A Call from Afar.. ..( in search of the extraordinary in the ordinary): 2018

A shrine dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi.

How do you say goodbye to someone who was closer to you than your own breath?
How do you say goodbye to someone who loved you unconditionally with her whole heart?
How do you say goodbye to her who seemed so much one's own, yet who belonged to that realm of rare and pure-souled Sanyassinis who are born only as one in a million?

Revered Pravarajika Yogaprana Mataji. The spiritual head of Sri Sarada Math Pune, India, passed away peacefully on April 5th, 2018 in Pune. Heading the Pune Sarada Math centre for more than 40 years. She was the first Sanyassini I ever met in my life and one of the most inspiring personalities ever.

Pune Sarada Math is one of the most sacred and beautiful ashrams in all of Pune and Maharashtra.

The diety Sri Sarada Ma is a living presence there and that is reflected by the truly holy, spiritual and serene atmosphere of this Hermitage ( ashram)

Most Revered Yogaprana Mataji .
Pune Sarada Math.

The president Mataji of Pune Sarada Math Her Holiness Revered Yogaprana Mataji who passed away on April 5th was a very senior Nun of the Sri Sarada Math order. She has been the head in Pune since the late 70's when the ashram was newly established. Mataji was one of the most inspiring and Holy personalities I have ever met in my life and has been a spiritual guide and force in my life since my school days and a guide to thousands and thousands of devotees in and around Pune, Maharashtra, India.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji was closely associated with and served the First President Mother of the Sri Sarada Math order Her Holiness Bharati Prana Mataji . Revered Bharati Prana Mataji, was a personal `sevak' to Sri Sarada Devi herself.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji also held senior positions in the Education Institutions of the order.
Mataji hailed from a family of renowned Doctors in Bangalore. They were also great devotees of Sri Ramakrishna. Her family was closely associated with the Bangalore Sri Ramakrishna Math.
In her childhood, Mataji met many of the great Sadhus of Ramakrishna Math who were associated with the Bangalore Math in the 40s and 50s and 60s. This included her Guru revered Swami Yatishwarananda Maharaj who initiated her and encouraged her as well as many of his select group of women devotees to join the Sri Sarada Math.
Like most Sannyasins of the order, Mataji was highly educated and held a University Degree in Science and had worked at Bio-Medical research at her university before joining the Sarada Math order at Dakshineshwar Kolkatta.
She was very knowledgeable in Homeopathy medicine. In addition to that, she was a staunch environmentalist way ahead of her time. The gardens of the Pune Sarada Math bear testimony to her ' Green Thumb'.
Since a very young age, she had a spiritual disposition and calling and she knew that she would become a ' Sanyassini' one day.
She spoke often about her own beloved Mothers very high spiritual life and ideal and influence on her. Mataji joined the Sri Sarada Math order in Dakshineshwar Kolkatta in 1964.
Under Revered Yogaprana Matajis dedicated stewardship the Pune Sarada Math ashram grew from the small, tiny quarters in the wilderness to a Huge ashram for Nuns and Bramhacharnins with a Temple dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi.

This also includes A full-fledged school for underprivileged children, a homoeopathic clinic for the needy and a centre for many spiritual and cultural activities.
The extremely beautiful New Temple dedicated to Sri Sarada Ma( inaugurated in 2000) is the personal vision and creation of Revered Yogaprana Mataji herself.
She had visualised and meditated upon its conception years before it was built. Mataji personally sat with architects and designers and discussed each little detail from the wooden carvings to the symbols and the Garbha Mandir ( Sanctum Sanctorum). The layout of the floors, the interiors and everything else.

Revered Bharati Prana Mataji first President of Sr Sarada Math

The architectural beauty and ambience of the Temple, which combines modern concepts with ancient Indian temple styles make this temple Unique, beautiful, serene and captures the essence of Mother Sarada Devi which is
The essence of Peace ..of Motherly Love and Purity.
Sri Sarada Math :
The Nuns and Bramhacaharinis lead a very pure, spiritual and dedicated life based on the ideals of Sri Sarada Devi,, Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. .
That is reaching the highest possible spiritual attainment in human life according to Vedanta, Selfless service to mankind and helping all sincere spiritual seekers of truth attain their spiritual goals. It follows the same sacred principles as the Ramakrishna Math and Misson which is : Átmano mokshártham jagad hitáya cha, ‘For one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world’, formulated by Swami Vivekananda.

