Mother Divinity,

The Devi Mahatmya
By Swami Sivananda

The Devi Mahatmya or the Durga Saptasati is a unique
book in this world. It is the base and the root of the
religion of the Saktas. It is a Kamadhenu for one and
all; it gives whatever man wants. It gives Bhakti in
this world and Mukti afterwards. It is a powerful
reservoir of Mantras from the beginning to the end.
Every verse of this text is a dynamic force which acts
powerfully in overhauling the nature of man.

The conception of the Infinite as Mother is not an
altogether meaningless one. The Rigveda bears
testimony to the fact that even in such ancient times,
there was the persistent belief that the Ruler is the
All-compassionate Mother. Further, Mother is the
personality that appeals most to the human heart, not
so much the Father who is considered a hard task-
master. Moreover the conception of the Divinity as
Devi, Durga or Sri, is not merely a theory but a
practical way of life. It is a particular view which
cannot be set aside. It is as important as any school
of religious belief, and is one of the most important
reigning branches of Hindu religion--Vaishnavism,
Saivism and Saktaism. Even a subtle philosopher cannot
dispense with the conception of Sakti, for he is
essentially an embodiment of Power, and he has love
for power. The highest Intelligence and the most
speculative metaphysics is only a manifestation of
Jnana-Sakti and is not outside the range of Saktaism.
Let us therefore adore and worship the Glorious Mother
for the purpose of attaining Wisdom or Self-
realisations.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.dlshq.org/books/es30.htm

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BACK FROM THE TOUR: From Delhi the Master arrived at
Rishikesh. The people of the town had assembled at the
railway station in large numbers. They presented the
Master with many welcome addresses. In the crowd was
one Banna Ram of Hardwar. He was seeing the Master for
the first time and was rather struck by the praises
heaped upon him. To his critical eye they appeared to
border on flattery and exaggeration. He grew eager by
the moment to see how the Master would, in his reply,
deal with those high eulogies.

Said Banna Ram later, "To my utter surprise, he gave
no reply to the exalting addresses; he brushed them
aside and began to sing his favourite Ram-Nam Dhun, in
the same manner as we do when we feel the first shock
of an earthquake. It seemed to me that his Holiness
had felt the eulogies as earthquake shocks and so
invoked the divine blessings of the Lord to save him
from their effects. This magnanimity of character
impressed me very much and thenceforth I began to
study the divine virtues possessed by his Holiness
with greater humility and reverence."

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"Too difficult is it to sacrifice the ego, but unless
it is sacrificed, no vision of truth and no sight of
God is possible of revelation. Sell away your lower
self and purchase the Supreme Self. Withdraw your mind
from justifying your position; serve your enemies;
sacrifice all your rights if you wish to rule; love
those who hate you; resist not if you wish to conquer;
sacrifice all that you feel belongs to you. Seek
nothing if you wish to have everything. Conquer
yourself if you wish to have the Highest Freedom. Take
no shelter under ego if you wish to be protected by
the Supreme Power, the Almighty God." - Swami
Sivananda