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Mother’s Divine Love

आस्तां तावदियं प्रसूतिसमये दुर्वारशूलव्यथा
नैरुच्यं तनुशोषणं मलमयी शय्या च सांवत्सरी ।
एकस्यापि न गर्भ-भार-भरण-क्लेशस्य यस्याः क्षमो
दातुं निष्कृतिमुन्नतोऽपि तनयः तस्यैः जनन्यै नमः ।।
– मातृपञ्चकम्

āstāṃ tāvad-iyaṃ prasūti-samaye durvāra-śūla-vyathā
nairucyaṃ tanuśoṣaṇaṃ malamayī śayyā ca sāṃvatsarī |
ēkasyāpi na garbha-bhāra-bharaṇa-kleśasya yasyā: kṣamo
dātuṃ niṣkṛtim-unnato’pi tanaya: tasyai jananyai nama: ||
– Mātṛpañcakam

Translation

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 foetus throughout pregnancy, can never be removed the least by a son, even if he is great and famous. Salutations to that mother.

Points for Introspection

The relationship between a mother and her child is a relationship of the heart. It is a divine relationship. A mother’s love for the child can be best compared with divine love, a love that is pure, unconditional and selfless. This unique relationship of the heart never undergoes any change. The only other relationship superior to  is the Guru-śiṣya relationship in spirituality.

A child, whether young or old feels and enjoys an inexpressible belongingness to the mother. A child never feels hesitant to run to his mother, even at a very odd time of night or day. To a child, the mother is the one whom he can ask for anything at any time.

The child knows that the mother is his best well-wisher at all times. Even if the child behaves wrongly or gets distanced from the mother, the mother never gets distanced or aloof. She always loves her child, whatever may be the circumstances! Her mind is always full of love and auspicious wishes for the child. For the protection and growth of the child, the mother is ready to make any sacrifice whatsoever.

How many children are consciously aware of the role that a mother plays in their lives? How many sons can understand mother’s non-selfish love and care which fill her heart ever and ever? A mother is just taken for granted. How many ever think of reciprocating? And truly, by any act, can a child recompense what the mother has done for him, even in bringing him to this earth?

A person may be rich or famous. He may be very able and may be honoured and respected by everybody. But, it is to be remembered that he is what he is only because the mother has given him birth.

This śloka reminds us how grateful we should be to our mother. The poet is soulfully acknowledging the mother’s great role and the suffering which she takes upon herself in bringing the child to this earth. He emphasizes on the extreme discomfort the mother undergoes while she carries the load of the foetus in her womb for nine months.

During pregnancy, the mother develops severe distaste towards food. As a result, she becomes emaciated and loses her health. Not only that, during delivery of the child, the mother suffers acute irrepressible pain. Afterwards too, for nearly one year, the bed is always soiled with stool and urine of the baby. The mother, lying with the baby close to her, cuddling the baby with immense love, simply bears with the dirty and smelly bed.

The poet says: All this the mother has to bear and undergo. But, there is one suffering which becomes the most important and has to be always remembered as the greatest sacrifice a mother undergoes for the child. During the entire pregnancy, the mother has to constantly endure the pain of bearing the weight of the foetus in her womb and the subsequent discomfort.

Which child can recompense for the suffering the mother underwent to bring him to this wonderful world? In the later years, when the child has grown up, he looks after his mother’s needs and wishes as far as possible according to his means. But, by doing what can a son compensate for the pain and discomfort that the mother has borne for bringing about his own existence?

The son may become great, wealthy, famous and respected. But by no ability, possession or qualification of his can he pay back for the great sacrifice the mother made for him.

This śloka, overwhelms us, touches the deep core of our heart when we contemplate upon the truth and reality of its contents. As we chant this śloka repeatedly, the face of our own mother comes before the eyes. The heart melts as we remember her unending love, care and sacrifice for us, which many a time we have taken for granted. We recognize the shower of her continuous blessings.

In unison with the poet, from the bottom of the heart, well forth the loving words of gratitude: “tasyai jananyai nama:”

Prostration to the Mother.

Word Meaning

आस्तां (āstāṃ)= let it be; तावत् इयं (tāvat iyaṃ) = all this; प्रसूतिसमये (prasūti-samaye) = at the time of delivery; दुर्वारशूलव्यथा (durvāra-śūla-vyathā) = acute irrepressible pain; नैरुच्यं (nairucyaṃ) = distaste towards food; तनुशोषणं (tanu-śoṣaṇaṃ) = emaciation of the body; मलमयी (malamayī) = soiled by excreta; शय्या (śayyā) = bed; च (ca) = and; सांवत्सरी (sāṃvatsarī) = year-long; एकस्य (ēkasya) = of one; अपि (api) = also; न (na) = not; गर्भ-भार-भरण-क्लेशस्य (garbha-bhāra-bharaṇa-kleśasya) = pain of bearing the weight of the foetus ; यस्याः (yasyā:) = of whom; क्षमः (kṣama:) = able; दातुं (dātuṃ) = to give; निष्कृतिम् (niṣkṛtim) = recompense; उन्नतः (unnata:) = great; अपि (api) = even; तनयः (tanaya:) = son; तस्यै जनन्यै (tasyai jananyai) = to that mother; नमः (nama:) =salutations

अन्वयः

प्रसूतिसमये दुर्वारशूलव्यथा, नैरुच्यं तनुशोषणं, सांवत्सरी मलमयी शय्या च इयं तावत् आस्ताम् । यस्याः एकस्य गर्भ-भार-भरण-क्लेशस्य अपि निष्कृतिं दातुं उन्नतः तनयः अपि न क्षमः । तस्यै जनन्यै नमः ।

prasūti-samaye durvāra-śūla-vyathā, nairucyaṃ tanuśoṣaṇaṃ, sāṃvatsarī malamayī śayyā ca iyaṃ tāvat āstāṃ. yasyā: ēkasya garbha-bhāra-bharaṇa-kleśasya api niṣkṛtim dātuṃ unnata: tanaya: api na kṣama: . tasyai jananyai nama: