Remember Me Before Food

Sri Ramana Maharshi

14-5-1946

At 11 o’clock this morning, the Asramam lunch-time, Bose’s mother brought various dishes that she had specially prepared for Bhagavan and was serving them herself. She has brought food like this a number of times during recent weeks, and it means a good deal of cooking, since Bhagavan will not take anything unless there is enough for all to partake of it alike. Bhagavan asked me to tell her not to take all this trouble and to say that it was work enough to prepare food for her family and it was unnecessary to send things for so many people. 

He said: “Let her cook and eat her food at home, dedicating some of it to me, saying ‘this is for Bhagavan’. They think I have special liking for one thing or another, but really I have not. All food is the same to me. I would gladly mix up all the different things served and take it all together, but those who have prepared the food and think, ‘Bhagavan will like this’ or ‘Bhagavan will like that’ would be disappointed, so I don’t. Time was when I took pleasure in variety, but after realizing unity all that disappeared.”

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"It is true that you give (food) to the persons present; but if none be nearby, what could you or I do? Do you remember Me before eating? Am I not always with you? Then do you offer Me anything before you eat?"  - Shirdi Saibaba