Swami teaches... Feminine birth is estimable, adorable and sublime

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram Reet

 

Very nice compilation touching all sides of the ‘Womanhood.’ The

last para of Swami’s saying is the highlight “

color:navy">Today’s women, should change themselves and help to change the

men and the children…..” Many thanks for sharing this with us.

 

Sai sister Shivathmika

 

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[saibabanews] On Behalf Of Reet

Sunday, November 13, 2005 10:21 AM

[saibabanews] Swami teaches... Feminine birth is estimable, adorable and sublime

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font-family:Arial"> Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Swami teaches...10 - 12 November 2005

font-family:Arial">Feminine Birth is Estimable, Adorable and Sublime

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[Guest guest]

Sai Ram Light and Love Swami teaches...10 - 12 November 2005

Feminine Birth is Estimable, Adorable and Sublime

The phenomenal world is like a hotel to which we have come to experience the

consequences of our actions in the past. The body is a room in the hotel in

which we have to undergo the Karmic consequences. Our time and body should be

used for carrying out the mission on which we have come. We are engaged in

accumulating wealth, gold and other material possessions. It is true that we

need money to lead our life in this world. But there should be a limit to the

acquisition of these worldly objects.

In this infinite universe, among the myriads of living beings humanity is

eminent. Among human beings, it is a privilege to be born as a woman. There are

many examples to demonstrate the preeminence of women.Was not Raama born as a

Divine incarnation in Kausalya's womb? Did not Lava and Kusha (the twins)

become great because they were born to Seetha? Was it not Putlibai's piety

which made Gaandhi a Mahaathma?All the greater sages, and saints, heroes and

warriors were born to women "who made them great”. Woman is the Goddess of

Nature. Maternal love is akin to that of the Creator who projects and

protects this infinite Cosmos in countless ways. One individual may elect to

worship the Divine in the form of his favourite goddess. Another may worship

God in a different form and derive bliss from such worship. Each one should

note that the forms in which the Divine is worshipped by others are as

important to them as own chosen deity is to him/her.

From ancient times the feminine aspect of the Divine has been worshipped in

various ways. The Vedha declares that where women are honoured and esteemed,

there divinity is present with all its potency. The Vedha also adores the

feminine principle in various ways. Vedhik rituals and practices accord a high

place to women. The woman is adored under different names sacred as

Sathyavathi, Anyavathi, Angavathi and Nidhaanavathi.

Gaayathri, which enshrines the essence of the Vedhas, is a goddess,

venerated as Vedha Maatha (the mother of the Vedhas). It is obvious that

feminine birth is estimable, adorable and sublime.

The supreme Shakthi manifests herself in the form of Durga, Lakshmi and

Saraswathi. Durga grants to us energy - physical, mental and spiritual. Lakshmi

bestows on us intellectual wealth, the wealth of character and others. Even

health is a kind of wealth. She grants untold riches to us. And Saraswathi

bestows on us intelligence, the capacity for intellectual enquiry and the power

of discrimination. One's own mother is the combination of all these Divine

beings. There is no need to propitiate Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi for

energy, material prosperity and worldly knowledge. If we love and adore the

mother, we shall be showing our love and devotion to all goddesses. All Great

epics and sacred books emphasise the power of the mother's love, her blessings

and grace.

Consider the story of Lava and Kusa. Sita gave birth to them in the

hermitage of Sage Valmiki. They were taught various branches of knowledge by

him. Sita also was teaching them many lessons and imparting to them many

skills. What happened when Sri Rama Himself came to fight with them? Lava and

Kusa remembered theirmother with great reverence and aimed an arrow at Him.

Rama fell into a swoon when the arrow struck Him.

In mentioning the names of deities, the first place is given to the goddess,

as in Seetha-Raama, Paarvathi-Parameshvara and Lakshmi-Naaraayana and the reason

for the feminine, name getting priority is she is Prakrithi svaruupini - the

embodiment of Prakrithi (nature). The implication in this usage, is that you

should realise God through the-propitiation of Prakrithi.

The archetypal woman is described as Aadhishakthi (the primal source of all

energy) having a whole array of powers. She is hailed as the mother of the

Amrithasyaputhraah (children of immortality).

The cow converts its own blood into nourishing milk for human to sustain the

body. The cow is the first example of the Divine as Mother. The Earth comes

next. Like the Divine, the Earth bears human in its bosom and takes care of

him/her in many ways. Hence the Earth also is the embodiment of the Mother.

