Who is Easwaramma?
“Who is Easwaramma? She is the mother of Easwara (God). This was not the name given to her by parents.”

“Easwaramma, the mother of this physical body (Sathya Sai Baba), was first christened as Namagiriamma at the time of birth. But after marriage, Kondama Raju, the grandfather of this physical body, being a Jnanai (wise man) and blessed with a vision of future, started calling her Easwaramma (mother of Easwara).”

“Kondama Raju, being one with wisdom always craved for Me. One day, he called Pedda Venkama Raju by his side and told him to change his wife’s name to ‘Easwaramma’. He told this because he felt the divine vibration originating from within. His intention was to convey that she was the mother of Easwara, God Himself. But, Pedda Vankama Raju was not aware of the inner meaning of this name. He implicitly obeyed the command of his father and changed the name of his wife to Easwaramma.”

“Easwaramma was born in such a poor family that she did not even have proper food to eat. All that she had to eat was Ragi Sankati (gruel prepared from a coarse of grain). Even I too eat Ragi Sankati only.”

“Easwaramma was illiterate. When I see the egoistic attitude, perverted mentality and ostentatious behaviour of the present-day educated people, I feel it was good that Easwaramma did not have any schooling.”

A Mother to all….
“When I was seven and half years old, I used to teach Pandhari Bhajan to small children in our village. Easwaramma and Subbamma used to feel ecstatic watching me sing Pandhari Bhajans and dance to their rhythm. Sometimes, her husband Pedda Venkama raju would give Easwaramma some money for household expenditure. Once two annas were remaining with her out of this money. One could buy two bags of puffed rice for two annas in those days. So, Easwaramma bought two bags of puffed rice with the two annas and distributed to the children. She always used to give away whatever she had with her. She was the embodiment of sacrifice. She used to talk lovingly to all those who come to her. When devotees would feel sad that Swami was ignoring them, she would console them saying, ‘Whatever Swami does is for your own good.’

“When I was being taken to Uravakonda for further education, all those children whom I used to teach many good things in the evening felt very dejected. At the time of leaving, ten of those children came to Me and offered one Bottu (three paise) each as Guru Dakshina (an offering of gratitude to teacher). When I gave this money to Easwaramma, she was moved to tears. She held My hands and exclaimed, “What a spirit of sacrifice at such a tender age’. Till she breathed her last, she kept those coins with her.”

…with Kondama Raju in His last moments

“After the construction of Prasanthi Nilayam, one day I went to see Kondama Raju. He asked Easwaramma to get a glass of water. He told her, ‘God has come to take me away. He made a promise that He would pour water into my mouth with His hands, before I leave this body. He has come to fulfil His promise.’ Puzzled by Kondama Raju’s request, Easwaramma said, ‘You are not suffering from any disease, you don’t have fever or cold. What makes you think that your end has approached? Then Kondama Raju said, ‘Death occurs as per the will of God. Just as birth has no reason, death too has no reason. This is the Truth of truths.’ Easwaramma did not want to argue with him. According to his wish, she brought a glass full of water and gave him. He sat down on the floor and made Me sit on the coat. He kept his head on my knees and said, ‘Swami! Please listen to My prayer.’ Easwaramma was watching all this. She wondered, how is it that he had so much of love and regard for his young grandson. Kondama Raju said, ‘As you know, I was a doing a small business to make both ends meet. Perhaps I may still have to pay a paisa or Anna to certain people. Please bless me so that I am not indebted to anyone in my death. I said, ‘So shall it be’ and started pouring water into his mouth. He breathed his last, as he was drinking water. His desire was fulfilled. Before leaving his mortal coil, he told Easwaramma not to get deluded by body attachment. He said, ‘Bodily attachment is temporary, whereas Atmic relationship is permanent. So, give up body attachment and develop attachment to the Atma.”

