meditation. The practice of meditation will lead your mind to
such one-pointedness that you won't like to give up meditation. But when you do
not achieve such concentration of mind, don't force yourself to meditation. On
such occasions finish your spiritual practice by simply saluting the Lord. The
day on which you have the right mood, you will have meditation spontaneously.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P213
Satya-Yuga
Mother: Satya Yuga has
begun since the birth of the Master. Many luminaries have accompanied him.
Naren was the chief among the Seven Sages (Saptarshi.) Arjuna came as Yogen.
How many such great souls can there be? Sour mangoes can be had without number.
But fajli (a certain variety) mangoes — can one get so many? Countless ordinary
people take birth and die. But only these jewels among men come along with the
Incarnation for the sake of His mission.
Disciple: Swamiji also said
that with the advent of the Master the Satya Yuga has begun.
Mother: That is so.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P167
Respect for
Monks
Holy Mother
insisted that her devotees pay respects to the monks. In 1919 when she was
staying with Radhu at Koalpara Ashrama, Brahmachari Barada was preparing the
shopping list according to Holy Mother’s instructions. At that time a woman
devotee happened to pass that way, and her cloth inadvertently touched Barada’s
back. Although he did not notice it, the Mother did. Irritated, she said to the
woman devotee: “Hello, don’t you see this young boy is sitting in front of me
and writing? Are you not aware that your cloth has brushed over his back? He is
a brahmachari and you are a woman. You should pay respect to the monks. Touch
the upper corner of your cloth on the ground and bow down to him.” The Mother
spoke in such a serious tone that it became a lesson for the other women.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P411-12
Practice
Disciple: What can
repetition of His Name achieve, if it is not attended with earnestness?
Mother: Regardless of
whether you get into water willingly or are pushed, your clothes will be
soaked. Practise meditation regularly, for your mind is still unripe. After
prolonged practice of meditation your mind will become steady. And you should
constantly discriminate between the real and the unreal. Know the worldly
objects to which the mind is drawn to be unreal and surrender your mind to God.
A man was angling in a pond all by himself when a bridegroom's procession with
its music passed by. But his eyes remained fixed on the float.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P214
Anahata-Dvani
Disciple: Unless the
Kundalini is aroused, nothing worthwhile can be achieved.
Mother: Certainly it will
awake. Repetition of His name will lead to the goal. Even when your mind does
not become concentrated you can repeat the holy Name thousands of times. One
hears the anahata-dhvani prior to the rousing of the Kundalini. But this is not
possible without the grace of the Divine Mother.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P216-17
Evil Thoughts
Whenever any evil thought
haunts you, tell your mind: 'Being her child, can I stoop so low as to indulge
in any such activity?' You will find that you gain strength and peace of mind.
– Sri Sarada Devi
Mahamya’s Grace
Barada said:
“Some say that one achieves nothing through work. One can succeed in spiritual
life only through japa and meditation.”
Holy Mother
responded: "How do they know what will give success and what will not?
Does one achieve everything by practising japa and meditation for a few days?
Nothing whatsoever is achieved unless Mahamaya clears the path. Didn't you
notice the other day that one person's brain became deranged because he forced
himself to do excessive prayer and meditation? If one's brain is deranged, one's
life is useless. The intelligence of a human being is very precarious. It is
like the thread of a screw. If one thread is loosened, one becomes crazy. Or
one becomes entangled in the trap of Mahamaya and thinks oneself to be very
intelligent. One feels quite all right. But if the screw is tightened in a
different direction, one follows the right path and enjoys peace and happiness.
One should always remember God and pray to Him for right understanding.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P480
Master's Hair
Is the Master's hair a
trifle? After his passing away, when I went to Prayag (
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P221
Ever in
“Go and
prostrate before the Mother, but don’t touch her feet. She is so gracious, so
tender and affectionate, that when touches her feet she then readily draws unto
and takes upon herself all the misery
and suffering of the hapless soul, out of her infinite grace and unbounded love
and compassion for one and all; thereby she has to suffer herself silently for
other’s sake. Go slowly one by one and prostrate before her. Pray to her and
ask for her blessing from the bottom of your heart, with all sincerity, and
without verbal expression. She is ever in a superconscious state and
understands everybody’s mind.”
[Swami
Vivekananda addressing assembled devotees during his visit to Holy Mother at
Baghbazar,
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P198
Self-Assertion
Selfishness—well, it
persists as long as a person is self-assertive, but not when that is overcome.
Why entertain any fear? All conditions can turn favourable by the will of the
Master. – Sri Sarada Devi
Nag Mahashay
Once Nag
Mahashay visited Holy Mother at her residence on
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P191
Disciple: Mother, why is it
that my mind does not become steady? When I try to think of God I find it drawn
to various worldly objects.
Mother: It is harmful if
the mind is drawn to worldly objects like money and members of one's family.
