Easwaramma - the Compassionate Mother Setting: Mahila Study circle in a Balvikas Guru's house Characters: 4 Mahilas - Lalitha (Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas Guru), Padmini, Charulatha, Sriharini. Related Values: Curiosity, Love, Compassion, Kindness, Empathy, Unselfishness, Caring & sharing, Understanding, Respect for elders .
Scene
Lalitha: Sairam Sisters, as Easwaramma Day is fast approaching today’s topic is ‘Mother Easwaramma'
Padmini: Good. We don’t know much about mother, we are very eager.
Charulatha: I have read somewhere that she was a very compassionate lady.
Lalitha: True, there are many instances that speak of her kind and caring nature.
Sriharini: Could you please narrate a few ?
Lalitha: Sure. Her heart melted to see children walking miles and miles from Puttaparti to Bukkapatnam in order to continue their studies. So she asked Swami to construct a small school in Parthi.
Padmini: And Swami went a step further and constructed the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning.
Charulatha: In those days hospital facilities must not have been there in Parthi.
Lalitha: That is why she wanted a small hospital to be constructed for the sick at Parti.
Padmini: And such a huge hospital He constructed! My mother had her heart surgery there two years ago. That’s when we first came to know about Baba.
Lalitha: You must have heard about the Sri Satya Sai Water Project.
Sriharini: Yes, yes, it caters to so many nearby dry areas..
Lalitha: It was the third wish of mother which Baba fulfilled as in those days the villagers had to go far off to fetch water.
Padmini: Oh, I remember the scene in last year’s Balvikas play where my son played the role of little Sathya fetching water on his shoulders.
Charulatha: How great Maa Easwaramma was! She kept the upliftment of her village and welfare of its people in her mind above her personal interests although her family had to live in poor conditions.
Sriharini: Sister, how are Balvikas children and mother related as May 6th, her Samadhi Diwas is celebrated as Balvikas Day?
Padmini: She must have been very fond of children. Maybe that’s the reason.
Lalitha: Undoubtedly! In every child she found Sathya hiding, inviting her to seek and succeed. Children were very fond of the stories narrated by her. Not only that, she made sure that young boys did not have any problems which compelled them to discontinue their studies.
Charulatha: We can call her as the the first Balvikas guru of those days.
All: Very correct.
Sriharini: Sister, it is said that Swami used to perform many miracles. Was it from childhood or in later years?
Lalitha: Right from childhood.
Charulatha: Oh, is it? Then what was mother's reaction to such miracles?
Padmini: She must have been so happy that her son was becoming more and more renowned.
Lalitha: On the contrary, she was more apprehensive about his safety, that anyone could cast their evil eyes on Him or take Him away to their own places.
Padmini: Did she express these fears to her son?
Lalitha: Yes! Indeed
Sriharini: What was His reaction?
Lalitha: He laughed and assured her that no one could harm Him and that He would never leave Puttaparthi and stay in any place for long.
Charulatha: And He had kept his word.
Lalitha: Indeed, yes
Charulatha: Sister, all these incidents when told to children will teach them that it is so very important to obey the mother following the footsteps of Baba.
Sriharini: Moreover all the time she must have been thinking of her Son only.
Lalitha: ‘Yad bhavam tad bhavati’, that’s the reason before breathing her last she cried out for him, "Swami, Swami, Swami" and Swami immediately rushed to her. This is the message that when we keep contemplating on God throughout our life, we are likely to think of him even during the last hours.
All: Very true. Thank you so much sister for enlightening us about the different facets of mother’s personality.
Lalitha: (smiling) Let’s conclude with Om Shanti.
All: Om Shanti.( 3)