Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 297 23-December-2016
23-12-2016 Friday
Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 297
Chapter 13 – In the Role of Teacher : 016
At one time some of her attending disciples thought that the Mother was too generous in the matter of initiation, and one of them said to her: ‘Mother, you give initiation to so many people; certainly you can’t remember them all. You cannot always think what happens to them. A guru should constantly look after the welfare of the disciples. Wouldn’t it be more prudent of you to initiate only as many as you can remember?’ To which she replied: ‘But the Master never forbade me to do so. He instructed me about so many things; could he not have told me something about what you have said? I give the responsibility for my disciples to the Master. Every day I pray to him: “Please look after the disciples, wherever they may be.” Further, I received these mantras from the Master himself. They are very potent. One is sure to attain liberation through them.’ But she did concern herself with her disciples in a more active sense. Daily she practised japa1 (1 Repetition of a name of God.) for their spiritual welfare. This continued till the end of her life. She slept very little. One night she was up at two o’clock in the morning. Asked for the reason, she said: ‘What can I do, my child? All these children come to me with great longing for initiation, but most of them do not repeat the mantra regularly. Why regularly? Many do not repeat it at all. But since I have taken responsibility for them, should I not see to their welfare? Therefore I do japa for their sake. I constantly pray to the Master, saying: “O Lord, awaken their spiritual consciousness. Give them liberation. There is a great deal of suffering in this world. May they not be born here again!”’
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Holy Mother - Being the Life of Sri Sarada Devi Wife of Sri Ramakrishna And Helpmate in his Mission By Swami Nikhilananda p: 185 – 186