In the human body the Divine flows through all the limbs as Rasa (The Divine

essence) and sustains them. This Divine principle that permeate and sustain the

physical body should also be worshipped as mother goddesses. Then there are the

great sages, the Maharishis, who gave to mankind the great scriptures,

indicating the spiritual and mundane paths and how humanity can redeem its

existence. These sages have also to be revered as Divine Mothers. The cow,

the earth, the presiding deities for the body, the sages and the guru are all

worthy of worship as the embodiments of the Divine Motherhood. They all play a

protective and sustaining maternal role for mankind and hence should be revered

and worshipped as Divine Mothers.

One's mother is greater than heaven itself. Sri Rama Himself declared that

one's mother and Motherland are greater than even heaven. One must remember

that reverence to one's own mother is one's paramount duty.

In the ancient teachings about the persons who are to be revered as Gods -

mother, father, teacher and guest - the first place is given to the mother,

when it says, "Mathru Devo Bhava." This reveals the attitude of Bharathiya

culture towards women in general and the mother in particular. We should

deem our parents as Iswara and Parvati and serve them wholeheartedly. If we

cannot please them, how can we hope to please God?

 

It is the mother that a child sees as soon as it is born. The mother shows

the child to the father. The father leads child to the preceptor and the

preceptor leads child to God. Everyone should understand the inner significance

of the four terms. We hear from spiritual aspirants the four terms - Bhakti

(devotion), Jnana (wisdom), Vairagya (renunciation), and Tatwam (reality) in

the same order. There is a significance in the order in which these terms are

mentioned. Devotion awakens wisdom, wisdom promotes renunciation and

renunciation confers the knowledge of Reality. We can reach the mansion of

Mukti (liberation) if we walk on the stepping stones of devotion, wisdom,

renunciation and the knowledge of Reality.

The mother is the symbol for Bhakti (devotion). Father is the symbol for

Jnana (wisdom). The preceptor is the symbol for Vairagya (renunciation). God is

the very embodiment of Atmic knowledge. We can reach the Moksha (mansion of

Liberation) only by ascending the four steps to Divinity.

A mother is ready to sacrifice everything even her life, for the sake of

her child. Such a spirit is to be found only among women. If a child is

grievously ill, the mother will try to save the child at any cost. It is for

this reason, that woman is described as Thyaagamuurthi, the embodiment of

sacrifice. Men do not have the same spiritof sacrifice as women. Men may

present a heroic pose, but do not have the determination and perseverance to

carry on the struggle to the end. Valmeeki described woman as the Bhakti

svaruupini (embodiment of devotion). Man was described as Jnaanasvaruupa. The

Jnaani has limited access to the Divine mansion. But the woman devotee has

access to innermost apartments.

Love for mother has to be fostered by everyone. Barely one in a million

realises that child owes food, blood and life itself to the mother. Wherever

she may be, a mother is verily divine.

Everyone should treasure in the heart love for the mother, who has borne

him/her, reared with love and fostered child with care. Mothers in ancient days

used to teach, the children about right conduct, morality and devotion. The

first preceptor for a child is the mother. The person who forfeits the mother's

love will not earn any one's love. Below are some brief stories about devotion

of mothers and sons from ancient times to the latest history.

 

Pundarika was the one who was devoted to the service of his aged parents. In

doing so he was adhering to a self-imposed rule. He would not take any food

until the parents had gone to sleep. Once he was massaging the feet of the

parents. To test Pundarika's love for his parents, Lord Panduranga came to his

residence in a disguise and stood behind him. Pundarika went on with his

service to his parents who had not gone to sleep. The new-comer asked Pundarika

to look at him. Pundarika said, that he was seeing the visitor. The latter asked

him: "In what form are you seeing me?" Pundarika said'" I am seeing you as my

mother." Meanwhile Pundarika's Guru came there and told Pundarika that the

visitor was none other than the Lord Himself. Pundarika said that the parents

whom he was serving were also God. The Guru earnestly urged "Don't you realise

that the one who has come is verily God?" Pundarika replied: "My parents also

are God."

 

The mother of Aadhi Shankara, Aryaamba, was a high-souled woman. Hence,

Sankara could achieve greatness and world fame. Vivekaanandha was another

illustrious figure Adhering to the instructions of his mother, he led an

exemplary life and achieved name and fame. Their lives shine in the pages of

history as examples for mankind.

 

Another story. Gaandhiji's mother, Puthlibai, was a lady who believed in

the two principles of truth and right conduct. She adhered to the practice of

taking her morning breakfast only after hearing the first call of the cuckoo.