Nonetheless, the mind naturally dwells on one's daily activities. If you don't
succeed in meditation, practise Japa. Japa leads to perfection. One attains
perfection through Japa. If a meditative mood sets in, well and good. If not,
don't force your mind to meditate.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P213
One day in the course of a
conversation I said, "Mother, nothing worthwhile can be achieved in
worldly life." In reply she said, "Son, the world is a great mire. If
one gets into it, he finds it difficult to get free. Even Brahma and Vishnu
gasp in it, what to speak of man! Repeat His name. If you repeat His name, He
will take you beyond worldliness. Son, can anyone attain liberation unless He
helps? Have deep faith in Him. Know the Master to be your refuge, just as
parents are to children in this world."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P323
I [Surendranath Sircar] said,
"Mother, devotees call you Kali, Adyasakti, Bhagavati, etc. In the Gita it
is mentioned that the saints Asita, Devala, Vyasa, and others called Sri
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P221
D.: "Mother, where is
God?”
Mother: "Dear, where
else is God except very close to His devotees? If worldly people even visit the
place used by holy men, the very atmosphere of the place can remove the dross
of their mind."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P265
After chatting for some
time, in the course of conversation, I told the Mother, "Mother, you are
Mahamaya; you have nicely
deluded us by bestowing parents, husbands, and children on us." The Mother
immediately replied, "Don't speak like this – that I have kept others
deluded! The sufferings of people bound in the world pain me very much. But
what can I do, my child? They don't seek liberation."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P265
Then someone asked her,
"Mother, your relations have enjoyed so much of your holy company, still
why do they not show the least glimmer of wisdom?" The Mother replied,
"They are like bamboos and silk-cotton trees. Even if they grow close to a
sandal wood tree, what will it profit them? The trees must have some
essence."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P303
Rammay
used to go to Jayrambati from Badanganj every Saturday. Hence if any good food
came to the Mother’s house, she kept apart a share of it for him. One day somebody
prepared some delicious khichudi with plenty of ghee and other costly
ingredients. When Rammay came, she gave him a great quantity of it. As he could
not do full justice to it, he ate as much as he could and then wanted to throw
away the rest. But the Mother said, 'My boy, don't throw away such good stuff',
and directed him to call in a girl of the Sadagopa caste from a neighbouring house,
who came and carried away the remaining food with great delight. Then the
Mother said, ‘Each should have his due. What men can eat shouldn't be wasted on
cattle; what cattle can eat shouldn't be thrown away to dogs; what cattle and
dogs can't eat can be thrown into ponds for the fish - nothing should be
wasted.’ As for herself, she kept even such useless stuff as waste vegetables
and fruit peels for cattle.
- ‘Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P483-84
I asked the Mother one day,
"You have instructed me how to perform Japa of the name of the Master; but
how shall do Japa of your name?" The Mother replied, "You can do it
with the name 'Radha' or any other name that suits you. If you cannot choose
any such name, then repeat simply 'Ma'."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P265
Kedar Maharaj asked,
"Mother, is it for the establishment of the harmony of all religions that
the Master came this time?" The Holy Mother replied, "Look here. I
never felt that he practised all the religions with the intention of teaching
the harmony of all religions. He was always immersed in God-consciousness. He
followed all the disciplines—those of Christians, Muslims, Vaishnavas, etc.—for
the sake of God-realization, and he enjoyed the Divine lila (play) in different
ways, entirely unconscious of how time passed. But still, do you know, my dear,
in this age renunciation has been his speciality. Has anyone ever seen at any
time that kind of spontaneous renunciation? What you have said of the harmony
of religions is also true. In other Incarnations one ideal or another was
emphasised over others."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P396
The crazy aunt
[Radhu’s mother] was arranging lunch for a relative by placing a leaf plate and
a glass of water on her veranda. Radhu’s cat sipped water from that glass, so
she replaced it with another glass of water. This time also the cat sipped the
water. The crazy aunt chased the cat, shouting, “I shall kill you.” The Mother
was nearby. She said: “No, one should not prevent a thirsty animal from drinking.
Moreover, the cat has already touched that water.” Immediately the crazy aunt
flared up, saying: “You will not have to show your overflowing compassion to
that cat. You have shown enough compassion to people. Why not reserve your
kindness for human beings?” The Mother gravely said: “That person is really
unfortunate who is deprived of my compassion. I don’t know anyone, even an
insect, who is not a recipient of my compassion.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P440
Very early one morning a
calf was pitifully crying in the outer courtyard of the Mother's house at
Jayrambati. The calf was kept separated from its mother for the purpose of
milking the cow. On hearing its cry the Mother rushed out, saying, "I am
coming, child, I am coming. I shall release you just now." Coming to the
courtyard, she freed the calf. I was wonderstruck on seeing this revelation of
the compassion of the Divine Mother towards all beings. Alas! Only such an
anguished cry can bring about the release of the soul.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P235
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
Once in the course of a
chat Swami Keshavananda said to the Mother, "After you, Mother, no one
will revere goddesses like Sasthi and Sitala." "Why not?" said
the Mother, "They are my parts."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P303
Once Holy Mother
returned to
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
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P483
Once in the course of a
conversation the Mother said, "I am the mother of the virtuous as well as
the wicked." She used to tell her disciples, "Why should you
worry?"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P305
One day Pitambar Nath, a
devotee from
enter the room and take
your seat."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P302
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
Once a woman devotee asked
her, "Mother, why can't we realize that you are the Divine Mother?"
