Maa initiating Sohrab Modi
Satwik Joglekar
I had read earlier about the
veteran superstar and director Shri. Sohrab Modi being initiated by Maa during
his visit to Kolkata (he was staying at Belur Math and had gone to get Maa’s
Darshan) but the details came to know just now… I don't know if today's generation would ever remember this name from "Bollywood" but when I was a kid my father had specially taken me to see one of his old movies: "Sikandar" with Sohrabji as Porus and Prithviraj Kapoor as Sikandar!!!
Thanks to the wonderful book by
Swami Chetanananda the people like me not knowing Bengali, now have access to
never before read incidents from Maa’s life… This is just an example!
"I am coming, Mother!"
MAA INITIATING SOHRAB MODI
(From: Sri Sarada Devi And Her Divine Play – Swami Chetanananda – p: 483 – 484)
Once Holy Mother returned to Calcutta from Jayrambati after suffering from malaria for a long time. She was very weak and the devotees were not allowed to see her. At that time a young Parsi man named Sorab Modi* (* Sorab Modi – or Sohrab Modi – became a famous actor and director of Hindi films in Bombay.) came from Bombay. He had read a book by Vivekananda and felt drawn to Vedanta. Impressed by his sincerity, Saradananda gave him permission to bow down to Holy Mother. Arupananda escorted him to her. After bowing down, Sorab prayed in Hindi: “Mother, please give me a mantra so that I can realize God.”
Holy Mother asked Arupananda: ‘Shall I initiate him? Let me do so.”
Arupananda replied: “How is it possible? You just recovered from a fever. Moreover, no one is even allowed to see you now. What will Sharat Maharaj think? You had better initiate him later.”
Holy Mother said: ‘You go and ask Sharat.” Arupananda rushed to Saradananda and informed him of the matter.
Saradananda replied: “What can I say? If the Mother wants to initiate that young Parsi man, let her do it.”
When Arupananda returned to Holy Mother, he found that she had already spread two asanas and was ready with the Ganges water. After initiation, she said to Arupananda: “This boy is good. He understood whatever I said.” (Mayer Katha (in one volume), Udbodhan Office: Calcutta, 2004 p: 158) Amazed, Arupananda realized that this was the Mother’s play.
Later Sorab Modi related his reminiscences to Swami Nirmayananda:
It was 1918. I was then a young man. My elder brother was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and from him I first heard about Sri Sarada Devi. My brother sent me from Bombay to Calcutta to meet Holy Mother. After arriving in Calcutta, I went to Baghbazar to see the Mother, who was then very ill. I had heard that no devotees were allowed to see her. I bowed down to Swami Saradananda and said: “I have come from Bombay to see the Mother and I want initiation from her.” Observing my passionate appeal, his mind softened. He asked a monk to escort me to the Mother and asked me to seek blessings from her. After bowing down to the Mother, I expressed my desire for initiation. Out of compassion she immediately initiated me. Although she did not understand my language and I also did not know Bengali, we communicated well without any difficulty. The Mother spoke in Bengali and I answered in Hindi. While taking leave from her, I said, “Mother, I am going.” The Mother said: “My son, don’t say ‘I am going,’ rather say, ‘I am coming.’” When the Mother’s attendant translated her words to me into English, I was amazed. I was unaware of the Bengali custom that one should speak that way while leaving. However, I returned to Bombay with a sweet memory of the Mother. She was wonderful and beautiful.
Thus many years have passed and now I am an old man. I almost forgot the Mother all these years (as I was busy with the movie industry). Now I am waiting for the call from above and that call can come any time. I have no attraction for this world anymore. Now the forgotten Mother is coming to my mind again and again. Now those words of her – “My son, don’t say ‘I am going,’ rather say, ‘I am coming.” – are ringing in my ears. Now I realize what was then inscrutable to me: I wanted to go away from the Mother but could not succeed. No one can go away from the Mother. Everyone will have to return to the Mother. This is the last realization of my life: I am coming to my Mother. (Swami Purnatmananda, ed., Sri Sri Mayer Padaprante, Udbodhan Office, Calcutta (Vol. 3:1997 p: 591-92))
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Anita Sinha
What a lovely anecdote. I do remember seeing Sikandar during childhood. Really interesting bit bit of news Satwikji ! Thank you for sharing .