Happy Mother’s Day

A teacher is worthy of ten times more respect that one should offer to a sub-teacher (उपाध्याय). The father is even more respectable and is a hundred times more venerable than the amount of respect offered to a teacher but the mother is thousand times more respectable than the father.  Such is the glory of mother according to Manusmiriti (मनुस्मृति).

A few days ago I saw a scar on a friend’s arm. I asked him what that was. He told me that he was very naughty in his childhood therefore his mother had punished him for some mischief he had conducted but later (i.e. after punishing him) his mother cried more than he did.

No one in this world feels the pain of the child more than the mother does.

She might punish her child. She might beat him badly. She might say anything offensive but never does she mean a single word. At most times her anger on her child is out of frustration.

She might say, “Get out of the house to never return” but if you really get out and don’t return for even half an hour she would search through all the streets in the town.  

Mother is mother. Doesn’t matter it is animal’s or human. A bitch (that would normally get afraid of you) will come up with greatest courage when you try to approach any of its puppies with bad intentions.   

That is why Manu has laid great stress on respecting Mother. And not only Manu, mother has the most revered place in the ‘Hindu Dharma’ overall. All the five Pandavas (पांडव) accepted Draupadi (द्रौपदी) as their bride just to keep their mother’s word, despite knowing that it was unusual for the society and the people might laugh at them.

Manu has insisted that although the sister of the father (बुआ), the sister of the mother (मौसी) and one’s own elder sister (दीदी) are equivalent to mother but mother still remains the most respected of them all.

Even though he was a Sannyasi (संन्यासी), Shankaracharya (आदि शंकराचार्य) came to meet his mother as promised and performed his mother’s last rituals without caring the least about what society would say.

Lord Rama (राम) never criticized his step mother Kaikeyi (कैकेयी) for what she did to him. On the other hand, whatever Kaikeyi (कैकेयी) did was to ensure the welfare of her son.

Lord Rama (राम) was everything to Hanuman (हनुमान) yet, when his mother asked him to protect some king (forgot the name) from Shree Rama; not only did he stand against Rama to keep the word of his mother but also rescued the king in a very smart manner. Although not clear where this story is mentioned yet it strongly reflects the respect that we should have in our hearts for our mothers.

It is stated in Manusmriti that one should not treat the mother (also father, teacher and elder brother) with disrespect no matter what offensive remark they make. However; it is disheartening that some mothers are deprived of their children’s love. At some families, the mothers have to go through violence and abusive remarks and it is never a pleasant scene to witness.  

Manu declares that the son who does not protect his mother (whose husband has died) is reprehensible. There is no one like mother therefore it is better to treat her with utmost respect when she is alive rather than missing her when she is not around.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!!

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