The process of evolution under Mother's Ideal is as follows

The process of evolution is as under Mother's Ideal as follows:-

(1) Acquisition of merit (Punya) by doing religion
acts of Japa, worship, etc., which will lead you to the appreciation of virtuous, religion and saintly people and of their ways of living,

(2)The actions and qualities of Love, Service Devotion and Self-surrender having fairly matured by practice, Mother will so bring out circumstances and opportunities that the aspirant will be lifted up from his routine and worldly life and will be ushered into the company of virtuous, religious, devotional and saintly people.

(3) Constant company of religious and saintly people, and their service, their imitation and their grace will give you a good understanding of good and evil, truth and untruth, righteousness and unrighteousness, etc., and these will introduce you to godliness after sufficient practice of goodness, virtue, etc.

(4) This introduction to godliness will ultimately
result in your great liking for godliness, virtuous, devotional, unselfish and higher living and finally in the germination of love towards God.

(5) Your devotion to and Love of God will give you the true understanding about soul-knowledge and will bring the supreme self of God and  individual self of your own self much nearer, through faith and conviction strengthened by Mother, often through miracles.

(6) Love to God will result in the Love to God's creation.

(7) Feeling the finger and hand of God in all arrangements, getting sight of God occasionally, feeling oneness with God on self-surrender, and inward satisfaction of “having been accepted.”

(8) Establishing a perpetual relation with God and
helping God in all the grand work with power and love which God is pleased to confer. 


                                     (9) Merging in God.

In a word, the working process is :- First begin with much active virtue, especially love and service of others or meritorious religious actions. That will bring you in company with saints, who will by their grace introduce you to God and Soul. Next, God-love will procure you God's grace, which will perfect the elementary theoretical knowledge of God and soul and universe with pure divine knowledge. Knowledge and God-love and service to all of Mother's creation will make you part and parcel of Mother, useful, obedient, self-surrendered servant of God with godly powers, and finally when the smallest iota of the desire of individual existence disappears, and when your love outside of Mother becomes so intense that existence of Her becomes unbearable and impossible, then you merge into Mother.
The fundamentals of Love, Service, Devotion and If-surrender in the matter of action and the fundamental Belief in “One Final-most Mother, immortality of the soul, and the infallibility of the action--re-action Law in the smallest details of desire, thought, emotion, word and action," are more than enough to carry one through right up to salvation.

The different steps of the Mother worship are as under :

MAI-WORSHIP
AND
MAI-IST'S EVOLUTION PROCESS

 

The principal practices of devotion for the Mother's followers are as under :

(1) Repetition of Mother's name Jaya Mai whenever the mind is free to repeat. There is no question of sacred place, sacred time or sacred body. Mother's follower has a reverse belief, The place, time and body, if not sacred, do not pollute Mother's name but Mother's
name sanctifies time, place and body. 

(2) Mother worship.

There is no particular method by which alone Mother is to be worshiped. There is none who has no right to worship Her. There is no particular form or name under which She is to be worshiped, 

(3) Repetitions of Her different names. 

(4) Concentrating on different figures with the
imagination of several Shaktis at different points, and apexes of figures (as in Shree Chakra).

(5). Prostrations before Mother with the belief
that the ambrosial current is flowin from Her Lotus Feet to your body lying flat before Her, removing the blackness your heart and head and sanctifying with Her Grace.

(6) Meditating on Mother as Kundalini traveling
from Muladhar to Sahasrar through different chakras and pouring showers of Her Grace on you.

(7) Prayer for all human beings of the whole  universe pregnant with the intense desire
as :
“Let all be happy".
“Mother bless All”.
"Misery befall none”.

(8) Prayer for particular legitimately demanded
reliefs for others, and for self-purification, Grace, etc.

(9) Thanks-giving for what we are or what relief
Mother has brought to us, etc., and what has been achieved on passing successfully through tests, trials and ordeals.

(10) Songs, psalms, Bhajans, Kirtans, exchanges of experience etc.

Regarding Clause No. 3, the common practice for Mother's followers has been to sit down in a circle before Mother's picture without any distinction of men and women or children or brahmin and non-brahmin or Hindu and non-Hindu,and all  having flowers and other offerings, to go on making offerings as the religious reading proceeds.

Naturally when Hindus pray to Mother, there is nothing so very handy as Sapta Shati, Lalitha Sahasra Nâma and Khadga-Mala.

One should not hastily jump to the conclusion that after all tall talk, the Lodge practice returns to Hinduism.The Founder has prayed Mother in Christian Churches and in Mosques. He has worshiped Mother in homes of untouchables and joined Mohamedan and Zoroastrian prayers. It is not difficult to test the conscientious belief of the true followers and hypocrite prattlers. One of the surprise tests would be to see from a distance, if their hands fold and rise in reverence as automatically before other worshiping places as an Agiari, a Mosque, a Church or a Synagogue as when they approach their own religious places.

