A beautiful explanation of Sri Krishna’s timeless teaching from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, focusing on karma, detachment, emotions, and inner peace. This perspective completely changes how we look at success, failure, and life itself. Truly one of the most powerful lessons ever given.
>naasti matrasama chaaya naasti matasama gatih |
naasti matrsamam traanam naasti matrsama prapaa ||
-Shanti Parv: Mahabharat
(There is no shade like a mother, no resort like a mother. There is no protection like a mother, and there is no ever‑giving fountain of life like a mother.)
From shaping children's future to nourishing and guarding them from every harm, a mother plays the role of creator, nurturer, and protector. Since ancient times, Bharat, one of the world's oldest civilisations, has celebrated motherhood. This blog explores the role and significance of motherhood in Sanatan Dharm through the lives of revered mothers in the scriptures.
A famous Sanskrit saying, often popularly attributed to Sri Ram (in later editions of the Ramayan), states:
>Janani janmabhumishcha swargadapi gariyasi ||
Addressing Sri Lakshman, Lord Ram says that one's mother and motherland are superior to heaven. In the Sanatan Dharm, mother is not just a role. She is a sacred sentiment and the omnipresent Divine energy. We are a civilisation that believes all forms—manifest and unmanifest—are expressions of the Divine Mother (Ma Adi Para Shakti), the source of all energy. She is the earth we walk on, the coolness of water and the warmth of fire. Her presence is honoured through animals, rivers, and plants, as well as in one's biological mother, who gave us life.
It is a common Indian tradition to refer to great personalities as the 'sons of their mother.' A very important aspect of their identity is the mother who gave birth to them or raised them. Sri Ram is known as Kaushalya-nandan, Sri Krishna as Yashoda-nandan, and Sri Lakshman and Shatrughn as Saumitra. Similarly, the Adityas are named after their mother, Devi Aditi. Sri Krishna often addresses Arjun as Kaunteya (son of Kunti), while another name of Bhishma (the grandsire of the Kuru clan) is Ganga-putra. This tradition continued even later with famous rulers of many dynasties honouring their mothers in their names: Gautami-putra Satakarni and Vashishti-putra Pulwami.
Let us turn the pages of the Sanatan scriptures and learn about remarkable mothers who shaped the lives of our heroes.
(Ma Yashoda tying Krishna with a rope)
Whenever the Divine descends upon Earth, a blessed mother has cradled them in her arms. The mother-child relationship becomes a beautiful medium to express divine love and Leela (divine play).
This sacred bond is clearly seen in the life of Sri Krishna, where the Lord chose to express the Vatsalya-bhakti (devotion through motherly love) through his mother.
Ma Yashoda's unconditional motherly love provided the intimate, earthly setting where the divine's childhood pastimes (bala-leela) unfolded.
Through each episode of his leela—as he broke pots, stole butter, showed his Divya swaroopa—Ma Yashoda just loved Krishna with complete surrender. She is the reason the people of Vrindavan, and later all devotees, experience Krishna as their "own child", the Bala Gopal, not just as a distant deity.
However, the leelas of Sri Krishna carry a deep spiritual message. The Srimad Bhavatam mentions an interesting incident in Canto 10, Chapter 9.
Once, to stop Sri Krishna from being naughty and stealing butter, Ma Yashoda tried to tie him to a Ukhal (mortar for pounding grains). He pleaded innocence by lovingly calling out to her. That day, however, she was determined to discipline him. She got a rope to tie Krishna so that he would remain in one place while she finished her household work. Ma Yashoda circled the rope around Krishna's belly. It was short by the width of two fingers. Next, she got a longer rope. Yet again, it was two fingers short. Ma Yashoda was puzzled. She could tell the size of his waist, even in her sleep. After all, it was her daily ritual to tie the Kardhani (ornamental band) around baby Krishna's tiny waist. Strangely, even after she added every single rope in the house and tied them together, they were still shorter by two fingers.
Seeing Ma Yashoda struggle, Sri Krishna, out of compassion, allowed himself to be tied. He is therefore known as Damodara—the one bound around his belly by a rope. There are many takeaways from this katha. The rope was always two fingers short. This symbolic gap between the deity and the devotee is that of Bhakta Nishtha (firm faith and determination to serve God) and Anugraha (the Divine's grace on seeing our efforts). When Ma Yashoda's efforts showed her sincerity, Krishna got tied up immediately.
Moreover, Sri Krishna's action symbolises the highest form of connection between a mother and the child. While no rope can bind the Creator of the universe, he willingly becomes bound by the pure love of his mother.
Sometimes a mother's love takes the form of an intense prayer, creating the conditions for the birth of a divine child. Sri Hanuman's name, "Anjaniputra" or "Anjaneya" is a tribute to Ma Anjana. Due to her intense Tapas, Devi Anjana was blessed with Sri Hanuman (the eleventh incarnation of Sri Rudra) as her son.
Thus, Lord Hanuman's cosmic powers are not only the gifts of Lord Shiv, Vayu, and Devas but also the fruits of his mother's Sadhana.
Realising his extraordinary energy and intellect, Ma Anjana sent Hanuman to Surya Dev to learn scriptures and knowledge. She shows that a mother plays an important role in guiding the spiritual education and discipline (nurturing the inner world), not just feeding and protecting the child (nurturing the outer world).
When the young Hanuman hurt himself diving toward the sun (thinking it was a fruit), Ma Anjana's grief and maternal protest brought Indra and Vayu to his side, resulting in the gods blessing him with immense strength, speed, and longevity.
Ma Anjana's surrendered bhakti to Lord Shiv, and Vayudev is reflected in Sri Hanuman's lifelong, humble service to Sri Ram and Ma Sita. Just like his compassionate and fiercely protective mother, Sri Hanuman becomes the guardian and protector of all devotees. He imbibed her grace and humility, attributing all his powers to Sri Ram as he joyfully lived a life of service.