The Mothers and sisters of the centre (Hindu Nuns) known as Sanyassinis and Brahmacharinis are affectionately addressed as Matajis and Didis. The

University Educated and highly accomplished women of this order have renounced the world and dedicated their lives to a spiritually higher and very noble purpose. They see humanity as one and consider unselfish service to the underprivileged and helpless members of society along with the highest spiritual attainment as the goal of their life. Their spiritual path is based on the immortal teachings and scriptures of Vedanta
( Oldest known scriptures in the world) This forms the basis of their noble mission.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarada_Devi

Thousands of underprivileged kids from the slums in the city and the land have received a better chance in life because of the free education, medical care, nourishment for the body, mind and soul along with Life skills provided by the mission over the last many decades. The greatness and the guiding force of the Sri Sarada Math and Mission are that those who receive assistance are never asked to give up their individual faiths and follow that of the Missions. Vedanta believes that all Noble and peaceful paths lead to one God. Service and Love are offered unconditionally.

Back in my high school and college days, I would volunteer as an English teacher to the kids in Sarada Math and I had a lot of fun and unforgettable memories in that role. I was also the volunteer Doctor's assistant at the charitable, outpatient clinic in the ashram run by the late Dr Anuradha Das. Dr Das was dearly loved by all and tragically left this world too soon.
The Ramakrishna and Sarada Math missionaries never advertise or self-promote their good work nor personally profit from any of their charities in any way. They lead by example and are a source of spiritual and moral inspiration and hope to millions of men and women in the land.
The World renowned Sage Swami Vivekananda who was the inspiring force behind both the organisations once said "No miracle-mongering and sensationalism in true spirituality and work for God, Country and all Humanity". Truth always triumphs. He had also said that politics and religion can never go hand in hand and that is why these two renowned spiritual and charitable organisations never have any link with politicians, political groups or power.
In fact, the great saint Swami Vivekananda had visited Pune in the September of 1892. He had met the great freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak and there are historical references to his stay in Pune. ( For further reading see the website: https://www.rkmpune.org/rkm_pune/history.html)https://www.rkmpune.org/rkm_pune/history.html

Meanwhile as a devotee of Sarada Math, I can vouch that not only I but all those who have been associated with the math since the late seventies and early 80's onwards have closely seen how the nuns and Brahmacharinis from the early days struggled against the hardships of living on the barren land which lacked fresh water and adequate electricity. Not to forget that this was " All women ashram" with little or no external involvement or help from men.

With their own hands, Mataji and the Sanyassini and Brahmachari sisters re-landscaped the ashram by adding fertile soil, planting Trees, plants, vegetable gardens and created this `Tapovana'of bliss.
Resources were less, the devotee group was small and they faced great personal hardships and lack of even basic resources..but the Universal Mother Sri Sarada Devi always provided. Today Mother's grace flows in every way and she is Ma Annapurna and Ma Laxmi and Ma Saraswati in abundance.
This renowned educational institution of Pune Sarada Math started as a small ' Balwadi' or kindergarten for the needy children who lived in the hutments around the hills. The Sanyassinis would personally visit the hutment colonies and encourage the poor daily wage labourers and workers to send their children to receive free education, nutritional meals and clothing at the ashram. These children are the poorest of the poor with almost no resources or opportunities to have even a basic quality of human life. Silently and steadily The Sarada Math gave them education, nutrition, hope and above all...` Love.'
Today this school has grown to include the pre-primary, primary and secondary level school level, winning Govt awards and recognition for its excellence in education and social upliftment. There are also many facilities like a library and reading room provided for high school and college girls in the area, who do not have a quiet space at home to study.
This has benefitted many many young girls from poor families.
The generations of school children have grown up to be responsible members of society with a strong education and a spiritual and moral foundation for life.
This is how God really works through his chosen ones...slowly and steadily planting the seeds of transformation and positive change. Building the spiritual and moral foundations of society. No 'marketing of supernatural phenomena' and mysticism.
No ' Cult' of false prophets `duping' the poor and innocent in the name of God.

