For the Love of God, My Child and Myself

Maternal Devotion in Bengali Women’s Vaiṣṇava Domestic Worship

Abstract

This article investigates the profound and complex interplay between motherhood, maternal devotion, and Viṣṇu-centered bhakti in the domestic worship practices (barīr pūjā) of Bengali Hindu women in Kolkata, India, and Chicago, Illinois. Drawing on seven years of ethnographic research, the author challenges the notion that Hindu women's rituals are solely characterized by self-denial, arguing instead that maternal experiences—including love, anxiety, guilt, and the desire for children's well-being—significantly motivate and shape their devotional attitudes and traditions. Through the narratives of two mothers, Deepa and Shushmita, the paper demonstrates how these women craft their worship to meet their unique needs and desires, whether through vātsalya bhāva (parental affection) toward a vulnerable deity like Gopāl or dāsya bhāva (servant attitude) towards a powerful, protective form of Viṣṇu like Balaji. The study reveals a dynamic reciprocity in their devotion, where caring for deities provides personal comfort and assurance regarding their human children, complicating the ideal of selflessness often associated with bhakti and highlighting the profound personal benefits women derive from their other-oriented rituals.