Thirukudandhai Dr. Venkatesh said in a discourse that a mother plays a pivotal role in the life of children. After Dhruva’s final breath on earth, the messengers of God carried him in a celestial palanquin to the Pole Star, the Dhruva Mandala, specially created by God in admiration of his unwavering devotion. As Dhruva ascended, he noticed another palanquin proceeding ahead of him and wondered how this could be, since he alone had performed intense penance.
The divine messengers then revealed that the palanquin ahead carried his mother. They explained that she was the true instrument behind his devotion.
In the Yaksha Prashna of the Mahabharata, the Yaksha poses a profound question to Yudhishthira: “Who or what is greater than Mother Earth?” Yudhishthira replies without hesitation that nothing can be compared to one’s own mother.
Mother Earth bears all injuries inflicted upon her. Even greater is a human mother, who silently endures not only the physical hardships of nurturing her children but also the harsh words and insults that may come from her own son or daughter.
According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, when Lord Krishna, at the tender age of eleven, slew the tyrant Kamsa and released His parents Devaki and Vasudeva from imprisonment, His heart was filled not with pride but with deep remorse.
Krishna humbly apologised to His parents, lamenting that He had lost eleven precious years in which He had been unable to serve them as a son. He resolved then to dedicate the rest of His earthly existence to their service. True to His word, He served them with utmost devotion for more than a hundred years, exemplifying the highest ideal of filial duty.
The Bhagavatam states that even if one were to serve one’s parents for a hundred years, such service would never equal the immeasurable sacrifices parents make for their children.
Published - March 07, 2026 05:02 am IST
