Bhandara Sewa go back Among the good deeds that a person can commit, feeding a hungry soul is right up there among the best. Baba ji says that there could be no better action than satisfying a needy person by administering him the indispensable aspect of humanly existence – meal. He adds that so much is the divinity and positive energy associated with the act of arranging food for someone that any land which is jinxed, has negative Vaastu or is full to the brim with negative energy turns into a divine palace. It is Baba ji’s commendable view that if God has empowered us with wealth and resources such that we can easily fulfil all our needs, it becomes our duty to share these fruits of joy with those not as privileged as us. From the very beginning of his spiritual journey, Baba ji has been performing Nishkaam sewa or selfless service of feeding the poor, the needy with extra care for children. Quite early in his life, Baba ji was made to understand that one part of what one receives; one must strive to give to other needy people. The lesson was learnt so well by teh kind and merciful Baba ji that instead of contributing a part of his endowments to the poor, as taught to him, he has redefined it as share one whole with the rest. “Sharing is the law of nature. Sharing is something we have to learn from Mother Nature. The fruits, the water, the sun rays, the air etc all are gifts from nature which it shares without bias, without fear or favour and without the constraints of time, periodicity and need. Nature is wonderful. Without expectation, it allows us access to its vast reservoir resources and wealth, asserts Baba ji. He adds: “Whatever we give to nature and its creations, a thousand fold comes back to us. Giving never lessens the magnitude of wealth. On the complete contrast, it enhances the abundance. It perpetuates prosperity.” According to Baba ji, there is so much that we have inherited from nature and there is so much debt at our end to be paid to it for all its supreme services and endowments. Therefore, we must do whatever little we can to pay back our debt to the holy nature. “I have always encouraged initiation of Annakshetras (zonal kitchens) at every opportunity that God has granted me. I’m grateful to Him for this. I urge all the privileged ones to commence such efforts at their end to make their lives purposeful because even animals can look after themselves. What distinguishes animal tendency from humanity is the virtue of sharing and doing for others, articulates the Enlightened Baba ji. Baba ji’s holistic vision that no one under his watch stays hungry has resulted in Shiv Yog initiating Bhandara or community kitchens on a massive scale, in which hundreds of people are fed every single day. From breakfast to lunch from sweets to dinner, from yummy burgers to healthy apples, from fruit juices to candies, Baba ji has commissioned service projects such that a vast spectrum of hungry masses sleep peacefully with the knowledge that like the surety of the fact that every day will comprise morning, afternoon, evening and night, food too will reach them from Baba ji. An innovative and marvellous concept introduced by Baba ji and Ishan ji is the mobile Annakshetra (Car kitchens). One spacious car at the ashram has been reserved for carrying large quantities of cooked and wrapped food in addition to at times toys for the children. The car ventures out at fixed timings every day and every destitute person in the car’s way receives ample food, and the frown of worry vanishes in a hurry on the faces. The concept of bhandara is not restricted to the ashram only. All over India, wherever Baba ji has gone and spent time understanding the hunger scenario, he has left in his trail, keen people undertaking initiatives of feeding the masses through bhandaras (community kitchens), not out of compulsion, but out of love and compassion for them, divine traits which Baba ji rubs off on them. And such is the contagiousness of Baba jis praiseworthy philanthropy and divinity that not only people of his native country of India have started engaging in bhandaras, but those of numerous other nations too have begun following suit. Another wonderful Shiv Yog bhandara project on in full swing in Rishikesh is the sadhu bhojan. Baba ji believes that divinity and faith is alive today in large measure due to the bona fide saints who live an ascetic life. It is through their blessings and meditative powers that positivity exists in our hearts. They are the emissaries of God and it becomes our beholden duty to help them in whatever way possible. Moreover, the place to where Baba ji sends his periodic sponsorship for the saints is the same place where during his formative years, Baba ji himself benefited so much from. Shiv Yog fully supports and provides appreciable assistance and doles for the meals of a certain number of priests and saints in a renowned chamber (bhawan) in Rishikesh, which oversees the welfare of the saint community and the masses alike. Baba ji sums up the nature to give beautifully. He says: The rise of the consciousness triggers a rise in many other aspects of life too. So, an uninitiated human tries to grab what is not his aside from earning for only his own self. A more civilized person would not steal from others but his eyes would be centered just on making his own life wonderful. And when the consciousness begins to rise, the welfare of the family is also something he thinks about. Further growth leads to the person also thinking about helping himself, his family and the society. More growth leads to a thought also being spared for the welfare of the country. And finally, a purified soul has its reason for existence, among other things to contribute to the benefits of the whole world. It is not hard now to understand why all the Shiv Yog bhandara projects are splendidly, beautifully and most perfectly titled Loka samasta sukhino bahavantu (May all be happy, healthy and prosperous).
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 04:31:37 +0000
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