Mother's love

Once upon a time, there was a cowherd’s wife named Hiramani. She lived in the lowlands of Maharashtra’s Raaygadh fortress. She would sell milk to all the people living within the fort.

On Aso Punam, she went to sell milk as usual in the fort. That day there was a bhajan festival taking place. The day slipped by quickly. As evening came, the doors of the fort were closed. Hiramani said to the gateman, “My child is at home and has been hungry since morning. Let me go. Otherwise he’ll go hungry.” However, the gateman replied, “Once the gates close, they will only be opened in the morning; that is the rule here. Therefore, I cannot open the door.”

Hiramani started frantically worrying about her child. Her mother’s heart became impatient to be with her child. The only other way for her to get home to her child was through the mountains at the other end of the fort. But, this path was very dangerous. Even so, without caring for her life, Hiramani took the dangerous mountain path to get home. Once she was home, she took a breath of comfort when she hugged her crying child.

In the morning, Raaygadh’s Maharaja, Chatrapati Shivaji, heard about this courageous  incident. He called Hiramani to his darbar and praised her motherly love. He also gave her a reward to honour her courage.

This just goes to show how powerful a mother’s love can be. Today, Swamishri gives us the same motherly love. So let’s do our part and love him back by following our niyams closely and always sincerely observing his agnas.