(Ma Anusuya being tested by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiv)
While some mothers became channels for divine descent, Ma Anusuya's life story reflects spiritual strength of another kind. Her intense sadhana, purity, and motherly love gave her the power to nurture Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Mahesh as her own children in the form of infants.
Ma Anusuya was the wife of Sage Atri. She had performed a long penance, desiring that her children embody the qualities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and that she and her husband be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Pleased by her devotion, the Trimurti (trinity) decided to grant this boon. However, they decided to test her first.
They came to Atri Rishi's ashram disguised as sages. They asked her to give them Bhiksha (alms) while being naked. This was a test of her chastity and spiritual strength.
To preserve her modesty, Ma Anusuya used the power of her Tapas and sprinkled water on the Gods, transforming them into infants. She then lovingly fed them as only a mother would—by breastfeeding them. Thereby, she fulfilled their request without losing her chastity or compromising her Dharma.
Later, at the request of the consorts—Devi Saraswati, Devi Lakshmi, and Devi Parvati—Ma Anusuya restored the Trimurti to their original forms. As a result, she and Sage Atri were blessed with sons who embodied the three‑fold divinity: Dattatreya (Sri Vishnu's aspect), Chandra (Lord Brahma's aspect), and Durvasa (Lord Shiva's aspect). In many traditions, Dattatreya, in particular, is seen as the combined form of Lord Brahma, Sri Vishnu, and Mahadev, and Ma Anusuya is revered as the mother of the Trimurti.
Ma Anusuya symbolises spiritual motherhood; her Tapas and maternal love temporarily reduce the three cosmic Lords to innocent babies in need of her care. This shows that genuine sadhana and purity can even humble the highest gods and place them under the shelter of a devotee‑mother's love.
Another unique Katha is that of Ma Shatarupa, who desired a child like Lord Narayana himself.
Devi Bhagavat Puran mentions that she was the wife of Swayambhuva Manu, the mind-born son of Lord Brahma, the first human king and law‑giver of the current Kalpa (cycle of creation).
Sri Tulsidas in Sri Ramcharitmanas- Baal Kand notes that after ruling for many years, Devi Shatarupa and Raja Manu left their kingdom and went to the sacred land of Naimisharanya. Where they performed tapasya, for thousands of years, meditating on the Supreme Lord with single‑pointed devotion. They stayed in such deep austerity that their bodies became thin and looked like skeletons.
Pleased with their devotion, Sri Hari Vishnu appeared before them. They wished to have a son like the Lord himself.
Sri Narayan granted them the boon, assuring that in the Treta Yug, he would take birth as their son. In some Vaishnav traditions, this is associated with the birth of Sri Ram, the son of King Dashrath and Ma Kaushalya, who are regarded as an incarnation of Manu and Shatarupa.
According to the Brahma Puran, the Matsya (fish) avatar of Sri Hari Vishnu also granted King Manu and Ma Shatarupa the boon of being the creators of the new human race after the great flood, and that their children would be called manushya (derived from 'Manu'), the Sanskrit term for humanity. They gave them the Vedas to re‑establish Dharma and civilisation.
Thus, Ma Shatarupa's tapas was not for ordinary boons, but for the highest spiritual fruit – to have Sri Hari Vishnu himself descend as her son, and her intense austerities made her worthy of that divine promise.
(Ma Madalasa teaches her sons)
A mother's compassion knows no bounds. She can mould the child into an ascetic or a warrior through her upbringing. Markandeya Puran narrates the tale of Gandharva princess Madalasa, the queen of Raja Ritadhwaja, and a Brahmavadini (a highly learned woman who speaks of Brahman). She turned lullabies into life-lessons, teaching her children to see beyond the body and the world.
Ma Madalasa's greatness is reflected in her four sons. Being a spiritually realised mother herself, her deepest instinct was to free them from the trap of the material world.
Vikranta, Subahu, and Shatrumardana, her first three sons, absorbed this wisdom from her famous lullaby, the Madalasa-Upakhyan or Madalasa Upadesh. She says:
>shuddhosi buddhosi niranjanosi samsaramaya parivarjito'si |
samsarasvapnam tyaja mohanidram madalasollapamuvach putram ||
-Verse 1: Madalasa Upadesh
(You are pure, you are enlightened, and spotless. You are beyond the illusions of this world. You are free from the illusion of the world. Give up this dream of worldly existence and wake up from the deep slumber of delusion.)
Madalsa's first three sons renounced the material world, got detached from worldly pleasures, and left the kingdom for the forests. She realised that the greatest suffering for the soul is bondage to the body and senses, so her 'harsh'‑sounding act of making her sons renunciates is in fact the deepest form of compassion, even if it meant that they left her and the palace.
Her husband, King Ritudhwaj, wanted an heir to the throne. Sensing his worries and concern, Madalasa taught their fourth son, Alarka, the art of kingship. She trained him to be a righteous ruler, sang songs of valour, and taught him to follow Dharma and to view women as mothers. Alongside teaching statecraft, Madalasa gave her son spiritual depth, thus shaping a righteous and fearless warrior‑king.
Ma Madalasa nurtured the soul, not just the body. Her adaptability to duty without losing the spiritual core makes her great. She shows how a mother's love and wisdom can sculpt the children's destinies toward enlightenment or kingship.
While scriptural kathas highlight the spiritual dimension of motherhood, some communities accord her a central position, tracing descent and inheritance to the mother.
India is home to several prominent matrilineal societies. Communities such as the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia of Meghalaya, the Bunt and Billava in Karnataka, and the people of Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep continue to pass down their lineage and property through the female line.
Although with the passage of time, many such societies, such as the Nair‑Ezhava matrilineal joint‑family system of Kerala, have disappeared.
