The Compassionate Mother - Brahmachari Akshaychaitanya 024

Passages from:

THE COMPASSIONATE MOTHER SRI SRI SARADA DEVI – 024

 

Chapter 8

THE AWAKENING OF GODDESS SIMHAVAHINI – 01

 

Sarada Devi went to Jayrambati via Kamarpukur, most probably, in October 1873. A short while later, in [the second week of] December 1873, the Master’s elder brother, Rameshwar, passed away. Next year, on the holy birthday of Lord Rama, Sarada Devi’s father, who was Lord Rama’s ardent devotee, left his mortal coil. It is needless to state that Sarada Devi, who was very dear to her father, was extremely distressed by the grief caused by his death. Thereafter, in April-May 1874, she again arrived at Dakshineswar and, as of before, started staying with the Master’s mother in the Nahabat.

 

Thinking that it was difficult for Sarada Devi to stay in that small house,¹ [¹ The Mother stayed in the ground floor of the Nahabat. Her room was about twenty inches above the ground level. It was octagonal, each wall measuring inside a little more than three feet, the maximum distance between the walls across the floor being a little less than eight feet. The height from the floor to ceiling was a little more than nine feet, and the floor space was about fifty square feet. All around the room was a narrow veranda, about four feet wide, with only one door leading to the room. There were two ventilators but no windows. The door was about four feet by two feet. (Swami Nikhilananda, Holy Mother) – Ed.] Shambhucharan Mallik, the supplier of provisions to the Master, purchased a small plot of rent-free land near the temple for two-hundred and fifty rupees. Thereafter, with the help of sal-wood supplied by Capt. Vishwanath Upadhyay, who was an officer of the Nepal Government, he built a thatched house for her stay.² [² The wife of Shambhucharan Mallik looked upon Sarada Devi as a goddess. During Sarada Devi’s stay at Dakshineswar, she used to take her to her house on every Tuesday and specially worship her with sixteen items. Sarada Devi once told Nikunja Devi, “Shambhu Mallik built a house for my stay. However, I did not want to stay there.” Hearing this, the Master had told Hriday, “O Hriday, in that case, bring your wife there.” On this, Hriday replied, “Did Shambu build the cottage for my wife?”] A maidservant also was engaged to keep her company as well as to help her in household chores. Here, for the sake of the Master, everyday Sarada Devi used to cook various delicacies with her own hands. She used to then carry it to his room [in the temple precinct], sit beside him and serve. To take care of her as well as for her satisfaction, he too used to visit her cottage often during the daytime. Once, in the afternoon, after his arrival, it started raining heavily, which continued late until midnight. He was then forced to stay back and spend the night there. That night Sarada Devi fed him with rice and vegetable soup. He then jokingly said to her, “Do not the priests of the Kali temple go home at night? I too have come here like that!”

 

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The Compassionate Mother Sri Sri Sarada Devi

The Oldest Biography of Sri Sarada Devi by Brahmachari Akshaya Chaitanya

Translated by Swami Tanmayananda

Revised and Edited by Swami Shuddhidananda

Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 2009. p. 52 – 53