18-December-2011 (Sunday)
Swami Vivekananda-02

In the course of a letter he wrote from America to a brother disciple, the Swami said, “You have not yet realized how precious Mother is. People will not understand her now, but they will, gradually. Brother, there will be no salvation of the world without the help of the Divine Power… (Swami Vivekananda regarded all women as manifestations of Shakti, or the Divine Power, and Holy Mother as Her special manifestation.) Why is it that our country is the weakest and most backward of all countries? Because Shakti is held in dishonor here. (Referring to the degraded condition of Indian womanhood.) Mother has been born to revive this wonderful Shakti here… Without the grace of Shakti nothing will be accomplished… What do I find in America and Europe? The worship of Shakti, the worship of Power. Yet they worship Her ignorantly, through sense gratification. Imagine then what a lot of good they will achieve when they worship Her with purity, look upon Her as their Mother! I am coming to understand things every day; my insight is opening out more and more… Let Ramakrishna disappear, that does not frighten me. But it will be a calamity if people forget Mother… Don’t be angry with me. None of you has understood Mother. Her grace upon me is one hundred thousand times greater than that of the Master… About Mother I am a little fanatic. I can do anything if she gives the order. I shall give a sigh of relief when you purchase a piece of land and install this living Durga there… Brother, when I think of Mother, I say to myself: “Who is this Ramakrishna? I say this because of my fanaticism. Whether Ramakrishna was God or man – you may say whatever you like. But, brother, shame upon him who is not devoted to Mother!”

(Culled from the Holy Mother by Swami Nikhilananda, 1963, p 257).

(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 9-10)

Location: Bangalore