HOLY MOTHER SRI SRI SARADA DEVI

Endearingly known as the ‘Holy Mother,’ Sri Sarada Devi was born on December 22, 1853, in Jayrambati, West Bengal, to a pious Brahmin family. From a young age, she showed a deep devotion to God, helping her family with household chores and learning the Bengali alphabet. At the age of six, she was married to Sri Ramakrishna, but continued to live with her parents while he led a God-intoxicated life at Dakshineshwar.

At eighteen, she traveled to Dakshineshwar to reunite with her husband, who had reached profound spiritual realizations. Sri Ramakrishna viewed her as a manifestation of the Divine Mother and taught her to balance household duties with spiritual practices. Their relationship was characterized by purity, with Sarada Devi serving as both devoted wife and disciple.

After Sri Ramakrishna's passing in 1886, she faced hardships but eventually became a spiritual guide for many seekers. Embracing people from all walks of life, including Western women disciples of Swami Vivekananda, she advocated for social progress and the upliftment of women. Despite her revered status, she lived humbly, performing everyday tasks and demonstrating unwavering love and compassion.

Sri Sarada Devi embodied the ideal of motherhood, seeing all beings as her children. Swami Vivekananda regarded her as the epitome of an ideal woman for the modern age, symbolizing the spiritual awakening of women. Her health declined due to physical strain and malaria, and she passed away on July 21, 1920, leaving behind a legacy of love, compassion, and spiritual wisdom.