GLORY AND POWER OF THE HOLY MOTHER

SWAMI SUBODHANANDA ON THE HOLY MOTHER:

A Brief Life of Swami Subodhananda:

Born in an affluent family, Subodh was spiritually inclined from boyhood.

Swami Subodhananda

While studying in class eight he heard about Sri Ramakrishna from his father who was a follower of Brahmo Samaj. One day in 1884 Subodh walked all the way to Dakshineswar in the company of a friend. Sri Ramakrishna received them with great love. After that Subodh went to the Master several times. Owing to the opposition of his parents, he could not stay with Sri Ramakrishna or serve him during his last illness. But the Master understood his difficulty and made him his own through his boundless love.

He joined the Baranagar Math and was ordained a sannyasin bearing the name Subodhananda. Since he was only nineteen and the youngest of the group, he was endearingly called ‘Khoka’ (which means ‘child’) by Swamiji and other monastic brothers. He spent several years travelling in different parts of India performing tapasya. After Swami Vivekananda’s return from the West when Belur Math monastery was established, he felt himself quite at home there. He visited East Bengal (now Bangladesh) twice and inspired many people with his talks and loving conduct. All through his life he combined in himself the simplicity of a child and the wisdom of an illumined soul. He passed away in Belur Math on 2 December 1932.

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 One has to acknowledge the fact that those men and women who received the grace of the Holy Mother and Sri Ramakrishna could not do so without a lot of austerities in their previous lives.

The pujaris perform imitation anna-kuia (distribution of rice in huge quantities); whereas how great is the anna-kuia of the real Mother of the universe, who is feeding all human beings and other jivas of the world! When one reflects on this, one does not quite know whether one's mind moves away from the body. Sri Ramakrishna would sometimes say, this time Mahamaya Herself has come on a sojourn in human form. When all and sundry will flock around her, She will disappear. Know it for certain that when the Holy Mother has blessed you, from that very moment your fate is changed. Many people even now deeply regret that they could not have the darshan of the Mother. Only he can understand Sri Ramakrishna or the Holy Mother to whom they reveal themselves. The sun can be seen only with sunlight. It is by their grace and compassion that men can know them and have their darshan. If you can make the Mother your own, through Her grace you will attain everything.

The Holy Mother was previously living in her human body. Now the other resides in the hearts of every son and daughter and all devotees. The more one will meditate on the Mother and Sri Ramakrishna, the more one will come to know of them. Those who have once talked or associated with them can never forget their love in life. Parents just do not know how to love like them. 

Source: Sri Sarada Devi, The Great Wonder (Published by Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati)