Mother’s Day--A Day
for Veneration and Worship
(Compilation for a discourse by N.R. Srinivasan,
Nashville, TN, USA, May 2014)
Manusmriti glorifies mother as “maataa prthivyaa moortih” Mother is like Goddess Earth. Mother’s Day is a Day for venerating all Mothers and a Day for Worshiping Goddess Mother Earth. Second Sunday in May every year is celebrated as Mother’ Day all over America. May 11, 2014 will mark 100 Years of Mother’s Day celebration. Mother’s Day is an American invention though called International Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day should have been singular possessive, for each family to honor their mother, not plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world as per the intentions of Anna Jervis who worked hard for establishing Mother’s Day--A Day of Veneration to individual mothers and worked hard for National recognition as a day of celebration. But today it is a day of celebration honoring mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. In due course this has also been given a religious importance in America as special masses are held in all churches honoring mothers.
Mother’s Day is not directly descended from the many
Western celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have occurred throughout
the world over thousands of years, such as Greek cult of Cybele, the Roman
festival of Hillarie, the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration etc., as well
as celebration of Mother Goddess in many traditions in the ancient cultures of
the world.
On September 2, 2014 Prime Minister Modi while addressing a gathering in Japan said: If the Hindu female pantheon was likened with a Ministry, then education was with Goddess Saraswati, Finance with Lakshmi, Security with Mahaakali, Defense with Durga and Food Security with the Goddess Annapoorna! This is the greatest tribute to woman intended for Mother's Day in 2015 as her role in household management. Probably you now agree with "Matu Devo Bhava"? In English Language the word woman was created with vengeance to mean "woe for men means woman"; after all the Holy Bible says Eve was created from the rib of Adam pushing her to a second position; Jesus surprisingly had all 12 male disciples and no female disciple!
In 1868, Ann Jervis, mother of Anna Jarvis – created a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day” to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War. Jarvis – who had previously organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve sanitation and health for both Union and Confederate encampments undergoing a typhoid outbreak – wanted to expand this into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the celebration became popular. Her daughter continued her mother's efforts and also worked hard to make it a day of remembrance of her mother and her struggles. On May 10, 1913, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on all Federal Government officials (from the President down) to wear a white carnation the following day in observance of Mother's Day. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation. The next day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first National Mother's Day. The Grafton church, where the first celebration was held, is now the International Mother’s Day Shrine and is a National Historic landmark.
The modern Mother's Day has been assimilated into Indian culture and it is celebrated
every year on the second Sunday of May. In India, mothers are always considered
as goddess to their children by Hindus.
Taittareeya Upanishad in its Sikshavallee instructs the student
graduated out of Vedic school to worship the Mother as the first God, “Matru devo bhava”. India does not celebrate the occasion as a
religious one, but do their best to thank their mothers on this day for all the
care and love showered upon them. Traditionally, mothers are given great
importance in Indian culture whatever may be there religious following. The day
is celebrated mostly in urban centers, by performing special acts to honor mothers
and their contributions to the family following American culture. As per Hindu religious
tradition, mothers are paid homage on Saraswati pooja day during Devi Navaratri,
with "Maatru Pooja"
(worship of mother). In Hindu tradition outside India Mother's Day is called
"Mata Tirtha Aunshi" or "Mother Pilgrimage fortnight", and
is celebrated especially in Nepal. The holiday is observed on the new moon day
in the month of Baisakh, i.e., April/May. These celebrations were in vogue long
before the invention of the US-inspired celebration.
In the United
States, Mother's Day remains one of the biggest days for sale of flowers,
greeting cards, and the like. Moreover church going is also popular
on Mother's Day, bringing the highest church attendance after
Christmas Eve and Easter. Many worshipers celebrate the day with
carnations, colored if the mother is living and white if she is dead.
Hindu Americans do not lag behind. The temple is kept open for long hours on
Mother’s Day and treated as special religious events day unlike in India.