True unselfish and unadvertised work for humanity. In an age where anyone and everyone markets their 'good deeds' real or 'staged' on social media..the depth and silent service of Sri Sarada Math and the Ramakrishna Math and Mission is priceless.

That is why since time immemorial it has been said and practiced that the all-renouncing Sadhus and Sanyassinis who have no worldly desire for name or fame whatsoever are the true bearers of God's work and message and not the `worldly ..name and fame and wealth seeking self-styled' Gurus and Prophets who build their fortunes by " marketing the spiritual truths realised by others" or breaking the backs of the lost and vulnerable. ." Tapasya, Sadhana and Renunciation have no equal" in spiritual life said Sri Ramakrishna.
He also said " Everyone wants to be a teacher...but rare is that pure-souled devotee who wants to be a true seeker. Such self-styled teachers are easily available everywhere and like wet logs finally, sink in deep water..taking their followers with them.." He further warned that one must seek spiritual guides and paths with care. Sri Sarada Math is a place of the true daughters of God. True `Rishis.'

Swami Vivekananda once said that with Holy Mother as the nucleus Gargis and Maitreyas( legendary women sages and spiritual leaders) will rise again. This is an ashram where Gargis and Maitryis truly abide.
Swami Vivekananda's dream of an India lead by truly worthy and strong spiritual women becomes a living Truth.
I can also as a first-hand witness say that our beleoved Sri Yogaprana Mataji was a Mother figure not only to me but thousands who had the good fortune of knowing her closley...
Looking back at those golden years we feel that Mataji was one of those rare children of the light who are born with a special and divine mission. Hers was to carry on the Torch of Motherly Love which Sri Sarada Devi the19th century Saint had lit..the message and mission of a true Mother's heart.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji with a devotee's child.

Here in far away Canada I received the sad news soon after our beloved Yogaprana Mataji breathed her last. I heard later from the younger sanyassinis that in the night before she went into a long coma..she read the entire Vishnu Sahastra Nama Stotram ( a holy book of hymns) till the end. Though she was asked many times to rest and continue the reading another day, she did not stop. The next morning which was late February 2018, she had sunk into a coma. Yet everything else was normal..Though she was hospitalised for more than a month, the doctors finding everything else normal, permitted her to be taken back to the ashram in her state of " Samadhi" in late March. In the evening hours of April 5th, just as the last `chants' of the evening vesper service ended..so did Matajis breath slowly fade away and she went into " Mahasamadhi" or eternal oneness with God.

My own beloved Mother first met Revered Yogaprana Mataji in the late 70s when the Pune Sarada Math had just been established as a small chapel and home for Sanyassnins( Hindu Nuns) in Vitthalwadi, which was then a remote part of Pune.
I, as a school girl, accompanied my Mother for the first time in early 1980, very eager to meet this loving and warm Mother figure my mother had so glowingly described.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji with school children.

She was the first Sanyassini I ever saw in my life ..as we waited excitedly in the verandah while someone went in to tell her that visitors were there, she suddenly came out of her quarters, a tall, still youthful and very smart looking and distinguished and very dignified Sanyassini.. dressed in the traditional ochre garb of the world-renouncing Hindu Nuns and Monks. .smiling and laughing and filled with vigour and energy and a golden glow of light on her face. She said in Bengali my mother tongue.." Who has come today?...let me see who is here?" .My Mother told me to bow and pay respects as we do to elders in India and Mataji playfully and lovingly tousled my hair.

I looked up and she smiled her brilliant and frank and very loving smile and took my hand and said come let's have a little treat. She took me and my mother inside the shrine of Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda and then after we paid our respects..she took us into the little dining room where we joined the Sannyasins and Brahmacharnins for Tea. I felt that I was meeting someone very close whom I know since my birth, she never made me feel anything less. That was the beginning of a long..long association that became closer than a relationship we have with our own blood kith and kin till today.
Through her we met our Spiritual Guru Sri Mokshaprana Mataji....through her we learned so much of about our Ishtas Sri Ramakrishna, Ma Sarada and Swami Vivekananda and through her, we learned that everyone can have a very very personal relationship with their Ishta and that Swami Vivekananda's words of truth are a Real and Living Reality. Through her, we learn that each one of us can achieve anything they really want, with the right focus, hard work and positive thinking and above all Faith.

The Temple corridors.

