Divine Mother Easwarammba Day - 06th May 2007 ( Part 03/03 )

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EASWARAMMBA DAY – 06th May 2007

 

" Easwaramma was the chosen one. I chose her to be My mother. That is

the intimate relationship between Mother Easwaramma and Myself. "

 

That was the emphatic declaration of Bhagavan on the most auspicious

Easwaramma Day, the 6th of May, 2001. In no uncertain terms Swami

communicated how lofty, grand and glorious is the stature of Mother

Easwaramma. The thronging crowd in Sai Ramesh Hall exploded into loud

applause that evening as they heard these Divine words from Bhagavan.

 

 

Easwarammba's Travels With Swami

 

Ask any of those old timers who knew the Mother and

they will say, " She was so humble, so lovable, so

simple. " Swami, who was filled with compassion at

Easwarammba's rustic upbringing, believed that travel

was the surest way to broaden her views. Swami

persuaded her to come with him and the devotees to

Bangalore. Fast cars sped them along macadamized

highways, through stretches of brown barrenness, and

then carpets of cool green, jowar, paddy and ragi,

sweet sugarcane and cotton. At Madras she saw the sea

for the first time. Swami had described the ocean to

her in epic terms, for these were the waters that Rama

and his monkey hordes had crossed in the

Tretha Yuga on their way to Lanka. A few drops

sprinkled on the head purifies a person to perfection,

he said, for into it flows the holy

rivers Ganga, Jumna, Kaveri and Godavari.

 

Easwarammba was touched to the depths of her being as

she gazed in awe at her first vision of the ocean,

boundless in its immensity, eternal in its rhythm of

surge and swell, forever changing yet ever the same,

an endless expanse with the horizon as its limits, the

sky as its roof, and the subtle colors of space –

blue, deep gray-green, cloudy-white. She burst into an

exclamation of wonder that this was the very Mirror of

God reflecting the majesty of his many moods.

 

For the first time Easwarammba knew the hurry and

scurry of cities, the noise of bazaars. She greeted

lions and tigers, pythons and peacocks, and those most

strange creatures, the giraffe and the

kangaroo, at the Mysore Zoo.

 

She enjoyed the cool comfort of Bangalore and

weathered the biting cold of Ootacamund on the

Nilgiris and the Blue Mountains of Tamil Nadu. She

visited the fabled temples and sacred rivers of India,

while Swami showered his constant attention upon her.

This was his special grace, she knew, for she had not

yet completely severed her maternal attachments and

soared into the blissful freedom of supreme trust and

devotion.

 

Easwarammba would often be a part of the troupe

accompanying Baba to remote spots in Andhra Pradesh

and other parts of India and would ride in the car

following Bhagavan's.

 

During the summer months these excursions could become

unbearably hot and Swami would ask her to relax in his

car to be cooled in the air

conditioning but she always politely declined the

offer. Easwaramma never hankered for physical comfort

and was satisfied with the way things were.

 

Sai travels the length and breadth of India

 

When Swami and his devotees left Lucknow for Benares,

the Secretary to the Governor drew up the order of

precedence according to protocol for the entourage of

cars: the pilot car with Swami and the Governor,

the Police car, the Rolls Royce with the parents, the

Secretary's car, the car with the Editor of the

Sanathana Sarathi, and so on. Easwaramma, however,

preferred to ride in the van with her sister

devotees whom she could regale with her colorful

anecdotes to the lonely luxury of the Rolls Royce.

 

Her Innermost Fears

 

The treasure chest of all wisdom

 

In 1956, a sanyasi and learned scholar, Swami

Amrithananda, came from Thiruvanamallai for Swami's

Darshan. He had lived with the great master Ramana

Maharshi for a long time and Swami invited him to stay

for several months in Puttaparthi. As it was Dasara,

Swami was blessing the devotees with discourses every

day. During one such discourse, Easwaramma asked Swami

Amrithananda in Telugu, " Ememo cheputhu unnade, sariga cheputhada? "

meaning, " He is telling so many things. Are they all correct? " That

was the motherly concern of Easwaramma for Swami.

Though she had seen many instances of Swami

doing the impossible, yet her heart was always anxious

and her lips silently praying for her son's welfare.

 

Then there were the village rumors: " This is not going

to last long, " " Sai Baba's powers will soon be drained

away, " etc. Whenever such gossip assailed her ears she

would pull out from the private treasure trove of her

memory remembrances of the incredible events she had

witnessed bearing testimony to the authenticity of the

Avathar that was now before her. On that occasion when

Swami Amrithananda replied, " Amma, he is Parabramha.

He knows everything. He is my Guru and God, " it was

yet further onfirmation to her of Baba's divinity.

 

When Swami made plans to visit the holy sites of the

Himalayas, Easwarammba became alarmed that her son

might fall victim to black magic motivated by

religious rivalry from the yogis and monks of that

area. She confided her reservations to Professor

Kasturi and he calmed them by promising to recite the

Gayatri mantra and invoke its protective powers.

 

 

" Easwarammba Was Like Yashoda " – Baba

 

These accounts remind one of Mother Yashoda, who

likewise often looked upon Krishna as her son and

found herself forgetful of his true status. Perhaps

God had willed it so, otherwise how could she

have experienced the bliss of mothering the master of

all creation? Comparing her to Yashoda, on Easwarammba

Day 2001, Swami said:

 

....The following week, I went to see Kondama Raju

again after visiting Subbamma's house. He came to know

that I was coming to his house. Immediately he called

Easwarammba and told her, `I am not going to live any

longer. Having known that my end has approached, God

is coming to shower his grace on me.' She responded in

an innocent way saying, `Where is God? How do you know

that he is coming?'

 

Then Kondama Raju said, `O mad woman, still you are

deluded by the feeling of a mother toward her son!

Look there, God is coming.' So saying, he pointed at

Me as I was entering his house. She too was

aware of My Divinity but she used to get carried away

by her motherly affection toward Me. Similar was the

case with Yashoda. Though she had seen all the

fourteen worlds in Krishna's mouth, she thought it

was a dream or an illusion.

