Would You Allow a Mahatma to Wash Your Dirty Dish?

Satsang by Gautam Baiji

I want to share this with you - last week a bhajan singer came to the ashram. Dada (the tabla player) brought him along.

He was a very good classical singer. He sang so many nice bhajans here... and that guy was down to earth! He was so good.

He was here during lunch and I told him there was food ready, that he could join us if he wanted to. He said, "I already ate lunch, but I will have tea."

So I served him tea.

Afterwards, when he got up to leave, I also got up and started to pick up the plates and cups and everything...*

He said, "No no, please don't pick up my plate and cup."

I said, "No, it's okay, I can wash them."

He said, "I don't want to give them to you because my guru taught me not to give up a chance to do seva. Why should I give anyone, especially a Mahatma! - my dirty dishes? How can you think that?"

He's here, but still he remembers his guru! This is a small thing, not a big thing, but by that we can learn. There are a few things we cannot teach you directly,** but there are few things we can learn and accept.***

I feel so good about his guru. The guru may not have said, "Don't give up your dirty dishes." But he taught him well, and that even the small things matter.


* As a public place, they keep the kitchen very clean and wash any dishes immediately.

** The Mahatmas devote their lives to serving others, and yet they are so treasured as living saints that true devotees don't allow them to do very much work for them - they would do anything to help with their burden. Which is good, because they don't like to ask for help - they are the ones devoted to helping others, right - how can they ask? They are sooo busy - to run an ashram 24 hours a day, 7 days a week demands they receive and meet with visitors; take phone calls around the clock, frequently to counsel people; plan their satsangs; prepare meals; clean, clean, clean; lead yoga and meditation classes; plan future events; and much, much more, just to enrich our lives. Most devotees consider it an honor to be able to help in any way possible (seva).

*** No one has to do anything. This is simply for those who see the value in devotion and seva and its role in helping us conquer our ego and get closer to God.