LOVE IS MY FORM– A Biographical Series On Sri Sathya Sai Baba 

Excerpts shared for educational and spiritual purposes with reverence to the author. This project is a non-profit initiative, offered as a labor of love and selfless service.

FOREWORD

Karnam Kamalamma

Karnam Kamalamma, who had the good fortune to see Baba, to love Him and admire Him – ever since He was five years old – was Baba’s host for some time, until the Puttaparthi Mandir was constructed. This foreword was spoken a in Telugu.

Padmanaban requested of me a foreword to this book, even though I do not understand what is written in it - because I never went to school. I am more than eighty years old, now! What can I do?

Yet, the photos in this book speaks to me and take me back to the good lei clays.

When I saw Swami for the first time, I was about twelve years old and had just then been married - as the second wife to the Karman (the village chieftain) of Puttaparthi. I did not know that the little boy m shorts and half-sleeved shirt was to be revealed as Swami, an Avatar!

Tears run down my eyes when I think of it the Swami of those days. After returning from Uravakonda He came to our house and said to me, "Kamalamma! You think I am a human being? Nol I am God, Kamalamma:I am Easwara - Himself! You will see My glory ' in the coming years. Believe Me!"

Several incidents appear fresh before my mind's eye:

After the bath ' He stands as a very young b oy, with a towel around His waist. He keeps a Shirdi Baba photo and breaks open the coconuts we carried there for the worship [offering]. Then He says,

I am not a ghost. I am Shirdi Baba. I want to join this boy. I trouble this body in numerous ways, to settle down.

After that, He materialises flowers and fruits, takes arati and goes to sleep. We wake Him up and offer a dhoti and a shirt for Him to wear and invite Him for dinner. We serve Him dinner in a silver plate ... others, on a leaf. He mixes all the items and eats up everything. No leftovers! Afterwards, He settles down in our house.

People would visit Him from early morning to midnight, in those days, and He would go on granting them interviews. He would hear their woes, materialise vibhuti, cure diseases, solve their problems or console them. I once asked Him “Why do you grant interviews to so many people?” He said: “If I do not do it, not even a crow will come to Me, now. But a day will come when you will people arriving by the thousands. Then, you will see Me in all My glory.” How all that has come true!

Devotees would come and many would stay for months - and some, even for years! Every day, ten-bullock carts would some, filled with men and women. Subbamma (Karnam's first wife) and I would cook for all of them, until we were tired and fell asleep. Often, Swami wakes us up late in the night and say, “Kamalamma, many are waiting! Call them! I will grant them interview and send them away! Otherwise, tomorrow you will have to cook for them again!” Nobody left without an interview. Also, nobody left without food.

We used to sit with Swami for lunch and dinner. He would mix up all the dishes - curries, rice, etc. and make them into large morsels! Each of us would get one. There was never a shortages! Everybody was well fed.

And, His leelas! How wonderful they were! He would take Subbamma and myself to the Kalpa Virksha (the wish-fulfilling tree) and as us to hold it’s leaves. Each day the tree would give different fruits according to our request. One day Navaneetham Naidu’s daughter wanted to eat dosa.

Immediately, Swami materialised a stock of hot and crisp dosas. Sometimes, He would ask us to bring some small vessel. He would give it a pat and it would be filled up with Amrith (divine nectar)!

Yet, Swami was so simple, sweet and child-like. In no time at all, He would make garlands out of jasmine flowers brought from our garden. Sometimes He would make a bed out of them and sleep on it. He would also play many games with us. He always won! At other times, He would pull my hair and tease me! There was an old servant, Bhimappa by name, who would bring drinking water from the Chitravathi River. Bhimappa sang well and even cracked jokes. He loved chillies-and took at least ten with his meals! Swami would often ask him to sing songs for a reward of chillies.

But Swami was Swami-a hard taskmaster who never lost an opportunity to teach, even in the midst of hilarity. One day, I was serving Him lunch. He was very playful and asked for another helping of curry. Absentmindedly and erroneously, I served Him, using my left hand. How He hit my left hand! It stills pains, just to think of it! Once, He told Subbamma and me, "Both of you will not have children. But I will be there as your child. You will have no rebirth."

Now, in spite of so many people coming to Him every day, He still remembers me and inquires after my welfare now and then, and sends a sari for me, during every festival time.

Swami once told me, "You, Subbarnma and I should have a photo taken." But nobody had a camera, then. Somehow, it did not materialise, even later. Who knows the mind of Swami, the Sathchakmvarthi - the real Emperor of all the worlds?

Whatever He has done for Puttaparthi and whatever He has been doing in the hearts of millions of people, out of His immense prema, is proof enough of His Divinity. It has been my good fortune to witness all this.

Take my advice: Love Him for all that He is; have faith, and He will save you. Let this book become the medium for you to get immersed in Sai Tattva-the Principle of Sai.