The Founder has so often prayed to Mother in English and has sat before Mother repeating some of the chapters of the Imitation of Christ, as serenely as when he is reading Sapta-Shati or Bhagawad Geeta. Not as a point of formality, or modesty or a point of unavoidable necessity or of policy, not as an outcome of timidity, or pride for one's worshiped, but from an unshakable belief in the universality of Mâi and in the unity of all religions as belonging to his Mâi.

The different steps of the previously stated Mother worship are as under :

(1) Praying to the Mother's devotees past and
present to give us the guidance, illumination, determination, and energy for finishing the worship. 

(2) Sanctifying ourselves, however unworthy we
may be, by the repetition of the name Jaya Mai. (JAYA Markand Mâi). Presume that we are by Her Grace off our sins, off our unworthiness when we begin worship. We have to be Mother before we worship Mother. This is best done by imagining and remembering Mother as residing in and presiding over our every part of our body and our every mental faculty.

Before commencement of the prayer (after the Guru) one must remember:(1) Invisible helpers, (2) Deputed angels who preside over the function, (3) All past and present devotees of Mother (4) all living saints and saintly people. If there is no willim gnage to remember all, at least the Guru who created the desire and initiated one into the path and who is interested in one's spiritual uplift, should be remembered. For them that have no Guru. Mai is Guru and She must be remembered in the capacity of “Guru”.

 (3) Requesting Mother to dismiss all evil elements around us.

(4) Inviting Mother to listen to our prayers. 

(5) Inviting the energies of desire and knowledge and action to bless us. 

(6) Offering the hymn of glory to all of them
as one, with prostrations. 

(7) Approaching them as MOTHER to bless Her children. 

(8) Repeating Khadga-Malà (Repeater's Armoury) which is almost the same thing as describing in prose what is pictured in the Shree Chakra, (Mother's Geometric, magic figure) giving the names of all different aspects of Mother stationed at different points of the said Shree Chakra for meditation.

(9) Repeating one thousand names in the Lalita
Sahasra Nam and five hundred names (optionally).

(10) Loud repetition of "Jaya Mai”, (Jaya Markand Mai)
in a Chorus. 

(11) Thanks-giving for having listened and blessed, 

(12) Apologising for not having prayed devoutly
and with so many faults, etc., and requesting
Mother to re-appear again when prayed for. 

(13) Prostrations to Mother with aforesaid belief
of ambrosial shower of Grace. 

(14) Repetition of Mother's name while rolling
in the bed till we fall asleep.

This sort of worship has been conducted on every Friday, Saturday, Tuesday, Sunday, Full Moon Day and any special day at the Founder's place in front of the Mother's picture which was installed on 2-9-1932, and at whose command a meeting in strict purdah of more than three hundred sisters of different religions was convened on 9-10-1932, on Dashera Day in Poona, and by whose command the Mother's Lodge was founded on 27-3-1933. (Hindu New year day).
None-should commit the blunder of forgetting that Mother's worship is, in no detail thereof, a matter for dictation. Even as it is, the worship as conducted at different centres is not in the same form.


Experience has shown that the western methods in the outer circle of the Lodge with its committees and meetings, resolutions, votes, fees, etc., have not found much popularity or success, but the inner circle work has progressed most admirably.

The outer circle is for holding meetings with lectures about different religions under the presidency of different people and speeches and gatherings, etc. The inner circle is for helping, discussing spiritual experiences, consulting one another in difficulties, deliberating, praying, worshipping, name repeating, meditating, prostrating, etc.

Nothing is irreparable in the Mother's refugee realm

Mother's Lodge has not the same old story of Religion to tell. It is something different, although not new and not opposed to true religion, and if readers have the intelligence of seeing through with subtleties that will be very apparent.

The first main point is that we as the followers of Mother's religion are direct devotees of God as Mother and God of the whole humanity. So far as religious feelings and sentiments of any individual religion go, to us every one of any religion is a brother, as we are the followers of the Universal Religion of One Mother.

The second main point is that our first conception in the field of religion is that “ We are one and all children of the same God” That we are Hindus of Brahmins or otherwise has only a secondary and almost little importance. We may be Hindu-Maists, Christian-Maists, Mohammedan-Māists, etc., but are  Maists children of same parents, Mother and Father, (Mother or Father).

The third main point is that to get Mother's grace we must serve and love all to the extent of our capability. We are religious only to the extent we are capable of and engaged in, serving others and devoting ourselves to Mother and preparing ourselves for living cheerfully with self-surrender to the Divine will of Mother.

The fourth main point is that we should not make too much of little differences. We as the followers of the Mother's Lodge should have a much wider outlook as the follower of a much higher and universal conception of God as universal Mother, full of Love and Mercy.

The fifth point is that we should not attribute any superiority we have over others, to anything but Mother's grace and not permit the notion of that superiority to turn to be the most venomous snake in our brains.

The sixth point is the firm belief that the intensity of Mother's return of Love to us or Mother's Grace, is dependent on (1) How far our conception about Mother is universal; (2) How far we serve and love others and (3) How far differences and superiority complex and every trace of pride and hatred have vanished.

