S.S.E. Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014

S.S.E. Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014

May 6th of each year is observed as Mother’s Day. For this occasion, our children submitted poems, drawings, and other creations for publication in Sai Sarathi. These following submissions on the theme of “mother” are from the Sai Spiritual Educational [SSE] classes of the Sai Centers in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the USA.

My Mom

My mom is a very caring person. She helps me through my life by teaching me about educare and how to be positive, responsible, organized, and manage my time. She gives me unconditional love and is like God to me. She is very helpful. I love her a lot and I know she loves me a lot too. Mom you mean a lot to me.

~Pranav Kuppili, 10 yrs old, Medford lakes Sai center

A Rap Song

Sathya [truth] is the way,
That’s all I gotta say
Go follow Sai’s teachings
From this Easwaramma Day!

So above anything,
Don’t ever tell a lie,
Because when fibbing is the reg’
He might take you down a peg!
Don’t ever cheat a person,
Or mislead them either,
Because life is a car,
And it is a two seater,
So even though you’re in it,
Swami is steering at the wheel,
If you made him a reckless driver
how would that make you feel?

Dharma [righteousness] is the way,
That’s all I gotta say
Go follow Sai’s teachings
from this Easwaramma Day!
Remember everybody to do the right action,
Or your stairway to heaven will have no traction,
Listen to the man, the one and only Sai,
Come to His mandir [temple] to Put-apart-the-I

Shanti [peace] is the way,
That’s all I gotta say,
You should follow Swami’s teachings
on this Easwaramma Day!
He once said help ever hurt never,
And He will help us through any stormy weather,
And we should keep in our brain to love all serve all,
Little things matter—before you walk, crawl

Prema [love] is the way,
That’s all I gotta say,
You should follow Swami’s teachings
from this Easwaramma Day!
So if you love others,
Swami will love you,
All you need is love,
And He will find you,
If life is a meal,
Then love is an ice cream cake
Continue to love
And a four course meal you will make

Ahimsa [non-violence] is the way,
That’s all I gotta say,
You should follow Swami’s teachings
from this Easwaramma Day!
Don’t fight with anybody,
Lead a peaceful life,
Or your problems will multiply
You’ll be rife with strife.
So the next time you have doubts,
Or don’t know what to do,
Think about this rap,
Because you just got schooled!

~Devan Kowdley, Group 3, Loudoun Sai Center

A Short Narrative for Moms

Most children have unusual upbringings. Being a triplet, I can fairly say I’ve had my share of an unusual one. Whenever my mom tells someone that she raised triplets, the phrases that usually follow are, “Oh My God!” or “God Bless You!” or even “I can’t imaging!” While growing up, I could not understand why everyone was making such a big deal about raising triplets. It didn’t seem like much work. I mean, my mom instilled discipline in us at a young age. By first grade, we were doing our chores and helping in the household. Now that I am taking business classes in high school, I realize that having three kids at once isn’t just a financial mess, it also causes a lot of stress. I don’t know what I was thinking. When we came home from the hospital, my siblings and I did not give our poor mom even an hour of sleep! And, on top of that, we threw the once-in-a-blue-moon tantrum. But now, we all know we owe our mother so much. It is pretty much a debt that can never be repaid. I know when I grow up I will look to my mom for advice and her infinite wisdom about kids. So, to all mothers:

Bless your hearts
And Happy Easwaramma Day!

~Avinash Narayana Doddi
Group 3, Medford Lakes Sai Center, NJ

Mother o Mother Easwaramma
You are the mother of my Lord
You are the Mother Mary,
you are the mother of our lord
Ma Easwaramma Ma Easwaramma

Mother Easwaramma is very lucky in this world as she gave the birth to the Lord Sathya Sai Baba. She was a kind and loving woman. She saw the problems of the villagers of Puttaparthi, and asked her son to provide them with a school, hospital, and drinking water.

Swami listened to His mother and built schools, university, super specialty hospitals, and fulfilled her wishes. Mother Easwaramma used to cook and feed Baba.

~Siri Kalari, Edison Center

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 – A Devotional Expression of Gratitude

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 is a touching reminder of how young hearts can offer love, discipline, talent, and gratitude at the feet of the Divine. Such an offering is not merely a cultural presentation or a stage program. It is a sacred act in which students learn to turn their abilities into devotion and their efforts into worship.

In student life, learning usually means books, classes, examinations, and achievements. But true education is much deeper. It should refine character, awaken humility, and teach the value of service. When students participate in a devotional offering, they learn that knowledge and talent become meaningful only when they are joined with purity of intention.

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 reflects the gentle relationship between students and the motherly aspect of divinity. The Divine Mother represents unconditional love, protection, forgiveness, and guidance. A mother accepts even the smallest gift from her child when it is given with sincerity. In the same way, the Divine Mother accepts a song, prayer, dance, speech, or silent service when it comes from a clean heart.

The beauty of such an offering lies in preparation. Students may spend days practicing, correcting mistakes, remembering lines, learning rhythm, and coordinating with others. These efforts teach patience and discipline. Sometimes rehearsals may feel tiring, but they slowly shape the mind. A sincere student learns that devotion is not only emotion; it is also punctuality, obedience, concentration, and respect for guidance.

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 also teaches teamwork. No meaningful presentation is created by one person alone. Some students may perform on stage, while others may support quietly in the background. Teachers guide, friends cooperate, organizers arrange, and everyone contributes in visible or invisible ways. When the ego becomes smaller and unity becomes stronger, the offering becomes truly beautiful.

A devotional program should never become a place for pride. Talent is a gift, not a reason for arrogance. A melodious voice, graceful movement, confident expression, or strong memory should be used with humility. If students perform only to receive praise, the spiritual sweetness becomes weak. But when they perform as an offering, even a small role becomes sacred.

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 reminds us that the Divine values sincerity more than perfection. A child may forget a line, miss a note, or make a small mistake, yet if the heart is full of love, the offering remains precious. Human eyes may judge performance, but the Divine Mother sees feeling. This truth gives students confidence and teaches them not to fear failure.

Such occasions also help students understand gratitude. They receive care from parents, knowledge from teachers, support from society, and blessings from the Divine. Offering something back is a way of saying thank you. Gratitude keeps the heart soft. It prevents education from becoming selfish and reminds students that life is not only about personal success, but also about giving.

Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 can inspire students to see every action as worship. Studying with honesty can become an offering. Helping a classmate can become an offering. Speaking truth, respecting elders, keeping the surroundings clean, and serving the needy can all become offerings. The Divine Mother is pleased not only by what happens on stage, but also by how students live after the program ends.

The motherly presence of the Divine gives courage to young hearts. Students may feel nervous before a presentation or worried about whether they will do well. But when they remember that the offering is for the Divine, anxiety becomes lighter. The focus shifts from impressing people to expressing love. This makes the heart calmer and the effort purer.

A sacred offering also builds memories that remain for many years. Students may later forget some details, but they remember the feeling of devotion, the guidance of teachers, the joy of working together, and the peace of offering their best. Such memories become inner treasures. They remind them that student life is not only about marks and competition, but also about character and devotion.

The real success of any devotional offering is inner transformation. If students become more humble, disciplined, loving, and service-minded, then the purpose is fulfilled. A beautiful performance may last for a short time, but a value learned through it can guide a whole life.

In the end, Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014 is a sacred lesson in love, gratitude, unity, and selfless expression. It teaches students to offer their talents with humility and to live with values beyond the stage. When young hearts learn to combine discipline with devotion, their lives become meaningful, and every sincere effort becomes a flower placed at the feet of the Divine Mother.

Greater Heaven’s GIFT called Sathya Sai Darshan