Food for all

When the dinner was almost over, Siva sang a beautiful hymn. Others, too, followed. All had finished their meals. Some had left some vegetables, etc. on their leaf. Siva’s eyes fell on these.

‘Visweswaranandaji, please see that nothing is wasted. All that remains on the leaves should be collected and given to the cattle. Also, please send for the health officers (this is the only name by which Siva can refer to the scavenger) and feed them nicely.’

There is a wonderful philosophy and a lesson in psychology in this. Siva does not chastise those who have not consumed what they took nor those who served, nor does he instruct the management to reduce the quantity prepared—but goes straight to the core of the problem.

‘There is no waste: everything has its own use, in the cosmic sense. The animals and the fish in the Ganga get their share.’

What a great heart.

~ Inspiring talks of Gurudev Swami Sivananda