Up in the Himalayas, away from the world, tucked away in the lap of the holy mountains, on the banks of sacred rivers, lived holy men. They spent their days lost in meditation. They lived in simple huts� kutias. To a holy mind, these kutias are very beautiful�untouched by the organized noisy dust of the city, they had a natural abundance of flowers and fruits, animals and birds, trees and creepers, bees and honey.
In one of these ashramas lived a Mahatma, Swami Sivoham, with a few disciples. The Mahatma was known to teach his students in a practical way. And once he demonstrated a great truth to them, they could never forget their lesson again.
Once, Swami Sivoham was trying to explain to them that one being is not separate from another, if one recognises that the same Lord resides in each of us.
But his disciples, not having understood fully the teaching of the lessons, would at times indulge in petty quarrels.
So the Mahatma decided it was time to teach them by his own private technique. Then they would never forget! He told the disciples, 'Tomorrow, children, I shall arrange a big feast for you all. I shall expect you all to partake of the food I prepare for you."
Next day, all his disciples gathered for the promised meal. He made them sit down in two rows, one facing the other. Then he himself served them the delicious dishes he had prepared. There were all kinds of rich and spicy foods, and a number of tasty sweets. The poor students, who were till now eating only what the forest could give them, were quite happily surprised to see the mouth-watering food before them. They could not wait to start.
Just as they were about to take the first morsel to their mouths, their Guru called out, "Wait, wait! Don't start eating yet. Just wait for a few moments." Thus saying, he got a few planks of wood. Then straightening the right hand of each disciple he tied a plank of wood to it, with the result that the right arms of all the students became stiff. Then he said, "Eat now, my children. Eat as much as you can." The disciples looked at each other in dismay. How could they eat with their arms stiffened by wood? How could they take the food to their mouths?
The Mahatma looked upon their confusion and laughed gently. "Dear ones," he said, "is it really necessary that each of you should put the food in his own mouth? For a change, why do you not feed the person in front of you?"
So the disciples, after the initial embarrassment, fed each other. They clasped the feet of their Guru, who gave them their lessons so lovingly. Yes, "all hands are His --- all mouths are His". Every hand can serve all mouths if only willing!!
