11-February-2012 (Saturday) Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
11-February-2012 (Saturday)
Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
SWAMI NIRVANANANDA - 06
During Mother’s last illness, Maharaj was at Bhubaneswar. I used to attend on him there. At about 1.30 a.m. on the night of Mother’s mahasamadhi (Tuesday, 21 July 1920), I entered Maharaj’s room and found him sitting on the armchair with a shawl wrapped round his body. He looked very grave. He asked me, “What time of night is it, Sujju? Can’t say why, my heart is aching for Mother. Heaven knows how she is!” I asked him, ‘Won’t you go to bed?” he did not reply. Noticing his grave mood and learning about his anxiety for Mother, I tried to cheer him up saying, “Shall I bring you hookah for smoking, Maharaj?” He ignored my offer and continued to sit in the same manner. Seeing him in such a mood, I did not dare to ask him anything further, and quietly left the room. Next morning, Maharaj seemed somewhat restless. He used to go for a walk in the mornings, but that day he did not go out. He was pacing the front veranda. That very day the postman delivered a telegram from Sharat Maharaj saying that Holy Mother had left her mortal body at Udbodhan on the previous night at 1.30 a.m. I recalled, on the previous night almost at that very hour Maharaj had woken up and said that his heart was aching for Mother. On hearing the news, Maharaj’s face grew somber with suppressed grief. He lay down on his bed. A little later he sat up again and announced, “I shall observe hobishye.3 (3The customary restriction regarding food observed during the period of mourning when a parent passes away.) All Mother’s disciples shall observe hobishye for three days and shall not wear shoes during this period.” For three days he did not speak to anyone. He ate food as prescribed during mourning for twelve days and did not use shoes. One day he remarked, “All this time we had been sheltered by a mountain.”
(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 47-48)
