Dear Editor,
Hinduism accepts that from an absolute perspective, God is beyond gender or form or any of our human categories in which we apprehend reality. From our perspective then, God is all categories including male and female and even both simultaneously – Ardhanarishvara, which is a composite of Shiva and consort Parvati.
In the mother worship ceremony the Divine Mother is worshipped for nine days and nights. Although she is one, she is adored in the three aspects that is DURGA-LAKSHMI-SARSWATI.
In the plan of Devi worship, the first three days are focused on the worship of Devi as Durga the destroyer, the second three days are focused on Goddess Lakshmi the giver of prosperity and the last three days on Goddess Saraswati the giver of wisdom.
“If God is our father, why cannot God be our Mother? If we are the children of our heavenly Father, why cannot we be the children of our heavenly Mother?” This rhetorical question is the basis of why Hindus recognise and accept both male and female aspects of Nature and worship the Supreme Reality in the form of Mother, Father, Friend, Master, Guru, and Savior. Thus Lord Krishna declares in the Bhagawad Gita:
“I am the Father – of this universe. I am the Mother of this universe, and the Creator – of all. I am the Highest to be known, the Purifier, the holy OM, and the three Vedas.” (BG 9.17)
The worship of God in the form of Mother – is a unique feature of Hinduism. Through the ages, the doctrine of the Motherhood of God has established a firm root in Hinduism. Today Hindus worship the Divine Mother in many popular forms such as Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ambika, and Uma.
By worshipping God as the Divine Mother, a Hindu can more easily attribute Motherly traits to the Lord, such as tenderness and forgivingness. The natural love between a Mother – and her – child is the best expression of the Lord’s unconditional love for- us as children of God.
In the most representative Hindu view, the universe is the manifestation of the creative power (shakti) of Brahman, whose essence is absolute existence, consciousness, and bliss (or in Sanskrit, sat-chit-ananda). Since all created forms proceed from the womb of the mother, the creative power shakti) of God is recognised by Hindus as the female principle or the motherly aspect of nature. In this sense we are all children of the Divine Mother. We are contained by her before our – manifestation and nourished by her throughout our existence.
To a Hindu, the motherly aspect of God in nature is full of beauty, gentleness, kindness, and tenderness. When we look upon all the glorious and beautiful things in nature and experience a feeling of tenderness within us, we feel the motherly instinct of God. The worship of God in the form of Mother is a unique contribution of the Hindu child. When a devotee worships God as Divine Mother, he or – she appeals to her tenderness and unconditional love.
Such love unites the devotee with God, like a child with its mother.
Just as a child feels safe and secure in the lap of its mother, a devotee feels safe and secure in the presence of the Divine Mother. Paramahamsa Sri Ramakrishna, one of the greatest Indians of modern times, worshipped the Divine Mother Kali during his entire life. He established a personal relationship with her and was always conscious of her presence by his side.
In Hinduism, Divine Mother is the first manifestation of Divine Energy. Thus with the name of Divine Mother comes the idea of energy, omnipotence, omnipresence, love, intelligence, and wisdom. Just as a child believes its mother to be all-powerful, and capable of doing anything for the child, a devotee believes the Divine Mother to be all merciful, all-powerful and eternally guiding and protecting him/her with her invisible arms.
The worship of God as Mother has had a significant impact on Hinduism. The position of women in the Hindu religion is dignified because each woman is considered a manifestation of the Divine Mother. Hindus view man and woman as the two wings of the same bird. Thus, a man is considered incomplete without a woman, since “it is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing”–Swami Vivekananda. Through the worship of God in the form of Mother, Hinduism offers a unique reverence to womanhood.
See the hands of the divine mother, behind the process of destruction and difficult circumstances and do not grieve, see the hands behind the expression of success and fulfilment and do not become proud.
See the divine hands behind insight and inspiration and do not become deluded by vanity.
OM DUM – DURAGA – YAI NAMA is the mantra for pleasing the Universal Mother during the period of nuratri. Recite this powerful mantra, with the feelings and devotion every day and feel the all-loving Mother besides you at all times.
Pray to the Mother who is destroyer of all impurities and the bestower of blessings and the supreme destination of all souls that wander through the world process; let your life flow as a stream of prayer to the feet of the divine Mother and attain self-realisation.
Sincerely,
Pt Surendra Tiwari
Patentia Mandir
