Disc 135 Track 4. It’s easy for us to superficially misinterpret the ‘moods’ of the Holy Ones.

To listen to this recording, please fully open the post and then click HERE.

This audio clip follows on from the previous recording on Disc 135 – track 3, in which Swamiji was reading from a book about the life of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. He was at the seaside with devotees, and commenting on various passages as he read. 

The reminiscences are by the same devotee who had earlier been initiated by Holy Mother.

There’s some exquisite detail here on how meticulous the Holy Mother was throughout her life in respecting the conservative protocols, cultural norms and mores of the time. In addition to teaching those around her by her lived daily example.

There’s some interesting discussion about the initiation into spiritual life process, sadhana [spiritual practise] and people commenting on the Holy Mother’s different moods. [Mother was said to have lived her life in a perpetual state of Samadhi – superconsciousness – despite being able to engage externally, in a very normal way.] 

Swamiji in an ‘indrawn’ mood as discussed in this post.

The ‘moods’ of the Holy Ones are not like us being ‘moody’ – but they are often deeply indrawn, and can be quite intimidating to be close to, when they’re in those deeply introspective states. [In our early days at the Avoca ashram, I used to say to my fellow aspirants, that when Swamiji was in such states, it was like being in close proximity to a very powerful electrical field.] 

Swamiji speaks about his own different ‘states’ [moods] and says that it doesn’t mean something’s wrong or that they’re upset, less loving or any of those things. 

The recorder of her experiences in the book, gives a salutary example about how the women with Holy Mother got a gentle rebuke from her when they were gossiping one evening, instead of taking the opportunity to do some spiritual practise [sadhana].

This is truly a ‘must listen to’ clip. It’s nice and clear.

The free-to-read or download, 396 page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography is available by clicking HERE. If you’d prefer the PDF version, please click HERE.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.