Mothers are also honored with special worship to Goddess Parvati if it is a
Saivite main deity based temple or Lakshmi if it is a Vishnu presiding deity
based temple or the presiding Goddess if the temple is any other Devi temple.
Many Hindus touch
the ground and then touch their fore head stepping out of bed as a mark of
respect and veneration to Mother Earth. To all Hindus Earth
is their spiritual mother. It provides all the needs of mankind just as mother
provides the needs of a child. Our body is constituted of minerals that come
from within the earth and the environment that surrounds. The water we drink
and the medicines (oshadhayah) we
consume also come from the earth. All of us are indebted to Mother Earth for
her bounty. Hindus feel guilty that they are forced to trample upon her and so
apologize to her in all their prayers at the same time expressing their
gratitude: Samudra vasane devi
parvatasthanamandite | vishnupatni namsthubhyam paadasparsam kshamasva maam—One who is covered with the great oceans as clothes, one
who cares for all the living beings in the universe, one who gives life through
the streams of milk that flows in the form of rivers, one whose breasts are in
the form of great mountains, O Mother Earth! Consort of Vishnu, forgive me for placing my feet upon you!
When we sleep on
bed covered with a sheet or blanket, the temperature of our covered feet rises.
Under such circumstances one should not place one’s feet on the ground. The
feet are particularly sensitive to varying temperature and transmit it
immediately to the body. To avoid sudden change in temperature that can affect
health, it is appropriate that one should uncover the body, permit the temperature
to stabilize, and rise gradually after offering prayers to Mother earth. Hindu
tradition is so designed you can always find scientific or healthy explanations for many of them as I have
enumerated in many of my earlier discourses at appropriate context.
Mother’s day is the
ideal and most suited day to honor Goddess Mother Earth. No Hindu Worship ever
takes place without honoring Mother Earth. Hindu temple visit starts with
paying respect to Mother Earth at the flag-post. As a devotee gets the vision
of the temple he or she prostrates at the flag-post, takes a little dust from
the ground and applies it on the forehead as a mark of respect to element earth
whom he worships as Mother Earth. Brahman in his omnipresent aspect is
worshiped as Vishnu. He pervades the entire Earth and is the
sovereign ruler of Earth. Perhaps the
concept of worshiping female deity in Hinduism started with Bhoodevi when she
was lifted out from Paataala (Netherworlds) by the second incarnation of
Vishnu, Varaaha. Sakta concept of
worship came much later.
Mother Earth
pervaded by Vishnu is considered as his consort and called
Bhoodevi. Vishnu is always worshiped with Bhoodevi
along with Sridevi. It is strange that while there are many days earmarked for
special worship for Sridevi and other Hindu Goddesses there is not a
single day earmarked for special worship of Mother Earth in Hindu Temple
Tradition. But processional deity of any
incarnation of Vishnu is invariably accompanied by Sridevi and Bhoodevi. No
worship starts without praying for Bhoodevi in the form of Sthala Suddhi
(purification of the ground) and asking for her permission to conduct the
ritual. It is also not understandable why there are no exclusive temples to
Bhoodevi though Parvati is worshiped as Bhuvanesvari and Lakshmi as Jaganmata
in temples where they are presiding deities.
There is a lone temple for Bharatmata in Hardwar which has been inspired
by the patriotic song of Bankim Chandra Chatterji to kindle National spirit in
Hindus to fight for freedom. Bharatmata refers to the land of independent India
today plus the land it lost to Pakistan and Bangladesh if not Burma and Afghanistan
which was donated away earlier by the British during their sovereignty. Bharatmata
does not represent the whole world and so does not go well with the Vedic
concept of vasudhaiva kutumbkam whole world is one family. Vasudhaa represents the entire world with all
its oceans while Bharat refers to India only. Often reference to Bhoodevi in
Vedas is to the three worlds—Bhoo, Bhuvah
and Suvah—Earth, Mid-region and Svarga.
