Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part I

[Guest guest]

'Bookman Old Style'"> Kondama Raju lived out his hundred and ten years of

earthly existence in the contemplation of the Lord. He was a master of music

and the histrionic art. He knew by heart the Lepakshi version of the entire

Ramayana, the Great Epic poem in Sanskrit about Rama. This version was a series

of songs composed by a poet from the City of Lepakshi. They depicted the

incidents in dramatic imagery and artistic luxuriance. Kondama

Raju played the role of Lakshmana, the devoted brother of Rama, in all the

Ramayana plays enacted at Puttaparthi and other villages. Requests for him to

play this role were received even from far-off places. His depiction of the

steadfast devotion and unquestioning dedication of Lakshmana touched the hearts

of all who witnessed his performance. He appeared hundreds of times on many

stages until age prevented him from further repetition of the role. He was a

strict vegetarian, prone to observe the holy vows of the Hindu calendar. His

cottage, a short distance from his sons and grandchildren, was a veritable

abode of holy homage. He took delight in gathering around his cot the children

of his sons and relating to them the tales of Gods and God-men. The children

loved to be with him, for he made every character and adventure live before

their eager eyes through the enchantment of song and drama.

'Bookman Old Style'"> We can be certain that among those children it was his

grandson Satyanarayana (the birth name of Sathya Sai Baba) who was his

favorite, for the little boy could sing in a charming musical voice and could

give even the venerable old gentleman a lesson or two in the art of drama!

There was another reason why Kondama Raju exhibited special affection for

Satyanarayana. The little boy disliked non-vegetarian food and would not stay

even in the neighborhood when such dishes were being prepared. At the tender

age of seven, he was also a remarkably good cook! He was so intelligent and

resourceful that he was

able to prepare the most tasty dishes from the meager larder of his

grandfather's cottage. All this he did most willingly and very quickly! (Sai

Baba says that He would go into the kitchen of the old man and complete the

cooking - rice, curries, chutney and all - in much less time than was needed by

the mother, even when she had her daughters helping her to finish her cooking

assignment at her own place!) In his later days Sri Kondama Raju was visited

by all the devotees who came to seek the blessings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and

when the revered old man struggled to stand erect to accept their homage, one

could see a twinkle of joyful gratitude in his eyes that the Lord had taken

birth in his family. He lived until 1950 and passed away peacefully

singing to himself aloud stanzas from the Ramayana. Truly a life worthy to be

recorded in the annals of saints. Sri Kondama Raju's wife, Sri Lakshamma, had

died about twenty years earlier. Her life was regulated by the religious

calendar with its rotation of Holy Fasts, Vows, and Vigils. She observed these

very punctiliously, despite the worry, expense, and inconvenience. Her aim was

only to become worthy of the blessings of the Divine Forces which the

scriptures promised in return for the regimen.

0.5in">Sri Kondama Raju had two sons named after the sage Venkavadhootha. They

were called Pedda Venkapa Raju and Chinna Venkapa Raju. They inherited their

father's musical, literary, and dramatic capabilities, as well as his piety and

simplicity. Of the two brothers, the younger was gifted with a greater variety

of skills which covered the fields of literary composition and the preparation

of drugs and talismans with the aid of traditional formulas. Once Pedda

Venkapa Raju was taken by his parents to a village named Kolimigundla, in the

Kurnool District, where they had some lands which had been given on long lease.

While enroute, and as they were entering the Parlepalli Forest, some

good men warned them to take a strong protective escort, because two days prior

a family of six had been murdered in the forest by robbers and assassins. The

visit was primarily intended to acquaint Pedda Venkapa with the area and the

tenants, but his father had a second aim in mind. He desired to bring his

distant relatives, Subba Raju and family, nearer to Puttaparthi where they

would be safe from the danger they faced daily as they went to earn their

living near the forest. In order to persuade Subba Raju to move to a village on

the bank of the river Chitravathi, opposite Puttaparthi, it was necessary for

Kondama Raju to offer him a substantial "bribe!" This was nothing less than the

"acceptance" of Subba Raju's daughter, Easwaramma, as bride for

Kondama Raju's elder son, Pedda Venkapa. Thus came about the auspicious marriage

of Pedda Venkapa to Easwaramma. This divinely inspired union was blessed with

a son, Seshama Raju, and two daughters, Venkamma and Parvathamma. Some years

passed and Easwaramma longed for another son. She prayed to the village gods

and observed Satyanarayana Puja, a special vow to win the favor of the Lord, in

the Name and Form of Satyanarayana, and she faithfully kept a number of other

rigorous vows which required vigil and abstentions from food.

Roman"> SaiRam