Mother means

Expressions researched:
"mother means"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Mother means yoni, and father means bīja. Yathā yoni yathā bījam. Our birth is taking place according to the mother and the father.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974: People do not understand that because we have got this material body, the sufferings are there. We are spirit. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. We are all spirit soul. But somehow or other, some way or otherwise, we have contacted this material world, and we are bound up by our karma, or fruitive, result of fruitive activities. And the result is this body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapatti [SB 3.31.1]. We work in a certain way, in contamination with the modes of material nature, and we get different types of body. These are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that why there are different types of body. Now we are sitting, say, one hundred men here. We have got different types of body. Not that everyone's body of the same type. Why? Why the scientists cannot reply this? But Bhagavad-gītā replies. What is the reply? The reply is kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. We have got different types of body from different types of mother. So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. Mother means yoni, and father means bīja. Yathā yoni yathā bījam. Our birth is taking place according to the mother and the father. Yathā bījaṁ yathā yoni. So we are getting different types of body, human body or animal body or demigod body. This is due to kāraṇam.

In the present conception of our life this body given by the mother is matter. Therefore worship mother means worship the matter. That's all.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966: The father is who gives the seed. He is father. And again He says, mātā: "I am mother also." What is the definition of mother? Mother receives the seed from the father, and the child is born. Similarly, this material energy is the mother, this... We have got this body from mother. So this matter, material covering is the mother. And I am, I am spiritual spark, the seed. I am the part of Supreme. So the material energy is also the energy of the father, and as I am a spiritual spark, I am also a part of the Supreme. So He is my father and mother. Therefore somebody worships the Supreme Lord as mother, goddess Kālī, or... That is materialism. Because in the present conception of our life this body given by the mother is matter. Therefore worship mother means worship the matter. That's all. There are so many worshipers of mother. You worship your country. That is the same, material worship. This is called śakty-upāsanā. Śakti. Śakti means you are worshiping the energy of the Lord, not the Lord directly. You are worshiping the energy. All this nationalism or so many isms we have discovered, they are... Even the scientists. Scientists also, they worshiping the mother. He's finding out the complexities of the matter. So he's also worshiping mother. So materialism. This is called materialistic. One who is worshiping the mother, material energy, he's called śakta.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Father-mother means to give service to the son. Yaśodāmāyi, she has gotten Kṛṣṇa as her son. Always anxiety, giving protection to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving protection to the whole universe, and Yaśodāmāyi is giving protection to Kṛṣṇa. This is conception of philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974: Simply appreciation of the Supreme, that is called śānta-rasa. When one appreciates fully, then he wants to give some service. That is called dāsya. And giving service, when he becomes more intimate, then he becomes friend. That is called sākhya. And then, more advanced, the devotee wants to give service to Kṛṣṇa as father. Father-mother means to give service to the son. From the very beginning, even as a sweeper, all taking care. So this is service. The Christian conception of God as Father is not so perfect. Because if we conceive God as Father and Mother, then the policy is to take from Him. Because everyone wants to take from the father: "Father, give me that. Mother, give me that." But this philosophy, that to accept the Supreme Lord as son, that means to give service. Yaśodāmāyi, she has gotten Kṛṣṇa as her son. So always anxious: "Kṛṣṇa may not be in danger. Kṛṣṇa is crawling. Some animal may not attack. He may not fall down in the water. He may not touch fire." Always anxiety, giving protection to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving protection to the whole universe, and Yaśodāmāyi is giving protection to Kṛṣṇa. This is conception of philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy. She is anxious to give protection.

Brahmā is the only living creature within this universe who is born without the father and mother. Without the father and mother means this material father and mother. His father is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. And he's born out of the lotus flower which is grown from the abdomen of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore he's called Svayambhuḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969: That ācārya comes in the standard disciplic succession. So ācārya. So this Prahlāda Mahārāja, we are discussing the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja because he happens to be one of the stalwart ācāryas. And the names of such ācāryas, authorized ācāryas, are also mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So who are they? Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ [SB 6.3.20]. Svayambhuḥ means Brahma. Brahmā is supposed to be born without any material father and mother. Therefore he is called Svayambhuḥ. He is the only living creature within this universe who is born without the father and mother. How it is? Without the father and mother means this material father and mother. But he has his father. His father is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. And he's born out of the lotus flower which is grown from the abdomen of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore he's called Svayambhuḥ. Svayambhuḥ means self-manifested. Because before him, there was no existence of material creation. Therefore he is called Svayambhuḥ. And next is Nārada. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ. Nārada is born out of Brahmā. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ and śambhuḥ. Śambhuḥ is also born of Brahmā. Śambhuḥ means Lord Śiva. So he is also one of the ācāryas. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ [SB 6.3.20]. Kumāraḥ means.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

The mother means wherefrom one comes. He's your child because his body has come from your body. Mother means who begets, who gives birth. Mother means who creates my body, who gives me feeding in the beginning, gives me strength. That is mother.

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: To understand God, a simple method. Simple method to.... Just like the earth is there, everybody knows. And from the earth different varieties of living entities are coming. The grass is coming, the plant is coming, then insects are coming, flies are coming, then by eating the grass or flies, the bigger animals are coming or they're existing. Take for four-legged animals, they are eating the grass, the plants. So they are living, their generation is going on. Then the human being is coming by evolution. So anyway, ultimately, they are coming from the earth. Is it not? Is there any difficulty? So we are coming from the earth or water or air, fire, there are five elements. Therefore on the total material elements is our mother. The mother means wherefrom one comes. He's your child because his body has come from your body. Everyone knows it. So every living being is coming out of this earth in different forms. Now if it is established, the mother is the earth and everything that is coming out of mother, they are children, then where is father? Is it not the next inquiry?

