02-April-2012 (Monday)
Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!

SWAMI GAURISWARANANDA - 08

One day I took to her a lime plant that I had grown by grafting. There were seven or eight limes on it. Mother was delighted and kept saying to everyone, “Just see how clever the boy is! He has grown the graft so well that it is already bearing fruit!” One day I had broken off a large branch of an amlaki tree with fruit on it and given it to Mother. She was displeased and forbade me to break off branches of fruit-bearing trees with fruit on them, in particular amlaki trees. This amlaki tree stood on the bank of the Amodar. Revered Sharat Maharaj, Yogin-ma and Golap-ma used to meditate under it. Sharat Maharaj used to chant the Gita too. “Thirty-three crores of gods and goddesses dwell under an amlaki tree,” Mother said. She added, “Japa and meditation practised under the amlaki tree yield greater results.” Later she directed me to put away the leaves on that branch for the purpose of worship, remarking, “These leaves are also used for worship like bel leaves.”

(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 82)

Location: Bangalore, India

I have learned that "amalaki" is known here as Indian Gooseberry, so I will be looking on how to find this tea to drink. Since learning of Mother's attention to the tulsi plant I have also been paying attention and trying to drink the tea made of Holy Basil on a daily basis. It has been a great blessing to have the video of the pilgrimage to Kamaparpukur and Jayrambati available to watch arati's and to hear the bhajans. I am so in the dark over here in America, but I am trying to learn the details.

My Indian lunch was very good yesterday. I added some poppadoms and Bombay Mango Chutney as accroutements and the lunch was simply delicious.

The mango chutney was chosen in honor of the living mango tree that Sri Ramakrishna planted outside the door of his parental home.

Jai Ma! With much thanks.

Location: New Bern, NC

My dear sister is truly getting Indianized... Is it Maa's maya, that Maa is showing you the way you would have lived if you were in India? You are indeed a beloved child of Thakur-Maa...

Location: Bangalore, India

Dear Brother Satwik ji,

Thank you for your kind words. Indeed, the two Holy Villages seem very familiar to me!!

Would that I could live in Jayrambati under the roof of a small thatched hut and spin my days worshipping amongst the living Gods and Goddesses there!!

Yours,
Rosemary

Location: New Bern, NC