How beautiful is the institution of a family! The father being tough and rigorous ensures the intellectual nourishment of the child and the mother compliments by providing love and care.
How would it be if this institution was applicable on the spiritual front too? Whether or not we realize, we are proud members of this gigantic all-encompassing family, the head of which is our own dear Lord!
The dad’s nature is to look at what his child has done. If the child won a prestigious scholarship, the proud dad boasts about it and if the child underperformed, it is the dad who gets wild first!
Our father, the Lord, is an infinite storehouse of grace, but has reservations in disbursing them to us, for our performance is never upto the mark! He wishes that we follow all the injunctions laid out by Him (the scriptures) and tread on Dharma. We commit numerous sins, and stand in front of him with loads of impurities in our hearts, yet praying for more and more worldly comforts! No wonder he is red with anger, seeing heaps of sins in us!
The Divine Mother, having witnessed all of this, speaks up supporting the devotee! ‘So what, if our little boy has committed those sins? To err is human, to forgive is divine. It is okay to disregard them and excuse him.’ Heeding to the Divine Mother’s words, the Lord grants our prayers.
And then, there is another mother, who simply blinds the Lord’s scrutinizing vision, for only when He sees the individual, does He perceive his negativities! So she indefinitely opens up His reservoir of grace to the soul irrespective of his accomplishments.
In the words of Vaishnavite Saint Periyavaachan Pillai, the former is Sri Devi and the latter, Bhu Devi, both, consorts of Lord Vishnu.
Thanks to the grace of Goddess Sridevi (Mahalakshmi) who pardons all our sins, that we are bestowed with wealth, power, riches, comforts and a happy life. Thanks to the grace of Goddess Bhu Devi, who, irrespective of our bad qualities, shows us the way to attain the Lord and wins His grace for us.
This month is special because, it is a month to celebrate both the mothers!
Varalakshmi Vrata, a festival for Goddess Mahalakshmi is celebrated on the fourth Friday of the ‘Ashaada’ month, with special poojas and prayers to the Divine Mother (Aug 20 this year).
Sri Andal (Godha Devi), the very incarnation of Bhu Devi, descended on this Earth to show us divine love and longing for the Lord. Her two compositions – Tiruppavai and Nachiyaar Tirumozhi are said to sum up the teachings of all the Azhwars. Sri Andal incarnated on thisEarth on the Poorva Phalguna (Puram) star in the ‘Aadi’ month (Aug 11 this year).
Let us offer our thanksgiving prayers to the Divine Mothers on these auspicious occasions.
– Narayanan Sathiamoorthy, Boston, MA
