AT BELUR AND BANARAS

The Mother was expected to come to the Belur Math on October 16, 1912, on the evening of the Bodhana1. Evening was advancing, and yet there was no sign of the Mother’s coming; and so Swami Premananda was moving about in a flurry. At the gate he saw that the plantain trees and sacred pitchers had not been arranged as yet, and he said, ‘These things have not been done as yet; how can the Mother come?’ No sooner was the ceremonial awakening of the Deity finished than was seen the Mother’s carriage at the gate. The monks and devotees led by Swami Premananda ran up at once, unharnessed the horses, and drew the carriage into the courtyard. As the Swami was thus engaged, one could see him trembling with emotion, joy scintillating from his eyes, face, and every limb. When the carriage stopped Golap-Ma carefully helped the Mother out of it. The Mother then looked around with beaming eyes and said, ‘Everything is ready tip-top. It is as though we ourselves have come attired like the goddess Durga.’ From that day the Mother stayed on till the eleventh day of the moon. She stayed in the southern portion of the garden house, north of the monastery. Along with her, there lived in that house Yogin-Ma, Golap-Ma, Lakshmi Devi, and Bhanu-pisi.

On the second day of the worship, more than three hundred devotees bowed down before the Mother, one by one. She was sitting on her cot facing west. As each devotee touched her feet, she blessed him. Four persons had their initiation on that day. The drama Jana was enacted that night, and on the night of the immersion ceremony was enacted the Ramashwamedha. The Mother witnessed both these performances from the upper storey of the monastery. After the third day’s worship, Golap-Ma informed Swami Saradananda, ‘Sarat, the Mother is highly pleased with your service and sends you her benediction. ’ The Swami, hardly knowing how to acknowledge that blessing, was deeply moved and exclaimed ‘Indeed!’. And then looking meaningfully at Swami Premananda he added, ‘Brother Baburam, did you hear?’ The latter had heard it well enough; now in reply to Swami Saradananda’s question he clasped him in a warm embrace.

On the tenth day of the moon, when the image was taken away on a boat for immersion in the Ganges, Dr. Kanjilal danced, gesticulated, and made faces at the image like a child, thereby evoking roars of laughter. But one of the

Brahmacharis protested against these gestures and postures. The Mother was watching the whole scene from her own residence. When a monk drew her attention to the reaction of the puritanic Brahmachari, she said, ‘No, no! All this is right. The goddess has to be entertained in every way through music, fun, and frolic.’ The Mother returned to the ‘Udbodhan’ on October 22.

This was not either the first or the last visit of the Mother to the Belur Math during the Durga worship. She was there in Swami Vivekananda’s time and also in 1916. With Belur she had a long association, and she had a love for the place. Many a time she had come there and stayed at the garden house of

Nilambar Babu or at the rented house at Ghusuri; and all those places were sanctified by meditation and japa, religious discussion and practice, spiritual experiences and visions. In a reminiscent mood she said one day, ‘Ah! How well I was at Belur! What a peaceful place it is! Meditation came naturally. And that is why Naren (Vivekananda) wanted to have a piece of land there.’ It was not really Swami Vivekananda alone who wished for a permanent residence there, the Mother’s will also exerted its influence in bringing about that happy consummation. The monks were aware of this as also of the reality which had taken human form in the Mother, and hence they could not consider the worship of Durga a success unless She in Her human form came to the monastery to accept their adoration personally. At the commencement of the worship her name was ceremonially announced by the priest as the beneficiary of the celebration, and even to this day, that custom is being followed. The memories of the incidents connected with the Mother’s presence at the Belur Math during those festivals are very inspiring to the monks and are treasured by them in their hearts. When the Mother came to the place of worship, the monks offered at her feet handfuls of flowers as they did at those of the Deity; and they did not consider their worship complete without such an offering. And during the celebration they kept their eyes fixed on her face; if she smiled, they thought that the goddess had accepted their worship. During one of these celebrations, Swami

Brahmananda, the head of the monastery, worshipped her feet with one hundred and eight full-blown lotuses on the second day of the worship.

