A Life Sketch of Maa Sarada Devi and Her Teachings

Maa Sarada Devi

A Life Sketch of Maa Sarada Devi and Her Teachings

Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920), the divine consort of Sri Ramakrishna, is known to millions of devotees as The Holy Mother. Born of poor but pious parents on December 22, 1853, in an obscure village named Jayarambati in the district of Bankura (West Bengal) and bred in that simple country atmosphere, she was married to Sri Ramakrishna at the early age of six. The Holy Mother had the chance of coming in close contact with Sri Ramakrishna only about 1867, long after her marriage. Sri Ramakrishna took her under his tutelage and by degrees lovingly imparted to her a thorough knowledge of human character and taught her how to live in complete resignation to God. He literally worshipped her as the Divine Mother and saying that she and Mother Kali in the temple were one and the same, awakened in her the sense of motherhood towards all creatures.

The account of her simple, austere life, self-effacement and motherly love to one and all is unique and surpasses all examples. Her life was one long stillness of prayer and singleness of devotion. With her overflowing affection The Holy Mother gave unfailing solace to all the troubled hearts that sought refuge at her feet for eternal peace and liberation from the worries and anxieties of worldly life. Men and women who approached her to be relieved of the extreme tension in their afflicted souls, became recipients of her immortal blessings and sweet words of love and wisdom which stilled the throbbing pains of their hearts for ever. Her life was synthetic embodiment of the perfect ideals of Jnana (Knowledge), Bhakti (Devotion) and Karma (Action), which are rarely to be met with such a harmonious blend anywhere else in the world.

In Mother's life of artless simplicity, purity, piety and self-dedication, the modern Hindu has discovered the perfect ideal of motherhood held forth by his culture. She was unique in being a devoted wife, affectionate mother and an ideal teacher in one. She was indeed "Sri Ramakrishna's final word as to the Ideal of Indian woman-hood". After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna, it was the Holy Mother who took upon herself the responsibility of looking after his spiritual children (Swami Vivekananda and others) and gradually the great Ramakrishna Order grew up around her. The Holy Mother entered into Mahasamadhi on July 20, 1920 at Kolkata.

Sayings of Holy Mother

1. One should desire of God desirelessness. For desire alone is at the root of all suffering.
   As one gets the fragrance of a flower by handling it, or as one gets the smell of sandalwood by rubbing it against a stone, in the same way one gets spiritual awakening by constantly thinking of God. But you can realize Him right now, if you become desireless.
2. Sri Ramakrishna left me behind to manifest the Motherhood of God to the world.
   I shan't be able to turn away anybody if he addresses me as "Mother".
3. If my son wallows in the dust or mud, it is I who have to wipe all the dirt off his body and take him to my lap.
4. The aim of life is to realize God and remain immersed in contemplation of Him.
   God alone is real and everything else is false.
5. Many think of God only after receiving blows from the world. But blessed indeed is he who can offer his mind, like a fresh flower, at the feet of the Lord from his very childhood. One should practice renunciation in youth.
6. Through japa and austerity the bondage of karma is cut asunder, but God cannot be realized except through love and devotion.
7. How can the devotees really have any caste ? Children are all equal.
8. But one may pray for devotion and detachment. These cannot be classed as desires.
9. As wind removes the cloud, so the name of God destroys the cloud of worldliness.
10. Only through work can one remove the bondage of work. Total detachment comes later. One should not be without work even for a moment. Work helps one to fend off idle thoughts.
11. Everyone has to be accommodating. Forbear everything.
12. One should not hurt others even by words. One must not speak even an unpleasant truth unnecessarily. By indulging in rude words one's nature becomes rude. One's sensibility is lost if one has no control over one's speech.
13. One should not trifle with a thing, though it may be very insignificant. If you respect a thing, the thing also respects you. Even a broomstick should be treated with respect. One should perform even an insignificant work with respect.
14. We should give everyone his due. What is not edible for a man, give to a cow; What is not edible for a cow, give to a dog; what is not edible for a dog, throw into a lake for fishes to eat. But never waste.
15. To err is human; but how few know to lead an erring man.
16. It is idle to expect that dangers and difficulties will not come. They are bound to come. But, for a devotee they will pass away from under the feet like water.
17. Misery is truly a gift of God. I believe it is a symbol of His compassion.
18. Love is our forte. It is through love that the Master's family has taken shape.
19. The mind is everything. It is in the mind alone that one feels pure and impure. A man, first of all must make his own mind guilty and then alone can he see another man's guilt.
    If you want peace, do not see the faults of others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child. The whole world is your own.
20. My son, if a thorn pricks your foot, it hurts me like a spear entering my heart. I am the mother of the wicked, as I am the mother of the virtuous. Whenever you are in distress, just say to yourself, 'I have a mother.'
21. I can't contain myself when one draws near me and calls me "Mother."