Sharada Mai: A New Look

Pages: 70

Preface
Sharada Mai: A New Look examines Mother Sharada in a new light, using the perspectives of Eric

Neumann and Erich Fromm, on the Feminine and Productive Love respectively, Marilyan Frenchs views

on feminism and Jungian formulations on levels of the Feminine as a mother, companion, medium and

Amazon.

Sharada Mai: A New Look has a regular format. The introduction outlines the scope of the

book and the perspectives invoked. It states and argues that Mother Sharada, considering her sway over

the West, should also be explained in contemporary conceptuality. So far she has been projected only in

terms of Vedanta, Yoga and referentially in terms of the Indian cultural archetype of the Eternal Mother

Sharada embodies Saraswati, Lakshmi, Bhavatarni Kali and Bagla. That Mother Sharada embodies Bagla

comes as a surprise. Swami Vivekananda was the first to give expression to this idea of Sharada being

mild on the outside, but endowed with great strength within.

Sharada Mai had no formal education. In fact, she never went to school and couldnt read or

write. But she had Indian myth and lore on her fingertips. Besides, she was a siddha yogini who could

predict the past, present and future of people who came to meet her and could easily read their mind.

But these werent powers she exhibited too often or to too many people. Though unlettered herself, she

could bestow the gift of knowledge on seekers.

As a young girl, she was always cheerful, not being subjected experience. Neither did she

crave for the company of others. Holy Mother had no problem with solitude and was centered in

supreme knowledge.

We cannot know this occult, mystical side of Mother