The seventh main point is that there is no depth from which a man cannot rise by Mother's Grace. None should despair. To live cheerfully in spite of whatever one is, with the conviction that nothing is irreparable in the Mother's refugee realm, is one of the first requirements.

The eighth main point is that we should not cheat ourselves, our Guru and our God. Cheating one's self is more harmful than cheating the whole world.

The ninth main point is that we should not be wastefully prattling about God and religion, unless we are determined to have them. If we have no faith in either, Serving and Loving Mother's children is quite enough of religion for us to commence with, and we should not feel ourselves to be really any worse off than so many religious hypocrites.
The tenth main point is that one is religious to the extent he practices the requirements of religion and not to the extent of his knowledge or exhibition about religion.

Space does not permit mentioning here the different beliefs of one who wants to proceed on the path of the Universal Mother, and the readers are advised to go through the Theories and Principles of the Mother's Lodge with a subtle sense of understanding. Suffice it to say that for Mother's followers, progress in religion is a fully scientific process based on reason and one's own practice and experience under the guidance of Guru and Grace of Mother, with a sincerity of heart and an understanding of what is done and a very close observation of the results achieved.

None can help us unless we are prepared to exert. It is as solid a work as putting one brick on another to build a mansion. None can do that for us. Not even the Grace of Mother. Mother and Guru will enable you, to do in one-hundredth time with one-hundredth of troubles what others without a Guru or Mother's Grace can never do, but we have to build our house ourselves. We have to pass through ordeals. We cannot escape them. What Mother will help us about, is our ability to carry our burden and our safe coming out of the ordeal. But ordeals, trials and tests we shall not escape. “To be better and perfect,” is the goal of the Māi-ists. “Not running away from temptations but to be steady, strengthening ourselves with every preparedness to suffer till we get temptation proof, and Daivik-Sampatti (prosperity of divinity) is completely attained.”

With a very clear understanding as to the universality of the Mother, with a strong conviction that Mother's Grace could not be had by making business with Her in seclusion while continuing dealings with the world in the same former unworthy manner as best suits us, with an established conclusion that we are religious only to the extent we practice religion and not preach or praise, with a clear eye opening that we have to build our mansion ourselves and with cheerful faith and confidence in that “what mother does is for our best,” the Mother's follower should take to worship.
By their worshiping, they are not any the more religious. They are simply armoring themselves, praying for Grace and thanking for what they are. A Māi-ist should not claim double benefit. He should jealously guard his treasure of merit (Punyam) which  should not leak through his desire of receiving praises and renown as “religious.”

If Mâi-ists are enjoined to secrecy, it is in this sense and not in the sense of monopolizing. Just the reverse of monopolizing, a Māi-ist has greater merit by the spread of Mother's Ideal than by secret secluded worship

Secrecy for Māi-ists is no conservatism and means nothing more than observing silence for keeping at times the “indubitable appearance of a boobism (like that of Jada-Bharat) to evade all distractions, while striving for discovering some Truth, or attaining Mother's Grace or recollecting some Truth, or attaining GURU'S Grace or recollecting Divine Knowledge.

Secrecy has to be observed when it is necessary to be passing as an incognito, or to be giving a slip by acknowledging ignorance or defeat whenever one is approached by another who has an evil motive or who is undeserving to be confided with the secret or who is unable to preserve the sanctity of the sacred teachings, or by a mere curiosity seeker.

Jada-Bharat was a Hindu saint performing penance in a forest. One day he was caught by the servants of the king Rāhugan passing over the place, who considered him to be a savage aborigine to carry the king's palanquin. Jada-Bharat took no objection nor revealed to the king who he was. The king however, while being carried, began to get jerks and on inquiry knew that Jada-Bharat had his heart so much full of love even for ants on the way, that he had to walk by jumping lest he might crush them. The king recognized him, on further inquiry, to be ons of the highest living saints and prostrated before him, took him to his palace and worshiped him.

A Māi-ist cannot be all the while fattening himself with getting. He must give. If you are capable of giving and have what you desire to give, do give unfailingly and in all ways. Let your own salvation be delayed. Not to give is selfishness, although spiritual, often white-washed to look as modesty and humility.

There are millions to whom you can give if you will it. It is everybody's concern to see that religiosity is upheld, and not only of the saffron-robed and fat-fed. “Be perfect before preaching,” is not in harmony with the Mother's Ideal. The only thing is, you must be sincere and you must actually have what you desire to give (spirituality, knowledge, divinity spark, practice procedure, or any other similar thing). The perfect are rarely even understood. In the spiritual journey, march on and do take with you all those that willingly follow. While climbing over a hill, you take rest when you are entirely exhausted. There are some of you who are then busy with “ how much remains”, etc., whereas there are few who during their resting period turn their face and guide others that are groping in the dark and wading their way through thorns and brambles. The latter ones have the true Mai-istic mentality,
It has been difficult for me to remain strictly within the limits of the subject-matter conveyed by the Caption “Hindu Conception of Mother.” This has been naturally so, as Māi conception has no doubt its origin in the Mother conception of the Hindus, which is one of the distinctive features of Hinduism.