 

The Mother's Distress As Sathya Becomes Sai Baba

 

Yes, there were many occasions when she vacillated

between being a mother and devotee. The transition

from doting mother to adoring devotee was a long and

tortuous path as her son was revealed as the

Source of divine light shining his benediction on

humanity. Just picture this scene as the anxious

parents had rushed to Uravakonda to visit Swami, who

was then still a mere lad. They were confronted with

a large crowd of devotees who cheered them as, " Matha

Pitha ki jai, " (Victory to the Parents!) close on the

heels of each full-throated " Sai Baba ki jai " (Victory

to Sai!). Sathya was seated on a

chair with flower garlands piling up on his right as

he accepted each one that was offered and added it to

the mound. But when pressed to identify his parents,

Sathya said concisely, " They are Maya " [illusion].

 

" Maya! " exclaimed Easwarammba, and fell in a faint.

When she came back to her senses she sat by Sathya's

side, tears coursing down her face, for her son was

but a shadow of his former self though only

three months had elapsed since she last saw him.

" Sathya, speak to your mother! " she begged. A few

minutes of silence ensued.

 

Then, " Who belongs to whom? " asked Sathya, remote and

cold. It was not a question but a pronouncement. Baba

continued with her lesson. " It is all Maya, it is all

Maya. "

 

Her only consolation was when Sathya agreed to eat

some lunch. She finished serving and nervously

signaled that her offerings be accepted. With a swift

movement Sathya swept all the food into one

mass and rolled it into three balls. " Maya! Maya! " he

kept repeating.

 

Someone told the stupefied mother that Sathya was

bidding her come near and she moved a few feet

forward. He put one of the balls of food in her right

palm and kept his palm before her to receive it. As

she gave it back, Sathya ate, whispering, " Maya is

gone, Maya has left. "

 

This scene is unique in the annals of human

experience, for who can fathom what Easwarammba must

have felt in her heart – nothing could

have prepared her for the jolt as her little Sathya

became Sai Baba, Guru to the whole world. She alone

bore the brunt of this metamorphosis of her dearest

Sathya to a discreet and distant Sai Baba.

 

" Maya is gone, Maya has left " - Sathya

 

Prashanthi Nilayam Is Born But The Mother Is Worried

 

As the years went by Easwarammba had to adjust to many

other changes that followed the ever-growing glory of

her son. She strained to retain whatever contact she

could as Swami's time became taken up by

the needs of the devotees.

 

In fact, she was the one most aggrieved at what she

considered Swami's determination to keep Puttaparthi

at arm's length. The existing Mandir was already at

the fringe of the village and the new site was a half

kilometer further away. Gathering all the arguments

she could drum up against the project, Easwarammba

went rushing into the hall where Baba sat among a

group of devotees from Kuppam and cried out:

 

" Swami, what is this I hear? They say you are going to

build a new Mandir on that hill. How can you go to a

spot that is so far from the village, a place that is

surrounded by jungle and filled with snakes

and scorpions? How will people who are old and sick

and mothers with tiny children get to you? Aren't you

going to bother hereafter with their troubles? Are you

going to deny them your Darshan? What of the

fate of those who come to you in the future? You have

the mark of the wheel [the chakra] under your foot and

you will never stay in one place! " she went on

agitatedly, " You must always be climbing a hill

or crossing a river to find a place to sit singing

bhajans. Which godforsaken place have you found now?

Don't you know that you must consult astrologers

before you think of moving anywhere? And, listen

to me, " she warned, " this Mandir is enough for you. It

is better to have a small place that is filled with

people than a huge building half empty! "

 

There was no interruption to this torrent of protest.

Swami sat in patient silence letting her have her say

and merely smiled at the end of it all. " Speak to me!

Tell me something in reply! " she exclaimed at last in

vexation.

 

Swami softened. " Why do you bother with people's

talk? " he gently asked and assured her, " There will be

no jungle and no snakes when I go there. There will be

hundreds of pilgrims pouring in every day –

and that place will become a Shirdi, a Tirupati, and a

Kasi. "

 

Stumped by this ringing pronouncement, Easwarammba

fell back on her eldest son as her Court of Last

Resort. Swami must be persuaded to contain himself

within the Puttaparthi Mandir, she pleaded. Seshama

Raju wrote to Swami voicing their protests, but the

letter he received in reply rendered them even more

breathless. Such immeasurable audacity from a mere

sixteen-year-old! He was not to be considered a " son "

any longer, Sathya wrote. It was the result of his

own will that he had come as man among men in order to

liberate all, both the good and the bad from misery.

He went on to claim that millions from the four

quarters of the world will come seeking him

and soon those standing at the far edge of the crowd

would consider themselves lucky if they could but get

Darshan of an orange speck in the distance.

 

" Millions will come? Here? Where would they stay or

stand? "

 

Easwarammba wondered as she sent up frantic

supplications to the gods to solve this conundrum of

strange events that threatened to overwhelm them all.

 

The Prasanthi Mandir in the 1950s

 

Though she witnessed Swami's miracles in the company

of others, her response was typically more anxiety

rather than awe. She calculated that one miracle would

lead to another, for those attracted would

clamor for it again and again. She feared that every

miracle would drain Swami's spiritual power. A few

townsfolk had whispered in her ear that his power

would not last long for he was using it up at a

fast pace. She had dared to warn Swami once or twice

about this prospect but had received in reply only a

loud, " Bah! I must make everyone happy. I have come

for this, to lead the poor and the miserable into

Ananda. Their Ananda [bliss] is the food that sustains

me. "

 

Sai shines in Prasanthi

 

Still, Easwarammba was apprehensive of the growing

number of devotees and losing her Sathya. On the eve

of His ceremonial move to the new Prashanthi Mandir in

1950, she seized the opportunity and secured a

boon from Swami that he would have his dining room on

the east side of the upper floor even though he had

chosen the rooms at the other end in which to live.

 

Swami was very strict in enforcing the rule that men

and women must keep apart, so while the men used the

staircase at the west end, Easwarammba and her

daughters climbed up the one at the east side and

spoke to him there. They were no longer allowed free

entry into his apartment.

 

They would be waiting and waiting anxiously in the

dining room and only when they were almost desperate

would he come, sauntering along the veranda. He came

to give Darshan and not really to eat. Sitting

at the small table he would finger one or two of the

carefully prepared and nervously offered items, utter

a few replies to their questions and rise, humming a

tune, to return to the quarters now inaccessible to

them. Swami, like Shirdi Baba, allowed devotees to

place offerings on the table, but the hope that he

would eat something from these was a vain one on most

days.

