The
one search of humanity, common to all human beings, has been, from time
immemorial, the search for everlasting, unending, unalloyed happiness or bliss.
For this various means have been tried from stark hedonism to severe
asceticism. Again, to show the secret of happiness, prophets and incarnations
are born from time to time on this planet of ours, shrouded as it is, with
suffering, pains, death and anxiety. Holy mother, Sri Sarada Devi was one such
incarnation of divine power, who, while living the life similar to that of an
average individual, amply demonstrated how one can live happily even under the
worst circumstances.
One
of the first lessons which we learn from her life is that poverty has no
relation, what so ever, with bliss or happiness. If any, it shows that poverty
conduces more to bliss than riches. Even the modern scientifically conducted
sociological surveys show that there is more happiness in the poorer developing
nations of the world, than in the rich and affluent nations. One thing common
with all billionaires is that none of them is happy!
Sri
Ma Sarada Devi was born in a poor Brahmin family which could not afford the
luxury of having a maid servant to do the domestic chores. Even at a tender age
of 10, the little Sarada had to help her mother in rearing of her younger
brothers, cooking and carrying food to the labourers working in the fields. She
had to cut grass standing in neck deep water. But she never felt sorry for all
this hardship. It was a joy to her to help her mother and to feed the hungry
during famines.
She
was married to Sri Ramakrishna and came to live with him at the age of 19
years. She had to live in a small octagonal room with maximum width of 10 feet.
This was her bed room , kitchen, store room, nay even guest room for ladies who
would prefer to stay overnight with her. Some rich ladies of Kolkata, used to
live in spacious multi room apartments or houses, seeing mother’s room would
comment that she was living as if in banishment like Sita!
There
were other difficulties also. She had to get up very early in the morning and
finish her toilet duties, take bath and enter into her secluded room before
sunrise, since she was extremely bashful and was very reluctant to come out in
public. She would remain the whole day, confined into that small room, often
alone! It was like a voluntary imprisonment.
And
yet the Holy mother thought that that was the best period of her life. She was
in extremely blissful state. How could she remain in bliss, deprived of almost
all amenities of a happy life? The secret of her happiness lies in the fact
that she was in the Holy company of , and engaged in the service of Sri
Ramakrishna.
The
greatest joy of a chaste Hindu wife is to serve her husband. And Sri
Ramakrishna was not an ordinary husband. . He was a saint, a rishi, nay, he was
the prophet of the modern age. What can be greater privilege, than to be get
the opportunity of serving him?
One
is reminded of Sita, the chaste wife of Rama. When Rama was banished to forest,
he told Sita to remain at home, and serve her inlaws, pointing to the hardships
of the forest. But Sita categorically said that for her forest will be heaven
with him, while living in the forest with all amenities will be like living in
hell. But while Sita was constantly with Rama, except for the period when she
was stolen away by Ravana and confined as a prisoner, she had the privilege of
being constantly close to Rama. But Sri Sarada Devi did not have this good
fortune. There were times, when even while living in a room only few feet away
from Sri Ramakrishna, she could not meet him or see him for months at a
stretch. And yet she did not complain! She would console herself, saying to
herself that she was not really qualified by good karmas, to have the vision,
darshan of Sri Ramakrishna every day!
What
does this period of the Holy Mother teach us, so far as the secret of happiness
is concerned? That dedicated, unselfish service of the person especially whom
we love and adore is a great source of joy. Secondly, living in proximity of
someone whom we love and adore also gives great satisfaction. Thirdly, we shall
have to face hardships and privations all through our life. All these must be
patiently borne. Patience and tolerance are great virtues and conduce to great
happiness. And finally contentment. Holy Mother herself used to say, “There is
no treasure like patience and there is no virtue higher than forbearance.” In
Patanjali yoga sutras it is said that the practice of contentment under all
circumstances leads to superlative happiness.
