Mohanji-Invoking the Divine Mother within!

 It was a bright sunny morning! We had an unexpected guest near our house.It was a cow! Holding the tender hands of my daughter, I asked her to offer prayers to the cow after I fed it some fresh greens. She asked me,”Why should I pray to something that cannot protect itself?”. She left me thinking, as she quietly boarded her school van caressing the cow and touching her eyes as a gesture seeking blessings. Her question lingered in my mind . I dived deep on the question and by evening, I had an answer!

“All beings that give unconditionally and selflessly are so much in the giving mode that they will not worry about their own safety or protection. However, they bless us when we care for them. The one beautiful word  for this is “Maa” l. The one who gives her very self – the womb to you, the one who nourishes, sustains, loves and sacrifices for you without ever expecting anything in return! When you reciprocate and care for her, that simple act alone will protect you! That is why we say “Go Mata!” It’s milk nourishes you. To anything that is truly natural, we prefix it with mother- Mother tongue, Motherland,Mother Earth! Mother invokes the feelings – natural,dear to the heart, nourishment, freedom! Because she allows that freedom, time and again we test her by approaching the Mother with unending asks”. I looked at my little one’s face who was waiting for more. “Maa is unconditional love and this is why we venerate such beings, who give selflessly with the suffix Mata but she is as vulnerable as you are! You have to protect her, respect her and she will bless you and protect you!”, I concluded.                                                                                                                                                                                ***
“Unconditional love and selfless service!Awareness is the key!”, Mohanji’s words reverberated the hall during the Acharya Training.  It was piercing through the dense clouds of the doubting mind. I was connecting these words to my own explanation and understanding. I was seeing another dimension of the Divine Mother! When the Guru principle awakens in us, it is in the giving mode – Giving completely!” Guru Mata!” As Mohanji spoke, I felt the Divine Mother appealing to us to expand this love emanating from our self, starting with family and extending to the world at large without barriers and boundaries. I was having doubts. How is it even possible? Then the story of Adi Sankaracharya flashed. The revered one, was walking by the banks of river Tungabadra on a scorching sunny day. He saw  a cobra raising it’s hood for a frog about to give birth and protecting it from the raging heat. He was overwhelmed that even natural enemies had overcome their instincts and infused love! Sringeri  thus became the abode of the “Divine Mother Goddess – Sri Sharadamba!” and the seat of the philosophy “I am that!” She rides on the Hamsa (swan) as a reminder to discriminate the good from the bad and ultimately to realize “the self” in all! ” This “LOVE” is possible! The divine mother consciousness is the thread that connects all states and transcends them shining as light and love!

If we go beyond the barriers of the physical form, Mohanji ,is our Dear Guru Mata kindling the flames of the divine mother’s love in all of us. We will have greater clarity if we visualize Guru principle as a mother who wants all the children to be peaceful and be loved . She propels us to this unity! She is the energy that time and again arises spontaneously, to lead us from darkness to light! She unifies us, so that we can reflect this in the Universe. She gives the experiences through lifetimes, for that awareness! The differences are to be dissolved in the fire of awareness. We are purified by this fire and this leads to a conscious existence where actions express gratitude not greed! She dissolves kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya in her light. It is indeed an irony that we even misuse the powers She confers us with, while leading us to light. Again, She as “Ma”,  is vulnerable and a mystery but if we resolve to guard her divine spark in us, She does not give up! With obstacles broken(Vigna Nasini), She ascends through the various seats piercing even the knots of the trinities until She becomes Shiva! She becomes Shive but does not stop here. She, as “Skanda Mata”, with Shiva and Sakthi in perfect symphony, gives us the Guru who descends to be the eternal source of light!

***

“Ma!” – The commanding voice stirs me! Moments of soaring! I again shrunk back from that expanded feeling, to the one as Sathya, to make some snacks for the hungry little one, hearing my own mother’s voice, who made me land abruptly from my flight (She knows me so well!).”First play your role as a mother to your kids then the world..everything starts from home!”. Feeling limited and at the same time elated to experience the joy of being a mother, I look up to the GuruMata to hold me like a mother cat carrying her kitten to safety, to protect us and  I beseech  her grace to touch as many lives with motherly love and bestow me the wisdom to hold her in reverence always and treasure her !

The Lalitha sahasranamam begins with the verse  “Shri Mata!“-She who is the auspicious mother!”. Chidagni kunda sambudha -Born from the altar of the fire pit of consciousness. Lalitha is also praised as “Guru Mandala Roopini!“The embodiment of Guru Mandala and in conclusion as Srimath Tripurasundari -The three fold, SriShiva-She as Shiva , Sri Shivashakthaikyaroopini-She  who is the  unification of Shiva and Sakthi, Lalithambika-The easily approachable mother! It now makes me wonder if the letter M is so powerful because it-means “Mother-DIVINE!’ M will be a constant reminder for us to Mirror the love of the Divine Mother! 

 

AUM My humble Pranams to Shri Maa Mohanji!  🐝

“Ya Devi Sarva Booteshu Maatru roopena samstita!

Namasthasyai Namasthasyai Namasathasyai Namo Namaha!

I hereby offer my salutations to all those who have nourished me-My Mother, My Country, Mother Earth, and “GURU MATA”as the divine mother consciousness assuming myriad forms -sometimes gentle, some times fierce ,sometimes outside ,sometimes inside, at times man, at times woman , at times child – so that  we shine as children of pure light and love!