Both conceptions are so very inter-related and interpenetrating. The transition of one conception to the other has been, of course, rather too quick and abrupt in the concluding pages (after 48th), and I have been tempted away towards evolving out the Mãi conception, dealing with its different aspects, viz., the necessity of the feminine element and its special suitability in the changed circumstances, the short scripture of Mother's Ideal and the entirely different outlook of a Māi-ist, about true Religion and true Religiosity. Of course, this could not have been permissible under the caption, but I trust it is not difficult for relevancy seeking readers to be charitably disposed.

Mother's Path most suitable

We cannot be happy without religion, and religions as they are have lost all love, faith and esteem, Is there no way out ?

In the circumstances what is needed to-day
is the most careful sifting and clearing of all religious Ideas and Ideals, with a spirit of oneness, impartiality and unpreconceivedness, truth-seeking, overhauling and resetting of the whole thing, reducing the dross as much as possible and retaining gold. The present conditions must be studied. This world and happiness of the humanity of this world must have also as important a place as that of the other world and relation of an individual with his God in seclusion. Religion must be brought to bear light on burning questions of the day. Under the changed conditions where the relational and communal ties have entirely disappeared, these problems are not insignificant ones. When people have lost all training in self-control and sacrifice for a higher life, the sex problem is not so easy. When people are in entire oblivion regarding the hundredfold higher happiness proceeding from the mind, soul or God (Mother), it is not easy to dissuade them from sense enjoyment-craving or Materialism-Mirage pursuit. Compulsion without the gauging of the capacity of any age is only a curse and cause for hypocrisy and debasement. Some constructive mentality must always be there and there must be measures
for discipline taught by and with and through love. We must make out the best in the circumstances in which we are, rather than lose everything, peace, happiness, Soul and God.

While trying to arrive at a suitable path, I found that Mother's path was most suitable. As I would like to put it, there are two paths. Father's path and Mother's path, on the basis of the understanding through various scriptures of Hinduism. There is no Mother's path in any other religion. Although Mother Mary worship still prevails in Catholic churches, the worship is subordinated to the chief worship of Lord Christ and psychologically it does not afford a different path. All past religions have been of the former classification. The difference is this.

One is routine path, another is the rugged path. One is long, another is short. In one there is full safety but dead-ness, in another there is full life but danger. In one there is no freedom, in the other there is no protection. In one case you are in a well protected castle, in another you are abroad but with a steel armour. One is the path of passivity, another of activity. One is the teaching of statics, another is the teaching of dynamics (including statics). In one, goal is being happy, in another being perfect. In you have scriptures and hereditary gurus to follow, another you have to follow your own experiences ar decisions with voluntary following of the guru whom yo select for yourself. In one, your religious living means observing Sandhyā, Pujā, doing Nitya and Naimittika. Karmas, observing your customs, bathing, not taking nonvegetarian food, attendance on churches, etc. In another, religious living means living in strict following with fundamental truths only, leaving social matters to the individual will. In one there is “no change”, in another there is “change with the requirements of the times in the outer coatings of religion, and life.” In one, religion is a private concern between God and the God aspirant. In another he has to be in full rhyming with God, universe and other beings. In one case no enjoyment, in another practicing self-control in midst of enjoyment. In one case woman is a hell-carrier, in another she is an indispensable companion. In one case, folds of castes, in another case whole humanity. In one case, seeking scriptural knowledge, in another seeking experience. In one case, allopathy alone. In another, surgery in addition..

I do not see everything to be the same thing. I find there are differences of the visual angles and beliefs and methods and I see the world is shifting towards the Mother's path. I am afraid that if the Hindus do not revise their beliefs and set their house in order by a new dispensation, revising their scriptures and their interpretations and removing the chaff and retaining the gold, they will soon find in less than two or three hundred years that the Left Path or Vāmāchar would return, and capture and contaminate Hinduism. It is for them to foresee, and with a little foregoing of details and prejudices, it should respect the Satwik One Religion of One God, viz., that of the “Vishva. Janani,” “The Universal Mother,” “Māi”, rather than be weak enough to fall a prey to the Vāmāchar of Rājasik and Tūmasik nature, or to masked materialism or out and out atheism.

We have left one shore. We cannot go back. It is impossible for any one to take us back. Let us then have a new religion, new way of looking and living, new morality, new religion, new control, new discipline, new method and new belief.

And this is what the Mother's Lodge is trying to lay foundations of, under the Grace of God as Mother of Love and Mercy and not Power, under the regime of Mâi and not Shakti. I am too conscious of my inability to take up the onerous-task and I have smarted under the most humiliating failure. But I am determined and feel convinced I am working under Mother's command. My spade work will be taken up by mighty souls, or at least it will reform Hinduism in matter of the most pernicious beliefs, about Mother. None need advise me about abandoning the work. Every Religion needs overhauling and all religions need unification under One Banner. I am prepared for every failure. I will be doing Mother's service even after my death. My pains none can know but Mother.