 

The easy familiar days at the old Mandir were gone

forever. But Swami, in his compassion, granted

Easwaramma a few minutes of access to him whenever she

needed the healing touch of his vibhuthi or

relief from routine.

 

 

Easwarammba, like many of her sisters and brothers,

was pestered by follies and fears when worldly desires

clashed in conflict. Swami guided her into the realm

of happiness, goodness, and wisdom. He

raised her whom he had chosen as the Mother to the

status of his foremost pupil and led her from

perplexity to preeminent faith in the

Divinity that deludes us as diversity yet stands ready

to help pierce the veil of Maya and realize the

Eternal Truth behind the game of life he so enjoys

playing.

 

The Lord Resides In Puttaparthi…Thanks To The Divine

Mother

 

There was another boon the Mother secured from Lord

Sai that literally shaped the mission of Sai and made

Puttaparthi what it is today. Four years ago Swami

recounted this incident during the Dasara

celebrations. He said:

 

Maharani of Mysore, coffee planter Sakamma, and

Desaraj Arasu, the maternal uncle of Mysore Maharaja,

were among those who used to come here [in the 1940s].

One day they prayed, " It is difficult for us to come

here often. Hence, please come and settle in Mysore.

We shall build a big mansion for You. " I told, " I don't

want palatial buildings. I want to be here. "

 

That night, Mother Easwarammba came to Me with tears

in her eyes and said, " Swami, people want to take You

here and there for their selfish purposes. If you

leave Puttaparthi I will give up my life.

Please promise me that You will remain in Puttaparthi

forever. " I gave her My word that I would never leave

Puttaparthi. This is why I have constructed many

buildings in the Ashram for the comfort and

convenience of devotees.

 

" You will remain in Puttaparthi forever " - Easwarammba

 

So it is the Mother to whom mankind owes Swami's

allegiance to his birthplace and his gift to us of a

beautiful and sublime ashram and temple which have now

become a spiritual lighthouse for the entire

world. In fact, as time passed, Mother herself found

it increasingly irksome to live in her village home.

She could not endure the pettiness of caste-bred

conflicts and began to sense more and more

pollution in the village sky. Scandal, slander,

eavesdropping, trickery, and teasing were the sport of

the disbelievers. Mother found the atmosphere

suffocating and with Swami's permission stayed

within the premises of Prashanthi Mandir. Swami

arranged for her to reside in a small cozy room on the

ground floor of the Mandir itself and she felt very

comfortable in the company of women devotees,

guiding, encouraging, consoling and caring for them.

 

All roads lead to Prasanthi - the Eternal Abode of Sai

 

 

Women's Well-Being And Welfare – Her Passion

 

Easwarammba had a soft heart especially towards women

who were widowed by fate and ostracized by society as

if their misfortune was infectious. She also sought

out young women deserted by their husbands and left

alone and helpless. Many such women were brought by

their parents or kinsmen so that they might recover

from the shock and renew their lives. She discovered

that a large number of women who were brought to

Puttaparthi were afflicted by " ghosts " and these

victims of dark spirits were amenable to the softness

and sweetness that emanated from her heart.

 

A boon for womanhood

 

The love with which she treated these women blossomed

as she watched Swami healing the stricken. He showered

compassion on them and applied vibhuthi on their

brows. When they were restored to normalcy

and returned home, Swami used to narrate the reasons

why their thoughts went awry and their words were

soaked in spite. Listening to Him, Easwaramma decided

that she would not condemn or ridicule any woman on

the basis of her apparent faults or failings for they

were only, she knew, the results of persecution and

poverty. The Mother thus became more than their own

mother to a growing number of sisters in distress.

 

Mother possessed a rich spring of native wisdom

(medha) with which she quenched the thirst of the

desolate and deprived. She not only knew the simple

folk remedies for physical illnesses but also

many " psychotherapeutic strategies " (to use an

aristocratic word) that could demolish depression and

remove fear from the minds of those who came to her.

They often confided to her what they would not

tell their own mothers. Her sympathy in listening

unlocked the chambers of their hearts wherein their

agony was interned. She tolerated the long narrations,

never evincing impatience, boredom, or

judgment, and the teardrops that shone in her eyes

were sufficient to drown their distress.

 

She was happy beyond words that Swami accorded such an

honored status to motherhood. During the Nine Days of

Dasara celebrations in Puttaparthi women gathered in

the Prayer Hall every morning and evening to worship

the Cosmic Feminine as Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and

Saraswathi. Mother was also pleased that women were

permitted and encouraged to recite the mystic syllable

OM.

 

 

In truth, the taboo was so inculcated in womenfolk

that they had never dared to challenge it. Mother felt

that women should not be denied access to the presence

of God, and if OM is the purest sound

and symbol of the Impersonal, women also had a right

to invoke it.She told Swami how happy she was at this,

his singular Blessing to women of all castes and

races.

 

Serving The Needy Gladdened Her Heart

 

There was another event that was planned and

consummated at Puttaparthi by Swami early in 1968

which touched her motherly heart and brought her

immense satisfaction – the Optical Diseases Diagnosis

and Treatment Camp which lasted ten days. Four

thousand patients were examined and more than a

thousand operations were performed to restore vision

to those blinded by cataracts, glaucoma, etc. Groups

of old men and women led by their children and

grandchildren came hobbling along the village roads to

the Nilayam. Easwaramma had never realised how many

there were in need of the help Swami offered. There

was great enthusiasm among the devotees, men and

women, to serve them. More than a hundred women

devotees volunteered to nurse the female patients and

Easwaramma was with them, elated at the promise

that awaited the sightless multitude. The Mother was

at ease and full of joy as thousands of indigent and

ailing villagers were fed and clothed, repaired and

rehabilitated.

 

Swami encouraged her to share in the service

activities and commissioned her to hand out saris to

the women. Easwaramma was delighted at the chance and

by the gleam of gratitude in their eyes as the women

took the saris in their hands. She had learnt the art

of enthusiastic giving from Swami, as he in turn

placed dhotis and towels in the palsied hands of the

sons of toil. She experienced the thrill of sister

meeting sister when the sari brought them together.

