How I See Sri Sai Satcharita -by Saibanisa--29

How I See Sri Sai Satcharita -by Saibanisa--29

E-mail ID : saibanisa@yahoo.com

Chapter 38 of Sri Sai satcharita

Sairam

Sri Hemadri Pant elaborated, in this chapter, on Annadanam (offering of food to hungry) performed by Sri Sai at Shirdi, details of utensils used by HIM for preparing the food, the way HE cooked the Naivedyam (items of food offered to GOD) and the abundant LOVE Sri Sai had for Sri Hemadri Pant. All aspects of performing Annadanam have clearly been explained in this chapter. It is said - Feeding the hungry & poor (Annadanam) is the best amongst all varieties of charity-.

Now I will write about an incident that occurred in my life while performing Annadanam, so read on carefully. That day 17 October 1991 was Vijaya Dashami (last day of Hindu festival Dussera) and I prayed to Sri Sai, after the morning Harati, from the bottom of my heart saying - Baba grant me an opportunity to feed at least 10 people in my house today. I will eat only after feeding 10 people-. This was the vow taken by me that morning. I performed the afternoon Harati. Invited guests and visitors started arriving at our house for lunch. By 3 PM 9 guests have been fed and I did not have my meal as yet. I had vowed before Sri Sai that I will eat only after feeding 10 individuals and I was determined to keep my word. 10th guest did not arrive and it was 4 PM in the evening. Even my wife finished her meal and my determination to fulfill my vow increased. A fleeting thought crossed my mind that couldn't Sri Sai send 10 individuals to my house for a meal? I had been fasting since morning, was suffering from hunger pains in my stomach and was in mental agony, as the 10th guest did not arrive. Not knowing what to do, I looked at Sri Sainath's portrait with sad eyes. HIS bewitching smile was testing my patience. If the saying that Sri Sai never permitted anyone to fast was true, then why am I in this situation with hunger on this day? What is the significance of the bewitching smile on Sri Sai's face when I am suffering from hunger pains? I needed answers to these questions and was wondering on whom to approach for the answers. At that moment my eyes fell on the book titled Sai Baba of Shirdi - a Unique Saint written by MV Kamath & VB Kher, bought by me on 16 October 1991, in the bookshelf in front of me. I opened the bookshelf, took that book in my hand, praying wholeheartedly to Sri Sai - You came to my house yesterday in the form of this new book and I can visualize you in this book. You must give answers to my agonizing questions. This is not a test for me but a test for YOU. If you like your devotee to suffer by fasting, I can remain without food for a full one day. 10th guest has not yet arrived at my house for a meal. I will have my meal only after the 10th guest finishes his meal. It is for YOU to tell me what to do now-. Praying to Sri Sai thus, I held the new book in my hands closed my eyes and opened the book randomly. When I opened my eyes, the book was open at page No. 135 and I started searching for answers to my questions on that page. Sri Sai visualized in the form of last sentence on that page and gave answers sought by me thus - Do you want me to eat more? Go now and have your meal-. I was filled with unexplained happiness. Did Sri Sai himself arrive as the 10th guest in my house and had HIS meal? I could not believe it, as I have not seen any individual arriving as the 10th guest. I did not even see any animal coming to our house so HE could not have come in the form an animal. I was wondering about in which form had Sri Sai come and took HIS meal. It was then that my eyes fell on an ant, which was circumambulating round the plate, with food offerings, placed in front of Sri Sai's portrait. Sri Sai's words, contained in the 9th chapter of Sri Sai Satcharitra, came to my mind. These words were - Similarly cats, pigs, flies, cows etc. are all my forms. I am going around in these forms. I am present in all living beings-. I mentally paid my respects and thanked Sri Sai, realized that Sri Sai never made HIS devotees to undertake fasting and had my meal as 11th person at 4:45 PM on that day.