In plain words
On a day when she got food enough for only one, she gave it to her son and went hungry herself. As a result, little by little her health declined. One day the son: “Mother! You go without eating and feed only me. From tomorrow I myself will go begging,” he said. “My son! I cannot bear your begging, I cannot endure it,” she said. But because she was very weak, the son insisted and set out to beg himself. Standing before the house of a high officer, he cried out, “Sir! I am hungry, hungry.”
At that time the officer was sitting in an easy chair on the veranda, taking his rest. At once he went inside, put some rice on a leaf, brought it out and said, “Child! Sit here and eat.” The boy said, “No, I will take it home.” The officer: “If you are hungry, you can eat right here, can't you! Why must you take it home?” he said. Even as these words were being said, the boy grew dizzy and fell to the ground. Lying there, he was saying something. Wanting to hear what he was saying, the officer put his ear close to the boy's mouth. In a faint voice the boy: “Sir! First I will give to my mother, and only after that will I eat. First to Mother, first to Mother.........” and saying this, he gave up his life. Are sons with such love for their mother to be seen anywhere in the world today? Through the influence of this Kali age, and through modern education, children today give no thought at all to the welfare of the family or the welfare of the nation.
Īśvaracandra Vidyāsāgar knew great poverty in his childhood. His mother brought up her son and kept him at his studies with the money she earned by her own hard work. She never looked to her own comfort. She felt it was enough if her son was happy. She hoped that he would lead a sacred life. Vidyāsāgar was earnest about his studies. At night he would sit under the street lamps and study. Studying hard in this way, he passed through higher education. Then he took up a job. But at first he drew a very small salary. On that small salary alone he went on supporting his mother.