She replied, "How can everybody recognize divinity, daughter? There lay a
diamond at a bathing place. Taking it as an ordinary stone, people rubbed the
soles of their feet against it after their bath to remove the dry skin. One day
a jeweller went there. Seeing the stone, he immediately recognized that it was
a big precious diamond."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P303
Once as the Mother was
leaving Jayrambati for Calcutta, her aunt, the mother of Uncle Surya, came to
her and said, "Dear Sarada, don't forget us, come back soon." The
Mother touched the floor or her room with her forehead and quoting a Sanskrit
proverb, said, "One's mother and motherland are superior to heaven itself."'
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P303
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
Disciple: I don't feel like
doing japa, etc. any more; for nothing whatsoever is of any avail. Desire,
anger, delusion—these still hold sway over my mind exactly as they did before.
The impurities of my mind have not decreased yet.
Mother: Child, the
repetition of the name of God will gradually remove impurities. How can you
expect results without such disciplines? Don't be foolish and neglect them.
Whenever you find time, repeat the holy name of God. And pray to the Master.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P276
How can any harm
come to one who always thinks of his or her Chosen Deity? – Sri Sarada Devi
[Letter] Written
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
Forget your
individuality and try to realize your true nature. – Sri Sarada Devi
Jagannatha
After seeing the deity
[Lord Jagannatha at Puri], she [Holy Mother] remarked, “I saw Jagannatha as the
best of all persons. He was seated on an alter of gems and I was serving him as
a handsmaid.” She had also seen the deity in a dream as Lord Shiva.
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P117
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
Once I said, “Mother, my
mind is never disturbed by evil thoughts.” Mother immediately became startled
and said, “Don’t say like that. It is too presumptuous for one to speak in that
strain.”
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P309
Last Birth
Once I asked, "Mother,
the Master remarked that those who take refuge in him are living their last
birth. Now, what will be the fate of those who take refuge in you?"
Mother: What else will
happen, my child? The same is the case here too.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P319
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
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
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P307
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
Diseases and spiritual
austerities, both are same. Just like in spiritual austerities, in diseases too
our karmas get exhausted. – Sri Sarada Devi (The Compassionate Mother,241)
(Also: Disease
and austerity are the same thing. One can destroy the results of past actions
through austerity and also through disease. – Sri Sarada Devi, SRD and Her
Divine Play, P495)
Forbearance is a
great virtue; there is no other like it. – Sri Sarada Devi
(Also: There is
no wealth equal to contentment, and no virtue equal to forbearance. – Sri
Sarada Devi)
Disciple: What time should
one set aside for Japa and meditation?
Mother: To call upon Him at
the conjunction of day and night is the most auspicious. Night disappears and
day arrives, or day disappears and night arrives—this is the conjunction of day
and night. The mind remains pure at these times.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P322
Look, is he a
human being who has no compassion in his heart? – Sri Sarada Devi
As regards food, the Mother
used to say, "First offer to God whatever you are going to eat and then
take it as Prasad. This will purify your blood, and purified blood will make
the mind pure."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P323
Mother and Sorab
Modi
Sorab Modi [famous
actor and director of Hindi films] related his reminiscences to Swami
Niramayananda:
It was 1918. I
was then a young man. My elder brother was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and
from him I first heard about Sri Sarada Devi. My brother sent me from
Thus many years
have passed and now I am an old man. I almost forgot the Mother all these years
(as I was busy with the movie industry). Now I am waiting for the call from
above and that call can come at any time. I have no attraction for this world
anymore. Now the forgotten Mother is coming to my mind again and again. Now
those words of hers – “My son, don't say “I am going, rather say, 'I am
coming."" – are ringing in my ears. Now I realize what was then
inscrutable to me: I wanted to go away from the Mother but could not succeed.
No one can go away from the Mother. Everyone will have to return to the Mother.
This is the last realization of my life: I am coming to my Mother.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P484
Girish Ghosh’s Faith
When the Mother lived on
the godown of the
- ‘Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P219-20
As a storm blows away
clouds, so does His holy name disperse the cloud of worldliness. – Sri Sarada
Devi
Holy Mother said
to Swami Asitananda, who prayed for faith: “My son, it is not easy to attain
real faith. It comes at the last stage. If you have faith, you will achieve
everything."
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P486
It was a tedious
journey to cover the final distance from Vishnupur to jayrambati. … … The
bullock cart moved slowly over the undulating, unpaved road with a constant
jerking motion. …
…
Once when
Yogin-ma was going to Jayrambati with Saradananda, she remarked: “Look, it is
easier to go to
Saradananda
gravely replied: "Is Jayrambati a less holy place than
Sarala (later
Bharatiprana) recalled a journey with Holy Mother to Jayrambati: "When I
went to Jayrambati with the Mother, the bullock cart jolted right and left, and
sometimes moved backwards. One day I mentioned to Holy Mother, ‘People are
going to
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine
Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P522
Sister Nivedita now came
in, bowed down to the Holy Mother and took her seat. The Holy Mother enquired
after her welfare, and gave her a woollen fan made by herself, saying, "I
kept this for you." The Sister was very happy to receive it. She put it on
her head, touched it to her heart and said, "How beautiful, how
wonderful!"
