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61. Small Events : Great Lessons
hrimad wanted to be in complete solitude and had asked Ambalalbhai to go back with all the household things they had brought with them to Uttarsanda. All the cooking utensils and foodstuffs had also been taken back. Motilalbhai Bhavsar, who had stayed with him asked Shrimad what alternative cooking arrangements he should make as, after all, they would need to eat something everyday.
Shrimad was a light eater and was very particular about what he ate. He instructed Motilalbhai to go to Nadiad and ask his wife to cook for them. She was to bathe before cooking. He wanted her to prepare chapattis and a vegetable curry, but to use no oil or water. Nor was she to cook in a steel pot.
Motilalbhai went to Nadiad and made the arrangements as instructed. It all worked well. One day Motilalbhai asked his wife to bring the food after the fast train had left. She was to take the food and wait the distance of four fields away from where they were staying. Motilalbhai would meet her there and collect the food container from her. Somehow the plan did not run smoothly that day and they failed to meet. Motilalbhai's wife arrived at the bungalow and met Shrimad. She innocently explained the arrangements.
When Motilalbhai realised what had happened, he lost his temper. Not only had his arrangement failed, but Shrimad had found out.
Motilalbhai scolded his wife for her indiscretion. Shrimad asked Motilalbhai: "What made you lose your temper? You are exerting your authority as a husband. This is not right. You should, on the contrary, be grateful. She will attain moksha in her eighth birth. Ask her to come and see us."
Shrimad met Motilalbhai's wife. At the same time he gave her some guidance: “Why are you being so complacent ? Why are you making such little effort ? This type of opportunity is rare. It is because you have earned great merit in past lives that you have this opportunity, so why are you wasting it?"
It is the ordinary events in the lives of great souls that highlight their greatness and their humanity. Shrimad would pick out things from the normal course of life, and use them to awaken and lead others in a spiritual direction.
