Daily Sai news & web update
“WIN THE LOVE OF YOUR MOTHER TO WIN
THE LOVE OF GOD”
“When man is born out of his
mother’s womb he has no garland of any kind around his neck. Neither of pearls,
nor gold, nor a string of gems nor a necklace of topaz or of rubies or other
precious gems can be seen even for a sample. There is, however, a garland around
his neck, carrying the unbroken link of the effects of the good and bad deeds of
his past lives strung together by Lord
Brahma.” (Telugu
poem)
Embodiments of Love!
The love of the mother is nobler and supreme than the love of all the friends
and relatives in the world. The power of the mother is unparalleled. That is why
we are calling the native country as Motherland. The country of Bharath is like
our mother. In this sacred land of ours, several types of energy have been
developing since ancient times. Great and holy men like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
and Vivekananda could acquire great spiritual power only due to the strength of
their mothers’ blessings. The sacredness of a mother’s heart and the strength of
her blessings are unparalleled. But, unfortunately people are unable to
understand properly the love of a mother, not only in our country but in every
country.
It is a great sin to ignore the mother with such a divine power. It is only to
remind the people of the nobility and sacredness of the mother that she has been
given the foremost place in the spiritual field, by exhorting people to worship
the mother first as God. It is said “Mathrudevo Bhava” (worship the mother as
God); “Pithrudevo Bhava” (worship the father as God); “Acharyadevo Bhava”
(worship the teacher as God); “Athithidevo Bhava” (worship the guest as God).
Thus the mother has been given the first place in that order. It is only when we
uphold the honour and dignity of the mother that we will be entitled to be
called as true sons. The life of a person who could not win the love of his
mother is a mere waste. Hence, we must first acquire the deservedness to win the
love of the mother. No one can describe the love of a mother in words. It is
only by the strength of a mother’s will that a son would come up well in life.
Hence, one should respect and love his mother. She must be given the pride of
place. It is only such people that can really lead the country. We may or may
not worship other deities, but we must certainly worship our mother as God. We
should never forget the love of our mother. The love of a mother is supreme. It
is only by the love of the mother that divine feelings develop in the children.
Where there is a mother of noble qualities, there will surely be all kinds of
peace and prosperity. It is foolish to crave for the love of the people,
ignoring the love of one’s own mother. One should, therefore, revere and respect
the mother. One should try to experience the love of the mother.
The mother of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a noble lady. Even in dire
circumstances when she had no food and drink, she developed unflinching faith
and devotion to God and spent her time engaging herself in cultivating noble
thoughts and performing noble deeds, thereby earning God’s grace. It is only
when one respects his mother and wins her love, that he can be called a human
being in the real sense. There is no God greater than one’s mother in this
world. Unfortunately, today people forget this truth and go to different places
in search of God. Instead of craving for the unseen God, one should worship and
serve the living divinity that is right in front of him. Several people
undertake different activities like penance, pilgrimage to holy places, worship
and other rituals in order to have the holy darshan of God, but they will be of
no use. One cannot win the grace of God without first winning the love of his
mother. The love of the mother flows as an undercurrent in every human being.
You go through the history of any great person; it is obvious that they could
reach such great heights in life only with the help of their mother’s love. When
one leads his life in accordance with his mother’s noble thoughts, one will be
relieved of all kinds of suffering. One may or may not respect any other person;
but one must definitely respect one’s mother. One should dedicate his entire
life to win the love of his mother. The mother’s love is always selfless. We
must learn to cultivate such love. Wherever you go, whoever you may see, you can
find that they have become prosperous only with the blessings of their mother’s
love. If one cannot win the love of his mother, how can he hope to win the grace
of God? Hence, first and foremost you must strive to win the love of your
mother. You should not undertake any work that will hurt the feelings of your
mother. The heart of a mother is very tender. Therefore, one should not hurt the
feelings of the mother.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was born in a very poor family. His mother
brought him up by begging for alms. Whatever little food she could collect by
begging in the streets, she used to feed her son and herself go without food.