In the `'Katahmrita, Sri Ramakrishna says that to know God one must live in Holy company. He also says that the younger one is when one comes there..the better.

Meeting the men and women of God is not only in attending their lectures, or meeting them in formal settings and watching them from afar. Association is being with them as a family in their everyday moments. This is possible when one goes to an ashram where there are many Sadhus or Sanyassinis and you approach them with the correct attitude of humility and devotion and integrity and they accept your company and services for the greater good.

You see and learn from their greatness in their great self-discipline and self-control in every aspect of their life. The way the speak..the things they speak of..how they treat each individual on a personal level and in a group setting.
You see their genuine unselfishness and spirit of sacrifice. Their contentment and total non-attachment to power and money, Their poise, their courage when faced with difficulty. Their guilelessness and pure-heartedness and yet their sharpness in recognising the motives behind those that come to them.Their compassion and gentleness. Their respect for each and every living being. They have an uncanny ability to look into people's hearts and minds and to understand and take away their pain if any. The most unique quality of the truly `Holy ones' is the peace and purity they radiate. There is a 'field' of peace and strength in their presence..`Tune in' to it and you will automatically "Tune out" of the jarring restless sound of the world outside.

In the material world and in family life there is always a degree of selfishness...moving with the great shows us what true sacrifice every moment of the day and unselfishness and human grit truly is.
You see the love and genuine compassion with which they serve their elderly Sadhus and Sanyassinis of their order whereas very worldly-minded and selfish people consider their ageing parents to be a burden.
In the ashram, each person is treated like a precious child by the Sadhus and Sannyasins. You see the calm and serenity of a Sadhu versus the hidden anger and ego of a worldly person.

Sri Sarada Devi Shrine Pune Sarada Math

Some of the best conversations I had with Mataji over years and years occurred in the most unexpected moments when Mataji would say something profound and deep. Sometimes it was about her own beloved Mother who she lost very early..or about her spiritual teachers and Guru Revered Swami Yatshwarananda Maharaj.
She would tell us stories about Sri Bharatiprana Mataji who she personally served and was very close to,
and the stories of Ma Sarada that she heard from her first hand.
She would lovingly prepare some sweet dessert that was actually a favourite of Sri Sarada Ma herself.
She would teach us by example and was extremely clean and organised in every small detail of her own office and the surroundings of the ashram. She was known as an excellent trainer of aspiring Sanyassinis and those who spent their Brahmacharini years at the Pune ashram were model Sanyassinis and perfect all-rounders in every aspect of Ashram life. Each one of the Sanyassinis is capable of handling the responsibilities and tasks of any duty they are called upon to do and to lead others too.
Right into the last few years of her divine life, Mataji would take the spiritual Sunday classes for devotees and the regular scripture and spiritual classes for the Brahmacharini and Sanyassini nuns and novices.
As regular devotees and volunteers, we had the opportunity to attend many of these unforgettable classes on great spiritual truths.
Revered Yogaprana Mataji had a unique and very lovable way of making these immortal and precious truths comprehensible to the most simple of minds. She made sure that everyone felt benefited by these teachings and brought simple everyday examples and incidents to drive home the points. One of the greatest qualities of Vedanta and great spiritual teachers like Mataji is that they never condemn anyone's path or situation in life. Never is the belief system or faith of other religions 'slammed' nor are the opinions of any devotee ignored. Our favourite class was always the " Complete works of Swami Vivekananda" as taught to the young Sanyassinins and Brahmacharnins but also attended by close devotees who would volunteer there.

Pujanya Yogaprana Mataji was kind and loving to all. People came to her with the burdens and sorrows of worldly life. She would listen to the stories of all their pains and suffering with sympathy and sensitivity and speak kind and loving words of counsel. She would ensure that everything possible was done to help them and then would spend her nights and early mornings praying for them. Her ' Sevak' Sanyassini sisters have told me how Mataji even in her own suffering would pray all night for the devotees. She took a special stand against ill-treatment or injustice to any girl or women devotee in their family set up. She was a protector of her daughters in many many ways.

