HisStory - 3

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the daughters-in-law as sisters. In due course, there arose differences of

opinion among the four brothers due to misunderstanding between the

daughters-in-law. They, therefore, decided to live separately. I was very

young at that time. One day, Kondama Raju during the course of a conversation

requested Me “My dear! you have a pure and sacred heart. Whatever you speak is

truth. I have made a resolve. I need your opinion on this.” Then, I enquired

from him, “Grandfather! What is the resolve?” He told Me “I want to separate

these four sons.” I concurred with his view saying “Very good! These four

families lived together with tolerance and mutual understanding, all these

years. Now, they have lost these values. Therefore, it is better to separate

them. Kondama Raju then

enquired “My dear! How do you know about this?” I replied “It is quite evident

from their thoughts, words and deeds. What proof is required?” Kondama Raju was

very happy. He said “You have given a beautiful reply. I will put into action my

plan today itself.” He called the four sons and told them “My dear sons! From

now on, you live separately and discharge your family responsibilities. Lead a

happy life.” They were also ready for this arrangement, since the ladies had

lost their qualities of tolerance and understanding. Kondama Raju called his

four sons and told them “You share between yourselves all that belongs to our

family. I don’t want anything.” Then, the sons pleaded with him “you please

stay for a period of six months at each of our houses.” Kondama Raju did not

agree for this proposal. He told them frankly “I will not come to your houses. I

don’t need your food. Whatever I have acquired, you share between you four,

equally. But, give me one property which I value most.” The sons enquired what

it was. He told them “Give me Sathyam. If that one boy is with me, that would

be enough. I don’t need anything else.” He asked me, “Will you come alongwith

me?” I said, “yes” and went along with him. From then onwards, I used to stay

with Kondama Raju. Kondama Raju was very fond of Me. He had Divine Vision. He

was a great devotee and a Jnani (Realised Soul). That is why, he had opted for

Me. He had realized My divinity. He used to call Me “Sathya!” That

normal">Sathya (Truth) alone stood by him. My job in those days was to cook for

him. He took a small room for rent. I used to get up early in the morning

everyday and wash the utensils, cook food and thereafter run to attend to My

School in Bukkapatnam. Puttaparthi did not have a middle school in those days.

Hence, I had to go to the higher-elementary school in Bukkapatnam. Exactly at

one o’clock, the bell used to ring signifying our lunch time. Then, I used to

come running to Puttaparthi, serve food to the grandfather, eat some Myself and

again return to Bukkapatnam, running all the way. That was My daily routine in

those days. Kondama

Raju was, however, very sad that I was put to a lot of physical strain running

between Puttaparthi and Bukkapatnam daily. He, therefore, advised “Sathya! you

need not come all the way from Bukkapatnam daily in the lunch hour, just to

serve me food. I can serve myself. When you go to school in the morning, take

some food alongwith you for yourself.” In those days, it was very difficult to

obtain even aluminium utensils in the remote village. Hence, I packed some

semi-solid ragi sankati (gruel made of ragi cereals) in a cloth and took it to

school for My lunch. As soon as the lunch bell rang, all the children gathered

at one place to partake of their lunch brought from their houses. They brought

some rice and chutney in small tiffin carriers. I had no rice in My cloth sack.

Only ragi sankati was available. In fact, that was My staple food right from My

childhood. I moved to a little distance away

from My childhood. I moved to a little distance away from those boys to take My

lunch, lest they might think that I am a poor boy and cannot afford to eat

rice. I was hesitant to partake lunch in their company with a feeling that I

may be belittling the honour of our family. Everyone had to uphold the honour

and dignity of his family, thus. The next day approached Kondama Raju and

informed him “Grand-father! If I take ragi sankati in front of all those boys,

they may think otherwise. Hence, I will come home and take My food here itself,

even if it is a bit difficult.” It might cause some physical strain for Me to

come home for lunch from Bukkapatnam daily and again get back to that place,

immediately after lunch. However, that

was a better arrangement for Me. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. One

