The Cosmic Mother in Art
Thousands of Suns, painting by Mantradevi based on Yogananda’s chant.
Kali dancing the Cosmic dance, with awestruck girl at her feet. Stone sculpture, Gujarat, 16th century.
Icon of Madonna and child
“Sati” (an incarnation of Devi) (1943) by Nandalal Bose
Madonna and child on wood
Bernardino Luini, Madonna and Child with Angels
Saraswati
Madonna and child, Fra Angelico
Saraswati by Ravi Varma
Raphael’s Madonna and child from his painting “Madonna di San Sisto”
Modern Saraswati silk painting
The Madonna of Humility, Fra Angelico
Marble painting of Lakshmi
Madonna, Botticelli
Madonna and Child, Fra Filippo Lippi, c. 1440
Kali
Madonna by Lorenzo Veneziano, 1357
Lakshmi
Madonna, Fra Angelico
Lakshmi, 1894 lithograph
Madonna and child, Gherardo Starnina, 1410
Gajalakshmi and Saraswati, Ravi Varma
Madonna and child, Fra Angelico
Kali
The Virgin Annunciate, Fra Angelico
Lakshmi by Raja Ravi Varma
Madonna, Bernardino Luini
Saraswati, Goddess of music, wisdom, learning, painting by Giri Raj Sharma
Madonna by Sassoferrato
Balinese painting of Saraswati
Madonna and Child, William Bouguereau (1825-1905)
Kali
Botticelli Madonna and Child
Saraswati, Goddess of music, wisdom, learning
White Tara, Buddhist Goddess of Compassion
GajaLakshmi, fine art print
Green Tara, Buddhist Goddess of compassion and enlightened activity
Mary
Lithograph of Kali from Kolkata, c. 1895
Dakshineshwar Kali
Category Archives: divine mother
Who Is Divine Mother?
by Swami Kriyananda from Clarity Magazine Fall 2001 First of all, we need to understand that Divine Mother is not a separate thing or person, but is the feminine aspect of God. There’s really only one reality—the Infinite Consciousness that … Continue reading
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An Exercise for the Rest of Your Life
by Swami Kriyananda from the Akash Course Modern man loves to experiment. I recommend this experiment in spiritual faith. To most people, God is conceived as a man or a woman. In India, He/She is thought of in many forms. God, however, … Continue reading
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She is the source of your well-being
by Paramhansa Yogananda Yes, She is the source of your well-being, because you are here only for a little while. Everything you experience is temporary. Only the association with God is permanent and forever; and, since this is so, you … Continue reading
Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother
There is a beautifully written book on the various energies and forms of the Divine Mother — authored by Vanamali, a long time friend of Swami Kriyananda and Ananda. In Shakti: Realm of the Divine Mother, she covers the philosophical and … Continue reading
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Tagged Devi Vanamali, divine mother, hindu, Hinduism, kali, kriyananda, ramprasad sen, Shakti
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Two Visions of Kali
The following two visions of Kali—one by Paramhansa Yogananda when he was the young Mukunda and the other by the Bengali poet Ramprasad Sen—are described by Swami Kriyananda in his book Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography. These two stories highlight an … Continue reading
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Tagged divine mother, kali, kriyananda, ram proshad, ramprasad, yogananda
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A Serious Grievance
Paramhansa Yogananda taught a way of praying that many people found unusual. In his Whispers from Eternity he called his prayers “prayer-demands,” describing the proper attitude towards prayer. He said that we are children of the Infinite and that divine … Continue reading
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Tagged divine mother, prayer, ramprasad sen, yogananda
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Ramakrishna on Divine Mother
“The Divine Mother revealed to me in the Kali temple that it was She who had become everything. She showed me that everything was full of Consciousness. The image was Consciousness, the altar was Consciousness, the water-vessels were Consciousness, the … Continue reading
“Ask of Me Salvation, but not My love and devotion”
Paramhansa Yogananda sang a Bengali chant that was translated into English as: Oh devotee, I can give thee salvation, but not My love and devotion; for when I give those away, I give Myself away. Ask of Me salvation, but … Continue reading
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“Who tells me Thou art dark…?”
Out of emotion or sentiment, people are prone to make Divine Mother so humanly personal as to become small. The Divine Mother is beyond form and beyond human sentiment. Yogananda used to sing a chant: Who tells me Thou art … Continue reading
Father-Mother-God
by Paramhansa Yogananda Question: Is God a Father or a Mother? Answer: God is both the Father and the Mother Principle. If we consider God as transcendental, He is neither Father nor Mother, but as soon as think of God … Continue reading
The Cosmic Mother 