Sara Bull, Mrs. (1850-1911)—Disciple, friend and outstanding benefactress of Swamiji, wife of Ole Bull, famous violinist of Norway. Daughter of Hon’ble Joseph G. Thorpe, wealthy businessman and senator of Madison in U.S.A. At the age of 20 married Ole Bull, then aged 60 (1870). Daughter Ole born (1871). After death of Ole Bull (1880) lived in her house at 168, Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The house with a very large audience room was the venue for the well-known Cambridge Conferences which Sara initiated—lectures and classes on subjects of current research in science, art, religion, philosophy, music and other fields of learning. Reputed scholars and intellectuals spoke there, free to discuss the most controversial topics. Her first contact with Swamiji in mid-1894, “She offered her house to him whenever he wished and promised continued financial support” (Saint Sara, p. 104). Swamiji’s first visit to her house, “to rest and write”, on 2.10.1894. Invited to lecture and hold classes on 5.12.1894. Delivered the famous lecture on “Ideals of Indian Women” to a gathering of ladies upon Sara’s request, paying filial homage to his own mother at the end of it. The ladies, deeply impressed, sent a letter of felicitations to her at Calcutta with a picture of Virgin Mary with the child Jesus (Ibid., p. 118). Swamiji’s first visit to her proved to be a turning point in her life, began to regard him as her son and also to revere him as her spiritual guide. Swamiji received much valuable moral, intellectual and financial assistance from her for setting up Vedanta Societies. On 14.2.1898 Sara and Josephine MacLeod accompanied Swami Saradananda to Calcutta. The Math was then housed at Nilambar Mukherjee’s garden-house. The ladies occupied a dilapidated house on the adjacent plot acquired for the Math, sprucing it up and joined by Margaret Noble as Sara’s guest. They travelled in Almora and Kashmir with Swamiji (11..5.1898 – 6.11.1898) and others. Later spent a few days with Sister Nivedita at 16, Bosepara Lane, followed by a stay of more than one month in a rented house on the Ganga at Bally. Along with the other ladies Sara attended the first meeting of the Ramakrishna Mission at Star Theatre on 11.3.1898 (Saint Sara, p. 271). On 17.3.1898 Swamiji took the ladies to meet Holy Mother who called them her daughters. From the very first Sara had no doubt as to her divinity and it was she who persuaded Mother to let her first photograph be taken, the one that is worshipped everywhere now (Ibid., 272-73). On 20.12.1898 Mother graced their Bally residence by visiting them.
Her second visit to India was with Nivedita, arriving at Calcutta in early February 1902, Miss MacLeod having preceded her there. All were guests at the American Consulate. Swamiji being then at Varanasi, Sara went there but failed to bring him back, he being quite ill. Saw him briefly in his room during the Master’s birthday celebrations but spent a whole day with him later. Left India on a sudden due to daughter’s illness. After Swamiji’s demise in July 1902, was very ill and never quite the same. On 13.4.1903 arrived at Japan with Emma Thursby to help Kakuzo Okakura organize a Religious Conference there. Left in early May 1903 for India, her third visit, the Conference being due in September. Reaching Calcutta in early June was very ill with dysentery. Remained in India for six months helping Nivedita and Christine with their work. Helped Jagadish Chandra Bose and Nivedita with their manuscripts, taking them back with her to have them printed. Left for England in November. Continued Swamiji’s work in America until very ill in 1910. Christina, then in America, frequently visited her and Nivedita also visited her Cambridge home in November 1910 as she wished to see Nivedita. Died on 18.1.1911. Made provisions for Basu Vijnan Mandir and Nivedita’s school in her will. Had donated one lakh rupees for the construction of the old shrine at the Math and monks’ quarters (Ibid., p. 269). Had contributed regularly for the maintenance of Holy Mother’s household and Nivedita’s school. Also helped Swamiji’s mother and Swami Saradananda’s parents, besides supporting the researches of Jagadish Chandra Bose.
About Sara Swamiji had once said, “She is a saint, a real saint if ever there was one. To know her is a pilgrimage” (Ibid). For her calm and placid nature he had named her “Dhiramata”, and also called her “Mother”. From Thousand Island Park he had written to her, “In India Raja Ajit Singh of Khetri and in America Mrs. Ole Bull, these are the two persons upon whom I can depend at any time” (Swami Vivekananda in the West—New Discoveries, Vol. 3, p. 158). He spent about a fortnight at Brittany as her guest during his visit to the Paris Exposition (17.9.1900 – 29.9.1900). Swami Saradananda called her “Granny” and Nivedita, “Saint Sara”. In his letters to her dated 6.8.1899 and 18.5.1900 Swamiji gave an account of his earnings and money received otherwise.
Mrs. Bull’s managerial skills acquired in the service of her husband now stood her in good stead for the work of the new Vedanta Societies in America, which Vivekananda placed in her charge. The Swami’s reliance upon Mrs. Bull was absolute. He wrote to her on the 8th of October 1896: “It is needless fear for me to state that you have my implicit confidence in all works in the U.S. and that [I] entrust everything there to you.” Mrs. Bull had two very extraordinary qualities, which made her excellently equipped to serve Swamiji. These were her business acumen and her ability to conciliate any social dispute with finesse. For the first of these qualities, he placed her in charge of the accounts of his entire mission; for the second of these qualities, he was to put her in charge of his America work.
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When Vivekananda returned to America, he specially blessed her with the power to carry out his mission. On the Sunday afternoon of the 5th of November, 1899, as Vivekananda was packing his bags to leave Ridgely Manor, he took out ‘two pieces of cotton cloth — gerua colour — for Mrs. Bull.’ Nivedita described it in a letter to Miss Macleod: “He called me to my room, where Mrs. Bull sat, writing, to give these — first he shut the door then he arranged the cloth as a skirt and chuddar around her waist — then he called her a sannyasini and putting one hand on her head and one on mine, he said: “I give you all that Ramakrishna P. gave to me. What came to me through a woman …..I give to you two women. Do what you can with it. I cannot trust myself. I do not know what I might do tomorrow and ruin the work. Women’s hands will be best anyway to hold what came from a woman — from Mother. Who and what She is, I do not know. I have never seen Her, but Ramakrishna Paramahansa saw Her and touched Her…. Anyway I cast the load on you. I am going away to be at peace…. I have borne it all this time, and now I have given it up….” He wrote to Mrs. Bull on the 12th of April, 1900: “Her will be done. Her power is on you. I am sure She will lead you to what is right.”
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Sara Bull was generous and had extraordinary talents, but these are not what made her a saint. Many people have such talents and they are by no means saintly. Saint Sara qualified for Vivekananda’s certification of her sainthood because of her inner attitude. “It has been my pride”, she said, “to be the servant.”
Swamiji was full of praise for Mrs. Bull but perhaps he paid her the greatest tribute when he wrote to her: “You have been the one friend with whom Sri Ramakrishna has become the goal of life; that is the secret of my trust in you.” It was, no doubt, also the secret of her saintliness. (Source: Western Women in the Footsteps of Swami Vivekananda)
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