In plain words
The future of the nation rests on its mothers alone. That is why it has been called the ‘Motherland’. Otherwise it could have been called the ‘Fatherland’! Mother first; only after her, father. When we send someone an invitation, we write the address on the envelope as ‘Śrīmatī and Śrī’. However highly educated the man may be, it makes no difference. He may even be the President of the country. Even so, no one writes ‘Śrī and Śrīmatī’ on the envelope sent to him. ‘Śrīmatī and Śrī’ is what they write. From ancient times people have given women such great worth. However much learning you acquire, however many good deeds you do, if you do not make your mother happy, all of it goes to waste. The true son is the one who makes his mother happy and becomes worthy of her love. So honour your mother. Receive your mother's love. Offer your life to your mother. ‘Let your mother be God to you, your father be God to you, your teacher be God to you, your guest be God to you’: so the Veda too has given the first place to the mother. However wicked a son may be, his mother loves him. Even if some personal differences of opinion arise, her love for her son does not lessen. Every person must honour his mother without fail. As soon as he rises at dawn, he must take hold of her feet and bow to her. Only then will he be protected in every way, and be able to receive every kind of wealth and prosperity.
Today we are celebrating ‘Easwaramma Day’. Easwaramma had boundless love for children. I shall tell you one small example. In earlier days students used to come from every state and every country to take part in the Summer Classes. Gokak, a man of great virtue and learning and of a self-sacrificing nature, used to run the Summer Classes very well. He was very Strict. One day, while all the boys were having their meal, one boy got up and left in the middle. Gokak saw it from the window, at once called the boy and scolded him. ‘While your companions are all eating, you must not get up, even if you have finished. You must get up only after everyone in that row has finished. If you get up and go while the rest are still eating, it is as good as insulting them,’ he said, and that day he suspended him from the classes.