The Verandah of the ashram.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji as Leader: Mataji was one of the best leaders and organisers I have ever seen in my life. She had a sense of justice, fair play and keen ability to look into the heart and minds of people and see the best in them.
She was also a Sadhu in every sense of the word and unafraid to speak her mind. Close devotees and sanyassini sisters and novices would all say that Mataji was one of the best judges of human character and motive and nobody could fool her.
She encouraged not only the young devotee girls and women but also the sanyassini sisters to be strong, fearless and unpretentious.
No one could ever say that she was in anyway influenced, controlled or showed favour to any group or an individual devotee in any way, no matter how much they contributed or served, She was so completely a "Sanyassin of God alone'.
She did not put up with manipulative behaviour and vain or over dramatised show of devotion. The real devotion was in silent action and not show. In a group setting, she treated every devotee as equal and special. Nobody was left with a feeling of being less or more important than another. The ones who had the privilege of serving and giving were and are till this day the most humble and kind and bonded with others. They never expect special treatment or privileges. They never exercised any kind of power and control and show of authority or rank with other devotees. In the West " Power and control" becomes part of the group experience and often overrides the "Bhakta Sangh" one.
We have never witnessed a culture of personality cults of self-appointed superstars in our Sarada Math Ashram.
Sri Sarada Ma's Sanyassini and Brahmacharini daughters are down to earth, simple, unpretentious and truly loving from their hearts.They are like Sri Sarada Devi was....' hidden and priceless diamonds.'.No outer show of grandeur or superficial mannerisms. Only by knowing them closely could we understand that we are in the presence of women of such greatness. Associating with them we understood the essence of Sri Sarada Ma..who was often the most ordinary looking woman in a room full of people..yet the most extraordinary.
Sri Yogaprana Mataji had also set a very high standard of behaviour and expectations from devotees ..both women and men.
In India, the Sadhus work with thousands and thousands of devotees and social upliftment projects and spiritual events are on a huge scale. Yet there is a wonderful team spirit and harmony without any personality cult or power politics and monopoly at play.
That is because the Sanyassinis themselves supervise and actively organise each activity and carefully choose the volunteers who can match the spirit of zeal and work with cheerfulness. No one feels alienated.

Revered Yogaprana Mataji ensured that everyone rich or poor, humble or famous would experience the love and peace and joy of the temple and ashrama without ever feeling it was a ' Rich man's" social and intellectual club that sometimes happens in the spiritual centres of the west.
Here it is that we first experienced the joy of working together and sharing our `Prasad', volunteer duties and time together with people from all walks of life and social backgrounds.

In the male-dominated society, of India, she was careful about the behaviour of men visiting the ashram and had set strict rules of behaviour and conduct. Any complaint of harassment or bullying or misbehaviour was taken seriously and dealt with seriously. Some men and women pose as great devotees with tears and drama and show of devotion...Mataji would never tolerate or encourage this.
There were no subgroups and lobbies and devotees with sub devotees of their own. That is why the close men devotees in the Sarada Math ashrams are some of the best examples of brothers, fathers, sons and fellow devotees..
When you speak of the power of Mother Durga....this was it. A woman spiritual leader with wisdom, depth, sharp keen intelligence, Just, Noble, A visionary and yet filled with incomparable Motherly Love and sagaciousness...

The idol of Ma Durga stands in the temple corridor.

Life is a pilgrimage: Some of the most unforgettable pilgrimages of our life ( My Mother's and mine) were with Pujanya Yogaprana Mataji...I can almost hear the chimes of the temple bells and the dust of the roads leading to the ancient temples in and around Pune..Alandi, Bhimashanker, Baneshwar, Mahabaleshwar, Pandahrpur, Kolhapur, Aurangabad..Nashik.Trimbakeshwar, Vani and many many more..
During those unforgettable trips in the company of Mataji and other Sanyassinis, we heard the sacred stories of those places. We worshipped and meditated in their divine company..sat in the Temple courtyards and wayside sugar cane fields sharing our meals and in the evening hours watched the sunset and the nightfall...There was always a divine thread and a deep peace and intense happiness during those precious pilgrimages.

Life is a Pilgrimage...

Sometimes in the summer months, we left early before dawn on a pilgrimage to a Holy site. On the way, we would stop by a truly beautiful scenic place and Mataji or another senior Nun such as Bharati didi would conduct a scripture class for the brahmacharini didis under the shades of the trees. What unforgettable moments and experiences. Whenever we saw the image of Sri Sankaracharya teaching his Sanyassi pupils, Mataji would stop and appreciate it. In truth when she sat amongst her young Sanyassini students she resembled the great avatar Adi Sanckarachaya himself.
Many people commented that Mataji had the strong and serene personality of Shiva .

