“Worship her as the Divine Mother”

By May 8, 2016 Blog
Happy Mothers’ Day! Enjoy this excerpt from Chants of a Lifetime, where Krishna Das talks about his mother’s experience in India, and meeting Maharaj-ji.

“Maharaj-ji was very loving to my mother, I’d asked her to bring him the best sweater she could find, and she brought a beautiful maroon turtleneck from the U.S. He made such a big deal about it. He’d tease the Indian devotees, saying, ‘You people don’t care anything about me. You come here for your own purposes. Look at this woman. She came from so far away and carried this sweater for me.” He wore it for a long time. He gave her the name Yasoda, who was Krishna’s foster mother. He also gave her flowers to take to Jesus’ tomb in Jerusalem, which she planned to visit on her way back to America.

There’s a picture of her taken on the lake in Nainital, where we stayed. She’s sitting in a boat and looks so beautiful in that moment, so at peace… a completely different person than she was at home.

Before she left India, I took my mother to the plains to see the Taj Mahal and do some touring. As we left Kainchi to go on our trip, we walked out of the temple and crossed the bridge over the river. We were about to get into the car and drive away when Mom looked back into the temple where Maharaj-ji was sitting. All of a sudden, she burst out crying like a baby. At the time, I thought she was worried about the number of cars that we had to navigate through to start our journey home because I think that anyone would be horrified by these pictures if they ever saw them. To be honest, I am quite surprised that there aren’t more vehicle accidents that happen every day, as the roads just don’t look safe at all. In fact, whilst we were at the Taj Mahal, we overheard someone saying how they had to call a personal injury lawyer, (learn more here) because they had just picked up minor injuries in a car accident because of this very reason. Now if that was why my Mom was crying, I would completely understand, and I probably would’ve joined her in having one too. But up to the day she died she had no idea what happened in that moment. She had much suffering in her life, but whenever anyone asked her about her visit to India, a strange look would come over her face and she’d tell her story like child, full of wonder. But then when it was over, she’d go back to her usual self.

The entire three weeks she was in India, I led her around, fed her, and took care of her. Before I finally put her back on the plane to the West, Maharaj-ji told me, “When you take her to Delhi, do puja to her – worship her as the Divine Mother, as the Goddess. You have to bow down to her in the airport.”

18 Comments

  • BJ says:

    Thank you for sharing this lovely story. ????

  • Anna Barton says:

    Dear Krishna Dad ,
    This is deeply moving ! I thought about your story yesterday , how much respect you expressed toward your Mother and I often reflect about how many of Us do not have a mother or are unable to love and respect her !
    Living and loving is not possible without respecting your own mother no matter what she was able to give Us.
    Nothing is ever possible without the Grace of Mother
    Jai Ma
    Jai Kali
    Jai Sarasvati

  • Payal says:

    A beautiful heart touching story by our amazing Krishna Das ❤️

  • sheila says:

    thank you so much…so much conveyed here between these words….
    ????

  • Rajesh says:

    What an honor

  • SS says:

    Thank you for this…
    The previous post re: Maharaj-ji making you a pujari is one of my favorites and makes me smile every time you tell it! Particularly beautiful Durgas in Kainchi, how fortunate we are to be able to worship them!
    Ram Ram

  • Reynaldo Torres says:

    This is so wanderful…thank you for sharing. So beautiful.

  • Ernest says:

    I enjoyed this story of the kindness shown from the Heart by both Maharajiji & Krishna Das.
    I wish I had contact with Maharajiji since I heard very little of him,yet an avatar of (( LOVE ))!

    I never had a close connection with my mother,a Very big story…/The day her body passed I have never shed a tear in 6 years….I dont know what to feel for her & question myself like now after reading Krishna Das story.
    This is my 1st reply on this new page and hope this reply involving my life experience and relation to my own mother is ok???
    Took this opportunity to relate my experience after reading such a intimate Love shared. <3
    Namaste <3

    • Bhavik Soni says:

      Dear KD,
      Love it when you sing Kirtans for the Divine Mother Durga/Kali/Saraswati. You sound like a little boy imploring his Mum. Its wonderful!

  • Lily says:

    What a beautiful experience and memory. Thank you for sharing it with us on Mother’s Day.
    Namaste
    ☮️✌????????????

  • Kim Andrews says:

    What a wonderful story! Maharaj-ji was absolutely right to tell you to worship your mother as the Divine Mother…I certainly will do the same for my mom! Your Grace and Love comes through every time you share your stories…Jai Krishna Das! ♡♡

  • Grâce Ezzine says:

    Dear KD
    My mother was of Jewish parents deceased at her birth.
    Raised by a Muslim family,give him their names.
    She never knew where she came from.
    She was a beautiful green-eyed redhead.
    No religion could convince me,except the Bhakti,that ido not master too much.
    I have since a great shock in my life.
    Thanks to you KD,Philosophy Bhakti,Dévotion to Hanuman and Baba ji i Amin a Serene Bubble……
    One day if you allow me ,will tell you my story.
    Happy Birthday to all Mothers .
    Love you KD????????❤️
    Ram ram

  • Ruchika Sawhney says:

    This is amazing and so deep and powerful .KD I am waiting for u to come to India ..wherever u will come I hv to come and meet u . I am staying inDelhi otherwise . Come to India soon ur Home ..

  • Gloria Ellis says:

    This is just one o many lovely stories in KD’s book. It especially hit home for me as my relationship with my mother was always volatile and I wondered if I could have done this. Towards the end of her life I tried to make amends, but it was kind of like trying to hug a porcupine! I so enjoy your book! Thanks for all you do.

  • Ronald Fuchs says:

    Wow! KD, Om Namaha Shivaya !!!

  • Murali Narayan says:

    Dear Krishna Das ji
    I have been blessed to know about you and listen and chant all your kirtans since the past two years. But ever since I lost my most beloved mother Gowri last year 18th Nov 2019 I feel like a kid left all alone in a dark place with no light or air and just to add that I am running 55 currently . Had a very close and most loving relation with my mother every day of my life but missing her physical presence beyond words.
    But as I always feel thankful and grateful to God I was blessed to know Krishna Das and every chant be it of Rama Krishna Devi Hanuman etc is simply divine devotion and nectar to the soul . Feel elevated and connected to mother and Devi at the same time. Tears galore and Thanksgiving for this life and all its experiences and cry for god and all his mercy on us every moment of our life. Wish and working to meet Krishna Das ji in one of the upcoming events until March 2020 and hopefully get a big hug and cry for all that he has showered on us all with his pure love and devotion to Guru Maharajji Neem Karori Baba and in turn bless us with musical gems of divine trance.
    A million thanks to Krishna Das ji who has saved millions of mentally struggling person like me and showing the path of God and Instant Connect to God .
    Heyyy… Mata… Durga…..
    Tears of Joy contentment peace and connect with God and mother .

  • The best things I’ve heard on “Mother’s Day”. Thankyou

  • Payel says:

    Absolutely heart touching and heart warming????nothing in the world can ever replace a Mother. The most Unconditional Love, ‘Mother and her Child’..????????

Leave a Reply