She showed it to us and
said, "Just see how beautifully it is made!" The Holy Mother said
appreciatively, "Do you notice her happiness upon receiving some small
present! Ah, what simple faith! As if she were a Goddess! How much devotion she
has for Naren! Because he is born in this country, she left her all and has
come to do his work with her heart and soul. What a devotion to the Guru! What
love for this country!"
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P355
On Sri Ramakrishna
The Master is really God
who assumed a human body to remove the sufferings of men. He moved about just
as a king walks through his city in disguise, and he left the world as soon as
his identity was discovered.
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P301
One day a woman devotee
told the Mother about her strained relations with one of her friends. Thereupon
the Mother said, "Look, my dear, if one loves a human being one has to
endure grief and sorrow. If one can love God, one is indeed blessed, one has no
more grief or sorrow."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P369
One day I [Swami
Parameswarananda] was cutting vegetables, sitting near the Mother. Finding her
alone, I asked: “Mother, how can one attain the knowledge of Brahman? I see
various things with my physical eyes. How can I understand through
discrimination that everything is Brahman? How can one have this experience of
oneness? In the beginning, should one practise focusing on each object [in
one's meditation], or does it [meaning the experience of oneness] come
spontaneously? I am confused. Again, after studying Swamiji's books, it seems
that there cannot be any liberation without the knowledge of Brahman." The
Mother answered gravely: "It is a difficult path. It takes a long time to
reach the goal when practising that path of sadhana. Call on the Master,
depend on him, and he will make you know everything. What will you gain by
worrying about all those things? You will achieve everything by the Master's
grace.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P687
To err is human.
One must not take than into account. It is harmful for oneself. One gets into
the habit of finding fault. – Sri Sarada Devi
Look, my dear, it is not
that you will not face difficulties. They will arise. But they will not remain.
You will see that they pass away like water under one's feet. – Sri Sarada Devi
One day at about nine or
ten, the Holy Mother was rubbing oil on her body. An attendant just then swept
the place and threw the broom on one side. The Holy Mother noticed it and said,
"What is that? The job is over and straightway you threw it off so
carelessly! It will take just as little time to keep it properly as it takes to
throw it away. Should you neglect a thing because it is small? Whatever you
care for, will care for you also. Won't you need it again? That aside, in this
family it also is a part. From that angle also it deserves a certain regard.
Whatever regard a thing deserves, that must be accorded to it. Even the broom
has to be replaced respectfully. An ordinary work too must be done with care
and attention."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P401-02
Everyone can
break down something, but how many can build it up? – Sri Sarada Devi
One must be
patient like the Earth. What iniquities are being perpetuated on her! Yet she
quietly endures them all. – Sri Sarada Devi
… the Mother was suffering
from pain in her leg. She had a mild fever too. At about ten o'clock another
devotee came and, not being aware of the Mother's ill health, saluted her by
touching her feet. The Mother said, "I have a severe pain in my leg. Don't
salute me by touching my feet. The Master will certainly bless you."
Bilash Maharaj, who was present, asked the Mother, "The scriptures, I am
told, prohibit making Pranam to a person who is ill or lying down. What really
happens if one does so?" Immediately, the Mother said, "Yes, my
child, Pranam made in such circumstances fixes the disease in the person.
Nobody should be saluted during his illness."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P312-13
Brahmachari
Bimal (later Swami Dayananda) was the regular worshipper in Udbodhan House. One
day after the worship, he went to bow down to the Mother. She pointed to the
pictures of Kali, and the Master, then pointed to herself and remarked: “All
three are one.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P602
… In earlier days I also
had an eye for people's faults. Thereafter I wept and wept before the Master,
praying, 'O Master! I do not wish to see anyone's faults' and finally got rid
of that habit. You might have done good to a man a thousand times and harm only
once; he will turn away from you for that one offence. People see only the
faults. One should in fact note the merits.
-
Holy Mother, The Gospel of the Holy Mother, P392
People in our part of the
country quarrel and fight over their property. They haven’t enough patience to
settle their matters amicably. The possession of land and property is so
temporary, and still they are so proud of their ownership! It is only a play
for few days! This body has a form, but the mind is boundless. It can be
extended like the vast space, but it is bound by maya. People do not know this
mystery of maya, so they suffer and inflict suffering on others.
- Sri Sarada Devi
and Her Divine Play by Swami Chetanananda, P116
Body and Head
Miss MacLeod
loved to talk and was free with Holy Mother. Later she related to Romain
Rolland a conversation she once had with Holy Mother regarding the difference
between Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. As they had no common language, someone
always acted as an interpreter. Through the interpreter Miss MacLeod said to
Holy Mother: “Your husband had the best part; he only had to speak sweet words
in
“Yes,” the
Mother answered. “Swamiji was the greatest. My husband used to say that he was
the body and Vivekananda was the head.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P215
One morning Kedar Maharaj
sat near the Holy Mother at Jayrambati and asked her, "Mother, in our free
dispensary those who are fairly well off also come to take medicines. But our
dispensary is meant for the poor only. Is it right that such people are
served?" The Mother thought for a minute and said, "My dear, in these
parts all are poor. Yet, knowing all the details, if they still come to wait
for free medicine, you will of course serve them if you can. Anyone who comes
begging may be considered poor."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P395
Holy Mother demonstrated
how to lead a spiritual life by continually practising japa. Even when she was
sick in bed, she repeated her mantra mentally. She slept very little. One night
Brahmachari Barada asked, “Mother, don’t you get any sleep?”
