Memories of Mother Easwaramma

It is always with a sense of extreme gratitude and indebtedness that I remember my family’s association with Srimati (Smt.) Easwaramma, the earthly mother of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It would have been a special grace and blessing to have known her at all, but we were uniquely blessed to have interacted intimately with her for over twenty years. I think this must be a direct result of merit acquired through several lifetimes.

My grandfather, Dr. Sitaramaiah came to Prasanthi Nilayam in 1953 hoping to lead a quiet retired life devoted to spiritual discipline. But Swami laid the foundation of Sri Sathya Sai Hospital in 1954 and in 1956, when it was ready, persuaded my grandfather to work there. Swami told my grandfather that He, the Divine Doctor, would do everything, and my grandfather was merely to be an instrument in Swami’s hands., Our association with Smt. Easwaramma had its beginning then, and blossomed into a happy, beautiful, and intimate relationship in the years that followed. When she peacefully breathed her last in May 1972, we experienced a deep feeling of gratitude alongside our profound sense of loss, for she left us a precious legacy of happy memories.

Smt. Easwaramma and my grandmother had always been good friends. In the early years before her husband Sri Pedda Venkama Raju passed away, she would come every morning to have Swami’s darshan [sight of a holy person], walking briskly all the way from the village to the ashram. Though she was the mother of the avatar, her life had not been easy. She had had more than her share of trials and tribulations but she maintained a cheerful and considerate attitude to life and people. She laughed, made jokes, and infected the people around her with her mirth. After darshan, she would sit in the verandah of our apartment, talking to us in her happy jovial manner. To my grandfather she would sometimes say, “What, doctor, shall we see who walks faster, you or I? Let’s walk up to the old mandir [temple].”

In those days she used to worry about who would take care of Swami as He had not married. If we pointed out that Swami did not need to marry since He was God, she would retort, “Did not Rama marry? Did not Krishna marry?” But the years passed and more and more devotees came to see Swami. Seeing their love and devotion to Him, she forgot her fears and eventually stopped talking about it.

Every year on Swami’s birthday, it was the practice for the married women of the ashram to ceremonially invite Swami’s family to take part in the celebration. From the ashram, accompanied by a group of musicians, they would go in a procession to the mandir, bearing plates filled with fruits, flowers, turmeric and vermillion powders, bangles, and other auspicious things.

Then Smt. Easwaramma and Sri Pedda Venkama Raju would anoint Swami’s hair with fragrant oil and garland Him. This was considered a rare privilege and honor and Swami always conferred it on His parents first. After them, other couples selected by Swami would also offer their love and adoration to Him in this way. After Sri Pedda Venkama Raju passed away in 1963, Swami brought Smt. Easwaramma to live in Prasanthi Nilayam. That year, He Himself went to her room on His birthday and had her anoint and garland Him before granting that boon to others in the auditorium.

I first came to Parthi along with my parents in 1956 and continued to make regular trips there until 1965. In June 1965, Swami told me I should live there for good. Since then, Prasanthi Nilayam has been my home. My acquaintance with Swami’s mother soon developed into an extremely sweet and intimate relationship despite the difference in our ages. It became a regular practice for her and I to visit one another without fail everyday. Either she would come to our room or I would go to her’s.

One day I saw a calendar in Smt. Easwaramma’s room with a picture of Lord Ayyappa seated on a tiger. At that time, I had not even heard of Lord Ayyappa and so I asked her who He was. Her answer was a characteristic one revealing her innocence and simple faith. She said, “He too was born an ordinary human being like our Swami and like our Swami, he too became a God.”

One day when the mother was in our room, Dr. Jayalakshmi, who worked in the hospital, happened to come there. She saw Swami’s mother and sat down to listen to what she was saying; our conversation invariably centered round Swami. Dr. Jayalakshmi naturally wanted to hear something about Swami. She asked Smt. Easwaramma what Swami was like as a child. On the wall in our room hung a calendar with a picture of baby Krishna eating butter. Pointing to it, Easwaramma said, “Swami looked like Him, with His smiling countenance and curly hair. But we could not deck Him up with so much jewellery (as the Krishna in the picture). Still, somehow, I do not know how, we got some silver ornaments made for Him.” Then Jayalakshmi asked her if it was true that a snake had indeed been seen under the clothes in which the infant Sathya lay wrapped soon after His birth. Mother Easwaramma said that she had indeed seen the clothes move and though the others in room had said, “Snake, snake!” she herself saw no snake.

