29 February 2012

LIFE OF SRI SARADA DEVI


CHAPTER:4 VISIT TO DAKSHINESWAR [PART-II]
An auspicious day was then selected, and the party soon started on their long journey towards the end of March,2 1872. They had to travel a distance of about sixty miles on foot; for in those days there was no railway or steamer service to Calcutta, and the only other alternative means of travel, namely, the palanquin, was beyond the financial capacity of people like them. The first two days of the journey were very pleasant. Corn-fields and lotus ponds greeted their eyes everywhere, while the shade of antique-looking banyan trees offered them protection from the heat of the noonday sun. They were not, however, destined to complete their journey in the same joyous fashion. For on the third day the Holy Mother, who was not accustomed to such long walks, fell ill of high fever, probably owing to the fatigue of the journey. Ramachandra was constrained to break the journey and take shelter in a wayside rest house until his daughter was again fit to travel.

Mother Kali, Dakshineswar
The Holy Mother felt very anxious over this unexpected trouble on the way. She was, however, much relieved in body and mind by a wonderful vision she had at night. Of this she spoke to her devotees in later days to the following effect: 'I was lying unconscious owing to fever, without any sense of decorum even. Just then I saw a woman, pitch dark in complexion, sitting by my side. Though she was dark, I have never seen another so beautiful as she. She stroked my aching head with her soft cool hands, and I felt the heat in my body subsiding. 'Where are you from?' I asked her. And she replied, 'From Dakshineswar.' At this I was speechless with wonder and exclaimed, 'From Dakshineswar! I too am going to Dakshineswar to see my husband. But this fever has unfortunately detained me on the way.' To this she replied, 'Don't worry. You will soon be all right and see your husband at Dakshineswar. It is for your sake that I have kept him there.' I said to her, 'Indeed! Is it so? But who are you to me?' 'I am your sister,' she replied. I was much astonished to hear this. After this conversation I fell asleep.
[Notes: This is the first authenticated mystical phenomenon that we come across in her life. There are, however, traditions regarding certain occult facts about the period of her life already covered. The following is a brief statement of these traditions. (a) The first is regarding her birth. Her mother Syamasundari Devi had once gone to Sihor to attend a religious festival. There, while she sat under a tree near the temple, she experienced as if a quantity of air entered into her body and made her feel heavy. Just then a beautiful girl of five or six, dressed in a red silk sari, descended from the tree, and throwing her tender arms round her neck, said, 'Mother, I am coming to your house.' That girl seemed to enter into the body of Syamasundari Devi who fell into a trance. (b) The Holy Mother is reported to have told a disciple; 'You see, my child, I used to notice during my childhood that a girl, just like me, would always roam about with me and help me in all my work. She would also laugh and play with me. That continued until my tenth or eleventh year.' (c) While she was thirteen, she once went to Kamarpukur. Being very young and new to the house, she used to feel afraid to go to the outer tank for her bath. One day, coming out of the backdoor of the house, she was thinking of her difficulty, when she found all of a sudden eight women near her. As she proceeded to the street leading to the tank, they escorted her, four of them walking in front and the other four behind. They bathed with her in the tank of the Haldars, and came back with her to the house. This happened for several days. She could not make out who these women were.]

Next morning Ramachandra found that his daughter was free from fever. He, therefore, thought it better to proceed than stay indefinitely in that inconvenient rest house on the wayside. Fortunately, as they proceeded, they came across a palanquin,  which they engaged. That night, too, the Holy Mother had a relapse of the fever. It was, however, a mild attack, and she did not mention it to anybody. So they proceeded, and covered the distance little by little, reaching Dakshineswar at 9 0' clock in the night.
 SRI RAMAKRISHNA'S ROOM, DAKSHINESWAR

