WIN THE LOVE OF YOUR MOTHER TO WIN THE LOVE OF GOD

[Guest guest]

"Eda Cori de Blumentals" <edacori with love.

 

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…"