Teachings of Sri Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother

– Part 1
Compiled by a Monk of the Ramakrishna Order
Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920) is affectionately called “Holy Mother” by millions
of people around the world. Sarada Devi was Ramakrishna’s wife, spiritual
counterpart and spiritual giant in her own right. Holy Mother lived a simple,
unassuming and extraordinarily modest life, yet her life and teachings rang with
the truth of the highest spiritual realization. As Swami Vivekananda’s great
disciple Sister Nivedita wrote: “In her one sees realized that wisdom and
sweetness to which simplest of women may attain. And yet, to myself the
stateliness of her courtesy and her great open mind are almost as wonderful as
her sainthood. Her life is one long stillness of prayer.”

Devotion and Self-Surrender

As for those who depend upon God and have faith in Him, well, that
itself is their spiritual practice, sadhana. God is one’s very own. It is
an 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.
How many are there who truly want to realize God? They, no doubt,
profess great devotion and longing, but they feel satisfied when
they get even a tiny bit of enjoyment. They say, “Ah, how kind is
God!”

Always do your duty to others, but love you must give to God alone.
Worldly love always brings in its wake untold misery.

If you love any human being you will have to suffer for it. That
person is blessed, indeed, who can love God alone. There is no
suffering in loving God.
Everything will come in time, my child. Be devoted to Him and take
shelter at his feet. It is enough to remember that there is
Someone—call him Father or Mother—who is always protecting you.

Repeat the name of God always in the innermost core of your heart
and in all sincerity take refuge in Sri Ramakrishna. Do not bother to
know how your mind is reacting to things around. And do not waste
time in calculating and worrying over whether or not you are
progressing in the path of spirituality. It is egotism to judge
progress for oneself. Have faith in the grace of your guru and God.

Why are you so restless, my child? Why don’t you stick on to what
you have got? Always remember, “I have at least a Mother, if none
else.”

Holy Mother: “Do you know the significance of japa and other
spiritual practices? By these the power of the sense organs is
subdued and the ties of past karma are cut asunder. But realization
of God cannot be achieved without ecstatic love (prema bhakti) for
Him.”
Disciple: “But how can one yearn for God without seeing the
manifestation of His love?”

Holy Mother: “Yes, you can do so. There lies the grace of God.”

You see, it is the nature of water to flow downwards, but the sun’s
rays lift it up towards the sky; likewise it is the very nature of mind
to go to lower things, to objects of enjoyment, but the grace of God
can make the mind go towards higher objects.

Lay the burden of your mind before Sri Ramakrishna. Tell him your
sorrow with your tears. You will find that he will fill your arms with
the desired object.
Referring to Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother once said, “Really and
truly he was God himself. He assumed this human body to remove
the sorrows and sufferings of others. He moved about, as a king
walks through his city in disguise. He disappeared the moment he
became known.”

He who has really prayed to Sri Ramakrishna, even once, has nothing
to fear. By praying to him constantly one gets ecstatic love through
his grace. This ecstatic love, my child, is the innermost thing of
spiritual life. The gopis of Vrindavan attained it. They were not
aware of anything else in the world except Sri Krishna.

My child, this world is like a deep marshy place. Once a person gets
entangled there, it becomes very difficult to come out. Repeat the
name of God. If you do so, He will cut away your bondage some day.
Can anyone get liberation, my child, unless He himself removes the
shackles? Have deep faith in God. Look upon Sri Ramakrishna as your
refuge, even as children regard their parents.

How little intelligence does a person possess! The person may require
one thing, but ask for another! A person starts to mold an image of
Shiva and often ends by making that of a monkey. It is best
therefore to surrender all desires at the feet of God. He will do
whatever is best for us. But one may pray for devotion and
detachment. These cannot be classified as desires.

What does one become by realizing God? Does one get two horns?
No. What happens is, the person develops discrimination between
the real and the unreal, gets spiritual consciousness, and goes
beyond life and death.

One who is able to renounce all for His sake is a living god. Even the
decrees of fate are cancelled if one takes refuge in God. Fate
strikes off with her own hand what she has written about such a
person.

