BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA ON THE ROLE OF MOTHER

DR. PRABHA RAVI SHANKAR

MOTHERHOOD AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE- CHAPTER 1

The sweetest word in the language of human race is the name by which every child addresses the

woman who gave it birth. It involuntarily rises to the tips of the weary, the tired, the sick, the sad and

the suffering. It is the embodiment of purest love.

A husband and wife are often described as two halves of one and the same personality. The tie that

binds them together and their marriage is considered as a sacred bond. But the mother concept is

unique. Even the father must take a second place to the mother. Manu, the ancient lawgiver said that

the mother is entitled to ten times more respect than a father. ‘Matapita’ and not ‘Pitamata’ is the

common parlance. Similar are the words ‘Radhakrishna’, and ‘Sitarama’. This is what Bhagavan Sri

Sathya Sai Baba has said in many of his discourses and written works. This is what He extols has the

greatest value to be taught to not only His students but also to all the youth in the world. This is the

essential ingredient for a peaceful and prosperous nation.

‘One good mother is worth a hundred school masters’ goes a popular saying. A mother is loadstone to

all hearts, loadstare to all eyes. It is the mother, more than the father who influences the action and the

conduct of the child. Therefore, her good example is of great importance at home. The pure and noble

thoughts implanted in the minds of the children would grow up into good acts long after she is dead. As

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said ‘As the seed, so is the tree’. He explained further that ‘the earth is a

common soil in which we grow all types of tree. If we sow neem seed, naturally a neem tree will grow. If

we sow a mango seed, we will get a mongo tree. A mother is like the earth. To beget children, the

conduct of the parent’s acts like the seed that is sown’.

Grety, a music composer, described a good mother as ‘Nature chef -d’oeuvre’. Napoleon Bonaparte

observed that the future good or bad conduct of a child depended entirely on the mother. Mothers all

over the world not have invented telescope or wrote Iliad or solved Algebra. But they have done

something special. It is the building up of the character of men. Her attitude, behavior and example

influence the children’s morals, manners and character to a great extent. Where she is morally pure and

enlightened, her home will be proportionately elevated. On the contrary, a foolish mother would spoil a

child with misplaced affection or faulty upbringing.

Mother is the chief architect of the character of the children. That is why a mother is such a hallowed

person all over the world. In India, a mother is bracketed with god. It is said that ‘God could not be

present everywhere and therefore He created mothers’.

In the words of Arnold Toynbee, the distinguished historian, ‘The mother in the home environment is

irreplaceable the educator of the children in the early years of life during which a child’s character and

temperament are formed… Part of a child’s personality is determined by the genes. But the character is

formed by an interaction between a person’s heredity and his response to his environments, and it

seems to be agreed that, though character can be modified at all stages of life, the decisive

developments occur… during the first major environmental agency is the mother’s educational

influence’

Ancient wisdom and scientific test have proved beyond doubt that the behavior and attitude of the

children takes in the womb itself. The thought that prevailed at that time of conception as well as

throughout the period of pregnancy results in the kind of child that is to be born. The Time Magazine

observed in a report entitled Fertile minds as follows: “From birth, a baby’s brain cells proliferate wildly,

making connections that may shape a lifetime of experience. The first three years are critical.”

Birth in a good family is a rare fortune and is result of good karma. This fact can be seen even in the life

of saints. Sant Gyaneshwar and his brothers were right since early childhood devoted to God. This was

because of their pious parents. Saint Gyaneshwar was convinced after the blessings of his Guru. In fact,

in their house all the other children were born after his blessings. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

narrated the story of queen Mandalsa in one of His discourses. He said that she taught her children all

good virtues right from infancy. Even while she sang a lullaby, she said, ‘Placing you in the cradle on

omkara on the bed of the great saying ‘that twam asi’ (that thou art) swinging to the awareness, dear

child, May the Gods lull you to sleep’. The nation needs such noble mothers who lead an exemplary life.

They should manifest in their life the great culture of Bharat. Then, the culture will be transmitted to

their progeny. Many great women in the past brought up such worthy children and enhanced the name

and glory of Bharat. It is from the mother that the child learns its first sign of speech, the first step in

movement and many other primary lessons in behavior. Hence, the mother stands out as the reflected

image of nature ‘books and information technology are a mere bagatelle. You are what you are born

and made at home’, observed Swami Vivekananda.

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says: ‘Women are endowed with exceptional strength even in the

spiritual field women display their boundless capacity. It is in her role as a mother that there is the

highest expression of a women’s strength. And many other primary lessons in behaviour’. Therefore

there is no doubt that ‘noble mother’s breed noble sons’. In the upbringing of children, the mother’s

role cannot be exaggerated.