While systems may change over time, the position of the mother in every home and society is like that of a polestar—eternal and guiding.
This Mother's Day, let us celebrate every mother as she guides with her strength and shapes the child's world with her heart.
A mother is our first Guru, the first home we ever know, and the silent force that shapes our inner world. The Taittiriya Upanishad captures this beautifully:
Matru Devo Bhava
(Revere your mother as Divine.)
>naasti matrasama chaaya naasti matasama gatih |
naasti matrsamam traanam naasti matrsama prapaa ||
-Shanti Parv: Mahabharat
(There is no shade like a mother, no resort like a mother. There is no protection like a mother, and there is no ever‑giving fountain of life like a mother.)
From shaping children's future to nourishing and guarding them from every harm, a mother plays the role of creator, nurturer, and protector. Since ancient times, Bharat, one of the world's oldest civilisations, has celebrated motherhood. This blog explores the role and significance of motherhood in Sanatan Dharm through the lives of revered mothers in the scriptures.
A famous Sanskrit saying, often popularly attributed to Sri Ram (in later editions of the Ramayan), states:
>Janani janmabhumishcha swargadapi gariyasi ||
Addressing Sri Lakshman, Lord Ram says that one's mother and motherland are superior to heaven. In the Sanatan Dharm, mother is not just a role. She is a sacred sentiment and the omnipresent Divine energy. We are a civilisation that believes all forms—manifest and unmanifest—are expressions of the Divine Mother (Ma Adi Para Shakti), the source of all energy. She is the earth we walk on, the coolness of water and the warmth of fire. Her presence is honoured through animals, rivers, and plants, as well as in one's biological mother, who gave us life.
It is a common Indian tradition to refer to great personalities as the 'sons of their mother.' A very important aspect of their identity is the mother who gave birth to them or raised them. Sri Ram is known as Kaushalya-nandan, Sri Krishna as Yashoda-nandan, and Sri Lakshman and Shatrughn as Saumitra. Similarly, the Adityas are named after their mother, Devi Aditi. Sri Krishna often addresses Arjun as Kaunteya (son of Kunti), while another name of Bhishma (the grandsire of the Kuru clan) is Ganga-putra. This tradition continued even later with famous rulers of many dynasties honouring their mothers in their names: Gautami-putra Satakarni and Vashishti-putra Pulwami.
Let us turn the pages of the Sanatan scriptures and learn about remarkable mothers who shaped the lives of our heroes.
(Ma Yashoda tying Krishna with a rope)
Whenever the Divine descends upon Earth, a blessed mother has cradled them in her arms. The mother-child relationship becomes a beautiful medium to express divine love and Leela (divine play).
This sacred bond is clearly seen in the life of Sri Krishna, where the Lord chose to express the Vatsalya-bhakti (devotion through motherly love) through his mother.
Ma Yashoda's unconditional motherly love provided the intimate, earthly setting where the divine's childhood pastimes (bala-leela) unfolded.
Through each episode of his leela—as he broke pots, stole butter, showed his Divya swaroopa—Ma Yashoda just loved Krishna with complete surrender. She is the reason the people of Vrindavan, and later all devotees, experience Krishna as their "own child", the Bala Gopal, not just as a distant deity.
However, the leelas of Sri Krishna carry a deep spiritual message. The Srimad Bhavatam mentions an interesting incident in Canto 10, Chapter 9.
Once, to stop Sri Krishna from being naughty and stealing butter, Ma Yashoda tried to tie him to a Ukhal (mortar for pounding grains). He pleaded innocence by lovingly calling out to her. That day, however, she was determined to discipline him. She got a rope to tie Krishna so that he would remain in one place while she finished her household work. Ma Yashoda circled the rope around Krishna's belly. It was short by the width of two fingers. Next, she got a longer rope. Yet again, it was two fingers short. Ma Yashoda was puzzled. She could tell the size of his waist, even in her sleep. After all, it was her daily ritual to tie the Kardhani (ornamental band) around baby Krishna's tiny waist. Strangely, even after she added every single rope in the house and tied them together, they were still shorter by two fingers.
Seeing Ma Yashoda struggle, Sri Krishna, out of compassion, allowed himself to be tied. He is therefore known as Damodara—the one bound around his belly by a rope. There are many takeaways from this katha. The rope was always two fingers short. This symbolic gap between the deity and the devotee is that of Bhakta Nishtha (firm faith and determination to serve God) and Anugraha (the Divine's grace on seeing our efforts). When Ma Yashoda's efforts showed her sincerity, Krishna got tied up immediately.
Moreover, Sri Krishna's action symbolises the highest form of connection between a mother and the child. While no rope can bind the Creator of the universe, he willingly becomes bound by the pure love of his mother.
Sometimes a mother's love takes the form of an intense prayer, creating the conditions for the birth of a divine child. Sri Hanuman's name, "Anjaniputra" or "Anjaneya" is a tribute to Ma Anjana. Due to her intense Tapas, Devi Anjana was blessed with Sri Hanuman (the eleventh incarnation of Sri Rudra) as her son.
Thus, Lord Hanuman's cosmic powers are not only the gifts of Lord Shiv, Vayu, and Devas but also the fruits of his mother's Sadhana.
Realising his extraordinary energy and intellect, Ma Anjana sent Hanuman to Surya Dev to learn scriptures and knowledge. She shows that a mother plays an important role in guiding the spiritual education and discipline (nurturing the inner world), not just feeding and protecting the child (nurturing the outer world).
When the young Hanuman hurt himself diving toward the sun (thinking it was a fruit), Ma Anjana's grief and maternal protest brought Indra and Vayu to his side, resulting in the gods blessing him with immense strength, speed, and longevity.
