Shraddha and Sarada

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

I typed in "Shraddha" on google to see what my websearch would give me -

I wanted to post something on our topic of the fortnight "Faith"

and needed some material.

 

Sure enough , it served up some notes about Shraddha by a lot of

authors and some about Shraadh (the rites that we perform for our

departed ancestors) and some about people named Shraddha.

 

And then I found this clipping that started off by saying something

about Shraddha but quickly got diverted into the topic of the Holy

Mother Sarada Devi. I stayed on to read it and marvel about the

beautiful woman who has captured the hearts of so many beautiful

people ...

 

I am sure that most of what is said in the article is already

familiar to most of you ... but ... it still feels good to read it..

 

Have a peaceful evening !

Jai Maa

Latha

 

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My thanks to http://www.srisarada.org

 

The malady of the present age is the loss of faith or shraddha.

Having no shraddha to live by and tormented by an inordinate desire

to enjoy life, man is tossed between doubt and despair. He has no

goal before him. He has lost his sense of values. Indeed, humanity

today is at the crossroads. However, in this age of uncertainty

there have been noble lives which act as beacon lights. The simple

and unsophisticated lives of Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada Devi

serve as such to lead men towards the Supreme Goal.

 

Outwardly Mother's life seems to have nothing outstanding about it.

Yet how pure, pious and wonderful it is!

 

As long as Sri Ramakrishna was there in his mortal frame it pleased

Mother to stay in the background. It was only after his passing away

that she appeared before us in her full glory. Prayer, sacrifice,

austerity, self-control all that we desire most in spiritual life

may be seen blended so naturally in the simple character of Holy

Mother that they found expression in her daily activities, her

conversation, her dealings with people, and also in the very way she

discharged her duties towards her relatives. Day and night she went

about her domestic chores, serving her devoted children and looking

after all the members of her vast household. She was quite

oblivious of her own interests. Her love for her children broke all

borders of caste and creed and prompted her to serve them

tirelessly. This is possible only when the mind rises above all

mundane desires. As I think of it, my mind fills with wonder. When

Sri Ramakrishna's mind soared high in a lofty state of

superconsciousness, he entered into samadhi. But when Holy Mother's

mind rose to such heights, she attended to the minutest needs of her

devotees. The result was that no one noticed her natural state of

samadhi. No one, therefore, could gauge the depth of her divine

personality. It was only by her grace that one could sometimes have

a glimpse of her unfathomable love and compassion, and marvel at her

divinity.

 

If we study each of the aspects of her life as revealed to us we

shall see with wonder that she manifested perfection in everything

she did in her daily life. And this is what we should aim at,

namely, manifestation of the perfection already in us. The more we

dwell upon her divine life, the more shall we feel benefitted and

blessed.

 

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