She replied: “What can I
do, my child? All these children come to me with great longing for initiation,
but most of them do not repeat the mantra regularly. Why regularly? Many do not
repeat it at all. But since I have taken responsibility for them, should I not
see to their welfare? Therefore I do japa for their sake. I constantly pray to
the Master saying, ‘O Master, awaken their spiritual consciousness. Give them
liberation. There is a great deal of suffering in this world. May they not be
born here again!”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P468
Those who had
the rare blessing of living with the Holy Mother learned that religion was a
sweet, natural, joyous thing; that purity and holiness were tangible realities;
that the odour of sanctity was literally a sweet perfume overlaying and
destroying the foulness of material selfishness. Compassion, devotion,
God-union were her very nature; one scarcely knew that she possessed them. It
was through the soothing benediction of a word or touch that one sensed their
presence.
Such lives are
like the lake or river. The sun may draw up its waters, but they fill again to
refresh the earth. So these saintly ones in body may be lifted from our sight,
but their holy influence falls back upon us to revive our fainting hearts and
give us new spiritual life, new strength of purpose.
- Sister Devmata (Laura
Glenn) on Holy Mother,
‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami
Chetanananda, P226
At Pashupati
Basu’s House, on 20 February 1897, Swamiji said to M. “Master Mahashay,
whatever success you see in my life is the lila of the Master. I am only an
instrument. He sent me there. When the Master indicated that I should go to the
West, I informed the Mother and asked for her permission and command. By the
blessings of the Mother I easily overcame all difficulties there and became the
most prominent figure amongst many famous learned pandits and scientists.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by
Swami Chetanananda, P199
The sister from
Navasan now said, "Mother, for you all children are equal. But to those
who want to know the desirability of marriage, you give permission to marry. To
those who want to renounce the world, you give instruction praising
renunciation. Should you not take them all on the one path that is good for
all?"
To that the Holy
Mother said in reply, "Will they abstain because of my prohibition if
their desire for enjoyment is strong? And to those who have understood by
virtue of great merit that all this is Maya's play, and believe that God alone
is the reality, should I not offer a little help and encouragement? Is there
any end to the miseries of the world?"
- The Gospel of
the Holy Mother, P393
Once a fallen
woman came to Udbodhan House and fell at the Mother’s feet. Holy Mother
embraced her and said: “Come to me, my daughter. Now you have realized what sin
is. You are repentant. I shall initiate you with a mantra. Offer yourself at
the feet of the Master. Don’t be afraid.” Some aristocratic women from
Baghbazar, including Krishnabhavani, Balaram’s wife, heard that the Mother had
given shelter to a woman of questionable character, so they decided to stay
away. Krishnabhavani told this to Golap-ma, and she reported it to Holy Mother.
She remarked: “Those who have taken refuge in me will come here. What can I do
if someone’s coming to me stops other’s coming?” Later Krishnabhavani came to
the Mother and apologized for her wrong judgement.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P444
Sabina Bibi, an
elderly Muslim woman, purchased mangoes and jack-fruits in Kotalpur and sold
them in Jayrambati. Holy Mother often bought fruit from her. Holy Mother called
her “aunt”. During Muslim festivals, the Mother would send offerings to the darga
(a tomb of a Muslim saint) in Shiromanipur. One day Mapheti [a Muslim
cart-driver whom Mother hired frequently] asked: “Mother, you are a Hindu. Why
do you send sweets and other offerings during Muslim festivals?”
She repled: “My
son, is God different? All are one. You see, the Master practised Islam sadhana
and prayed like the Muslims. Names of God are many but He is one.”
Mapheti once had
a divine vision of the Mother. From then on he believed the Holy Mother was a pir,
or saint.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P431
Once a disciple
asked Holy Mother if the mere repetition of the mantra as taught by an adept
guru really helped the aspirant if he or she did not possess intense devotion.
Holy Mother answered: “Whether you jump into water or are pushed into it, your
cloth will be soaked, will it not?”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P467
One day I told the Mother
passionately, "Mother, I come to you so frequently, and I have received
your grace, too. But then, why haven't I achieved anything? I feel that I am as
I was before."
In reply the Mother said,
"My son, suppose you are asleep on a cot and somebody removes you along
with the cot to another place. Will you realize immediately on waking that you
have been transferred to a new place? Not at all. Only when the drowsiness
clears away completely will you realize that you have come to a new
place."
- The Gospel of the Holy
Mother, P323
Holy Mother
could see the sincerity in the hearts of devotees, so she taught each one
differently. One day, finding the Mother alone, Sarajubala asked her: "Is
it permissible to perform worship to the Master during a woman's monthly
cycle?"