This is the age of industrialism, individualism, science, reason, free thinking, equality, fraternity and liberty.

Principally there are three conceptions attached to the name of Mother (1) Shakti, power, (2) Devi, God consort and (3) Mãi, Mother. The physical aspect of Māi (1) has been greatly developed in the West. The mystic and metaphysical aspect has been wonderfully developed by sages of ancient India. The second aspect has given rise to chivalry, equal rights, dancing balls, etc., in the West, and a unique and enviable status of the family lady in religious life in India. The third aspect, viz., of Māi as Mother is practically unknown and unpracticed on an appreciable scale. It is this third aspect that the Mother's Lodge represents and lays greatest emphasis on.

The first two aspects have brought into being the Shākta Märga and the Vama Mārga. The Māi Mārga in consonance with the third aspect is sought being spread and developed by Mother's Lodge or Māi Mandal, or Mai Adherents Institute or Universal Mai-ism.

In the West is the practice. In India is the theory. Fathomless ocean of it. Reading of Gita by millions is in India and the fearlessness of death is in the West. The Motherly aspect of God is in India and the development and training on the lines of the above said special features of Mother is in the West.

Can it be that the nation which is religious should rot in slavery ? The real fact is that in India there is every theory but no practice. Other nations have few ideals but they put them into practice in daily routine living. If India wants practice, Motherhood must come. If India wants solidarity of a nation Motherhood must reappear. If India wants peace and love and prosperity, Mother Ideal must be regenerated. There must be right understanding, sincerity and full practice. Mere theory and self-sufficiency under the opiate influence of “No nation is so religious as ours”, etc., will not take Indians out from the frog well and mud-mire.

Well frogs, believe it impossible that there can be anywhere anything bigger or better than their own well,

It is a well-known popular, scriptural Hindu tradition that in the Iron-age of Kaliyuga the only Savior deities will be Chandi, i.e., Shakti or Mother as power and Vināyaka the favorite son of Mother as Love. And for them that have broadest notions about Mother as Power, it is not difficult to see that the world is drifting towards Mother, (as Power and Energy). Machinery is Mother, knowledge is Mother, military equipment is Mother. Turning to the social life, we find religion as preached till now (call it Father's religion) to have entirely disappeared. Where do you find celibacy? Where do you find joint family living ? Where do you find masters (Gurus) and disciples (Shishyās)? Where are castes ? Where are restrictions of eating, etc.? Where is obedience to parents and society? Where is the absorption of the wife in the husband? Where is the sacredness of marriage and chastity and fidelity of married life? Where are the selfless-religious preachers and where is the sacrifice to maintain them and help the spread and revival of religion? The world is drifting to the Shākta Mārga and Vama Mārga without knowing it at all. Sense enjoyment and revelry are up to the brim. (Brothels, bars, butcher houses, betting homes etc.). The world has left the Father's control of fear and compulsion, abandoned Father's methods, and violated Father's Commands Woman has now been more prominent and has greater power over man than in the past. We are drifting Mother-ward, of course, at the present stage on-wards towards Mother of Shākta and Vama Mārga. The last efforts to keep us back and within the control of the Father's rule have failed ; Matter has almost subdued Spirit.

These two words of Shākta and Vāma are used by me in the following senses. Shākta Mārga mainly means invoking the Grace of Mother as Power and resorting to prescribed methods to get greater powers of health, wealth, inind-subjugati 19 and even molesting others and getting things adjusted as desired, etc. Vāma Mārga mainly means resorting to methods intended originally for spiritual uplift of worship, devotion, meditation and concentration on Mantras, Tantras, Shree Chakra and chakras in the human body, etc., and indulging in devotion, dispensing with the ordinary social rules about diet, urity observances, restrictions, morality, etc.

This is the age of industrialism, individualism, science, reason, free thinking, equality, fraternity and liberty. One familiar with Hindu notions can very well see that he is residing in the realm of Shakti. Following of scriptures and priest-craft is gone, gone for ever. Obedience to command from others is gone. In the first case the reason and in another case the love of liberty, has both revolted. Hinduism is such a deep ocean of religious thought and theory, that with a little rectification of its misunderstandings it can assimilate any healthy reform. A Mai-ist's concern is the spread of true understanding about Mother, single-minded devotion and the universal outlook and practical spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood, self-surrender with full faith in the easy process of salvation through Mother, etc.

There is at a present a distortion of our life. The way we like to live, the way we actually live, the
way we say to others we live and the way we are asked by scriptures to live, are all different. There are at least these four diverse currents in our living smashing our life to meaningless waste and deterioration.

Taking the diagnosis of the world to-day the world has been most selfish and therefore most miserable. Discoveries of Science have shattered individual religions, as nothing is left to be desired in the life after death and because religions have unfortunately not been nuggets of gold unalloyed with dross. Science has enthroned Mammon whose favors rarely need the qualifications of religiosity or righteousness.
Industry and Exchange have almost dispensed with the need of human help in the outer living. Democracy has brought in the spirit of not extending but claiming equality, fraternity and liberty. Towering personalities affording Ideals for plain-living and high-thinking are becoming fewer. Notions about religion have been narrowed. Religion formerly given through touch is now sought being given through the tongue. Women, Harijans, Servants, Relations, Dependants and the Ruled have risen in rebellion. The whole atmosphere is saturated with sense-living, discontent and selfishness.