During the festival of 1916, the Mother came to Belur on the first day (saptami) of the worship, and lived in the garden house north of the monastery. Shortly after she had returned to her apartment after witnessing the worship, elders of the Math heard that as Radhu had fallen ill, the Mother would have to go back to Calcutta. Brahmachari

Krishna who brought the message suggested to Swami Premananda to beg her to stay on. But the Swami replied, ‘My boy, who dare dissuade the Great Mother! It shall be as She wills; we cannot do aught against Her wishes?’ As a matter of fact, she did not go, for Radhu’s condition improved, and the Mother gave up the thought of going. On the morning of the second day (Ashtami), she came to the courtyard of the monastery. Nearby the inmates were dressing vegetables for the kitchen. At this the Mother remarked, ‘The boys, I see, can dress vegetables well enough. ’ And Swami Jagadananda, who was also engaged in the work, said with a smile, ‘Our object is to please the Great Mother, be that through spiritual practice or through dressing of vegetables. ’

Some record of the worship that year has been preserved in a letter of Swami Shivananda, a portion of which we translate: ‘Owing to the presence of the blessed Holy Mother, it has altogether been a direct worship (and not merely worship of the goddess in an image). Although there was continuous rain and storm on all the three days, yet by the Mother’s grace, no part of the celebration suffered. And it even happened that just as the devotees sat for taking prasada the rain stopped. All were surprised at this. Afterwards it was learnt from Yogin-Ma that whenever the devotees sat for prasada and rain seemed to be imminent, the Mother sat down to make japa of Durga’s name, and she prayed, “Dear me! How can so many people sit down to eat in this rain? Their leaf-plates and everything will certainly be washed away. Mother, save us!” And Mother Durga did indeed save. It happened likewise during all the three days.’ After the Sandhi-puja (worship that is performed at the sacred moment of the junction of the eighth and ninth days of the moon) was over, Swami Saradananda said to a Brahmachari, ‘Go and offer this guinea piece to the Mother and salute her.’ The Brahmachari was not quite sure who was meant. He thought that the offering was to be made to the goddess. All the same he queried

the Swami, who replied, ‘Mother is there in that garden. Go and offer the guinea piece at her feet and salute her. It is she who has been worshipped here.’ For the convenience of the narrative we have skipped over the intermediate years to describe the two celebrations together. Let us now return to 1912. The Mother left Calcutta a few weeks after the worship of Durga that year and arrived at Banaras on the 5th of November. After reaching the

Ramakrishna Advaita Ashrama at Banaras at noon, she took a little rest and then went to Lakshminivasa, the newly built house of the Dattas of Baghbazar, Calcutta; and here she stayed for two and a half months. In expectation of the Mother’s coming the owners had ceremonially opened the house only a few days earlier. The Mother stayed in the first floor with Golap-Ma, Bhanu-pisi, Kedarnath Datta’s mother, and Master Mahashaya’s wife and his sister-in-law; while Swami Prajnananda and other male devotees lived on the ground floor. The wide verandah of the house pleased the Mother and she remarked, ‘We are indeed rather fortunate. A narrow place narrows down the mind, while a commodious place expands it.’ The very next day the Mother went to visit the Deities Vishwanatha and Annapurna in a palanquin. On the day following the worship of Kali (i.e., November 9), she visited the

Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service, otherwise known as the Sevashrama, where Swamis Brahmananda, Shivananda and Turiyananda, Charu Babu (Swami Shubhananda), Dr. Kanjilal, and others were present. Kedar-baba (Swami Achalananda) accompanied her palanquin and showed her round. When she had seen every department, she sat down and in the course of a conversation with Kedar-baba expressed great delight at all the houses, gardens, etc., she had seen, and the good management she had noticed. She further added, ‘The Master himself is present here and Mother Lakshmi (goddess of fortune) is here in all her majesty.’ Then she wanted to know how the institution took shape and with whom the idea first originated. After hearing and seeing all about the institution she remarked, ‘The place is so fine that I feel like staying on in Banaras.’ Soon after she had reached her residence, somebody came with a ten-rupee note and handing it over to the head said, ‘Kindly accept these ten rupees as the Mother’s donation to the Sevashrama.’ That note is still treasured there as an invaluable asset.