Normally one’s
country of origin or birth is addressed more often as Motherland than
Fatherland. But Mahaanaraayana Upanishad glorifies Earth as the Universal
Mother in its Mantra as follows: “Mother Earth is mother of all beings such as
gods, Gandharvas, human beings, pitrus or manes, asuras and she is signified by
names such as Medhini, Mahati, Mahee, Saavitri, Gaayatri, Jagati, Urvee,
Prithvee, Bahulaa, Viswaa, Bhootaa, Katamaa, Kaa, Yaa, Satyaa, Saa, and
Amritaa. Her greatness is so great that
it can’t be adequately described; thus did sage Vasishtha praise Mother Earth”.
Mother Earth is the most celebrated deity in Vedas and Upanishads. Mantras
glorifying Bhoodevi are contained in Mrittikaasooktam and Bhoosooktam. A mantra
in MNU glorifies Bhoodevi thus: “The Earth is the giver of happiness like the
milk cow (Dhenu), the sustainer of life
and support for all living beings”. Representing as such the earth is
addressed: “Thou wert raised up by Krishna in His incarnation of the boar
having hundred hands”. Vedas hail her as
Bhoomi, Dhenu and Dharanee. All things
are produced on earth. So she is called Bhoomi. She is called cow because all desires are
showered by her like the mythical cow Kamadhenu. As she is stationed with
stability for us to build houses and live on she is called Dharanee.
Puranas have
glorified Mother Earth based on Vedic Mantras as follows: Mother Earth floated
on the sea warmed by the sun, and cooled by the rain. She was dragged down to Netherworlds (paataala) by Hiranyaaksha denying all
benefits to humans for whose sake she was created. Varaaha gored Hiranyaksha to death, placed
her on his mighty tusks, brought her up and thus won her hand; Bhoodevi
accepted Vishnu as her consort. Trees and plants became her children. Humans
found food, clothing and shelter in the bountiful arms of Bhoodevi and
expressed their gratitude through rituals, yajnas, vratas and worships. But
Vena did not feel obliged to thank Bhoodevi, Vishnu being the benefactor in his
opinion. Under his leadership people stopped all worships and rituals to her
and began looting the wealth of Earth-goddess. Afflicted and pained sages rose
in revolt and killed Vena. Exploitation still continued and Mother Earth was
furious and the earth became barren. Merciful Lord took the incarnation of
Prithu and begged Bhoodevi to restore fertility and past glory. Bhoodevi did
not give in and took the form cow and ran away. Prithu agreed to be cowherd and
assured to protect her from the wicked. Prithu made her his consort and so she
was called Prithvee. Prithu taught people art of agriculture, cattle rearing,
mining and trade. He instituted principles of prudent economics Artha that supports human society without harming nature. Bhoodevi
satisfied every one’s needs. She was worshiped and adored by all as Prithvee,
the beloved of Prithu. All thanked Vishnu for bringing prosperity appeasing Bhoodevi.
But Bhoodevi was skeptical. She still had the fear that another Venu may
reappear in the future. Vishnu then instituted Dharma--Laws that will guarantee well-being on earth. He also assured whenever the laws were broken
he will descend upon earth to punish the transgressor.
Today the world is
decaying, degenerating and drifting towards destruction. The earth is being
polluted, plundered, heritage is being ignored and culture is being eroded making
true the fear of Mother Earth. Therefore let us seriously think and respect
Mother Earth, save the environment and protect the world until the next
cataclysm as per schedule and not hasten it. What better day is there than
Mother’s Day to think of her, worship her and take steps to protect her and
restore her pristine beauty to share her customary bounty which she is ever
willing to share with us as a loving mother and as per the laws of Dharma
established by her benefactor?
