Heart to Heart

An old man came hobbling into Beas Hospital using two sticks for support.

I asked him, “What is the problem?”

He said, “Eye problems.”

I said, “Why didn’t you bring your son to help you?”

He said, “I have heard that in Maharaj Ji’s house there is no need of a son or helper. The sevadars in Maharaj Ji’s house will help me.”

He was admitted and the eye specialists operated on him. When he recovered, he bowed to the Guru with whose grace he recovered the use of his eyes, without the help of his sons.

***

During the construction of the Beas Hospital, sevadars would unload cement wagons and become covered with cement; even their mouth and eyes. They were seated in front of the other sevadars when Maharaj Ji gave darshan. Maharaj Ji was always pleased to see them. He would say, “These poor fellows are working hard. They do seva with such love, they pay no attention to their body.” No one could believe how many sevadars came to the hospital, even in the busy April/May harvest season. There’s a saying that if the mother of a farmer dies in April or May, they won’t cremate her until the wheat harvest is in. And these were mostly all farmers, yet so many of them came to do seva at the hospital during the harvest season. So great was their love and sacrifice to do seva at the hospital site!

One of the sevadars who often acted as foreman on these projects spoke to Maharaj Ji on a slab day. He said: “Maharaj Ji, today is a wedding celebration at the hospital.”

Maharaj Ji asked: “How?”

He replied, “There are twice the number of sevadars.”

Maharaj Ji answered: “Every day is a marriage celebration in Baba Ji’s house.”

Maharaj Ji would always spend as much time as possible at the hospital on slab days. He would often come immediately after morning satsang, then again at lunch time, then again in the afternoon to give prashad (blessed food). So much was his love and appreciation for the sevadars.
_{Labour of Love}