There was a sheristadhaar by name Thakad. His wife
and 16-year old son were ardent devotees of Shridi Baba. Tharkad did not object
to their worship of Baba. One day when they wanted to go to Shridi, he gave
them his consent. But Tharkad himself did not go to any shrine as he was a
Brahmo Samajist. He did not to go to Shridi despite many appeals from his wife.
Tharkad's son told his father that he would not go
to Shridi because he was performing regular worship to Shridi Baba in their house.
This worship would be affected if he went to Shridi. The lad told his father
that every day he was making an offering of sugar candy to Baba and he was
partaking part of the candy as prasaadh (blessed offering) out of the
conviction that Baba was receiving the candy. He declared: "I do not want
any break in this practice. Hence I do not want to go to Shridi." The
father had great affection to the son. He told the son: "Babu, I shall
perform that duty. You better go to Shridi."....
"Will you offer worship to Baba as I have been
doing? Will you offer candy to him and later eat part of it as prasaadh?"
The father gave promise to carry on the worship during his absence. The mother
and her son left for Shridi.
The father performed the worship in the manner of
the son for a few days. Offering a candy to Baba, he took a part of it after
the forship before taking his meal. On a Thursday, Tharkad had some urgent
business in the court and left the house in a hurry after performing puuja
(worship). Returning for his meal, he asked the cook to bring the prasaadh. The
cook informed him that he had not offered any offering of candy that day.
Tharkad was sorry that he had failed to make the offering to Baba.
At Shridi, when the mother and the son went to see
Baba on the following Friday, Baba told the son: "Babu, yesterday I had
been to Bangra, but no one gave me any food. Even the candy which you use to
offer daily was not available. I have come back very hungry. Will you give me
something to eat?" The boy was shocked on listening the Baba's words. He
wept in his mother's lap. "I cannot stay here any longer. I must adhere to
my daily routine." At that time, Baba sent a chit to the boy through one
dog. In his message, Baba said: "There is no need for you to go now. Your
father failed to keep his word, but you have not failed in your duty. You have
all my Grace. You can stay here as long as you wish."
--Om Sai Ram--
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