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A mother’s love

CHENNAI: A mother is seen as the embodiment of kindness and love. The very Earth is personified as a benevolent, patient mother- Bhoomi Devi. It is to its mother that a child goes for consolation, when it is unhappy. It is to the mother that a child goes for protection, when it is scared. And if mortal mothers are such protectors, how much more protection will be offered to us all by the Divine Mother -Mahalakshmi? She is the Mother of all the Universe- Loka Mata.

Gomatam Madhavachariar explained why King Nala’s wife Damayanthi burnt to ashes the hunter who misbehaved with her,but Sita didn’t burn Ravana. Sita could just as easily have done that. But Damayanthi was a mere mortal. Sita is the Universal Mother. To her Ravana too is one of her many children. How can a mother punish her child, the moment it errs? She will first try to correct the child, through her words of advice. She will try to open the child’s eyes to its follies, warn of the consequences of its conduct. Punishment is always the last thing on any mother’s mind. Redemption of the errant child is what the mother hopes for. That is why Sita tells Ravana that his act of carrying her to Lanka, was an act of cowardice. Would a brave warrior ever kidnap a woman, when her husband was away, and then claim he was courageous? She points to the fact that in desiring a married woman, he has committed a grave sin. She pooh poohs his claims to greatness, and asks him to seek Rama’s forgiveness.

Similarly, when Kakasuran is chased by Rama’s arrow, there is no one who can offer him refuge from the missile. And although he hurt Sita, she magnanimously pardons him. A mother will be patient if she suffers,but will be unable to bear the thought of her children coming to harm. Sita is threatened by the demon women guarding her. She is harassed by Ravana. She is alone in Lanka, away from her beloved husband. And yet, when she hears that Anjaneya’s tail has been set on fire, her thoughts are not of herself, but of how to protect Anjaneya. She prays that the fire will not burn him, or hurt him, but will cool him! Such is the love of this Universal Mother, that despite her own suffering, she sheds tears over Anjaneya’s tail being set fire to.

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