The selfishness has been sought to be controlled by legislature, education, appeal to the higher instinct and cry for the spirit of brotherhood. All these remedies have failed and we have now turned to God and Religion as the Last Refuge.

How the idea of Goddess Mother went being degenerated in the past

  What every ignorant world-worm of yore knew about Mother by experience as a never-failing truth was, that She saved Her worshipers from the wrathful-ness and ruinous-ness of all those nature-force centers. Thus when the Sun shone extremely hot and there were no rains, “ Shākambhari manifested Herself to save Her devotees from dying of hunger, supplying them with eatables and vegetables of all varieties."

Sapta-Shari, which is the most popular sacred book on the subject of Mother, is a continued narration of the manifestation of the highest Power, which vanquished and killed the demons who oppressed the Devās (petty deities).

As per Mother's (Māi's) Ideal, She is equally the Mother of demons as of the deities. If She were Mother of the Devās alone, Demons would not have been able to drive away the Devās from heavens. It is this tendency of stamping sealed covers one way another, that has been responsible for what looks paradoxical. The truth is Devas are not Devas, unless they live as Devās. When Devās become demons (saint without, devil within), 'demons overpower the Devās.
Mother is not mother of Devās versus demons. Mother is not the Mother of Hindus versus non-Hindus, not of Brahmins versus non-Brahmins. She is the Mother of them that worship Her as Mother and of all. The conquests or defeats are simply adjustments for equilibrium following Her Divine Will, when they become necessary as a result_of accumulated evil.

It is for this reason of delusion that is created by presumptions that the Mother's Ideal recommends the faculty of judging of ourselves not by our positional values but by the tests of the fundamental truths which we can satisfy.
Next to the recognition of the highest Power and Her easy grace, came power worship. This threw morality into the background, while Devotion received supreme consideration. This sure success on worship of Power without any consideration of merit so much put the world into the delusion, that Mother went being associated with Demons, and instances were not wanting, where demons worshiped Power by greatest self-mortifications and austerities and having secured boons from Power, tore the Devās (petty deities) to mere rags flying in the air.

Devotion being considered and having been proved by experience to be powerful enough to achieve any success, all other considerations and observances were thrown overboard. The over-fondled child became entirely spoiled. Wonderfully enough, some Asuras were after Parvati Herself. The case of Rāvanh opponent of Rāma is most typical. He had enslaved all the deities, and yet he had a very poor idea of morality, which could be inferred from his kidnapping Rāma's most beloved and chaste wife, Mother Seeta. On the other hand his devotion was unique. It is said when once he was worshiping Mother, one lotus for worship was missing. He could not brook a single moment's delay and he cut off his head and offered the same to Mother as the missing lotus, Mother was so very pleased that she gave him ten heads in return.

While the Power was being worshiped and propitiated in the outer world on one hand, there was the exploration of the highest human power in the most wonderful common possession of all human beings, viz., the body itself. The presence of power latent therein and capable of most wonderful development was known and studied as the science of Yoga, and this power too went being associated with Mother. Kundalini Shakti lying in the Mulādhār chakra in every human body became Mother. By the worship of this Mother in the shape of the Serpentine Power, Yoga went being practiced, not seldom for achieving Siddhis (supernatural powers), which in course of time went being abused and brought degeneration on the heads of the Mal-practitioners.

On battle fields also Mother went being propitiated, and it was never a point of consideration, whether the cause for the war was just or not.

Thus in a word, Mother was identified with power and devotion was believed as quite enough to secure it either on the field by the warriors, or in forests where demons practised highest austerities, or in places infected with epidemics, or even when dacoits and robbers and thieves started out of their homes for their nefarious pursuits.

Love, disinterested Devotion, Morality, Truthfulness, surrender to God's will and all the tender-most qualities of Mother went being neglected except to the extent they thrust themselves upon the devotee for the proper carrying out of devotion. No wonder then, that a little later, Mother went being associated with all kinds of Royal powers, emotional pleasures and cruelly harmful practices. (Mahālakshmi, Mahāsarasvati and Mahākāli.)

