Easwaramma—a Mother’s Life with the Lord

People from all over the world honor the pious, righteous mother Easwaramma for gifting mankind with Sri Sathya Sai, the Avatar [incarnation of God] of the Kaliyuga [Iron Age, also known as the age of unrighteousness]. Most fortunate was she who had the rarest blessing of witnessing the sight of her Divine child receiving respect and devotion from elderly scholars, wealthy people, politicians, and people from all sectors of society. Swami speaking on the status of woman as a mother remarked, “Because of Easwaramma’s care and sacrifice, Sathyanarayana could grow up to foster universal peace.”

Always the respectful son, Sri Sathya Sai even after declaring “I am Sai Baba,” and announcing His mission, kept His promise to His mother to stay in the small village of Puttaparthi [the village in Andhra Pradesh, South India where Sai Baba was born and has His main ashram]. As His fame spread, throngs of devotees made their way to this remote area. Soon the old mandir [temple] was unable to accommodate the crowds. Swami pointed to a big mound full of trees and proclaimed that a temple would be built there. Easwaramma was stunned because that whole area was thick forest on a big hill.

Would it be possible to construct a temple in that inhospitable place? Puttaparthi was an isolated village with hardly any facilities. She expressed her fears to her son, “It is better for you to have a small temple fully occupied than a big one half empty.” He listened to her apprehensions and simply smiled. He tenderly comforted her, “Why do you pay attention to the words of others? When I go there, neither the forest nor the snakes will be present. Hundreds of devotees will arrive daily. That place will be like Shirdi, or Tirupati, or Kasi [places of spiritual significance in India]. But the mother was not reassured. She asked her eldest son Seshama Raju to convince Sathyam to be satisfied with the old temple.

Seshama Raju immediately wrote to Swami expressing his doubts. Any human being would think along those same lines. Constructing a temple on a heavily wooded hillock in such a remote village, with no equipment or plans seemed indeed to be wishful thinking. But the reply written by the 16 year old Sai Baba rendered them silent and subdued. “From the four corners of the world people will be streaming in, with the belief that God has manifested in human form to liberate everyone, good and bad.” Further, Swami prophesized that a day would come when people would consider it a blessing even if they saw Him as a saffron dot from a great distance away. When Easwaramma heard this she expressed great misgivings. Faced with no other alternative, she started praying to family deities to avert this crisis.

Miraculously, within a short span of six years a beautiful mandir named Prasanthi Nilayam [abode of peace], emerged in the exact spot where Swami willed it. This is not a mere temple built of bricks and mortar. This is the example of the bond of love between the Avatar and His devotees. As time progressed, Easwaramma had no alternative but to accept Swami’s power as Divine.

As she witnessed Swami’s grand miracles, she grew more anxious as she felt that people expected to see miracles all the time. The mother feared it would take a toll on her son and reduce His spiritual powers. People in their ignorance said that Swami’s power would soon dwindle as He was using it repeatedly and indiscriminately. She cautioned Him and expressed her concern. Swami however, always smiled away such apprehensions. The power earned by yogic practices gets diminished by use. Swami’s divine power is not acquired, it is innate. He is the primordial energy. He uses this inexhaustible power generously, to confer happiness on all humanity.

According to human calculations, His extraordinary power should be negligible by now, but the reality is that it is increasing by leaps and bounds. This is yet another illustration to prove to the skeptical world that Swami is an incarnation of God and is energy personified. He tried to allay his mother’s fears by pointing out, “I have to make every one happy. I have come to confer happiness to those who take shelter in Me in times of agony and distress. Their happiness is my nourishment.” Easwaramma was not consoled and brought up other issues surrounding Swami that concerned her.

Swami’s eating habits were a constant source of anxiety. She felt He ate very little and never seemed to enjoy His meals. He never appeared hungry nor did He desire any particular food. The mother’s heart was full of remorse, unable to understand her failure to entice her son with tasty food. She especially felt that when He was visiting other areas and she was unable to accompany Him, He would lack proper nourishment. His body would have to get used to new foods, water, and climate conditions. She watched Him serve His devotees full of bliss and compassion, but never stopping to eat nor rest. She realized only as time went by that Swami is the very personification of health, wealth, and happiness. Food and sleep were of no importance to Him.

Throughout her blessed life Easwaramma witnessed incredible miracles. She was well versed in many shastras [scriptures] and was able to comprehend Swami’s great leelas [divine play], by comparing them to amazing stories of past saints. She quoted Swami on many occasions using His messages to rid people of fear and dejection. She emphasized patience and faith and often said, “Be patient. Remember it takes a long time for a tiny seed to grow into a sweet fruit.” She appeased anger by talking about kindness and forgiveness. She led the common folk into Swami’s fold for she realized how continual association with Him raised one’s character and outlook.

Being old fashioned and simple in her ways, Easwaramma initially did not approve of women leaving home to work. She believed that women should be dutiful wives and mothers, and therefore did not need education. Gradually however, after coming in contact with so many highly educated women who visited Puttaparthi from within India and from the West, she changed her opinion and regretted her inability to read and write. She encouraged her grandchildren to pursue higher education.