Her compassion toward people in distress prompted her to intercede on their behalf very often—to coax, persuade, and plead with Swami. Whenever she saw devotees troubled or unhappy she would be concerned and appeal to Swami to speak to them. In those days Swami used to freely grant interviews to devotees. At the same time her love for Swami made her ever alert to what people might say about Him. She could not bear the thought that people might speak adversely of Swami and did not want Him to do anything to provoke this.

At festival times, Swami used to personally surprise each and every person. During the Durga Navratri [nine nights] festival one year, Swami was very busy and could not give the much-coveted private audience to devotees who wanted to leave after the conclusion of the festival. It was announced that they should return home after the festival without waiting for an interview, and that His blessings were with them. Two days later, a VIP came to the ashram, and Swami granted him an interview. That upset mother Easwaramma no end. Agitated, she said to me, “See, this is how He does things! What will people think?” At such times she became just a mother concerned about her Son’s reputation. She forgot that He was above praise and calumny and whatever He did was for very valid reasons often known only to Himself.

Mother Easwaramma dearly loved her native village of Puttaparthi. Even during the summer months when Swami usually stayed in Brindavan, his ashram in Bangalore, she chose to remain in Parthi. If someone suggested that she too should go to Bangalore she would refuse. She was born and brought up in Parthi and she was content to live there despite the heat. “Summer does not last for ever,” she would point out.

The mother never took medicine. Sometimes the visiting doctors would give her vitamin tablets which she would place in my hands with the injunction that I give them to some poor patient at the hospital. If I said she should take them in order to be strong she would retort that she did not need to be strong, she wasn’t going to fight in a war. If a patient’s condition was reported to be serious, she would frequently enquire after that patient and repeat the injunction that we should take proper care of them.

Once during Ganesha Chaturthi [festival devoted to Ganesha], the Veda pathshala [school] boys were making a huge clay image of Ganesha. I took a little clay from them and made my own clay Ganesha—my first. Thinking that it was quite good, I took it upstairs to Swami’s dining room to show it to Him and have Him admire my handiwork. Smt. Easwaramma was there and I showed it to her. She noticed that my Ganesha had no eyes and asked me why it was so. I said I had drawn them but she said, no I should have represented them properly. She went on to tell me that when she was young she was good at making clay toys and images. Then Swami came into the room and asked me to lift the plate on which my Ganesha sat so that He could see it clearly. Smt. Easwaramma remarked that my Vinayaka [Ganesha] had no eyes. Swami laughed and said it was a good thing, for a God without eyes would not see whatever we people did.

On May 12 1968, Dharmakshetra [Sathya Sai Organization’s building] at Bombay was to be inaugurated by Bhagavan. Swami was in Bangalore for the spring, but returned to Parthi in April with the intent of taking all the residents of Prasanthi Nilayam to Bombay for the function. Only a few would remain behind to take care of the ashram. One day after the dhyana [meditation] session was over, Swami started specifying who should travel by bus and who by train. He asked Sri Kasturi to make the lists. Swami asked a lady, Yajni Bulemma, whether she would like to travel by train or bus. She said that she would prefer to travel by train as that would be more comfortable and she could sleep during the journey. Swami made a cryptic remark about rail accidents being quite frequent these days. The joy we felt at the thought that our dear Swami was taking us all with Him was so delicious we just did not bother about that seemingly casual remark.

Bombay devotees made arrangements for those who were traveling by bus; they did not even have to pay their fares. But a group of 30 people including our family, Sri Kasturi’s and others had to make our own arrangements. We reserved our seats on the Madras Bombay Mail [train] but our compartment would be attached only at Guntakal. So we proceeded from Parthi to Dharmavaram to Guntakal where we boarded the train and traveled happily, singing bhajans along the way. As we neared Pune, there was a strange sound and the compartment began to sway dangerously. Then suddenly it leapt high into the air causing the bags and the suitcases to fall from the upper berths. My grandmother hugged me tightly. Before we could register the event however, the compartment suddenly returned to its normal state. At the next station, the train stopped and we decided to abandon our compartment and move to another one. Luckily for us, there were a group of delegates on that train who were traveling to the world conference of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations being held at Bombay prior to the inauguration of Dharmakshethra. Spotting Sri Kasturi in our group, they took us all into their compartment.

Late and somewhat shaken, we reached Bombay at last. The others had arrived much earlier, were comfortably lodged in the New Zealand hostels, and were anxiously awaiting us. Swami, who had traveled by car from Bangalore to Bombay, went to see them and Smt. Easwaramma voiced her anxiety about us. Looking into the distance, Swami said that there had been a small accident but we were all safe and would arrive soon. He was there for us all the way, watching and guarding us and controlling everything. We knew we could have all been killed, but we were alive and unhurt as He was with us. What should have been a major disaster was reduced to a minor mishap by His grace. The thought of what could have happened to us did not trouble our minds then or later. We were supremely happy in trusting Him, relying on Him without ever being conscious of it.