Earlier, when Easwaramma walked through the long rows

of women with bandaged eyes who groped for her touch,

they had sensed the presence of the Mother beside each

of them

 

" Easwaramma – An Embodiment Of Sacrifice " – Baba

 

Recalling her virtues as an ideal for our modern

society, during his discourse on Eswaraamma Day 2000,

Swami remarked:

 

Easwarammba was born in such a poor family that she

did not even have proper food to eat. All that she had

to eat was ragi sankati (gruel prepared from a coarse

grain). Easwarammba was illiterate. When I see

the egoistic attitude, perverted mentality and

ostentatious behavior of the present day educated

people, I feel it was better that Easwaramma did not

have any schooling.

 

When I was seven and a half years old, I used to teach

Pandhari bhajans to small children in our village. Easwaramma

and Subbamma used to feel ecstatic watching Me sing Pandhari

bhajans and dance to their rhythm. Sometimes her husband Pedda

Venkama Raju would give Easwaramma some money for the household

expenditure. Once two annas were remaining with her out of this

money. One could buy two bags of puffed rice for two annas in those

days. So Easwaramma bought two bags of puffed rice with the two annas

and distributed it to the children. She always used to give away

whatever she had with her. She was the embodiment of sacrifice. She

would talk lovingly to all those who came to her. When devotees would

feel sad that Swami was ignoring them, she would console them

saying, " Whatever Swami does is for your own good. "

 

Divine virtues concealed in her diminutive frame

 

She Was Always There For The Devotees

 

 

There are any number of instances when Easwaramma was

unable to bear the suffering of a devotee and went straight to Swami

and pleaded on their behalf. If ever she took any liberty of her

accessibility to Swami, it was for the sake of some distressed and

disconsolate soul. In one instance there was a couple from West

Godavari who had come with a terribly sick child and had waited in

Puttaparthi for a week. Due to financial constraints they were not in

a position to extend their stay and were about to leave crestfallen.

As a last resort they met Easwaramma, and when the Mother heard their

plight she took the boy by his hand and immediately led him upstairs

to Swami's room and pleaded with him to cure the child. Swami gave

her a patient hearing and then calmly said, " Chustanu " meaning, " I

will see. " But no, she was not satisfied and insisted that Swami show

mercy to the poor family now…and Swami finally gave in to her prayers

and healed the child. As is said, a mother's prayers never go

unfulfilled.

 

After the Prashanthi Nilayam Mandir was constructed,

the Mother who did not want to miss an opportunity to be beside her

son chose to live in the Prashanthi temple itself. This was a boon

for the devotees for they benefitted immensely from her

comforting advice, caring counsel, and ever-ready-to-help attitude.

She was accessible to all and devotees found in her someone genuinely

interested in their welfare.

 

Easwaramma and Eshwara

 

In those days entire families would come to Puttaparthi and as the

Mother interacted freely with everyone, they would confide in her

their problems and worries to such an extent that she brought twenty

members for an interview. Swami had graciously permitted the family

to perform Padapuja (worshipping the feet of the Lord with rosewater,

flowers, etc.) to him.

 

As they did the ceremonial rites, they beseeched him to grant them

the opportunity to perform Puja to Mother Easwaramma, who was seated

beside him. Swami initially refused saying, " No. Do not call her as

she will start recommending, " but the devotees persisted until Swami

gave in and Mother Easwaramma reluctantly acceded to their request.

All the while the Puja was going on, Mother was intently watching the

members of this family from West Godavari and as predicted by Swami,

she started " recommending " saying, " Swami, that boy does not study.

Please give him vibhuti so that he gets good marks, " and " Swami, look

at that poor girl. She has been suffering so long. You must cure

her, " and so on.

 

 

That was the beauty of her goodness. Easwaramma met untold numbers of

devotees who would cry out their heart to her and pour forth their

sorrows. She would listen patiently and not only remember their

problems in detail but bring them to Swami's notice whenever she

found an opportunity.

 

On Ladies Day in 2002, Swami acknowledged this noble trait of

Easwarammba.

 

Griham Ammayi, the mother of this body, used to speak to all with

love. She could never withstand the suffering of others. She would

come upstairs and plead with Me, saying, " Swami, they are in a

sorrowful state. Please call them and talk to them. " Her heart was

filled with compassion. That is why her fame has spread so much. In

order to attain a good name you have to utter sacred words and help

others.

 

Whenever Mother Easwarammba came to Me with such a plea, I used to

pretend to be angry and chide her, saying, " Why are you coming here

with recommendations? I don't want to listen to them. " But she would

persist and continue to plead, " Swami, please take pity on them. They

are in dire need of Your help. Please talk to them once. " I used to

be happy thinking, " How compassionate and kindhearted she is. "

 

Truly, she had a heart of gold. Never was there even the slightest

trace of ego in her that she was " The Divine Mother. " She mingled

unselfconsciously with everyone like any other simple village lady

and shunned special recognition, undue attention or

publicity.

 

A Loving Mother For All

 

In the late 1960s there were a few brick houses situated around the

Mandir. One morning, a lady who lived alone in one of these

structures was burning charcoal for cooking when the smoke

overwhelmed her and she fainted and fell unconscious to the floor.

When she did not come out by 10:00, some people sensed something

amiss and broke open the door to find her lying unconscious.

 

When this information reached Swami, he was far from pleased and told

the devotees, " It is one's duty to know the well-being of one's

neighbours. The least one can do is inquire how they are, what they

need and the state of their well-being. Every day when you get up,

find out how your neighbours are. This is a pleasant thing to do in

the morning. " These words of Bhagavan touched Mother Easwaramma's

heart. From that day onwards she took it upon herself to go to each

and every house in the morning and personally find out whether all

were comfortable.

 

Once it happened that the Mother was on her daily rounds, checking

from house to house as to whether everything was fine, when she

tripped over a pile of bricks and sprained her leg. She was in acute

pain and unable to even stand. Immediately some devotees took her to

the nearest house and the message was relayed to Swami, who rushed to

her and jovially asked, " Why do you have to move like this to every

house unnecessarily? " She replied, " Swami, nothing is impossible for

you. You can get all the work done without going anywhere. But such a

thing is not possible for me. " Swami merely smiled, created vibhuti

and said the pain would soon stop. The next day she was fine.

