Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi

A Place where devotees gather to share inspiration.


"Holy Mother" painted by Swami Tadatmananda

Used courtesy of the Vedanta Society of Southern California

http://www.vedanta.org




Dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi
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Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Dear Rosemary,
Many lurk quietly; too shy to speak yet watching and waiting to draw inspiration from those who do. Please do not be hesitate. How wonderful to hear that in our crazy mixed-up world, Mother is reaching out with help and guidence . . . Making her presense and example known!

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Replying to:

Hello friends,
I've been looking, but no one is posting.
I am loathe to always speak, but finally want to say this...
I am so thankful that I have readings of Mother's life to help in daily life. There are so many things that help me as a woman. One hardly knows how to behave as a woman today, but somehow it is being spelled out to me. Even such things as feminine modesty, how to cook and how to behave with people. These are the teachings that I need. I keep seeking answers from people in life, but they either act as if I am trying to trip them up, or they disappear.
I wish that Mother were here in the physical body, but am willing and eager for all that she has given by example in these renditions of other people's experience of her.

Thank you, Mother
Rosemary

Location: San Diego, California, USA

Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Please speak your words in the courtyard Rosemary, Mother is listening to all of us and She does respond. Plus other children here in the courtyard often need a seed to start a flow of thoughts.

It is wonderful that Mother's life and words are helping you live your life. Her words speak to each one of us, to our inner soul. Each one of us learns from Mother what most we need to learn.

While most authors have stressed Mother's life for women and message for them, Mother is too vast for Her to be classified as a role model of any one particular type. I am not a women yet I have often felt Mother's words touch and inspire me every single day. As if She knew my needs and is speaking directly to me. Depending on my mood and frame of mind I see a different aspect of Mother and I enjoy this multi faceted approach that the Mother's personality teachings and life evokes within me.

I have often felt Mother is here, when you speak in the courtyard, not only does Mother listen but sometimes you speak for other children who are shy or do not feel empowered to speak here. For each thought expressed here, there are a million unexpressed ones and your words and thoughts serve as a catalyst for others who are in the same path as you are; trying, struggling, working and living life and yet trying to catch a glimpse of the real soul within each of us. Your words help each one of us to see and seek the Mother in our lives. Your words and you are becoming an instrument in doing Mother's work. Can anyone ask for more?

Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Jayanti and Paritosh are absolutely right.....i do not contribute in words often , yet i check this space......especially when i am troubled i come here to be with the Mother and her children. Every contribution is useful.....sometimes i find the answer that i am seeking in some passage written by one of Mothers children.
All thoughts shared are wonderful to my ears here.

i live in India, in mumbai and often go the Ramakrishna Math here, when i get the opportunity i also go to the Sarada math in Pune.....It is the most wonderful place , so peaceful and serene , so different from the outside world.......
the head of the math is Yogapranna Maa....She is most wonderful, though i am quite in awe of her in her presence. I have been fortuanate to hear a few of her sunday mornings readings and interpretation of The Gospel of SRK and another book - Meditation and spiritual life.

Each time i go there i feel blessed.....indeed there is some magic there.....the young brahmacharini's all look so pure , so dedicated ...earnest in their quest ......once i went there feeling terribly worldly.....no matter how much i tried to restrain my thoughts on the way , i couldnt. inevitably some worldy thought would arise......yet when i reached the shrine of the Mother i felt absolutely wonderful, all my worldy thoughts seemed to vanish, i no longer cared about my various problems....those moments spent in the math were beautiful

What power the gentle Mother has!!! it is unbelievable.

Location: mumbai

Re: Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Bluto you mention two wonderful and blessed places to which have personal memories for me and I can go on about them but here are a few thoughts to share with you and all of us here in the courtyard.

In Mumbai, the main Math was consecrated by Rev Swami Madhavanandaji who was a direct disciple of the Mother. You might have also gone to the Mother’s temple also in Mumbai. How wonderful and peaceful that temple is!!! The Mother there is very very powereful. Her prescene is tangible. But it looks as if the Mother is quietly sitting there and receiving Her children. That temple was the original math in Mumbai. The Mother’s statue was consecrated by Rev. Swami Vireswaranada again another direct disciple of the Mother. This was done on Mother’s birthday. The same day the original Ramakrishna Math in Pune was consecrated. There is Mother all around you there in Mumbai!!! The next time you go to the Mother’s temple do think of all of us here in the courtyard and offer pranams to Mother on our behalf.

About Pune Sarada Math, you should spend sometime with Pravrajika Yogapranaji I can assure you that she would be a wonderful source of spiritual guidance to you and there is no need to be in awe of her. The book you mention, Meditation and Spiritual Life is by Swami Yatiswaranada is my all time favorite. Ask Yogapranaji what Yatiswaranadaji would say about the flowers on the tree. Then come and share that story with all of us here in the courtyard.

Mother is always present wherever we seek Her. It is what we lack, the real need to find Her. When the child cries, the Mother always responds but the Mother always knows when the cry is genuine and when the child is throwing a temper tantrum. The power of the Mother is something that doesn’t belong to the world neither can it be described in words. She presence an power is similar to the most profound things in life it needs to be experienced in silence. I have found time and again when I have seeked and the need is real, the Mother has been present for me not in form of vision or anything that spectacular but a gentle presence, like dew on the grass, it is present and has its effect yet can’t be seen.

