Sai Satcharitra-Let us all read it together, a little everyday

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Baba's Handi

Different sadhanas (means of accomplishments) are prescribed in our scriptures

for different ages. Tapa (Penance) is recommended for Krita age, Jnana

(Knowledge) for Treta age, Yajna (Sacrifice) for Dwapara age and Dana (Charity)

for Kali (present) age. Of all the charities, giving food is the best one. We

are much perturbed when we get no food at noon. Other beings feel similarly

under similar circumstances. Knowing this, he who gives food to the poor and

hungry, is the best donor or charitable person. The Taittiriya Upanishad says

that "Food is Brahma; from food all the creatures are born and having been

born, by food they live, and having departed, into food again they enter." When

an Atithi (uninvited guest) comes to our door at noon, it is our bounden duty to

welcome him by giving him food. Other kinds of charities, viz., giving away

wealth, property and clothes etc., require some

discrimination, but in the matter of food, no such consideration is necessary.

Let anybody come to our door at noon, he should be served forthwith; and if

lame, crippled, blind and diseased paupers come, they should be fed first and

the able-bodied persons and our relations afterwards. The merit of feeding the

former is much greater than that of feeding the latter. Other kinds of

charities are imperfect without this Anna-dana (giving of food) as stars are

without the moon, a necklace without its central medal, a crown without

pinnacle, a tank without a lotus, bhajan without love, a married lady without

the kumkum-mark, singing without a sweet voice or butter-milk without salt.

Just as varan (Pulse-soup) excels all other dishes, Anna-dana is the best of

all merits. Now let us see how Baba prepared food and distributed it."Gurur

Brahma Gurur VishnuGurur Devoh Maheshwar;Gurur Shakshat ParambramhaTashmai Shri

Gurur Veh Namah"May

the Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and

remove our problems and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck,

success and happiness with peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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