Those who is really anxious to cross the ocean of the world will
somehow break their bonds. No one can entangle such people.

Always discriminate. Whenever the mind goes after anything other

than God, consider it as transient and surrender the mind at the
sacred feet of the Lord. Be like the man who, while angling for fish,
became so absorbed in it that he did not hear the least of the din
and bustle of a marriage procession passing by.

Everything—husband, wife, or even the body, is illusory. These are

all shackles of illusion. Unless you can free yourself from these
bondages, you will never be able to go to the other shore of the
world. Even this attachment to the body, the identification of the
self with the body, must go. What is this body, my darling? It is
nothing but three pounds of ashes when it is cremated. Why so much
vanity about it? However strong or beautiful this body may be, its
culmination is in those three pounds of ashes. And still people are so
attached to it!

My child, this mind is just like a wild elephant. It races with the
wind. Therefore one should discriminate all the time. One should
work hard for the realization of God.

This world is moving around like a wheel. That indeed is the last
birth in which one gets completely rid of all desires.

Does one get a faith by mere study of books? Too much reading
creates confusion. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that one should learn
from the scriptures that God alone is real and the world illusory.
As you meditate you will realize that He who is in me is in you too
and in the humblest of people—only then will humility grow in your
mind.

People have been worshiping images from time immemorial and

attaining liberation through that. Do you want to say that does not
mean anything? Sri Ramakrishna had no such narrow dogmatic views.
God is everywhere. But this you must believe; holy people are born to
guide others and each one talks in a different way. There are many
ways, and so what each one says is true.

In the course of one’s spiritual advancement one comes to the stage

when one does not feel even the existence of God. After attaining
wisdom (jnana) one sees that the forms of gods and deities are all
maya. Everything comes into existence in time and also disappears in
time. . . . The aspirant then realizes that the Mother alone pervades
the entire Universe (as the Supreme Spirit). All then become one.
This is the simple truth.
Japa and Meditation
Pray to the Lord to make your heart as pure as the star. As a result
of sincere and regular japa and meditation you will find that the
Lord will speak to you. All your desires will be fulfilled and you will
experience pure bliss.

The kundalini will awaken in course of time. Do japa and meditation.

It does not rise of itself. Continuous meditation will make the mind
so steady that you will not feel inclined to give it up. When the mind
is not in a mood to meditate, do not force it to do so. In such
conditions, get up from the seat of meditation after making
prostrations. Real meditation is of a spontaneous nature. . . . If
meditation is not possible, do japa. Realization will come through
japa.
Realization of God, or meditation, all these depend on the mind.
Concentrate, and everything will come to pass.

Mind this, my child, one has to take refuge and wait on God’s mercy;
then only he takes pity.

A pure mind easily gets concentrated in meditation. When pure souls

perform japa, they feel as if the holy name bubbles up spontaneously
from within themselves. They does not make any effort to repeat
the name.

The kundalini will gradually be awakened. You will realize everything

by the repetition of God’s name. Even if the mind be not quiet, still
you can sit at a place and repeat the holy name a million times.

As wind removes the cloud, so the name of God destroys the cloud
of worldliness.

Repeating the name of God once, when the mind is controlled, is

equivalent to a million repetitions when the mind is away from God.
You may repeat the name for the whole day, but if the mind be
elsewhere, that does not produce much result. The repetition must
be accompanied by concentration. Then alone one gets the grace of
God. One must repeat the mantra at least fifteen to twenty
thousand times a day, then only one will get some results. One is sure
to get it. One must practice first before one complains that one is
not progressing. But then one must practice japa with a little
concentration. People don’t practice and simply say, “Why am I not
progressing spiritually?”

Do not give up japa even if the mind is unsteady and unwilling. You
must go on with the repetition. And you will find that the mind is
getting gradually steadier—like a flame in a windless corner. Any
movement in the air disturbs the steady burning of the flame; even
so the presence of any thought or desire makes the mind unsteady.
The mantra must be correctly repeated. Incorrect utterance delays
progress.