From the years 1980 to 2001 ( 21 years) when I left for Canada I was very lucky to travel with Mataji and so many senior Sannyasins from Dakshineshwar and other centres visiting Pune.. I was given the honour and blessing to be the local 'Guide' to all visiting Matajis from other centres.
One of the most memorable amongst these pilgrimages in their company would be the trip to Bhimashanker in 1986 where my Mother and I had the priceless and divine company of Revered Muktiparan Mataji, Sri Atmaprana Mataji, Sri Dayaprana Mataji, Sri Yogaprana Mataji, Sri Amogaprana Mataji and Brahmacharini Prema di who later became Sri Durga Prana Mataji... all of them together in one place.
The other journey was with my revered Guru Ma Sri Moksha Prana Mataji herself, along with revered Yogaprana Mataji and 'Kumuda didi' Revered Amitprana Mataji ( Head of Indore Mutt) .No less in any way are the unforgettable occasions with our dear Brahmacharini sisters and Sanyassini Nuns of Pune itself. I was jokingly named the Pune ' Panda" ( Temple guide ) by Mataji. On the positive side, I can say that I have seen the sweetness and serenity and the gentle Motherly ' Bhav' of truly spiritual women of God....I have experienced something extraordinary and rare.
.On the other hand, that has also made me" allergic' to worldly men and women of any age. No matter how sophisticated and sweet tongued they may be... No matter if they hang around in temples and places of prayer..the difference between a worldly person and one who is of God is like the contrast between Night and Day.
The lesson I have taken from these pilgrimages is that Life is a journey..a pilgrimage towards the Light..the Truth..our Ishta and the company we keep during this time is very importaint..

Sri Ramakrishna accepted all prophets as true and from the one God. Pictures in Matajis room Pune.

Mataji as our Family Protector. In 1982 a young girl in our family fell seriously ill from some unknown cause. She was in a coma for 10 days admitted to Pune's Ruby Hall Hospital. The doctors asked the parents to call the closest relatives..her end was near. Mataji came and sat by the girl's bed for the whole night praying in the ICU. A day or so later the girl opened her eyes again. Mataji took the girl under her wings for life showering her with Love and protection in every way until the end. Many patients and doctors in the hospital saw this and began to visit Sarada Math and invite Mataji to pray for the sick and dying. The people who came to her were from all different faiths including Christians, Muslims and Parsis.

In 1990 after a courageous fight with Cancer my beloved father who was only 54, chose to spend the last days of his life at home..away from the hospital.. Almost every evening in the last weeks of his life Mataji would visit him and they would share many spiritual conversations. Mataji also prepared us to be brave....then came that fateful hour. The day was November 2nd and the `tithi 'was Karthik Purnima.The doctor who came home that morning told us that there were only a few more hours of his life left.
Hearing the sad news..Sri Yogarana Mataji and three sannyasinis from Sarada math immediately came to our home. They stood by my Fathers bedside and chanted the holy hymns of the Gita.
Revered Yogaprana Mataji poured `Charnamitra' which is Holy water in my father's mouth. She connected my father to our spiritual Guru Sri Moksha Prana Mataji by Telephone. Our Guru blessed my father with her golden words of consolation and her Spiritual message to him..and then he passed away with a happy smile and an expression of bliss and a face full of happiness and light. It was a truly moving and spiritual experience for us all..
My father and Yogaprana Mataji shared many spiritual thoughts and ideas for the Noble work that Sri Sarada Math does. They interacted closely over many years and he wanted to do a lot of work for Sri Sarada Math before he was taken away too soon.

Coincidentally they both shared the first name. My Fathers name was Sri Kamal and Mataji before her Monastic life was Sri Kamala Devi.
After my beloved Father passed away it was Mataji and her Sanyassini sisters who gave us strength and courage to face his loss and also face the many years of challenges and danger and hardship. Their prayers and blessings and loving company gave us solace and enabled us to come out of that dark time into one of victory and strength in God.

Fall in Canada . The park by our home.

