REMINISCENCES OF SWAMI SHIVANANDA (Mahapurush Maharaj)

Holy Mother was indeed the mother of all. Such compassion, such forgiveness, such remarkable tolerance she possessed! How little we ourselves knew her! However, she in her grace has revealed to us that she is the Mother of the Universe. Unless she herself makes known her true identity, one cannot know her. At first Yogin Maharaj, and then Sarat Maharaj served Mother with dedication. At Jayrambati, I too had once cooked for Mother. Shashi Maharaj, someone else – perhaps Khokha Maharaj, I don’t remember clearly – and I, the three of us had visited Jayarambati for Mother’s darshan. In those days the journey to Jayarambati was rather arduous and devotees seldom went there. Mother had been informed of our visit beforehand, and on our arrival there, her joy knew no bounds. All day she was on her toes preparing food for us, doing everything possible to make us comfortable. Jayarambati is a remote village where hardly anything is available. Nevertheless, Mother had arranged to obtain milk, fish and an assortment of vegetables having personally contacted the milkman, the fisherman’s wife and local vegetable producers. Aware of the Kolkatan’s tase for tea, she had even managed to procure some tea for us. The whole day passed happily. We enjoyed bathing in the Talpukur. Mother generally did not appear before us, nor did she speak to us.

At night, when we retired after dinner, I had a talk with Shashi Maharaj and we decided that next day we would cook the meal and entertain Mother. When we placed our proposal before her after breakfast next morning, she laughed it away at first. She said, “How can that be, son? You have come to me, your mother, it’s for me to cook and feed you. On the contrary, you are saying that you will cook and feed me! Besides, how can you do the cooking? Your eyes will smart with smoke!” She put forth many such arguments. We paid no heed to her protests and pressed her hard. Finally, I said, “We are brahmins by birth, why should object to taking food cooked by us? Master himself had taken food cooked by me” and so on. At last, Mother agreed. Shashi Maharaj and I cooked the food and Mother enjoyed it very much.

Those were some happy days we spent with Mother. How affectionate she was! I who had lost my mother in my childhood had practically forgotten what motherly care was and was overwhelmed.

HOLY MOTHER – by SWAMI SHIVANANDA (REMINISCENCES OF Sri Sarada Devi by Monastics, Devotees, and others - Compiled and Edited in Bengali by SWAMI PURNATMANANDA - Translated by MALOTI SEN GUPTA : P 12-13)

Location: Bangalore