To quote Bhagavan Baba again ‘A house without mother is an empty choultry. Mother is the pillar of

home, of society, of the nation and the humanity itelf. In the olden days, mothers used to lead a pure

and pious life, cherished noble thoughts, fostered virtues and set an example not only to their home and

society but also to posterity. However, Swami rightly observed almost in each of His discourses that of

late, mothers have not lived up to this Vedic ideal. Today’s mothers are more career-minded and leave

their children at the hands of ‘ayas’. As a result children develop love and affection only for their ‘ayas’

and not for their mothers. ‘They only cry when ayas die and have little or no real affection for their real

mothers’, observed Swami in a regretful tone. In the olden days, mothers spent time with children with

love and devotion. They immersed themselves in noble deeds conception but today the mothers are

engrossed in wild reading and viewing of violent and obscene films in the big or small screen to kill time.

Many of them go for partying and indulge in cards play. Such deeds at the time of pregnancy do no good

to the child in the womb. In the olden days the fed them with mothers milk but today it is ‘tin milk’ and

so the children develops a ‘tin mentality’. In the olden times, the first word a mother would teach her

child was to recite God’s name like ‘Om Namo Shivaya’ or ‘Om Namo Bhavate Vasudevaya’ or ‘Rama or

Krishna. Today, it is film songs or nursery rhymes. Even naming of children is current sports or filmy idol

or beauty queen and not that of God’s or Goddesses.

Bhagavan Baba has warned mothers against massive pampering of children that will not only spoil them.

He pointed out in his discourses the case of a boy who committed small theft when he was young. The

boys’s mother, out of extreme love and affection paid no attention to this event considering it as trivial.

However, as days went by, the child grew into a mischievous and ill-behaved boy and began committing

robbery. The policeman came to arrest him and at that time, the boy shouted ‘it is my mother who is

responsible for this event’. This incident is suffice to show how excessive love can spoil the life of

children. ‘It is a shame’, says Baba, ‘if mothers complain that their children do not listen to them’.

No wonder today’s situation is a bit gloomy. A generation has grown up that takes parents, society and

even freedom for granted. They consider it a waste of time to visit temples or recite religious hymns or

prayer and indulge in meditation. What is worse, many parents are indifferent to instilling spiritual

lessons for their children as they believe that these are all for old and retired people. As a result their

children spend a major part of their childhood in pursuing useless hobbies. They consider it a fashion to

challenge ‘god’ and ‘Believers’. They develop destructive mind and exhibit violent tendencies right from

childhood. They imitate blindly the stars on T.V and waste money with no concern for their parents or

family. Despite all advantages of computer, its ill effects particularly on children who cannot be denied.

Some children, sadly though, even question the good deeds of their parents and assert that there is no

big deal for doing their duty.

Who to blame for this sorry state affairs? According to Bhagavan Baba, it is the duty of the parents and,

teachers to build the character of children. Perhaps the duty is more with the mother who plays a

significant role. Home is the first school and the mother is the first teacher. The mother has assiduously

cultivate in her children certain basic values, moral, ethical as well as spiritual which alone would give

strength and stability to them. The centre of every home must be the shrine room; the fragrance of

flower and incense emanating from there must pervade the house and purify it. The mother must set

the example in holding out the shrine as the heart of the household. The mother has to teach the child

to precept and practice. It is here that the foundation is laid for the future life of the child both as an

individual and as a member of the society. Hence this fact cannot be overstressed.

However, Bhagavan Baba has asserted repeated, there is nothing wrong if a woman takes up a job in

order to financially support her family or because she wanted to do community service. But they must

spend good ‘quality and not quantity time’ with their children. In fact, in such families, the children are

more matured and shoulder responsibility right from young age. Bhagavan Baba is neither against

women’s higher education nor against their service outside home. But he would like women to use their

education for a good purpose. He advises women ‘to cultivate love, sow love in all hearts, shower love

on desert lands’. In fact on important reason for starting the first college for women at Anantapur as

early as the year 1960 was to train her to be an ideal mother, ‘ideal sister, ideal wife and in general ideal

woman’.

The mother should apply the ‘brake of discipline’ in the upbringing of children. The role of mother is this

significant not only in reproduction of children but also in building up nations with good citizens.

