Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on the Role of Mother

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Dr. (Mrs.) Prabha Ravi Shankar, hailing from Mumbai, obtained her M.A, M. Phil. and Ph.D. degree in History from the University of Mumbai. She completed her Pot Graduation in 1981. She is a Lecturer in History and has worked in some of the reputed instutitions of Mumbai like the Khalsa College, Govt. of Maharashtra Ismail Yusuf College, and SNDT Women's University. She has contributed a number of research articles on Modern Indian History in some of the reputed journals on History. She won the Phadke Puraskar for the Best Thesis in History for the year 1998 submitted to the University of Mumbai. She has also to her credit a number of articles in newspapers and magazines including Bhavan's Journal. Her letters to the press has invoked good response and she has won many prizes from the press for quality in letter writing. She has also authored a book called Golden words of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: a Handbook for Youth (1998). Besides her academic pursuits, Dr. Prabha is fond of reading, travelling, sports, particularly cricket and spiritual readings. She would like the education system in the country to be based on basic human values akin to the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Dr. Prabha Ravi Shankar has also completed certificate Course in Woman's studies and gender issues. She is presently involved in her Post-Doctoral Fellowship Project in History.

This small book Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on the Role of Mother is one of the most important themes of the contemporary world. Bhagavan Baba is the Avatar of the Kali age and His message to mothers is the ultimate synthesis of all spiritual thoughts and practice. In many of his discourses and writings, Bhagavan has explained the special role that mothers have to play in the upbringing of children. As He puts it "It is the mother who teaches the sacred principles like love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance and sacrifice. Mother shows the father, father takes you to the preceptor and preceptor directs you to God. That is why among mother, father, preceptor and God, mother comes first". Dr. Prabha Ravi Shankar feels that if Bhagavan's guidelines to mothers are followed, it will lead to a happier, healthier and purer future generation.

The ideal of womanhood in India as stated in the ancient scriptures is motherhood that marvellous, selfless, all-suffering, ever-forgiving mother. The mother is the ideal of love. She rules the family through sheer love. Mother's love is nearest to God's love. A boy, a girl, a man or a woman may be bad but there can never be a wicked mother. Mata, Pita, Guru and Deivam proclaim the Vedas. First, hail the mother. Even Guru and God would not be pleased if one does not respect his mother.

The great ancient epics of India, Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavata depict the life of divine mothers like Kausalya, Yashoda and Devaki. They show how even 'avatars' like Rama and Krishna worshipped their mothers. In the Ramayana, for instance, it was Lord Rama who broke the news of his exile for fourteen years to his mother when the latter was preparing for the celebration of her son's coronation. Rama said to his mother Kausalya that the king Dasaratha wished to give the crown to Bharata. His command is that 'I should go for fourteen years to the Dandaka forest. I must leave, today, mother, and I came for your blessings before I go'. A reading of the Ramayana is itself a lesson on mother-worship. Rama also declared that 'the mother and the motherland are greater than heaven itself.

"God could not be (physically) everywhere and therefore, He made mothers". This Jewish proverb expresses the important role of a mother in the protection of the Universe.

Mother's role is a divine assignment. She sets herself to the fulfilment of the task that the almighty conferred on her for welfare of the Universe.

As our age-old immortal Vedas have decreed: "Mother is akin to God" - "Matru Devo Bhava". The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, has addressed Bhagavad Gita the Song Celestial as his Mother.

In this small book the author makes a meaningful attempt to avow Bhagavan Poojyapada Sri Sathya Sai Baba's emphasis on the pivotal role of a Mother to mankind the world over.

Mother builds up the character of her children. As Baba says: "Women are endowed with exceptional strength. Even in the spiritual field women display their boundless capacity. It is in her role as a Mother that there is the highest expression of a woman's strength."