Mother

mātā dharitrī jananī dayārdra-hṛdayā śivā

mātā dharitrī jananī dayārdra-hṛdayā śivā |
devī tribhuvana-śreṣṭhā nirdoṣā sarva-duḥkhahā ||
ārādhanīyā paramā dayā śāntiḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ |
(Bṛhad Dharma Purāṇa: 8–9)

[Names for a mother:] “Mother, she who gives support, she who gives birth, she whose heart is melted with grace, she who is auspicious, she who is a goddess, she who is the greatest in the three worlds, she who is faultless, she who removes all distress, she who is worshippable, she who is supreme, she who is gracious, she who is peaceful, she who is forgiving, she who is poised, …”

Read on →

api svarṇamayī laṅkā na me lakṣmaṇa rocate

api svarṇamayī laṅkā na me lakṣmaṇa rocate |
jananī-janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api garīyasī ||
(Rāmāyaṇa)

[Rāma:] “Although golden, Laṅkā does not appeal to me, Lakṣmaṇa. One’s mother and motherland are more exalted than even Svarga.”

Read on →

mātā mitraṁ pitā ceti svabhāvāt tratayaṁ hitam

mātā mitraṁ pitā ceti svabhāvāt tratayaṁ hitam |
kārya-kāraṇataś cānye bhavanti hita-buddhayaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.35)

“Mother, friend, and father—these three by nature are kind [i.e., attentive to your best interests], whereas others are of kind disposition [towards you] because it is their duty [or, because they have some purpose or need of their own to fulfil].”

Read on →

gurur na sa syāt svajano na sa syāt

gurur na sa syāt svajano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt |
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān
na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.18)

“One who cannot save you [i.e., a dependent] from impending death [i.e., saṁsāra] should not be a guru, should not be a relative, should not be a father, should not be a mother, should not be a devatā, and should not be a husband.”

Read on →

jananī janma-bhūmiś

jananī janma-bhūmiś ca jāhnavī ca janārdanaḥ |
janakaḥ pañcamaś caiva ja-kārāḥ pañca-durlabhāḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“Mother (jananī), the land of one’s birth (janma-bhūmi), the Ganges (Jāhnavī), Janārdana [i.e., Bhagavān], and fifthly, Father (janaka)—these five j’s are most precious to attain.”

Read on →

harir deha-bhṛtām ātmā

harir deha-bhṛtām ātmā svayaṁ prakṛtir īśvaraḥ |
tat-pāda-mūlaṁ śaraṇaṁ yataḥ kṣemo nṛṇām iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.50)

“Hari is the Ātmā and Īśvara of [all] embodied beings, as he himself [i.e., independently] is the origin [of them all]. [Thus,] The soles of his feet are the shelter because of which all human beings’ preservation occurs here [i.e., in this world].”

Read on →

mātrā samaṁ nāsti śarīra-poṣaṇaṁ

mātrā samaṁ nāsti śarīra-poṣaṇaṁ
cintā-samaṁ nāsti śarīra-śoṣaṇam |
bhāryā-samaṁ nāsti śarīra-toṣaṇaṁ
vidyā-samaṁ nāsti śarīra-bhūṣaṇam ||
(Unknown source)

“There is nothing nourishing to the body like a mother’s care. There is nothing draining to the body like anxiety. There is nothing satisfying to the body like a wife. And there is no ornament on the body like knowledge.”

Read on →

mātṛdevo bhava

mātṛdevo bhava |
pitṛdevo bhava |
ācāryadevo bhava |
atithidevo bhava |
(Taittirīya Upaniṣad: 11.2)

“Be one for whom one’s mother is Deva.
Be one for whom one’s father is Deva.
Be one for whom one’s ācārya is Deva.
Be one for whom one’s guest is Deva.”

Read on →

Scroll to Top