Mother’s boundless love

Soma and Karuna lived in a village in Sri Lanka. They were blessed with a handsome son who they loved very dearly. They named him Priya (love), because of the immense joy his birth had brought into their lives.

Both Some and Karuna spent many joyful times with Priya. Each day after working hard in the rice field, Karuna would return home and delightfully play with his little Priya. Soma would join her beloved Karuna as soon as she completed cooking dinner and cleaning up the kitchen. Priya also happily welcomed the playful times that he had the good fortune to spend with his loving and caring parents.

As Priya grew up, he proved a smart lad. He consistently obtained good grades in his yearend school exams. His teachers had high praise for the diligence he always showed in his studies. His parents naturally had high hopes for him to do well in life.

Karuna and Some were proud of Priya’s steady progress in school. They vowed (nguyện) that they would do everything possible to provide him a good education. They knew that this would enable him to live a comfortable family life of his own in the capital city of Colombo when he grows up. Otherwise, he would have to work laboriously (cực nhọc) in the rice fields throughout the year like his father. From his personal experience Karuna knew only too well the hardships entailed in a farmer’s life.

On a fateful (sự kiện quan trọng) day, when Priya was still a child, Karuna did not return from working in the rice fields. He was bitten by a very poisonous king cobra on his way home. Soma and little Priya were struck by deep sadness. The great laughter and delight that usually filled their home was suddenly replaced with a blanket of sorrow.

Priya could not accept the unexpected (bất ngờ) death of Karuna. He just could not understand why his father’s life had to suddenly end just like a flame (ánh lữa) that is blown out by the wind. He cried his heart out wailing (thương tiếc) why he had to be robbed of his loving dad. The elders tried to console (an ủi) him. They explained the brutal reality of death that every one must face one day. Even so, he could not accept the truth that, “Life is uncertain, but that death is certain”. He just cried and cried until there were no more tears to shed (tuôn ra).

Life was never the same for Soma and Priya after Karuna’s sudden death. Some now had to work and earn money for the family. She worked as a maid (hầu gái) in several houses and did back-breaking odd jobs = chores (việc vặt) from time to time in order to earn some extra money for her dearest Priya’s future. Despite her overworked limbs and tired body, she went to labour (lao động) in the rice fields for long hours, especially during the harvesting season when more hands are needed.

Soma was such a devoted mother that she did not care on bit about the hardships she had to go through to bring up Priya. Her mind was totally fixed (tập trung) on providing (miễn là) for his needs and comforts as best as she could. She did not think twice about sacrificing (hy sinh) her own health and well-being in order to ensure that Priya had a good education and a great career (sự nghiệp). She was determined to see that he would secure a high-salaried job in one of the big firms in Colombo when he grows up. Her singular goal was to ensure that he enjoyed a comfortable city-life of his own. Such was her boundless love for her dearest Priya.

Soma’s love for Priya in fact began from the moment he was growing in her womb. She sought (tìm kiếm) the advice of older experienced mothers about childbirth. She also read the ancient scriptures on how best to nurture (nuôi dưỡng) her unborn baby. Accordingly, she took special care to eat the right foods for the healthy growth of her unborn baby. Even while Priya was curled up (nằm bó gối) inside her womb, she would talk to him with great affection and radiate (toả ra) Karuna, they would express their aspiration (khát vọng) to be blessed with a wonderful child. So it came as no surprise to the loving couple to be blessed with a cheerful brown-eyed bundle of joy when Priya was born.

Soma’s love for baby Priya was beyond measure. For example, when it came to breast-feed baby Priya, she would tenderly (dịu dàng) encourage him to suckle (cho bú) as much milk as he desired (mong muốn). She did this to such a degree that Karuna would caution (cảnh báo) her to be careful about the toll (tổn hại) this would have on her future health. He would advise her that overfeeding Priya with her breast milk, could drain her body of essential (thiết yếu) nutrients (dinh dưỡng).

However, Soma’s deep love for Priya overruled (từ chối lời đề nghị) such concerns. She would reply in her characteristic (đặc trưng) tender motherly smile, “It’s perfectly alright, dearest husband, let our Priya draw as much of my breast-milk as he pleases. I want him to be strong and healthy with the mother’s milk I nourish him. Please do not be unduly (quá mức) worried about my future health. I am sure I can replenish(bổ sung) the loss of minerals and her hormones (hooc môn) in my body in good time.”