Bagavan Baba describe is as follows: ‘Motherhood is the most is the most precious gift of God. Mothers

are the makers of a nation’s fortune for the shape of sinews of the soul. These sinews are toughened by

lessons they should teach, fear of sin and fondness of virtue. Both are based of faith in God being the

inner motivator of all. If you want to know how advanced a nation is, study the mothers. Are they free

from fears and anxiety; are they trained in fortitude and virtue, if you like to imbibe the glory of cu lture,

watch the mothers rocking the cradle, feeding, fostering teaching and fondling babies. As is the mother,

so is the progress of the nation, as is the mother, so is the sweetness of the culture’.

EASHWARAMMA AND SOME DIVINE MOTHERS- CHAPTER II

‘When we review the life of the mother of the Avatar’, said Pro. Kasturi author of excellent book Satyha,

Shvam, Sundaram, ‘we find ourselves progressing through curiosity, expectation, compassion and

wonder and landing in appreciation and adoration’. Indeed the divine character of mothers can be

gauged from the fact that Indian mythology and ancient scriptures describes their essence. It is not only

pleasure and priviledge but also a deivine blessing to be a divine mother. Kaushalya, Devaki. Yashoda.

Aryamba( the mother of Adi Sankara), and in the Kaliyuga , Eashwaramma, the mother of Bhagavan Shri

Sathya Sai Baba are cases of divine mothers. Each of them had earned their blessings through years of

good deeds to give birth to divine child through purity, divinity and nobility in many of their previous

births. Bhagavan Baba explained in one of his discourses that once Hunuman’s mother came to meet

Kausalya. When the latter enquired as to who she was the mother of sage Agastiyar who drank the

ocean. Kausalya, the mother of Rama who was patiently listening to this conversation observed politely

but firmly that she was the mother of Rama on whose name both Hanuman and Agastiyar meditated

and carried out their mission successfully. The purpose of citing this incident i s that it gives us an idea of

divine conversations. Lord Krishna who embarked on a visit to Mathura to meet his wicked uncle Kamsa

took Devki’s blessing. Rama took the blessing of all of his three mothers before he set out for his

fourteen years of exile. Hence it would be of some interest to understand the role of divine mother.

About Rama’s avatar, Sage Agastriya spoke thus ‘have you not realized the truth? You are Narayan the

creator of creators. You are the creator of the three gunas of the three Vedas. You are the resident of

the three abodes. You took three worlds in your stride. It is to bestow your favour on the worlds that

you are now born as man and as the son of Kausalya.’ This discloses the intention underlying the birth of

an ‘avatar’ the intentioned award, renown and glory to those who were regarded as his parents.

Similarly, the story of Sri Krishna universally accepted, as the ‘Poorna avatar’ is the clearest proof of

Krishna being born in the house of the chosen parents. As it is said, the agony of the mother earth

compelled the compassion of divine will into the resolve to incarnate as sustainer, solace and savior of

mindkind. Brahma heard the voice of All pervasive God Vishnu that conveyed the blessing and the boon

which said: The Bhagavan himself, the ALMIGHTY resident in all, moved by his own will takes birth in

house of Vasudeva’. The emphasis the mind of both the mother and the father tells us that the advent

of the ‘Avatar’ occurred in ultra physical conditions. The mother served as the inaugural vessel to

contain the cosmic essence and allowed it to unfold as its will dictated. Sage Vishwamitra, for instance,

called Rama as the ‘good son of Kalsalya’. For it was she who had nurtured in her womb the Lord.

The birth of Dattatreya, a deity representing the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva to sage Atri

and his wife Anusaya was also a divine act. The parents of Dattatreya were granted a boon that the

Hindu trinity would be born in them and they would be hailed as Lord’s parents. Dattatreya means

‘granted to Atri’ and he is also known as ‘Anusayaputre’ or the son of Anusaya. About the birth of

Buddha, the Jatakas (Buddhists stories) are full of incidents. It is said that the devas knew the signs and

that Buddha will again go to help the world. It was believed: ‘Yes’ spoke He, now will go to help the

world. I will go down among the Sakyas under the Southward snows of Himalayas where pious people

live in just land and king’. Before he was born, it was said that Buddha’s mother has a dream where she

saw that the star from heaven- bright, colourful and splendid, which rode on an elephant, shining into

her and entered her womb. This was sure sign of divine incarnation.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Kali Yuga avatar, born on 23rd November, 1926 un Puttaparthi, a

remote village of Andra Pradesh in the home of the Rathnakaram household, which, it is said that the

Lord himself chose. The sanscrit word ‘Rathnakaram’ means ‘treasure chest gems’. Eashwaramma was

