Swami Vivekananda once said that India remained backward mainly for two reasons:
1.Neglect of the poor and common people
2.Failure to give proper respect and education to women
In our tradition, women are worshipped as the Divine Mother. Yet, in daily life, many women were neglected or treated merely as objects. In earlier times, people even questioned: “Why should women whose lives were confined only to the kitchen need education?”
Such thinking kept society weak for centuries.
But slowly, society began to evolve. The freedom and upliftment of women became a great movement. Women received education and today they shine as scientists, doctors, professors, administrators, judges, and even as the President of India.
Behind this social progress, there is also a deep spiritual awakening.
One of Swami Vivekananda’s great dreams for India was the upliftment of women. He saw women as Shakti — Divine Power itself. His disciple Sister Nivedita dedicated her life for the education of Indian women. Mahakavi Subramania Bharati also powerfully spoke about women’s dignity and freedom through his poems and writings.
But where did this awakening begin?
If we search for the spiritual roots of this movement, it leads us directly to the holy life of Sri Sarada Devi.
Sri Ramakrishna brought new life and fresh inspiration to Sanatana Dharma. Through intense spiritual practices, he revealed the deeper truths hidden in scriptures, rituals, and spiritual life. He filled the spiritual atmosphere of the world with divine power for the welfare of future generations.
One such sacred event was the Phalaharini Kali Puja.
This Divine Mother removes the effects of bad karma, destroys evil tendencies, and blesses devotees with purity, strength, and spiritual awakening.
In a world where women were often misunderstood or disrespected, Sri Ramakrishna treated every woman with purity, reverence, love, and deep respect. Through this worship, he taught humanity to look upon women as the Divine Mother herself.
Now let us go back to that sacred night.
It was May 25, 1873 - the night of Amavasya, at Dakshineswar Kali Temple.
Sri Ramakrishna arranged a special worship inside his own room. But instead of placing an image of the Goddess on the seat of worship, he seated Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi there.
Sarada Devi was then only eighteen years old, simple, shy, pure, and deeply modest by nature. Yet, in a mysterious divine mood, she silently accepted the worship.
Did Sri Ramakrishna worship her as his wife? No. He worshipped her as the Divine Mother herself as Raja Rajeshwari, as Tripura Sundari.
He performed the sacred Shodashi Puja with the traditional sixteen offerings. He washed her holy feet with his own hands. He offered flowers, sandal paste, kumkum, incense, lamps, food offerings, and sacred water.
Then he prayed: “O Mother, O Tripura Sundari, Supreme Power of the Universe! Open the door of spiritual realization. Purify her body and mind. Manifest Yourself through her and bless the world.”
As the worship deepened, Sri Ramakrishna realized the living presence of the Divine Mother within Sarada Devi. Again he bowed before her and prayed: “O Auspicious Mother, Source of all blessings, Refuge of all beings, O Gauri, O Narayani, I bow to You again and again.”
At the highest stage of the worship, there was no separate worshipper and no separate object of worship. Both were absorbed in deep spiritual consciousness.
At the conclusion of the worship, Sri Ramakrishna himself prostrated before Sarada Devi.
At her holy feet he surrendered all the spiritual powers, realizations, and fruits of his twelve years of intense tapasya. He even offered his japamala.
Why did he do this?
There is a beautiful way to understand it.
A father may earn wealth for the family. But it is the mother who lovingly knows how to distribute food to the children, when to give, how much to give, and to whom to give.
In the same way, Sri Ramakrishna entrusted all his spiritual treasures to Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi for the welfare of humanity.
Just as Lord Shiva received the mighty flow of the Ganga upon his head and gently released it for the welfare of the world, Sri Ramakrishna saw Sarada Devi as the perfect spiritual vessel to receive and distribute his immense divine power.
Through this worship, he revealed Sarada Devi as the Universal Mother. He taught the world that women are embodiments of Divine Shakti and deserve the highest respect.
Slowly, spiritual seekers began to understand that seeing the Divine in women is itself a spiritual practice. To insult women is to insult one’s own mother and the Divine Mother herself.
Through the Phalaharini Kali Puja, Sri Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi became united in the highest spiritual consciousness.
Tantric scriptures declare that Shiva and Shakti are inseparable. By worshipping Sarada Devi as Shodashi, Sri Ramakrishna showed that he and Holy Mother were spiritually one.
He also indicated clearly that after his earthly life, Holy Mother Sarada Devi would continue as the spiritual guide and universal mother for countless devotees.
Swami Brahmananda once said with wonder: “Who can truly understand our Holy Mother? Even great yogis cannot easily understand her. Could an ordinary woman receive the worship performed by an Incarnation like Sri Ramakrishna?”
Later, Swami Vivekananda declared that Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi should become the ideal for modern women.
He said: “Without Shakti, there can be no progress for the world. India has become weak because we do not honor Shakti. Holy Mother has come to awaken that Divine Power again. Around her, great women like Gargi and Maitreyi will arise once more.”
Such was Swami Vivekananda’s faith in the Holy Mother.
On this sacred day, let us worship Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi as Sri Phalaharini Devi.
May she remove our impurities and obstacles.
May she bless us with purity, strength, peace, health, devotion, and spiritual wisdom.
May she teach us to respect all women as manifestations of the Divine Mother.
And may she lead all of us towards the true fulfillment of life.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.