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
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