Sarada Devi

Definition

Sarada Devi, a nineteenth-century renunciate, was a spiritual consort of widely known mystic Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It may be difficult for most people to relate to Sarada Devi’s life, her trials, the absence of the comforts of a married woman, and her husband’s imposed celibacy. She was a pativrata, lit. faithful wife in the real sense and her love for humanity was foremost. Like most of the girls of her time, she did not receive any formal education. However, she developed a great fascination for women’s education and promoted it significantly. She helped Sister Nivedita to set up a school for girls. In those days, child marriage was a significant obstacle in the education of children and Sarada Devi opposed that. She was a lioness with a fighting attitude. When she lost her husband, she had to take off her bangles as that was a custom for widows during that time. However, she did not do that and wore it all her life because apparently, she had a vision of her husband,...