One of the aspects of Hinduism that I find interesting is that it elevates motherhood to a status much higher than just bringing a child into this world.
There is a verse from the Taittiriya Upanishad that says: “Mātṛ devo bhava” (Consider your mother to be divine)
A mother is to be respected as much as the father, a teacher, and a guest.
However Hinduism does not confine motherhood to the idea of “mother knows best” or that a mother’s love is inherently good.
Mahabharata shows us mothers who not only adore their children but also remind them of their duties & their place in the world. Kunti is a prime example of a mother who loves her sons but is also disappointed in their actions & the choices they make. The same can be said about Gandhari, whose affection for her sons Duryodhana & the others is twisted into an attempt to justify their actions. But is it right for a mother to defend her child’s adharma?
The answer, as it were, lies in the very nature of motherhood. A mother’s love is, indeed, powerful, but it is not always righteous. There are times when it must be tempered with responsibility and the ability to do what is best for the child. There is also the concept in the Bhagavad Gita about Prakriti, the great womb of nature from which everything originates (14.4). Thus, there is also a detachment that comes with motherhood in Hinduism.
I think that is why the idea of Mātṛ devo bhava is so fascinating to me. It is not that mothers should be viewed as Gods, but that the people who bring us into this world, raise us, and teach us are in a special relationship to us all. They are our caretakers and guides on this path. However, the literature also serves as a reminder that mothers can also be wrong, and that Kunti & Gandhari’s actions in regards to their sons are not the ideal a mother should strive for.
Perhaps the ideal is a mother who is always striving for dharma, responsibility, and the good of her children.