Archive for November, 2011

LAMPS UNTO OURSELVES

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

The message of Her Holiness Sadguru Sri Rama Devi is love, universal love which is born of the realization that all things, that are, are manifestations of the great divine, the eternal, “Who is strength, love and beauty”. She does not wish, so far as I could see, her disciples to seek God through austerity and torture, solitude or penance, but she asks them to seek Him in a place far beyond emotion, in the depths of his or her own heart, where verily is He. Her discourses to the disciples are striking illustrative of the fact that she herself has found Him in her own heart, and that in consequence, she finds Him everywhere, in every man, woman and child, in everything that moves or does not move. She attaches the highest value to doing your duty in whatsoever circumstances or station of life you happen to be placed. If you are a child, strive, she exhorts you, to behave as an ideal child should; if you are a young man or woman behave as an ideal young man or woman should; if you are wife or husband strive as far as possible to be perfect wife or husband, in fact strive as far as possible to live a godly life which is what the Holy Mother’s life is. Her discourses are not only spiritually highly stimulative but are full of practical wisdom and simplicity which is the inseparable associate of greatness.

I remember vividly the first time I was called up for an interview with the Holy Mother. I was, I must say, not very comfortable being a man busily engaged in the sordid job of making money and to a certain extent losing my soul in the process. I was agreeably surprised that the Mother, as if she knew my thoughts, put me with her first question quite at ease. “So you are Swarnam’s father?” Swarnam was a disciple of hers, “Swarnam is a simple girl”, said Mother. After sometime the Mother quietly asked me whether she could put a question to me. I said, “Of course, Mother, you may ”. Then she asked me, “Are you in the habit of meditating upon God and praying daily for at least a few minutes each day?” Honesty compelled me to state that I do not do it as a rigid rule of daily routine. Straight came the question. If parents do not do so, how can you expect the children to do it? This was unanswerable.

She then proceeded to point out to me that it did not matter much what time of the day I devoted for it. The great point is, the Mother explained, that prayer and meditation should form part of daily life, so that the thought of God might permeate it.

To sum up the message of the Holy Mother is “to be Lamps Unto Ourselves” and to do selfless work which is the best form of worship.

SRI KOMATTIL ACHUTHA MENON,
Retired Chief Secretary to Government
1961

MY BELOVED MOTHER

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

It was the last day of my Matriculation examination. As most students become God-minded during the examination period, I too was like this and wanted to go to the temple. But my mother told me that the divine mother had come and that I should go with her to see her. It was thus that I saw the divine mother who became my beloved mother afterwards. She was surrounded by a large number of devotees. I was sitting behind them all. But she turned and smiled at me and pointing to me, asked my mother who I was. As I was singled out from the other girls sitting there, I felt very much attracted towards her. Mother gave us all namasmarana and asked us to do japa half an hour daily and chant the mantra – Sree Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram.

One day there was a class for girls which I attended. Mother gave us instructions which appeared simple, though they were highest truths. After a few days she left Trivandrum, leaving behind the sweet memory of her loving and smiling face. I missed her presence much. Though I wanted to act up to her ideals and principles, I am sure I have not progressed much, even after the lapse of seven years. But one thing I am sure and certain, and that is, I love her more than anything else in this world.

Then came the Trichur convention. I was studying for my Junior Intermediate and it was Christmas holidays; so my parents agreed to take me also to Trichur. Those ten days of heavenly joy, I can never forget. Many of the disciples and devotees had come for the convention from several mandalies. It was then that we all got the opportunity to know and love each other and consider ourselves as sisters, the children of one and the same mother. My aunt and myself were always together. After ten days of happy union the day of parting came and I still feel the heaviness of heart when we bade farewell.

By mother’s grace I passed my Intermediate examination. I continued my studies for one more year, when I had to stop my studies after my marriage. I wanted so much to see Mother before marriage. My loving parents wanted to fulfill this desire of mine, and so they took me to Mangalore. We reached there one fine evening and after taking our bath and getting dressed at the waiting-room we went to Mother’s house. The next day she called me to her room and talked to me about grihasthasrama and pathivratha dharma. I gave my tali in her hands and after a few minutes she gave it back to me. She told me that even though I was going far away, I may be rest assured that she would be always near me. We left Mangalore the next day. Even now I remember mother’s loving and smiling face. We prostrated before Bhagavan and herself and took leave of them. Mother also said that I should try to come to Trivandrum whenever she was there.

After my marriage I came to Trivandrum thrice and twice Mother was also there. Last time when I came, she stayed for one month and I used to go and attend the bhajan and discourses daily. One day I had an interview with mother. I eagerly wanted to hear her asking me something about my husband. She read my thoughts; she asked me whether my husband has seen her. I said no. she went on smiling and told me to convey her love and blessings to him, as he was away then. I could not control tears of joy. There is no doubt of his becoming her devotee soon.

SMT. S. MEENAKSHI DEVI
1961