Festivals - Easwaramma Day

Date: May 6

Legend: This is the day to commemorate the passing away of the mother of Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba. The choice of becoming mother to the present day Avatar Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba was conferred on Easwaramma. On December 31, 1970 Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba announced: "I resolved on My birth. I decided who should be My mother" in answer to a question from the editor of "Nav Kaal" a Bombay Daily paper. On another occasion Swami was asked by a Pundit, well versed in the Puranas, who felt a sudden urge to ask a question, "Swami, was your incarnation a "Pravesha" (an Entrance) or a "Prasava" (Enceinte). Turning to Easwaramma seated in front, He said, "Tell Rama Sharma what happened that day near the well after your mother-in-law had warned you."

Mother said, "She had dreamt of Satyanarayana Deva and she had cautioned me that I should not be frightened if something happens to me through the Will of God. That morning when I was at the well drawing water, a big ball of blue light came rolling towards me and I fainted and fell. I felt it glided into me." Swami turned to Rama Sharma with a smile. "There you have the answer! I was not begotten. It was Pravesha, not Prasava."

"From ancient times, it has been the practice in Bharat to revere the mother as God. From the outset, the Vedas have declared: 'Revere the mother as God, father as God and preceptor as God.' If they are gods, for what purpose are they gods? In the ordinary course of daily existence, they are gods for worldly purposes. For the human body the mother, father and preceptor are to be deemed as divine. But, for the pursuit of life the Divine is the only God. There is another Sanskrit saying which hails God as mother, father, kinsman, friend, wealth, knowledge and in fact the Supreme Lord of everything. This means that for the spiritual life, God is everything.

The mother and father are residents of the home. The preceptor dwells in his Ashram. But God is the indweller of the heart. Only God can reside in the heart. It is true that mother, father and preceptor are divine, but they are not entitled to dwell in the heart. They have to be revered, adored and made happy. God alone deserves to be worshipped. 'God is nearer to man than his mother, closer than even the father. To give up such God is a heinous sin. This is the truth proclaimed by Sai'. (Poem)"

"When I appeared in the form of Lord Shiva to her [Easwaramma], she would ask, 'What Swami? Why are you adorning the snakes around your neck?' I would act innocent, 'Well I don't have any snakes on Me.' She would move away saying, 'Look, there are some snakes inside.' But later on not finding any snake inside, she would ask for forgiveness. Like this on many occasions, she had the experience of My Divinity. Similar was the case with Kausalya and Yashoda. Though they knew that their sons were Divine, they used to get carried away by their motherly affection towards them. Mothers are highly noble and virtuous. Their nobility cannot be described in words. It does not matter if you do not acquire worldly wealth, but you should try to win the wealth of your mother's grace. Only then your life will be sanctified."

Last updated: Jul 17, 2000
Legend from N. Kasturi, Easwaramma - The Chosen Mother, p iii and p 20
Quote from Discourses: Greatness of Mother's Love, Brindavan, Easwaramma Day Message, May 6, 1998 and
Women symbolise Sacrifice, Kodaikanal, May 6, 1999