Easwaramma Day, May 6

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Easwaramma Day

 

In 1972, Bhagavan Baba conducted a month long Summer Course on Indian Culture

and Spirituality at Brindavan, Whitefield. 800 boys and girls selected from

colleges situated in all the various states of India were chosen for the camp.

 

When Easwaramma, Bhagavan Baba's mother came to know about it, she desired to be

there. She took up residence on the ground floor of Swami's bungalow with other

families.

 

On the eleventh or twelfth day of the camp, the Mother had an experience that

reaffirmed her faith that Swami was God. She had high fever for four days and

Swami visited her enquiring about her health. When she looked up she was amazed

to see "Sri Rama with Kireetam and Kodandam" (Crown and Bow). She raised her

folded hands and struggled to sit up. But in a few moments He became Swami

again. He gave her Vibhuti Prasad and assured her of recovery from her fever.

She shared the thrill of this encounter with an intimate friend.

 

This divine revelation proved to be the prelude for her merger with the

Paranjyoti (Supreme Flame). It was the 6th May 1972 about 7 in the morning.

Students had already completed Nagar Sankeertan; Swami had given them a Darshan

at its close. Then He went for His bath. Meanwhile, Easwaramma had finished her

bath. She drank her coffee and was seated on the inner verandah. All of a

sudden proceeding to the bathroom, she cried out, "Swami, Swami, Swami!"

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

That was an authentic consummation, a yearning at the final moment for God. It

was the sign of her holy purity. She was a model mother, chosen by God to be

His mother.

 

Easwaramma was a poor, middle-aged, tender-hearted, pious, illiterate rural

housewife. When she was invested with the onerous responsibility to mother God

Himself, she rose to the occasion and with steadfast courage enacted the role

and encountered the challenges. She experienced all the grief and joy, hope and

despair, anxiety and assurance of the mothers (Kausalya and Yasoda) of previous

incarnations Rama and Krishna.

 

Easwaramma, like every other Hindu housewife of her region was conversant with

the Telegu ballads, legends, folk songs and tales that have gathered around

Rama and Krishna. But, it took years of intimate observation and hundreds of

inexplicable incidents and intimations to convince her that the child she had

fondled had come to prove the Bhagavatha and the Ramayana as true.

 

As mother of the Avatar she was venerated by all the devotees. But, she herself

was an earnest sadhak guided by her Divine son through the tangles of life. She

expanded in her awareness beyond the barricades of tradition and taboo, custom

and caste of her people. She rose to be the universal mother of the fast

multiplying multi-lingual, multi-racial, multi-credal, global family of Sai.

 

May 6 for Sai devotees in Easwaramma Commemoration Day. On this auspicious

occasion Bhagavan Baba visits His mother's Samadhi and makes obeisance to her

memory, to set a model for others. In the evening He gives a discourse

highlighting the glory of motherhood. He reminds people of the roles of

Madalasa, Iswar Chandra's Mother, Putlibai and others in shaping the destiny of

their children. Mothers, Bhagavan says, have the unique privilege of instilling

the first seeds of spirituality and human values in their children. Bhagavan

lays equal emphasis on children revering their mothers. He reminds them of

Rama's words, "Mother and motherland are greater than Heaven itself", and

"Parents are the visible embodiments of God."

 

(Based on Easwaramma: The Chosen Mother by N. Kasturi)

 

Spiritual Impressions, Puttaparthi, Mar-Apr. 1997, pag. 22-23Published by

Sai Towers Publishing: http://www.saitowers.com/

 

Easwaramma, the Chosen Mother with Sri Sathya Sai Baba

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