Sri Ma Sarada Devi

Today is the Birthday Tithi Puja of Sri Sarada Devi, who was the consort of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. You can read about her life story in this summary or here.

One special incidence in her life was when at the end of his sadhaka life – Ramakrishna Paramhansa worshipped Sri Saradamani Devi as Goddess Shodashi. 

Sharing 6 of her sayings 

1. I am the mother of the wicked, as I am the mother of the virtuous. Never fear. Whenever you are in distress, say to yourself, ‘I have a mother.
2. I tell you one thing. If you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather learn to see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; this whole world is your own.
3. One should not hurt others even by words. One must not speak an unpleasant truth unnecessarily.
4. The mind is everything. It is in the mind alone that one feels pure and impure. A man, first of all, must make his own mind guilty and then alone can he see another man’s guilt.
5. One must have devotion towards one’s own guru. Whatever may be the nature of the guru, the disciple gets salvation by dint of his unflinching devotion towards his guru.
6. Let me tell you how to love all equally. Do not demand anything of those you love. If you make demands, some will give you more and some less. In that case you will love more those who give you more and less those who give you less. Thus your love will not be the same for all. You will not be able to love all impartially.

Sri Ma Sarada Devi, also had vision of Ma Kali, when she fell very sick while travelling to Dakshineswar.

She sometimes used to describe this vision in the following way to her women devotees:

“I lost all consciousness on account of high temperature and was lying, unable even to look to the propriety of my dress, when I saw a girl come and sit beside me. The girl was black in complexion, but I never had seen such beauty before. She sat by me and began to pass her hand over my head and body. Her hand was so soft and cool that the heat and the burning sensation of my body began to subside. I asked her affectionately, ‘May I know where you come from?’ The girl said, ‘I come from Dakshineswar.’ Astonished to hear it, I said, ‘From Dakshineswar! I thought of going there to see him and serve him (the Master); but as I have got this fever on my way, I shall not have the good fortune of, fulfilling that desire.’ ‘Why not?’ said the girl, ‘You will surely go to Dakshineswar. Getting well you will go there and see him. It is for you that I have detained him there.’ I said, ‘Is that so? Pray, tell me, are you related to us?’ ‘I am your sister,’ said she. I said, ‘Indeed? That is why you have come!’ I had this conversation with her, when I fell asleep.” 

The Holy Mother reached Dakshineswar at night with fever on.

जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम्।
पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहुः॥

ps: If you love to read more about her life and her teachings,  you can read The Gospel of the Holy Mother – pdf version