Charan Seva (Service of the Holy Feet)...of Pillows

Lord Shri Krishna had poured His playful attitude into his beloved Saint Baba Maharaj Arvikar.

Shri Anna Puranik was very friendly in how he spoke to and acted around Baba. Anna deeply liked serving Saint Baba. 

When Anna was working in Pune and Saint Baba was in Alandi, on numerous occasions Anna would cycle to Alandi (19.3 km) to bring Baba a meal. Baba also enjoyed his company. Baba would speak and act like a close friend to Anna, sometimes even wrestling with him or pulling pranks on him. Baba would engage in such a fun satsang (spiritual gathering) with Anna. Baba would also ask him to sing abhangas (a type of devotional song) while playing a harmonium, and ask Anna to explain them as well.

Simple-hearted, innocent Anna! Baba would make funny comments on Anna’s explanations and there was laughter everywhere. This was the fun satsang.

At bed time, Anna would be in Baba’s room. He would spend all night pressing Baba’s feet and body. 

Once, when an exhausted Anna fell asleep while pressing Baba’s feet, Baba got up and replaced his feet with pillows. Then Anna, still half-asleep, began to press the pillows, believing them to be Baba’s feet. 

Then Baba left the room and brought all of the other sadhaks to the room’s window to show them and laugh at the joke. This is how playful Baba is! 

Anna’s bhav towards Baba was also one of such fondness. Whenever he got the chance, he would run to Machnur. 

In another instance where Anna was pressing Baba’s feet, Baba gave Anna darshan of all the gods and goddesses. Not just this, but Baba also gave Anna darshan of the Lord of Infinite Universes, Saint Shri Akkalkot Swami Samarth.

To Anna, who is so blessed, shatasha pranam (a hundred bows/salutations).

In Divyamritdhara, Baba says that it is very difficult to develop a mind dedicated to selfless service. However, the mind, burnt by the three kinds of suffering (Trividh Taap = Aadhibhautik, Aadhidaivik, Aadhyatmik), very humbly and sincerely, accepts or tries to remain in the refuge of the excellent. If the chitta is imbued with sincere remorse or attached to the supreme spiritual reality, then the feeling of selfless service (seva) naturally awakens and through this selfless service, the grace of the guru (guru krupa) naturally manifests. A soul must be hoping for grace (krupa), and must be present with the special or particular chitta required for grace. Then the grace of the guru indeed manifests.