Search the Community

Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna on the Divine Mother... All women are manifestations of the Divine Mother. "Women whether naturally good or not, whether chaste or unchaste should always be regarded as images of the Blissful Divine Mother." Thus, do I realise that all women are so many forms in which the Divine Mother appears. Hence, I revere all women alike — be it an unchaste woman, or an ideal wife who is an example to others of conjugal love and devotion. He who is face-to-face with Reality, who is blessed with the vision of God, does not regard women with any fear. He sees them as they really are, images of the Divine Mother of the universe. All women are parts of the Divine Mother and, therefore, they should be looked upon as mothers by all. "Women are, all of them, the veritable images of Shakti." All women are portions of that Blessed One and should be looked upon as mothers. Women whether naturally good or not, whether chaste or unchaste, should always be regarded as images of the Blissful Divine Mother. When I see good women of respectable families, I behold in them the Divine Mother in purity; and when again I look at public women of the city, seated in their open verandahs exhibiting themselves, in them also do I see the Divine Mother sporting only in a different attire. "The knowledge of oneness makes me see that everything is but a manifestation of God the Absolute on the plane of the senses. Thus do I realize that all women are so many forms in which the Divine Mother appears. Hence I revere all women alike." The Divine Mother revealed to me in the Kali temple that it was She who had become everything. She showed me that everything was full of Consciousness. The image was Consciousness, the water was Consciousness, the altar was Consciousness, the water vessels were Consciousness, the doorsill was Consciousness, the marble floor was Consciousness-all was Consciousness. The divine Mother is always playful and sportive. This universe is Her play. She is self-willed and must always have Her own way. She is full of bliss. She gives freedom to one out of a hundred thousand… . The Divine Mother revealed to me: There is only One, without a second - it is Sat-chit-ananda alone who has assumed different forms. God Himself has become the living beings and the phenomenal world - indeed everything. It is He who has become food. "A man forgets God if he is entangled in the world of maya through a woman. It is the Mother of the Universe who has assumed the form of maya, the form of woman. One who knows this rightly does not feel like leading the life of maya in the world. But he who truly realizes that all women are manifestations of the Divine Mother may lead a spiritual life in the world. Without realizing God one cannot truly know what a woman is." God dwells in all people but the manifestation of this inner Divinity varies from person to person. In saintly people there is greater manifestation of God. Women are special manifestations of Divine Mother of the Universe, and so are to be treated with respect. "Why do people worship virgins? All women are so many forms of the Divine Mother. But Her manifestation is greatest in pure-souled virgins. Sri Krishna has a peacock feather on His crest. The feather bears the sign of the female sex. The significance of this is that Krishna carries Prakriti, the female principle, on His head. When Krishna joined the circle of the gopis to dance with them, He appeared there as a woman. That is why you see Him wearing women's apparel in the company of the gopis. Unless a man assumes the nature of a woman, he is not entitled to her company. Assuming the attitude of a woman, he can sport with her and enjoy her company.