June 24, 2016 Wednesday: Mother As I Saw Her (Being Reminiscences of Holy Mother Sarada Devi)
24-June-2015 (Wednesday)
Mother As I Saw Her – Swami Saradeshananda
Pilgrimages to the South and other Places – 5
The Mother had faith in all Deities and the rituals connected with their worship. She also accepted such rites as the Sraddha and Tarpana for the higher evolution of the departed. All these she observed to the best of her abilities. Thus, when she was staying at the garden house of Nilambar Babu at Belur, she went through the rite of Panchatapa or the austere discipline of staying between five fires. Four fires of burning cowdung cakes at short distances apart were made in a rectangle and she remained amidst them with the summer sun above as the fifth fire, for seven days fro sunrise to sunset. Yogin-ma also went through this austere practice with her. In all these religious performances, the onlookers would be profoundly moved to see her great faith and scrupulous adherence to the rituals, and the way she honoured the priests and Pujaris and pleased them with proper monetary and other offerings (Dakshina). To her attendants she was like a mother, always keeping them happy with her affectionate behaviour. Instead of their serving her, it was really she who looked after them always.
[Mother As I Saw Her (Being Reminiscences of Holy Mother Sarada Devi) – Swami Saradeshananda. Translated by Prof. J. N. Dey. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore Madras-600004: p 156 – 157]