‘chosen mother of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. She belonged to the noble and pious family of Raju’s,

known for their valour, spiritual inclination and kindness. Eshwaramma herself was a divine child as her

very name signifies. She was an ardent devotee of the Lord and regularly visited the Shiva, Venugopala

and the Hanuman temple in the vicinity of the home. Before the birth of the Kali Avatar, Bhagavan Baba,

mother of Eashwaramma had a dream of Sathyanaraayana Deva. In her own words ‘When I was drawing

water from the well, I saw a big ball of blue light rolling toward me, I felt it glided into me’. This Swami

was not a ‘begotten’ but ‘pravesa’. Further, on his birth, the family members found to their amazement

that a sepent coiled beneath the bed on which young Sathyanarayana, the child slept. Father Venkappa

Raja was awakened at night by melodious music emanating from the musical instruments on their own.

God as “Sathyanarayana” has thus entered into the house of Ratnakara Raju with div ine signs, melody,

form and fragance. But it took Eashwaramma, a simple, village women, long time to understand that her

son was a divine child.

Bhagavan explained that in the case of ‘avatar’, the cosmic consciousness decides on a human role and

choose the time, place and persons who are to be addressed as i ts parents and the womb in which it

could initiate its career as a foetus fraught with infinite potency. He has often said about himself that

the ‘Sai’ avatar decended because the saints and sadhus of all lands prayed for his arrival. ‘I chose the

mother’. Baba announced, ‘who was to experience my closeness during gestation’. Swami has also said

that mother Eashwaramma was the first recipient of avatar’s grace. The father who protects and

nourishes the mother is regarded with the frame bestowed on his name . The Puranas, the Bhagavan

Gita and the great epics give us a glimpse of the onslaughts of grief, joy, hope and despair, anxiety and

assurance that the divine mothers had to undergo. Rama was deputed by the family Guru to get rid of

the demons that disturbed the sacrificial rites of the sages. His mother and father, Dasaratha and

Kausalya could not digest the thought that young Rama, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, would single-

handedly slain demons. Similarly Krishna’s friends complained to his foster mother Yashoda that he had

consumed mud. Worried that the child Krishna would catch some disease, Yashoda asked him to open

his mouth. What she saw was unbelievable. Not only there was no trace of mud, but she could also see

the entire cosmos in the tiny mouth of the child. How can an innocent mother understand the divinity of

the child who in reality was Lord Vishnu himself? Yashoda, Devaki and Kausalya had to bear all sorts

emotions during their motherhood. Thought the Lord revealed his cosmic significance more than once,

they remained like any other mother, anxious, and concerned. This was in keeping with the avatar life.

Similarly Eashwramma was innocent, tender, pious, modest and rural. Though richly endowed with the

knowledge of Telegu ballads folklore, it took years of experience, observation, and intimations to be

convinced that her child Sathya Narayana Raju is an avatar just like lord Rama or Krishna. As a mother,

her love for him was all embracing and unconditional. It was left to Swami to explain his av ataric mission

to his mother through several instances. Graham Ammai, as Swami fondly addressed his mother, took a

long time to understand that her child is divine. Whenever Swami was amidst devotees, or left his body

to save a devotee or appeared simultaneously at many time predicted the future events, she looked at

him with momentary awe and wonder. Once at the age of fourteen Bhagavan Baba accurately described

that he was the incarnation of the previous Shirdi Sai baba. When asked to prove it, Baba, thre w some

jasmine flowers that automatically formed the divine words Sai Baba in Telegu. This incident convinced

Eashwaramma that her child was indeed divine but the mother’s natural affection overtook her soon. An

objective analysis of her life would indicate that she was a wonderful mixture of the human and the

divine. Apart from her divine and blessed life, the mere human aspect of her life were enough to make

her an exemplary character to the eyes of the world. She was the perfection of Indian womanhood.

Each and every of the action showed the highest dignity and greatest magnanimity. Her father-in-law

also told her that her child was truly divine. Even in ordinary day-to-day life, she was head and shoulders

above all others in refined and broad outlook. Her life was always for others –i.e. with relative, children,

neighbours or anyone else. When Baba built the Prashanti Nilayam, Eshwaramma accepted the new

development and is said to have lovingly looked after the devotees.

Her greatest quality was her motherly love. All those who came in contact with her found in her a

‘mother’. Her love was perhaps stronger than that of one’s own mother. Those who have never been

fortunate to experience mother’s love had their loss more than compensated when they came in

contact with her. She cooked foods for Swamis devotees and looked after their comforts and

conveniences. But the unspoken language of love was enough for others to know her. The fact that

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba extols her virtues in almost all his discourses is proof enough of the divine

existence.

