Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada was born at Kalady in Kerala in a Namboodiri Family. His mother was Aryamba and his father died very early. When he wanted to take up sanyasa very much against the will of her mother, she finally agreed with a condition, that He should be present near her death bed and also he should perform the obsequies. Sankara agreed for this and took up Sanyasa. When he was at Sringeri, he realized that his mother was nearing death and by the power given to him by God reached there immediately. He was near his mother at the time of her death and also performed the funeral ceremonies. It was at this time he wrote this five slokas which came out deep from his mind. This was possibly the only poem he wrote, which is not extolling any God and also not explaining his philosophy. Mother has been extolled as a god form in several places in the puranas and also God has been approached as a son approaches his mother by many great savants. She is Dhatree (One who bears the child), Janani (one who gives birth to the child), Ambaa (One who nourishes the limbs of the child) and Veerasu (One who makes him a hero), Shusroo (One who takes care of him). But Sankara in these poems is not dealing either of God in the form of mother nor mother in the form of God. He laments to the lady who was his mother and points out how his conscience is pricking him for being not able to do the duty of a son.

2. These five verses are said to have
been composed by Sri Sankara on
the death of his mother. When he
left his home as a wandering ascetic
he promised his mother that on her
death he would come to cremate
her.

3. The unbearable pain endured by her at the time of
delivery, the lack-lustre feeling and the emaciation of
the body during pregnancy, the year-long sharing of
the bed dirtied by the baby, none of these sufferings
borne by the mother because of pregnancy can be
compensated in the least by a son, however great he
may be. Salutations to that mother.

4. Having dreamt of me as clad in the robes
of an ascetic, she rushed to the gurukula
where I was studying and wept aloud.
The entire grurukulam also wept with her
at once. O mother, salutations to your feet.

5. When you fondled me as a child these affectionate
words came out of your mouth: “You are a jewel, you
are my eyes, O my dear one, my son, may you live
long!”. To that mouth I am now giving these dry
grains!

6. O mother, who at the time of delivery cried
aloud in pain, “O mother, O father, O Lord Siva,
O Krishna, O Govinda, O Hari, O Mukunda”, I
offer this obeisance to you.

7. O mother, I did not give you even water at the time of
death. I am barred from performing the prescribed
religious rites for you on your death anniversary. O
mother, I could not chant the ‘taraka mantra’ for you
at the time of death. O mother, bestow your
incomparable compassion on me who was late in
coming.