04-09-2016 Sunday
Holy Mother By Swami Nikhilananda: 222

In a Domestic Setting – 19

Radharani, too, as we shall see in the following chapter, had an abnormal mind, especially after the birth of her son. Besides, she contracted the habit of eating opium to forget some of her physical pain. One day Holy Mother was preparing vegetables when Surabala suddenly appeared and said: ‘It is you who feed my daughter with opium. You have made her a cripple in order to exercise control over her. You do not allow my daughter and grandson even to come near me.’ Holy Mother replied with utter detachment: ‘There is your daughter. Take her away. Have I hidden her anywhere?’ But Surabala was determined to pick a quarrel and became flushed with anger. At last she took a piece of firewood in her hand and was about to strike Holy Mother with it. Holy Mother cried out aloud: ‘Is there anybody here? Come and help me. This insane woman is going to kill me.’ A disciple came and saw the faggot about to fall on the Mother’s head. He snatched it from Surabala’s hand, expelled her from the room, and forbade her to enter it again. In the heat of the excitement Holy Mother, too, forgot herself for the moment and said: ‘You mad woman, what were you about to do? Your hand will wither away.’ The next moment she felt distressed and said to the Master with folded hands: ‘Oh, Master, what have I don’t? My lips have never uttered any curses. At long last that, too, has happened. Why live any more?’2 (2 This happened during Holy Mother’s last visit to Jayrambati, and a few months later she died.) She began to weep. The disciple was astonished to see the extent of her compassion. By an inscrutable decree of fate, Surabala, shortly after Holy Mother’s death, was attacked with leprosy and lost the fingers of her hand.

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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: 135 – 136

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