FIT TO SERVE ME

 
At Meherabad, late in the afternoon on May 8th, 1929, Meher Baba, accompanied by the Prem Ashram boy Ali Akbar, and his mandali Buasaheb, Chanji, Chhagan, Gustadji, Masaji and Pesu, left for Ahmednagar.

In the town, Ramjoo and Baily met them at Akbar Press. Soon after, a discussion took place over the destination of their journey. Suggestions were put forth but none satisfied Baba. Baba concluded the discussion by stating his preference of going to Rishikesh in the Himalayas.

The next day, Baba and the group left Ahmednagar for Nasik, where he met Mehera, Freiny, Naja, Khorshed, Soona, and their servant Valu, as well as Rustom and Padri. He sent Padri to Bombay, and Rustom was ordered to continue looking after the arrangements for the women mandali in Nasik while Baba was on tour in the North.

On May 10th, the group took a bus to Manmad and then left on the Delhi-Allahabad express train for Hardwar. Near the village of Khandwa an accident occurred; a man was struck by the train and severely injured.

Watching the man on the ground, a large crowd gathered and meanwhile Baba dispatched Chhagan to buy some rice and dal from a vendor. Chhagan thought to himself, "A man has just been seriously hurt and all are rushing to see him, yet this God feels hungry and wants something to eat! How can Baba be so merciless? Who could eat at a time like this?"

With these thoughts in his mind, Chhagan made his way through the crowd to bring the food, but he could not return as quickly because of the excited crowd on the platform. After some time Baba lost his patience and sent Gustadji to look for him, and when Chhagan returned, Baba admonished him for taking so long.

Watching Baba eat, Chhagan thought, "Outside a man is dying and inside Divinity himself is quietly enjoying his lunch in peace. How can Baba be so cold?"

Baba gestured to Chhagan, "What are you thinking?"

Chhagan replied that it was nothing. Baba shrugged and then spelled out, "You only think of the man who is hurt, but you have no thought for me. How will you help him by thinking about him? Your sympathy is empty; it carries no weight.

"You see me eating food, but what do you know of what I am really doing for that man? If you believe that everything is in my hands and not a leaf moves without my will, then why don't you accept that whatever has happened to him, and whatever will happen to him, is according to my will? Your only duty is to follow my wish. Why give importance to your wish?

"I am eating this food, but it reaches the belly of that man! You can't see that. Remember I am the Benefactor of all. Your sympathy cannot do a damned thing! To fulfill my wish, you have to burn up your desires. Only then will you be fit to serve me."

Baba then sent Chhagan to see the injured man. Chhagan was dumbfounded at the scene which met his eyes. The man had not only regained consciousness, but he was enjoying a cup of hot tea! He was about to be removed to a hospital in an ambulance and the doctor remarked that there was no serious injury. He would be all right and be able to walk once his fracture was set.

Hearing this, Chhagan repented for his thoughts. The fact was that Baba was not really hungry, but he pretended to be so in order to revive that man and to teach Chhagan a lesson.(1)