After sometime, she became very weak and her health failed. One day Ramakrishna
enquired his mother “Mother! Why did your health fail like this?” A neighbouring
lady replied to the question saying “Dear Son! Your mother is sustaining you by
begging in the streets. She gives all the food collected to you and therefore
goes without food for herself. Please do not put such a mother who is an
embodiment of love, to suffering”. From then on, Ramakrishna took care to keep
his mother hale and healthy. He used to feed his mother first with the food
collected from various houses in the village and only then partake of the
remaining quantity. By doing so, he could win the grace of Mother Kali and have
Her Divine Vision.
The culture of Bharath has laid great stress on the teaching “Mathrudevo Bhava”
(Revere the Mother as God) and “Pithrudevo Bhava” (Revere the father as God),
more than all other aspects. A person who could win the love of his mother can
win everything else. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa could earn the great name for
himself only because he could win the love of his mother. How many great people
are there in the state of West Bengal? How many people of noble qualities, rich
and educated are there? But, they could not succeed in life due to lack of faith
in God. It is only Ramakrishna Paramahamsa could lead an ideal life by loving
his mother and obeying her commands, due to his implicit faith and devotion in
his mother. He used to teach people that there is nothing greater and nobler in
this world than mother’s love. The mother is God, verily. It is therefore, not
good and proper to hurt the feelings of the mother who is embodiment of love. It
is only when we develop love towards our mother, our life will become happy and
prosperous. Hence, first and foremost, we must strive to win the love of our
mother. Whatever the mother does, is for our own good. We must develop such firm
faith. You take the history of any great person in this world, he owes his
greatness to his mother.
Students of the present time are unable to win their mothers’ love. The mother
undergoes a great ordeal, she is even prepared to undertake hard labour to earn
a few rupees, to bring up her children and educate them somehow. What a great
sacrilege it is to forget the love of such a noble mother! It is only a person
who could win the love of his mother that can earn God’s love as well. We are
not born from the earth or the sky; we are born from the womb of our mother. It
is possible that differences may arise between a mother and a son, at times.
But, the mother does not hate her son on that count and forsake him. There may
be sons who hate their mothers, but there are no mothers who hate their sons.
The mother will always aspire for the welfare of her son. Even if they go to the
court in a matter of dispute, the mother will say “He is my son and I am his
mother”. They cannot refer to each other in any other manner. The mother will
always strive for the safety, health and welfare of her children. Man, today is
undergoing several difficulties on account of ignoring the love of such a noble
mother. If you strive to win the love of your mother, you can win the love of
all other people. The love of your mother will always be with you, constantly
guarding and guiding you in all your endeavours. Unfortunately people are not
able to realise this Truth. They think “it is enough to provide a few morsels of
food to that old lady”. They are so narrow-minded and selfish. It is a great
mistake to think that their responsibility will end by providing some food to
their mothers. The mother should always be held in high esteem and served. She
must be made to feel happy and contented.
Pundarika was a great devotee of Lord Panduranga. He always held the view that
service to the parents is of paramount importance. One day, he was serving his
parents by massaging their feet. In order to test his love towards his parents,
Lord Panduraga appeared before him. But, Pundarika did not want to be distracted
from his attention and continued to serve his parents. Then the Lord Panduranga
enquired of him “My dear Son! I appeared before you to give you My darshan; but
you are not looking at Me. Whom are you serving with such single-minded
devotion?” Pundarika replied that he was serving his parents. Then, Lord
Panduranga queried, “Is not God greater than the parents? Won’t you have My
darshan at least for one second?” But, Pundarika was not disturbed. He replied
“My parents are living divinities for me. I cannot have your darshan, unless I
put my parents to sleep. If you wish to give me your darshan, you stand there on
the brick till then.” So saying, he pushed a brick towards Lord Panduranga. The
Lord then commended his love and devotion towards his parents and declared “The
world will always remain safe and prosperous if all people cultivate such love
and devotion towards their parents. May such noble sons like you proliferate in
this world.” From then on, great and noble ideas of sacrifice and detachment
continued to develop in Pundarika. He spent his time happily serving his parents
and winning their love.
