December 9th, 2013 Monday: Reminiscences of The Holy Mother - Other Sources
Satwik Joglekar
09-December-2013 (Monday)
From: MEMORIES OF THE HOLY MOTHER -05
By: Mohini Mohan Mukerji
Prabuddha Bharata February 1955 p: 74
On the appointed day and time, I was present at Baghbazar and through the great kindness and love of Swami Dhirananda, I had my initiation. I felt terribly afraid when I entered the shrine where Mother was waiting for me after the Puja. I was the first to be initiated on that day. Once in her presence, I had no trace of fear and talked to her as I would to my mother at home. When I was asked to sit down on the seat at her left, I found – I actually saw with my own eyes – that she was transformed. A divine halo surrounded her and from her and from her countenance radiated the same sweetness, the same divine bliss, and the same profound compassion, that were so natural to her but had escaped my notice before. Once or twice she passed her palm from my head down the spine and uttered, ‘Ah, Ah, you are so tender in age, my son.’ Perhaps she had vivined that I would have to remain in this world of sorrows and troubles and felt pity for the immense suffering that was in store for me. As I had been advised by my well-wisher, I had taken a silver rupee to offer her as dakshina. When I bowed down to her and took out the rupee, she said, ‘No, no, you need not pay. Where would you get money, my son? You are a school student and so tender in age. You take this haritaki (myrobalan fruit) (she handed it over to me) and offer it to me.’ I replied, ‘No, Mother. You must accept this rupee. I aved it from my pocket-money.’ Swami Dhirananda had meanwhile opened the door and was inside the room. He had been waiting outside and had heard our conversation. When I looked at him, he indicated to me by a wink to place the rupee along with the haritaki before Mother. I at once did so and he came forward and Mother gave the rupee to him. He said, ‘This rupee will be used for Thakur’s (Sri Ramakrishna’s) Puja.’ Mother smiled, washed her hand in Ganges water, remained silent, and then directed Krishnalal maharaj to give me some Prasad. I came out after touching Mother’s feet with my head and partook some Prasad, standing on a small verandah and a few feet away from the door of Mother’s room.
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