Ma Anjana's surrendered bhakti to Lord Shiv, and Vayudev is reflected in Sri Hanuman's lifelong, humble service to Sri Ram and Ma Sita. Just like his compassionate and fiercely protective mother, Sri Hanuman becomes the guardian and protector of all devotees. He imbibed her grace and humility, attributing all his powers to Sri Ram as he joyfully lived a life of service.
(Ma Anusuya being tested by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiv)
While some mothers became channels for divine descent, Ma Anusuya's life story reflects spiritual strength of another kind. Her intense sadhana, purity, and motherly love gave her the power to nurture Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Mahesh as her own children in the form of infants.
Ma Anusuya was the wife of Sage Atri. She had performed a long penance, desiring that her children embody the qualities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and that she and her husband be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Pleased by her devotion, the Trimurti (trinity) decided to grant this boon. However, they decided to test her first.
They came to Atri Rishi's ashram disguised as sages. They asked her to give them Bhiksha (alms) while being naked. This was a test of her chastity and spiritual strength.
To preserve her modesty, Ma Anusuya used the power of her Tapas and sprinkled water on the Gods, transforming them into infants. She then lovingly fed them as only a mother would—by breastfeeding them. Thereby, she fulfilled their request without losing her chastity or compromising her Dharma.
Later, at the request of the consorts—Devi Saraswati, Devi Lakshmi, and Devi Parvati—Ma Anusuya restored the Trimurti to their original forms. As a result, she and Sage Atri were blessed with sons who embodied the three‑fold divinity: Dattatreya (Sri Vishnu's aspect), Chandra (Lord Brahma's aspect), and Durvasa (Lord Shiva's aspect). In many traditions, Dattatreya, in particular, is seen as the combined form of Lord Brahma, Sri Vishnu, and Mahadev, and Ma Anusuya is revered as the mother of the Trimurti.
Ma Anusuya symbolises spiritual motherhood; her Tapas and maternal love temporarily reduce the three cosmic Lords to innocent babies in need of her care. This shows that genuine sadhana and purity can even humble the highest gods and place them under the shelter of a devotee‑mother's love.
Another unique Katha is that of Ma Shatarupa, who desired a child like Lord Narayana himself.
Devi Bhagavat Puran mentions that she was the wife of Swayambhuva Manu, the mind-born son of Lord Brahma, the first human king and law‑giver of the current Kalpa (cycle of creation).
Sri Tulsidas in Sri Ramcharitmanas- Baal Kand notes that after ruling for many years, Devi Shatarupa and Raja Manu left their kingdom and went to the sacred land of Naimisharanya. Where they performed tapasya, for thousands of years, meditating on the Supreme Lord with single‑pointed devotion. They stayed in such deep austerity that their bodies became thin and looked like skeletons.
Pleased with their devotion, Sri Hari Vishnu appeared before them. They wished to have a son like the Lord himself.
Sri Narayan granted them the boon, assuring that in the Treta Yug, he would take birth as their son. In some Vaishnav traditions, this is associated with the birth of Sri Ram, the son of King Dashrath and Ma Kaushalya, who are regarded as an incarnation of Manu and Shatarupa.
According to the Brahma Puran, the Matsya (fish) avatar of Sri Hari Vishnu also granted King Manu and Ma Shatarupa the boon of being the creators of the new human race after the great flood, and that their children would be called manushya (derived from 'Manu'), the Sanskrit term for humanity. They gave them the Vedas to re‑establish Dharma and civilisation.
Thus, Ma Shatarupa's tapas was not for ordinary boons, but for the highest spiritual fruit – to have Sri Hari Vishnu himself descend as her son, and her intense austerities made her worthy of that divine promise.
(Ma Madalasa teaches her sons)
A mother's compassion knows no bounds. She can mould the child into an ascetic or a warrior through her upbringing. Markandeya Puran narrates the tale of Gandharva princess Madalasa, the queen of Raja Ritadhwaja, and a Brahmavadini (a highly learned woman who speaks of Brahman). She turned lullabies into life-lessons, teaching her children to see beyond the body and the world.
Ma Madalasa's greatness is reflected in her four sons. Being a spiritually realised mother herself, her deepest instinct was to free them from the trap of the material world.
Vikranta, Subahu, and Shatrumardana, her first three sons, absorbed this wisdom from her famous lullaby, the Madalasa-Upakhyan or Madalasa Upadesh. She says:
>shuddhosi buddhosi niranjanosi samsaramaya parivarjito'si |
samsarasvapnam tyaja mohanidram madalasollapamuvach putram ||
-Verse 1: Madalasa Upadesh
(You are pure, you are enlightened, and spotless. You are beyond the illusions of this world. You are free from the illusion of the world. Give up this dream of worldly existence and wake up from the deep slumber of delusion.)
Madalsa's first three sons renounced the material world, got detached from worldly pleasures, and left the kingdom for the forests. She realised that the greatest suffering for the soul is bondage to the body and senses, so her 'harsh'‑sounding act of making her sons renunciates is in fact the deepest form of compassion, even if it meant that they left her and the palace.
Her husband, King Ritudhwaj, wanted an heir to the throne. Sensing his worries and concern, Madalasa taught their fourth son, Alarka, the art of kingship. She trained him to be a righteous ruler, sang songs of valour, and taught him to follow Dharma and to view women as mothers. Alongside teaching statecraft, Madalasa gave her son spiritual depth, thus shaping a righteous and fearless warrior‑king.
Ma Madalasa nurtured the soul, not just the body. Her adaptability to duty without losing the spiritual core makes her great. She shows how a mother's love and wisdom can sculpt the children's destinies toward enlightenment or kingship.
While scriptural kathas highlight the spiritual dimension of motherhood, some communities accord her a central position, tracing descent and inheritance to the mother.
India is home to several prominent matrilineal societies. Communities such as the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia of Meghalaya, the Bunt and Billava in Karnataka, and the people of Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep continue to pass down their lineage and property through the female line.
