All posts in this series
- Position of Women in Sanatana Dharma
- A Mother
“Matri devo bhav” (mother is divine and worship-able) is our sanatana principle. We address Bhagavan also as “mata” or mother first in our prayers as “tvameva mata” and then only, as pita or father. The mother is our first Guru. She is the one to pass on samskaras or values to the child. If a mother expands her love that is normally just limited towards her own children, to all children, then she becomes ‘jagat jananī’ – a mother to all.
Even if a person who is on the seat of The Shankaracharya, which is far higher than that of a Prime Minister or President, He must humbly prostrate before His mother. The Shankaracharya, owing to His position, is not to bow down even before an elder brother. The shastras say that the traditionally obtained consecrated “danda” of the Shankaracharya must not bow before smaller devis and devatas either. However, the position of mother is highly revered, and it is the duty to bow before her.
The mother nourishes a child in her womb for 9 months, thus, her influence on the child is immense. The father’s influence may or may not be there, but the mother’s impact cannot be avoided. Thus, the responsibility on women is very high. For giving birth to a good child, a woman must be disciplined and devoted to Bhagavan and follow what guidance that is given before and during pregnancy. As per the Mahabharata, the mother is the earth and father is the seed. If both are in good condition, they give birth to a divine child.
Women alone can conceive. How they lead their lives before and during pregnancy – their thoughts, actions, behaviour, etc, all have a deep impact on the child to be born. Jagadguru Puri Shankaracharyaji shares a few examples to illustrate this.
Diti, the wife of Rishi Kashyap was a chaste woman. However, she compelled Rishi Kashyap to be intimate with her at sandhya. Rishi Kashyap explained that it is the time ruled by Bhagavan Rudra and this would not be appropriate, but she did not listen to him. The result of her lack of patience was the birth of two terrorists and asuras – Hiranyakashyapu and Hiranyakshasa. This was a direct outcome of the faulty act of the mother, Diti.
In another example, Kayadu, the wife of the asura Hiranyaksashyapu, gave birth to Prahlaad due to her own virtues. During her pregnancy, she was listening to satsang and praise of Bhagavan from Narad Muniji. Prahlaad grew up to be one of the greatest bhakta known. This is the power of a mother.
Subhadra Devi, the wife of the great warrior Arjuna was listening to his discourse on how on the war tactic of creating a chakravyuha when she was pregnant with their son, Abhimanyu. When he started explaining how a chakravyuha is to be broken, in order to escape when encircled by enemies, Subhadra Devi went to sleep. As she slept, the baby in her womb also went to sleep and thus, could not receive this important lesson. During the Mahabharata war, Abhimanyu was attained veergati since he was killed when in a chakravyuha, since he did not know how to escape.
When the wife of Krishna Dwaipayana Vedavyasaji was to conceive through the methods of shastras, the mother closed her eyes and then gave birth to the blind Dhritarashtra. While he was strong and powerful, this mistake of mother made him blind.
There is another story from the Mahabharata. had got a boon from Bhagavan Shiva that she shall birth a hundred brave and intelligent men. However, before this happened, she received the news of Kunti having her son. This made her envious and she asked Ved Vyasaji to give her the same boon again. On realizing that she has still not been able to give birth despite being pregnant after the boon, she punched her own stomach so hard in anger that the semi-formed foetus came out. In her rage, she was going to burn it but Ved Vyasaji stopped her and also reprimanded her for such an action. Then, he arranged a hundred pots of go-ghrit and divided the foetal mass into these. They were covered for protection. The babies were developed in the pots. Gandhari realized that her boon was incomplete and that she wished for the great punya of the chance to do kanya-daan which has immense fruit. She had not asked for a daughter, also knowing that there is more affection is towards a son-in-law than the son. From the last piece Dushchala was born. All these men Gandhari gave birth to were bright but cruel since she had beaten herself with immense brutality, and with very negative emotions of hatred.
In the Markandaya Puran, we have the story of the great Madalasa Rani. Just through storytelling, lullaby’s and playing she made one son of hers a jivanmukta through sannyasa (nirvritti marga) and another son, a great king by training him for attaining heights through the parvritti marga.
Manusmriti says that even when one’s own wife is cooking food, she must be viewed as a mother. If one views her as a wife when she is preparing food, the food will not nourish properly. Then, if a wife gives birth to a son or daughter, it must be understood that she now holds the elevated position of a mother.
All mothers are worshipped and the whole responsibility of the household is on them.
Mothers have immense authority in the lives of their children. Mata Kaushalya told Bhagavan Ramaji to eat something sweet since he will have to spend much time in the court, having become the King of Ayodhya. Bhagavan Rama told His mother that He has been assigned the duty of the king of the forest and Bharat will be the king of Ayodhya. Quoting the Manusmiriti, Mata Kaushalya said that she has 100 times more right on Bhagavan Rama than His father. The mother has the power to cancel the order of the father as per Manusmriti and there will be no sin incurred by the son if he then disobeys the father. However, since this decision is based on the wish of the stepmother Kaikeyi, then Mata Kaushalya has to honour it and Bhagavan Rama must go to the forest. Mata Kaushalya then blessed Bhagavan Rama for exile in the forest.
The great warrior, the Rani of Jhansi, was the beloved daughter of a brahmin home. Her maternal home was in Kashi, near the Shankaracharya matha. That is where she was given martial training.
Jagadguru Puri Shankaracharyaji was orphaned when He was very young. He was brought up by His aunt, and as a little boy, it was in her lap that He sat and listened to kathas and satsangs. She played the role of His mother. His elder sister too was mother-like. She took very good care of Nilambar, the little boy, and taught Him important life lessons and values.
These few examples show us how precious the motherly role of women is. Their responsibility is unparalleled, and it is the nature, personal inclinations, behaviour, and qualities of a woman that can create great men and women for a civilization. She holds a central position in a family, which is the strong foundation of Hindu society.