Putlibai was the mother of Mahatma Gandhi. She continued to observe a vow right
from her early days. She never used to take her food in the afternoon, without
hearing the singing of the cuckoo bird. Gandhi was a child then. One day, it was
already 3 o’ clock in the afternoon and his mother did not take her food, since
the cuckoo did not sing. Gandhi could not bear to see his mother hungry. He,
therefore, thought of a plan. He went behind their house and imitated the cuckoo
call. Then he went into the house and pleaded with his mother “Mother! The
cuckoo sang. You can now take your food”. His mother, however, could realise
that her son was lying. She grew very angry. She caught hold of him and slapped
on his cheek twice. She could not contain her anger and anguish. She chided him
saying “it is my misfortune to have given birth to a liar like you”. Gandhi then
repented for his mischievous act and begged his mother to forgive him. He also
took a vow that he would never speak a lie thereafter in his life. Thus, mothers
in the ancient times used to teach their children good behaviour and put them in
the right path. Such ideal mothers are very rare in present times, in the world.
The present-day mothers could always think “My son should get good marks and
ranks in the examination. He should acquire high degrees and earn lakhs of
rupees. He should rise to a high position in his career.” There are hundreds of
such mothers now-a-days. But, there is not even a single mother who teaches her
son “My dear son! You pray to God daily. Never forget God.” That is the reason
why the country of Bharath is facing innumerable difficulties. The Bharatiyas of
yester years always used to pray daily. “Oh! Rama! Krishna! Govinda!” They used
to chant the divine name incessantly. But, things have changed. Now, there is no
such contemplation on the divine name. On the other hand worldly desires have
proliferated. The culture of Bharath always exhorts the people “Sathyam Vada”
(Speak the Truth) and “Dharmam Chara” (Follow Righteousness). Unfortunately,
today people act in contrary to such noble ideals. They are distorting those
ideals as “Sathyam Vadha” (Kill the Truth) and “Dharmam Chera” (Imprison
Righteousness).
Once Easwaramma came to Me and requested “Swami! Several poor mothers have come
here alongwith their children. They have no food to eat. Kindly bless them.”
Then I rendered them proper help and thus fulfilled Easwaramma’s wish. On
another day, she came to Me and expressed her anguish thus: “Swami! Small
children of five years’ age are daily walking to Bukkapatnam and back for
attending to school. How can they study after walking a such a long distance
daily?” Then, I called their parents and advised them “These tiny tots can learn
more from their mothers than from their teachers in a school. Instead of sending
these small children to such a long distance for education, you first teach them
what little you know. You teach them at least two or three alphabets which you
know”. Later, I established a school in Puttaparthi and fulfilled the wish of
Easwaramma.
The mothers of those days, though they were innocent and illiterate, never gave
up praying to God. Love God. There is no use wasting your time in worldly
matters. We should never try to imitate others. We must try to develop faith in
the Truth that manifests from our own heart. It is not good to develop hatred
towards other castes and religions. One should develop faith in one’s own
religion and follow it diligently.
Once, when this body was a student, some political leaders approached Me and
requested “Raju! We understand that you write good poetry. We arranged a meeting
where a number of our people are expected to participate. We request you to
please write a good song that can inspire our people.” Those were the days of
the Second World War. Adolf Hitler was marching forward to conquer various
countries in Europe. He was trying to march into Russia. India was then under
the control of Britishers. Taking the situation into account, I wrote a small
playlet. In that playlet, I kept a rubber doll in a cradle and sang the
following song rocking the cradle gently:
“Don’t cry my child, don’t cry
If you cry, you will not be called the valorous son of Bharath…
Did you cry because the murderer Hitler
Invaded the immortal Russia?