Bhoomir_dhenur-dharanee lokadhaarinee
|
Mrittike hana paapam yanmaya dushkkritam kritam |
Mrittike brahmadattaci kaasyapena abhimantritaa |
Tvayaa hatena paapena jeevaami saradah satam |
Mrittike dehi me
pushtim tvayi sarvam pratishthitam ||
--Mahaanaaraayana Upanihad
The Earth is the giver of happiness like milk cow (Dhenu),
the sustainer of life (Bhoomi) and support for all living beings (Dharanee). Oh
Goddess Earth! Please destroy my sins; destroy whatever bad deeds done by me. Oh excellent Earth! Thou art a gift from God
to all Creatures. Thou art prayed over by Kaasyapa. May I live a hundred
winters (hundred years) after my sins have been destroyed by your blessings!
Please bestow on me nourishment—everything depends on you!
Prithvee vaa Annam
| Annam bahu kurveeta ||
--Taittareeya Upanishad
Earth is verily food. Make food in plenty meaning keep the
earth fertile and plentiful.
Maatru devo Bhava |
Esha aadesah | Esha upadesah ||
Be one for who Mother is a Goddess. This is the command;
this is the instruction
--Guru to the
disciple in Taittareeya Upanishad
MANTRAS AND SLOKAS ON MOTHER
1) “Matru devoe Bhava”—Taiittareeya
Upanishad
Regard
mother as goddess, heading the pantheon of divines.
2) Waters,
you are the greatest friends of human beings, please give your unfailing
protection and blessings to our sons and grandsons.
For you are the most benevolent and motherly physician, no, you
are the mother of all that are moving in remaining still.
[The greatness and the life sustaining nature of the water was
recognized all the time and our forefathers were aware that the existence of
future generations hinged on our earnest attempt to worship and preserve the
water resource... so they equated water to the mother, the physician etc.]
--Rigveda—6-50-7
3) O enlightening Mother! You have the potential
to destroy the evil. You have a character as pure as gold. You have the
potential to destroy the clouds of frustrations and doubt. You are brave and
you only aspire for our well-being and success! We are indeed blessed!
--Rigveda 6.61.7:
4)
O pure and blessing Mothers! Cleanse us all from sins, immorality and
pollution. Purge us from falsehood, hatred, jealousy and frustration
--Rigveda 10.17.1
5) O pure and blessing
Mothers! Satisfy our mind, speech, life, eyes, ears, soul and society with
nobleness.
--Yajurveda 6.31
6)
O pure and blessing Mothers! I am your beloved son. O powerful mother, please
guide me towards fulfillment of my noble aspirations.
--Atharvaveda 3.13.7
7)
O Mothers! Purify us with your compassion, understanding and enlightenment. The
women cleanse us all from all our sins, corruption and defects. We come out
firm, pure and noble from their blessed company.
(Rigveda 10.17.10)
8) O pure and blessing Mothers! Cleanse us all from
sins, immorality and pollution. Purge us from falsehood, hatred, jealousy and
frustrations.
-Yajurveda 6.17
9)
O pure and blessing Mothers! Satisfy our mind, speech, life, eyes, ears, soul
and society with nobleness.
--Yajurveda
6.31
10)
O pure and blessing Mothers! I am your beloved son. O powerful mother, please
guide me towards fulfillment of my noble aspirations.
--Atharvaveda 3.13.7
11) O enlightening Mother! May
you always shower your blessings in form of peace, happiness and success! May
you always be pleased with us and may we never conduct any act that excludes us
from your blessing gaze.
--Atharvaveda 7.68.2
12) O enlightening Mother! May
you always shower your blessings in form of peace, happiness and success! May
you always be pleased with us and may we never conduct any act that excludes us
from your blessing gaze!