We extol Him as our mother, father, guru, friend and so on, but we should pray to actually witness and experience His motherly love and care and fatherly protection. He is a mother unlike any other, a father unlike any other father, for no mother or father can care for, love, or guard us the way He does. After satisfying Himself that His flock from Parthi were well cared for, He instructed the Seva dal [volunteers] that the aged ones of our group should be shown how to use the western-style toilets as they were not familiar with them.

Public meetings were held in Bombay on the two days preceding the World Conference and the inauguration of Dharmakshetra. The sprawling ground of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was the venue for these meetings. Swami’s discourse was preceded by speeches by some ministers of Maharashtra [the state in India of which Bombay is the capital]. As they spoke in Hindi, Smt. Easwaramma could not understand what was said but was obviously very impressed by the vigorous gestures and loud emphatic manner of one of the ministers. So when Swami asked her whose speech she had enjoyed, she mentioned the minister’s name. Swami laughed and all of us, including the mother, joined in.

On 12th May, the day of Dharmakshetra’s inauguration, Swami personally took us around Sathyadeep, His residence at Dharmakshetra. It is an architectural marvel shaped like a lotus with 18 petals. Swami pointed out to us that the Bhagavad Gita [Song of God] also has 18 chapters and that the first word in it is mama, meaning mine; and the last word is dharma which is one’s highest duty. Thus, “the Gita teaches us our highest duty as humans,” said Sai Krishna, our beloved Swami. He never misses an opportunity to teach and exhort us to be conscious of, and realize the purpose of our human birth.

After the conclusion of the world conference, we left Bombay with Swami’s blessings and with His permission to visit Shirdi enroute to Parthi. On reaching Parthi, my grandparents, unable to bear the heat, went on to our native place. I stayed behind to work at the hospital and Dr. Jayalakshmi was there too. Swami returned to Parthi on the 11^th of June. On the 13^th, He gave us all padanamaskar [touching the feet of a holy person] and vibhuti [sacred ash] because He was once again leaving for Bangalore. I, along with Dr Jayalakshmi, went upstairs to Swami’s dining room to seek His permission to follow Him. To Dr. Jayalakshmi’s verbal request, He replied affirmatively. I sought His permission with a mere look of appeal and He too indicated His assent with a look. Two days later I traveled to Whitefield with Pedda Bottamma (an old devotee who had been with Swami in His previous Shirdi form). Swami asked me to stay inside the mandir along with Smt. Easwaramma and other ladies.

In Brindavan, Swami ate with male devotees in His dining room while the ladies were served in the adjoining verandah. Swami would finish in about two minutes and then come to the verandah to talk to the mother. One night He said in a very casual manner that He was going on a visit to Africa. And as He did so often to tease her, He remarked that in that strange land, lions and tigers roamed about as freely as dogs in our country. That really scared Smt. Easwaramma and she pleaded with Him to give up the idea.

Swami only laughed at her fears and then to divert her, told her that gold was extremely cheap in Africa. Knowing her excessive fondness for gold, He was being mischievous but she at once became eager and asked Him to bring back a large quantity of it. Swami then told her in a solemn manner that He could not do that as the customs people would levy a huge penalty on it. Swami said that Seshagiri Rao (Swami’s personal attendant then) once had to pay a fine for bringing a watch from the United States, and Sri Rao confirmed that it was true. That night Smt. Easwaramma could not sleep for Swami’s proposed visit to a land full of wild beasts preyed on her mind.

A few days later Swami once again spoke of His intended trip to Africa and said that His devotees in Bombay were making preparations to give Him a grand send-off on the occasion of His first ever visit abroad. They were constructing an arch with 108 lotus-like structures. Realizing that Swami was definitely going to this far away land despite her protests, the mother asked to be allowed to go with Him as far as Bombay. Swami said, “We will see,” in a non-committal manner, but she was not satisfied with the response.

As the day of His departure drew near, she once again voiced her wish. Swami still did not agree saying, “But who will bring you back from Bombay? Wait, let us see Mrs. Java.” He then went in for His breakfast while we waited outside. Just then Mrs. Java came and greeted mother Easwaramma. Noticing the look on the old lady’s face, Mrs. Java asked what the matter was. When the mother gave me permission, I told Mrs. Java about her desire to travel to Bombay to see Swami off. Mrs. Java expressed her willingness to accompany her back. When Swami came out, He looked at the mother and said, “So you have asked her already?” Mrs. Java said, “No, Swami she did not tell me,” but Swami only said, “You should not tell lies.”

