21-January-2012 (Saturday)
Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!

SWAMI SARADESHANANDA-18

Govinda, a boy of nine or ten years, used to tend Mother’s cows. Once he suffered a bad attack of scabies. One night the pain was so acute that he moaned and sobbed all night. The boy’s sobs and cries kept Mother awake. Early next morning Govinda was seen inside her house where she herself was grinding turmeric and neem leaves into a paste with a pestle. As soon as a little paste was ready, she would place it in his hand showing him how to apply it. Govinda applied it just as directed. Mother’s love and tenderness filled his heart with indescribable joy. From hearing their conversation and observing their expressions, who could tell that he was not her own son?

Whoever came to Mother’s house – labourers, carters, palanquin bearers, hawkers, fishmongers or fishermen – all were without exception Mother’s sons and daughters. All were treated with the same love and kindness that the devotees enjoyed. Nobody can ever forget, in this life or hereafter, those eyes full of love and compassion. If oblivion does overcome one some time, whenever one is stricken by adversity, those loving, merciful eyes are bound to surface in one’s memory.

(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 33-34)

Location: Bangalore

It is so interesting that Mother is concerned with these remedies that help the body. She knew so much about so many things. As we know today, turmeric is very potent in warding off cancers and my knowledge of neem is that it is used in tooth preparations to combat gingivitis. This is only what I know about those two agents, but there is probably much more.

I wonder what the balance is between too much interest in the body and not enough interest. It seems to me as I write this down that Mother could not bear to witness the suffering of her children. In her compassion, she used her knowledge and skills to heal the suffering.

Namaste,
Rosemary

Location: New Bern, NC

You are very right, sister.... it must have been only because Mother could not bear the suffering of her child.. otherwise for Maa.. what is body and its afflictions??? At the same time she used her mothering skills to help her child heal from the suffering...
Namaste,
Satwik

Location: Bangalore