Then came in the name of Mother, whose ideal had degenerated to a very low abyss, the most horrible “Vāma Mārga,” which cannot be adequately translated. The nearest approximation would be “Woman supremacy Path,” “Un-straight-forward Path” “Left hand Path". Of course, there is a good deal of mysticism and spiritual force behind the practice of this process, but it cannot be too strongly said that the path is one, which can be well compared with poisonous drugs, which have wonderful efficacy in very exceptional cases, if taken with full obedience to the instructions of the doctors, but have often taken lives of so many indifferent and disobedient patients. Under the requirements of this path, Mother began being supposed to demand animal and human sacrifices. Some human beings were carried to be sacrificed to Mother under force. The follow in course of time became bold enough to say the salvation could not be had except by frequent resort to pleasure-giving pursuits. They said, “Five “M”s were necessary to secure the sixth “M”, viz. Mukti (Salvation). These five “M”s were Madya (liquor-offering), Matsya (fish-offering), Mānsa (flesh offering), Mudră (egg-offering), and Maithun (sexual enjoyment). There are so many traditions about some human beings being carried away to be sacrificed, as a Nara-Bali under force. In some cases there was an open declaration, that a certain holy person was selected to be sacrificed. Before the day of the sacrifice, that selected being was worshipped and supplied with all kinds of enjoyment for days together, Members of the Royal family also worshiped him. In some ages, prisoners of wars were being sacrificed. Not many years before, rumors were afloat, that children were captured by religious fanatics, because rice boiled in water with their blood was an item of menu after worship, for worshipers of a particular faith.

Some take Mudrā to mean symbol-showing or some substitute Mudga for Mudrā, which means cereal food.
These remarks are not restricted to India or Hinduism. 

Vāma Mārga practices were more or less prevaling in all parts of the world and in several religions in olden times.

In the field of sexual pleasure, the institute of Deva-Dāsis came into being. Those were women that were dedicated to Mother, especially by parents who had no issue, when they got the first daughter, and who later lived by prostitution. Adultery did not stop there. Members of high families and especially females, who could not have the pleasure of revelry otherwise, joined the Ghat Kanchuki Sampraday in the name of the Mother. This meant that whichever male and female happened to have their kerchief and bodice drawn out simultaneously through a ballot by the Guru, could enjoy each other without any fear of incurring sin.

Thus the idea of Mother went being degenerated. The Illusion-Maker, the Misery-creator, the Power which was in the end sure to be abused, Consort, Goddess of the five “M”s, Goddess of animal and human sacrifice, drinking and adultery, Goddess that took possession of Her devotees, (who would then be worshiped and requested to bless others and tell future, etc.), Goddess of fear and wrathful-ness, vindictivity and cruelty, Goddess that would punish for even unconscious errors, Goddess of dacoits, robbers and thieves, and Goddess of black magic, etc.

Although strong efforts have been made to explain objectionable shlokās relating to Vāma Mārga in quite the reverse interpretations, the fact remains that there were ages and millions in each age, whose beliefs were as above described.

It is not that there is no other side, and in some stages of evolution nothing can be a better remedy than the sometime practice of some processes, but those uses have to be very exceptional. There are uses of poison also. But poison is poison, and unless you know its use or act under full guidance and perfect obedience of a doctor and only as a last remedy, you are sure to lose your life.

There are, (1) the substance and (2) the all told manifest working about it. Very hazily, the former is Shiva and the latter is Shakti. In fact, the very cognizance of the existence of Shiva is due to Shakti. Say the Mother's picture is before you. It stands there un-fallen because the floor has the Shakti (power) to hold it. You see it because your eyes have the Shakti of seeing it and because the sun during day or light during night has the Shakti of illuminating it. If your eye, or sun or light has no Shakti, the picture does not exist for you. One aspect of the Shakti of mind enables the mind stuff to assume the form of the picture. Another aspect of the Shakti of mind tells you “you are blessed". A still another aspect of Shakti begins to recollect for you, what you once heard and knew about "Mother”, and suggests what should be done and so on. Shiva is like a substance, over which, under which, through which, across which, about which, regarding which, in favor of which, and what not which, Shakti plays Her sport of starting, continuing, increasing, decreasing, deflecting, obstructing, stopping, etc., of motion and vibration, both taken in the widest sense. It must be always remembered that Mother Māi is beyond this Shiva and Shakti.

Taking these two elements of Shiva and Shakti, as abstract qualities, Love without power is dead-ness and Power without Love is destructivity (first of others and finally of itself). One is suicide, another is murder. A country like India can well be said to be emblematic of love without power, and any country in the West with up-to-date machine guns, torpedoes, etc., may be taken to be emblematic of power without love.

(a) What India wants is the worship of Shakti,
what West wants is the worship of Shiva, and what both want is the worship of the Final-most Mother of the Mai-ist, from whom (1) Love outer, Power inner, and (2) Power outer, Love inner come into being. Similarly passivity unless it is well earned by activity is rusting, whereas activity unless it is directed towards the attainment of peacefulness wasteful wearing out. East and West are here too emblematic of the two Stated Conditions respectively. To give a still further idea, Shiva is the acted upon, and Shakti is the actor, Shiva is the mass and Shakti is the force. Shiva is, say, more spirit, less matter. Shakti is more matter, less spirit. Shiva is the substance and Shakti, the property. Shiva is, petrified without Shakti, and Shakti burns itself away into flames, if not loved by Shiva, Shiva is the spectator and Shakti is, the sportive player. Shiva is oxygen and Shakti is hydrogen.
(b) Hinduism has fallen because Motherhood has
been neglected. By neglecting Motherhood, it is not meant that the worship of Idols as Mother is neglected, but neglecting the underlying development of right understanding of the special features and of special qualities pertaining to Mother's Ideal.

