Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 1: Shri Matha (OM aiM hrIM shrIM shrImAtre namaH)

Matha, Pitha and Guru Deivam is a saying, which is very true. Of all Mother and Child relationship is the best for the Child. The mother holds the child within her for 10 months gives birth and takes care of the child as long as she lives. For any person at any age the mother however aged the person is still her child and she shows her same kindness all through as long as she is alive. As a child she had her blood turned into milk to give it to the child. Motherly love is such a respected divine thing.

Even in other living things, they have a way of giving birth and safe guarding their own children. Right from insects, birds and strong animals like Lion have their own way of taking care of their children. I have read that for a Camel when a child is born, even before the child can help himself, the mother Camel will kick the child far apart and wait for the child to struggle to get and stand up, if the child fails, the mother Camel will keep on kicking the child until the child gets up and stands on its own. The mother Camel does it to make the child to face the adverse conditions in the forest, to run if needed to safe guard itself, as without it any strong animal can come and eat the child as food in no time. This is the way the Camel shows its motherly love to the child. In this universe, in every living condition, is a human being or other living creatures, the mother will find a way to feed and safe guard the child.

If a simple mother can take care of her child, the Divine Mother provides all the needs and safety of living beings in this Universe. Starting with giving life to a child to mature the child further is the greatest effort by the mother; likewise the Divine Mother does the same thing for all living things under her care.

It is very appropriate to call the Divine Mother as Shri Matha and use it as the very first name in this Sahasranamam.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 25 January 2020.