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HOLY MOTHER SRI SARADA DEVI |
She was born in 1853 in the village of Jayrambati, West
Bengal. Even in later years, she spent much time in the village and was
often concerned with the affairs of her extended family. In 1858 she
underwent a formal marriage ceremony to Sri Ramakrishna, the famous saint,
mystic, and spiritual teacher. She remained in Jayrambati while her husband
devoted himself to spiritual practices, mostly in the temple of Dakshineswar,
just outside Kolkata.
Sarada finally went to Dakshineswar to
join her husband in 1872, and stayed there, with occasional breaks, until
Sri Ramakrishna passed away in 1886. During her time at Dakshineswar, she
undertook intense spiritual practices under the direct guidance of her
husband. The details of the training are not known. Undoubtedly she led an
extremely austere and retired life, and was barely known even to the many
visitors who came to Sri Ramakrishna in the later period of his life.
Immediately after Sri Ramakrishna’s
final illness, Sarada went on a year-long pilgrimage to holy sites in
Northern India. During this period it was observed that she remained for
long periods in the state of samadhi, profound spiritual absorption. She
also began her spiritual ministry, giving initiation to a young monk, Swami
Yogananda. Later in her life, she undertook several other pilgrimages
including a visit to the South of India.
From 1887 to 1920, Sarada passed
most of her time either in Kolkata or in Jayrambati. In both places, new
buildings were eventually constructed for her residence. They are still in
use today. She generally lived with several members of her extended family,
and with a small number of female friends and devotees. A number of monks of
the Ramakrishna Order used to live close by. As time went by, Sarada
increasingly became recognised as an outstanding spiritual teacher;
thousands of devotees sought her guidance and revered her as guru.
 Many
devotees addressed Sarada as Holy Mother, and given the honorific title Sri
Sarada Devi. She is revered as the spiritual consort of Sri Ramakrishna, and
as an embodiment of the goddess worshipped by many Hindus. Among her devout
admirers was the famous Swami Vivekananda, who in the 1890s first brough
Indian philosophy, meditation, and religion to the Western public.
Text: Sarada Vedanta Centre website
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