The Red Army and the brave Stalin
Are there to crush Hitler; don’t cry
Why do you cry my child, why do you cry?
Do you cry because our people lack in unity…
All the people will unite and fight
For our freedom; don’t cry.
India will certainly attain freedom
Don’t cry my child, don’t cry…”
The mothers of those days used to sing such inspiring patriotic songs and teach
their children good things. They used to mould their character to make them as
heroes of the country. There used to be no scope at all for untruth in their
talk. By their truthful words, they used to train their children in the path of
truth.
Once, the village of Puttaparthi was affected by infectious diseases like
cholera and plague. Several people died on account of these diseases. Then, I
warned the children in the village that these diseases will spread through
drinking polluted water and eating impure food and therefore they should take
proper care in this regard.
I exhorted them “Purify the water and then drink. You eat only clean and
wholesome food, though in small quantities. Not only that, keep your mouth
always fresh and clean. Several diseases will affect you due to unclean mouth.
It is not good for you to eat anything that you come across, when you feel
hungry. Whether it is for keeping good health or happiness, God’s grace is
important. Hence, always pray to God.” Happiness can be attained only through
constant contemplation on God; nothing else. It is not something that can be
attained by external objects. It can only spring from one’s own heart. In order
that we may attain good health and happiness, we must constantly contemplate on
God and thereby sanctify our time.
It is only the parents who led ideal lives that nourished and nurtured our
country of Bharath, since ancient times. Unfortunately, today you do not find
sons who obey their parents. The youth of today brush aside their parents’ words
as insane talk and ignore them. This is not correct. They are not insane words;
they are verily truthful words spoken from the depth of their hearts. God will
certainly hear the prayers said with purity of consciousness and shower His
Grace on such people. Hence, one should always pray to God in whichever form one
likes and sanctify one’s life by the grace of God. Since ancient times, the
women of Bharath offered such prayers to God, in all sincerity and devotion.
That is the reason why the country of Bharath could attain great heights.
Embodiments of love!
If you wish that you or the children to be born to you must be sacred,
constantly contemplate on God. It is only when the parents lead a good and noble
life, their children will be good and noble. Hence, the parents must be good, in
the first instance. Unfortunately, today the parents are unable to set an
example to their children, with the result, the children are taking to bad ways.
Such sacred teachings have become extinct in the country of Bharath, today. The
mothers in ancient India used to teach good things and good habits to their
children thus:
Get up early in the morning at the crowing of the
cock,
Have a bath after your morning ablutions,
Wear a proper dress.
Eat properly and moderately.
Go to school and study diligently.
Earn a good name.
Don’t move out when it is raining,
And never go near the ditches.
Take part in games,
Run and play.
If you abide by all these rules,
You will have both health and wealth. (Telugu Poem)
Get up early in the morning at the crowing of the cock,
Have a bath after your morning ablutions,
Wear a proper dress.
Eat properly and moderately.
Go to school and study diligently.
Earn a good name.
Don’t move out when it is raining,
And never go near the ditches.
Take part in games,
Run and play.
If you abide by all these rules,
You will have both health and wealth.
(Telugu
Poem)
Both the elders as well as the children are not brushing their teeth properly,
today. That is why all sorts of diseases are spreading from ourselves only. For
both, good and bad, we only are responsible. They do not come of their own
accord. When we cultivate sacred feelings in us, we will be rewarded with good
results. If sacred feelings are to take root in us, we have to cultivate good
habits.
“Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better still is
meditation. But, better than meditation is surrender of the fruit of all
actions. For, such renunciation of the fruit of all actions would indeed result
in liberation.” (Gita – Ch.12 – Sloka 12)
Right from early morning till we go to bed, if we are engaged in good
activities, that itself will automatically become a practice. In fact, the
country needs such youth. Who are youth? People generally think that boys and
girls aged between 18 and 20 years constitute youth. This is not correct. It is
only people with noble thoughts, who can be considered as youth. Hence, one must
cultivate noble thoughts. As soon as you get up, your first action shall be
chanting the divine name “Rama! Krishna! Govinda!” Again, before you go to bed,
you must chant the divine name. When you do such chanting of the divine name,
you will always have good thoughts. Unfortunately, today people totally forget
chanting of the divine name. People think that they are highly educated and have
high degrees, but they will not enable you to tread the right path. Education
that will not develop enquiry into one’s own self is not education at all! It
will only lead to agitation! Mere book reading does not constitute education.