In one of his recent discourses at Kodaikanal, in Tamil Nadu, Bhagavan Baba explained how much she

loved Swami. He also declared in one of His few intimate conversations with his dear students that his

mother Eashwaramma visited him even today. Once Eashwaramma met Swami at his residence in the

Mandir. The students who slept in the Mandir wondered how could someone go up to Swami when the

doors were locked? Swami said that his mother advised him to take adequate rest and be cautious

whenever he received something from the devotees for blessings. Swami related this incident more

than once, as a direct testimony of what could be mother’s love. Eashwaramma’s physical presence is no

more but she is always with Swami. It is notable that Swami’s grandfather Kodama Raju, a noble soul,

was one of the earliest in the family that and perhaps even in the village to realize the divinity of

Bhagavan Baba and expressed the same to his daughter-in-law Eashwaramma. Bhagavan Baba said that

‘Eashwaramma was dedicated and devoted. There was no trace of selfishness in her. She was truly a

divine mother’.

CASES OF IDEAL MOTHERS- CHAPTER III

‘Rama's divinity blossomed under Kausalya's loving care;

Lava and Kusa could become powerful and famous

due to their noble and virtuous mother Sita,

The love and care of Jijabai made Shivaji a great warrior,

Fostered with the love of his mother Putlibai, Gandhi became a Mahatma.

Is there anyone in this world who can take care of you the way your mother does? Amma (mother) is

the first word that man picks up in life. The first letter of the word 'Amma' also happens to be the first

letter of the alphabet.’

-Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Telegu poem.

THE mother is the main architect of the character of children. That is why a mother is such a hallowed

person all over the world. It is a fact of history that great man owed their goodness to their mothers/ As

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai baba said: ‘There is no higher God than mother, the father is one’s treasure, the

mother is his God’. He also explained that every child had 5 mothers and owed loyalty to all five. They fill

his life with its real meaning and purpose of living. The five mothers are:

1. The Deha Mata: The mother who gives birth to the body

2. The Gomata: The cow that gives its milk and bullock that is the partner in growing its food

throughout his life.

3. The Bhoomata: The Land that in return for seed offers grain a hundred-fold.

4. The Desamata: The region that it inhabits and

5. The Veda Mata: The heritage of spiritual treasure.

The mother is the first of the five mothers that the Indian child encounters. The earthly or physical

mother, mother cow, mother earth, mother country and mother Veda. The mother who bore the body

must reveal to the child the glories of all the other four. Therefore, her responsibility is the greatest and

most crucial.

The significance of the role of the mother can be gauged from the fact that some year ago in a certain

factory in England, which employed children, questions were asked regarding applicant’s mother and no

inquiry whatsoever was made regarding father. Even if a father turns out to be a drunkard, ruthless and

useless, the family will kept alive, if only the mother remained prudent and sensible. Because, good

mothers, more than fathers tend to be perpetual renovation of mankind, creating as they do, the moral

atmosphere of the home. Which is the nutrient of man’s moral being, as the biographer of Napoleon

observed that ‘Nobody had any command over except his mother, who found means, by mixture of

tenderness, severity and justice to make him love, respect and obey her, from her. He learnt the virtues

of obedience’.

The tremendous influence the mothers had on the character and progress of great and good men in

their formative years is a fact of history. The most striking example is that of Jijabai, the mother

Chhatrapati Shivaji, who fought against big powers and created the Maratha Empire amidst all odds. He

had a humble origin but raised to greatness due to the qualities of Chivalry, bravery, and his unique

nature which was to respect all people and women in particular, religious shrines and scriptures. He was

a humane king. This was undoubtedly due to the influence of his mother who instilled certain basic

values in him in his formative years. Despite her own difficult living, she showed determination and with

hard word shaped Shivaji’s character. He received education in arts, scriptures, and ancient heroes,

Puranas, epics and intense love for mother country form his mother. The spirited lady developed in him

a spirit of defiance and self-assertion and became a guardian angel to him. She encouraged him to right

for natural rights and not get overawed by dangers and vicissitudes. She encouraged him to fight against

Moghul emperors and in carving an independent Maratha Kingdom. After thirty years of hard struggle,

that included the. Romantic episode of escaping from Agra, Shivaji succeeded in fulfilling his mother’s

wish.

