Eswramma Day

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The Lord Chooses His Mother " “ Divine experiences of Mother Eswaramma Daily she used to witness unbelievable, unimaginable and unpredictable miracles of Swami. In this way many years were spent as few seconds. Ishwaramma knew many dharma shastras, puraanas, life history of saints, and so on.

The story of " Veera Brahmam " and his work " Kalagnaanam " and miracles of Panduranga and Kadiri Narasimha Swami helped her to evaluate the miracles of happening right in front of her. She used to detect the resemblances and similarities. Ishwaramma often used to quote the message of Swami to people affected with fear and dejection. She used to explain, " Patience has to be practiced. A long time is required for the small bud to become a juicy fruit. " As she herself was the personification of patience, her advice to the patient was followed with full faith. It gave them great relief. She used to ask the ladies very often this question when they were in the grip of anger with someone in the house, " Do you break your teeth when they bite the tongue " ? This was the common question posed before several ladies when they were subjected to insult and indifference by their own people.

" Kindness itself as forgiveness of those who have harmed us " . She herself ascended to the level of forgetting all the previous incidents, which had pained and hurt her. Her wisdom drove away the memory of those incidents irrevocably like the breezy wind. Ishwaramma realized that a continuous association with Swami is necessary to reform one's ideas, behavior and inclinations. Hence, She used to encourage the devotees to come to Swami often. Like all the rural women she never had a good impression of those ladies daring to step

outside the family frontiers. She felt that it was improper for a woman to do so. She gave great importance to motherhood and rearing up children was taken to be the only sacred duty of women. She herself practiced the dos and don'ts mentioned in scriptures and followed the footsteps of her husband unflinchingly. She felt that when a woman was practicing such Dharma of a housewife, where was the need for her formal education? But after witnessing the modesty and piety of the several educated and uneducated, national and foreign ladies in Puttaparthi her anti-education attitude gave way. She noticed that good education completely opens the doors of dignity, love and effort. She regretted very much her inability to read and write. She desired and encouraged her grandchildren to get educated as much as they wanted. In 1969, when more than 1000 eye operations were conducted, about 100 volunteers came forward to serve the patients. Smt. Ishwaramma was one of them. Swami encouraged her to participate in service activities. Swami used to entrust her with the work of distributing the saris. She learnt the art of gifting away anything with love and

enthusiasm. Smt. Ishwaramma was elated to realize that Swami had incarnated to strengthen the foundations of all religions. His mission is to make all the people live in a peaceful co-existence and realize unity in diversity. Swami was particular that Hindus. Christians and Muslims should lead more truthful lives conforming to their own Dharmas. His philosophy is not to make them reject their religion and adopt a new one. Smt. Ishwaramma noted this unique aspect and was delighted to see people of

different religions, sitting together in Prashanthi Nilayam and in the prayer hall, in perfect happiness. The Indian and Foreign women often desired to see and visit Sri Sathya Sai Baba's mother and take her blessings. She never appreciated the special honour conferred on her on holy days as the mother of the Avathar. She always mingled freely with women devotees and never cared for a special seat away from them. As she saw the ever-increasing effect of Swami's love, she unconsciously started behaving as an ordinary devotee and lost the feeling that she was the mother of Sri Sathyam. In 1972, when summer classes were being held in Brindavanam, on the 12th day Smt. Ishwaramma remarked secretly to " Peddabottamma " , " Our Swamis is really God himself " . Peddabottamma feeling highly elated and curious asked her as to what had happened. She replied, " You know I had fever recently for four days. Is it not so? Then Swami came to me " . Peddabottamma then asked, whether it was in dream. Amma

replied. " No, it happened really. I was rolling in bed restlessly due to pain. Swami came there and asked, " Ammayee, How are you? " I replied that the whole body was aching and I lifted up my head. Then what I saw is not the Sai, known to you and me. I do not know how to tell you.