Book reading will contribute only to acquiring bookish knowledge. That is
artificial knowledge. Real knowledge comes out of the heart. When the young men
and women realise and propagate this Truth, the country will progress in all
directions.
Embodiments of Love!
Do not waste your time in reading voluminous books, thinking that such
books will help you in acquiring great knowledge. One should read such books
which will help in the contemplation on the divine name. Do not be satisfied
with acquiring mere bookish knowledge. Such knowledge is only a superficial
knowledge. What you need really is the knowledge of Self. Strive to acquire that
knowledge. It manifests from within. It cannot be acquired from external
sources. Is it not a fact that the more you dig in the river bed, the more the
water that comes out of the sand! Similarly, the more you remove the bad
thoughts in you, the more the sacred knowledge and sacred thoughts manifest in
you. Purity, Steadiness, Wisdom and such other noble qualities manifest only
from one’s own heart. First and foremost you have to cultivate sacred and noble
thoughts. But, you need not give credence to all such talk. You have to always
tread the sacred path.
The mothers in the ancient times used to teach their children such sacred
things. That is why the children of those days used to engage themselves in
constant contemplation on God, with the result, the country was constantly
protected by God. It is not the body that is important for us, it is the thought
and the feelings. Several people question “Where is God?” I tell such people “My
dear! I am God; you are also God”. This is the Truth. Why should we be afraid of
speaking this Truth? God is omnipresent. All are embodiments of God! There is
divinity in every human being. If not, we cannot live in this world. It is only
because of our faith in God, we have been able to survive in this world till
today. A small story to illustrate the point: There used to be a husband and
wife in a village. The wife was constantly chanting the divine name “Rama!
Krishna! Govinda!” and worshipping God daily. The husband, however, was not
doing any worship or contemplation on God. But, he used to attend to his daily
chores. The wife used to feel “Alas! My husband is not chanting the divine name
atleast once in a day”. One night, the husband could not get sleep and was
turning this side and that side on the bed restlessly. At that time, he casually
said “Rama!” His wife was overjoyed on hearing the divine name coming out of the
mouth of her husband, though unintentionally. The next day, as soon as she got
up from her bed, she collected all the rice available in the house, cooked it
and fed the poor people, in jubilation. The husband who was observing this
feeding of the poor, enquired her “What is the matter! You are cooking and
feeding the poor today. What is the special occasion?” The wife replied.
“Yesterday night, I heard the divine name of ‘Rama!’ emerging from your mouth.
My heart overflowed with joy on hearing the divine name from your mouth. Hence,
this celebration”. On hearing his wife’s reply, the husband felt sorry and
thought to himself “Alas! I have installed Rama in my heart and worshipped him
there all the while. Has my Rama gone out from my heart today?” Several people
do not give expression to their love and devotion to God. They keep their
devotion to themselves. However, one day or the other it manifests outside.
Embodiments of Love! Contemplate
on the divine name, irrespective of the religion, caste, creed or sex. You can
always chant the divine name of your liking. The mother of Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa taught her son good things and shaped him into a great yogi. All the
mothers should take her as an example and strive to put their children in the
right path. If you constantly contemplate on and chant the divine name, that
itself will purify your thoughts and feelings. Never forget the divine name. If
you constantly contemplate on the divine name, your life will surely be
sanctified. Embodiments of Love! You, therefore, contemplate on the divine name
constantly.
(Bhagawan concluded his divine discourse with the bhajan
“Rama Rama Rama Sita…”
|