“ Is the chutney asking for idlies?”

OAM NAMO BHAGAVATE SRI RAMANAYA

One morning at about 4 am I was summoned to the kitchen. To my surprise, when I entered the kitchen veranda I saw Sri Bhagavan in his loin cloth sitting near the chutney grinding stone. A few other people were also sitting nearby. I began to grind the coconut scrapings and he helped me by pushing in the overflowing ingredients. At the same time, he was busy putting salt, chillies and other ingredients in the chutney to make it tasty. When the grinding was over he placed all the contents in a vessel. Then he went into the kitchen and prepared the seasoning in a big spoon with oil and dry chillies. When it was boiling he brought it from the kitchen to the veranda where the chutney was being prepared. Then he began pouring the seasoning over the chutney and mixed it well.

A Sweet Little Joke
When the chutney was ready Bhagavan distributed a little among the four or five people who were sitting there. The he lifted his face up and from above dropped a bit of the chutney into his mouth without his finger touching his mouth (This healthy principle of not contaminating food prepared in the kitchen with one’s saliva is followed even now in India among Hindu families) . As the devotees tasted the chutney, Sri Bhagavan asked them how they liked it. Out of reverence they all kept quiet to signify approval. Then Sri bhagavan smiled and quipped in Tamil, “ Is the chutney asking for idlies?” Everyone enjoyed the joke and smiled. The group of ashramites then dispersed and the chutney was taken to the kitchen to be served with idlies when the morning visitors arrived.
Service at the Vegetable Cutting Room
Bhagavan next entered the vegetable cutting room where a kitchen assistant was cutting vegetables for the lunch that was to be served to the ashramites and visiting devotees. Bhagavan began assisting there also. He sat cross-legged and cut up all the vegetables with utmost attention. I noticed that almost all the vegetable pieces he cut were exactly the same size. From this I learnt the lesson that whatever action one performs should be done with attentiveness and energy, for every job is a worship of the Lord.
from: Mountain Path October-December 2009 issue Printed page 26
Article: " With Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi "
by Swamy DAMODARANANDA,
resident swami at the Ramakrishna Mission,
Vedanta Centre of Perth, Western Australia.