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Easwaramma’s Love spreads warmth

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Bhagawan has often been heard to tell the words, “Do I need to invite you to your own mother’s house?” There is no power as magnetic as Mother’s love. No wonder then that thousands thronged the Easwaramma – Pedda Venkama Raju Samadhi Mandir this morning on the holy occasion of Easwaramma day.

The programme started at 0800hrs simultaneously in both Sai Kulwant Hall and Samadhi Mandir with Vedam and Bhajans respectively.

Many elders of the ashram who have had the blessing of having known and interacted with her in close proximity offered their respects to the Divine Mother. The descendants of the Divine Parents then offered flowers and broke coconuts at the Samadhi. Arati was offered in Samadhi Mandir at 0830hrs after which Sweet Pongal and Tamarind Rice was distributed to the assembly. The added special ingredient of mother’s love made the prasadam even more delicious on this day.

The programme then shifted to Sai Kulwant Hall with 9 cows being brought in a procession led by Panchavadhyam. A total of 54 cows were donated on this auspicious occasion with 9 of them being symbolically given away in the Sai Kulwant hall while the rest was given in the Gokulam. The beneficiaries prostrated at the Sanctum Sanctoram even as Prof Anil Kumar announced their names. The deserving candidates were selected from various nearby villages including Paipalli, Venkatagari, Jagaraju Palli, Gunti Palli, Kambalapalli and so on.

The distribution was followed by Bhajans and Arati.

The performers where honoured with clothes and special gifts with Bhagawan’s blessings. On this holy occasion of Easwaramma Day, a recording of Bhagawan’s divine discourse was played in the hall where in He questions the youth as to how many are providing their mothers, who are verily their first God, with the love and respect they deserve.Speaking on the principle of Reaction, Reflection and Resound, Bhagawan reminded us to watch our thoughts, words and actions. Bhagawan recounted the spirit of sacrifice and discipline in the personality of Mother Easwaramma with examples from a few incidents during the Summer Course in Brindavan. Inspiring us all to follow the twin doctrines of Selfless Service and Naam Smarana or chanting of the Lord’s Matchless Name, Bhagawan concluded His discourse with the Bhajan, ‘Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanti Nahin…’

Today also marked the conclusion of the three day conference of the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini Project. The delegates of the conference offered their gratitude at the Sanctum Sanctorum even as the Bhajans were going on. Prasadam was distributed to the assembly.

Devotees from Zones 4 and 5 of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation which includes China PRC, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan ROC, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka will celebrate Buddha Purnima in the Divine Presence on May 7th and 8th at Prasanthi Nilayam

In the evening, a special congregation will be held honouring the occasion wherein elders will share their experiences that will be followed by a Carnatic concert by Malladi Brothers.

2010

Thursday, 6, May 2010 -
Easwaramma  Day Updates & Photos

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May 6, 2009: Easwaramma Day

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	Humble tribute to the life of Easwaramma

Alighting from the car upon reaching the Samadhi Mandir, Bhagawan blessed silk dhotis, silk sarees and angavastrams to be placed on the Samadhi. Bhagawan has declared, “My Life is My Message”. It was a sight to watch Bhagawan setting an ideal to the world that one should never forget one’s parents and should remember them with gratitude. Bhagawan also blessed a gold chain studded with gemstones specially made for this occasion. The gold chain was subsequently decorated on the Samadhi of Mother Easwaramma.

Bhagawan went round the Samadhi and blessed the family members who had gathered in large numbers at the venue. After Arati was offered to Bhagawan, He returned to Sai Kulwant Hall at 9.40 a.m and went for a full round granting the bliss of Divine Darshan. Vedic chanting continued for some time before Aarthi was offered.

Sumptuous Prasadam of Pulihora (tamarind rice) and sweet Pongal was served to the entire congregation of devotees. Bhagawan retired for the morning session at 9.55 a.m.

