Different sadhanas (means of accomplishments) are prescribed in our scriptures for different ages. Tapa (Penance) is recommended for Krita age, Jnana (Knowledge) for Treta age, Yajna (Sacrifice) for Dwapara age and Dana (Charity) for Kali (present) age.
Of all the charities, giving food is the best one. We are much perturbed when we get no food at noon. Other beings feel similarly under similar circumstances. Knowing this, he who gives food to the poor and hungry, is the best donor or charitable person.
Taittiriya Upanishad says that “Food is Brahma; from food all the creatures are born and having been born, by food they live, and having departed, into food again they enter.”
When an Atithi (uninvited guest) comes to our door at noon, it is our bounden duty to welcome him by giving him food.
Other kinds of charities, viz., giving away wealth, property and clothes etc., require some discrimination, but in the matter of food, no such consideration is necessary.
Let anybody come to our door at noon. He should be served forthwith. If lame, crippled, blind, and diseased paupers come, they should be fed first. The able-bodied persons and our relations should be fed afterwards.
The merit of feeding the former is much greater than that of feeding the latter.
Other kinds of charities are imperfect without this Anna-dana (giving of food). It is as stars are without the moon, or a necklace without its central medal. It is like a crown without a pinnacle, or a tank without a lotus. It resembles bhajan without love, a married lady without the kumkum-mark, singing without a sweet voice, or butter-milk without salt. Just as varan (Pulse-soup) excels all other dishes, Anna-dana (Donate Food) is the best of all merits
Feeding the poor, which was so dear to Sai Baba, was also a great item in any fair. Cooking was done on a grand scale in Radha-Krishna Mai’s lodging. Various sweet dishes were prepared. Rich and wealthy devotees took a leading part in this affair.
SSSC Ch6
Postings on Baba’s food distribution
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"I draw to Me, My man from far off or even across the seven Seas to Shirdi, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet"-Shirdi Sai Baba, Indian Spiritual Guru-God 