Passage 13

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In plain words

So first look after your parents. Afterwards you can look to God. If you want to know divinity, you must have Bhakti towards your parents. So, from today at least, love and honour your parents and become worthy of their love. That is true Bhakti. That is true humanity. Without such humanity, however many pūjās you do, there is no gain.

Mother Easwaramma's example

I shall tell you a small matter concerning this body. Once this body's mother, Easwaramma, came to me: “Swami, all powers are in You. Ours is a very small village. Have a small hospital built here for the little children,” she asked. As she wished, I had a small hospital built, fit for this small village. The then Chief Minister, Gopal Reddy, came to open it. Some time later Easwaramma made another request. “Swami, the little children of our village have to go to Bukkapatnam for their schooling. It pains me greatly to see the children walk all that way, scorched by the sun and soaked by the rain. Have a small school built for them,” she asked. Very well, I had a school built.

Little by little, Swami's influence grew a great deal. Another day she came to me: “Swami, You are doing so much service to society. When I asked You to build a hospital, You built it. When I asked You to build a school, You built it. But I have one more wish. The people of our village have to go a long way for water. From carrying water so far, their shoulders are covered with calluses. Please have a small well dug,” she asked. I said I would have it dug. What she asked for that day was only an atom! She asked for a small school to be built. Now a large university has come up. That day she asked for a small hospital to be built. Now big super speciality hospitals have come up. “Swami, have a well dug and give water to the people of our village,” she asked. Now I have given water to the whole of Anantapur.