Shreemukham to the First edition
The Gracious Benediction of Shree Jagadguru Shankaracharya
Shree Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigalavaru
The Presiding pontiff of Sringeri Sarada Peetha
3rd May, 1973
Sringeri.
he Lord Shree Krishna has proclaimed in the "Bhagavad Gita" that common people follow and set up as standard whatever men of world repute and noble virtues do, as explained in the following verse:
"For whatsoever a great man does, that very thing, the other man does;
whatever standard he sets up, the generality of men follow the same."
It is the common and unstinted belief of all of us that Shree Shankara Bhagavadpada of extrodinary and revered fame who realised the Supreme Brahman by virtue of his profound and all comprehensive learning and gigantic intellect, is lord Paramasiva Himself incarnated to protect the people. His whole life itself is an example to be emulated.
In his life, He by his actions, gave full putport to the Sruti(Vedic) Text, "Treat you mother as God". A proof for this is his coming to the side of his mother at the time of departure of her soul to the Heavenly abode and initiating her to self-knowledge. Keeping this incident in view, the Holy Sage Shree Bhashya Swamigal composed a prayer entitled 'Matru Panchakam'. It is our belief that this stotra is capable of giving delight to the mind of those who glance the same.
Our favourite disciple, Shree K. K. Sankaran, who is sanctified in life and whose heart is inspired by his unstinted devotion to Bhagavadpada has writtenan elaborate commentary in English on this 'Five Verses on Mother'. It is our firm conviction that this commentary is in harmony with the sastras and imbued with deep meaning to the preceptible. We hope that, by the publication of this book people will easily realise the supreme status that a mother enjoys, and will be desirous of doing service to her and attain prosperity.
We bless that this composition will adorn the tender hands of those people who are imbued with faith and please the sympathetic hearts.
With Narayana Smaranam,
Vidyatirtha