The previous evening, Swami had got it annoounced that there would be the "Burra Katha", a local art form about which regular readers would be familiar by now. For those who have come in late, kindly refer to
http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_07/01MAY09/10-PD_04-04-09.htm.
He had specified that it would be the narrative of Karnam Subamma and Easwaramma. How apt! While Easwaramma, like Devaki the mother of Lord Krishna, was the chosen first "home" of the Avatar, Karnam Subamma, like Yashoda, was chosen to play with and raise the Avatar in all love. And a burra katha on both these wonderful and wonder-witnessing women was to be performed.

In the morning, Swami made a visit to the Samadhi of His parents, Easwaramma and Pedda Vankamma Raju. The narrow lane leading up to the samadhi had been cleaned and paved with buntings and decorations. All the shops en route were shut and people lined up against the roads to catch a glimpse, and if possible something more too, of Swami as He passed by. The samadhi premises had been opened only to the students in the bhajan group and the Veda chanting group. The actual samadhi area had been occupied only by members from Swami's family -a privilege that the Lord has conferred on them! It was about 9:05 am when Swami reached the samdhi. A small procession led Him in and to the glee of everyone present, He was dressed in resplendent yellow! The car halted and as Swami's chair came out, the golden rays of the summer sun kissed His feet and the hem of His robes. It was only after paying salutations at His feet that the sun slowly looked up and gazed at His face! Sunlit, Swami looked so beautiful and sublime. A hush of awe seemed to descend as everyone marvelled His magnificence.

Swami slowly moved into the samadhi building, blessing many members of the family of the way. Bhajans on Easwaramma were on continously and the boys sang with vigour and vitality. Once inside, Swami's face suddenly seemed to change and it looked as though the Mother and Son were in a silent communion. Swami's face had that tender emotion and it was hard to tell whether that look of Love was that of a child or of a mother! The story of the relationship between Swami and Easwaramma is so unique. It is hard to tell who actually mothered whom! Swami lit the lamps that had been placed on the samadhi. He blessed garlands to be laid on it respectfully.

Then, from a jewelry box, Swami took out a huge golden necklace and asked for it to be placed on the Samadhi of the mother. All this while, the bhajans were on and even though they were being held outside without any ‘mike-power’, they were heard inside the Samadhi building. Whenever the word, Easwaramma, appeared in the bhajans, Swami seemed so moved and touched. All the members of the family who had gathered inside took their turns to fall at His feet and seek His blessings. Two huge garlands were being placed on the Samadhi. But they kept slipping down everytime they were kept. Swami told them to cut the thread that had been knotted to make the garland a complete circle and place the two ends of the thread on the two corners. The garlands now stayed in place. After a wonderful twenty minutes or so, Swami moved out of the Samadhi building, into the car, blessing everyone along the way.

As Swami moved along the road, the devotees who had crammed there just to see Him, were so thrilled and excited. They stood on their toes and anything that could lend them some support and more importantly some height, and stretched out their hands as if to receive the abundant Grace that seemed to pervade the very air as the car passed by. Swami moved into the mandir and went into the bhajans hall. There He blessed the prasadam for Narayana seva. Then He moved out on to the stage and sat there. A massive painting of the Mother had been reverentially placed and it made a picture perfect as Swami sat beside it. Well, actually, His chair was placed in the centre, in front of Her portrait. But Swami specifically wanted to be moved to the side. He gave the Mother her due and seemed to want her to occupy the centre stage.

Veda chanting was on and soon the prasadam distribution began. Chitraannam (tamarind rice) and sweet pongal were distributed by the efficient Seva Dal volunteers. It is wonderful the way these volunteers work so silently and efficiently. They are subject to various difficulties throughout their day starting with language ‘barriers’ to being taken for granted! But their love for Swami and Swami’s love for them is so immense, that they continue to toil and slog for Him ceaselessly and with all Love. It is no exaggeration to say that we must all daily spend a minute silently expressing our gratitude to these volunteers in our heart atleast! As the distribution went on, Swami received Aarthi and retired for the morning.

