Query:
Heirarchy of respect in Hindu Culture- Is it in order of 'Mata Pita Guru Daivam'?
Vijay
Kumar:
Before I
further delve into the saying 'Mata Pita Guru Daivam' I would narrate an experience
during one of my discourses.
After
having introduced myself as one who had realized God in 1993 I started speaking
on matters related to every seeker of Spirituality.
Having realized God I am able to know the queries existing within every Human
being in my vicinity. One need not tell me and the discourse starts extempore.
After
having elaborated on various issues related to Spirituality and after a lapse
of about two hours... I could see one of the older member existing in the congregation
started to weep... he was weeping internally... the flow of tears was a continuous
downpour. I stopped my speech and enquired of the gentleman the cause of his tears.
Whatever he narrated is an eye opener.
He
introduced himself as one who had retired from government service and was now
65 years of age. It was around 13 years of age when he had queries like, "who
am I" "what is my relationship with my parents" "how are human beings related
to animals" "what is the meaning of God" "how can we approach god" "why do we
go to the temple" and many other questions.
'Mata"
(mother): Finding no answers in his school textbooks he initially approached
his mother whom he considered most near to him. He enquired of her all the queries
narrated above and after persistent questioning he was able to understand even
as a child that his mother knew nothing about the queries he went to his father.
'Pita'
(father): The moment he opened his mouth in the presence of his father, he
was rebuked and taken to task by his father for indulging in matters beyond his
age. He was advised to put more of his attention to the studies in the class.
He indirectly understood that his father was also ignorant about the various subjects
and instead of giving him a suitable reply gave him an unwanted piece of advice.
'Guru' (teacher):
Having understood the crux of the problem that his mother and father did not have
the answers to his queries he approached the class teacher whom he considered
next to his parents. The class teacher on hearing the queries made one excuse
or the other but was unable to give a satisfactory reply. The teacher never wanted
the student to know of his incapability in giving answers to his queries. The
student ultimately went to the principal and the same story was repeated. The
principal was also ignorant of the subject.
Nowhere else to go... the queries existed within him and he finally retired from
government service. Even during the tenure of his government job he enquired of
his fellow colleagues about the queries but none was able to give a satisfactory
reply. And here he had not put forward any query to Vijay Kumar even though he
had a big list in his pocket but Vijay Kumar had explicitly made the answer to
his every query clear in the two hours of his initial discourse. He
felt so happy that as the queries melt away, they took the form of the tears that
welled up in his eyes spontaneously. He was practically sobbing with happiness.
This is not the experience
of this lone gentleman but many in pursuit of Spirituality face the same dilemma.
Simply by going to the temple one cannot learn of the meaning of the sacred Scriptures
lying in the bookshelves of the temple. One who is the knower of all need to explain
the hidden meaning of the Scriptures to the mass community? And by talking of
'Daivam' we mean someone who has raised himself on the Spiritual platform much
higher above the thinking of a normal Human being.
Any sage or Saint who has learned the intricate truths of the sacred Scriptures
can dispel the doubts of the serious spiritual seekers. Such people are considered
equivalent to 'Daiva' or 'Deva'.
No
doubt the position of the mother is the highest on the physical domain. God meant
it so. Why? It is only a mother who in times of need would care for the child
of another. In case of 'Pita' so is not the situation. Similarly, the 'Guru' gets
the next position for he is the one who grooms the child in the journey of life
and is only next to 'Mata and Pita'. Whatever status a student achieves later
in life... the regard for the Guru never ceases.
All
devas are supposed to exist in heaven (swarga in Hinduism). And who are these
devas? They are atmans (souls) who have risen themselves above the level of a
normal Human being but have yet to attain salvation. And for attaining salvation
(moksha in Hinduism) they have to descend to mother earth and again take the form
of a human being. And only as a Human Being can one gain self realization, enlightenment
and finally salvation (moksha in Hinduism).
Moksha Salvation can never be gained otherwise except in form of a human being.
The status of a human being has been considered as the ultimate in Hinduism. The
form of a human being is the highest manifest stage in the cosmic life of an atman
the soul within. This is the prime reason why devas are put at number four after
Mata, Pita and Guru (mother, father and teacher).
We
must never forget that there are only two entities in whole Cosmos whom we address
as you ("Tu" in Hindi). Try addressing your father as you, ("Tu" in Hindi) and
response would be immediate. A slap on your face will explain everything. Similar
is the case with a Guru. No real Guru would ever tolerate any nonsense from any
student (Shishya in Hinduism). Both Pita and Guru (father and teacher) expect
respect from children. They never tolerate otherwise.
On
the contrary in the case of God and mother... the tolerance is never limited by
the cause. We may conduct ourselves in any manner positive or negative... the
mother would always tolerate and forgive the good and the bad deeds of her children.
So is never the case with Pita and Guru (father and teacher).
As per Hinduism devas when they exist in swarga (Heaven) can bless us only through
the medium of prayers. We cannot see devas with our physical manifest eyes. We
can only seek the blessings of devas through various religious acts as applicable
in different religions. The status of devas has been considered next to a Guru
for the prime reason that on the physical plane it is the Guru who is imparting
the wisdom to the student but in the case of a Deva we never know when our prayers
would be granted.
This
hierarchy 'Mata Pita Guru Daivam' exists in Hinduism from the times
of Bhagavad Gita and beyond. Adi Shankaracharya may have propagated
the same in his times for he may have felt that due respect is not being given
to Mata Pita and Guru as is due to them. The saying 'Mata Pita Guru Daivam' forms
the core of relationship between a child and mother, father, Guru and supernatural
beings (we call as devas in Hinduism).
Always
there to clarify your queries (send
your query),
Vijay
Kumar "Atma
Jnani"
Vijay Kumar... The Man who Realized God in 1993 on Respect Hindu
culture. For more details on respect in hindu culture- respecting your elders
visit - respect
in hindu culture. Send
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Full text of query:
I have heard of the famous saying 'Mata Pita Guru Daivam'. Can I know whether
this was the preaching of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
Does
this mean that the heirarchy of the respect in Hindu culture is in that order.
