July 19th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
राजपत्नी गुरोः पत्नी मित्रपत्नी तथैव च ।
पत्नीमाता स्वमाता च पञ्चैता मातरः स्मृताः ॥
- चाणक्य नीति


Transliteration:
rājapatnī guroḥ patnī mitrapatnī tathaiva ca ।
patnīmātā svamātā ca pañcaitā mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ ॥
- cāṇakya nīti

Meaning of the subhAShita:

A king's wife, teacher's wife, friend's wife, wife's mother and his own (birth) mother: these 5 should be deemed as mother figures.

Commentary:

They say, 'God couldn't be everywhere, so he made mothers!'  In one's life, he doesn't come across just one mother, but many who fill that role. Hence, all of them deserve the same reverence as their own mother.

1. A leader or king protects and prospers the nation. He is revered as the father of his subjects. His wife is respected as a mother because she walks hand in hand with him for the welfare of the land.
2. A teacher guides one and makes him an able being. In the olden days, pupils used to live at their teacher's house until the learning was completed. The wife of the teacher would feed them and shower affection on them just as a mother would. She is revered for her tending and affection.
3. A friend is a trusted person who stands by through thick and thin. Can that trust be repaid by disrespecting his wife? The highest position of honor one can give is that of a mother. Hence, the friend's wife is given this honor.
4. The mother of one's own wife is given this utmost regard. This is because it is the wife who instills values in the entire family. All that she has learnt is through her mother. This is what she teaches the children in the household. Veneration to the wife's mother is for teaching those ethics to his wife and giving away the daughter that she had nurtured so diligently!
5. If one says giving the highest order of reverence to others is that of a mother, what to speak of his own mother! She is the one who nurtures him in her womb, gives birth to him, tends to him, teaches him life's essence, instills ethics in him, and gives a direction to his life. She does pretty much everything in her capacity to make sure that her child is secure and ready to take on life! Respecting her is not an option, it is natural! There are no words or deeds with which one can repay a mother. All one can do is imbibe her values, be the person she intended him to be and be eternally grateful to her!

Like they say, 'It takes a village to raise a child'! All these roles of mothers contribute significantly. 'Beings are what their mothers made them'. Mothers are always held in the highest esteem!

pada vigrahaH:
राज-पत्नी गुरोः पत्नी मित्र-पत्नी तथ एव च ।
rāja-patnī guroḥ patnī mitra-patnī tatha eva ca ।

पत्नी-माता स्व-माता च पञ्च एताः मातरः स्मृताः ॥
patnī-mātā sva-mātā ca pañca etāḥ mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
raajapatnI guroH patnI mitrapatnI tathaiva cha ।
patnImaataa svamaataa cha pa~nchaitaa maataraH smRutaaH ॥
- chaaNakya nIti

raaja-patnI guroH patnI mitra-patnI tatha eva cha ।

patnI-maataa sva-maataa cha pa~ncha etaaH maataraH smRutaaH ॥