Though I married in far away Canada, I could not come to India every year and there were long gaps between my visits to India my Motherland.
Whenever I called Mataji on the Phone from Canada she would say " Lipi..it has been so long since I saw you....when are you coming..please come soon my girl..dont delay. come soon to me"..
It was my deepest wish that Sri Yogaprana Mataji should meet and bless my beloved husband Brian.
On both our recent visits 2016 and 2017 to India, he had the good fortune to meet her several times over the few weeks that we stayed in India.
Her sacred blessings, Motherly love and meaningful conversations touched him deeply. She gave him her strong stamp of approval and appreciation.
Brian is a third-generation Canadian of Scottish and English heritage. She was the first" Sanyassini' he had ever met...yet her true motherly Love and divinity and blessings made him feel very close. ...right at home and touched him deeply.
People of God such as Mataji do not know limits to their acceptance. They are not prejudiced and close-minded. It is the only most base and small minded people who suffer from xenophobia and prejudice of any kind. Not great Sadhus like Sri Yogaprana Mataji.
With Mataji's love and blessings, we are both blessed for life..To me, that is the greatest Gift in the world..greater than Gold and Diamonds or Million dollar wedding celebrations.
In our family's long association of almost 40 years with Mataji, she blessed our home almost every month with her visits until her health failed later.
Even till this day, my Mother has a tradition of always welcoming Sadhus from Sarada Math and Sri Ramakrishna Math at any and every opportunity. Their prayers and blessings have touched our lives in many ways.
Whenever our dearest Yogaprana Mataji visited our home she would go out of her way to make each and every servant and visitor feel special and honoured and even give our little Pet Dog `Lucky'her love and attention. She called Lucky..`Lokhi.'.which means `'Laxmi' in Bengali.
My dearest Mother has been very very fortunate to have an amazingly close relationship with revered Yogaprana Mataji from almost the beginning of her tenure as head in the Pune ashram. She Loved Mataji as a daughter loves a Mother and so do I. She could serve and spend many many years in a very close relationship with Revered Yogaprana Mataji especially and many other senior Nuns of Sarada Math and almost every Brahmacharini sister and Sanyassini Mother of the order who passed through Pune.
Not only that my Mother is often described as a close and genuine devotee who has truly reflected that connection in her sweet and loving and motherly behaviour towards all.

There are many many more memories and thoughts that come to mind and much to say, but words fail me because Sri Yogaprana Mataji is too great and rare and wonderful a holy personality to be described by words, or expressions or poetry because she is beyond the grasp of my ordinary pen and my mere words..

What stands with us though is her supreme courage. Since 2001 after the completion of the Temple Mataji began to suffer from serious health ailments. Some affected her nerves and were truly painful. Yet her face was always lit with a divine peace and contentment and her eyes were filled with Love.
For almost 18 years she suffered a lot physically but her love and concern and compassion for the devotees and her Sanyassini and Brahmacharini daughters never faded. The light of peace and love was always on her face. That was our beloved revered Yogaprana Mataji.

Thinking of those days..I am reminded of a parable of when the daughter of a King was asked to speak her thoughts and all she could speak of was her life as a Princess..for me when asked or even unasked..all I can speak of is my life amongst the ochre-clad ever free Sanyassinis who are true women of God.
I am no Saint, never was and never will be. ..and yet, have always enjoyed the spiritual company of the Sanyassinis. This even when I worked at something as unholy as ' Crime Reporting'. As the years go by and I gracefully let go of the past...I am fully at home in my spiritual path and my spiritual anchor , my Ishta and my association since my early youth with this sacred place...whatever I am I try to be as genuine and authentic a person as I can.

I try not to be a cause of pain or sorrow to anyone but a blessing in any way I can. If I cant, I just stay as far away as possible from those who do not enjoy my company, nor I theirs. That is the gift that the company of Sadhus has given me ..fearlessness and zero awe of worldly Power or Position and " Nautanki"..Whatever little I have achieved in my life..whatever challenge I have had the courage and endurance to bear is because of their example and blessings in my life.

