Adi Shankaracharyar on Mother!

[Guest guest]

Hari OM!

Dear Ones,

 

Jaganmatarmatastava charanseva na rachita Na va duttam Devidravinamapi bhooyastava maya I Tathapi tvam sneham mayi nirupamyatprakurushe Kuputro jayet kwachidapi kumata na bhavati II 4 IIO Mother of the World ! I never rendered any service unto you, Devi !Never did I offer any money to you. But still you shower affection onme because in this world there could be a bad son but never a badmother !Our divine mother of the universe is totally self-less - SheGives and gives - Her infinite love and compassion. She is kind ; sheis forgiving and above all she is our life line - She is always therefor us every step of the way - She lifts us up when we fall and shelets us rest our weary heads on her lap and above all She is watchingover us day and night ! She is the very embodiment of 'vatsalya'bhava - the most exalted of all emotions in Bhakti literature!While we all are familiar with Adi shankara Bhagvadapada's infinitelove and devotion for the Universal mother Adi Para shakti , what isAcharya's own attitude towards his owm womb mother , smt. Aryambaal?The Sanyasi Monk was also a 'dutiful' son who fulfilled thepromise to his Mother that he would perform her last rites as aKarma putra ! ( you all remember the crocodile story, right? ) Yes!That is the least young Shankara could do for a great Mother whosewomb he came out of - his discharge of parental 'debt' ! Was it not

magnanimous of Smt Aryaambaal to generously let her one and only sonSon go to the womb of the Universe to spread the message of Advaita-vedanta?

 

Poet-philosopher Khalil Gibran sings :"Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.They come through you but not from you,And though they are with you yet they belong not to you."It is easy to say this but hard to do, right? Mothers, out there!Ladies! it is hard to cut the umbilical cord, is not it? But,honestly, give your children strong roots of which they can be proudof but by the same token give them strong 'wings' so they can leavethe mother's nest and branch out on their own!on this Mother's day, and everyday i would like to express my heartfelt 'thanks'to my mother for letting me to be who i am without clipping my wingsor cramping my style . Mom, thanks for showing me how to a 'mother'without the 'smothering' aspects of a 24 hour mother! To be a motheris every woman's birthright but it is also a big responsibilty. Andguess what , you can be a great Mother even without actually goingthrough the birthing procees! Yes- Mata Amritanandamayee, Sarada devi are all great mothers whose'nurturing 'spirit has uplifted many souls all over the globe! JOIN ME IN SALUTING THREE MOTHERS : 1) first, your own womb mother who gave birth to you and took care of you until you branched out on your own 2) second , your Motherland ( country of origin) for you should always be proud of your heritage. 3) and finally , The Divine Mother who nurtured your spirit and soul and She is the one who gave you spiritual birth! Pray with your two hands to Mother Durga and she will 'hug' you with all HER eighteen hands !

As Sri Raman Says to Sri Lakshmanan , 'Jananani Janamabhoomicha Swargathapi Gariyasi' ( MOTHER AND MOTHERLAND ARE DEARER THAN HEAVEN)! and let me add one more , JagAnmAtA ( the mother of the universe) is the Mother of all Mothers!

With Love & OM!

Krishna Prasad