the mother

Bhishma Pitamaha said: “The teacher who teaches true knowledge is more important than ten instructors. The father is more important than ten such teachers of true knowledge and the mother is more important than ten such fathers. There is no greater guru than mother.” Mahabharata, Shantiparva, Chapter 30, sloka 9.
“The hand that rocks the cradle, can rock the entire nation. History is a witness that fall of huge empires has been, to a great extent, due to degradation of women-folk. The first inspiring teacher of man is his mother who shapes his future and makes his destiny. Nation is made of individuals who owe their rise to the teachings of their mothers. Hence progress of nation depends upon the development of women. They are the truest builders of the nation. That is why an Aryan mother announces with pride and privilege in the following mantra of Rig Veda that she is glory of her nation, prop of her society and pillar of her community AhM koxtaurhM maUQaa-hmauga`a ivavaacanaI mamaodnau ÚtauM paita: saohanaayaa {paacarota\ à Pgvaod 10ó159ó2 I am the banner I am the head I possess excellent eloquence; My husband co-operates with me And follows my will. - Rig Veda 10/159/2” *

“The Shatapatha Braahmana lists some 52 generations of teachers, of which some 42 are remembered through their mothers. The teachers were males. This list acts like a bridge between the end of the Rig-Veda time and the Shatapatha Braahmana time. It is remarkable that a patriarchal society should remember its teachers through their mothers. The preference over the names of their fathers indicates the important position of women as mothers in Vedic society. Their mothers were considered that valuable, as their sons were recognized through their names.” **
It is not possible to say that we respect the position of the mother if we don’t respect the position of women in general. A person who understands her importance will respect and support all the women, not only his own mother. To respect only its own mother is a hypocrisy and is a big prove of lack of intelligence. We see men who respect their own mother more then anything but treat the mother of his own kids with a total disrespect. That makes no sense at all. Such a person can be considered the biggest cheater and this is a mark of an uneducated moron.

*http://www.omtemplenj.org/Woman%20in%20Bible.htm
** http://ssubbanna.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/10/rig-veda-position-of-women-2-2.htm