[ It is thrilling to note that what the unlettered’ Mother of illammli says of Herself as the Mother finds its echo in the scriptures. This article is a gathering of such echoes. – EDITOR ]
A great potential life-force is imbedded in a minute send which in course of time sprouts out and grows into a big banyan tree, containing in it potentially, such innumerable banyans. In that tiny particle, smaller than a mustard seed. a great forest is hidden. Likewise, the first principle in the form of Sri Devi, Shakthi has got inside Her the universe which is boundless; refer Sri Lalitha’s nama Visvagarbha’. She has and is inside all forms of creation in a subtle state. As a thread in a lotus stem, she pervades tenuously and as such she is named ‘Bisathanthu Thanee Vasi’. The sprouted seed which shapes itself into a big tree breathing life, again goes back into that abstract state, and goes in multiplying endlessly ad libitum. For all these geometrical progressions. the virginity in Her is preserved, and the youthful charm remains ever undiminished. Even after thousands of such multiplications the majestic grandeur of Her form shines as Yakinyambaswaroopini’. An eminent Saint of Tamilnad Sri Thayumanavar, has expressed this very beautifully in his ode to Shakthi, which is sung in praise of Parvathi. He addresses Her as Uma, daughter of the Mountain God “Malaivalar Kathali Penn” and says ‘Ye mother! even after your giving birth to millions of world clusters, Brahmandas, the Vedas call ye a virgin. He further addressed Her as one who swallows religions as ocean swallows rivers, and as one who vouchsafes pure wisdom and perfect bliss to Her devotees, at the same time remaining beyond the reach of the scholars who indulge in mere dialectical warfare, or those with all their forceful rhetoric, go on arguing endlessly. She has created thousands of universes, thousands of times, conditioned by time and space, yet she remains as ever unbound and changeless as Desakala parichinna. The eternal soul in Her unfolds by out pouring milk of human kindness as a mother. Her activity has no respite. She incessantly distributes the fruits of action done. She guides us unceasingly in all our actions yet to come, and bestows Her boons of blessing.
Swami Vivekananda in his Hymn to The Divine Mother says,
Manifestations of Her Glory, show
In power of immeasurable might.
Throughout the universe: powers that swell
The sea of birth and death: forces, that change
And break up the unchanged, and changed again
Lo! where shall we seek refuge, save in Her?
Our forefathers have praised Her as Para Sakthi and they were great apostles of Mother worship. In the well-known Sanskrit verse: ‘Gita Ganga Cha Gayatri the triple ‘G’s which symbolises roads that lead us to emancipation, these three are praised as mother only. Gandhiji says about Gita: “It is my mother. When ever I am in difficulty or distress, I seek refuge in her bosom. In the words of Swami Chinmayananda, Gita the text-book of life. is approached as our Mother, because, the Gita never gives up anybody as completely lost, and everyone who lovingly approaches Her courtyard calling out Ma, Ma, Ma, can be sure that she will accept all in spite of all their past crimes and mischiefs. This Is possible because God as father is the Ideal and God as Mother is the actual.” We children find in the motherhood of God, a dearer and nearer relation and a sweeter rapport. The great Acharya Sankara in his Saguna Stotras in praise of Mother Ganges says, O Goddess, Mother Ganges! the essence of the three worlds! Thou art the path to heaven! By drinking a drop of thy water even the sin of killing a brahmin is removed. Prayachittam yadi syath thava jalakanika Brahmahathyadi pape. He further says. “With folded hands on my head I pray to Thee that I may leave my body at Thy banks meditating on Thy Lotus Feet…… Oh Mother! Grant me this prayer. About Gayatri, to those who seek liberation from the whirlgig of births and deaths she bestows Moksha and to those who seek worldly benefits she showers them all in abundance. It – said that there is no higher mantra than Gayatri or higher deity than mother, Na Gayatriyah Param Mantram na Mathu Para Daivatam”.
She is the embodiment of all the alphabets from Akaram to K-lukaram. She manifests as the Divine in the worlds through Akshara and Kshara. Says Sri Aurobindo: In regard to the Akshara she is the same Para-Shakthi holding the Purusha immobile in herself and also herself immobile in him at the back of all creation. In regard to the Kshara she is the mobile costnic energy manifesting all beings and forces”. She is ephemeral and at the same time eternal as Ksharakshartmika”.