 

The genuine love that Mother Easwaramma had for devotees was

something very laudable.She spoke sweetly at all times, her speech

emanating patience and forbearance and fully free from pretense with

no sharp edges to hurt the hearer. During the time Swami was still at

the village Mandir, there were many women apparently " possessed " by

spirits who were brought to his presence by distraught relatives.

 

The unfortunates screamed, sulked, moaned, and ran helter-skelter.

Sometimes their condition had been aggravated by quacks who had

treated them with the rod. Easwaramma offered the soothing balm of

sympathy to the victims and a few minutes with her was an effective

tranquillizer which calmed their explosive emotions. Whenever people

called her Mother, it was with quivering lips and tears glistening in

their eyes.

 

Universal Mother

 

Three Selfless Desires – Three Models for Mankind

 

There is perhaps one legend that will always dance around her

hallowed name, and that is her direct inspiration for the mammoth

social service projects which make the name Sathya Sai shine

throughout the world. On several occasions Swami has recalled this

endearing facet of her life.

 

Once she told Me, " Swami, our Puttaparthi is a small village. Since

there is no school in this village, the children are forced to walk

long distances to attend schools in the neighboring villages. I know

that You are the ocean of compassion. Please construct a small school

in this village. " I asked where she wanted the school to be built.

She said she had a piece of land behind her house. She wanted the

school to be constructed there. As desired by her, I got the school

constructed. Though it was a small school, the inaugural function was

a grand affair attended by many devotees.

 

The inspiration behind the Sai Mission

 

The next day Easwaramma expressed her happiness over the inaugural

function and said that she had one more desire. She wanted a hospital

also to be built in the village. She said, " Swami, I don't want to

put You to trouble. If You are troubled, the whole world will be in

trouble and if You are happy the whole world will be happy. So if it

gives You happiness, please construct a small hospital. " As per her

wish, I got the hospital constructed. Bejawada Gopal Reddy, a highly

reputed person in those days, was invited to inaugurate the hospital.

The inauguration was attended by thousands of people from the

neighboring villages. Easwaramma did not imagine that

this would be such a grand affair.

 

Next day, she came up to Me and said, " Swami, it does not matter even

if I die now. I have no more worries, you have fulfilled my desires

and mitigated the suffering of the villagers to a great extent. " I

said, " If you have any more desires, ask Me now. " She replied

hesitantly that she had yet another small desire. " You know that the

river Chithravathi is in spate during the rainy season. But in summer

it dries to a trickle and people do not have drinking water. So,

please see that some wells are dug in this village. " I told her that

I would not stop with these small wells and that I would provide

drinking water to the entire Rayalaseema region. Easwaramma said, " I

don't know what Rayalaseema is. I am satisfied if our village is

provided with drinking water. "

 

Thus it is that Easwarammba's vision and compassion lit up the lives

of countless numbers who are benefiting from her unselfish wishes.

This was not merely an ideal she encouraged her son to make real but

one she expressed actively through her love for all

 

 

23rd Nov 1954 - Swami inaugurates the General Hospital

 

 

The General Hospital – A Dream Come True For Her The Mother was

perhaps the person most gratified when Swami announced that a twelve-

bed hospital would be raised on the hill to the south of the Mandir.

For her part, while Swami was at the village Mandir and even later,

she could avail herself of the expert medical advice of Dr. Lakshmi,

the famous physician and gynecologist from Nellore who stayed for

weeks in the presence of Swami.

 

Whenever she, her daughters, or others of the Ratnakaram family

received the kind attention of that doctor, Easwaramma prayed to her

to examine, diagnose, and prescribe medicines for other village women

too. She longed for a lady doctor who could stay at the Mandir year

in and year out and help women in times of dire need.So when the

news of the hospital came to her, she was overjoyed.

 

Easwarammba joined the women devotees hauling sand, stone, bricks,

and cement from the road up to the construction site and lifted

bricks herself, brushing aside protests from the women. When the

wards were ready, she sought out women patients, brought them to the

doctor, pleaded that they be admitted, and looked after them until

they could move about and take their normal share in the work at home

and in the fields.

 

Dr. Jayalakshmi, who served in the Sathya Sai Hospital, related that

Easwaramma was a pioneer in serving pregnant women and babies. She

advised against magical rites and the offering of fowls and lambs to

Maariamma and lesser deities to drive diseases away. She sat with the

patients while they were questioned, waited for the diagnosis, and

held them firm as the dreaded needle was administered. When ladies

were admitted as patients, she climbed the hill to the hospital to

make sure they know there was a Mother interested in their recovery.

 

 

The General Hospital during the early 1980s

 

Easwaramma – A Living Goddess For The Devotee

 

Pedda Bottu, who knew her well, was warm in her admiration.

" She had no trace of envy and she never relished scandal. Her speech

was sweet with affection and compassion. Her complexion of gold-

brown, the eyes collyrium bordered, the magnum dot of kumkum

shimmering on her broad brow, they all reminded us of the popular

image of the Goddess Lakshmi. "

 

Devotees prostrated whenever they chanced to meet her and sought to

earn her maternal blessings. Her wide eyes gleamed and her toothless

mouth was half-open as she smiled in recognition, satisfaction or

appreciation. They spoke to her in various languages and received her

reply in the one tongue available to all on such occasions – the

language of the heart.

 

The devotees discovered in the Mother a never failing source of

strength and wisdom. They sought her out more and more often and

honored her as the Mother, assigning her distinct roles during

festivals and holy days. Easwaramma did not yield as soon as the

women surrounded her and pleaded that she should guide them or bless

them, but how long could she keep them at bay?

 

 

All yearned for her blessings...

 

On days dedicated to the worship of Varalakshmi (the Goddess of

Wealth ready to grant boons) or Gowri (the fair Consort of Shiva,

mother of Ganesh), she had to accept the first offering of homage

from every woman who needed her. During the nine days of Navarathri,

the Festival of the Mother, she was honored for the first three days

as Durga, the next three days as Lakshmi, and on the last three as

Saraswathi.

 

During The Festival Of Nine Nights…

 

During these days Swami directed the women devotees to assemble at

the Prayer Hall of the Nilayam every morning and evening to worship

the Mother Goddess reciting the 1008 Names which attempt to capture a

glimpse of her Glory. Easwaramma vehemently declined to be installed

on this occasion as the visible symbol of the Divine Mother.