Although with the passage of time, many such societies, such as the Nair‑Ezhava matrilineal joint‑family system of Kerala, have disappeared.
While systems may change over time, the position of the mother in every home and society is like that of a polestar—eternal and guiding.
This Mother's Day, let us celebrate every mother as she guides with her strength and shapes the child's world with her heart.
A mother is our first Guru, the first home we ever know, and the silent force that shapes our inner world. The Taittiriya Upanishad captures this beautifully:
Matru Devo Bhava
(Revere your mother as Divine.)
>naasti matrasama chaaya naasti matasama gatih |
naasti matrsamam traanam naasti matrsama prapaa ||
-Shanti Parv: Mahabharat
(There is no shade like a mother, no resort like a mother. There is no protection like a mother, and there is no ever‑giving fountain of life like a mother.)
From shaping children's future to nourishing and guarding them from every harm, a mother plays the role of creator, nurturer, and protector. Since ancient times, Bharat, one of the world's oldest civilisations, has celebrated motherhood. This blog explores the role and significance of motherhood in Sanatan Dharm through the lives of revered mothers in the scriptures.
A famous Sanskrit saying, often popularly attributed to Sri Ram (in later editions of the Ramayan), states:
>Janani janmabhumishcha swargadapi gariyasi ||
Addressing Sri Lakshman, Lord Ram says that one's mother and motherland are superior to heaven. In the Sanatan Dharm, mother is not just a role. She is a sacred sentiment and the omnipresent Divine energy. We are a civilisation that believes all forms—manifest and unmanifest—are expressions of the Divine Mother (Ma Adi Para Shakti), the source of all energy. She is the earth we walk on, the coolness of water and the warmth of fire. Her presence is honoured through animals, rivers, and plants, as well as in one's biological mother, who gave us life.
It is a common Indian tradition to refer to great personalities as the 'sons of their mother.' A very important aspect of their identity is the mother who gave birth to them or raised them. Sri Ram is known as Kaushalya-nandan, Sri Krishna as Yashoda-nandan, and Sri Lakshman and Shatrughn as Saumitra. Similarly, the Adityas are named after their mother, Devi Aditi. Sri Krishna often addresses Arjun as Kaunteya (son of Kunti), while another name of Bhishma (the grandsire of the Kuru clan) is Ganga-putra. This tradition continued even later with famous rulers of many dynasties honouring their mothers in their names: Gautami-putra Satakarni and Vashishti-putra Pulwami.
Let us turn the pages of the Sanatan scriptures and learn about remarkable mothers who shaped the lives of our heroes.
(Ma Yashoda tying Krishna with a rope)
Whenever the Divine descends upon Earth, a blessed mother has cradled them in her arms. The mother-child relationship becomes a beautiful medium to express divine love and Leela (divine play).
This sacred bond is clearly seen in the life of Sri Krishna, where the Lord chose to express the Vatsalya-bhakti (devotion through motherly love) through his mother.
Ma Yashoda's unconditional motherly love provided the intimate, earthly setting where the divine's childhood pastimes (bala-leela) unfolded.
Through each episode of his leela—as he broke pots, stole butter, showed his Divya swaroopa—Ma Yashoda just loved Krishna with complete surrender. She is the reason the people of Vrindavan, and later all devotees, experience Krishna as their "own child", the Bala Gopal, not just as a distant deity.
However, the leelas of Sri Krishna carry a deep spiritual message. The Srimad Bhavatam mentions an interesting incident in Canto 10, Chapter 9.
Once, to stop Sri Krishna from being naughty and stealing butter, Ma Yashoda tried to tie him to a Ukhal (mortar for pounding grains). He pleaded innocence by lovingly calling out to her. That day, however, she was determined to discipline him. She got a rope to tie Krishna so that he would remain in one place while she finished her household work. Ma Yashoda circled the rope around Krishna's belly. It was short by the width of two fingers. Next, she got a longer rope. Yet again, it was two fingers short. Ma Yashoda was puzzled. She could tell the size of his waist, even in her sleep. After all, it was her daily ritual to tie the Kardhani (ornamental band) around baby Krishna's tiny waist. Strangely, even after she added every single rope in the house and tied them together, they were still shorter by two fingers.
Seeing Ma Yashoda struggle, Sri Krishna, out of compassion, allowed himself to be tied. He is therefore known as Damodara—the one bound around his belly by a rope. There are many takeaways from this katha. The rope was always two fingers short. This symbolic gap between the deity and the devotee is that of Bhakta Nishtha (firm faith and determination to serve God) and Anugraha (the Divine's grace on seeing our efforts). When Ma Yashoda's efforts showed her sincerity, Krishna got tied up immediately.
Moreover, Sri Krishna's action symbolises the highest form of connection between a mother and the child. While no rope can bind the Creator of the universe, he willingly becomes bound by the pure love of his mother.
Sometimes a mother's love takes the form of an intense prayer, creating the conditions for the birth of a divine child. Sri Hanuman's name, "Anjaniputra" or "Anjaneya" is a tribute to Ma Anjana. Due to her intense Tapas, Devi Anjana was blessed with Sri Hanuman (the eleventh incarnation of Sri Rudra) as her son.
Thus, Lord Hanuman's cosmic powers are not only the gifts of Lord Shiv, Vayu, and Devas but also the fruits of his mother's Sadhana.
Realising his extraordinary energy and intellect, Ma Anjana sent Hanuman to Surya Dev to learn scriptures and knowledge. She shows that a mother plays an important role in guiding the spiritual education and discipline (nurturing the inner world), not just feeding and protecting the child (nurturing the outer world).
When the young Hanuman hurt himself diving toward the sun (thinking it was a fruit), Ma Anjana's grief and maternal protest brought Indra and Vayu to his side, resulting in the gods blessing him with immense strength, speed, and longevity.