Yet another notable example of ideal mother is the famous lady Putlibai, the noble mother of a great

son. She was a simple, pious, and a noble lady who was deeply religious and an epitome of truth. Her

unbending love, endless austerities and her iron will left a permanent impression in the tender mind of

Gandhi. She visited the community temple everyday and never took food without saying her daily

prayer. During the ’chaturmas’ she was very particularly about her visits to the temple. She fasted and

never ate unless she heard cuckoo’s voice. Knowing his mother’s strict adherence to all rituals and

unable to see her go hungry for long hours, Gandhi once went to the backyard of his house and imitated

the noise as that of a cuckoo. His mother mistook her son’s pranks for a real cuckoo and broke the fast.

However, soon she guessed her son’s pranks and severely admonished him for uttering lies. This vowed

incident left a deep impact on the young Gandhi who vowed then and there that he would never tell

lies. This was the day that led to the foundation of Gandhi’s experiments with truth. “Truth’ became the

foundation of his character; nay the mission of his life and Gandhi became a Mahatma.

Not only he owed to his mother all virtues like kindness, mercy, tolerance, patience and a passion for

nursing which made him wash leper’s sole in his ashram later on it, it also led to an impetus for his

technique to the heart through self-suffering and fasting. As Gandhi himself observed: The earliest and

perhaps the most enduring influence, which moved Gandhi’s thought, and his attitude toward women

were the profound impact of his mother Putlibai. In his memorable autobiography ‘My Experiments

With Truth’, Gandhi refers to the affection and attachment, which he felt for his mother from whom he

received his first lessons in religion, rituals, and dietary regulation along with virtues of truth, love and

non-violence. While in the Yerevada jail in Poona, Gandhi told his friend cum secretary, Mahadev Desai,

“if you notice any purity in me, I have inherited it from my mother, and not from my father… the only

impression she ever let on my mind is that of saintl iness”. As a matter of fact, Gandhi’s later

development of his-image as a caring public servant, his identification with women and his willing

performance of female roles such as nursing and tending children was a reflection of his motherly love.

Putlibai was one of the biggest factors in making Gandhi what he is today, a prophet of self mastery, of

national control through control of self. Gandhi got his practical understanding of his ahimsa from his

mother. This gentle puritanical observed and underlined the importance of motherhood. He wrote, “ In

Hinduism marriage is a sacrament. It is one of the ashrams. If married life is a religious duty;

motherhood must sp, too. To be an ideal mother is no easy task. The procreation of children has to be

undertaken with full sense of responsibility. The mother should know what is her duty from the moment

she conceives right up to the time the child is born. The one, who gives intelligent, healthy and well-

brought-up children to the country, is surely rendering a service. When the latter grew up they , too, will

be ready to serve’. Bhagavan Baba never fails to highlight the role of the great mother Putlibai in his

discourses particularly on the Eashwaramma Day.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar became one of the noted social reformers of modern India. He was brought

up in a rural environment near Calcutta. His mother was full of wisdom, courage and virtue. She

groomed her son with affection, love and discipline. The boy grew up and starting working with

dedication and discipline. During one of his visits to his mother, the son offered to buy for his mother

some ornaments so that she can visit a fair. The mother lovingly declined and said ‘I do want three

ornaments but I will ask you to get these at a later time’. The jewellery she wants was of a different type

type. She named them one by one. To put in her own words: (1) Open a school for small children in our

village; (2) Open a medical dispensary in our village; and (3) Never get lured by money. These words

reveal the noble thoughts of a noble mother. No wonder, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar became a noble

reformer. Ishwar Chandra thus became Vidyasagar, or ocean of knowledge that had the wisdom of

ancient age, the energy of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother.

It may be recalled that just forty years ago, mother Eashwaramma also wanted that Puttaparthi, the

remote village, should have a hospital, educational schools and colleges. Swami’s love knew no bounds

and true to his life’s message, he had built in a superlative manner all the three. The remote village of

Puttaparthi has been put on world map. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa himself a great sage, owed his

greatness to his mother Chandre Devi. Before his birth, she had a dream of a celestial voice, which

announced the birth of a divine child. The blessed child, Gadadar, better known as Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa showed remarkable intelligence right from young age and strange fondness for hearing

the stories of scriptures and sages. He spent major part of his time in listening to religious discourses

and the study of mythology. All his saintly virtues and character, Ramakrishna owed to his mother.

Ramakrishna’s disciple Narendra who himself became a great teacher, as Swami Vivekananda was

alsodeeply inspired by his mother. Madan Mohan Malaviya, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mahadev

Govind Ranade were some of the other great men who owed their greatness and goodness to their

mothers.