By Mother is meant activity, exemplary sacrifice, readiness to suffer, little differences and still less hatred and pride of high and low; practice, freedom, science, conviction, Purushartha (exertion), character, sincerity, bold self-exposure, voluntary sells mortification, full faith, spirit, etc.

Mother agreed to be out of love to Her children, what they desired Her to be.

Degeneration that the Mother's Ideal has suffered is due to the following wrong notions. Degeneration began with identifying Mother with Māyā (माया ). Advocates of Brahman (ब्रह्मन)  theory wanted to save Brahman from the imputations of inequality, cruelty, partiality, injustice, etc., and they laid the blame on the shoulders of Māyā माया, whom they knew only as the Illusion-creator. "Thus Māyā माया, which sometimes is called Ādimāyā आदिमाया was conceived by some as the great player of jugglery, and was held responsible for the creation of the Universe, and for all that is frightful, misery-creative, ignorance-productive and so on. Hindu Mother was identified with Adimāyā आदिमाया on one hand and Māyā माया was described as the greatest heartless cheat on the other.

As per mother's (Mai's माई) Ideal, there is no indispensable necessity of assuming two entities as Brahman ब्रह्म  and Māyā माया. Brahman is Final-most Mother and She acts sometimes as passive Mother and sometimes as active Mother. 
 Creator and creation, happiness and misery, heaven and hell, deities angels and human beings, all these and the universe are not unreal. Nothing is unreal, till by actual realization these and the universe become unreal. So long as the soul has any relation with bodies, and so long as one is affected even to the slightest extent physically, mentally or spiritually, these do exist and are not unreal.

 There is no Illusion or unreality about the universe, which is managed by Mother with the highest Perfection, Justice, Law and Order as Power and Love. The realization of unreality of the universe does come in the end, to some few blessed souls, but premature prattling about unreality has been extremely dangerous.

 Next came the idea of consort-ship. The Gods Brahmä, Vishnu and Mahesh of creation nourishment and destruction had their goddesses Sävitri Lakhsmi and Pārvati as their wives an these were again confused with Mother. Sāvitri and Lakshmi played a very small part in the great work done by these Gods but Pārvati the consort of Shiva the god of destruction received greater adoration mostly out of fear and the most erroneous notion came to be that Mother was Pārvati.

Next came the idea of Power and mainly the destructive power, although of course for the destruction of evils. Naturally Parvati was in the limelight. She became Mother, but people could not leave the idea of consort-ship, and therefore Shiva was raised to the status of a counter half of Twin Duo-Monad, viz., Shiva-Shakti, much above his original status as one of the Trinity Gods. Thus arose the idea of Shiva and Shakti, one entity made of two entities, viz., that of Ardha-naarishvar. Two in one, half to half.

In times of yore, it also happened that the greatest fears arose from destiny-ruling centers of nature forces as Sun, Rains, floods, famines, epidemics, etc., and Mother went being associated with all those forces of Nature, as well. Perhaps almost every where, except for blessed few, Mother Nature ante dated and predominated over the God, and the first Divinity worshiped was in Mother's Form.

Rivers and earths and native lands became Mother. Smallpox and measles went being associated with Mother, Cow became Mother, weapons became Mother. To avert the wrathful-ness of epidemics or rain droughts Mother went being propitiated. Mother agreed to be out of love to Her children, what they desired Her to be. Just note the tremendous faith in the protection of Mother. It is only to the Mother that one can lay claim. Worship of Ganges who turns the most sinful to be sinless is as “Mother Ganges". 
The sinful cannot have the face to approach Ganges as Father, for, be it remembered that Mother alone is Mercy.

Justice demands that the sinful must suffer. The cry of “Do not look to what we are, what we have done and what we shall be (most ungrateful), but save us,” can only be addressed to the Mother, and it is therefore why Mother was and is propitiated as stated above.

What a pity! That I should have been driven by Mother to speak of Her Love to Her children ! Mother on hearing the cry, first removes the source of misery, danger or fear, and thereafter alone, approaches the child and asks, “Why did you call me?”

And the only answer that the wise have to give with joy, on being relieved of sorrow which befalls on reaching the climax of ungratefulness is, “Everything has been done by Thee, Oh Mother! Nothing remains to be done (Here which devotee will not be shedding tears!).

“Bhagavatyā kritam sarvam, Na kinchidavashishyate"

भगवत्याकृतं सर्वं न किंचित्अवशिष्यते । 

This being Mother's heart, my repeated request to those that follow Mother is that they should fail in thanks-giving, which in the case of Mother devotion has much greater importance than the prayer for relief itself.

I know my Mother's nature. She is very sportive, as every mother is to her child. She says to Her devotees, “Oh! I have done nothing to relieve you. It is your own victory. The source of misery and fear disappeared, by accident, by your own prowess.". And here the fool gets himself deluded.