As announced the previous day, everything had been kept in readiness for the Burra Katha in the evening. Swami arrived in the chair and moved through the entire Kulwant hall granting darshan to the sizable crowd that had gathered there. It is amazing how Puttaparthi with such a sparse population a few days ago was buzzing agog with devotees everywhere, now that Swami had returned. Swami moved towards the interview room. He entered the bhajans hall where the three students who were the artistes of the day were seated. Swami examined their costumes and asked them about their evening’s performance. Looking convinced that everything was in order, Swami moved out to the stage and then called for the artistes to come too. As the mikes were being placed down, Swami asked for the mikes to be brought up on the stage and wanted the artistes to take the centre stage. That was done and then they began, with the wonderful portrait of Easwaramma forming a splendid back drop for their narrative!

The Burrakatha began with a prayer to Lord Ganesha. Then it was the Sai Bhagawatham! However much one may attempt to tell the story of Easwaramma or Subamma, one ends up narrating the story of dear Swami, for, it is Swami who makes lives fruitful and wholesome. The story of the divine Mother and Subamma is so inspiring for they were so closely associated with God. The three artistes narrated how the mothers were privileged to witness the divinity of little Sathya. Hailing victory to Mother Easwaramma, the students gave a brief chronology of events in her life. She was born in the year 1890 to Sri Subba Raju. When she was only five years old, the family migrated to Puttaparthi. Her name now finds a place in the list of illustrious mothers of Avatars – Kausalya gave birth to Sri Rama, Devaki to Sri Krishna and Devagiriamma to Shirdi Sai. Swami was born in the Ratnakara Vamsa (clan) to Pedda Venkama Raju and Easwaramma.

Continuing their narration, the students said, it was Subbamma, the first wife of Narayana Rao, who named Swami as Sathyanarayana Raju. One day when Subbamma wanted to feed Pakodas to Swami, she saw all the fourteen worlds in His mouth as Yashoda saw in Lord Krishna’s mouth in the Dwapara Yuga. Karanam Subbamma experienced great joy in serving food to the devotees of Swami. Referring to the three wishes of Mother Easwaramma, the students said the present Sri Sathya Sai University, Super Speciality Hospitals and Sri Sathya Sai Ganga Water Project bore fruit due to the humble wishes of Mother Easwaramma. In those days, Bhagawan used to do Narayana Seva to the villagers of surrounding villages when He used to ask Mother Easwaramma to distribute clothes. On May 6th, in 1972, when the Summer Course was in progress in Brindavan, Bangalore, she left her mortal coil. She called out, “Swami, Swami …” And Swami responded immediately. He came to her, and she breathed her last.The Burra Katha artistes said that though 37 years have passed, Mother Easwaramma is still ever fresh in everyone’s minds. Recently in Kodaikanal, Bhagawan inaugurated a Pancha Loha statue (made of five metals) of Mother Easwaramma.The students concluded with a prayer, "Oh Mother! Please return to earth again. Your sojourn here has blessed us with unimagineable bounty."

As the students concluded, Swami seemed so overwhelmed and nostalgic. It is said that a pin drop silence is a greater ode to a performance compared to a deafening applause. So it was with Swami sitting almost motionless before calling the students to Him and speaking to them. He did not lavish any presents or gifts but the sparkle in His eye said it all. Then He motioned to Sri B.N. Narasimha Murthy, Warden, Brindavan Campus to announce the names of the Burra Katha artistes – Sri Prabhakar, MA in economics, the main narrator, Sri Arvind Sai, also an MA in economics the student responsible for the comic element and Sri Raghuram, Msc in BioScienceswho assisted in the presentation. Then Swami got announced that the same students would perform again the next on the life of Shirdi Baba. Bhajans were on and after a while Swami received Aarthi. Swami then got it announced that the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil, would be arriving to Puttaparthi the next day. It was well past 6pm when Swami retired for the day.