Sri Saisatcharita Chapter 38

Sai is Atmaram and he is perfect divine bliss and he makes his devotees desire less. The liquid essence of Pure Self was poured into the mold of Brahman and out of this has emerged the form of the crest jewel of the saints – Sai.  Performance of charity and righteous action is always important. Pacifying hunger is the best of all. Therefore, giving food in charity should be done regularly. It takes precedence over all other actions. That's why Sai was called mother Sai. According to our scriptures, food is Parabrahma. From food all beings are born; by food lives are sustained and having departed, into food again they enter. When an uninvited guest arrives at any odd time, a householder should make the guest happy with food. Those who send them back hungry invite trouble to themselves. Giving charity of money, property, clothes etc. requires some discrimination; but in the matter of food, no such
consideration is necessary. Whoever comes at any time to the door, it is not good to disrespect him.

Baba always eat the food that was obtained through Bikshaw. He used to feed every one without any discrimination including animals. He used to cook sometimes in the courtyard of the Masjid and he arranged a big hearth on
the top of which a huge vessel was placed, with proper measure of water. Sometimes he cooked sweet rice and sometimes ‘pilaf’ with mutton. Sometimes he prepared wheat flour dumplings and cooked them in ‘varan’.
Sometimes he made wheat ‘rogda’ or rolled out wheat ‘panga’ and put them in the ‘varan’ that was being cooked, together with the dumplings, very gently. After grinding the spices on a stone slab, he made everything ready for cooking. After preparing the “ muga vadi ” with his own hands, he slowly put them into the cooking vessel. There were two kinds of cooking vessels – one big and one small. Using one or the other, he would cook for those who 
needed the food. The small vessel held enough food for fifty persons; the
bigger one was large enough to feed hundred persons and have some food left over. For all the requirements, Baba went personally to the grocer and had him draw up the accounts. He paid immediately in cash. There was no question of credit. Salt, chillies, cummin seeds, pepper corns, vegetables, coconut, copra – Baba bought all these personally, after carefully deciding upon the items. Sitting in the Masjid, and setting up the grinding-stone with his own hands, Baba would grind there the wheat, the pulses and the millet.  

As Baba was cooking with meat he wanted to send someone to get the meat. Baba decided to test Dada Kelkar by asking him to get meat knowing that he is brahmin. When he was about to leave he will ask him to send his servant. Later when servant was going to the market, he stops him too. But Kelkar was obeying his Guru's order and he loves Sai so much that he did not even think twice. He knew that offering money, grain and clothes is not the only ‘dakshina’ but implicit obedience to the Guru’s orders is the real ‘dakshina’ that pleases the

Guru most. He has real faith, who offers his whole being, and ultimately attains the Guru’s Grace. Here Baba's intention was not about the meat but to teach the proper way in the spiritual path. It is very hard to get rid of past vasanas (impressions) and our attachment to this body, mind and ego. When the steam came out of the cooking vessel and the contents of the cauldron was fiercely boiling, Baba rolled up his sleeve and pushing his arm inside churned the whole
mass from side to side and up and down. Seeing the vessel bubbling, and in need of stirring, Baba would show this incredible ‘leela’ at such a time.Then he used to serve people. Here Hemadpanth clears the doubt of people about serving meat. Baba used to give meat only to those people who can eat.

Nanasaheb's Disrespect of a Shrine
People used to infer in their own way that Baba was a Muslim or Hindu. Sai is a self realized soul and these great people have no religion and no caste. Baba never spoke about his whereabouts. No one knew definitely when He was born and in what community and who were His parents. Then how could He be a Muslim or Brahmin? If He were a Moslem, how could He keep Dhuni fire ever burning in the Masjid, how could there be a Tulsi Vrindavan there, how could he allow the blowing of conches and ringing of bells and the playing of the musical instruments, how could he allow all the different forms of Hindu worship, there? Had he been a Muslim, could He have pierced ears and could He have been spent money from His pocket for repairing Hindu temples? On the contrary He never tolerated the slightest disrespect to Hindu Shrines and deities.

Once Nanasaheb Chandorkar came to Shirdi with the husband of his sister-in-law, Mr.Biniwalle. They both came to Dwarakamai and sat before Baba. Baba suddenly got angry with Nanasaheb and said - "You are so long in My company and how do you behave like this?" Nanasaheb then at first did not understand anything and humbly requested Baba to explain. Mr Binnewala wanted to visit the Datta shrine at Kopergaon but Nana hurried him to come to Shirdi thinking that they can visit this temple while going back. Nanasaheb then at once realized his mistake. He usually worshiped the Shrine of Datta, on the banks of the Godavari at Kopergaon on his way to Shirdi, but this time he acted differently to avoid delay and came straight. He confessed all this to Baba and told Him that while bathing in the Godavari, a big thorn went into his foot and gave him much trouble. Baba said that, that was the slightest punishment that he experienced and warned him to be more careful in future.

Kala (hodge-podge)
 After the arati was over and after Baba sent away all the people with Udi and blessings. But Baba used to bless all the food that was brought by various devotees and mixed it like a hodge-podge.  He offered it all to God and consecrated it. Then portions of the same were given to the persons waiting outside and the rest was served to the inner party with Baba at the center. The Bhaktas sitting in two rows then dined to their hearts' content. Baba asked Shama and Nanasaheb Nimonkar daily to serve the consecrated food to all the persons sitting inside and look to their individual needs and comforts. This they did very carefully and willingly. 

Cup of Butter-Milk
Once Hemadpant was in Baba's company and Baba offers him a cup of buttermilk. He was already full in his stomach but its white appearance pleased him, but he was afraid that there was no space inside for it. He, however, took a sip which proved very tasty. Seeing his faltering attitude, Baba said - "Drink it all, you won't get any such opportunity hereafter." He drank it off then, but found that Baba's words were prophetic, for He passed away soon.

Sai lived like a Sanyasi and he always followed the dharma of a mendicant. His life was very simple and he never had interest in material things. Baba taught us that we need to have internal purity so that he can help us to walk the path he showed. 

Om Srisainatharpanamasthu!