 

She even wriggled out of participation since the women insisted

that she must at least be seated at the head of the row. She

preferred to enter unannounced, sit through the ritual unnoticed, and

slip away quietly. Such was her humility.

 

But on the Jhoola evening she had to yield to their wishes. Swami's

darshan while on a floral swing was the valedictory event in

Navarathri. Women devotees offered fruits, flowers, and sweets and

arranged lamps in attractive patterns before him. Arati would be

offered when he came off the swing, so when Swami indicated he

intended to leave and the camphor flame should be readied, a series

of lamps were waved before him by women singing traditional lilts.

 

Easwaramma was then sought out and brought to the Nilayam to wave

the first Arati lamp, despite her protestations that the privilege

must be granted to someone else who was more devoted and deserving

than she was.

 

 

Festivals fascinated the Mother...During The Lord's

Birthday…

 

Every Hindu child has his " birthday " celebrated at home as a festival

with extra prayers and special offerings of sweets to the family

deity. The child is seated facing East on a sanctified plank. The

mother pours a few drops of oil on the head and others follow her.

The child is given a ceremonial bath and dressed in new clothes. He

has to touch the feet of elders and sit in the shrine while prayers

are offered by the parents for his long life, health, progress, and

prosperity.

 

Prashanthi Nilayam was inaugurated on Swami's Birthday in 1950.

Previous to that year, the Birthday had been rather informal. Swami

delighted the Mother and the Father and their sons and daughters by

visiting their home and going through the ritual of lunch in their

company. After the parents had placed a few drops of oil on his

cluster of hair, the ceremonial bath was administered and Swami

fulfilled the longing of one devotee by accepting the robe and dhoti

he placed at his feet. All those present then touched his feet

praying for boons and blessings.

 

Annointing the Almighty

 

The new Prashanthi Nilayam, however, challenged the devotees to

inaugurate a more impressive though still intimate celebration of the

birth of their Lord Sai. Elderly women gathered at the Nilayam in the

early hours of the 23rd of November. Each one had a plate with piles

of flowers, fruits, sweets, coconuts, turmeric,kumkum, rice grains,

betel leaves and areca, sandal paste, blocks of jaggery, glass

bangles, and other auspicious materials. Shining pots filled with

consecrated water were carried on their hips. One of the group bore a

silver plate with a silk sari upon it. A few elderly men joined them

with a silk dhoti for the Father and they proceeded to Puttaparthi

village preceded by pipers and drummers. When they reached the

Ratnakaram home, they announced to the parents that it was the

Birthday of Bhagavan and invited them to Prashanthi Nilayam. One

could sense their awkwardness for both of them would rather be left

alone than placed before the floodlights on the center of the stage.

 

Nevertheless, the Mother and Pedda Venkama Raju satisfied the wishes

of the thousands present and were themselves filled with gratitude

for the opportunity given to them by Swami. As soon as they stood

before him they lost all sense of time and space. Easwaramma placed

flowers on Swami's feet and stood up to dip a rose in oil.

 

 

When she lifted her palm to drop the oil on the son's hair, he bent

low so that the head would be within easy reach.The father, too, did

the same and as both of them descended from the dais, the devotees

hailed the occasion, expressing their joy in loud acclaim. It was

only then that Easwaramma became aware of the hall and the crowd, the

Nilayam, and the village. It was an embarrassing moment for her but

she was soon relieved, for she found another wedded couple climbing

the steps to place flowers at Swami's feet and apply oil on his hair.

Swami used to select about eight others from different linguistic and

geographical regions to share in the joyous ceremony who were

invariably old in age and rooted in faith. Easwaramma shunned

publicity and prominence and preferred to lose her identity in a

group of devotees, but on the Birthday she had to submit to what she

dreaded most – a public and preeminent role. Humility was her very

nature and publicity anathema to her.

 

The Ideal Hindu Wife

 

Easwaramma's humility was no empty pose. She was very shy before the

camera and argued persistently against being photographed. This was

not the false humility that parades itself to draw attention to the

possessor of that virtue. Many are proud that they are not proud and

protest against praise but are secretly sad if it is denied. But

Easwaramma was temperamentally allergic to the limelight. She was

raised in a cloistered hamlet and stuck to the boundary stones her

forefathers set up to demarcate the fields of feminine activity.

 

Fate brought women from all the corners of the world, speaking a

hundred languages, as well as from all castes, classes, and creeds to

her door. She let them come and speak what they wished but seldom

sought to know what their words meant, for as she confessed, " Why

bother yourself with wishes you cannot fulfill and problems you

cannot solve? " She had no desire to mislead visitors that she had

special access to Sathya Sai and could extract his grace for them.

She was aware that there were millions who deserved his grace and

that she was only another candidate seeking to qualify.

 

Easwaramma possessed the age-old reverence for the husband which

prescribed mutual distance and silence and proscribed joint

appearances on the same seat or even the same room. She retreated

into the inner apartments whenever Pedda Venkama Raju was around and

avoided all chances of a dialogue. But as an obligatory duty, on

Swami's Birthday they submitted to the demands of the devotees and

allowed themselves to be honored as the Parents and to be taken in

procession to the Nilayam. When she traveled to Badrinath and Benares

with Swami, in accordance with the ancient injunctions, the sacred

idols had to be offered worship by the husband and wife together. In

fact, the absence of the wife might even annul the fruits of the

worship. Every gift made by the man has to be endorsed by the woman.

He holds the coins in his hand and waits for the wife to pour some

water on them before they are handed over. On these and all other

occasions, Easwaramma was the model Hindu wife.

 

The piousness and politeness of Easwaramma apart from her devotion to

the Lord won the love and respect from the women of the village and

those who cultivated the lands of the Rathnakaram family. Every

Saturday, she visited the Hanuman temple along with the other women

of her age. The idol of Hanuman had been installed centuries ago as

the guardian of the fort that enclosed the village. On Mondays, the

day dedicated to Shiva, she offered worship at the Shiva temple and

whenever possible, visited the Venugopalaswamy temple too.

 

 

The most blessed couple - A Rare Blessing – Amazing Divine Experiences

 

Easwarammba would never boast about her status as the mother of Sri

Sai. Swami has oft said her simplicity and humility are an example

for all of humankind to emulate. Like the other devotees, she

addressed Bhagavan as Swami and was full of reverence for him. It was

these virtues, along with her golden heart, that made Easwaramma so

very special. And Swami too rewarded her with many beautiful

experiences.