Father-in-law adores daughter-in-law
‘Noble Mothers give birth to noble sons. Mothers should also feel lucky to have noble sons. Kondama Raju used to tell his daughter-in-law, Easwaramma, you have no idea of your great good fortune. You are not an ordinary woman. The Lord Himself is with you. What a lucky woman you are!” Easwaramma was the daughter-in-law of Kondama Raju. Has there been any instance of a father-in-law adoring his daughter-in-law? He used to say, ‘Easwaramma! Your name has been vindicated.’ Easwara’s mother is Easwaramma. This was the way he praised Easwaramma. Kondama Raju was one of those rare persons who could perceive the truth. Those who cannot recognize will never be able to understand! They are like a blind man who cannot see the sun even during the day”.

Bhagawan shows Glimpse of Divinity to Easwaramma
….From that day onwards, Easwaramma never stayed at home. She started staying in Prasanthi Nilayam. Everyday, both in the morning and evening, she used to come upstairs and talk to Swami. She also understood My divinity very well. When I appeared in the form of Lord Shiva to her, she would ask, ‘What Swami? Why are you adorning the snakes around your neck?’ I would ac innocent, ‘Well, I don’t have any snakes on Me’, She would move away saying, ‘There are some snakes inside.’ But later on, not finding any snakes 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 toward them. Mothers are highly noble and virtuous. Their nobility cannot be described in words.”

Motherly concern of Easwaramma
“Once on a Shivarathri day, after I had completed My discourse, the Lingas were ready to emerge from My mouth. I sat on a chair and was in severe pain. Seeing Me suffering, Easwaramma got up from the gathering, came up to Me and said, ‘Swami! Why do you suffer like this? Come inside, come inside.’ I said, I would not come inside. She cried and tried to persuade Me, but I did not budge an inch. Unable to see My suffering, she went inside. As soon as she left, Hiranyagarbha Linga emerged. All the devotees burst into thunderous applause. Listening to this, she came back, but by them the Linga had already emerged and I was showing it the devotees. All the people got up to have a glimpse of the Linga. As a result, Easwaramma could not see it. Next day she pleaded with Me to show the Linga to her. I said I had given it to somebody. But she said, ‘I have not seen. I want to see.’ I told her that she would see in future anyway. She said, ‘I do not want to put to You to any inconvenience’, and went away. She had never put Me to trouble any time. Whenever she asked Me for something, she would come back and inquire if she had given any trouble. To all devotees who came, she used to entreat not to cause any inconvenience to Swami.”

Three wishes of Mother Easwaramma
“Easwar Chandra Vidyasagar spent all his earnings to fulfill the desires of his mother. Easwaramma also had similar desires. One she told Me, ‘Swami! Our Puttaparthi is a small village. As there is no school in this village, the children are forced to walk long distances to attend schools in the neighbouring villages. I know that You are the ocean of compassion. Please construct a small school in the village.’ I asked, where she wanted the school to be built. She said she had a piece of land behind her house. She wanted the school to be constructed there. As desired by her, I got the school constructed. Though it was a small school, the inaugural function was a grand affair, attended by many devotees. The next day, Easwaramma expressed her happiness over the inaugural function and said that she had one more desire. She wanted a hospital also to be built in the village. She said, ‘Swami! I don’t want to put You to trouble. If You are troubled, the whole world will be in trouble and if You are happy, the world will be happy. So, if it gives You happiness, please construct a small hospital.’ As per her wish, I got the hospital constructed. Bejawada Gopal Reddy, a highly reputed person in those days, was invited to inaugurate the hospital. The inaugural function was a grand one, attended by thousands of people from neighbouring villages. Easwaramma did not imagine that this would be such a grand affair. Next day, she came up to Me and said, ‘Swami! It does not matter even if I die now. I have no more worries; You have fulfilled My desires and mitigated the sufferings of the villagers to a great extent.’ I said, if you have any more desire, as Me now. She replied hesitantly that she had another small desire. ‘You know the river Chitravathi is in spate during the rainy season. But, in summer it dries to a trickle and people do not have drinking water. So, please see that some wells are dug in this village.’ I told her that I would not stop with small wells and that I would provide drinking water to the entire Rayalaseema region. Easwaramma said, ‘I don’t know what Rayalaseema is. I am satisfied if our village is provided with driniking water.

