Sai Satcharitra -Chapter 24-Part 2

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Chanak-Leela

In Shirdi, bazar was held every Sunday, and people from the neighbouring villages came there, erected booths and stalls on the street, and sold their wares and commodities. Every noon, the masjid was crowded more or less; but on Sunday, it was crowded to suffocation. On one such Sunday, Hemadpant sat in front of Baba, shampooing His Legs and muttering God's name. Shama was on Baba's left, Vamanrao to His right - Shriman Booty and Kakasaheb Dixit and others were also present there. Then Shama laughed and said to Annasaheb - "See that some grains seem to have stuck to the sleeve of your coat". So saying he touched the sleeve and found that there were some grains. Hemadpant straightened his left fore-arm to see what the matter was, when to the the surprise of all, some grains of gram come rolling down and were picked up by the people who were sitting there.

Sai Ram. No one knows how the grains stuck to the coat sleeve of Annasaheb (Hemadpant). However, it was Sai's leela and He used that to give all of us a valuable spiritual lesson. Sai Sadguru is teaching Shri Hemadpant and us a very valuable spiritual lesson. Recall what Shri Hemadpant was doing above. "On one such Sunday, Hemadpant sat in front of Baba, shampooing His Legs and muttering God's name." Since Shri Hemadpant was doing a good seva, Sai wanted to reward him by teaching him a good spiritual lesson. Also, while Shri Hemadpant was shampooing Sai's legs, he was uttering God's name and Baba wanted to confirm that He was one with all the Gods, including the name of the God whom Hemadpant was remembering.

This incident furnished a subject-matter for joke. Everybody present began to wonder and said something or other as to how the grains found their way into the sleeve of the coat and lodged there so long. Hemadpant also could not guess how they found an entrance and stayed there. When nobody could give any satisfactory explanation in this matter, and everybody was wondering about this mystery, Baba said as follows :

Baba - "This fellow (Annasaheb) has got the bad habit of eating alone. Today is a bazar-day and he was here chewing grams. I know his habit and these grams are a proof of it. What wonder is there is this matter?"

Hemadpant - "Baba, I never know of eating things alone; then why do you thrust this bad habit on me? I have never yet seen Shirdi bazar. I never went to the bazar today, then how could I buy grams, and how could I eat them if I had not bought them? I never eat anything unless I share it with others present near me".

Baba - "It is true that you give to the persons present; but if none be near-by, what could you or I do. But do you remember Me before eating? Am I not always with you? Then do you offer me anything before you eat?"