The Universe works in mysterious ways and today, somehow, I was compelled to offer more chanting with a little more devotion and felt as if I gave myself up to the Divine. I was planning to write this post number 7 of the series on 5th of June 2022, to match with the date on which Sri Ramakrishna Thakur worshipped Maa Sarada as Shodashi Devi on the occasion of Phalaharini Kali Puja which fell on 5th June back in the year 1872. Anyway, today, I sat in front of my altar and prayed devoutly to Maa for reasons unknown. I was just in a mood to play with Divine, I was consumed in bliss and suddenly, news popped up in my phone that today (29th of May, 2022) is Phalaharini Kali Puja Day according to the Vedic Panchang! So, here I am, writing my 7th post today itself!
“It took place on the night of Phalaharini-Kali Puja day, when the Divine Mother is worshipped as the consumer of the karmas of the devotee. Arrangements for the worship were made in the Master’s room, and Sarada was requested to be present at the worship. After the Master had gone through the preliminary rites of worship, he beckoned to Sarada Devi to sit on the seat set apart for the Deity.” He then invoked the Mother Divine with a mantra…
When I first read about this beautiful incident, it got clearly etched in my heart instantly. Today, we speak of feminists, I will say, both Thakur and Sri Maa were sheer feminists with their minds way ahead of their times. I am proud to belong to the culture of Sanatana Dharma where the Divine feminine is given the same Divine summit as the Divine masculine and yeah, both complement each other. Many households in India do worship pre-pubescent girls during Navaratri; but Thakur did not limit the Divinity it to only small girls being worshipped, in fact, he used to say, “Women are, all of them, the veritable images of Shakti.” Thakur, not only claimed that verbally but went on to worship Sarada Devi with same fervor. He saw in her the Divine Maa Shodashi as he knew who else could have had that massive amount of good karma with a sense of sacrifice and detachment apart of Sri Maa Sarada herself? Sri Ramakrishna Thakur did not think whether she is menstruating or she wasn’t, whether she is young or old, all he saw was Divine Mother in her and Maa Sarada too saw Divine in him and she was given the seat of the deity! Who else could have done that? Om Swami too echoes the same thoughts as he never discriminates anyone on the basis of any biological aspect and that is what makes a person closer to Divine; a being who shows it though his own example, a being who sees it all beyond duality!
Speaking of the present-day times, we have heard this statement countless times- On one hand they worship women and on the other hand they abuse her. Weirdly, I haven’t heard a reverse of it- On one hand they worship a man, on the other hand the man is abusive. Isn’t that weird? Without respecting the people, no prayer or worship will be fruitful! The bigotry goes both ways- (a) Why to worship women/Divine Mother if a woman is abusive/disrespected? (b) Why to worship man/Divine Father if a man is abusive/disrespected? And sorry to remind you once again, nobody will reach anywhere with such bigotry in the mind.
Ramakrishna Thakur used to say that the Divine is present in all of us and hence, Sanatana Dharma teaches the people to see Divine in all, to see all as one. This was the teaching of Neeb Karori Baba too- Love all, Feed all, Serve all. If Divine is present in all of us, then what sets us apart from great beings like Ramakrishna Thakur and Maa Sarada? The difference lies in a secret- the realization of the Divine in us. A handful have realized themselves and a majority is still ignorant, stuck in dualities and chaos. And it is the Realized Divine, to whom we bow down, because they are very much the same Divine walking among us!
I offer my koti-koti Pranaam to Sri Ramakrishna Thakur and Sri Maa Sharada on this beautiful occasion of the Divine Phalahari-Kali Puja day!
Om! Om! Om! Jai Sri Hari!
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No copyright violation or plagiarism intended.
Source:
INTRODUCTION. The Gospel of The Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. Recorded by her devotee-children. Sri Ramakrishna Math Printing Press, Mylapore, Chennai. 2008.
P.S. – You can read about Sri Ramakrishana Thakur and Maa Sharada on:
For the Love of Maa Sharada- 1
For the Love of Maa Sharada- 2
For the Love of Maa Sharada- 3
For the Love of Maa Sharada- 4
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