|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 11 August 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Artscope | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi: A beacon to all women by T. V. Wijeyaratnam
The young parents of the precious first born, Ramachandra Mukerjee and Shyamasundari rejoiced at her birth. They named her Sarada an epithet of Goddess Saraswathi. A few days before conceiving the child, the mother Shyamasundari had an unusual experience. When she was resting by a pond, she saw a little girl, with her anklets tinkling come to her from nowhere and hugged her saying, "mother, I want to come home". At this Shyamasundari fainted. She was found and taken home. When she came round, she felt the presence of life within her which she surmised was that of the little girl who entered her womb. Such miraculous incidents have happened in the births of saints and prophets too. So Sarada's birth itself is shrouded in mystery. It is an accepted fact that Goddess Amman - be it - Parasakthi or Kali - manifested herself, appearing as a little girl dressed in skirt and blouse and wearing anklets. Many have vowed seeing her in person or in their dreams. Sarada like any other Indian girl was brought up in the typical Hindu tradition. None would have even dreamt that this little girl going around doing the household chores along with her mother would one day emerge as the holiest of holy women in India and become a symbol of Indian womanhood a household word, a pointer and a beacon to all women, Hindus or otherwise. Yes, the turning point came in her life when as a little child of five years she was given in marriage to Gadadhar a young man from Kamarpukur, who was a Kali devotee, who later was known as Ramakrishna. He was a young man of 22 years. Their marriage also was by divine will. When Gadadhar got to know his parents were looking for a partner for him, he told them that the girl born for him was at Jayarambati, at Ramachandra Mukerjee's house. Sure enough his parents found Sarada. Before this incident Sarada had gone to a temple festival with some elderly women. One of them playfully asked her whom she would marry, she pointed at a young man who was none other than gadadhar himself who had also come for the festival. If this is not the work of divinity what else is? Sarada stayed in her parents' home till she came of age. Divine union Theirs was a divine union. Sri Ramakrishna was a Sakthi devotee. He saw all women as the manifestation of Goddess Parvathi or Kali. It was said he would laugh and cry and then in ecstasy go into a trance or Samadi. He perhaps had direct communion with the Goddess. When Sarada joined him as a young beautiful maiden, he gazed at her face and sunk into a state of ecstasy because he saw Kali in her face. So he did the Shodasi Pooja, with her seated in the place set for Kali. Sarada also accepted it without displaying any emotion. It seemed the two of them were in samadi when the pooja ended. They were an ideal couple who have crushed and conquered the natural physical leanings. "Have you come to drag me into the mine of sinful life?" Was what he asked when she came to him. "Why should I? replied Sarada. "I have come to be of support to you in your spiritual journey". Together they went on their spiritual journey finding bliss in the service to fellow human beings. Knowing Shyama Sundari's disappointment at not having a grand child, Guru Maharaj told, Sarada, "Very soon children all over the world will call you mother. You will be mother to all, even if you don't have a child of your own". And so our Holy Mother became the Universal Mother. Many people affected in life in some way or other sought refuge at her little Mahabat a small room close to Guru Dev's residence. They went to her for solace. She was beyond caste, creed or religion. She treated all alike. She showed concern for each and everyone who went to her with one problem or other. Once a woman, who was of a dubious character, was not allowed to go to her by one of her ardent devotees. She waved him aside saying, "If one of my children falls into a muddy ditch won't I take him, clean him and keep him in my lap?" Such was her love and compassion that have no parallel. There were many incidents in her life to show that she was no ordinary human being. There was the intervention of divinity throughout her life. People who hardly knew her would gaze into her face in wonder - for there they saw their own mother. Kali's face Yet some others have seen Kali's face in her. Once when she was travelling, she was confronted by a dacoit and his wife, Sarada had no fear - because her heart was filled with love. With the purity of innocence, she addressed them as father and mother. They were completely taken aback. They shed their fierce nature and with equal affection considered her as their daughter and escorted her to her destination. It seemed later the dacoit has confessed that in her face he saw Kali herself. That is quite possible given that she is an incarnation of Goddess Kali herself. Guru Dev always made Sarada feel she was the mother of all beings and in course of time she also accepted the situation and her heart was full of the love of a mother for a child. During her last days, she said, "for those who have come, for those who have not come, for those who will come in the future, I am the mother of all". Her pure thought transcends the ethereal world. What more proof to show she is an incarnation of Mother Goddess herself?. "Who ever calls me mother is my child", said Holy Mother on another occasion. Even Westerners regarded her with deep love and respect and piety. Sister Nivethitha awed by her purity, dignity and honour, her strong mind and large heart remarked, "Is she the last of an old order or the beginning of a new?" She was not educated in the strictest sense of the world, but Guru Dev's influence on her had a positive impact on her thoughts and words. This together with her spirituality led her to a state of bliss and blissful oblivion. At that stage only God and God only remained in her thought and nothing else. She realized the truth through Guru Dev. Her words are gems of wisdom suitable for all ages and all stages. Wisdom "If you want peace of mind, do not look for fault in others. Rather find out your own fault. Nobody is a stranger my child, the whole world is yours". Meditating on mother's words of wisdom itself will give one inner peace and happiness. Sri Ramakrishna said of her, "She is my Saraswathy who has come to bestow knowledge to all". There is nothing but pure love for all and sundry. When Swami Vivekananda kept the Hindu flag swaying high in America, he wrote to Swami Shivananda in 1894, "You have not realized the wonderful significance of mother's life.... Without Shakthi there is no regeneration, for the world." He felt that in India, Shakthi was held in dishonour which is even today an unfortunate fact. According to Swamiji, Mother has been born to revive that wonderful Shakthi in India. Quite true, incidents in Mother's life have proved it without doubt. An account of Holy Mother's birth and bearing, her gentle might and mien cannot be said in a few words. It is like draining the sea into a small channel. Her sayings sum up the wonder woman she was. These words of our Holy Mother Sarada Devi shed more light on the divine mother and what a realized saint she is. * Always discriminate. Try to realize that the outside object which is attracting your minds is impermanent and turn your attention to God. * While performing Japa, take the name of God with the utmost love, sincerity and self surrender. * The mantra purifies the body, man becomes pure by repeating the name of God. So repeat his name always. * The Lord has given the fingers, make the best use of them by counting His mantra. * Past sins are counteracted by meditation, Japa and Spiritual thoughts. * Call on the Lord who pervades the entire universe. He will shower His blessings upon you. * One never finds Him without love and devotion. * God alone is true. Everything else is false. * The goal in life is to realize God and to be always immersed in His thought. **** Back **** |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
In 1853 on the 22nd of December, was born an infant girl to a simple,
humble, God fearing couple in a remote and obscure village, Jeyarampati
about 60 miles west of Calcutta.