Priya grew up to be strong and intelligent young man. He attended college and passed out as an engineer with flying colours. Soma could not hold back her tears of joy at Priya’s graduation ceremony. She hugged him as if he was still a little baby. How she wished Karuna was alive to share the joyful moment of their son’s success.

Within a week of his graduation, Priya was able to secure a good job in a leading engineering firm in Colombo. Here he befriended a beautiful girl named Chaturi. She hailed from a rich family residing in the city. She worked as an accountant in the same firm. After a few years of courtship, the couple got married and lived separately in their newly built bungalow (nhà triệt nhỏ) in the outskirts (ngoại ô) of the city.

As the years rolled on, both Priya and Chaturi were well into their married life. The young couple were fully caught up with the city-lifestyle. Most of Priya’s free time was spent with his attractive wife. They were constantly occupied (chếm giữ) with the activities and leisurely (nhàn hạ) outings that came along with their successful careers. Priya was so engrossed (chiếm giữ) with creating a forgot about his aged mother who continued to live in the village all by herself.

On her part, Soma deliberately (thận trọng) kept to herself. Her typical motherly instinct (bản năng) made her believe that Priya had responsibilities (chịu trách nhiệm) of his own. She strongly felt that she should not add to his burden and cause him even the slightest (yếu) anxiety or difficulty. In the course of time, Soma became feeble (yếu ớt). She was no longer able to work. Life became tough (khó khan) for her. Many a night, she would debate (tranh luận) in her mind whether to visit Priya to seek help. But then again, she did not want to disturb or burden him with having to relieve her misery (khốn khổ). Being the ever thoughtful and caring mother, she could not but think that Priya had responsibilities of his own to fulfil.

As she grew older and feebler, life became really difficult for Soma and she had to beg. There were days when she would go without any food. She was now driven to the point of utter desperation (sự liều lĩnh tuyệt vọng) to seek Priya’s help. So one blistering (gây gắt) hot sunny morning, Soma trekked to Priya’s house in the city. The journey was long and arduous (gian khổ) for her frail (yếu đuối) body. She was parched (đói khát). Pangs(cồn cào) of hunger kept gripping (chú ý) at her stomach. Her starved body was about to buckle (phấn chấn) under its own weight. The thought of seeing her beloved son after so many years was the only thing that kept her going.

As Soma approached Priya’s house, her heart leapt with delight. Her spirits (tinh thần) were greatly boosted (khích lệ) by the prospect (hi vọng) of meeting her dear son after so many years. A rare (hiếm hoi) joyful smile broke through her severely wrinkled face like a ray of sunshine as soon as she saw Priya standing at the door way. Her pace (nhịp bước) quickened with her new-found strength.

One would have expected (được mong đợi) Priya to rush (vội vã) and greed (ham muốn) his mother. But, shockingly, upon seeing her haggard (phờ phạc) and in tattered clothes(quần áo rách rưới), appearing no different from a miserable beggar (ăn xin khốn khổ), he darted back into the house pretending not to have seen her. He quickly requested Chaturi to dispatch (giải quyết gọn) his aged mother away before any of the neighbours were to recognize (nhận ra) her. Both Priya and Chaturi felt that Soma’s tattered clothes and miserable appearance was an utter embarrassment to them. They also anticipated (đoán trước) that she had come to ask for help, or worse still, to stay with them.

As soon as Chaturi came out of the house, Soma, greeted her cheerfully, “Sukhi hotu my dear daughter. How are you and Priya? I pray daily that both of you are well and happy always. Where is Priya? I am certain that I saw him as I approached your home. I am longing to see him after all these years.”

Chaturi just ignored Soma’s warm greeting. Her mind was fixed on carrying out Priya’s ruse (mưu mẹo) to forestall (chặn bước) Soma from entering their bungalow (nhà triệt nhỏ). She bluffed (lừa gạt) that he was tied up with urgent office work and did not want to be disturbed. She then curtly (cộc lốc) asked Soma, “Anyway, why have you come to our home? What is its that you want from us?”

Soma was taken aback = take somebody aback (bị bất ngờ) by the rather harsh (khắc khe) tenor of Chaturi’s questions and that too without extending the common courtesy (nhã nhặn) of inviting her into the house. Even the customary (theo thường lệ) cup of tea that is offered to visitors to a home was not extended to her. She was saddened by the cold treatment by her beloved son and his wife. But was desperately hungry. So she tucked (kìm nén) aside her self-pride (kiêu hãnh) and requested for some food. In a gentle pleading voice, she explained how miserable (khốn khổ) it had been for her to go on for days without having a decent meal (bữa ăn tử tế).