Holy Mother told
her what the Master had suggested: 'If your mind is distraught if you do not
perform the worship, then do it; there will be no transgression in it. But if
you have any compunction, then don't do it. If you are at all hesitant, don't
perform worship.”
However, some
days later she answered the same question differently from another woman: “How
is it possible to serve the deities under such a condition? Don't perform any
ritual at that time."
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P483
In April 1919 at
Koalpara, a devotee received initiation from the Mother. Before returning home
he asked, "Mother, what is the secret of spiritual life?" In reply,
Holy Mother pointed to a small clock and said: "As that timepiece is
ticking, so you go on repeating God's name. That is the way you will find
fulfillment. You will not have to do anything else."
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P480
A woman asked:
"Mother, all children do not have the same desire to learn. Some children
lack liveliness and eagerness. How can we enhance the natural curiosity in
their minds so that they can develop normally?"
The Mother
answered with a smile: "What do you mean? You have become a mother and now
you expect me to know what is going on in your children's minds? Listen. One
should communicate with them in a simple and intimate way. Chat with them. You
should allow them to play with children of their own age. Never scold them too
much and never physically abuse them. If you reprimand them severely or beat
them, they may be frozen with fear and will run away from you. They will
understand easily if you lovingly help them understand. Never refuse to answer
their questions by rebuffing them or threatening them. If you scold and
intimidate them, they will be afraid to ask questions, which will impede the
natural development of their minds.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P693
The Source
The Master used to say that
his body had come from
- Holy Mother, ‘Sri
Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P122-23
*
Tradition has it that Sri Ramakrishna’s birth was preceded by a vision his
father had at Gaya of Vishnu, who announced that he would be born as his son.
Hence, the spiritual association Sri Ramakrishna had with
Joyous like
Child
Miss MacLeod
also told Romain Rolland about Holy Mother herself, saying: “The Holy Mother
had a natural affinity with Western women, able to speak with them on any
subject, and had a simplicity, a fineness, a delightful disposition. Just as
pure as Ramakrishna or Vivekananda, she was all the while living a holy life
and at the same time capable of being interested, with the joy of a child, in
the attire of her European friends. Her great valour, however, was not
recognized in her own village, where she did not show that she was any
different from other women.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play’
by Swami Chetanananda, P215
Lavanya
Chakrabarty recorded in his reminiscences:
In 1912 at
Lakhmi Niwas in
“Yes, my son, I
am your mother.”
“My mother!”
“Yes, I am
Mother of you all.”
“Our Mother!”
“Yes, my son, I
am the Mother of the Universe.”
A devotee asked,
“Mother, people call you Bhagawati.”
Holy Mother
replied, “It does not matter what others say. I tell you myself that I am
Bhagawati.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P594
Is there any
easy way to keep the mind focussed on God in the midst of worldly
responsibilities? This is a universal question. A woman devotee asked:
"Mother, we are doing our household duties day and night, and we become
tired, fulfilling the orders and desires of everybody around us. We don't even
get five minutes a day to call on the Master. What will happen to us? Will he
not bestow any mercy on us?"
Holy Mother
responded: "Surely the Master will bestow his grace on you, my child. He
is all-knowing. He dwells in the hearts of all. He will definitely know if
there is any sincere longing in you. Moreover, do you yourself do the household
work, my child? It is the Master who makes you do everything. This world
belongs to him. Nothing happens without his wish. Even the leaves of the tree
do not move without his will. No action can be performed without the wish of
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P693-94
The purpose of
one’s life is fulfilled only when one is able to give joy to another. – Sri
Sarada Devi
I am the mother
of the wicked, as I am the mother of the virtuous. Never fear. Whenever you are
in distress, say to yourself, “I have a mother.” – Sri Sarada Devi
Initiation at
Platform
Once Holy Mother
was waiting at the Vishnupur railway station tocatch a train for
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P484
Once it was
proposed that a cow be brought from Belur Math to Udbodhan so that Holy Mother
could have fresh milk. But she immediately protested: “No, no. Those cows are
freely grazing in the holy atmosphere of the monastery compound where they can
see the
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P256
Do you know how
one can develop equal love for all? Do not expect anything from the one you
love. Only then can one love everyone equally. – Sri Sarada Devi
… The Master was
Kalpataru, a wish-fulfilling tree. Those who sincerely seek him, find him.
Sometimes I see the Master has become everything. I see the Master in whatever
direction I look. I see him in the blind and in the lame. He has become every
being. The beings are not suffering; it is he who is suffering. So whenever
people cry to me, I rush to deliver them. … … The other day I saw that Radhu
was about to kill an ant. I stopped her. …
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P341
The Mother was
compassionate towards poor people and could not bear to see them suffer from
want of food and clothing. Sometimes she blessed devotees by saying: “You will
never suffer from lack of food.” She would also say, “The Master told me that
those who would chant his name would never suffer from lack of food.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P575
Master’s Hairs
After spending a year in
the holy places of the north, they proceeded to
- ‘Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P145
If you love a
human being, you will have to suffer for it. He is blessed, indeed, who can
love God alone. There is no suffering in loving God. Be devoted to God and take
shelter at His feet. It is enough to remember that there is someone – call Him
Father or Mother – who is always protecting you.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P602
In Koalpara
sometimes the Mother would feed Radhu, but Radhu spat the food out at her. One
day the Mother was irritated and said to Sarala: “Look, my child, know this
body [pointing to her own] to be a divine body. How much abuse can this body
tolerate? Can any human being bear so much torture? Only a divine being can
bear it. These relatives are tormenting me. This time if the Master somehow
cures Radhu, I will withdraw myself. Look, my child, as long as I am alive,
they will not know my real nature; they will understand it later.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P311
[Letter] Written
in May 1918 in
My dear
daughter,
I am pleased to
receive your letter. Always try to lose yourself in the name of the Master.
