BED TIME STORIES

BED TIME STORIES -    J K  SIVAN

                    2.     MATHRU DEVO BHAVA:

To name a few,  though there were many children of different ages varying from  7 to  15 or  thereabout, they were all able to  understand stories and enjoy them.  Usually  the group  which haunted Siva Thatha, included Rangu, Sankar, Bala, Sachu, Gowri, Vidhya, Babu, Suresh, Sai , Banu,  Meenum Kannan and  their cousins and friends,  It was in the evening when Thatha was seated in his easy chair  under the neem tree at his house, when these children crowded around him asking for a story.

‘’Thatha  what is the meaning of God is Love?’’ asked one of the children .

‘’Your Mother is your God and her affection for you is  God’s Love .  Dont you feel  happy everytime when you  see  her and does it not make you happy to be  closer to your mother always?’’questioned Siva Thatha.

‘’I love my mother’’ shouted Vidya.Thatha looked at them and asked ‘’Is it only Vidya who loves her mother. What about others?  How many of you love your mother? ‘’

Many raised their hands instantaneously but Rajan raised his hand half heartedly.

Why is it that you are not very happy Rajan?’’

‘’Thatha,   I don’t like her’’

‘’Why do you say so Rajan ? .I know your mother from her small age. She is gem of a woman and I know she loves you very much’’

‘’Thatha, I did not say she did not like me. I don’t think she loves me, because.....

‘’ because of  what....Rajan. continue?’’

She loves only my friends and classmates who come home to play with me.  Whenever they come home, mother  ignores me.’’

‘’How and why do you  complain  so Rajan?’’

‘’We all come together from school to our home. My mother  on seeing us, prefers to go and kiss only,  Subbu, my friend from next street, and  Kokila, living in the last house in our street only. She talks to them affectionately and asks  ‘’How are you, what did you eat today and learnt in the school?  She is petting them. She does not think or remember that I am also there with them.  They also like her and embrace her and kiss her in my presence.

‘’Oh   your mother does not give you any attention and does not give you the milk and biscuits she gives to them ?

‘’No,  not like that Thatha.  She gives to  me also the cup of milk and biscuits which she offers them but does not talk to me  like that to me.’’

‘’Would she not talk to you later after your friends go away from your house and  does not your mother play with you?’’

‘’Of course, she plays with me and embraces me, put on  the dresses  and sleeps by my side and talks to me  but not when my friends are present with me’’.

‘’Rajan,  you are very possessive.  Your blaming your mother is wrong.. Your mother loves you and you must understand that.  When your mother  loves your friends it does not means she loves them only,  because they are like you to her and because  they are your good friends she gives them the same love and attention  as she cares for you.  It is always the guests who should be honoured and attended first and respected in any home. They call it ‘’adhithi Devo bhava:’’   Your friends are welcome guests for your mother and in them she sees you and hears you through them instead of directly asking you and feels proud of you.  Do you understand now? Rajan, tell  me , are you happy with your mother.?

Before Rajan could reply,  Meena  said  ‘’Thatha  in our house, there is a dog called Tiger, she is happy when her small pups are handled and caressed affectionately by me and her love for the pups and me are same and  visible from her eyes and wagging of tail’’.

‘’You must be careful, some dogs are  very possessive and do not allow or permit you to touch theír new born pups unless the dog knows you are kind both  to her and her pups’’.

Kannan added  ‘’some  cows also affectionately see and nod their heads when we are affectionate to their calves.’’

‘’Yes my dear children,  Mother’s love is God’s Love. Do you all understand and agree that Mother is  the God for all of us.

Rangu’s  voice was clear. He said  ‘’Thatha  our teacher taught us  ‘’Matha, Pitha Guru Deivam’’ is the order in which mother is the first of gods ‘’

Yes children You should all love your mother many times more than the love she showers on you. That is why we affectionately name the land we are born as  our  ‘’mother land’’   and the language we learnt first through our mothers, is known as    our  ‘’ mother tongue’’.

Thatha addressed the children   ‘’other than the stories you are told,  let me tell you   many such things also. It is interesting and good to listen and are beneficial and these thoughts  improve your way of life and character. Do you agree?

‘’Yes Thatha’’  said  in a chorus  all of them . It  then started raining and the children ran away to their houses  while Thatha was folding his easy chair and moving inside the house.

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Dear children, I hope you enjoyed reading the above or heard it through your parents.  You ask yourself the question which Thatha asked...   Are you aware and observant of your parents showering their affection and love towards your friends and cousins when you are all present in a group, Do you feel proud of her?  Is not love universal?  

Do you agree and feel positive that  all others are always impartial whether they are  human or other living beings?