A life of selfless service

THE 98TH Jayanthi of Mother Krishnabai, who founded Anandashram in Kanhangad, in Kerala, was celebrated on September 17. Though she shed her earthly existence on February 12, 1989, her devotees believe that she still lives with and within each one of them.

Krishnabai was born in 1903 and when she was just 10 years old she lost her father. Married at the age of thirteen, to K. Laxman Rao, and widowed just seven years later, life was filled with turmoil for the young woman.

It was at this turbulent stage in her life that she came in contact with Swami Ramdas, referred to as `Beloved Papa' by his devotees. She became his foremost disciple in 1928. Swamiji was living in Kasaragod then.

Krishnabai would sweep the floor, wash clothes, draw water from the well and help in every way she could. Often she would lose consciousness of the body and sit motionless for long hours. Slowly she became free, frank and fearless. She was also simple, innocent and artless and called herself the child of everybody. There was no fear of death and pain in her. Whatever work she did was to her, the service of her Papa. Her lips constantly chanted "Rama Nama".

Krishnabai attained self-realisation by implicitly following the teachings of her Guru. Devotees began to lovingly call her Mataji. People of all classes and castes visited the ashram. To her, serving others was serving herself. Providing shelter for the homeless, feeding the poor, clothing the naked, giving medical aid to the sick and helping other deserving causes were activities close to her heart. She evinced interest in everyone in the ashram and guided them in their spiritual evolution.

Mataji suffered from various kinds of physical ailments for nearly 26 years. "I had asked Beloved Papa to give me all the sufferings in the world so that others might be free of them. But I did not pray to Him to give me strength to bear them patiently," she would say.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : All about human relationships
Next     : Autobiography with eternal appeal