(At Mother’s household) the days were full of peace and sweetness. Long before dawn, one and another rose quietly and sat on the sleeping-mat, from which sheets and pillows were now removed, beads in hand, and face turned to the wall. Then came the cleansing of the rooms and personal bathing. On great days, the Mother and one other would be carried down to the river in a palkee, and till this arrived, the time was spent in reading the Ramayana.
Then came the Mother’s worship in her own room, with all younger women busy over lights and incense, Ganges-water and flowers and offerings. Even Gopaler-ma would aid, as this hour came round, in the preparation of fruits and vegetables. The noonday meal and the restful afternoon would pass, and again as evening drew on, the servant going by the door with the lighted lamp would break in upon our chat. Groups would break up. Each of us would prostrate before a image or picture, and touch the feet of Gopaler-ma and the Mother, or accompany the latter to where the light was placed, near the basil-plant on the terrace; and fortunate indeed was she who from this was permitted to go, like a daughter, and sit beside the Mother at her evening meditation, there to learn those salutations to the Guru which formed with her the beginning and end of all worship.
(REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others -
Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 113-114)
Re: 19-May-2012 (Saturday) Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
In the movie "Bhagini Nivedita" there is a scene where Nivedita is watering the Holy Basil plant which is grown in a prominent place outside in a courtyard and where there is also an alcove with picture of Mother Kali and incense burning for worship. This scene was evidence that Nivedita was throwing off all vestiges of her identification with Christianity. I wish I could get hold of a Holy Basil plant. Once, a nice Indian lady on the Coast here in NC gave me a sprig of Holy Basil and I nurtured it for a long time. Even then, I felt the generosity of the gift but perhaps the spiritual "soil" was not yet ripe for me to know how to take care of the holy plant. That plant was grace and a blessing, and now because I did not take good care of it (this was many years ago) I will have to do the searching for another...unless grace happens again, which is not impossible!
Re: 19-May-2012 (Saturday) Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
The Divine Mother Tulsi lives, dear Sister Rosemary. I remember our visit to the temple of Mother Tulsi at Madras. Considered the wife of Lord Vishnu, Mother Tulsi was once the chaste wife of a powerful asura or demon who was an enemy of the Gods. The demon was creating havoc and had to be killed, but the vigil and worship of the chaste Tulsi made it impossible for even the Lord to kill him. In the end of this episode, Lord Vishnu Himself intervenes to break Mother Tulsi's vigil, and the Demon was finally killed.
Tulsi leaves are indispensable for the worship of Narayana or Vishnu, and it is said that offering of a single leaf of Tulsi is much more valued by Vishnu than anything else on Earth.
So imagine the effect of devoted, prayerful, humble and loving offering of Tulsi by saints like Swami Premeshananda Ji, Holy Mother's disciple, to Lord Vishnu.
May MOther Tulsi return to your care, Sister, is my prayer for you.
Re: 19-May-2012 (Saturday) Reminiscences of The Holy Mother!!!
Tom, I don't know why. This is how the movie portrayed the situation. It may be erroneous like some other of the other over-simplified scenarios.
However, although I'm finding some of the "facts" to be incorrect in the movie it seems that most of the "thread" of the story is correct. Other than that, I don't know. Funny that I just used that expression about "baby and bathwater" just yesterday!