And what was the type of welcome that awaited her at Dakshineswar? Let her speak in her own simple way. 'I went straight to the Master's room,' she said, 'while the others went to the Nahabat (ie orchestra block or concert house) where my mother-in-law was living. The Master said to me,  "Ah! You are here! All right." And he asked someone to spread a mat on the floor. Then he added, "Alas! Would that my Mathur4 were alive now! By his death my right hand, as it were. 
[Notes: Son-in-law of Rani Rasmani, the foundress of the Dakshineswar temple, who became the proprietor of it after her time. He was both the patron and devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, and used to spend money unstintedly for his service. is broken." Mathur had died a few months before. Akshay (the son of the Master's elder brother) also was dead. Should I have had to live in that inconvenient place (ie the Nahabat) had Mathur been alive? He would have built a mansion for me. Anyway, after seeing the Master I wanted to go to the Nahabat. But the Master said, "No, no. Stay here. It would be rather difficult for the doctor to see you in the Nahabat." I spent the night in the room. A woman companion slept with me. Hriday gave us two or three baskets of puffed rice; for all had finished their supper when we arrived. Next day a doctor visited me. Within a few days I felt all right, and went to live in the room in the Nahabat. My mother-in-law was then staying in the Nahabat. Before that she had been living in a room in the building used by the owners of the temple garden. Akshay had died in that house: Therefore she left it. She said, "I shall not live there any longer. I shall live in the Nahabat and turn my face towards the Ganges. I do not need the building any more." ']

The Holy Mother was cured of her fever, but the physical relief she felt was nothing compared with her mental appeasement on account of her first experiences at Dakshineswar. The worst fears she had in mind were now laid at rest. Experience proved those disquieting rumours to be nothing but the idle gossip of worldlings whose hearts and heads were blind to the spiritual glory of Sri Ramakrishna. He had not forgotten her, nor was there any indication of his sanity being in peril. The care and solicitude he showed at the time of her illness, and the personal attention he bestowed on her treatment and nursing, went to strengthen the previous impressions. She had now no more doubts regarding her duty for the rest of her life. She decided to stay at Dakshineswar and be of service to the Master and his revered mother.
   Ramachandra, too, rejoiced to see his daughter so cordially received by her husband and to find her happy in his company. So, after a few days' stay at Dakshineswar, he returned home alone, free from the anxious thoughts about his daughter's future, which must have been tormenting his mind till then.
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SOURCE: SRI SARADA DEVI, THE HOLY MOTHER, 
                   Srimat Swami Tapasyanandaji

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 29.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

28 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI DARSHAN, BELUR MATH, 28.2.12

COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

27 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI DARSHAN - BELUR MATH - 27.2.12

COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

26 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN


SRI SARADA DEVI DARSHAN AT BELUR MATH ON 26.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

25 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 25.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

24 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI DARSHAN AT BELUR MATH ON 24.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHENNAI-44

23 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 23.2.12 

COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

22 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 22.2.12
COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44


21 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI AT BELUR MATH, AS ON 21.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

20 February 2012

THE GOSPEL OF SRI SARADA DEVI

15th June, 1912
   The Holy Mother was seated with a number of women devotees. I was acquainted with some of them. The Mother was very cheerful in their company. She welcomed me with a smile. I requested Gauri-Ma to bring from the library two books, the life of Sister Nivedita and the Indian lectures of Swami Vivekananda. I wished to read something from the life of Sister Nivedita. The Mother agreed and said, "Please read Nivedita's life. I also received a copy of the book the other day. But I have not yet looked into it." I felt a little shy to read the book in the presence of so many people. At the same time I was eager to read to the Mother the beautiful biography of the Sister written by Saralabala. So I obeyed her order. The Mother as well as the other devotees began to listen with rapt attention. Their eyes became moist on hearing of the wonderful devotion of Nivedita. Tears trickled down the cheeks of the Mother. Referring to Nivedita, she said, "What sincere devotion Nivedita had! She never considered anything too much that she might do for me. She would often come to see me at night. Once seeing that light struck my eyes, she put a shade of paper around the lamp. She would prostrate herself before me and, with great tenderness, take the dust of my feet with her handkerchief. I felt that she even hesitated to touch my feet." The thought of Nivedita opened the floodgate of her mind and she suddenly became grave.

   Those present began to give their reminiscences of Sister Nivedita. Durga-didi said, "It is the misfortune of India that she passed away at such an early age." Another lady said, "She looked upon India as her motherland. She herself said so, many a time. On the day of the Saraswati Puja she would walk bare-footed, putting on her forehead the mark of the sacred ash of the sacrificial fire." I finished reading. The Mother now and then expressed her feelings towards the Sister. She said at last, "The inner soul feels for a sincere devotee."

   It was the hour for afternoon worship. The Mother changed her clothes and sat on the carpet before the image of Sri Ramakrishna. She had made some flower garlands with her own hands to decorate the image. Rash Behari, a young Brahmacharin, had kept near the garland some sweets for offering. Ants gathered around the sweets. Some ants were seen also in the garlands. Mother said, with a laugh, "See what Rash Behari has done! Sri Ramakrishna will be bitten by these ants." She removed the ants and tenderly decorated the image with the garlands. Seeing her thus decorate the picture of her husband with flowers before others, Surabala, her sister-in-law (This is the crazy sister-in-law who figures so often in these conversations. She was the mother of Radhu) laughed. Later the Prasada was distributed to all.