So, Smt. Easwaramma accompanied Swami as far as Bombay. After Swami left for Africa, her anxiety for His safety left her sleepless. She did not eat or drink anything until a telegram came announcing His safe arrival in Africa. During His absence, she was restless and had a very poor appetite. Though Swami is the Master of all the worlds, He was mother Easwaramma’s Son and it was always a mother’s love that she had toward Him.

Like all the other devotees, she addressed Him as “Swami” and she had the highest regard for His words. She scrupulously disciplined her life in accordance with His wishes. Swami says the five elements are divine and hence we should not abuse or misuse them. Mother Easwaramma used to chew betel leaves and as she had lost all her teeth, she would pound the betel nuts in a steel grinder. But she was careful to make no noise when she did this because Swami wouldn’t like it. One day when I offered to do it for her, she cautioned me saying, “Be careful that you make no noise. You know what Swami once said to me about it? He said, ‘While everyone is chanting Omkar you make this harsh bell-like sound with your grinding stone.’” Since then, she would take care to put the grinding stone on a cushion so it would absorb and muffle the sound. Swami’s word was the law that governed her in all things.

Early in the morning on May 6 1972, there came a lightning call from Brindavan. The message was that Smt. Easwaramma was being sent to Parthi as she was unwell. We must have been naïve not to understand what it meant. Dr. Jayalakshmi and myself busied ourselves to get a bed ready, thinking that we would be taking care of her at the hospital. But when the car came and went straight to the village to Sri Janaki Ramayya’s house, we knew. The body of the mother was buried on the same day with all due honors.

We went to Bangalore the following day. As soon as we went in Swami came out to meet us; Venkamma and Parvatamma [Swami’s sisters] saw Him and started to weep. He comforted them saying that they should not grieve for the mother as she had left the mortal coil at the right time without suffering any of the ill-effects of age or any sickness. She had an easy and peaceful end and they should be thankful for that.

Princess Nanda of Kutch was there at the time of the mother’s passing. She was a friend, and so I asked her to give me the details of Smt. Easwaramma’s end. She told me that on the morning of 6^th May, mother Easwaramma slept longer than usual and went to the bathroom immediately after getting up. She must have felt some uneasiness because she found it difficult to open the bathroom door to come out. Then she asked the people near her to call Swami. There was a note of anxiety in her voice as though she knew her time had come. Swami too, knew because He sent vibhuti [sacred ash] for her before He came down. He arrived with His hair still wet and asked someone to arrange for 2 cars. Some of the permanent residents of Parthi had come to Brindavan for the Summer Course in Indian Culture and Spirituality. They, along with Smt. Venkamma, accompanied the mother’s body back to Puttaparthi.

All the residents of Parthi as well as the college boys went to pay their respects and to bid a fond farewell to the physical body of Smt. Easwaramma, which was placed in the verandah of her Son’s house. Our hearts were full of love and our eyes were blinded with tears when we saw the physical form lying so serenely. The ceremonies were done, and on the eleventh day Swami personally gave saris to all the ladies of Prasanthi Nilayam.

That very year the old hall in Prasanthi Nilayam was demolished and in its place Poornachandra Auditorium was constructed. Mother very often remarked, “This Swami has nothing else to do but build and demolish all the time. He says He will build a school and name it after me.” Soon after the Summer Course, Swami returned to Parthi and the existing high school there was named after Smt. Easwaramma. It was later shifted to a new building. In the next two years Swami not only fulfilled His promise to His mother but also made good on His word that a university would come into being at Puttaparthi.

There used to be a beautiful clay image of Sri Krishna in mother Easwaramma’s room. Made according to the description of Krishna in the scriptures, this statue was blue in color, with bright eyes, a shining, smiling countenance, and a flute that was daintily held close to His half-parted lips. This Krishna was not just an icon but very alive. It was very dear to mother Easwaramma because whenever she was upset or sad she would talk to this image. After the mother’s death, Dr. Jayalakshmi asked Swami to have it placed in the hospital. Even today many of us adore it daily at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital.

~Ms B. V. Nagamani
Prasanthi Nilayam

Yad bhavam thad  bhavathi (One becomes what one thinks). Hence, people should see that their thoughts are pure and good. Human life is the expression of one’s thoughts. Thoughts arising in the mind fill the atmosphere with waves of energy. Thought waves are very powerful. Hence, our thoughts should be sublime and sacred. No evil ideas should affect our thoughts. Evil thoughts inevitably lead to evil actions. When cruel thoughts enter the mind, men behave like cruel animals. When, instead, there are good and loving thoughts in a man, they divinise him and enable him to perform good and sacred acts. Hence, every man’s heart should be filled with love, compassion and kindness.

~Baba