GREATNESS OF SRI SARADA DEVI

Swami Saradananda

Swami SARADAnanda:

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Swami Saradananda was one of the chief disciple of Sri Ramakrishna and a personal attendant of the Holy Mother. He also built a house in Kolkata whenever she came from her village Jayarambati to stay at Kolkata.

Swami Saradananda’s book on ‘Mother-worship in India’ has been dedicated to the Holy Mother with the memorable and significant words: ‘By whose gracious look the author has been able to realize the revelation of Motherhood in female form-to the lotus feet of her, this work is dedicated in all humility and devotion.’

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Once the Swami was questioned by a disciple as to how it was that the Holy Mother took only two or three minutes to initiate a disciple, while he took about half an hour. To this the Swami replied that the very touch or the will of the Holy Mother was sufficient assurance that the disciple had surrendered to, and had been accepted by, the Master, whereas in his case some time must be spent in meditation before he received that assurance. 

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Sri Sarada Devi with Sister Nivedita

A friend: ‘I have lived so long in the company of the Holy Mother and you all, but how is it that I cannot understand the Mother in the least?’

Swami Saradananda: ‘What can we understand of the Mother! This, however, I can say that I have never seen such a great mind, and I do not hope to see. It is not within our capacity to comprehend the extent of Mothers glory and power. I have never seen in anyone such attachment, nor have I seen such detachment. She was so deeply attached to Radhu. But when her last day came she said: “Please send her away.” I said, “Mother you are telling that Radhu should be sent away. But what will happen when you will like to see her again?” Mother replied, “No, I have not the slighted attraction for her any more.”

While talking about the Holy Mother in such a strain Swami Saradananda became absorbed in her thought and began to hum a song, the purport of which is as follows:

Amazed to witness your antics, I am musing as to whether I should laugh or weep. In the strange fair of the world you make and unmake things all day long even as children do. I have lived long by your side and followed you. Let me now acknowledge my defeat-I could not understand you.

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A devotee: ‘Maharaj, by seeing his divine state of being I can well have faith that Sri Ramakrishna was God Himself. But how is it that I cannot understand that Mother (Sri Sarada Devi) is the Divine Mother Herself?’

Swami Saradananda: If at all you succeeded in believing the Sri Ramakrishna is God Himself, whence the does this doubt arise at all?

Devotee: ‘Somehow this doubt does not leave me.’

Swami Saradananda: ‘Then you have not been able to correctly comprehend Sri Ramakrishna as the incarnation of God.’

Devotee (humbly): ‘Excuse me Maharaj, I have that faith in Sri Ramakrishna.’

Swami Saradananda (firmly): ‘Do you the mean to say that God married the daughter of a cow-dung-cake gathering women?”

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SOURCE: SRI SARADA DEVI, THE GREAT WONDER