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: Gospel of the Holy Mother

After reading my own post I wonder is this enough? And how genuine and real is this faith? Is this the caliber that Girish Ghosh had?

Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

Paristosh,
I am not sure that Mother requires anything of us.
Please believe that I may be wrong and what I am saying has no reference. I am glad you posted. I love so to talk of Mother.
Anyway, I wonder, does Mother require anything of us, or do we require it of ourselves. There is a scripture in the Bible, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you..." I wonder if it is the same with Mother. There is calmness and relaxation in that thought, you can just kind of float and quit struggling so hard.
I personally have great faith in Mother, but I have very little courage, and that is where I personally need her so fiercely.
Glad you posted, your expression is always so sincere.

Location: New Bern, NC

Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

Rosemary has touched upon the essence... Mother calls her children to her. I know this, in a very real way.

Brother, you speak of Girish, and doubt YOUR faith. Haven't you gotten it backwards? Girish knew the living Mother!

What did Jesus say to Thomas? I like Thomas, frankly. He got a bum rap as 'doubting,' I think. He was not a doubter. His commitment to his lord was great. He did not want to be misled by appearances. He wanted to KNOW was this truly Jesus before him. Faith should never by applied lightly. Swami Vivekananda, the formost disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, questioned his Master up until the very end.

Jesus affirms Thomas' faith and loyalty, but also refers to the greater faith of those who will not be able to see this proof. Again, I do not think Jesus was calling for blind faith. Rather he referred to the "higher order" of testing and awareness that is needed in the absence of physical proof.

Vedanta tells us that Holy company of the teachings of great souls is second only to being in the presence of the holy being!

Location: San Diego, California, USA

Re: Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

I read with interest all the postings.

It seems someone once asked a Sufi Saint - "If I turn towards him, will he turn towards me"?.
The Sufi replied in a sharp tone - "No! Only if he turns towards you, will you turn towards him".

I feel that only because Mother has turned towards us, have we turned towards her. That is to say, the initiative has been taken by her and not by us.

I would also like to add here that when a devotee was wondering whether his faith was true, one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna consoled him by saying - "We have seen the Master in flesh and blood and hence believe; whereas you have not seen the Master and yet you believe - so you are thrice blessed"! (I may not have got the exact words right but i think I have got the gist correct)

When Ramana Maharashi was about to leave his body and his disciples were grief-stricken, it seems he consoled them by saying "-You attach too much importance to the body". Where can I go ? I am here.

Like-wise, I firmly Mother is keeping an eye on us.

Location: India

Re: Re: Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

I'm not certain why, but Shiv reminds me of another aspect of Jesus. Jesus went out to gather his disciples. That is,he sought them out and called them to himself.

Similiarly, even though Sri Ramakrishna stayed fairly close to home, he called for his disciples to come to him and used various means to attract them when each arrived to meet him.

How wonderfully the same divine messages are given again and again...

Location: San Diego, California, USA

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

Thank you Rosemary, Jayanti and Shiv for your unique responses to the doubts that at times are my constant companions.

We are often in wrapt up in our own maya and the fact that we yearn to break the chains, this act of wanting to set ourselves free is Grace from the Mother.

Rosemary, we all lack courage; some more than others. If we were to place our struggles at the feet of the Mother then there would be no struggle. Let go.
Conversations regarding the Mother are always soothing and reassuring, that is the inherent nature of the Mother. And there is so much power in "Sat Sang".. holy company

However, what the Sufi saint said reverberates in my heart "Only if he turns towards you, will you turn towards him" I guess that means for all of us here in the courtyard the Mother has turned towards us.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

I remember some twenty-five years ago,
accepting the the promise of the Holy Mother:

"I am the mother of the wicked,

as I am the mother of the virtuous.

Whenever you are in distress,

only speak this to yourself, 'I have a mother'."



These were the comforting words, which sustained me,
during my trials and tribulations. Jai Ma!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gospel of the Holy Mother

These words of the Mother say everything!

Location: San Diego, California, USA