The Mother is there and is always present. It is with Her Grace that all of us are linked to each other here in the courtyard. May we find Her not just here in the courtyard but at every step of the way in our daily lives.

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Replying to:

Jayanti and Paritosh are absolutely right.....i do not contribute in words often , yet i check this space......especially when i am troubled i come here to be with the Mother and her children. Every contribution is useful.....sometimes i find the answer that i am seeking in some passage written by one of Mothers children.
All thoughts shared are wonderful to my ears here.

i live in India, in mumbai and often go the Ramakrishna Math here, when i get the opportunity i also go to the Sarada math in Pune.....It is the most wonderful place , so peaceful and serene , so different from the outside world.......
the head of the math is Yogapranna Maa....She is most wonderful, though i am quite in awe of her in her presence. I have been fortuanate to hear a few of her sunday mornings readings and interpretation of The Gospel of SRK and another book - Meditation and spiritual life.

Each time i go there i feel blessed.....indeed there is some magic there.....the young brahmacharini's all look so pure , so dedicated ...earnest in their quest ......once i went there feeling terribly worldly.....no matter how much i tried to restrain my thoughts on the way , i couldnt. inevitably some worldy thought would arise......yet when i reached the shrine of the Mother i felt absolutely wonderful, all my worldy thoughts seemed to vanish, i no longer cared about my various problems....those moments spent in the math were beautiful

What power the gentle Mother has!!! it is unbelievable.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Thanks to all for your replies.
I feel that we are all friends, even those who do not wish to speak.
My own reluctance (I think) is from ego. Confusion abounds. But the sometimes silence here is comfortable.
Thanks for the tip about "Meditation and Spiritual Life". I had not heard of it, but am ordering it tonight.
I long to come to India. Thank you for the beautiful description of the temple. It was such a gift.

Rosemary

Location: New Bern, NC. USA

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Rosemary:

We are bound to each other by the Mother not anything else, so we are brothers and sisters first and friends later. It is great if brothers and sisters are friends too. This relationship that develops here is from the Mother and from no one else and the more you trust Her the more you will not feel alone.

Meditation and Spiritual Life is a tough but a wonderful book about Spiritual Life. Swami Yatiswaranada speaks from his personal life experiences. I have heard from his disciples, after he would give initiation he would bless each of his disciples with footwear worn by Swami Brahmananda.

The Mother’s temple in Mumbai (Bombay) is my all time favorite. There are some other temples dedicated to the Mother exclusively. One in Jayrambati where Mother was born, that temple is …. There are no words to describe the presence of the Mother. That temple was consecrated by Swami Saradananda. He wrote Sri Ramakrishna the great Master and also called himself “Mother’s gatekeeper” (There are wonderful details about his life in the book on him by Swami Aseshananda, a direct disciple of the Mother who also served as his secretary.)

Other temples (I am aware of) dedicated to the Mother are in Bangalore, Udhbodhan, Jayrambati and ofcourse Sarada Math in Dakshineswar. You can visit Udhbodhan, Belur and Jayrambati on the web. Go to www.vedanta.org and then go to centers in India, then centers in W Bengal and you are there. You can also visit Sarada Math on the web www.srisaradamath.org

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Replying to:

Thanks to all for your replies.
I feel that we are all friends, even those who do not wish to speak.
My own reluctance (I think) is from ego. Confusion abounds. But the sometimes silence here is comfortable.
Thanks for the tip about "Meditation and Spiritual Life". I had not heard of it, but am ordering it tonight.
I long to come to India. Thank you for the beautiful description of the temple. It was such a gift.

Rosemary

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Thanks to you, my brother and to all my spiritual family.
Once again you have set me straight, and you are absolutely accurate. TRUST IS the operative word here, and Mother IS guiding us, isn't she?
I will visit the sites, as suggested, on the web, am waiting for the book, and hope to see the temples with my own eyes someday.
Thanks to all.

Rosemary

Location: New Bern, NC

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Ramakrishna, Mother and Daily Life

Your posting is wonderful and has stimulated a chain of thoughts and memories once again.

There is no need to set anyone straight. We are all struggling and making the same mistakes and so can share our common thoughts and ideas. This is what brothers and sisters do for each other and our relationship is via the Mother…. NOTHING can be more real than the Mother for She is the only reality.

Many years ago, I wanted to visit Belur Math on Sri Ramakrishna’s birthday and expressed this wish to my Guru. This wish was granted but it took 10 years for my wish to become reality. I went through many experiences and when the visit occurred it was right and today after another ten years the memory is fresh and lives within me. You too I am sure will visit these places and the memories will be a perennial source of inspiration.

You mention … ”Mother IS guiding us, isn’t she?” Of course She is guiding us all the time whether we are aware of it or not. Remember the Mother is holding us by the hand. It takes time to develop real trust… till the trust is absolute we have not reached the goal. When we develop REAL trust that in itself will be the destination. My prayer to Mother is… May I reach that goal.

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Replying to:

Thanks to you, my brother and to all my spiritual family.
Once again you have set me straight, and you are absolutely accurate. TRUST IS the operative word here, and Mother IS guiding us, isn't she?
I will visit the sites, as suggested, on the web, am waiting for the book, and hope to see the temples with my own eyes someday.
Thanks to all.

Rosemary