Mādhavānanda: Is that not the next inquiry?

Prabhupāda: The mother is there, the children are there. The next inquiry is..., suppose unknown man comes to him, "Where is your father?" So who is the father? And father says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: [Bg. 14.4] "I am father." Finished. Father is God. God has created this earth. He has impregnated the earth with the living entities, and they are coming out. Where is the difficulty? But because they are in ignorance, rascals, it takes long, long time to understand this simple truth. So dull-headed. The children are there and mother is there, and why father, there should be no father? What is the answer?

Satsvarūpa: That the mother is just some symbolic idea, there is no...

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, mother it is. Mother means who begets, who gives birth. You practically see, grass to the highest form of life, they are coming from earth, living at the cost of the earth. The earth is supplying food, food grains, vegetables. So mother..., as child is growing by sucking the mother's breast, so we are living at the cost of mother. She is giving us milk, she is giving us everything. That is mother. And śāstra, the earth is considered mother. Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī... but they have no knowledge. Mother means who creates my body, who gives me feeding in the beginning, gives me strength. That is mother. How you can understand mother otherwise? So mother is there, earth. Dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī. Pṛthvī is mother. And practically we see. She is giving, the mother earth is giving birth to so many varieties of children-8,400,000. Then the next inquiry should be: the mother is there, the children are there, then where is the father? That answer is given by Kṛṣṇa: ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4], "I am the father." So where is the difficulty to understand the Supreme Lord? But they are so dull-headed that they have no even common sense, and they're passing as philosopher, politician, and scientist, big leader, big rascal. This is going on. This is going on. And big, big rascals, they have taken the leadership of the world, and the world is in chaos, chaotic condition, everyone is unhappy, suffering.

This is all very easy to understand. Mother means from whom the child is coming, is it not? That is mother.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: (laughing) Not body. It is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out this verse. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ, tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. He is the father.

Girirāja:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

[Bg. 14.4]

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father."

Prabhupāda: This is all very easy to understand. Mother means from whom the child is coming, is it not? That is mother. Everyone knows. So you see this whole world, wherefrom everything is coming, you see, practically, gross knowledge. I see a plant is coming from the earth. A tree is coming from the earth. And according to evolutionary theory... Not theory, fact. The dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. When his plant life is finished, he takes another body, insect life. So the mother is the earth. That's a fact. I am eating the things which are... Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. I am a life. I am taking either grain or I am taking flesh, the material is supplied from the earth. The animal also, he is also eating the grass. That is coming from the earth. The earth is the mother. That is a fact. Now we should be intelligent, that simply mother cannot beget a child. There must be father. So who is that father? The answer is here. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4]. So where is the ignorance?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Mother, if she gives lift to the goat to become a man and if she degrades you to become a goat, that is in the Mother's hand. You cannot check it. Mother is just to everyone. She is Mother means she is equal to every son. The goat is also her son; you are also her son.

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Bhavānanda: "I am not qualified to worship Kṛṣṇa, so let me just worship the Mother. She is part of Kṛṣṇa, so let me just worship her..."

Prabhupāda: You'll get the path of yānti deva. You go to Mother and become a goat and be sacrificed. You cut throat of a goat now by satisfying Mother, and next life the goat will cut throat, yours. Go to mother. That's all. If you like, you can go. And if you think that is good—by worshiping Mother, "I am getting daily nice goat flesh. Why shall I go to Kṛṣṇa?" That's all right, but be prepared, that so many times you'll be also cut, your head, and this goat will get chance to cut your head. Mother is witness. Mother is for the goat and for you also. So you are cutting the throat of the goat, so why the Mother will not give the chance to the goat to cut your head? Why do you think like that, rascal? "The Mother is kind to me and unkind to the goat?" That means naṣṭa-buddhi, lost intelligence. If you think Mother, then you must think that Mother of the goat also. Why Mother will tolerate? This is justice. Actually the mantra is there, that "Goat, you are sacrificing your life. You get immediately chance of human being." That is his profit. He would have evolved himself in so many lives and then get a human life. But because he's sacrificing his life before Mother, he gets immediately an lift to become a human man. And the human, because he becomes, he has got the right to cut the throat of the man who sacrificed him. This is the mantra. So if you take this risk, do that because how to become a goat, how to become a man, that is in the hands of Mother. That is not in your hand. So Mother, if she gives lift to the goat to become a man and if she degrades you to become a goat, that is in the Mother's hand. You cannot check it. Prakṛteḥ kriyamā... Mother is just to everyone. "All right, this man is cutting your throat. You just become human being and cut his throat. I shall make him a goat." How you can say, "No"? Can you say? And Mother is all-powerful. Then you take the risk. And why Mother will make injustice? The poor goat, you shall cut the throat, and you remain human being, Mother's pet son? What is this logic? She is Mother means she is equal to every son. The goat is also her son; you are also her son. So you are taking advantage of this poor goat, and now he'll get this advantage. You, you become a goat. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi [Bg. 3.27]. When you are being made into a goat, you cannot check it. That is in the hand of mother. Then what is your answer? Will you take that risk?

Bhavānanda: Not if I'm intelligent.