That day a devotee asked the Mother at her residence, ‘Mother, how did you find the Sevashrama?’ She said calmly, ‘I saw the Master himself present there, and that is why this work goes on here. These are all his work.’

When this view of the Mother was communicated to Swami Brahmananda, he in his turn told it to Swami Shivananda. Just then Master Mahashaya was seen coming that way. His belief was that it was contrary to the Master’s teachings to engage in that kind of social service without first realizing God through spiritual disciplines like japa, meditation, and austerity. Swami Brahmananda, who knew his views, now set some devotees and Brahmacharis to ask him, ‘Mother has said that the Sevashrama is the Master’s work, and that the Master himself is present there. Now what do you say to that?’ At Master Mahashaya’s approach they crowded round him and put the question all in one voice, and the Swami too joined in. At this, Master Mahashaya smiled broadly and said, ‘It can no longer be denied.’ Swami Brahmananda, in the course of his morning strolls, visited the Lakshmi-nivasa and inquired about the Mother’s health from Golap-Ma and sometimes made fun. One morning, as he came there, Master Mahashaya came out of his room and from the upper verandah Golap-Ma said, ‘Rakhal, Mother asks you, why Sakti (Divine Energy conceived of as a woman) is worshipped first (before the male aspect)?’ Swami Brahmananda replied, ‘It is because Mother has in her keeping the key to knowledge of Brahman. There is no other way unless Mother, out of compassion, unlocks the door with the key.’ And he sang a song in the baul tune:

O mind, remain immersed in meditating the feet of Siva’s wife;

Be immersed and avoid ail misery.

All these three worlds are vain, and in vain you roam about. Meditate within you the Coiled Energy that’s of none but Brahman.

This is Kamalakanta’s (poet’s) message, ‘Sing the glory of Mother Kali.

This indeed is a stream of bliss; and paddle on slowly. ’

As the song proceeded, he fell in the grip of a divine ecstasy and danced merrily; and at the end cried out, ‘Ho, ho, ho!’ and dashed out of the place. The Mother enjoyed this dance and afflatus from above, and below were Master Mahashaya and a few other devotees who also felt stirred to the depths by it all.

On the 28 th of Agrahayana

(December 14), she went out to visit the shrine of some of the gods and goddesses of Banaras. On another day when she came to the Tilabhandeshwara temple from the Vaidyanatha temple, she said of the Siva image at the former place that it was a natural one. Afterwards she went to the Kedarnath temple a little before dusk and attended the evening service after having a look at the holy Ganges. About Kedaranath she said, ‘This Kedar and that (on the Himalayas) are the same — they are connected. If you see this one, you as well see the other. He is very much alive.’

She also visited the Sarnath ruins a few miles away. Miss MacLeod, who happened to be at a hotel in the cantonment area then, sent the hotel phaeton for her. But as it did not come in time, the Mother along with Radhu and Bhudev started away by a hackney carriage. When the phaeton came, Swami Brahmananda and some others proceeded by it to the same place. As the Mother was engaged in seeing the Buddhist ruins at Sarnath, she noticed some foreigners observing those things with evident astonishment, and she said, ‘The people who constructed these things have come again; and struck with astonishment are remarking, “What wonderful things they made!”’ At the time of returning, Swami Brahmananda had it communicated to the Mother that he wanted her to drive in the phaeton, while he himself would ride in the carriage. But the Mother protested saying, ‘No, no. Rakhal (Brahmananda) and others came in that one, and they will ride back in it. I shall be all right in this one.’ But she complied at last and drove ahead in the phaeton, while

Swami Brahmananda and his companions followed in the carriage. When the Mother was out of sight, the hackney carriage turned turtle while negotiating a bend. The Swami was not hurt much; recovering from the fall he said merrily, ‘Luckily the Mother did not travel by this carriage.’ The Mother on hearing of the incident said, ‘That accident was really in store for me, but Rakhal perforce diverted it to his own shoulders. Otherwise, what, with those young ones in my carriage, might not have happened!’

