Satsang Baba's Call - 'Khaana Lav'

Satsang Baba's Call - 'Khaana Lav'

Baba's Call - 'Khaana Lav'
By K.NAVIN CHANDER
Correct knowledge of any kind is good. But correct knowledge of facts
connected with the lives of saints is not only good for the individual who
knows them but is beneficial to society as in the long run it promotes
social unity and ethical, spiritual and religious study and endeavor. Lives
of saints give not merely information for the brain of the reader, but food
and strength for his heart and they facilitate the general advancement of
the temporal and spiritual interests of mankind. By the study of such lives,
basic ignorance and illusions are dispelled. Rajasic and Tamasic qualities
such as egotism, pride, hatred and cruelty are checked or suppressed and
noble virtues like humility, earnestness, love to all, service of saints,
Guru Bhakthi are developed. These in due course lead to the goal of God
realisation.
- H.H. Sri Narasimha Swamiji

QA was on 3rd February, 1998. I was about to complete an article on Sai
Baba. I heard a sharp rap at the gate of my house. I shouted: "Who is
there?" Promptly the reply came: "Khaana Lav" (give me food). From where I
sat I could not see him. Nevertheless, I called my wife to serve food to
him. She brought rice and dhal but oddly he did not have anything on him to
receive it. My wife did not feel like serving in the plate she had brought.
So she came back to the house, took a small card board and served the fare
on it outside the gate. He sat on his haunches preparatory to eating.

Meanwhile, my wife came inside to fetch water for him. It did not take a
couple of minutes for her to do so. But the stranger was not to be seen
anywhere. There were tell-tale marks of his having taken the food. He did
not even wash his hands. It was impossible to eat the food-that too without
water-and walk away out of sight in less than a couple of minutes.

It was then the truth hit me like a whiplash. I should have known much
better when he said: “Khaana Lav”. It was truly a command. Even during his
begging rounds sometimes, Sai Baba never begged. He simply commanded,
"Lassie, roti lav". I asked my wife as to how he looked like. She said: "He
was lean and aged and looked like a village Muslim of the old order, with a
sharp beard. He was wearing a faded green lungi with brownish checks on it
and a soiled white long-sleeved kurtha with a black vest on it. His head was
turbaned leaving the top crown open." Though the description did not
actually tally with that of Sai Baba, I was by then more than convinced who
He was. I cursed myself because the food that was served was overnight food
and served on a cardboard outside the gate.

Later when I slowly composed myself, I went into the pooja room and begged
His pardon for my lapse. At that stage my own conscience began to reply:
"Your repentance is enough for me. Keep on feeding the hungry, who come to
your doorstep, as best as you can. Believe me, charity especially that of
food is indeed a great spiritual virtue.

I recollected three incidents during Baba's life time. On 9th May, 1913,
Kasinath Kande Rao, a sub judge had Baba's darshan and presented a basket of
mangoes. Baba ordered them to be cut and distributed. He picked a piece for
himself and said: 'This man has purchased the whole lot for me without
tasting any of it. But a Pundit a few days ago offered a big packet of
laddus. However on the way from Kopergaon, he got hungry and ate away some
'laddus'. What he gave me was only the 'Sesh',"
But 'sesh' offerings have their own value if they are offered with soulful
love. Once a poor woman brought a jawar roti and two onions to Baba. On the
way, she felt hungry and ate one half of the roti and an onion. She admitted
this to Baba, who unflinchingly took and ate it. The roti was hard and dried
up and Baba's teeth were weak and some missing. Nevertheless, he ate with
relish and then blessed her with his hands firmly on her heads.

http://www.saileelas.org/magazines/saipadananda/oct1998.htm#BabasCallKhaanaL
av