Sister Nivedita, a pupil of Swami Vivekananda, made India her home. She wrote many books on India,

She was deeply inspired by the role of mothers in ancient India. She complimented their sincerity,

nobility selflessness, loving nature, and dedication to the family. She said they were the ‘pillars of the

home’. She advised every Indian woman not to go for western fashions and technologies and ignore the

wonderful qualities of the ancient Indian women particularly her role as a mother. Swam Vivekananda

also said that ‘mother’s love is pure, that there is no barter. It is unique’.

Mrs Annie Besant, an Irish lady who worked for India’s freedom and emancipation and who had made

India her home owed a debt of gratitude to her mother. In her autobiography she said about her

mother: “The tenderest, sweetest, proudest, noblest woman I have ever known, I have ne ver met a

woman more selflessly devoted to those whom she loved, more passionately contemptuous of all that

was mean and base, more keenly sensitive on every question of honor, more in will, more sweet in

tenderness than the mother who made my girlhood as sunny as dreamland, who guarded me until my

marriage from every touch of pain that she could ward off...”

Subhash Chandra Bose, a great freedom fighter, appreciated the ideals of motherhood. He believed that

mother’s love was immeasurable. But he went a step ahead. He believed that a mother’s love should

have the capacity to accept any person from the street as her own son. He wrote: ‘but a mother is not

motivated by selfish life considerations. Her life is dedicated to her children – to the country if you read

the history of India, you will see that so many mothers have lived for the sake of mothe r India and have,

when the need arose, sacrificed their lives for her. Think of Ahalya Bai, Me era Bai, Durga Bai – there are

so many – I cannot remember all their names. We are reared on mother’s milk – therefore nothing can

be more educative and elevating than what instruction and guidance we get from mother’. The life of,

Rama, Krishna, Guru Govind, the Buddha, Kalidasa, Tulsidas, Vyasa, Valmiki, Chaitanya, Kabir and many

others would reveal that mother’s blessings is the most valuable thing a man can possess. It strengthens

him in his moments of weaknesses, invigorates him in times of depression and inspire in difficulties.

Bhagavan Baba went further and said that ‘a man with noble mother’s blessings can accomplish any

task’.

World history is full of such examples. The influence of an idea mother is well illustrated in the life or St.

Augustine. It was his mother who taught him the highest good that is chastity. John Randolph, an

American statesmen said ‘I should have been for one recollection- and that was the memory of the time

my departed mother used to take my little hand in hers, and cause me on my knees to say ‘Our father,

who art in heaven’. George Washington, the first president of United States, was only eleven year old

when he lost his father. His mother was a woman of much intelligence and strength of character. She

had to cater to besides George, four more children, a large household to govern and estates to manage.

Her character helped her overcome every single obstacle. Thus it can be seen that good influence of

mothers on their children is a universal phenomena. In this context, Bhagavan Baba rightly said about

mother ‘As is the seed, so is the tree’. Noble mothers make noble children.

Talking about ideal mothers, one cannot, by pass, the legendary mother of Sane Guruji, a freedom

fighter and a great writer. He has written about eighty-seven books into Marathi. Earlier known as

Pandurang Sadasiv Sane, his greatest work in Marathi literature is Shyamchi Aai. This book can be found

in the house of almost all Maharashtrians. It is a classic work that has been translated into many

languages. In this book, Sane Guruji fondly and respectfully recalled his mother who according to him

was responsible for instilling in him certain basic human values right from childhood. Shyam observed

movingly: ‘My mother has given everything. What is good in me, whatever is holy – all these I owe to

her. She left me so that my love for her should not stand in the way of my love for my motherland and

prevent me from joining the freedom struggle. Let all mothers be like Shyam’s mother. Her love, sense

of duty, forbearance, and sweetness – may all these become part of myself and show themselves in all

my action’.

It is noteworthy fact that oriental women exemplified themselves in the ideal of womanhood as well as

motherhood. Though Europeans had a low opinion about Eastern woman for a long term, their visits to

eastern countries would have slowly but surely convinced them of the ideal womanhood. Oriental

women feel more dignified when they become mothers. They feel an indescribable joy in having a child

who represents both their own and their husband’s qualities. It even makes a marriage more sacred and

perhaps not easy to break. They are overjoyed to seed the child waiting for their smiles, kisses, hugs and

warm security. The mother occupies highest place in the family life in India and in the Buddhist countries

in particular. The first word and perhaps the last word that a child utters is that of mother. It is also true

that the attitude of a man towards women in general and his own wife later on, would to a large extent

of ideals he had received in his home or in his formative years, Respect to all women is something that

every mother can instill in her children , particularly to male children. These are the high ideals of

motherhood that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has been saying for years together in his discourses

particularly on Ladies’ day and Eashwaramma Day. His discourses to students everyday in the form of

dialogues also underline its significance. The greatness of Bhagavan Baba is that he not only preaches

but also leads by personal example. Truly, as he often said ‘His life is His message’.

