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Shraddha's Book 1 The Beautiful Lady of my dream 2 A Danda Swami’s Tribute conveyed to the author by Swami Mangalananda Giri Something interesting happened that you will appreciate. An 84-year-old Danda Swami is staying at the ashram during the rains. He speaks very good English and frequently comes to my room. He asked for any book about Ma, and I told him to browse my “library” which now extends the full length of one wall. Without any prompting from me, he went directly to your book “In Her Perfect Love”, and I gladly lent it to him. After a day he came back and was literally raving about the book. He said, ‘If I sold everything in the world, it would not pay the price of this book. I’ve been mad for this book since I started it - reading it day and night.’ I told him I communicated with you and would pass on his enthusiasm. Swami Mangalananda Contents Introduction………………………………………… 4 Acknowledgement………………………………….. 6 Swamiji’s Blessing…………………………… 7 Foreword ............................................... ...................... 8 First Darshan(1960) ........................................................10 First Trip (November 6, 1970-November 20, 1970) Suktal ................................................................ 14 Kanpur ............................................................... .17 Second Trip (May 9, 1971-May 30, 1971) Varanasi ............................................................. .23 Vrindavan ............................................................ 28 Delhi ................................................................... .30 Third Trip (November 4, 1972-December 6, 1972) Kankhal .............................................................. .33 Kanpur ................................................................. 41 Varanasi ............................................................ ..42 Fourth Trip (December 8, 1974-January 30,1975) Kanpur ............................................................... .44 Naimisharanya .................................................... 50 Vrindavan ...................................................... …..58 Fifth Trip (November 27, 1976-February 1, 1977) Patna ................................................................... .64 Ranchi ................................................................ .67 Kanpur………………………………………… 72 Kankhal .............................................................. 77 Varanasi ............................................................ 81 Allahabad .......................................................... 82 Modinagar ........................................................ 102 Sixth Trip (November 18, 1978-January 6, 1979) Bhimpura ......................................................... 107 Morvi ............................................................... 113 Bombay ............................................................ 119 Poona ................................................................. 120 Bhimpura ......................................................... .123 Seventh Trip (March 2, 1981-April I5, 1981) Vrindavan ......................................................... .133 Kankhal ............................................................ 149 Glossary ....................................................................... 157 Album of photographs from our trips – click here http://www.anandamayi.org/books/Shraddha.pdf © 1995 by Patricia L. Davenport 3 . Introduction These pages hold an account of the most precious days in my life. This is not an autobiography, but truly is the story of my life. During the years of 1970 through 1981 my husband and I made seven trips from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., to see Mother at various locations in India. The events which happened during those seven trips are the fabric of this book. My experiences with Mother are the many-colored threads with which She embroidered the fabric, and the resulting picture which emerges is a touch of Her perfect love. Instead of chapters, there are headings for each of the trips, along with their inclusive dates. For the purpose of reference, subheadings are given within each trip of the city, town, or village in which we saw Mother. It has been a joy for me to relive those wonderful times as I wrote about them. If devotees find some shared joy in reading these stories, then it will have justified the telling. That is the simple purpose of this book. Jai Ma! Shraddha 4 Anjali to Mother With the wish that nothing be left out, these pages are offered at Her Holy Feet. 5 Acknowledgment In the fall of 1990, our dear friend and great devotee of Mother, Sri Rameshbai Patel invited Satya and me to visit him and his brother Kanoobai in Florida. While we were his guests there, I told Rameshbai of the writing I had