cannot experience happiness without undergoing some difficulties. If an

ornament is to be made out of gold, it has to be melted by putting it in fire;

then it has to be hammered and cut into pieces. Thus, when gold is subjected to

so many processes, it becomes a beautiful ornament. Hence, if one wants to enjoy

happiness, one must wants to enjoy happiness, one must undergo certain

difficulties. I, therefore, informed Kondama Raju “Grandfather! I am prepared

to undergo any ordeal. I don’t shy away from difficulties. Infact, this is not

an ordeal; it is a good exercise for Me.” He was astonished at My reply and

said “What sort of an exercise is this? Why such a big exercise at this tender

age of eight years?” However, he could not say no to My decision. He loved

intensely. He never used to believe any one, except Me. That is the reason why

he attained such a noble end. Easwaramma used to visit Kondamma

Raju’s residence every now and then and plead with him “Dear father-in-law!

Please come and stay with us. You spend four months each at each of the houses

of the four houses. Don’t we deserve to serve you?” He used to reply, “No; I

have Sathya with Me. That is all right for me.” He used to have such firm faith

in Me. I have not touched sweet ever since I was born. If I take sweet,

hundreds of devotees will bring different varieties of sweets for Me. I don’t

ever take fruit or milk or curd. Mine is a simple food consisting of a small

quantity (a semi-solid made of ragi cereals), with groundnut chutney or a leafy

vegetable. He used to tell me, “My dear! Whatever you eat, serve the same food

to me also.” As

soon as I get up firm bed, I used to finish off My daily chores quickly and cook

some sankati and leafy vegetable or chutney for Myself and grandfather. All the

people in our street used to like the food prepared by Me. By the time I

returned from school in Bukkapatnam, all those who were suffering from fever

used to wait in a line in front of our house. The moment I stepped into our

house, Kondama Raju used to tell Me “My dear! These people are suffering from

fever. It seems they desire to have the pepper rasam prepared by you. Please

give them immediately.” I used to quickly prepare that rasam and fill their

tumblers with it. After partaking that pepper rasam, they used to feel relieved

and happy, saying that their fever is gone! I am an expert in cooking. Hence,

people in the neighbouring houses used to come to

our house to take the curries prepared by Me. There is a lot of difference

between the old and new customs and traditions in the villages. In the olden

days, the washerman and the barber used to come to the houses and take the food

offered by the householders on the festive occasions like Ugadi (Telugu New

Years’ Day) and Sankranthi. In our house, Myself and Kondama Raju were the only

members. Hence, even on festive occasions, I Myself used to cook for both of us

and to others. During festive occasions, Easwaramma (the mother of this body)

and Venkamma and Parvathamma (the sisters of this body) used to prepare

“Bobbatlu” (a kind of sweet) in their houses. I thought why not I also prepare

them in our house. Accordingly, I used to prepare “Bobbatlu” on such festivals

and

serve to the old man. I also used to feed the washerman and the barber

sumptuously on these festivals. On a certain festival day, while Myself and

Kondama Raju were taking food, Pedda Venkama Raju (the father of this body)

came there on some work. Kondama Raju invited him to partake food in our house

saying, “My dear Son! Today is a festival day. You also take food here

alongwith us.” Venkama Raju agreed and had his food alongwith us. He praised Me

saying that the items were very tasty. He made a comment also “I don’t know what

is wrong with these ladies. They don’t take enough care to prepare the items

tasty.” He then went home and chided Easwaramma and Venkamma profusely. He also

advised them, “Look! How tasty Sathyam is preparing the food and sweets like

Bobbatlu!

