Awake Mother

Sri Ramakrishna began his midday meal with the devotees. It was about one o'clock. A devotee sang in the courtyard below:  

                 Awake, Mother! Awake! How long Thou hast 

                                                                                 been asleep 

                 In the lotus of the Muladhara! 

                 Fulfil Thy secret function, Mother: 

                 Rise to the thousand-petalled lotus within the head, 

                 Where mighty Śiva has His dwelling; 

                 Swiftly pierce the six lotuses 

                  And take away my grief,

                                                  O Essence of Consciousness! 

Hearing the song, Sri Ramakrishna went into samādhi; his whole body became still, and his hand remained touching the plate of food. He could eat no more. After a long time his mind came down partially to the plane of the sense world, and he said, "I want to go downstairs." 

A devotee led him down very carefully. Still in an abstracted mood, he sat near the singer. The song had ended. 

The Master said to him very humbly, "Sir, I want to hear the chanting of the Mother's name again." 

The musician sang: 

           Awake, Mother! Awake! How long Thou hast 

                                                                               been asleep 

           In the lotus of the Muladhara! ... 

The Master again went into ecstasy.  

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, P 182 

                    (18 February 1883, At a Devotee’s house)