Ma Anjana's surrendered bhakti to Lord Shiv, and Vayudev is reflected in Sri Hanuman's lifelong, humble service to Sri Ram and Ma Sita. Just like his compassionate and fiercely protective mother, Sri Hanuman becomes the guardian and protector of all devotees. He imbibed her grace and humility, attributing all his powers to Sri Ram as he joyfully lived a life of service.
(Ma Anusuya being tested by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiv)
While some mothers became channels for divine descent, Ma Anusuya's life story reflects spiritual strength of another kind. Her intense sadhana, purity, and motherly love gave her the power to nurture Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Mahesh as her own children in the form of infants.
Ma Anusuya was the wife of Sage Atri. She had performed a long penance, desiring that her children embody the qualities of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and that she and her husband be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. Pleased by her devotion, the Trimurti (trinity) decided to grant this boon. However, they decided to test her first.
They came to Atri Rishi's ashram disguised as sages. They asked her to give them Bhiksha (alms) while being naked. This was a test of her chastity and spiritual strength.
To preserve her modesty, Ma Anusuya used the power of her Tapas and sprinkled water on the Gods, transforming them into infants. She then lovingly fed them as only a mother would—by breastfeeding them. Thereby, she fulfilled their request without losing her chastity or compromising her Dharma.
Later, at the request of the consorts—Devi Saraswati, Devi Lakshmi, and Devi Parvati—Ma Anusuya restored the Trimurti to their original forms. As a result, she and Sage Atri were blessed with sons who embodied the three‑fold divinity: Dattatreya (Sri Vishnu's aspect), Chandra (Lord Brahma's aspect), and Durvasa (Lord Shiva's aspect). In many traditions, Dattatreya, in particular, is seen as the combined form of Lord Brahma, Sri Vishnu, and Mahadev, and Ma Anusuya is revered as the mother of the Trimurti.
Ma Anusuya symbolises spiritual motherhood; her Tapas and maternal love temporarily reduce the three cosmic Lords to innocent babies in need of her care. This shows that genuine sadhana and purity can even humble the highest gods and place them under the shelter of a devotee‑mother's love.
Another unique Katha is that of Ma Shatarupa, who desired a child like Lord Narayana himself.
Devi Bhagavat Puran mentions that she was the wife of Swayambhuva Manu, the mind-born son of Lord Brahma, the first human king and law‑giver of the current Kalpa (cycle of creation).
Sri Tulsidas in Sri Ramcharitmanas- Baal Kand notes that after ruling for many years, Devi Shatarupa and Raja Manu left their kingdom and went to the sacred land of Naimisharanya. Where they performed tapasya, for thousands of years, meditating on the Supreme Lord with single‑pointed devotion. They stayed in such deep austerity that their bodies became thin and looked like skeletons.
Pleased with their devotion, Sri Hari Vishnu appeared before them. They wished to have a son like the Lord himself.
Sri Narayan granted them the boon, assuring that in the Treta Yug, he would take birth as their son. In some Vaishnav traditions, this is associated with the birth of Sri Ram, the son of King Dashrath and Ma Kaushalya, who are regarded as an incarnation of Manu and Shatarupa.
According to the Brahma Puran, the Matsya (fish) avatar of Sri Hari Vishnu also granted King Manu and Ma Shatarupa the boon of being the creators of the new human race after the great flood, and that their children would be called manushya (derived from 'Manu'), the Sanskrit term for humanity. They gave them the Vedas to re‑establish Dharma and civilisation.
Thus, Ma Shatarupa's tapas was not for ordinary boons, but for the highest spiritual fruit – to have Sri Hari Vishnu himself descend as her son, and her intense austerities made her worthy of that divine promise.
(Ma Madalasa teaches her sons)
A mother's compassion knows no bounds. She can mould the child into an ascetic or a warrior through her upbringing. Markandeya Puran narrates the tale of Gandharva princess Madalasa, the queen of Raja Ritadhwaja, and a Brahmavadini (a highly learned woman who speaks of Brahman). She turned lullabies into life-lessons, teaching her children to see beyond the body and the world.
Ma Madalasa's greatness is reflected in her four sons. Being a spiritually realised mother herself, her deepest instinct was to free them from the trap of the material world.
Vikranta, Subahu, and Shatrumardana, her first three sons, absorbed this wisdom from her famous lullaby, the Madalasa-Upakhyan or Madalasa Upadesh. She says:
>shuddhosi buddhosi niranjanosi samsaramaya parivarjito'si |
samsarasvapnam tyaja mohanidram madalasollapamuvach putram ||
-Verse 1: Madalasa Upadesh
(You are pure, you are enlightened, and spotless. You are beyond the illusions of this world. You are free from the illusion of the world. Give up this dream of worldly existence and wake up from the deep slumber of delusion.)
Madalsa's first three sons renounced the material world, got detached from worldly pleasures, and left the kingdom for the forests. She realised that the greatest suffering for the soul is bondage to the body and senses, so her 'harsh'‑sounding act of making her sons renunciates is in fact the deepest form of compassion, even if it meant that they left her and the palace.
Her husband, King Ritudhwaj, wanted an heir to the throne. Sensing his worries and concern, Madalasa taught their fourth son, Alarka, the art of kingship. She trained him to be a righteous ruler, sang songs of valour, and taught him to follow Dharma and to view women as mothers. Alongside teaching statecraft, Madalasa gave her son spiritual depth, thus shaping a righteous and fearless warrior‑king.
Ma Madalasa nurtured the soul, not just the body. Her adaptability to duty without losing the spiritual core makes her great. She shows how a mother's love and wisdom can sculpt the children's destinies toward enlightenment or kingship.
While scriptural kathas highlight the spiritual dimension of motherhood, some communities accord her a central position, tracing descent and inheritance to the mother.
India is home to several prominent matrilineal societies. Communities such as the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia of Meghalaya, the Bunt and Billava in Karnataka, and the people of Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep continue to pass down their lineage and property through the female line.