been doing in order to preserve every possible memory of Mother’s Darshan. As we sat together in the evening, upon his request, I would read aloud from small portions of what I had written. Rameshbai told us that those recollections should be made into a book. In November of 1991, Swami Bhaskaranandaji told me that this book should be ready for Mother's Centenary Celebration. At that time I did not see how it would be possible. It was far from complete and to turn my handwritten scrawls into a book seemed inconceivable. By Mother's Grace, my dear friend Chaitanya was able to dedicate long hours typing the manuscript on her word processor, then doing it all over again when I had to make changes. With the support of Dr. Bipin Bhatt and the efforts of Rameshbai's three sons, Mahadev, Gopaldas and Devang, Swamiji's and Rameshbai's wishes were carried out. The first edition of “In Her Perfect Love” was presented in India during Mother’s Centenary Celebration at Bhimpura in 1996. For this edition, I would particularly like to express my deep appreciation: To my husband, Satya, my divine playmate, who’s love and steady support gave me the courage to bare my soul on these pages which he affectionately referred to as “Our book.” Soon after this book was completed and first published, he left this world while consciously gazing at Mother’s photograph - - - attaining our common goal and life’s purpose, Mother’s Eternal Darshan. To Rameshbai, who left this world in 1998 and now dwells in his Real home, at Mother’s Holy Feet. To Rameshbai’s family, Dr. Bipin Bhatt and all of the many persons whose efforts have contributed in making this record of my dream into the reality of “In Her Perfect Love,” I offer my deepest pronams. Jai Ma! 6 Blessings of Swami Bhaskaranandaji NAYAM ATMA PRAYATNEN LABHYO NA MEDHYA NA BAHUSHRUTEN YAMEVAISH VRUNATE TENA LABHYASTAISH ATMA VIVRUNATE “The „Self‟ is not attained by mere oratory, nor by intelligence, or learning (hearing scriptures) only. But aspirant of „that‟ (Self) only, gets the SELF revealed to them.” These diary pages are not just the account of incidents and mere description of traveling. Shraddha and Satya have jointly made seven trips to this Holy land of India from the other part of this globe in response to the inner voice. During their visits, Shraddha has maintained the diary and this reproduction of hers, gives us the vision – the touch of “being with Mother.” With western body Shraddha and Satya are more Sanatani than they look. I am not sure about Shraddha‟s experience of writing, but after reading this, I have no doubt about their belief that they think, they are pure Hindus. Seven trips from U.S.A. to India in a span of about twelve years by not rich persons like Shraddha and Satya, for being with Mother; not knowing the language and tolerating enormous hardships, shows their zeal and that is depicted here under. My reading of this has inspired me to write the verse of “Upanishad” above. May Ma bless them and help them to obtain their ultimate desired goal in this life. Jai Ma! Magh Purnima, 2051 Swami Bhaskarananda Sri Sri Ma Anandamayee Ashram February 15, 1995 Bhimpura, Gujarat, India 7 Foreword Swami Nirmalananda Giri Not much over one hundred years ago God walked with man in the blissful form of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa of Dakshineswar. One of His disciples, Swami Turiyananda, told in later times of one visit to Sri Ramakrishna during which a renowned Vedantic scholar spoke at His request. After more than an hour of brilliant exposition of the eternal philosophy, he fell silent. Paramhansa Deva was most pleased and spoke words of praise to him. Yet, He then said: "As far as I am concerned, I do not like all those details. There is nothing but my Mother and I. To you, knowledge, knower, and known - the one who meditates, meditation, and the object of meditation - this sort of triple division is very good. But for me, 'Mother and I' - that is all and nothing else." Recounting this incident years later, Swami Turiyananda concluded: "These words, 'Mother and I,' were said in such a way that it made a very deep impression on all present. At that moment all ideas of Vedanta paled into insignificance. The Master's 'Mother and I' seemed easier, simpler, and more pleasing to the mind than the three divisions of Vedanta. I realized then that 'Mother and I' was the ideal attitude to be adopted." Mother and I! Besides which all the greatest principles of philosophy are but "details"! There is nothing else to life, for She is life. I well remember talking with Shraddha and Satya once about the differing levels of "circles" of Mother's devotees and what marked them out from one another. One conclusion we came to was that the devotees could be divided into two basic groups: those that
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