We have already written an article on Swami Vivekananda’s quotes on Ramakrishna, and now we are going to make a collection of Swami Vivekananda‘s quotes on Sarada Devi, Ramakrishna’s divine consort.
✉ Excerpts from letters
1894
Letter written to Swami Shivananda from the United States in 1894—[Source]
You need not send anything more in this country. As to money, I have determined first to build some place for Mother, (Holy Mother, Shri Sarada Devi.) for women require it first. . . . I can send nearly Rs. 7,000 for a place for Mother. If the place is first secured, then I do not care for anything else. I hope to be able to get Rs. 1,600 a year from this country even when I am gone. That sum I will make over to the support of the Women’s place, and then it will grow. I have written to you already to secure a place. . . . (in a letter sent from the United States, in 1894, recipient Swami Shivananda)
1895
From a letter written to Swami Brahmananda, dated 4 October 1898—[Source]
He who has no faith in him and no reverence for the Holy Mother will be a downright loser, I tell you plainly.
1898
March
From a letter written to Swami Ramakrishnananda, March 1898, from Howrah—[Source]
Shri (Holy) Mother is here, and the European and American ladies went the other day to see her, and what do you think, Mother ate with them even there! Is not that grand? (in a letter written to Swami Ramakrishnananda, March 1898, from Belur Math)
May
From a letter written to Swami Brahmananda, 20 May 1898—[Source]
For the present buy a plot of ground for Ramlal in the name of Raghuvir (The family deity of Shri Ramakrishna’s birthpalce, Kamarpukur, Ramlal being his nephew.) after careful consideration. . . . Holy Mother will be the Sebâit (worshipper-in-charge); after her will come Ramlal, and Shibu will succeed them as Sebait; or make any other arrangement that seems best. You can, if you think it right, begin the construction of the building even now. For it is not good to live in a new house for the first one or two months, as it will be damp. . . . The anti-erosion wall can be completed afterwards. I am trying to raise money for the magazine. See that the sum of Rs. 1,200 which I gave for the magazine is kept only for that account.
1899
From a letter written to Swami Brahmananda, 10 August 1899, from London—[Source]
My respectful salutations to Holy Mother.
1901
From a letter written to Sister Nivedita, 4 April 1901, from Belur Math, West Bengal—[Source]
Of course, you stay as long as you think you are working well. Yum [Miss Josephine MacLeod] had some talk about you with Mother [Holy Mother, Sarada Devi], and she desired you to come over. Of course, it was only her love and anxiety to see you — that was all; but poor Yum has been much too serious for once, and hence all these letters. However, I am glad it should happen, as I learnt so much about your work from Mr. Dutt, who can’t be accused of a relative’s blind love. (in a letter written to Sister Nivedita in 1901)
From other writings and Complete Works
- With the Holy Mother as the centre of inspiration, a Math is to be established on the eastern bank of the Ganga. As Brahmacharins and Sadhus will be trained in this Math here, so in the other Math also, Brahmacharinis and Sadhvis will be trained.[Source]
Excerpts from Sister Nivedita’s book
From Complete Works Volume IX, 3 May 1899—[Source]
Then two of us met him in the house of our Holy Mother. The political sky was black. It seemed as if a storm were about to burst. . . . Plague, panic and riot were doing their fell work. And the Master turned to the two and said, “There are some who scoff at the existence of Kâli. Yet today She is out there amongst the people. They are frantic with fear, and the soldiery have been called to deal out death. Who can say that God does not manifest Himself as evil as well as good? But only the Hindu dares to worship Him in the evil”.
Note: Two of us = Swami Vivekananda and Sister Nivedita
Swami Vivekananda regarded Holy Mother Sarada Ma as Divinity itself. Once he remarked at the Belur Math, “Mother is the incarnation of Bagala in the guise of Saraswati. Outwardly she is all peace, but inwardly she is the destroyer of the power of evil.”
In the course of a letter he wrote from America to a brother disciple, Swami Vivekananda said, “You have not yet realized how precious Mother is. People will not understand her now, but they will, gradually. Brother, there will be no salvation of the world without the help of Shakti, the Divine Power. Why is it that our country is the weakest and most backward of all countries? Because Shakti (womanhood) is held in dishonor here. Mother has been born to revive this wonderful Shakti here.”
“Without the grace of Shakti nothing will be accomplished. What do I find in America and Europe? The worship of Shakti, the worship of Power. Yet they worship Her ignorantly, through sense gratification. Imagine then what a lot of good they will achieve when they worship Her with purity, looking upon Her as their Mother!”
“I am coming to understand things every day; my insight is opening out more and more…Let Ramakrishna disappear, that does not frighten me. But it will be a calamity if people forget Mother…Don’t be angry with me. None of you has understood Mother. Her Grace upon me is one hundred thousand times greater that that of the Master!”
“About Mother I am a little fanatic. I can do anything if she gives the order. I shall give a sigh of relief when you purchase a piece of land and install this living Durga there…Brother, when I think of Mother, I say to myself: ‘Who is this Ramakrishna?’ I say this because of my fanaticism. Whether Ramakrishna was God or man – you may say whatever you like. But, brother, shame upon him who is not devoted to Mother!”