09-February-2012 (Thursday) Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
09-February-2012 (Thursday)
Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
SWAMI NIRVANANANDA - 04
This time I spent a few months at the Math serving Maharaj as his attendant. While thus engaged, I experienced an intense desire to undertake austere spiritual practices at Uttakakhand. Mother was at Udbodhan. I went there and prayed for her permission to go for tapasya.
At first Mother was firmly against it. Expressing great anxiety she said, “No son, you are still too young, you need not go for tapasya now. Where will you live, how will you manage to get food?” But I too was persistent. I kept pleading with her for permission. Mother repeated, “No, son, you will have to face much hardships; there is no need for you to go for tapasya. Her voice seemed charged with anxiety and concern. But I remained adamant. I kept on pleading with her for permission. At last she said, “Well, son, since you are so eager to go for tapasya, I suggest you go to Varanasi. There you will put up at the Sevashrama and live only on alms obtained outside. Don’t go elsewhere.” Upon this I said to her, “If that be so, Mother, then I shall go to Varanasi on foot.” At first she did not agree, but finally she gave in to my entreaties. Before I took leave she placed her hands on my head and said, “You have my heartfelt blessings, son; may you attain spiritual salvation!” One fine day I set out for Varanasi bearing Mother’s blessings on my head. That time I spent about seven or eight months at the Sevashrama, and on returning to the Math, I resumed my service with Maharaj as his attendant.2 (2 Swami Nirvanananda went to Varanasi for tapasya in August 1915, and returned to the Math from Varanasi towards the end of February 1916, perhaps just before the Mother’s birth anniversary celebration.)
(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 46)
