02-03-2016 Wednesday
Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 054

First Visit to Dakshineswar – 02

Four long years passed by. Sarada naturally missed Sri Ramakrishna. An unexpressed anguish ate at her heart, but the memory of the divine bliss she had experienced at Kamarpukur enabled her somehow to endure her life from day to day. Sometimes she would say to herself: ‘He was very kind to me during our last meeting. How can he ever forget me? In good time he will, of his own accord, call me to his side. Let me patiently wait for that happy moment.’ In the meantime the report came to Jayrambati that Sri Ramakrishna was again completely insane at Dakshineswar, and that he went about naked and always shouted God’s name. People mistook his God-intoxicated state for ordinary insanity. The village women, who often relished gossip more than food and drink, would point at Sarada as a ‘madman’s wife’ and add in mock sympathy: ‘Poor Shyamasundari has married her daughter to a lunatic. How sad!’ Even at home she did not enjoy peace of mind. Shyamasundari was distressed at Sri Ramakrishna’s indifference to the world. Now and then she would say in front of her daughter: ‘I have married my daughter to a madman; I have thrown her, as it were, into deep water with her hands and feet tied!’ Sarada was stung by these remarks and avoided people as much as she could. She found relief in keeping herself busy with household duties day and night. She got some solace, however, from a village woman named Bhanu, who was addressed by all as ‘Aunt Bhanu’. This woman, who possessed some insight, had had a glimpse into Sri Ramakrishna’s personality and once said to Shyamasundari: ‘Your son-in-law is Shiva Himself, and Krishna too. You may not understand this now, but you will in future. Mark my words.’ When stung by criticism of her husband, Sarada would often go to Aunt Bhanu’s house and lie awhile on her porch. But her real relief came from her intense preoccupation with household duties. Referring to this hard time she later said: ‘One must always be busy. Work keeps body and mind in good shape. At Jayrambati, in my younger days, I was active day and night and did not visit anyone else’s house. If I ever did, I heard people say: “Shyama’s daughter has been married to a madman!” I avoided people so that I might not hear such remarks.’ But the ridicule of the villagers went on unabated. At last Sarada decided to go to Dakshineswar and see things with her own eyes. Since, like the average Hindu young woman, she was too shy to speak to her father about it, a girl friend acted on her behalf. Her father agreed to accompany his daughter himself.

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Holy Mother - Being the Life of Sri Sarada Devi Wife of Sri Ramakrishna And Helpmate in his Mission By Swami Nikhilananda p: 36 – 37

Location: Bangalore