There
was one more reason why the Holy Mother considered her life at Dakshineshwar
one of great bliss. And that was the spiritual practices she did then. God is
the repository of all bliss, goodness, virtue, in fact, all excellences. When
we mediate upon such a God we imbibe some of these excellences. We derive great
joy when our mind becomes pure and tranquil- sattvika. The Holy Mother used to
do deep prolonged meditations daily, and it is no wonder that she must have
derived great joy as she herself has testified. Once, she went deep into
meditation and her mind became absolutely tranquil. Someone dropped a plate
then. That sudden sound shocked her! On another occasion, she heard the music
of a flute played by some one at night. She was thrilled by it. Here is another
lesson for us – Joy and happiness donot lie in mere enjoyment and restlessness
of mind. They are the qualities of a tranquil mind.
Situation
changed drastically when Sri Ramakrishna passed away. The Holy mother was thrown
into an abyss of sorrow. It is a lesson for us to learn how she got out of it.
Even during the period immediately after the passing away, she had visions of
Sri Ramakrishna to assure her that by death he had not become non existent. He
had passed, as it were from one room to another i.e. from one state, the
grosser state, to the finer state. When the Holy mother went to Vrindaban, she
again plunged into intense spiritual practices, to achieve a permanent union
with Sri Ramakrishna at the spiritual level. And she indeed succeed in doing
so. On occasions, she was so closely united with Sri Ramakrishna, that she
talked and behaved, and answered questions exactly as Sri Ramakrishna used to
do.
What
is the lesson? It is this: Union with our beloved can never be complete at the
physical level. Separation is bound to occur here. It is only at a spiritual,
subtler level, that we can remain united with our God the Divine. Secondly, real
bliss is within and cannot be obtained from external objects, as has been
testified by the Bhagawad Gita also.
After
this, began the third phase of Holy Mother’s life. She got involved in the
family of her mother and brothers. Her widow sister-in-law and her nieces
formed her household. Many of these were eccentric and mentally abnormal, but
all their eccentricities were not able to disturb the peace and bliss of the
Holy Mother. Even in worst conditions, she was calm and composed. Apparently
intensely attached to Radhu, one of her nieces, the Holy Mother was always
inwardly detached. She had already touched the philosopher’s stone, which
transforms one’s character into gold, and which cannot then get rusted even if
buried in soil for eons. Swami Vivekananda had said that we must have the super
human power of intense attachment as well as the super divine power of
detachment. One cannot enjoy life without attachment. Attachment,
concentration, love and happiness go together. Attachment gives us concentration.
Our mind gets easily concentrated upon the object, person or individual to
which we are attached or which we love. Again, we start loving, whatever we concentrate upon. This again
gives joy or happiness. But we suffer too, due to this attachment. We are not
able to detach our mind at will and thus suffer. The Holy mother has
demonstrated wonderfully well, how one should get attached. She was attached to
Radhu with an intensity rare even among mothers towards their children. And yet
when time came, she completely withdrew her mind from Radhu. What a great
lesson to learn!
Finally
the Holy Mother’s all compassing love for every one in the world, was the
greatest source of joy. To love one person, a friend or relative, gives us joy.
As we expand our family, our circle of friends, our joy increases. And if we
can expand our family to include everyone in the world, our joy would be
infinite. This the Holy mother amply demonstrated in her life. She taught,
“None is a stranger my child, all are your own.” And herself exemplified this
teaching through her life. For her a sinner and a saint were alike. A cat, a
calf, a parrot all were her own. The happiness of such a person is unending,
unfathomably deep. The Holy Mother used to get greatest joy in feeding and
serving all her ‘children’. Who so ever came to her, got a taste of her love,
and was filled with joy. No one can transmit joy unless she doesnot have it in
plenty within herself. Again, sharing our joy with other, is one of the best
ways of being happy.
Our
nature is Satchidananda. We are in essence blissful. The Holy Mother has
demonstrated, as none else, how we can tap this vast source of bliss and share
it with others.
