10/11/2025
Two weeks ago, my mother-in-law peacefully passed away from this world. As an aspiring bhakti-yogi (spiritualist) there are many things I’ve learned from here. Her demeanour and character was everything that we aspire for.
- she was selfless - a defining feature of motherhood. She was always asking about the welfare of others - even when she was visibly in pain; she worked hard and dutifully her whole life to give her immediate family, extended family and community a better life.
- she was always ready to serve - whether it was through cooking for others, housing people, or just staying in touch - from her I learnt the meaning of joyfully serving others, and keeping the home and kitchen open for anyone and everyone.
- she was happy to see others happy - in this world of increasing competition and envy, it’s rare to find those that are genuinely happy for others. Mum was a person like that.
And all of these qualities culminated in the most glorious and auspicious passing - surrounded by her loved ones, on a spiritually powerful day in a spiritually powerful month and hearing the Holy Names of the Lord - she took her last breath.
In the subsequent two weeks I’ve witnessed the power of family and community coupled with the power of Vedic ceremonies. The strength with which her three sons (my husband and his two brothers and ) have carried out everything and the grace with which my sister-in-law has served everyone is something I will always remember and admire. I felt lucky to be a part of it all.
Within the Vedic tradition, death is honoured over a 13-day period. And there’s a beautiful power and purpose behind each of the rituals. Everyday we came together to assist mum’s soul on her onward journey, free from any obstructions - and it was a liberating and calming feeling.