In the time of Mauryan king Ashoka, many Buddhist missionaries were sent abroad to spread the

teachings of Buddhism. Syria, like many other eastern countries was conside rably influenced by the

Indian ideal womanhood. This explains satisfactorily as to why the mother Jesus was apotheosized. She

is the perfect ideal of oriental woman who projected “EL Bambino” with expressible in all Italian and

Spanish art.

CONCLUSION – CHAPTER IV

The mother’s lap is thus the school for everyone. It is the first temple. The mother is everyone’s primary

wealth. All other wealth can be attached with a price tag but no so a mother’s worth. It is simple,

boundless, priceless and invaluable. To recognize this truth about one’s own mother is the duty of every

human being. Bhagavan Baba advises all his devotees; particularly youngsters and students ‘never forget

the debt they owe to their mothers’. The Veda proclaim: Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, Acharya

Devo Bhava, Atiti Devo Bhava. That is hail the mother, father, guru and the guest. God’s blessings

would naturally follow. It is the mother who teaches the sacred principles like love, compassion,

tolerance, and sacrifice. Bhagavan Baba declared in the recently celebrated Eashwaramma day discourse

(6 May 2001) that the ‘mother shoes the father, the father takes you to the preceptor, the preceptor

directs you to God’. That is why among mother, father, preceptor and God, mother is supreme.

The study of the divine mothers and other ideal mothers should inspire all members as well as children,

men and women to learn lessons and lead their life in dharmic or righteous manner. Mothers, in

particular, have to teach their children morals like kindness, love, courage, tolerance, service, sacrifice

and other virtues through precept as well as by personal example. They should also caution their

children against vices like greed, lust, hypocrisy, untruth and adharma. They should help to turn

Godwards right from young age. Swami observed that ‘the child grows with the mother for the first five

years of life’. Many children do not know what the love of mother is like. The mother should not hand

over her responsibility during these five years to someone else and be content with the title ‘mummy’ as

is she is some doll with which the child plays. Nowadays, the children of rich and educated parents are

severely handicapped. They are deprived of the care and love of the parents. ‘They are handed over to

the care and love of the parents. ‘They are handed over to the care of the servants and ‘ayas’ and grow

up in their company and learn their vocabulary and hits and style of thoughts. This is very ‘undesirable’

Baba noted with regret.

Swami asked pertinently. ‘If husband and wife both go to offices who will look after children?’ Earning

money may solve a problem but it does not solve other problems. Swami wanted the parents and

mothers, in particular, ‘not to spoil their children through misplaced love and affection’. Right from

young age, the brake of discipline has to be applied. Otherwise it will be very difficult to reform a spoiled

child. Swami is of the opinion that more than a school, society or government, it is the mother who is

responsible for the behavior of the child. Vidura, the queen mother was a highborn queen with

foresight, well versed in the virtues of Kshatriyas, respectful towards learned sages. She advised Sanjaya

in the midst of the battle as to what exactly were his duties. Her preaching was so pow erful, so pointed

and so relevant that Kuntidevi, the mother of the Pandavas, on the eve of Kurukshetra war, requested

Krishna to relate the story to Pandavas who hesitated to fight a war with their co-brother. We need such

mothers today! Indeed, if today’s youth are to be responsible future citizens of tomorrow, their

character and qualities are in the hands of mothers. In his inimitable novel Mother, Maxim Gorky, the

famed Russian novelist, beautifully describes the role of mother who supports her son to correct the

wrong done to the workers community by centuries of Tsarist oppression, exploitation and misery. An

ignorant, simple, pious village lady, who was also oppressed by her husband, helps her son to fight

against evil. Here lay the constructive role of a mother.

Very recently Swami warned ‘Never disrespect your mother or disappoint her. Do not hurt feelings. Try

to satisfy her in all respects. Only then the seed of devotion will sprout in you. Everyone should follow

the dictum ‘Matru Devo Bhava’ in letter and in spirit and be a recipient of his mother’s love’

In Prashanti Nilayam, where Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba lives has built renowned schools, colleges,

university and hospital, He not only a Chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University of Higher Learning but

literally plays the role of mothers to all his students. Conversation with any student here would testify it.

Cannot a mother play the role assigned to her by the Lord fruitfully and efficiently? The generation to

follow would then live in the Kingdom of God.