Adhaiya Ji and Ram's Forest Kitchen

Adhaiya ji was a young man with a hearty appetite and a straightforward way of speaking. After his parents died, his relatives could no longer provide his meals. They sent him away. Hungry and troubled, he reached the ashram of Swami Ramdas and asked for work.

"You may help us care for the cows," said the teacher. "There will be food for you too." Adhaiya gladly agreed. He was willing to learn whatever work was needed.

When Adhaiya took the cows to graze, he was given flour and vegetables to cook in the forest. Swami Ramdas told him to offer the meal to Ram before eating it as prasad, blessed food. "But I do not know how to make an offering," Adhaiya said. "Call him when the food is ready," the teacher replied.

Adhaiya gathered fuel and cooked baati, round balls of baked dough, with mashed potatoes. He set out the food on leaf plates, joined his hands and called, "My teacher's Lord, please come and eat."

He waited. The cows grazed. His stomach rumbled. At last he said, "Perhaps you have not come because my food is so plain. But this is what I have made for you." When he opened his eyes, Ram stood before him, smiling.

"Who are you?" asked Adhaiya. "I am Ram, whom you have called," came the answer. Ram accepted the offering. When Adhaiya looked at the plates again, the food was gone. "Will I go hungry today?" he asked in surprise. Ram promised to come again whenever he was called.

Back at the ashram, Adhaiya asked for twice as much flour. "Your Lord came and ate the baati," he told his teacher. "Tomorrow I must cook for him and for myself." Swami Ramdas smiled and told the storekeeper to give Adhaiya what he needed.

The next day, Adhaiya cooked the larger meal and called Ram. This time Sita came too. "You did not tell me there would be another guest," Adhaiya said. He welcomed her, but when the meal was over, he needed more flour again.

On the following visit, Lakshman, Ram's younger brother, joined them. Adhaiya cooked and served everyone, then ate the little prasad that remained. He felt a joy he could not explain. At the ashram he asked for another increase in flour.

Then Hanuman came. Adhaiya looked from his guests to the plates. "If you told me how many were coming, I could make enough!" he said. Hanuman finished the last of the food. Later, Ram's brothers Bharat and Shatrughna joined the meal as well. Adhaiya kept serving, and the sack of flour kept growing.

At last, one morning Adhaiya set down the flour and vegetables without cooking anything. He called Ram and his companions. "There is no smell of baati today," Ram said. "You have eaten the food I cooked for so many days," Adhaiya replied. "Today I would like to eat food made by you."

Ram looked at Sita, and she smiled. Soon Hanuman was gathering fuel, Lakshman was tending the cooking fire, and Sita was preparing the meal. Adhaiya watched the forest clearing become a busy kitchen.

"Please cook while I gather the cows," he said. Then he hurried to the ashram. "Come with me, Gurudev! Today your Lord and his family are making the meal." Swami Ramdas followed him to the clearing. There he saw Ram and his companions at work and bowed before them.

Ram spoke warmly of Adhaiya's open, trusting heart. The teacher had given his hungry visitor a place to work and eat. Now that same visitor had asked his beloved guests to care for him in return. At last, Adhaiya sat down to enjoy their food.