Making idlis - Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi

"#There are no others; whatever you see outside is your own reflection. Your mind is creating all this."*

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One day Chinna Swami told him, "You can neither stay inside the ashram nor eat here unless you do some kind of service." 

Raja Iyer went to Bhagavan and said, "Bhagavan, listen to what Chinna Swami is saying." 

Bhagavan suggested, "Raja, why don‟t you make idlis in the morning?" Idlis, or rice cakes, were made in the ashram every morning as it is to this day. 

Raja Iyer said, "Bhagavan, I do not know how to make idlis." 

Bhagavan said, "I will teach you." 

Making idlis was not easy because it involved a lot of work. Rice and lentils had to be ground the previous evening and it had to be done manually since there was no machinery. That evening Bhagavan said, "Raja, come," and taught him. (In fact, Bhagavan himself ground the rice and lentils for many days with Raja Iyer to teach him.) 

The next morning, Raja Iyer told Bhagavan nervously, "Bhagavan, I do not know how to steam the idlis." 

Bhagavan volunteered, "I will come and help you, Raja." 

Bhagavan showed him how to cook the idlis. But, the next day, to Raja Iyer‟s dismay, he found that all the idlis he had made had crumbled. He dashed to the hall desperately and reported, "Bhagavan, all the idlis have crumbled and I do not know what to do. I am very nervous." 

Bhagavan asked him, "Before making these idlis, I told you that you should make an offering to the fire. Did you make a pledge that you will offer the first set of idlis to the fire?" 

Raja Iyer admitted, "Bhagavan, I forgot to do it." 

Bhagavan said, "Go and do that. Tell the fire that the first set of idlis will be offered to it." 

Raja Iyer told he continued to make this offering even after Bhagavan's period. He continued making idlis till the late seventies and the first offering was always to the fire. 

This was the same Raja Iyer who visited Bhagavan at Skandashram and Virupaksha cave because he was fond of eating. He was still so fond of food that he would go into the kitchen and eat anything, whether cooked or raw. One day, a devotee complained to Bhagavan saying, "Bhagavan, what is all this? The man is uncontrollable; he eats whatever he wants!" 

Bhagavan smilingly said, "You are complaining about Raja." 

The devotee said, "Yes, Bhagavan. It is not according to the rules of the ashram." 

Bhagavan questioned, "Are you sure that it is a mistake on the part of Raja Iyer?" 

The devotee said, "Yes, Bhagavan." 

Bhagavan continued, 

"Can you be clearer? Why do you also not go into the kitchen and eat like that?" 

The devotee answered, 

"No, Bhagavan, I cannot do that; I just cannot." 

Bhagavan told the devotee, "It is not his constant eating that is bothering you but the fact that you are not able to go inside and eat as often." 

In this manner, Bhagavan taught the devotee that there are no others. Our opinion about others is based upon our own shortcomings. 

The devotee was unable to eat as much as he wanted because he was afraid of Chinna Swami and therefore he was complaining. But Raja Iyer was not afraid of Chinna Swami. Raja Iyer told years later that he had received many a berating from Chinna Swami, but this did not deter him from going into the kitchen and eating! 

Bhagavan then advised the devotee, 

"There are no others; whatever you see outside is your own reflection. Your mind is creating all this."