Nāsti mātṛsamā chāyā, nāsti mātṛsamā gatiḥ| Nāsti mātṛsamaṃ trāṇa, nāsti mātṛsamā priyā|| The shloka is from the Skanda Purana and translates as: "There is no shade like a mother, no shelter like a mother, no protection equal to a mother, and there is no one more loving or nurturing than a mother." Illustration by The Geostrata A mother is often described as the embodiment of love, sacrifice, and tenderness. But motherhood is also one of the most formidable forces in human