Good mothers are like gardeners that grow the beautiful fragrant flowers and most luscious fruits. Great men and women in all fields of society are created, molded and inspired by their mothers. Acharya Vinoba Bhave, therefore, said that if you want to see God look at your mother. About the mother’s role in molding the child’s character Havelock Ellis says : ‘The mother is the greatest of all teachers.'

The first psychological relationship between the mother and the child is built when the child is four months old in the mother’s womb. The mother forgives all the kicks and jolts given by the fetus and thereby implants the virtue of forgiveness in the child, right before its birth. When the fetus is seven to eight months old, the sense of hearing is fully developed. So, holy narrations, presented or heard, devotional songs heard or listened to and all holy talks by the mother are heard by the fetus in the mother’s womb. That is how the sage Ashtavakra was reported to have learned the holy Vedas. All good or bad thoughts of a pregnant woman are imprinted on the brain of the fetus. The recognition of the mother develops before the child is born and that is why the child recognizes its mother 36 hours after the birth. Children develop their likes and dislikes, tolerance or intolerance for any phenomenon before the birth.

So, whatever a pregnant woman thinks, speaks or does has great significance for the development of the child. The child inherits certain qualities from the mother. Padma Puran declares : A woman must have or must develop these qualities : Beauty, character, truthfulness, gentleness, religious observances, sweetness, cleanliness – internal and external, love for parents, love for service, tolerance, love and chastity.

Apart from these permanent virtues, during pregnancy she should neither remain idle nor should she overwork. She should maintain a pleasant mood, take normal sleep at normal time, should not under eat or overeat, should not undertake rough travel, should take a balanced, light and nutritious diet.

After the birth, the mother should recite Shikshapatri daily while keeping the child on the lap or in the cradle. She should chant the Mantra Swaminarayan in the ear of the child and sing devotional songs and read Vachanamrit before him/her. By the time the child develops speech, he/she would remember all this by heart. That would mould his/her personality.

Madalasa, the queen of the king Ritudhvaja sang highly philosophical lullabies of Vairagya (aversion to worldly life). One by one, her three children became saints. The lullaby contained the verses quoted in Vachanamrut.
 

Tyaj dharmamdharma cha ubhyo satyanrute tyaj,
Ubhe satyanrute tyaktva yen tyajasi tat tyaj.

(Markandeya Puran CH-23)

Give up (so called) religion and what is not religion. Give up the (so called) truth and falsehood. After giving up truth and falsehood, give up those things and persons who are going to leave you (Also in Moksha Dharma).

But to the fourth son Alarka she taught Karma Yoga since childhood; then she taught him politics etc., and Alarka became a great king and finally a disciple of Guru Dattatrey.

Sati Anasuya taught her son Durvasa to revolt against the evil and put to test the great men and gods. She taught her son, the Moon to nourish vegetation. Her third son Dattatreya was god-incarnate.

And lastly, we cannot forget Bhakti Mata who brought up Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan.

So, women are the real architects and builders of mankind.