The Mother visited two holy men this time at Banaras —one of them was a follower of Sri Nanak, and the other was Chameli Puri. The former was new to the place and was seated on the bank of the Ganges. The Mother offered a rupee at his feet and saluted him. The grand old monk Chameli Puri was asked by her companion Golap-Ma, ‘Who arranges for your food?’ And the Puri replied with faith and warmth, ‘It is Mother Durga alone who does; who else does?’ The monk’s faith and deportment pleased the Mother immensely and on returning home she said, ‘Ah! The old man’s face comes to my mind — it is so very like that of a child!’ Next day she sent him some oranges, sweets, and a blanket. When on a subsequent day there was a talk of her going out to see more holy men, she remarked, ‘What more holy men have I to see! For there indeed I have seen a holy man! Who else can there be?’

She had visited Banaras twice before, but she could not remain long. She took advantage of this long stay to hear the Kashi-Khanda1 and visited more temples. She was present one day at the Ramakrishna Advita Ashrama

during the enactment of the Rasa-lila2. As was the custom, she saluted the two boys who played the roles of Krishna and Radha, by offering money at their feet. And she was followed in this by others. On another day, she sat there for two hours to hear the exposition of a portion of the Bhagavata. In addition Swami Girijananda went to her residence every afternoon to read to her the same book. On the 30th of December fell the birthday of the Mother, which was duly celebrated in her presence at the Advaita Ashrama.

In the life of the Mother the two currents of spirituality and household affairs were so intermingled that for any new-comer it was difficult to separate the two or to comprehend their separate import. One day some local women visitors found the Holy Mother busy with Radhu and Bhudev, and in addition asking Golap-Ma to mend her cloth. Finding there only a repetition of their usual household scene, one of them could not help blurting out, ‘Mother, I see, you are deeply engrossed in Maya. ’ ‘What to do, my good girl,’ answered the Mother, ‘I am myself Maya.’1 To be sure, the hint fell flat on the critic.

Another day, there came three or four women. The Mother was then seated on one side of the verandah, while Golap-Ma and others sat on the other side. As Golap-Ma appeared to be older and possessed of a more imposing personality, one of them saluted her and tried to enter into a conversation. Golap-Ma saw through the mistake and said, ‘There sits the Holy Mother.’ Not impressed by the simple appearance of the Mother, the woman thought that Golap-Ma was jesting with her; but when Golap-Ma repeated what she had said, the woman had to go to the Mother, who, however, was tempted to enjoy the fun and said with a smile, ‘No, no, she indeed is the Holy Mother.’ The woman was now in a fix — for both talked the same way, and there was no means of ascertaining the truth. So after some hesitation she decided to follow her first impulse and advanced towards Golap-Ma, who, however, rebuked her saying, ‘Have you no judgment at all? Don’t you notice whether it is a human or divine face? Does any human being appear like that?’ The Mother had in reality something unique in her simple and yet placid look which revealed its supernormal character to any pure and discriminating mind. But how could that divine light be reflected on the dark and distracted minds which run after sordid worldly vanities?

The Mother left. Banaras on the 2nd of Magha (January 16), 1913, and reached Calcutta the next day, where she remained for more than a month and then started for Jayrambati on the 11th of Phalguna (February 26), 1913.

1. According to Hindu belief, the gods and goddesses sleep for six months from summer solstice to winter solstice, waking up for six months on the latter day. As the Durga worship is celebrated in the first period, She has to be ceremonially awakened. This is done on the sixth day of the bright half of the lunar month. The actual worship takes place on the three succeeding days, and the image is immersed on the tenth day of the moon or the fourth day of the worship.

1. A mythological account of the glories of Banaras.

2. Boy Krishna’s dance with the cowherd lasses of Vrindavan.

1. Maya may mean delusion, as also the Universal Mother who is its source. The latter is often called Mahamaya, the Great Maya.