Women

This oil painting may be seen as a scene depicting sorrow of the grandsire Bheeshma, who although was a great invincible warrior, respected son of goddess Ganga; but who was helpless when wife of his grandsons (pandavas) was humiliated in the assembly after the dice game. Bound by his vow, he could not oppose the acts of the king's sons. He was the eldest in Kuruvansha. He couldnot show his remorse to others. But Mother is an exception. The only lap in the world where you can cry out loud, and lighten your pain. The Ganga-putra is doing the same.

It is well known that after the Mahabharata war ended Bhishma Pitamaha lay on his bed of arrows and preached the intricacies of Sanatana Dharma to Yuddhisthira for 58 days. Even though he was a brahmachari (celibate) he emphasized over and over again the importance of giving full respect and honor to women. Thus we have: “O ruler of the earth (Yuddhisthira) the lineage in which daughters and the daughters-in-law are saddened by ill treatment that lineage is destroyed. When out of their grief these women curse these households such households lose their charm, prosperity and happiness.” Mahabharata, Anushashanparva, Chapter 12, sloka 14.

Bhishma Pitamaha also 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.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/m13b088.htm