Mother In The Ramayana With Reference To Mother’s Day

In many countries, including India, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May every year. This year, 'the Day' was celebrated on May 12, 2024. However, a fixed date, May 8, is also recognized for celebrating the day. The reason being, on May 8, 1914, a bill to formally recognize Mother’s Day was signed by then U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. For the convenience of celebration, every year on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day is celebrated globally to honor our mothers. US President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 finally declared the second Sunday in May to be celebrated as Mother’s Day.

On this day, children and other family members share their love, respect, and gratitude with their mothers. In many senses, people also respect mothers in society beyond their biological mothers. It is an opportunity to appreciate and return the efforts, sacrifices, and love that mothers give to their children and family members. This day is observed in more than fifty countries around the world. In the Indian context, it is worthwhile to mention that mothers have significant roles in shaping the family. They are the main instruments in uniting the joint family, keeping sons and their cousins together.

In our ancient mythology, there are many mentions of motherly roles, such as Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, etc. The Ramayana, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a Smriti Text from ancient India, which depicts many women characters, such as Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi, all three queen consorts of Dasaratha, king of the Kosala Kingdom, besides Sitamata, wife of Lord Ram. But there was another motherly woman in the Ramayana, without whom Ram would have never been exiled in the first place. Her name was Manthara. She mainly attended to Kaikeyi, who was also the stepmother of Ram. On her advice, Kaikeyi requested King Dasaratha to send Ram into exile. There may not be any historical evidence, but many Indian Hindus, historians, and scientists alike believe that the Ramayana is not a myth but, in fact, did take place in real-time.

On Mother’s Day, we may talk about a mother in ancient India who lived in Treta Yuga (before 5000 B.C.E.). Her name was Kaikeyi, the youngest queen of King Dasharatha. In the Ramayana, the character of Kaikeyi often evoked criticism due to her pivotal role in sending Ram, her stepson, into exile, which brought misery not only to Ram but to the whole of Ayodhya.

But this is an incorrect perspective. No mother is bad in this world. Kaikeyi means ‘one who always gives everyone selflessly.’

Ram was very dear to Kaikeyi. For Kaikeyi, Ram was her ‘soul.’ She had to bear the wrath of her own son for sending Ram into exile. She sent Ram into exile because she knew that Ram was born for a special reason. He had to do a lot of good work in society for establishing dharma, righteousness, for centuries to come. Ram would be ‘maryada purushottam,’ an ideal warrior who followed truth and had integrity.

When Ram sought the blessings of his mother Kausalya before going to the forest, she said if Kaikeyi had exiled him to the forest, then he must go to the forest. Kausalya knew that Ram was very dear to Kaikeyi and if she sent Ram into exile, then she must have done it for some greater good. Such was her faith.

Ram went into exile for 14 years, and his life thereafter is an example of extraordinary strength, integrity, humanness, justice, and power of the spirit. Even against his will, wife Sita and brother Laxman accompanied him into exile, and we know what great things happened during the exile period. He freed the world from the influence of the arrogant demon king Ravan. If only the part of exile was removed from the Ramayana, then nothing would be left in the entire epic. We would not find the character of Pawanputra Hanuman, whose loyalty to Ram and Sita was exemplary. Lastly, one of the biggest characters in the Ramayana was Kaikeyi, because if she had not sent Ram into exile, the Ramayana would not have become such a work of moral and spiritual inspiration. In true sense, she was not only one of the dominating queens but also the loving mother of all in the kingdom.

Adi Shankara says, “Bad sons are born, but a bad mother has never been born.” Therefore, Mother’s Day is only a symbolic one. Just one day is not enough to express gratitude towards mothers; rather, it should be celebrated every day of the year.