 

Speaking during her Samadhi anniversary celebration in 1999, Swami

said:

 

From that day onward, [after Kondama Raju's demise] Easwaramma never

stayed at home and started staying in Prasanthi Nilayam. Every day,

in the morning and evening she used to come upstairs and talk with

Swami. She also understood My Divinity very well. When I appeared in

the form of Lord Shiva to her, she would ask, " What Swami? Why are

you adorning the snakes around your neck? " I would act

innocent, " Well, I don't have snakes on Me. " She would move away

saying, " Look, there are some snakes inside. " But later, on not

finding any snake inside, she would ask for forgiveness. Like this on

many occasions she had the experience of My Divinity.

 

 

That Ramachandra has come again

 

But one of her greatest blessings was a vision she had a few days

prior to passing away which she confided to another elderly lady. We

know of this directly from Pedda Bottu:

 

`Pedda Bottu,' Easwaramma said to me, `I want to tell you something

that happened to me. But tell no one else.' I sat closer and

said, `What is it, tell me.' `Our Swami is God!' she whispered. I

laughed. `Why do you laugh?' she asked. `No, no, I was not laughing

at you. I am only happy you have realized it now. Well, tell me, how

did you come to know?' I asked. `You know I have been having high

fever for four days. Swami came to me then.'

 

`In a dream?' I asked, `No,' she said, `He really did come to me when

I was rolling restlessly in bed. 'Ammayi, how do you feel?' He

asked. `My whole body is aching,' I replied, looking up at him. Then

what can I tell you? It was not he that you and I know. It was

Ramachandra with Kireetam and Kodandam (Crown and Bow)! I raised my

folded hands and struggled to sit up and get out of bed. But in a few

moments he became Swami again, gave me Vibhuthi Prasadam and

said, `The fever will go,' and went. "

 

`You are indeed blessed. What a rare piece of luck!' I exclaimed. `No

one of us has had a vision of Sai Rama as Ramachandramurthy while

fully awake and alert.'

 

 

The Flame And The Fire Become One

 

This vision and revelation was surely the fittest prelude to the

mergence of that sacred ray in the Paramjyoti, the Supreme Flame,

from which it had emerged. Swami, the embodiment of that Paramjyoti,

himself disclosed the events and incidents of Easwaramma's last day,

May 6, 1972, during one of his discourses on the 6th of May, the day

dedicated to her memory. He said:

 

It was the day before her passing away and I suddenly asked her, in

the midst of casual conversation, " Tell me, is there anything else

you desire? " She said, " I have finished my pilgrimages to all the

temples. I have seen the biggest temple of all and the God that

resides there. I have no desire for anything more. " But I knew that a

small wish still lurked in a corner of her mind – she wished to give

a gift to a granddaughter on her birthday. So I insisted that she

should accept Rs. 500, go to the bazaar and buy whatever she wished.

I sent her along with a companion and she returned happy with what

she had bought.

 

On the 6th of May, 1983, Swami continued the narrative, speaking in

greater detail of Easwaramma's Day of Deliverance:

 

Today 06th May 2006 is Easwarammba Day. The significance of the day

is that it is celebrated as Children's Day, a day when little

children are to be reminded of the ideal, a day when she presented an

ideal. No one can escape death, but the aim of everyone should be to

remind oneself at the time of death of the divine or have some holy

or sacred thoughts. The importance of this day is known to many.

There is a saying in Telugu: " The proof of the good is the way they

die. " Genuine devotion is evidenced during the last moments. I shall

point out a small incident concerning the goodness of Easwaramma.

 

The summer classes were on at Bangalore. In the morning at 7:00

breakfast had to be served to the students. They went round with

Nagara Sankeertan and returned at 6:00. I gave them Darshan at its

close. Then I went for my bath. Meanwhile, Easwaramma had finished

her bath. She drank her coffee as usual quite happily and took her

seat on the inner veranda. All of a sudden proceeding to the

bathroom, she cried out, " Swami, Swami, Swami! " At this, I

responded, " Coming, coming. " Within that period she breathed her

last. What greater sign of goodness is needed? She had no need to be

served and nursed. Swami will come to the memory at that time only

for a very few. The mind will usually seek and stay on some object or

the other, some jewelry or valuables.

 

The 'call' and the 'coming'

 

The Samadhi Mandir in Puttaparthi

 

 

From the ground floor she called, " Swami! Swami! " I replied, " Coming,

coming, " and she was gone. It was like the elephant's calling

(Gajendra of Indian mythology) and the Lord proceeding to bless it –

the two wires achieving connection, the release happening

instantaneously.

 

This is the authentic consummation that life must strive for. Beside

her at the time she had her daughter Venkamma and her granddaughter

Sailaja but she called out only for Swami. Getting this yearning at

the final moment is the fruit of holy purity. It is the sign of an

ideal, adorable life. Such attitude must emerge of its own accord and

not by means of some external force. Here is an example to learn from.

 

Every Child - A Darling Sathya

 

Truly, the whole life of Easwaramma is a shining example and ideal

for Sai devotees to emulate. " Amazing love for Swami and constantly

seeking happiness and welfare of others " – this is the summary of her

life. She had a special love for children because in every child she

saw Sathya hiding, inviting her to seek and succeed. Naturally, they

cuddled in flocks around her. They watched with delight the twinkle

in her eyes and the wrinkles on her cheeks and chin as she joked and

laughed. They were amused and their attention was aroused when her

gold and glass bangles jingled as she gesticulated, while stressing a

point or underlining a caution. When she found a child chubby, she

squeezed and pulled its cheeks to see the patch of pink, the thrill

the impact lent to the angel face.

 

She could be easily inveigled into the narration of hair-raising or

heart-warming tales in order to keep the children wrapped in

excitement. Her pleasing pliant voice reproduced the screams of the

kidnapped heroine, the wail of the wounded demon, the plaint of the

frightened son, the roar of the victorious warrior, and the crooning

of the child cast on the jungle track. In fact she was quick in

adding to her repertory stories about Sai Baba of Shirdi and Swami.