   One lady devotee said, "Mother, I have five daughters. I cannot find suitable bridegrooms for them. I am so anxious about it."

   Mother: Why do you worry about their marriage? If you cannot find suitable husbands for them, please send them to the Sister Nivedita Girls' School. They will be trained there. They will be very happy in the school.

   Another lady devotee: If you have faith in the Holy Mother, then do as she asks you to do. That will be for your good. If you listen to her, you will have no worry.
   Needless to say, the mother of the five girls could hardly appreciate the advice.

   Third devotee: It is very difficult to find suitable bridegrooms now-a-days. Many boys refuse to marry.

   Mother: Yes, the boys have learnt how to discriminate. They are gradually realizing that the happiness of the world is transitory. The less you become attached to the world, the more you enjoy peace of mind.

  It was quite late before I took leave of her that night.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  * * * *  *

   Another day I went to Baghbazar and found the Holy Mother resting after her lunch. She was gracious enough to request me to fan her. Suddenly I heard her speaking to herself: "Well, you all have came here. But where is Sri Ramakrishna?" I said in reply, "We could not meet him in this life. Who knows in which future birth we shall be able to. see him? But this is our greatest good fortune that we have been able to touch your feet." "That is true, indeed." was the brief remark of the Holy Mother. I was rather amazed at this confession. Very seldom would she speak of herself in such a way.

   I could hardly realize at that time that people might possibly have their secrets to confide to the Holy Mother. I was a foolish girl, so I could not comprehend that. Therefore if I happened to miss her on entering her room, I would search the house for her; I could hardly wait for her to come. One evening two pretty young ladies had been taking the Holy Mother into their confidence in the northern porch of her room when I suddenly presented myself there, not finding her anywhere else. I heard the Mother saying to them, "Lay the burden of your mind before Sri Ramakrishna. Tell him your sorrows with your tears. You will find that he will fill up your arms with the desired object." I could at once understand that the ladies were praying to be blessed with children. They were abashed at the sight of me. My state of mind was even worse. But I was taught a great lesson that day. I took a vow that I would never again go to the presence of the Holy Mother without previously intimating my arrival. A few months later I again met those ladies in the house of the Holy Mother. I was glad to find that their cherished desire was going to be fulfilled soon.


   Gauri-Ma was present there. In reply to our request, she gave us some of her reminiscences of Sri Ramakrishna. She said, "I had visited Sri Ramakrishna long before many devotees began to go to him. I saw Naren and Kali while they were quite young." It was evening. The conversation had to be cut short. Gauri-Ma took leave of the Holy Mother. I also had to go. As I was about to take leave of her, she called me to the porch and gave me some Prasada. She said, "Come again. You do not stay here long at a time. Come one morning at seven o'clock and have your noonday meal with us."


SOURCE: THE GOSPEL OF HOLY MOTHER SRI SARADA DEVI

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI AT BELUR MATH ON 20.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

19 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 19.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHROMPET, CHENNAI-44

17 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 17.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHENNAI-44

16 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 16.2.12



COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHENNAI-44

12 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 12.2.12


COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHENNAI-44

10 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, BELUR MATH, 10.2.12





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9 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI, NILAMBAER, BELUR MATH



Nilambar Garden House: 
Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi stayed in northern side of (present shrine room) Nilambar Garden House (see above Pictureat different times. Before shifting to the present site Ramakrishna Math functioned here. Swami Vivekananda too stayed in this house which now belongs to Belur Math.
During the following periods Holy Mother stayed in this house:
i) May to October, 1888.

ii) June 1893 onwards for a few months she stayed here and did Panchatapa (austerity of five fires).

iii) April, 1898 (one day in the last week of April)

iv) From 18th to 22nd October 1901.

8 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI SHRINE [RAMAKRISHNA MATH, CHENNAI]
SRI RAMAKRISHNA TEMPLE, CHENNAI

7 February 2012

6 February 2012

DAILY HOLY MOTHER DARSHAN

SRI SARADA DEVI SHRINE IN SARADA MATH TEMPLE
SRI SARADA DEVI TEMPLE OF SARADA MATH AT DAKSHINESWAR

COURTESY: SRI SARADA DEVI TEXTILES, CHENNAI-44