Chaturi responded with a smug (tự mãn) look as if she knew even before Soma revealed her pathetic (thương tâm) situation that she had come to get something out of them. She quickly darted into the house saying that she needed to discuss with Priya what is to be done. Soma was still hopefull that Chaturi would return with the help she desperately needed. Chaturi soon emerged from the house carrying a little bag. She handed it to Soma saying that it contained (chứa) two measures (cân) of rice grains to quell (trấn áp) her hunger. Soma was stunned (sững sờ) at the miserly (keo kiệt) help that Chaturi and Priya had offered her.

Soma thought to herself, “Here I am faint (kiệt sức) with hunger gripping me and aches (đau nhức) clawing all over my body; just two measures of rice grains are all that my son offers me! Is this the gratitude I get after all the hardships and sacrifices (hy sinh) I had undergone (chịu đựng) to provide (chu cấp) him the best in life? The aches and pains while I carried him in my womb for ten lunar months and the pangs (đau nhói) of childbirth to the many hours I had slaved (đầu tắt mặt tối) away to earn enough to provide for his success, well-being and happiness have all been forgotten.

As one would have guessed, Soma was terribly heartbroken by the way her son and daughter-in-law had treated her in her hour of dire need. Tears of sadness welled in her eyes as she cried her disappointment in a moving poem for Priya to search his heart, thus: “I came to the door of my son’s house, as I was famished (đói khổ cùng cực). But I was given two measures of rice grains. I am devastated. I am in two minds whether to accept this or to leave it at his door step. O’ my son, did I even for once, ever measure out the milk when I breast-feed you? Just think for a moment: if I had not nursed you every two hours throughout the day and even at night for several months, from the day you were born, you would have surely died.

Ever since the time you were growing in my wombs, I have prayed for your success, happiness and good health. My dear son, despite your ingratitude, I will continue to pray for you. Thank you for your two measures of rice grains. Sukhi hotu my son.”

Soma’s sorrowful words pierced right through Priya’s heart like a sharp (sắc nhọn) pointed spear (mũi giáo). A deep sense of guilt (mặc cảm tội lỗi) overpowered him. He realized that he had terribly wronged his mother. Filled with deep remorse (sự hối hận), he out from his hiding and rushed to embrace (ôm) Soma. With tears of regret flowing down his cheeks, he knelt down at her feet and repeatedly begged her for forgiveness. He then got up and hugged his mother as tightly as he could. Upon realizing her folly, Chaturi to knelt at Soma’s feet and begged to be forgiven for her unkindness and disrespect. The young couple then led her into the house.

Soma wept uncontrollably with tears of joy that her son had realized his folly. She was greatly relieved (giảm nhẹ) that he had understood the depth (thấu đáo) of her boundless love for him and the great sacrifices (hi sinh) she had borne for him.

When Priya regained his composure (bình tĩnh), he begged his mother to stay with him forever. He vowed to look after her and make sure that she will be well taken care of henceforth. He promised that come what may, she would never ever go without food, tender caring and love. So from that day onwards, Soma lived comfortably with dearest Priya till she passed on at the ripe old age of ninety five years.

Thus, to this day Soma’s emotive poem is deeply etched in the psyche (tâm trí) of the Sinhalese as a moral lesson to honour and worship one’s mother. Just as in the folk story, we should salute (ca ngợi) our mother’s boundless love and sacrifices. For indeed, a mother’s love knows no bounds!

Understanding and Reflection Time

Parents, care givers and teachers are urged to encourage the child to interact and improve communication skill, thinking, understanding of the story and overall imagination. They are to make a deliberate effort to spend a time to discuss with her or him the questions listed below:

What kind of life did Karuna and Soma live?

How did Soma and Karuna prepare for Priya’s birth?

Describe Karuna and Soma’s love for Priya.

Explain little Priya’s love towards his parents.

What was lifelike for Soma after Karuna’s sudden death?

How did Soma bring up Priya?

Explain how Priya’s attitude changed after getting married.

In what ways did Priya’s thinking and attitude change?

What have you understood about gratitude?

In what ways can you show gratitude and to whom?