Only to please you, Mother²⁰

Raja Rammohan Ray was one who had indomitable faith in his own will power. Everywhere he was hailed as a hero supreme. He always used his heroic qualities in a divine way; he never misused his heroic qualities.

One day, when he was a young boy, something most significant happened in his life. His family, which was very, very rich, was having a Durga Puja. India’s Durga Puja is a most inspiring time when devotees worship Mother Durga most soulfully.

It happened that Rammohan saw a man making the Durga idol out of straw and clay, and he helped the man build it. In a few days’ time, the idol was placed inside the temple and everyone came to worship it as the supreme goddess, Mother Durga. Everybody was bowing down to the Mother Durga, but this little boy wouldn’t bow down.

The priest could not believe his eyes: “Why are you not bowing down, my boy?” he asked.

Rammohan replied, “Why do I have to bow down to an idol made of straw and clay?”

This was nothing short of blasphemy! The boy’s father was so furious: “I have this kind of son! He is an atheist!”

Rammohan’s mother was afraid that some serious calamity would take place in the family if the boy did not bow to the idol. She ran to her son, pleading, “For God’s sake, bow down! Otherwise, something will happen to us.”

But Rammohan only said, “I know this idol is made of straw, clay and mud. I can’t bow down before mud and clay.”

Then the mother started crying helplessly before her son. “If you don’t bow down to the statue, then I will stay here and cry all day and night,” she said.

Rammohan said, “Mother, I can tolerate anything, but I will not be able to take your tears. Since you are begging me, I will bow down to the statue of Durga. But remember, I am bowing down to your goddess, since you see something in this idol. I am doing this only to please you, but not with the hope that I will get something from it. I am bowing down only to please you.”

Rammohan soulfully bowed down to Mother Durga, and his family left the temple extremely moved by the young boy’s words.