One should practice japa and meditation at regular times, giving up

idleness. While living a Dakshineswar I used to get up at 3 o’clock in
the morning and practice japa and meditation. One day I felt a little
indisposed and left the bed rather late. The next day I woke up still
late through laziness. Gradually I found that I did not feel inclined
to get up early at all. Then I said to myself, “Ah, at last I have fallen
a victim to idleness.” There upon I began to force myself to get up
early. Gradually I got back my former habit. In such matters one
should keep up the practice with unyielding resolution.

Work and Purity of Mind

One must do some work. Through work alone one can remove the
bondage of work, not by avoiding work. Total detachment comes later
on. One should not be without work even for a moment.
(To a person who carelessly threw away the broom after sweeping the
courtyard) “What is this? You have thrown away the broom with such
disrespect when the work is done. It takes only the same length of
time to put it gently in a corner as it does to throw it aside. One should
not trifle with a thing, though it may be very insignificant. Will you not
again need that broom? One should perform even an insignificant work
with respect.
Holy Mother: “One must bear with everything, because all our facilities
are determined by actions. Again, actions can be cancelled by actions.”

Disciple : “Can action ever cancel action?”

Holy Mother: “Why not? If you do a good action, that will counteract
your past evil action. Past sins can be counteracted by meditation, japa
and spiritual thought.”
How many are there who can meditate and practice japa all the time?
At first they earnestly practice these disciplines, but their brains
become heated in the long run by sitting constantly on their prayer
rugs. They become very vain. They also suffer from mental worries by
reflecting on different things. It is much better to work than to allow
the mind to roam at large. For when the mind gets a free scope to
wander, it creates much confusion. My Naren (Swami Vivekananda)
thought of these things and wisely founded institutions where people
would do disinterested work.

No doubt, you must do your duties. It keeps one’s mind in good

condition. But it is also very necessary to practice japa, meditation and
prayer. One must practice these disciplines at least in the morning and
the evening. Such practice is like the rudder of a boat.

The householders have no need of external renunciation. They will

spontaneously get the internal renunciation. But some people need
external renunciation.

Why should you be afraid? Surrender yourself to Sri Ramakrishna and

always remember that he stands behind you.

It is true that He is doing everything, but very few feel like that.
Being maddened with pride, people think that they are doing everything
and do not depend upon Him. God protects that person from all dangers
who depends upon him.

Such is the fascination of money that if your involve yourself too much
in it, you will feel attracted to it. You may think that you are above
money and that you will never feel any attraction for it as you have
once renounced it. No, my child, never harbor this thought in your mind.
Through a tiny little loophole it will enter into your mind then strangle
you gradually quite undetected.
The rich should serve God and his devotees with money and the poor
should worship God by repeating his name.

The mind is everything. It is in the mind alone that one feels pure and
impure. A person, first of all must make his or her own mind guilty and
then alone they can see another’s guilt. Does anything ever happen to
another if you enumerate their faults? It only injures you. This has
been my attitude. Hence I cannot see anybody’s faults. If someone
does a trifle for me, I try to remember that person even for that. To
see the faults of others! One should never do it. Forgiveness is
indeed tapasya—spiritual austerity.
One should not hurt others even by words. One must not speak even an
unpleasant truth unnecessarily. By indulging in rude words one’s nature
becomes rude. One’s sensitivity is lost if one has no control over one’s
speech. Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “One should not ask a lame person
how he became lame.”

Let me tell you one thing. If you want peace of mind, do not find fault
with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world
your own. No one is a stranger, my child; the whole world is your own.

One must be patient like the earth. What inequities are being
perpetrated on her! Yet she quietly endures them all. People, too,
should be like that.

(Advice given to a young widow): Don’t be familiar with anybody. Don’t

take much part in the social functions of the family. Say, “O mind,
always keep to yourself. Don’t be inquisitive about others.” Gradually
increase the period of meditation and prayer, and read the teachings
of Sri Ramakrishna.

