Sri Devi Lila - The Play of the Divine Mother 
About the Book: Our first relationship in the world is through the mother. The Earliest memory of any person is that of clinging to the mother's breast and looking into her love-filled eyes. The comfort and security, which the infant gains from this relationship, lasts with him all his life. In the mother is centered a whole world of tenderness, comfort and sustenance. To transfer this concept to a cosmic being was a natural step, which all the ancient cultures took. Therefore the concept of the Divine as the Mother is as old as life itself. Devi is the Divine Mother, the eternal womb of all creatures- human, sub-human and animal. She cradles her children in her loving arms, suckles them and nurtures them with her infinite love. Wherever you see maternal love, in a bird or animal or human, know that to be the love of the Devi for her children, for she is the universal mother. This book takes us on ancient quest to unravel the mystery of the Divine Mother in all her manifold aspects.
 
PREFACE - Mata Devi Vanamali - Mataji, as I shall refer to her hereinafter, is a fit person to write about the Divine Mother of the Universe. Mataji is a deep devotee who is also filled with India's ancient concept of wisdom or jnana. Because my own devotion to God finds particular expression to the Divine Mother, I was deeply touched when Mataji asked me if I would write a few words of introduction to this beautiful book.
 
There are two aspects of the important subject of the cosmic Mother: the scriptural and the experiential. Mataji has rightly given us the scriptural slant on the subject. In this age, when most of us think of God as 'He', it is necessary to point out, as Mataji has done, that God is neither male nor female, and at the same time God is both! In the words of a great Kaali bhakta of Bengal, Ram Prasad, “A thousand Vedas declare that my Tara (a name for the divine mother) is nirakara (without form)."
 
Yet religion in these times has become too rationally formal and therefore too rational altogether. Years ago in America, the inspiration came to me to spread the concept of God as Mother and not only as Father. I wasn't thinking of the virgin mother only, as is more common in the West but of the formless Infinite in its motherly aspect. I went to many Western shrines dedicated to the Divine Mother and worshipped there. I received in each of them great inspiration and love. And I say now, is it not time for dogmatic religion to be replaced by devotion and love? There has been too much thinking about God. Mankind must learn to love Him, to talk with Him and to experience Him. And that 'Him' needs to be understood, first in its higher impersonal aspect, then brought down to earth in its more truly personal aspect as the Divine Mother.
 
For god in 'His' different aspects, though one in essence, is different in every aspect. It matters not only how we ourselves look upon God and define Him in our minds, it is a question also of how God views us. If we invoke God as the Divine Mother, She comes closer to us. The Infinite - beyond all sexual differences, is the maternal as well as paternal principle - opens its heart to us when we appeal to it as Mother.
 
There is a story from the life of that same poet, singer and saint, Ram Prasad. He was mending the fence before his house. At one point, someone, he thought was his own daughter, came up to him and offered to help with his job. He had been singing. She said to him, "Whom have you been singing to Papa?"
 
"I've been singing to my Divine Mother," he replied. "But She's very naughty. I keep calling and calling Her but She won't answer!"
"If She doesn't answer, Papa, why do you waste your time calling to Her?" The little girl then ran off with a childish laugh.
When Ram Prasad came indoors later on, he told his wife how their daughter had come and helped him with the fence and talked to him playfully.
 
"But that's not possible," answered his wife. "Today she's gone to visit the other side of our village."
 
"But I know it was she," he exclaimed. Later on, when their daughter returned home, he pressed her, "Wasn't it you helping me with our fence today?"
 
"Why, no Papa. You can ask anybody, I was with friends on the other side of our village."
 
Thus did Ram Prasad come to know that the Divine Mother Herself had come to him and teased him.
 
"O my Mother!" He cried, "what a naughty dear you are! Though you pretend to be inaccessible, you are ever near me and Mother, ever dearest to me."
 
All aspects of God hear us when we pray, but the Divine Mother listens to us - I don't say more so but more particularly. For we are her children.
She cares for each one of us in a special way. When we err, she will spank us through the law of karma. But when we love her, she also forgives. For she is ever anxious for us to understand that we may return with outstretched arms to her lap of infinity!