I consider that blessing manifested especially through a wonderfully loving Mother and a Virtuous and beloved husband both the greatest gifts in life to me.
Also amongst the greatest blessing is the unseen will which brought me to Canada I was very lucky that from the first week of my landing I could come to the Vedanta Society of Toronto ( branch of Ramakrishna Math Belur) ,I could receive the darshan, association and Holy company of two great Sadhus, The late Revered Swami Pramathananda Maharaj and the present head of VST Revered Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj who are both blazing Torches of Spiritual Truth and whose teachings and company is like that of being in the presence of a Noble and great Father with the loving and teaching heart of a Mother.

To me My Sanyassinis sisters of Sarada Math are the ever pure and genuine angels amongst suffering humanity ..always filled with light. and Peace and Truth. Those who understand..see the blessing and share in it..those who do not miss one the greatest opportunities in life which is to live in presence of the `Children of Light'.

How do those who receive the gift of the company of the great souls repay them for this immense gift of compassion on us in this life..?

A Rangoli decoartion in front of the temple

Some devotees become the demons of Shiva, filled with their own self-importance and power and vanity and scare others away from God and his people using their supporters/family as `Attack dogs.' Adding admirers and devotees of their own and forgetting who and what purpose we came for..( observations from personal experience with " devotee subculture' in some places in the West).
A temple or place of worship is not for our own self-promotion and hidden agendas and power politics.

In Pune Sarada Math we all saw how the one who literally built it with her own self-sacrifice and blood and sweat and health left gracefully... blessing all when her time on this earth was done.

The best way to repay them is to reflect even a drop of their great love and unselfishness and devotion in our own lives and behaviour. To reflect courage and strength and grit and have unswerving faith.

I heard from my Mother and many devotees in Pune that after the last sacred rites were performed and Matajis mortal remains were consigned to the sacred flames..Each and everyone young and old..rich and poor wept and said one thing
" Today we have lost our Mother..we never saw Sri Sarada devi..but we saw Mataji and she was our Mother.."
I think of Mataji as I saw her in the last few years when I visited India .sitting with her sannyasini daughters and devotee visitors for 'prasad' in the noon hour...and in the evening time after Arati....sitting on her chair in the front verandah of the temple, lovingly greeting devotees or looking out towards the ancient Ganesha temple opposite the ashram..always whispering the name of God.
I think of her as I knew her over the years and always had free access to her room where she gave `special darshan' to others but to me... it was my Mataji's room..the room filled with a peace beyond description, a room always filled with light and her serene, loving Motherly presence..her affectionate look and words to me.. " Tumi kintoo ammader mey..tumi bheator er may...shobh shomay money rekho... Bhalo accho to Ma..tumi kinto Bhalo Thakkbey" Bengali for " You belong to us...you are a girl of the inner house... never forget that...How are you keeping my daughter..stay well " Here is where she also blessed Brian several times too during our last few visits in 2016 and 2017.
To me the last words during our last meeting was her advice to me to be a little candlelight and to shine for others. and to be a best friend and loving wife to my Life partner, Brian.
To be a worthy daughter to my Mother and to never forget the ultimate goal of life which is to live by the teachings and ideal of our Ishta and make that our life's mission.
Yes, the Sanyassinins are the Giant flaming Torches of God..the torches that light and give hope to millions..we can light our little candles to them and carry on..by sharing that light which never dims.

The city of Pune, India is blessed that Sri Yogaprana Mataji blessed it with her life amongst us. This great Sadhu lived in our city for more than 40 years. She established the great tradition of Ma Sarada and `Matri Bhav' here. The lovely Temple dedicated to Sri Sarada Devi and the School for poor underprivileged children.
The Social and spiritual upliftment projects and the great spiritual blessings of the Pune Sri Sarada Math ashram itself for more than 40 years is her gift to us. We are fortunate and greatly honoured in this life, that we knew her so closely and experienced that unearthly Motherly Love that we will carry in our hearts till the very last breath of our lives..the Love that comes from that Universal Divine God who sustains the universe forever...

Note : More photos of revered Yogaprana Mataji as we knew her will be added soon.

Ma Saraswati Devi in the Temple corridor.

A Call from Afar.. ..( in search of the extraordinary in the ordinary)

Pages

Friday, December 14, 2018

When my wings and my footsteps take me back to my Motherland every year...

Friday, April 6, 2018

Bidding goodbye to a spiritual Mother. Pujanya, Pravarajika Yogaprana Mataji:Spiritual Mother to thousands passes away