Evolution of Love 2

Last Days

"In the last days Sri Ma was serene, but uncharacteristically seemed to be removing herself beyond the prayers of people around her. Ordinarily she always gave the greatest heed to the words of the Mahatmas, but now to all prayers for her own recovery, she would smile and say, 'There is no ''kheyala'. Sri Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Shringeri, Sarada Peetham, wanted to invite her to Shringeri on the occasion of the Annual Durga Puja and urged that she should get rid of her illness speedily. She replied in her usual gentle tones, 'This body has no illness, Pitaji. It is being recalled toward the Unmanifest. Whatever you see happening now is conducive toward that event.' At the moment of bidding him farewell next day (July 2nd) she again reiterated her inability to accede to his wishes, saying 'As the Atma, I shall ever abide with you.'
Sri Ma, in other ways weaned her devotees from her physical presence. She did not answer letters but the correspondents felt her presence in their hearts and their questions answered. She did not attend any of the functions which were being performed with the usual circumspection at their proper times in the Ashram. She had stopped taking food for many months. The attending girls could give her a few drops of water only at odd moments. Sri Ma spent her last days at Kishenpur Ashram. She made no farewells apart from saying 'Sivaya namah' on the night of the 25th; this mantra is indicative of the final dissolution of worldly bondages. She became Unmanifest on Friday evening of August 27th, 1982, around 8 PM.
Kankhal at the foothill of the Himalayas is holy land. All monastic orders have their Headquarters at Hardwar. By a consensus of opinion the entire body of the Mahatmas came together to assume charge of Sri Ma's physical remains. The highest honor was given to her; a procession of thousands escorted the vehicle carrying her body from Dehra Dun to Kankhal. The Mahanirvani Akhada arranged for the last rites of samadhi. As Sri Ma had said, she did belong to everybody and so everybody participated in bidding farewell to the human body which had sustained their beloved Ma for 86 years."