Mother is the Creator of the Child
Mother is the Creator of the Child
A mother is the one who shapes and builds the character of her child. In ancient history, one of the finest examples of this is Queen Madalasa. Madalasa had three sons named Vikranta, Subahu, and Aridamana. While singing lullabies to them, she would say:
“Śuddho’si buddho’si nirañjano’si
Saṁsāra-māyā-parivarjito’si।
Saṁsāra-māyāṁ tyaja moha-nidrāṁ
Madalasollapam uvāca putram॥”
Meaning:
“O my son! You are pure, enlightened, and stainless. You are free from the illusion of the world. Renounce the delusion of worldly illusion. Arise, awaken, and cast away attachment.” Thus Madalasa instructed her son.
She further said:
“Śuddho’si re tāta na te’sti nāma
Kṛtam hi yat kalpanayādhunaiva।”
Meaning:
“O beloved son! You are a pure soul. The names given to you—Vikranta, Subahu, and Arimardana—are not truly your identity; they are merely human conventions created by imagination.”
What was the result of such teachings? All three sons renounced the attachment to the kingdom and departed to the forests in pursuit of spiritual life. Seeing this, the king said to Madalasa, “O Queen! Who will govern the kingdom? Will you make all our sons renunciates?”
When the fourth son was born, Madalasa named him Alarka. This time she instructed him in the principles of governance. While singing lullabies to him, she would say:
“Dhanyo’si re yo vasudhām aśatru-
Rekaś ciraṁ pālayitā’si putra!
Tat-pālanād astu sukhopabhogo
Dharmāt phalaṁ prāpsyasi cāmaratvam॥”
— Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa 26.35
Meaning:
“O son! Blessed are you, for you will rule the earth alone, free from enemies. By governing the people according to righteousness, you will enjoy happiness in this world and attain liberation after death.”
While advising him on good governance, she said:
“Rājyaṁ kurvan suhṛdo nandayethāḥ
Sādhūn rakṣaṁs tāta! yajñair yajethāḥ।
Duṣṭān nighnan vairiṇaś cājimadhye
Go-viprārthe vatsa! mṛtyuṁ vrajethāḥ॥”
— Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa 26.41
Meaning:
“O son! While ruling the kingdom, make your friends happy. Protect the righteous and noble people and perform many yajñas. In the battlefield, destroy the wicked enemies. And if necessary, sacrifice your life while protecting cows and learned Brahmanas.”
Today, many mothers have forgotten their responsibilities. Many parents feel embarrassed to even hold their children in their arms. Children are raised in the laps of maids or nannies, and as a result, their proper upbringing does not take place.
Children are deeply influenced by the atmosphere of the home, its lifestyle, and the conduct of the parents. If parents themselves do not greet others with “Namaste,” children will not learn to do so. In homes where parents wake up late, children also adopt the same habit. If fathers smoke, drink alcohol, or consume meat, their children often adopt the same vices.
On the contrary, in families where Sandhyā, Yajña, Yoga, and Prāṇāyāma are practiced, the children naturally develop similar virtues.
If parents wish their children to become noble, virtuous, and ideal citizens, they must first transform their own lives. They must teach through their personal conduct.
Children should be kept in the company of well-behaved, cultured, and virtuous companions, and they should be kept away from the company of immoral, uncultured, and ill-mannered children.
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