The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna- 4.27. 6.Worship of the Divine Mother-

17/02/2017.

Chapter-4. ADVICE TO HOUSEHOLDERS-27-6.

August 13, 1882

 6.Worship of the Divine Mother-


The Master continued: "One must propitiate the Divine Mother, the Primal Energy, in order to obtain God's grace.  God Himself is Mahamaya, who deludes the world with Her illusion and conjures up the magic of creation, preservation, and destruction.  She has spread this veil of ignorance before our eyes.  We can go into the inner chamber only when She lets us pass through the door.  Living outside, we see only outer objects, but not that Eternal Being, Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute.  Therefore it is stated in the purna that deities like Brahma praised Mahamaya for the destruction of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha.

"Sakti alone is the root of the universe.  That Primal Energy has two aspects: vidya and avidya.  Avidya deludes.  Avidya conjures up 'woman and gold', which casts the spell.  Vidya begets devotion, kindness, wisdom, and love, which lead one to God.  This avidya must be propitiated, and that is the purpose of the rites of Sakti worship.

"The devotee assumes various attitudes toward Sakti in order to propitiate Her: the attitude of a handmaid, a 'hero', or a child.  A hero's attitude is to please Her even as a man pleases a woman through intercourse.

"The worship of Sakti is extremely difficult.  It is no joke.  I passed two years as the handmaid and companion of the Divine Mother.  But my natural attitude has always been that of a child toward its mother.  I regard the breasts of any woman as those of my own mother.

To be continued ...