 

The children watched the pictures she so realistically designed and

described – the white umbrella with tassels of gold held over a pair

of sandals, the emergence of the lion-faced God from the marble

pillar of the royal audience hall, the dance of the child on the hood

of an angry serpent. Easwaramma forgot her physical ailments, the

deeper deprivations, and the assaults on her inner peace when engaged

in storytelling. Invariably she rounded up the tales with emphatic

words on humility and honesty, love and loyalty. These lessons were

lapped up by the children for they were soaked in the syrup of her

affection.

 

She appreciated the earnestness and enthusiasm of the young. Her

grandsons were a bright lot and she insisted that they join higher

classes and educate themselves to the utmost. She loved to encourage

the sons and grandsons of others, too. She prevailed upon Swami to

agree with her choice and send money to them to meet their tuition

fees and the cost of books and boarding. She felt pained whenever she

discovered that the dispatch had suffered delay. " The boys cannot

study well now, " she used to say, " they will be too worried to read

in peace. " When she found that a name had been dropped because the

boy had left school, she tried to persuade the parents to keep him

enrolled. To immortalize this warm love and moving concern she had

for children, Swami established the Easwaramma High School within two

months of her passing away in Puttaparthi. Every year hundreds of

village children graduate from this school confident and

conscientious to pursue higher studies and make their parents proud.

 

 

Lovable to all

 

Every Easwarammba Day Is A Children's Day

 

 

May 6th is also celebrated as Children's Day in all Sai Organizations

throughout the country. Bal Vikas groups in every Sai Center perform

songs, dances, and value games glorifying God and expressing their

gratitude to the blessed Mother for having gifted them with the most

precious possession of their lives, their Swami. In the divine

presence too every year small children perform various plays and

Swami lovingly showers them with gifts and love after their

presentation.

 

 

Swami with the Bal Vikas children during Easwaramma Day celebrations

in Brindavan

 

Lessons To Emulate

 

On almost every Easwaramma Day, Swami gives a discourse and lauds the

devotion and love she held for him and the compassion and concern she

showed towards others. In these discourses Swami has shared events

which provided deeper insights into her noble life and character. For

instance, on Easwaramma Day in 1999, Swami revealed:

 

The eternal inspiration Once, on Shivaratri day, after I had

completed My discourse and the Lingas were ready to emerge from My

mouth, I sat on the chair and was in severe pain.Seeing Me

suffering, Easwaramma got up from the gathering, came up to Me and

said, " Swami, why do You suffer like this? Come inside, come inside. "

I said I would not come inside and rather than watch My suffering,

she went inside. As soon as she left, Hiranyagarbha Linga emerged.

All the devotees burst into thunderous applause. Hearing this, she

came back, but by then the Linga had already emerged and I was

showing it to the devotees. All the people got up to have a glimpse

of the Linga. As a result, Easwaramma could not see it.

 

Next day she pleaded with Me to show the Linga to her.

I said I had given it to somebody. But she said, " Swami, I have not

seen. I want to see. " I told her that she would see in the future

anyway. She said, " I do not want to put You to inconvenience, " and

went away. She never had put Me to trouble any time. Whenever she

asked Me for something she would come back and ask if she had given

any trouble. To all the devotees who came she used to entreat not

to cause any inconvenience to Swami. She used to be very much

worried whenever any minister came to have My darshan. The situation

in those days was such that even a policeman with a red cap was enough

to frighten the villagers. Easwaramma used to be very much afraid of

the ministers, thinking that they might cause some problem to Me.

This was only the result of her sacred love for Me.

 

The Eternal Bond Of Love

 

They say great and noble souls never die but continue to inspire

after death. Easwaramma was one such being who unceasingly is

concerned about Swami even after her death. During a discourse on May

6, 2001, to the utter amazement of the audience Swami disclosed:

 

You may be aware or not, but even after thirty years of her passing

away, Mother Easwaramma continues to express her love for Swami in a

number of ways. Even to this day, she moves around in her physical

body. At times she comes to Me and expresses her motherly concern for

My well-being.

 

Once she cautioned Me not to accept a handkerchief from everybody. I

told her that I had to accept when people offered it with devotion.

She said, " Swami, no doubt there are crores of such noble persons.

But there are also a few evil-minded persons who may smear poison on

the handkerchief and offer it to You. This can prove dangerous when

You use it to wipe your lips. " I promised her that I would follow her

advice.

 

Even to this day she makes her appearance in My room. The boys who

sleep in My room have witnessed this.

 

Whenever she comes and talks to Me, they sit up on their beds and

listen. One day I asked the boys for a belt to keep the silk dhoti

tight around My waist. The belt they gave Me had a

shiny buckle and could be seen through the robe I wear. I did not want

to use it lest people should think that Sai Baba wears a gold belt.

After this, one day Easwaramma came to My room early in the morning

and started talking to Me. Then Sathyajith, Sainath and Srinivas

woke up and wanted to know with whom I was conversing. They

wondered how anyone could enter My room since the lift was locked and

the key was with them. Then I told that Griham Ammayi [Mother

Easwaramma] had come. I showed them the belt that she gave me. It had

no buckle. There are many such noble mothers in this world but

Easwaramma was the chosen one. I chose her to be My mother [cheers].

That is the intimate relationship between Mother Easwaramma and

Myself.

 

The Mother is alive today

 

Truly…The Crown Of Motherhood

 

So that is how intimate is the bond between Swami and

Easwaramma. No doubt the crown of motherhood was acquired by

Easwaramma as a reward for her accumulated goodness but in this life

too she rose to those heights which made a laudable example of a great

devotee of the Lord. Her love for him was unparalleled and as well as

being an ideal wife, sister, mother, and grandmother, she was a

constant source of support, inspiration and love for the village folk

and the ever-expanding Sai family. The Lord chose her as his Mother

not only as a reward for her past deeds but also, as Prof. Kasturi

noted, " in appreciation of what she was capable of in this life. "

And with the Supreme Teacher to guide her, she learned every lesson

Swami gave her with his glance, a word, a question, or a smile, and

became a living saint radiating love and purity. Ultimately, the great

soul we know as Easwaramma reached a state where she took every

event and emotion, every thought and activity as a gem set doorway

through which she could cognize the One.

 

Most of the content for this cover story is taken from

Prof. Kasturi's book Easwaramma - The Chosen Mother. We have

also interacted with several long time devotees of Bhagawan

and integrated their experiences into the story.