In 1969, when more than 1,000 eye operations were conducted, about 100 volunteers came forward to serve the patients. Easwaramma was one of them. Swami encouraged her to participate in service activities. He used to entrust her with the work of distributing saris. She learnt to give from the heart with love and enthusiasm.

Mother Easwaramma was proud that her son had incarnated to strengthen the foundations of all religions. His mission is to make all people live in peaceful co-existence and recognize unity in diversity. Swami emphasizes that Hindus, Christians, and Muslims should lead more truthful lives conforming to their own unique religions. His philosophy is not to make them reject their religion and adopt a new one, but to become better human beings. Easwaramma noted this unique aspect and was delighted to see people of different religions sitting together in the prayer hall at Prasanthi Nilayam in perfect harmony.

Indian and Western women often desired to visit Sathya Sai Baba’s mother and receive her blessings. She resisted the special honor conferred on her on holy days because she was the mother of the Avatar. She liked to mingle with women devotees and never cared for any special treatment. As she saw the ever increasing effect of Swami’s love, she behaved more and more as an ordinary devotee, and felt less like the divine mother.

In 1972, when summer classes were being held in Brindavan [Sai Baba’s ashram in Bangalore, South India], Easwaramma confided in Peddabottamma, [an ardent devotee of Swami] remarking, “Our Swami is really God Himself.” Peddabottamma inquired as to what happened to make her feel that way. She replied, “You know I have had a fever for four days. At that time Swami came to me.” Upon asking whether it was in a dream, mother replied, “No, it happened really. I was rolling in bed restlessly with the pain. Swami came to me and asked me how I was. I replied that my whole body was aching and when I lifted my head who I saw was not the Sai known to you and me. He was Sri Ramachandra [Avatar of Vishnu, Lord of Preservation in the Hindu trinity] with the resplendent crown and the mighty Kodandam [bow] in hand. I folded my hands and sat up. I had difficulty in getting out of bed. Lo! When I looked up, Swami was in His usual form giving vibhuti [sacred ash]. He assured me that the fever would come down.”

Peddabottamma was elated when mother Easwaramma described this divine vision in a tremulous voice with tears of joy streaming down her face. Easwaramma’s mind was saturated with the ecstatic vision. All her doubts vanished. Swami revealed his true form and dispelled any doubts she may have had. This rare vision seemed timely because soon after, the blessed mother’s soul merged with the Lord.

The day before Easwaramma left this world, Swami came to her and said, “Ammayee [mother], tell me if you have any unfulfilled desire.” She replied that with Swami’s grace she had completed all pilgrimages, seen this biggest of all temples and God residing within. She had no further desires. But Swami, always attentive to detail knew that she wished to give her granddaughter a gift. He gave her 500 rupees and sent her with an escort to fulfill her desire.

On May 6th, around 6.00 a.m. Easwaramma had bathed as usual and was contentedly drinking coffee on the verandah of Trayee Brindavan. Suddenly she called out “Swami, Swami, Swami.” Swami replied, “I am coming, I am coming.” Before He arrived she had breathed her last. She died peacefully and with God’s name on her lips. Very few people think of God in the last moments. Although her daughter and granddaughter were with her, her last thoughts and words were with Swami.

News of Easwaramma’s passing soon reached everyone. There were more than 1,000 people in Brindavan at the time. About 800 students were attending summer classes. Hundreds of people paid their respects to the holy mother whose body was covered with fragrant flowers. She was placed in a car with family around her and devotees followed along singing bhajans [devotional songs]. The oldest son Seshama Raju performed the last rites and she was cremated alongside the samadhi [burial site] of her husband.

Even though everyone was grieving, all scheduled activities in Brindavan continued as normal. Swami was calm and unemotional. What better example of equipoise and detachment. It is because of this practice and implementation of the principle of equanimity that when Sri Sathya Sai says, “My life is my message,” He is revered as a world teacher of truth and righteousness.

In His Divine discourse on May 6, 1983, Swami says, “To think of God during the last moments of life is the result of great purity of mind. This is an indication of an exemplary and virtuous life. Such thoughts have to be automatic and cannot be induced by external prompting at the last few seconds.” The lesson to learn is that one has to do perpetual sadhana [spiritual discipline] in life to secure such a coveted end.

Swami says, “The children have to be informed of mother Easwaramma’s virtuous character, fortitude, and patience. No one can escape death. But the goal of life must be to think of God at the time of death, indeed to have sacred thoughts at all times. There is a proverb in Telugu which says the type of death one meets with is the proof of the virtuosity of man. How the last few moments of mortal life are spent is the only proof of real devotion.”

Easwaramma Day, May 6^th, has become an annual celebration of children to commemorate the memory of the divine mother. Children’s programs are conducted for a week. Easwaramma had great love for children, often narrating stories and encouraging them to develop their inherent talents and augment their character with noble qualities.

Swami has established in her name a school in Puttaparthi to honor her memory. He has shown by example how important it is to respect one’s mother and clear one’s debt to a parent. “Matru devo bhava” is an injunction to make children recognize the value of motherhood.

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Divine Path Mahila, pp. 36-46