God As Mother

BySri Swami Chidananda

A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
Fourth Edition: 1991(3000 copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999
WWW site: http://www.dlshq.org

This WWW reprint is for free distribution

© The Divine Life Trust Society

ISBN 81-7052-090-8

Published ByTHE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETYP.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, Himalayas, India.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
Publishers' Note
Prayer to Mother
The Indian Concept of the Divine Mother
The Worship of the Divine Mother
The Power Of The Transcendent Reality
The Destroyer Of Destructive Forces
Destruction: The Springboard To Construction
Lakshmi: The Supreme Sustainer
The Path Of Prosperity
Goddess Of Auspiciousness At Home And At Heart
Creation: The Music Of Mother’s Veena
The Goddess Of Success
The Path To Final Liberation
The Great Goal And Its Attainment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
During the Navaratra Durga Puja at the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, in 1953 (8th to 17th October), Revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj delivered a series of most illuminating lectures on “God as Mother” which have been brought together in a book form.
These lectures contain in them an inspiring message to all sections and strata of mankind. That it has already gone through three editions before this, gives ample credence that it was well received by readers. Besides being out of print for quite some time, we felt it most fitting to bring out this fourth edition under the auspices of the Amrita Mahotsava of Pujya Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj.
24.9.1991 —THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRAYER TO MOTHER

Salutations to the Divine Mother who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy and beauty, salutations, O Sweet Mother, the consort of Lord Siva. O Mother Parvati! Thou art Lakshmi, Thou art Sarasvati. Thou art Kali, Durga and Kundalini Shakti. Thou art in the form of all objects. Thou art the sole refuge of all. Thou hast enchanted the whole world. The whole universe is the play of Thy three Gunas. How can I praise Thee? Thy glory is indescribable. Thy splendour is ineffable. Protect me. Guide me, O Loving Mother!

O Adorable Mother! Thou hast generated this great illusion by which all people walk deluded in this world. All sciences have come from Thee. Without Thy grace, no one can get success in spiritual Sadhana and salvation in the end. Thou art the seed for this world. Thou hast two aspects, viz., the unmanifested aspect or Avyaktam and the manifested aspect or the gross universe. The whole world gets dissolved in Avyaktam during Pralaya. Give me the divine eye.
Let me behold Thy real majestic form. Help me to cross over this illusion, O Kind Mother!

O Compassionate Mother! I bow to Thee. Thou art my saviour. Thou art my goal. Thou art my sole support. Thou art my guide and the remover of all afflictions, troubles and miseries. Thou art the embodiment of auspiciousness. Thou pervadest the whole universe. The whole universe is filled with Thee. Thou art the store-house of all qualities. Do Thou protect me. I again and again salute Thee.

O Glorious Mother! Salutations to Thee. All women are Thy parts. Mind, egoism, intellect, body, Prana, senses, are Thy forms. Thou art Para Shakti and Apara Prakriti.
Thou art electricity, magnetism, force, energy, power and will. All forms are Thy forms only. Reveal to me the mystery of creation. Bestow on me the divine knowledge.

O Loving Mother! Thou art the primal energy. Thou hast two aspects, namely, the terrible and peaceful. Thou art modesty, gentleness, shyness, generosity, courage, forbearance and patience. Thou art faith in the heart of devotees and generosity in noble people, chivalry in warriors and ferocity in tigers. Give me strength to control the mind and the Indriyas. Make me worthy to dwell in Thee. Salutations unto Thee.

O Mother Supreme! When shall I have equal vision and placid state of mind? When shall I be established in Ahimsa, Satyam and Brahmacharya? When shall I have Thy cosmic vision? When shall I get deep abiding peace and perennial joy? When shall I enter into deep meditation and Samadhi?

O Radiant Mother! I have not done any spiritual Sadhana or service of teachers. I have not practised any Vrata, pilgrimage, charity, Japa and meditation or worship. I have not studied religious scriptures. I have neither discrimination nor dispassion. I have neither purity nor burning desire for liberation. Thou art my sole refuge. Thou art my only support. My silent adorations unto Thee. I am Thy meek suppliant. Remove the veil of ignorance.

O Gracious Mother! Prostrations unto Thee. Where art Thou? Do not forsake me. I am Thy child. Take me to the other shore of fearlessness and joy. When shall I behold Thy lotus feet with my own eyes? Thou art the boundless ocean of mercy. When philosopher’s stone turns iron into gold by contact, when the Ganges turns impure water into pure water, can’st Thou not turn me,
O Divine Mother, into a pure soul? May my tongue repeat Thy Name always!

(Sri Swami Sivananda in GEMS OF PRAYERS)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------