Do Not Demand More Than What Is Given
SATYAM STAYS AT VARIOUS HOMES
Satyam and his sister Varalakshmi had been staying with his aunt Venkamma. His aunt was a widow and did not have the means to earn a livelihood to feed Satyam and Varalakshmi.
Aunt Venkamma explained to Satyam he should practice Madhukaram Vratam (begging alms of ccoked food at different houses).
Aunt Venkamma explained to Satyam the meaning of this discipline, “As a bee gathers nectar from different flowers, persons on the spiritual path beg alms at different houses. The bee gathers a drop of nectar from each flower, this way no flower is damaged. The bee creates nectarine honey (which is not possible to make from any one flower) but is possible by mixing drops of nectar from different flowers.
Begging from different houses will not create problems to the householder. The food obtained from the different houses are mixed together and eaten without keeping a portion of it for later in the day or night (as the case maybe). On account of mixing the food together, no single culture will be dominant in the mixed food. You must beg and eat, nothing should be left-over. This will help you to practice detachment.”
Satyam had been practicing madhukara vrata, as per his aunty Venkamma’s instructions.
After a while, neighbours in the village started feeling sorry for Varalakshmi as a girl and a motherless one too. They would take her to their home for the night. Among them a lady called Padmavatamma started giving food to Varalakshmi twice a day.
They spoke to Satyam’s aunt, “What is the need to send the lad to different houses for begging just to feed himself, why don’t you arrange one-day meal for him at different houses each day of the week, on all weeks.”
Aunt Venkamma at once agreed with the suggestion of the neighbours. She arranged for one-day meals at seven different houses.
Each house had its own religious observance and its own system. The taste of each house was different. The weekly dinner boy should become one of the boy of the house in which he dined. Sometimes there would be honour and sometimes dishonour. Satyam had to remain unaffected by both honour and dishonor shown at any house where he received meals. This training was essential for Satyam.
The free weekly meals did not last long. Most of the week day hosts were getting some inconvenience and Satyam, unable to ask food from others would have to fast those days.
Satyam’s friend Chandru, found out he was not getting food and told his father and mother. Chandru’s parent Subamani and Rajamma, reprimanded Satyam and fed him. This had become a routine. Satyam got accustomed eating at Subamani’s home, studying with his children and sleeping there.
In time Subamani would say, “Why do you go for weekly free food? Stay here in our house.” Rajamma would also say the same thing. In due course, Satyam stayed in their home only.
Satyam was thinking, “Have you come across such people anywhere in the world? I am after all a beggar without food and begging alms. They are such rich people with their own home, business and wealth. I am an absolute stranger to them but I am staying in their house and eating their food. Instead of getting disgusted with me and driving me away from them, they are keeping me in their own house.”
Satyam had worn out and torn clothes, Subamani and Rajamma gave him good dress on par with their children. They treated him with the same affection as their own children. When they took a family photo, they included him amongst them.
Satyam thought, “I am as happy in their house as I am happy for having been born to my parents.”
However, in those days Satyam did not want to be indebted to anyone. In the houses where he took weekly meals, he was doing as much work as he could in those houses. Even in Subamani’s home, he was not sleeping even after the other children slept. He would be moving behind the mother in the kitchen while she completed her cleaning. Sometimes she was shouting, “There is no work, go and sleep.” But Satyam would sit at the threshold and doze but would not go to sleep. He slept only after she fell asleep.
In this way, Satyam took food at various houses without making demands and imposing himself on others. He mixed with the children in the home and helped with chores whenever possible.
Satyam’s aunt sent him and Varalakshmi for tuition on holy scriptures from a learned person, Muneyya. Daily one verse of the scripture had to be learnt by heart. Satyam could remember anything he heard just once. Noticing this, Muneyya began to read Bhagavatam for him with great zeal and explained the meaning of the poems.
At Proddutur, Abhedananda Swamy, who was like a teacher to aunt Venkamma, was important in imparting wisdom to Satyam. The art of devotion took a fine shape with him. Yogi Bharathi, who was a friend of both Swamy Abhedanandan and Satyam's aunt, visited Produttur from time to time. Yogi Bharathi was a devotee of Lord Datta. His association was also valuable to Satyam.
Thus Abhedananda, Yogi Bharathi, Muneyya and Satyam’s aunt formed the noble and wise company for internal reflection and spiritual development. Subamani’s family became Satyam’s outward noble company.