Although with the passage of time, many such societies, such as the Nair‑Ezhava matrilineal joint‑family system of Kerala, have disappeared.
While systems may change over time, the position of the mother in every home and society is like that of a polestar—eternal and guiding.
This Mother's Day, let us celebrate every mother as she guides with her strength and shapes the child's world with her heart.
A mother is our first Guru, the first home we ever know, and the silent force that shapes our inner world. The Taittiriya Upanishad captures this beautifully:
Matru Devo Bhava
(Revere your mother as Divine.)
sarabutamimam mantram na deyam yasya kasyachit |
guhyam sarvagameshva hitabudhya prakashitam ||
na tithirna cha nakshtram nopavaaso vidhiyate |
yatheshtha chintaya mantrah sarva-kamaphalapradah ||
(Brihat Tantrasaar)
(This essence-of-all mantra is kept secret in all the Tantras but revealed for the world's benefit. In this mode of God's worship, there are no rules of tithi-nakshatra, etc, nor are fasting and other regulations required. Whatever desires the aspirant has while worshipping Ucchishtha Ganapati are all fulfilled.)
Ucchishtha Ganapati, a tantric form of Sri Ganesh, is the primary deity of the Ucchishtha Ganapatya sect, one of six major schools of the Ganapatyas (Ganapati followers). Ucchishta means 'leftover.' The Ucchishta Bramha Suktam of the Atharva Veda describes Ucchishtha Ganapati as the secret residual energy of the universe left after creation.
His sadhana is performed in an unbathed, ritually impure state by leaving the last morsel of food on the plate and not rinsing one's mouth after eating. Thus, Ucchishtha Ganapati Sadhana aims to break our social conditioning and duality: notions for pure-impure, good-bad etc.
The consciousness is pure, and all we need is to sync our breath with the mantra. As per tantra, the individual Consciousness (jivatma) is not separate from the supreme consciousness(parmatma). Therefore, the Jivatma can unite with the Paramatma and be the one they invoke through Sadhana, irrespective of the state.
Sri Ucchishtha Ganapati has a unique iconography (visual image and symbols). He is described as red and has three eyes, four arms, a huge body, two tusks, and an ever-similing face. In the three hands, he is holding a sugarcane, a noose (paash), and a goad (ankush). His fourth hand is held in a boon-giving (Varad) mudra.
His consort Devi Vighneshwari (known as Hasti Pishachi or Neel Saraswati) is seated on his left lap. They are in a conjugal union, symbolising the principle of Shiv Shaktiyeka Rupa—the entire creation resulting from the union of male and female principles. Both are complete in themselves, and what is born out of this creative union is also complete. Pishachi is a higher-order celestial female energy. She is the Shakti of Ucchistha Ganapati, and can digest the leftover residual energy for further creation. The large elephant head of Sri Ganesh is said to be the repository of all knowledge and his supreme intellect.
Sri Ucchishtha Ganapati is Maha Yaksha, and his consort, Hasti Pishachi, is seen as Yakshini.
'Ucchishtha' refers to the leftover residual remnant primordial energy (Kundalini); it lies coiled and dormant at the muladhaar chakra, ruled by Sri Ganesh.
Through sadhana efforts, Kundalini rises to the Crown Chakra or Sahasrar, where the Shiva Shakti or Purush Prakriti Aikeyam (union of male and female principles) takes place within the body and the Sadhak. The ultimate aim of Sadhana is to help the Sadhak, Saadhya(deity), and the Sadhana become one. Ucchishtha Ganapati Sadhana is the first step in that direction.
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Sadhana Se Sambhav Hai
Since childhood, we've heard and enjoyed stories related to Lord Hanuman. For many people, he is the first and only superhero. Still, many interesting facts about Hanuman ji are not commonly known. In this blog, I will share answers to some commonly searched questions about Lord Hanuman.
Question 1: Why did Hanuman try to swallow the Sun? What is the katha behind it?
Answer: Lord Hanuman was a very powerful child. In the Kishkindha Kand, Chapter 66 of Valmiki Ramayan, Jambavan explains that when Hanuman was small, he flew into the sky, mistaking the bright-red sun for a fruit. Viewing this action as arrogance, just as Hanuman was about to swallow the Sun, Lord Indra struck him with his Vajra (thunderbolt). The blow hit Hanuman on his Hanu (chin), and thus he came to be called Hanuman (the one with a disfigured jaw).
Question 2: How did Hanuman Ji first meet Sri Ram? What is the significance of that meeting?
Answer: Lord Hanuman's first meeting with Sri Ram and Lakshman has been described in the Kishkindha Kand of the Ramayan. They met near the Rishyamukh mountain when Sri Ram was searching for Ma Sita. Lord Hanuman approached in the disguise of a Brahmin, but Sri Ram immediately recognised him by his earrings, which only Hanuman's deity could see. This meeting symbolises the moment of awakening when the Jivatma (embodied soul), after a long search, recognises its source—Parmatma. It also represents surrender. Sri Hanuman, a master of grammar and logic, renounces his gyan ( associated with ego) and chooses devotion and service.
Question 3: Why did Hanuman Ji cover his body with sindoor (vermilion)? What is the katha behind it?
Answer: Sindoor (vermilion), a special offering in Hanuman Puja, symbolises his unwavering devotion to Sri Ram. According to a popular folklore, once Lord Hanuman asked Ma Sita what pleased his Sri Ram the most. She answered that Sri Ram had no particular preference and treated everyone equally. Later, one day, while Ma Sita was applying sindoor, Lord Hanuman asked her why she was doing so. She explained Sindoor symbolised her marital devotion and pleased Sri Ram. On hearing this, Ram Bhakt Hanuman smeared his body with sindoor. Sri Ram was moved by his childlike devotion and embraced him. Since then, their tradition of offering sindoor to Hanuman began.