He was the very Sri Rama Chandra with the resplendent crown and with mighty " Kothandam " in hand. At once I folded my hands and sat up. I had difficulty in getting down. Lo! When I looked up Swami was in His usual form giving Vibhuthi

prasadam. He said that the fever would come down and went away. Peddabottamma became extremely happy when mother narrated this Divine vision with tears and joy in a tremulous voice. Ishwaramma's mind was saturated with the ecstatic vision. All her doubts vanished. Swami revealed His real form and dispelled her illusion. This rare vision can be taken as a prelude to the merging of the blessed mother's soul with Sri Sathya Sai's cosmic soul on May 6th. On the penultimate day of Ishwaramma's mortal life, Swami came to the mother and said, " Ammayee, tell me if you have any unfulfilled desire " . She replied " With Swami's grace I have completed all pilgrimages. I have seen this biggest of all temples and God residing therein. I have no further desires, Swami. " But Swami knew that she had the small yearning of presenting a gift to her granddaughter. So He gave Rs. 500/- and sent her with an escort to buy some article. She returned highly pleased with the gift purchased. On 6th May by 6.00 a.m. Ishwaramma had bathed as usual and drinking coffee was happily seated in the verandah of Thrayee Brindavanam. Suddenly she called out thrice, " Swami, Swami, Swami. " Swami replied, " I am coming, coming " . Before Swami arrived she breathed her last. She did not need anyone's help. It being a beautiful end; what other proof is needed to reveal her purity, devotion and evolution? Very few people think of God in the last moments. Generally the mind hovers around some material things. But Smt. Ishwaramma thought of Swami only. At that time her daughter Venkammagaru and her granddaughter were with her. But her last thought and word were about Swami. In the Divine discourse of May 6th, 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 a virtuous life. Such thoughts have to be automatic and cannot be induced by external prompting, at

the last few seconds " . The moral value of this is, one has to do perpetual Sadhana I life to secure such an exemplary coveted end. There were more than 1000 people in Brindavanam when Smt. Ishwaramma's soul attained liberation. Summer classes were being held. About 800 students were raptly listening to the speeches. From the side

path three cars came silently to Swami's abode.

Mother's physical form seemed to be sleeping peacefully. The body was placed in one car, with the daughter and the grand-children sitting closely around. The other two cars were occupied by those who were entrusted with the job of handing over the mortal body of Smt. Ishwaramma to the eldest son Sri Seshama Raju and to inform all the others in Parthi. In no time the news reached every one. Countless number of people paid obeisance to the holy feet of the chosen mother of the Mother of the

universe Sri Sathya Sai. The mother's body was covered with the fragrant flowers of respect and gratitude. Devotees went along singing devotional songs. Before sunset the body was cremated alongside the Samaadhi of Sri Peddavenkama Raju. There, in Brindavanam all the scheduled activities took place normally without any break. The chosen mother of Sri Sathya Sai was no more. Yet Swami moved about calmly, unemotionally in a normal way. It is not an

exaggeration to say that there can be no better example in the history of the world to preach 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 " , verify He becomes the world teacher, of Truth and Dharma. Swami says, " The children have to be informed of her 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 or to have sacred thoughts only. 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 the mortal life are spent are the only proof of real devotion " . The annual day of the mother, May 6th of every year has become the Children's Day, to commemorate the memory of Smt. Ishwaramma. A weeklong children's programmes are conducted. The mother had great love for children. She used to narrate stories very interestingly to children with great skill.

She used to desire that children should develop their inherent talents and along with that imbibe noble qualities also. Swami has established a school in Parthi in her name to commemorate her divine memory. By this act He has set an example of showing respect and honour to one's mother and clear the debt owing to a parent.

" Mathru Devo Bhava " is an injunction to make the children recognize the value of motherhood. Speaking on the status of woman as a mother, Swami remarked, " Because of pious Ishwaramma's care and bringing up, Sathya Narayana could grow up to foster universal

peace. " " Ishwaramma Sadhvi yethi Penchute Gadaa Sathyanarayanudu Viswasanthiki edige " . What other tribute equals it! Blessed indeed is the motherhood of venerable Smt. Ishwaramma! The world teacher Sri Sathya Sai made the chosen mother evolve to a lofty height by sublime teaching on various occasions. She had the rarest blessing of witnessing and feeling thrilled at the sight of her Divine child receiving respect and devotion from elderly scholars, very rich people, highly placed officers and by various sets of people from all

over the world. The maximum she craved or the highest dream she had of her son was that He should become an officer and be respected by a few people. None can evaluate the fortune of that mother, who had given birth to that Divine form who was the Mother, Father, Guru to everyone; The protector; The Preceptor and The Visible God to all humanity. Women from all over the world pay their humble obeisance to the pious, ideal

mother Smt. Eswaramba for gifting to mankind Sri Sathya Sai, the Kaliyuga Avatar. V.Srinivasan (Bombay Srinivasan) 302, Khyati Deep, Sathya Sai Complex, Chickuwadi,

Borivali west, Mumbai 400092