Baba's Call - 'Khaana Lav'

[Guest guest]

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