Question 4: Who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa, and when?
Answer: Goswami Tulsidas composed the Hanuman Chalisa in the 16th century. According to a popular legend, the Mughal emperor Akbar summoned Tulsidas to his court, asking him to perform a miracle or show Sri Ram. Tulsidas humbly replied that he was no miracle worker and Lord Ram was the only emperor he knew, the source of all power. Angered by this response, Akbar imprisoned Tulsidas in Fatehpur Sikri. It was there that Tulsidas began composing the Hanuman Chalisa, which was completed in forty days. Around that time, a sudden disturbance caused by countless monkeys broke out in the area. Interpreting this as a divine sign, Akbar realised his mistake, and Tulsidas was released with honour.
Question 5: What is the meaning and significance of the opening verse of the Hanuman Chalisa?
Answer: The first verse (chaupai) of Hanuman Chalisa is as follows:
>"jai hanuman gyan gun sagar
>jai kapis tinhu lok ujagar"
(Hail, Hanuman! You are the ocean of all scriptural knowledge and virtues. Hail, Hanuman you are the best among the varanasi and You are renowned in all three worlds.) While explaining the first chaupai In his book Mahaviri, Sanskrit scholar and writer Nityananda Misra explains:
>"In this verse, Tulsidas describes the super worldly eminence of Hanuman in the first half, and His worldly perfection in the second half."
(Misra Nityananada, 2018)
Question 6: What are the 8 names of Hanuman Ji mentioned in the Hanuman Chalisa and what do they mean?
Answer: Here are the eight names of Lord Hanuman mentioned in the Hanuman Chalisa:
Hanuman: The one whose jaw (hanu) was struck; also signifies great strength.
Anjani-putra: The son of Anjani
Pavan-suta: The son of the wind god (Vayudev)
Mahavir: Extremely brave and mighty
Ramdoot: The messenger of Sri Ram
Kapees: The lord of the Vanaras
Kesarinandan: The son of Vanar king Kesari
Shankar Suvan: The son of Lord Shankar (Shiva)
Question 7: Why was Lord Hanuman seated on Arjun's chariot during the Mahabharat war?
Answer: During the Mahabharat war, Arjun was known as Kapidhwaja (the one with a vanara, or Lord Hanuman, on his banner). According to Pauranic kathas, Arjun once visited Rameshwaram and, seeing the remains of Ram Setu, felt proud, thinking he could have built a bridge with arrows instead of stones. Lord Hanuman was close by, disguised as an old monkey. Hanuman ji said that the bridge of arrows would never hold the weight of monkeys. So, Arjun and Lord Hanuman have a bet that Arjun would build a bridge of arrows, and if a Vanar broke it by walking past it, Arjun would walk into fire. So, Arjun made a glorious bridge, but when the old Vanar (Hanuman) walked on it, chanting 'Sri Ram,' the bridge crumbled. This happened twice more, and as decided, Arjun was about to enter the fire when Sri Krishna appeared disguised as a brahmin. He asked both of them to repeat the trial since there was no witness earlier. Arjun made a bridge of arrows again, but this time Lord Krishna supported it by placing the Sudarchakra under it (some versions say he supported it as a tortoise or kurma). This time, when Hanuman walked on the bridge, it remained firm. Realising that Sri Krishna was none other than Sri Ram, Hanuman ji assumed his enormous form and bowed down. Arjun also realised his arrogance.
On Sri Krishna's request, Sri Hanuman agreed to grace the flag of Arjun's chariot. Sri Krishna also initiated Arjun into the Hanuman Dvadashakshari mantra. Read about it here.
Question 8: Why is Tuesday and Saturday associated with Hanuman Ji? What is the Pauranic reason?
Answer: Tuesday and Saturday are dedicated to Lord Hanuman's puja. According to a legend, during the construction of Ram Setu, Shani Dev (one of the Grahas) declared that it was the period for Sri Hanuman to undergo Sade Sati (a challenging astrological phase of 7 years). Lord Hanuman accepted this calmly. However, when Shani Dev approached Lord Hanuman, he himself began to experience unbearable pain. Shani Dev begged for forgiveness and offered Hanuman a boon. Hanuman requested that his devotees be protected from Shani Dev's negative effects. Since then, the tradition of worshipping Hanuman on Saturday ( Shanivaar, a day dedicated to Shanidev) began.
Tuesday ( Mangalvaar) is also dedicated to Lord Hanuman, as many traditions believe it is his birth day. Moreover, in astrology, Tuesday is ruled by the planet Mars (Mangal), which symbolises strength, courage, aggression, and energy. Hanuman ji stands for all these qualities; his puja reduces the malefic effects of Mars and brings stability, peace, and good fortune.
Question 9: Can women worship Hanuman Ji? What do the scriptures say?
Answer: Women can absolutely worship Lord Hanuman. There is no scriptural prohibition. None of the religious texts—Ramayan, Ramcharitmanas or others—state that women cannot worship Lord Hanuman. Lord Hanuman is like one's father. Lord Hanuman is a symbol of devotion, strength, and protection, and he bestows equal blessings for all devotees—there is no distinction between men and women.
When we see Lord Hanuman as a father, why should a daughter ever hesitate to approach him and express affection? It is our own beliefs and social conditioning that have limited us.
Question 10: What is the Vahan of Hanuman ji?
Answer: Unlike other deities, Lord Hanuman is not depicted on any vahan (animal vehicle). Being the son of Vayudev, Hanuman ji can travel at the speed of thought. However, in some regional traditions of Rajasthan and South India, a camel is sometimes depicted as Lord Hanuman's Vahan. In some Hanuman temples, a statue of a camel in waiting can be seen outside. The Hanuman Suktam also mentions Hanuman as 'ushtrarudha' (the one who is seated on a camel).