– SMT.SARADA KRISHNAN THAMPI
Conscious of my limitations, if I venture to give expression to my feelings and experiences after coming in contact with Mother, I do so with her divine grace and may be through my own “ poorva janma punya ”.
It was in September 1951 that I had my first sacred darshan of Mother and ever since that I have felt inexpressible calmness and strength in my mind which was till then burdened with sorrow at the sad demise of my husband. It was a moment of revealation too for me because in Mother I saw the image of my ‘ Ishtadevata ’ Goddess Sree Parvathi. A smile-unique, benign and serene-always lit up her face and even though she was amidst us, she seemed to be beyond this mundane environments. Neither exuberant expressions of immeasurable joy, nor the mournful tales of deep afflictions, could affect the inimitable smile. Infinite love and profound patience-radiated from her. the closer I came in contact, the more I perceived her sweet, affable and calm nature and the more I looked at her, the more forcefully came the realization that she was a Superior being, supreme over all in every way. Verily she is Goddess incarnate, Parasakthi, Sree Raja Rajeswari, from whom all avatars have emanated! In her you could visualize the viswa prema of Lord Sree Krishna, as well as the majestic austerity of Sri Ramachandra, the apostle of darma and devotion to duty! Ever since I have received initiation at her hands and became her disciple, she had been my strength. Innumerable are the occasions when she has saved me from imminent dangers. Her invisible power has mitigated bitter sorrows and intense pains. I am sure that every true disciple or devotee will have the same divine help if only he or she wholeheartedly and sincerely surrenders at her lotus feet. Her words of advice and encouragement give mental equilibrium to withstand all viscissitudes of life with absolute equanimity.
Even while being a grahasthashrami, one can attain God-realisation or Self-realisation. The mission of Mother envisages every home to be a temple where man and woman lead a pure and dharmic life and ultimately realize the absolute grahasthashramam to quote Mother’s own words, is the happy blending of the sublime power of jnana, the universal bliss of bhakthi and the ennobling selflessness of Karma. Grahasthashrami is a karma yogi. Through selfless service and self-discipline, through prayer, reflection and meditation, he gradually purifies his mind from selfish attachment to material things and worldly desires and ultimately acquires the state of complete renunciation which is the prelude to self-realisation. Every man should realize that the same divine spark or Chaitanya dwells in all human beings and should endeavour to love one and all. He should live in harmony with others. To make the home an ashramam in the real sense, it is the woman who has to play the more vital role. In her purity and chastity lie the sanctity of the home. She must in all sacredness foster Pathivratha dharma and should realize it in thought, word and action. To her husband is to be God or Supreme lord. Herself leading the life of a grahasthashrami she has set a model for her children to follow. The task before a true grahasthashrami is indeed beset with obstacles superimposed by ‘ ego ’ and worldly desires. Mother has asked of us to dedicate ourselves to righteousness and then to march forward without hesitation, without fear and faltering. Mother will be always with us to give us the helping hand, to lead us along the path of truth.
Mother’s great solicitude and affection for her disciples are indescribable. Her sweet affable nature, has a loving or a soothing word for one and all without distinction and if any one has gone astray, away from righteousness, she corrects without hurting feelings. Mother’s relationship with her disciples and devotees, is not merely that of a guru and sishya or master and disciple. She is the mother to all. What greater love is there in this world than the love of a mother! and so it is that we are her children. Sadguru exemplifies the saying that God is Love for she is the embodiment of love of viswa prema!
To my mind now comes that wonderful vision I had at Trichur in the year 1952. It was at Pushpagiri Park where Mother appeared before us after the guru puja. Mother’s face was resplendent with divine light. A beatific smile played upon her lips and a lustrous halo shone around her head I was suffused with a glow of supreme happiness. With rapture I realized that Mother who was before me was none other than Goddess Sree Parvathi whom I had been worshipping from my early childhood! I bowed down in humility and devotion at the feet of the all-merciful divine mother.