161. Poor Man's Mite:
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Sri Bhagavan used to tell us that sometimes He started for pradakshina at night and returned by day break.
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"On one occasion, we started to go round in the morning, with the intention of returning the same evening. We stopped at
the Gautama Asramam, cooked our food, ate it and after taking some rest, packed all the milk, sugar, buttermilk, etc., that remained
and started walking again. As we were approaching Adi Annamalai, Sri Bhagavan began walking off on a side road and very fast.
Thinking that He wished to avoid the crowds on the main road, we followed Him.
'After going along a path for about half a furlong, we came to a tank. At the edge of the tank and under a tree, sat an old
man, his body covered by a blanket and holding a small pot in his hand. This old man, whenever he heard that Sri Bhagavan
was coming round the Hill, would await Bhagavan's arrival on the road, and lest the poor man should be troubled at missing Him,
Bhagavan had made the detour.
'Bhagavan, on seeing him called him by name and began talking with him very freely. The old peasant prostrated before Sri
Bhagavan, then stood with folded hands, saying nothing. 'What is the matter?' said Bhagavan. 'Why is that I do not see you
anywhere these days? Are crops and cattle alright? How are the children? And then, 'What is in the pot?' queried Bhagavan.
'Very hesitantly, the old man said, 'Nothing particular, Swami. I came to know that you were coming. I wanted to bring something,
as usual to offer you, but there was nothing in the house. When I asked my old woman, she said, 'There is ample food in the
cooking pot. You can take it to them.' Unable to decide what to do, I put some of the food into this small pot, but ashamed to face
you with only this sort of food to offer you, I was sitting here, Swami.'
'Bhagavan, seemingly very pleased, exclaimed, 'Oh! Cooked food, is it? That is excellent. Why be ashamed? It will be very good.
Let me have it.' As the old man was still hesitating, Sri Bhagavan took the pot from him, sat down under a tree and told his followers
to put down all the things they had brought. We did accordingly. Bhagavan took out from among the cooking things, a big open
mouthed tin lined vessel into which He put all the food, poured in a lot of water, and mixed it well into paste with His hand. Then
from some left overs among our things, He took out some limes and squeezed the juice into the mixture, poured some buttermilk
and made the whole thing into a liquid. Finally He mixed some salt and dry ginger powder then took out the tumblerful of the liquid
and drank it and then said, 'Oh, this is delicious! This is the first rate food for me in this hot weather. It is also very nourishing!'
'Please also give some share (of our food) to this old man.' He said.
The whole scene was like Krishna eating Kuchela's beaten rice and going to Vidura's house for eating.
(Nagamma as told by Kunju Swami)
Arunachala Siva.