Maatrudevo bhava is the first line one learns while being initiated into knowledge and it is indeed true that Mother is equal to God. Mother is the first teacher who lets the child know what the world is and how one has to make their place in it. Our Sanatana Dharma respects this great role of a woman in her myriad forms playing an important role in shaping a human’s life.
Birth mother – She is the one who nurtures a child in her womb for nine months taking the pain, discomfort and many more unspoken problems, yet always wishes for the child to be born healthy and hale. The role of a woman in childbirth is what shapes the entire life of the child and the love she gives her child is boundless. It is for this very reason, that even Almighty took human form to enjoy the bliss of being born and nurtured by a birth mother.
The Guardian mother – When the thought of the endless love of a mother comes to mind, the first name which strikes is Mata Yashoda. Although she did not give birth to Shri Krishna, he is still known as her darling son, as she took care of him all his childhood and guarded him against all harm. Hence, the guardian mother is revered as equal to the real mother and sometimes even more.
The Guru Mata – It is the teacher’s wife Guru Mata who equally cares for the child when one comes to the teacher to receive knowledge and intellect. During Gurukul Ashram, the child is under the loving care of the Guru Mata who teaches them all the ways of life in good and bad times. Mata Arundhati was by Shri Ram and his brothers as their own mother and all of them were nurtured by her caringly during the Gurukul days. For the love of their guru Mata, Shri Krishna and Balram went till the gates of hell and bought back her son to remove the grief of losing her son.
The Gau Mata – The Gau Mata is the most selfless mother who gives us abundance of love through its milk and defines the health of a man. It is for this selfless love that Shri Krishna chose to be cowherd and offered his services and safeguarded the Gau Mata for her abundant love and affection which she showers on all creation. Hence, it is said where Gau Mata is protected and worshipped, there is abundance of health and prosperity.
Mother Earth – Even though we stamp, we hit, we walk with our feet on her, she only takes in all the weight and pain of life and gives us a place to live and exist and she is our very own Mother Earth. Mother Earth is the only place where life sustains and flourishes. Just as a mother, she makes man realise his mistakes, but yet embraces man in times of need and gives shelter to all life to flourish and survive. Hence the patience of a mother is compared to that of Mother Earth.
Woman in the form of a mother is considered the greatest gift of the Almighty to mankind and a mother in her varied forms has always been showering love, affection, intellect and compassion for all life thus shaping human’s life in the path of Dharma.