Vivekananda's View of Holy Mother

Vivekananda's View of Holy Mother

One can know God only by His grace and not by means of austerity, or by japa and meditation. Grace dawns upon those who are endowed with purity and renunciation, humility and unselfishness, devotion and passionate yearning. Swami Vivekananda recognised Holy Mother's divinity long before he left for the West. From America he wrote to his brother disciples about Holy Mother:

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 the Divine Power ......Why is it that our country is the weakest and most backward of all countries? Because Shakti is held in dishonour 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 than 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 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!

-Sri Sarada Devi and Her Divine Play

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