--Atharvaveda 7.68.2:
13) āstāṃ tāvadiyaṃ prasūti-samaye durvāra-śūla-vyathā naairuchyaṃ tanu-śoṣaṇaṃ malamayī śayyā cha sāṃvatsarī |
ēkasyāpi na garbha-bhāra-bharaṇa-kleśasya yasyā: kṣamo dātuṃ niṣkṛtim-unnato’pi
tanaya: tasyai jananyai nama: || ( Maatrupanchakam)
The acute
irrepressible pain endured by the mother at the time of delivery, the distaste
towards food and the resulting emaciation of the body during pregnancy, the
year-long period after delivery, during which the bed was dirtied by the baby –
let all these be. But the suffering that the mother endures in carrying the
weight of the fetus throughout pregnancy, can never be compensated the least by
a son, even if he is great and famous. Salutations to that mother.
14)
Yah pumaan yasah svarga keerti punyam balam sriyam | pasu sukham dhanam dhanyam
praapnuyan matruvandanaat ||
A
man who serve mother truthfully will be blessed with long life, success,
heaven, fame, Lakshmi, wealth, cattle, food grain, and everything.
15)
Yaa devee sarvabhooteshu matru-roopena samsthitaa,
namas taasyai, namas tasyai namastasyai namoe namah”—Durga saptasatee
Obeisance
to Devi who resides in every living-being in the form of Mother.
16) hastasprso hi
maatrunaamajalasya jalaanjalih |
The touch of a mother's hand is like the handful of water
for one in want of it.
17) Gurupatnee raajapatnee
jyesahthapatnee tathaiva cha maataa svamaataa panchaitaa maatarah smritaaha ||
The wife of the teacher , the wife of
the king , the wife of the elder brother , the mother of the wife ( the
mother-in-law ) and one's own mother — these five are said to be mothers.
18) Sahastram hi piturmata gaurvenatirichyate
In
importance mother excels father a thousand times.
19) Naasti maatrisama
cchaaya naasti maatrisamaa gati naasti maatrisamam traanam naasti maatrisamaa
prapaa ||
There is no shadow like a mother, no resort like a mother, no security like a
mother, no water store-house like a mother.
20)
Maata gurutaram Bhoomeh, Khaat pitottara
tathaa, Manah seeghra-taram vaayoho, chintaa bahutaree trunaat.
Mother is greater
than earth,
father is higher than sky. Mind is speedier than wind and worry is more
numerous than grass.
21) Maata bhoomi putro aham prithivya ||
The
earth is my mother. I am her son.
22) Jananee janambhoomischa swargaadapi gareeyasi ||
The Mother and the Motherland are
precious even than heaven!
23) Maataram
pitaram chaiva yastu kuryaat pradkshinam | pradakshaneekritaa tena saptadveepaa
vasundhara
He who circumambulates mother and
father, he has circumambulated the earth with its seven continents.
24)
Naasti veda param saastram, naasti maatuh
paro guruhu | Naasti daanaat param Mitram iha loke paratra cha ||
There
is no greater scripture than Vedas, There
is no greater teacher than mother, There is no greater friend than giving
offerings, either in this world or in the other worlds.
25) Jananiee janmabhoomischa Jaahnavee
cha Janaardhanaha | Janakaha panchamaschaiva jakaaraah pancha durlabhaha ||
Mother, Motherland, Jahnavi (Ganga),
Janaka (father), and Janardhana (Lord Vishnu) are the five rarities, the names
that begin with the letter JA.
26) Maataa
samam naasti sareera poshanam, Vidyaa samam naasti sareera bhooshanam, Bhaaryaa
samam naasti sareera toshanam, Chintaa samam naasti sareera soshanam ||
None equals mother in nourishing the
body, None equals to knowledge in bejeweling the body, None equals wife in
loving the body, None equals worry in torturing the body.
27) Aayuh pumaan yasah keerti punyam
balam sriyam | pasum sukham dhanam dhaanyam praapnuyaan- matru vandanaat ||
A man who serves mother truthfully will
be blessed with long life, children, success, fame, benefits of meritorious deeds, strength,
perennial joy in heaven, wealth, cattle, food grains, and everything.