“Now it is thirty years since the mother of this body passed away. But she is still continuing to move about in her physical form around Swami. Three boys sleep in Swami’s room. They have also witnessed her presence. I am telling this today because the life of ideal mothers has permanent significance.

In Prasanthi Nilayam, Swami takes breakfast after Bhajan and proceeds to His place in Poornachandra Auditorium. One day early in the morning, mother Easwaramma was standing at the door in the usual form. I asked her: Why did you come? She said: ‘Swami! I have come here with a prayer to you. You are omnipresent and omniscient, but you have to control one thing.’ “What is that?” Swami asked. She said, ‘Devotees and students offer handkerchief to you. But, heeding my prayer, please do not receive handkerchiefs from anybody. The times are not good. The handkerchief may be tainted with poisonous stuff. In the usual course, you use the handkerchief to wipe your nose and mouth only from those on whom you have confidence and trust as good devotees. Do not accept from all and sundry.’

Mother’s love lives on for all times, long after her passing away. Twice she appeared in the night. The boys sleeping in my room noticed her presence. Those boys had not seen her at anytime. They wondered who the old lady could be. The key of the lift was in their hands and there was no staircase leading to the apartment. How did she manage to come here? When the boys asked the question, Swami woke up. I went near her and asked her why she had come again. She replied, ‘I cannot live without seeing you often. The moment I see you I feel happy.’ After saying so, she gave me some piece of advice, ‘Swami, all persons describe themselves as devotees. But no one can tell who real devotees are and who are fake. Totally dedicated devotees will be ready to carry out anything you ask them to do, but there are others who come for their own self-interest. By coming to you they get their desires fulfilled and forget thereafter. In this manner, you should be very careful. Swami replied, I shall take due care. There is no need for you to tell me. After hearing this, she laughed and left the room. I am conveying to you this episode as a direct testimony to the greatness of mother’s love. She might have given up her physical body, but she is always with Swami. She said, ‘I have performed many sacrifices for your sake and have done many kinds of Pooja. I realised the proof thereof. For forty years I was with you. My life has its fulfilment.’

The very nature of mother is love. Mother has a form, but love has no form. You can experience love through your mother as she is the very form of love. - Baba

The Purpose of Easwaramma Day celebrations
“Easwaramma had never put Me to trouble any time. Whenever she asked Me for something, she would come back and inquire if she had given any trouble. To all devotees who came, she used to entreat not to cause any inconvenience to Swami. She used to be very much worried whenever whenever any minister came to have My darshan. The situation in those days was such that even a policeman with a red cap was enough to frighten the villagers. Easwaramma used to be very much afraid of the ministers thinking they might cause some problem to Me. This is only the result of her sacred love for Me. That is the greatness of mother’s love. That is why she could lead a life of fulfillment and peace. In order to propagate this sacred ideal, this day is being celebrated as Easwaramma Day. This is to emphasise that each one of you should make your mother happy. When mother is happy, Swami is happy.”

Prof. Kasturi writes in the book, Easwaramma The Chosen Mother

She was terribly afraid that the envy of people would bring illness and ill-fame to her son. Orthodoxy had hissed when the Raju boy of the Kshatriya caste had first captured the heart of the Brahmin Subbamma; and superstition had shaken in fear when Subbamma announced that he had shown her the astral body of her dead husband in a form as real and true as when living. Groups of villages now discussed her son as they would see a phenomenon, like a comet on the horizon or a rain of honey from the skies. Like children afraid of darkness these adults were afraid of the light! Easwaramma shared her fears with the visitors who revered Baba. "These demons tried to poison Sathya but he vomitted out the stuff and even pardoned the Brahmin woman responsible. What will they do now when
Sathya is Sai Baba? These endless lines of bhaktas terrify me. The more the bhaktas, the greater is the danger from those who speak ill of him!" Easwaramma was unaware of the fact that she was being both toughened and softened for the super-Mary role she was soon to play on the coming love-lit golabal stage.