Śri Sarada Devi.
Śri Sarada Devi, known to her devotees as Holy Mother, was born in a tiny village in West Bengal, India, in 1853. She was the eldest daughter of a poor family. As was the custom in those days, young Sarada was betrothed when she was a child to the man who later became known as Śri Ramakrishna. Both were born into Brahmin families, the priest caste of the Hindu religion.
When Sarada Devi was eighteen she moved from her parent’s home to Dakshineshwar, where Ramakrisha was the priest to the local temple. By then, he was fully Self-realized, having spent many years in intense spiritual practices. He was well-known for his ecstatic spiritual state and was visited often by devotees. Sarada Devi was given spiritual instructions by Ramakrishna and spent the next fourteen years, often under great hardship, caring for her husband and his devotees.
Śri Sarada Devi is known for her simplicity, service, and deep spiritual wisdom. She received no formal education and did not write any books. However, much of her wisdom and advice was recorded by those drawn to her. Holy Mother’s unusual spiritual insight is evident in these recordings.
Examples of the Wisdom of Śri Sarada Devi
- The moon in the sky is covered by a cloud. The cloud has to be removed by the wind gradually; then only one can see the moon. Does it pass all of a sudden? Similarly with spiritual perfection. The effects of past deeds are exhausted slowly.
- Both purity and impurity are in the mind. When a man sees defects in others, his mind first gets polluted. What does he gain by finding faults in others? He hurts himself by that.
- Money always taints the mind. You may think that you are above money and that you will never feel any attraction for it. You may further think that you may leave it behind at any moment. No, my child, never harbor this thought in your mind. Through a tiny little loophole it will enter into your mind and then strangle you gradually quite undetected.
- Difficulties come, but they do not last forever. You will see that they pass away like water under a bridge.
- God is one’s very own. It is the eternal relationship. One realizes Him in proportion to the intensity of one’s feeling for Him. Don’t be afraid. Always remember that somebody is protecting you.
One of Śri Sarada Devi’s greatest contributions to the spiritual community is her example. A detailed report of her life can be found in Swami Nikhilananda’s excellent book Holy Mother: Being the Life of Sri Sarada Devi, Wife of Sri Ramakrishna and Helpmate in His Mission (aff link).
Studying a master’s life story is a very small part of keeping good company. Of much greater importance is reading, understanding, and assimilating the master’s teachings and making the teachings an integral part of your own being. It’s not necessary to grasp every subtlety of a master’s teaching initially; one’s attitude should include open-mindedness, a willingness to learn, and taking the time to consider and practice the teachings. Yoga is not an “armchair philosophy.” It should be practiced and experienced. This practice will make an indelible impression on your heart and mind. You will grow spiritually by leaps and bounds.
To learn more about Śri Sarada Devi’s life and mission, visit https://belurmath.org/sri-sarada-devi.
Practice
As practicing yogis, we meditate daily. Before your meditation, read and contemplate one of the above quotes or references for a few minutes. This activity will set the tone for your meditation and help turn your mind to the greatness that lies within.
Chityānanda has been a disciple of Svāmī Gurupremānanda Sarasvatī since 1975. She teaches meditation and yoga as a spiritual path in Santa Cruz, California.
Sri Sarada Devi:
“I cannot see others’ faults. I am simply not made that way. There are enough people always ready to criticize others. Surely the world will not come to an end if I refrain from doing so.”
She stands as an exemplar, not as a mere instructor. As she once said when someone asked her, “Mother, will you please tell something in the way of instruction?” Mother replied, “Don’t you see me doing? What else can I say?” That is it. She did everything she said, and that gives more inspiration and guidance for our lives here.
How fortunate that my Guru “lives” what he teaches and guides, a perfect exemplar.
You make a good point, Sue. But it takes a wise and conscientious person to learn from others’ examples, even if the other is a saint. Sarada Devi spoke often about the problem of fault-finding. When I see my mind going in that direction, I often think of her and change my outlook. It sounds like you join me in that practice. Kindred souls. Namaste.
I find an admirable kinship between Sarada Devi and M (Mahendra Nath Gupta).
M was educated, literate and ultimately became Ramakrishna’s biographer. Sarada Devi was illiterate, but rich in the same divine quality M displayed: devotion for her Guru. Both immersed themselves in their Guru’s words and teachings, and both became spiritual giants.
I feel fortunate that my own Guru is a literate and a dedicated writer who provides me with a written wisdom legacy. The devotion and humility exhibited by Sarada Devi and M inspires to the grave my Guru’s words—spoken and written—deep in my heart.
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Rob. I often compare my Guru to “M” because both of them were so absorbed with their Guru that they spoke only their Guru’s words. It’s impossible to see a difference between Gurudev and Baba and “M” and Ramakrishna. Namaste.
Re: The moon in the sky is covered by a cloud. The cloud has to be removed by the wind gradually; then only one can see the moon. Does it pass all of a sudden? Similarly with spiritual perfection. The effects of past deeds are exhausted slowly.
This paragraph jumped off the page for me. It takes time to achieve excellence in anything. You don’t become a good athlete or pianist overnight.
Holy Mother mentions spiritual perfection. I am able to understand and accept an idea like spiritual excellence, but spiritual “perfection” evades me. Svami Chityananda, could you please help with this idea of perfection. Thank you.
Thank you for your comment, Modesto. You’ll have to remember that Sarada Devi did not speak English. So, the word perfection was someone’s translation of what she said. Through context, we can see that she is referring to God-realization, Self-realization, enlightenment, etc. Would it help if the word was capitalized?: Perfection.
I’m also very fond of that quote because it shows that the moon (Self, God, etc.) is always there. It’s just the clouds that obscure it. In the same way, God lives within each of us. We just need to put in some effort to realize Him. Namaste.
Good Morning,
I thought this short paragraph very discriptive. Nikunja (M’s wife) stayed with Holy Mother both at Dakshineshwar and at Cossipore. It was through Nikunja that M. learned of Holy Mother’s patience, perseverance, forgiveness, renunciation, service, and motherly affection for all. He became convinced that the Master and the Mother were manifestations of the same Divine Power.
Thank you for your contribution, Tony. It appears that you’re familiar with the practice of keeping good company. Namaste.
I like the idea of keeping good company. It make sense to me even when I see that others around me have difficulty discriminating good from bad. I learn from the masters teaching and try to implement their wisdom.
Then you, too, are a wise man, James. It’s good to be constantly aware of the effects of the company we keep and to make good decisions about it along the way. Namaste.
Well said: “One’s attitude should include open-mindedness, a willingness to learn, and taking the time to consider and practice the teachings.”
I’m glad you liked that quote, Roxie. It’s one of my favorites also. Namaste.
Putting time aside in the manners you proscribe can only lead to something great for oneself.
How can one not do this?
Good question, Gary. If everyone did this, we’d be living in a very different world. Well, at least we have control of the world that lives inside our heads. Namaste.
Sarada Devi had very difficult life, but she overcame those difficulties by service and spiritual practices. She is a role model.
Thank you, Tim. When I read about Sarada Devi’s life, I never get the impression that she felt her life was difficult. Her biographers point that out, but she seemed to be always focused on her work, never complaining. Namaste.
I like this part of the quote by by Saradadevi:
“One realizes Him in proportion to the intensity of one’s feeling for Him.”
Thank you for your comment, SG, and for pointing out that very important principle. It shows how realization of God is in one’s own hands. Namaste.
The one paragraph is very encouraging, starting with: Studying a master’s life story is a very small part of keeping good company.
Thank you for giving me a boost!
Thank you, Richard. I’m happy to be of service, giving you a boost. Namaste.