28) Kuputro
jayeta kumata kvachadapi na bhavati ||
Bad son - yes; bad mother - never happens!
29)
Sarvateerthamayee maataa sarvadevamayah
pitaa | maataram pitaram tasmaat
sarvayatnena poojayet ||
Mother is (the embodiment) of all pilgrimages,
father is (the embodiment) of all deities. Hence, mother and father are to be
revered with all efforts
30) Satyam maataa
pitaa Jnaanam dharmo bhraataa dayaa sakhaa | saantih patnee kshamaa putrah
shad-ete mama baandhavaah ||
Truth is my
mother, Knowledge is my father, Righteousness is my brother, Mercy is my
friend, Peace is my wife and Forgiveness is to my son. These six are my kith
and kin.
31) Yanmaataapitarau
vruttam tanaye kurutah sadaa | na supratikaaram
tattu maatraa pitraa cha yatkrutam ||
The deeds
done by mother and father for their children constantly..., there is no
requital to these actions performed by the parents.
32) Maatruvat
paradaareshu paradrvyeshu loshtavat | aatvavat
sarva bhooteshu pasyate sa panditah ||
Pundits treat and respect all the women
except their own wives as their own mother. They consider other’s wealth as
dust and have no intention of acquiring it in any manner. In addition they see
the same Self abiding in them in all living beings also.
33) Maatrupitru
kritaabhyaaso gunitaameti baalakaah | na garbhachyuti maatrena putro bhavati
panditah ||
Hindu
mother and father insist on studies so that their child gain adequate knowledge
and skill to lead a respectable life. A child does not become a pundit leaving
the mother’s womb.
34) Maataa mitram pitaacheti svabhaavaat
tratayam hitam | kaarya-kaaranataschaanye bhavanti hitabuddhayah ||
Mother,
father and friend are the only people who are interested in your well-being in
the true sense. Thinking good about you is part of their nature and they do it
without any condition or expectation or persona ambitions. So, value them most;
others in your life may have business or professional relationship based on
certain spoken or unspoken conditions or benefits.
35) Aadau maataa gurau patnee braahmanee
raajapalikaa dhenurdhaatree prithvee saptaitaa maataarah smritah ||
The ancient
Hindu tradition teaches us to respect one’s own mother first; then others in the
following order; teacher’s wife focused on Brahman, a queen, a cow, a foster mother and the Mother Earth.
Consider all of them as Mothers and respect them at par.
36) Matrudeveem namastubhyam mama janmadaatrim
tvam namo namah |
Baalyakaale
maam paalanam kritvaa maatrukaabhyo namaamyaham ||
I salute my mother who gave
birth; I also salute other women as mothers who added knowledge and wisdom to
my activities and life to make me a good human being.
REFERENCES:
1) Ananta
Rangacharaya, Principal Upanishads,
Bengaluru, India.
2) Vimalaananda, Mahanarayana
Upanishad, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.
3) Devdutt Pattanaik,
Vishnu, Vakil, Feffer and Simons Pvt.,
Ltd., Mumbai, India.
4) Srinivasan N.R.,
Hindu American Perception of Mother Day’s Celebration, Hindu Reflections
<nrsrini.blogspot.com>
5) Swami Harshananda,
Hindu gods and Goddesses, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.
6) Wikipedia,
Internet.
7) Nashville
Christian Family, The Celebration of Mother’s day, May 2014.
8) Prem P Bhalla,
Hindu Rites, Rituals, Customs & Traditions.
8) Prof. Srikant Prasoon,
Indian Scriptures, Pustak Mahal, New Delhi, India.
[This is a prepared lecture compiled from above references
and others for a discourse at Sri Ganesha Temple, Nashville to benefit those
who are not able to attend the same in person. You are free to download and use
it for your reading and reference as well as circulate to others to spread the
wisdom of Vedas and Hindu values which good act will be appreciated.]