One morning, the cuckoo's call was missing for a long time and Puthlibai did

not take her breakfast. Seeing this, the young Gaandhi went to the backyard,

cooed like cuckoo and came and told his mother that she could now take her

breakfast. Puthlibai, who could easily guess the trick her son was playing,

felt very sad about his behaviour. She thought: "What sin have I committed that

such a son should be born to me? There is no use blaming you for what is the

result of my own sin. How sinful am I that I gave birth to an untruthful son."

That very moment Gaandhi took a vow "I must never again utter an untruth in my

life.

 

Eeshvar Chandhra asked his mother' "What are your three desires?The

first one," she said, "is a primary school for the children of our small and

backward village. The second one is a small village hospital for the local

population. My third desire is that you should not sell your knowledge, nor

feel proud about it. Cultivate humility and consider yourself the servant of

all. Service is the pathway to leadership." Carrying out his mother's

wishes, he established a primary school in the village, a hospital for the

villagers and dedicated his entire life to the service of his fellowmen. He

became famous as Eeshvar Chandhra Vidhyaasaagar, known for his knowledge and

spirit of service. He became well known as a speaker who attracted large

audiences of men and women.

Once, a senior officer was keen to listen to Vidhyaasaagar's speech and set

out for the place of the meeting by train with a suitcase. On alighting at the

station, he called for a porter to carry his suitcase. As no one appeared, an

old man who had got down from the same train offered to carry the suitcase.

>From the simplicity of the old man's dress, the officer took him for a poor

villager and allowed him to carry the suitcase upto the place where he was to

stay. After depositing the suitcase, when the old man was about to leave, the

officer offered him a rupee for his labour. The old man declined the money and

said that what he had done was in a spirit of service and not to earn money.

After thanking him the old man (who was none other than Eeshvar Chandhra) told

the young officer before leaving: "Your practice does no credit to your

education. After so mucheducation you are not able to attend to your own needs.

You have made yourself unfit. Humility is the ornament for education. Education

without humility is no education at all.

Later in the day large crowds were assembling at the place of meeting. All

were eagerly waiting to welcome Vidhyaasaagar. As Eeshvar Chandhra got up on

the stage, he was profusely garlanded. The young officer was in the audience.

He saw the speaker on the stage and wondered whether he could be Vidhyaasaagar:

"Is he the same man who carried my suitcase in the morning?" He felt ashamed of

himself.

By revering their parents and following their noble examples, many great men

achieved glory and fame in the past. If today we do not have high-minded youth,

it is the parents that are responsible.

 

It is an unfortunate fact that today ninety percent of the children are

spoilt by the parents themselves. The parents do not exercise timely control

over the children.

What use is there in having children who do not behave properly? What did

Dhritarashtra gain from his hundred wicked sons? He would not restrain them

despite the warning of Krishna and Vidura. Ultimately the entire family was

wiped out. There is no meaning in rejoicing when a child is born. The time for

rejoicing will come when the child grows up, earns name and fame and brings

credit to the parents. There was a time in the past when people were

prepared to sacrifice their all for the sake of the others and the welfare of

the nation. Today this spirit is, as a rule, absent. Selfishness is rampant.

Education should make students service-minded, not job-seekers.

Unfortunately also many men today do not honour women and humiliate them.

This is utterly wrong and is a sign of ignorance. Men should realise the

high status of women and honour and respect them accordingly. They should not

make women weep and shed tears. A home where the woman sheds tears will be

ruined. Men should give an honourable place for women and lead a respectable

life. There is a saying in Andhra Pradesh: "Judge a house by its mistress."

Men and women have to understand each other so that they can live in harmony, in

the family.

Now, for a few words of advice to women. It is found that women are given

to excessive talking. If women observe restraint in speech and men control

their movements, it will be good for both. Every experience should bring out a

change. Develop pure thoughts wherever you may be. Today's women, should

change themselves and help to change the men and the children. They should

develop the qualities of sympathy, compassion; love and sacrifice. Study the

lives of our great women, who were models of patience, fortitude, compassion

and sacrifice. (Reet's compilation from, Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 20. "From the

Mother to Moksha," Chapter 10; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 21. "The Mother Divine,"

Chapter 28; Sathya Sai Speaks. Vol. 28. "Noble mothers breed noble sons,"

Chapter 3 and Vol. 28. "When women are honoured," Chapter 32).

 

PS: Spelling as in original texts.

Namaste - Reet