Make an effort to see him in everything and every being in this world. Try to
know that both good and bad are the results of your karma, which come from God.
When you understand this, you will attain happiness and peace. I hope you are
doing well.
Please accept my
blessings,
Your Mother
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P508
Be devoted to
God and take shelter at His feet. Blinded by egotism, people think of
themselves as independent agents in regard to their work. They do not depend on
God. God protects one who relies on Him. How little intelligence a man
possesses! He may want one thing, but asks for another. He starts to mould an
image of Shiva and often ends by making the likeness of a monkey! It is
therefore best to surrender all desires at the feet of God. Let His do whatever
is best for us. But one may desire devotion and nonattachment. These are not
harmful desires.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P602
God is purity
itself and cannot be realized without the practice of control of the body and
mind. Can anyone destroy lust altogether? A little of it remains as long as one
has a body; but it can be subdued, just as a snake can be subdued by means of
[snake charmer’s charmed] dust. If you are constantly in contact with objects
of enjoyment, you are likely to succumb to their influence. … Don’t be afraid.
In this Kaliyuga, mental sin is no sin. Free your mind from all worries on that
score. You need not be afraid.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P602
Let me tell you
one thing: if you want to escape the results of good and bad karma, then chant
God’s name, repeat your mantra, worship the Lord, and read scriptures. Always
discriminate between the real and the unreal. Good karma subdues bad karma, but
cannot destroy it. The good and bad karmas of an individual soul are destroyed
only by chanting God’s name, which also purifies the mind. Then one can know
one’s true nature.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P695
His blessing is
always on all creatures of the earth. It is needless to ask for it. Practise
meditation sincerely and then you will understand His infinite grace. God wants
sincerity, truthfulness, and love. Outward verbal effusiveness does not touch
Him. Observe punctuality of time in your practice. Take His name and utter the
mantra while concentrating your mind with all your might. If you exert yourself
sincerely, banish all other thoughts, and pray to Him from the core of your
heart, then your call will be responded to and your prayers granted through His
grace.
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P692
Last Message
I tell you one
thing my child – if you want peace, do not find fault with others. Rather, see
your own faults. Learn to make the world your own. No one is a stranger, my
child; the whole world is your own. – Sri Sarada Devi
As wind removes
a cloud, so does the name of God disperse the cloud of worldliness – Sri Sarada
Devi
Shri Ramakrishna was all
Advaita and preached Advaita. Why should you not follow Advaita? All his
disciples are Advaitins. – Sri Sarada Devi (‘Holy Mother Sri Sarada
Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P452)
God is one’s
very own. It is the eternal relationship. He is everyone’s own. One realizes
Him in proportion to the intensity of one’s feelings for Him. – Sri Sarada Devi
Don’t be afraid.
Human birth is full of suffering and one has to endure everything patiently,
taking the name of God. None, not even God in human form, can escape the
sufferings of body and mind. – Sri Sarada Devi
Motherhood of God
Umesh Babu had
asked the Mother, “After the passing away of the Master, you have been living
in this world and ministering to the spiritual needs of the people. We have not
heard of the spiritual consorts of other incarnations doing such a thing. In
all those cases, it has been the followers of the incarnation that have taken
care of spiritual ministration. What is the reason for this novelty?” The
Mother replied, “My son, don’t you know that the Master used to see Divine
Mother in all beings? This time he has left me behind in order to teach the
Motherhood of God to the world.”
- ‘The
Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P150
In Subtle Form
To Swami Kesavananda who
expressed his sorrow at not having seen the Master [Sri Ramakrishna], she [Holy
Mother] revealed this secret: ‘He is here in this body (her own) in a subtle
form. The Master himself told me that he dwells in me in subtle form.’
-
‘Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother’ by Swami Tapasyananada, P218
Infinite Compassion
[Swami Premananda on Holy
Mother, in a letter:] “Who has understood the Mother? There is not the least
trace of splendour. The Master [Sri Ramakrishna] had at least the brilliance of
wisdom. But what about the Mother? For her even that glow is wanting. What a
great power is that! The poison that we cannot assimilate we pass on to the
Mother. The Mother takes on every one on her lap. Infinite Power! Limitless
mercy!... She is giving shelter to all, eating everybody’s food, and
assimilating all. Remember the mercy of the Mother, that infinite compassion of
the Mother in weal and woe, in success and failure, in famine and pestilence,
in wars and revolutions. Glory unto the Mother!”
