Srimatha: village deities

[Guest guest]

Srimatha

 

In every village, there will be 'village deities'. We name them as 'Ammavaru'

(Diety), we do 'jatara' – festival of village deities celebrated as per the

customs and traditions of their village. We visit these village deity at least

once in a year. We treat her as one of our family member and share our happiness

with her in all auspicious occasions like marriage, delivery etc. We rever her

with devotion as well as we fear her. But we strongly believe that she protects

us in times of need.

 

Sometimes we feel why don't she bless us with good education, wealth, position,

prosperity, salvation etc., mother loves all her children, she knows what is

good for us, so she gifts which is good for us. For example mother gives food to

her children as per their digestive capability. She gives lite food to those who

have weak digestion. She gives heavy food to those who can eat well and digest.

If a child is suffering from fever craves to eat some junk food, mother gives

easily digestible food which helps to recover from ill-health. She blesses us as

per the results of our past 'Karma'. That is why she is praised as 'Bhakta

Soubhagya Dayani' which means 'she who gives all good and luck to her devotees',

Mother knows what is good for us better than us.

 

The main seed syllable 'Sri' has come from syllable 'Om'. 'Mother' means who is

worshipped. 'Srimatha' (mother who gives immeasurable wealth and happiness to

her children by removing all their sorrows), divine mother grant boons to her

children when they are in need, she knows how to give as well as how much to

gift her children. Either in sorrow or in fear a child goes to her mother and

cry.

'na gAyatrAH parO mantraH na mAtu daivatam param'

There is no mantra superior to 'Gayatri', neither is there a form of goddess

superior to divine mother 'Srimatha'. We invoke divine mother while chanting

'Gayatri Mantra'.

 

Long ago, an emperor named 'Suradha' lost his power and reached to forest. There

he found 'Medhomuni' ashram, near that ashram, he met a bussinessman named

'Samadhi', who was weeping as he was cheated of property by his relatives. Both

'Suradha' and 'Samadhi' visited Sage 'Medhomuni' in his ashram and disclosed

their problems. Then the sage described about 'Devi Mahatyam', later both of

them meditated mother goddess. Divine mother appeared in-front of them, the

emperor prayed to regain his kingdom, as he did not come out from the desire to

rule. The bussinessman pleaded to grant him a boon of wisdom from which he can

come out of relations, emotions and egoism. She is compassionate towards

everyone, it is what we pray to grant her. When mother appeared, the king had

asked her to grant 'bonds' (bandhalu) whereas the bussiness man had asked her to

gift him with 'salvation' (mukthi).

 

We have to surrender ourselves to divine mother not only in means of devotion

but by helping those who are in need and by doing good deeds as per our

capability. 'Jaganmatha' (universal mother) is worshipped as 'ah brahma keeta

janani' which means 'she is mother to all beings right from small insects to

lord brahma'. If we hurt any one, she will get hurt, if you do good to anyone,

she will be happy. One of our great scholars 'Potana' described in one of his

poems 'kalaDanduru dInula yeDa' means 'divine mother will always resides with

her children when they are in need'.

 

May blessings of divine mother bestow on all of us.

COURTERY : MIHIRA

 

thank you,

regards,

surekha.