Ramana Hridayam
ABOUT BRAHMAJNA MA
Brahmajna Ma seemed to be of opinion that a man who sought Self-realization should give up all other pursuits and devote his whole time and attention to this alone. That is why
happy-go-Iucky aspirants could never find favor with Her.
She was a strict disciplinarian and would not tolerate anti-sannyasi tendencies. She never encouraged much reading.
She would say, "The Gita and Vivekachudamani are enough; "
She would also say, "Mere reading is good for nothing. Get
hold of some passage and translate it into action. If knowledge of books could do anything, all the pandits would have been liberated long ago. But they are still where they were, and some of them go downwards because they develop the additional sin of pride."
While describing the stages through which she passed,
she said that at one time she developed the power of seeing what was in other people's minds. No one could hide anything, but she was very much disturbed by this. Her mind would not be still and she found herself spending Her whole time studying the thoughts of others, whether she liked it or not.
After some time this stage passed and she was glad.
At another time She found Herself always in a state of happiness. She liked this stage for a few days, but she soon thought,
"This happiness is being felt by the mind: so it is in the region of duality; so I don't want it."
Thus She passed beyond it.
Mother did not want her life to be written and it seemed that the public would never have the benefit of knowing about her. When the first edition of—"Brahmajna Mayer-Katha" was in the press and we thought of giving in the introduction of the book a short sketch of Mother's life none of us venturing to write it, Mother was approached to tell us what should be written. She asked me to take down a few lines which were put in the introduction of that book. Translated into English, they are:
“She was naturally given to discrimination and was engaged in the search for Spiritual Truth. From her childhood, she used to think—
(1) where does a human being go, and in what state does he remain after death, and whence does he come?
(2) In nothing can peace be found in this world: what, then, is real peace? In such thoughts she would then become immersed. And lastly such thoughts as
(3) who am I, what is this body, mind, or atma – used to engage her.
These are the three stages of her sadhana. Without the help of books or gurus, by dint of pure discrimination, and search for Truth, she tore asunder the meshes of maya, overcame all doubts and attained Self-realization.”
After Realization in1912 Mother was taken to crowded localities, towns and cities and she became the center of attraction for the educated and religious public, but thereafter she preferred to live a quiet and retired life. During the last few years of Her life, She was practically an invalid and lived principally in Puri (Orissa), Baidynath (Deoghar), Ranchi (Bihar), and Kolgata, occasionally visiting her native village.
She left her body at Deoghar on the 5th of November 1934, and an ashram named Nirvan Math was erected there to her memory where some of Her disciples and devotees are living.