>From tomorrow you go to him and get me whatever items he prepares. I will eat

only those items.” Easwaramma and Venkamma were very unhappy at this unexpected

reprimand. They came running to Me and ventilated their anger on Me saying

“Sathya! Because of you, we had to face the wrath of father. Why do you prepare

the food so tasty?” One day, while I was sleeping during night, the sound of

omkara was emerging from My breath. Kondama Raju, who was sleeping by My side,

was surprised. He put his ear near My breath and heard the sound carefully. The

next day early in the morning, he told Me “Sathya! My dear! We must celebrate

this occasion.” I enquired “Grandfather! What occasion?” He replied “The sound

of omkara emerged from your

breath last night.” I tried to explain away the incident as a routine matter. I

told him “Is this something new? It was always there.” Thereafter, he used to

hear the sound of “Soham”, “Soham” now and then, while I was asleep. He used to

come near Me and test whether I was breathing or not, putting his finger near My

nose. He used to be surprised to hear the sound of “Soham” with no signs of

breathing. Thus, Kondama Raju had several divine experiences. One day, while

I was cooking food, he closed the door, came near Me and called “Sathya!

Sathya!” I enquired “What is the matter?” Thereupon, he held both My hands and

pleaded “Sathya! These are not hands. I consider them to be your feet. I have a

desire. At the time of my departure from this world, you must pour some water

in my mouth with your divine hands.” I promised him that I would do so.

Thereafter, he lived for twenty years. The name given to Easwaramma by her

parents was Namagiramma. Having realized the Divinity in Me, Kondama Raju

suggested to Pedda Venkama Raju to change her name as Easwaramma. Pedda Venkama

Raju could not understand why he was making such a suggestion. Nevertheless,

bowing to the wishes of his father, he gave her the name of Easwaramma. Kondama

Raju thought that since she was the mother of Lord Easwara, the name of

Easwaramma would be most appropriate to her. Once, he offered his pranams to

her saying, “Easwaramma! you appear to be an ordinary woman. But, you are not!

Lord Easwara Himself has taken birth in your womb.

How fortunate you are, Oh! Mother!” In fact, she was his own daughter-in-law.

Will there be a father-in-law who offer their pranams to their daughter-in-law?

Kondama Raju gave a new definition to Easwaramma’s name. He told her,

“Easwaramma means the mother of Lord Easwara. Hence, your name has become

sanctified and meaningful, Oh! Mother!” Another day, he called Venkamma and

told her “I am sorry that all our people are leading a life of ignorance and

innocence. No one seems to have recognized the divine power latent in Sathyam.

This boy appears to be verily an embodiment of Divinity. Neither He is hungry

nor He feels the need for sleep. He is going without food, water, and sleep for

days on end, yet He is as fresh and active as ever.” Thus, those who are able to

realize the nature of Divinity can rise to any level in comprehending Divinity.

Those who are unable to do so can never realize Divinity, despite witnessing

any number of divine

normal">leelas. How can the blind witness the brilliance of the Sun? The glory

of My Divinity was increasing day by day. Within no time, groups of people

started visiting Kondama Raju’s house. When someone questioned them why they

were flocking to his house, they used to reply, “Kondama Raju has a grandson,

in whom there is a lot of divine power. He appeared in our dreams and solved

our problems.” Time rolled on, thus. The elder brother of this body, Seshama

Raju returned to Puttaparthi for vacation. He was under the mis-apprehension

that the grandfather Kondama Raju was coming in My way to pursue higher

education, keeping Me all along with him. He, therefore informed all the

members of the family that he would take me alongwith him to his place and put

Me in the

High School. He did not like several people visiting our house continuously, in

search of Me. In those days, people used to hold the educated people in high

esteem. Since Seshama Raju underwent Teacher Training course, he was considered

to be a highly educated person and respected by the people. He came and argued

with Kondama Raju “Grandfather! Don’t allow anybody to visit this boy. This is

not divine power or for that matter, any power at all! This looks like a kind

of hysteria. Hence, ensure that no outsider visits our house.” --- From the

book “His Story: As told by Himself” (A Compilation from the divine discourses

of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

0in 0pt"> To be continued.... .