(To the mother of a monk) “It is a rare good fortune to be the mother
of a monk. People cannot give up attachment even to a brass pot. Is it
an easy thing to renounce the world?
Instructions on Spiritual Practice

Do not make any distinction between Sri Ramakrishna and me. Meditate
on and pray to the particular aspect of the divinity revealed to you.
Worship ends with absorption in meditation. . . . Neither mantra nor
scripture is of any avail; bhakti or devotion alone accomplishes
everything.
Be sincere in your practice, words and deeds. You will feel blessed! His
blessings are always showered on all creatures on the earth. It is
needless to ask for it. Practice meditation sincerely and you will
understand His infinite grace. God wants sincerity, truthfulness and
love. Outward verbal effusions do not touch Him.

Austerities, worship, pilgrimage, the earning of money—one should do

all these in the days of youth… In old age the body deteriorates. The
mind loses its vigor. It is possible to do anything at that time? It is
quite right that the young monks of our monastery have been directing
their mind to God from an early age. This is the right time for them to
do so. My child, austerities or worship, practice all these things right
now. Will these things be possible later on? Whatever you want to
achieve, achieve it now: this is the right time.

Spiritual practices in a lonely place are very essential. Pray to God with
tears in your eyes whenever you want illumination or find yourself
faced with any doubt or difficulty. The Lord will remove all your
impurities, assuage your mental anguish, and give you enlightenment.

My child, you have been extremely fortunate in getting this human

birth. Have intense devotion to God. One must work hard. How can one
achieve anything without effort? You must devote some time for
prayer even in the midst of the busiest hours of the day. I used to be
very busy during my days at Dakshineswar; yet I did my prayer and
meditation regularly.
The more intensely a person practices spiritual disciplines, the more
quickly he or she attains God… Those who spends their time idly,
without practicing prayer and meditation, will take a long time to attain
Him.

Continue to pray without losing your heart. Everything will happen in

time. For how many cycles did the sages of old practice austerities to
realize God, and do you believe you will attain him in a flash? Is it so
easy to realize God? But this time Sri Ramakrishna has shown an easy
path.

One has no control over illness, but even in the midst of illness or
intense activity, one should at least remember God and salute him.

If you do not call upon God—indeed many people never even remember
him–what does it matter to him? It is your own misfortune. Such is the
maya of God; he keeps them ignorant of himself saying, “They are
happy enough, let them be so!”
Don’t puzzle the mind with too many inquiries. One finds it difficult to
put one thing into practice, but dares invite distraction by filling the
mind with too many things.

If the mind feels at rest in a particular place, there is no need of

pilgrimage.

If you are constantly in touch with the objects of enjoyment, you are
likely to succumb to their influence.

Sri Ramakrishna spoke about nothing but God. He used to tell me, “Do
you notice this human body? Today it is and tomorrow it is not. And
coming to this world it suffers no end of misery and pain. Why should
one worry about taking another birth? God alone is eternally true. If
one can call on Him, it is good. Taking a body one has to suffer from its
accompanying troubles!”
Consolations

Don’t be afraid. Human birth is full of suffering and one has to endure
everything patiently, taking the name of God. None, not even God in
human form, can escape the sufferings of the body and mind.

You see, my child, no one can avoid facing dangers in life. Difficulties
always come but they do not last forever. You will see that they pass
away like water under a bridge.

One must experience the results of prarabdha karma [that karma from
previous lives which has begun to bear fruit in the present life]. None
one can escape it. But japa or repetition of God’s holy name minimizes
its intensity. It is like the case of a man who is destined to lose his leg,
but instead suffers only from the prick of a thorn in his foot.
Those who think of the Lord always, which way can evil come to them?

Disciple: “Are you the Mother of all?”

Mother: “Yes.”

Disciple: “Even of these birds and animals?”

Mother: “Yes, of these also.”

Disciple: “Then why should they suffer so much?”

Mother: “In this birth they must have these experiences.”

Live in holy company. Try to be pure. And everything will be achieved

gradually. Pray to Sri Ramakrishna. I am with you. Why do you fear? In
time he will do everything for you.