-
‘Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother’ by Swami Tapasyananada, P227-28
It is with this destructive
body that we have to acquire the indestructible (spiritual) body. For this
reason we have to take proper care of this body. – Sri Sarada Devi (The Compassionate
Mother,241)
At the time of the First
World War, Surma Devi once questioned the Holy Mother about the destruction,
atrocities, exploitation, famine, and widowhood and their resultant tears, all
caused by the foreign rule. The Mother had said, “Whenever the Master comes,
such developments do take place, and how much more yet remains to be seen. But
finally they will meet their destruction, and our country will be under our
rule.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P308
Aghornath Ghosh had read in
the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna that the Master could not tolerate even
the presence of worldly people. If such people happened to make obeisance to
him by touching his feet, he used to suffer pain. For this reason, when he
first met the Mother, he made obeisance to her from a distance. However, the
Mother, who was till then seated, got up, went near him, and placed her hand on
his head.
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P246
People talk so much about
God. Do you see this pillar? Even if you can superimpose the idea of God on
this, you may realize him. – Sri Sarada Devi (The Compassionate
Mother,243)
Swami Kaivalyananda asked,
“My mind is assailed with all sorts of good and bad thoughts. What will be my
lot?” She [Holy Mother] replied, “Don’t be anxious about it. In the Kali-yuga,
sin committed in the mind is not a sin, provided it is not put into action. In
the earlier yugas, a mental resolve in itself amounted to sin or virtue.
[On the other hand], in the Kali-yuga, if there are good thoughts in the mind,
it will accrue exalted results.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P241
While talking to the
Mother, Nalin Babu said, “We haven’t seen the Master [Sri Ramakrishna]; we know
only you.” The Mother said, “No, my child, you should call on Master also; and
whatever you eat, first offer it to the Master and then eat. This will keep
your blood pure, your mind will become pure, and your body too will remain
pure.” She said to Navadvip Chandra Roy, “One who is the Master, is also the
Mother – know this for sure, and practise japa and meditation.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P239
The Mother told Hamseshwar
Nayak, who was bereft of family and friends, “One who has no one in this world,
he has God with him.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P331
On hearing the Mother’s
words about the Master, I said, “Mother, the Master assumed a human form and
came into this world, and how unfortunate I am that I haven’t been able to see
him!” Pointing to her own self, she then said, “He resides inside this in a
subtle form.” The Master himself had said, ‘I will remain inside you in subtle
form.’”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P355
Lesson for Householders
One day at Jayarambati,
Sharat Maharaj had left his seat after finishing his lunch. The Mother
repeatedly took the carpet seat used by him and touched it to her head. Struck
with wonder, when Nalin Babu asked her the reason for this, she said, “Owing to
how great a fortune does a householder have a monk at his door! The carpet seat
used by a monk deserves to be placed on our head. We are, after all,
householders, and it’s our duty to do so.”
-
‘The Compassionate Mother’ by Br Akshayachaitanya, P326
Parts of Divine Mother
Once a monastic disciple
told her, ‘Mother, after having seen you, people will no more respect the
various Goddesses.’ Her significant reply was, ‘Why not? They are all my
parts.’
-
‘Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother’ by Swami Tapasyananada, P209
In one sense she [Holy
Mother] was the Mother of all the devotees and in another she herself was all;
her infinite motherhood left none outside its all-comprehensive grasp.
Brahmachari Rashbihari asker her one day, ‘Are you the Mother of all?’ ‘Yes,’
replied the Mother. ‘Even of these lower creatures?’ pressed the inquirer.
‘Yes,’ answered the Mother.
- ‘Holy Mother Sri
Sarada Devi’ by Swami Gambhirananda, P363
Just after the
[Holy Mother’s] cremation, Swami Shivananda said to the monks and devotees at
Belur Math: “The Divine Mother Sati’s body was divided into 51 pieces and fell
in 51 places throughout
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P757
I heard many
things about Jesus Christ from Nivedita. She read many beautiful stories about
him to me. Ah, Jesus came to deliver people in this world and how much
suffering he had to undergo. He joyfully endured all. Despite all those
persecutions, he loved people and forgave them unconditionally. His own
disciple betrayed him. Ah, they killed him with nails in his hands, feet, and
chest. In spite of that terrible torture and pain, he ungrudgingly forgave
them. He prayed to God to not take offence at what they did. Is it possible for
human beings to have such love, power of forbearance, and forgiveness? Who can
endure this way other than God? God came as Jesus to teach divine love to the
people of the world.
- Holy Mother, ‘Sri Sarada
Devi and Her Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P223
A couple of days
after the Mother’s passing away, a respected couple who were the Mother’s
disciples came to Belur Math. They had come from far away to see Holy Mother,
but their hopes were dashed to pieces. Swami Shivananda consoled them, saying:
“The Mother is now all-pervading. One can now see her in everything and every
being. Anyone who calls on her wholeheartedly will see her. Previously she
lived in a particular place. Now she is everywhere. Do not grieve. Call on her
with a sincere and longing heart, and she will reveal herself to you.”
- ‘Sri Sarada Devi and Her
Divine Play’ by Swami Chetanananda, P757
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