Meaning of real service

Source: AvatarMeher.org, AMB Hyderabad Center

During nightwatch at this time, two incidents occurred.  Bhau was having terrible anal-fistula trouble and could not sit for long periods.

One night, the moment he entered Baba’s room, Baba asked him to massage his legs. Bhau sat on a stool by the bed, and Baba lay close to the side. Bhau began massaging Baba, even though the pressure on Bhau’s fistula was great. Gradually, Baba would shift to the other side of the bed, and Bhau had to continue pressing. The further away Baba moved, the more pressure and pain Bhau felt.

Baba did not let up. He would often remind Bhau, “Use more pressure. Do it harder. Are you sleeping? Don’t you have any energy today? Didn’t you have supper?”

Thus it went on for four hours, with Baba adding fuel to the fire, and Bhau continuing to massage his legs. Not once did Baba sit up.

In this state, these thoughts came into Bhau’s mind: “People call Baba the Ocean of Mercy, but he is the Ocean of Cruelty!

However cruel a man may be, he can’t possibly be crueler than him! Baba knows that I have this trouble, and yet, he is doing this deliberately to cause me more pain. Even an ordinary man would have taken pity on me, but he, being God, has no such consideration.”

At that moment, Baba clapped, and asked, “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing,” Bhau said.

Baba scolded him, “Are you obliging me by doing this? On the contrary, I am obliging you by giving you this opportunity to serve me. You frighten easily. This is nothing! Even if I were to cut you into pieces, you should bear it without a word of complaint. Not even a whimper should escape your lips.

“This is love. This is service. My real mercy lies in making mincemeat out of you!

“This is nothing, not even the beginning!” he continued, “And even then, you complain. You think: ‘What service I am rendering!’

“What is there in your service? It has not even begun, I tell you. Were you really to serve me, there would not be any thought of self. How will you serve me when you are having thoughts about your small trouble? You are serving your affliction, not me! This is not my cruelty, but my kindness.”

Baba’s words convinced Bhau of the meaning of real service, and he could only regret his misplaced thoughts. Baba then sat up and gave Bhau a painkiller tablet.

—www.lordmeher.org, p4574
Aug, 1959; Meherazad