Discipline

There was a sheristadhaar by name Thakad. His wife and 16-year old son were ardent devotees of Shridi Baba. Tharkad did not object to their worship of Baba. One day when they wanted to go to Shridi, he gave them his consent. But Tharkad himself did not go to any shrine as he was a Brahmo Samajist. He did not to go to Shridi despite many appeals from his wife.

Tharkad's son told his father that he would not go to Shridi because he was performing regular worship to Shridi Baba in their house. This worship would be affected if he went to Shridi. The lad told his father that every day he was making an offering of sugar candy to Baba and he was partaking part of the candy as prasaadh (blessed offering) out of the conviction that Baba was receiving the candy. He declared: "I do not want any break in this practice. Hence I do not want to go to Shridi." The father had great affection to the son. He told the son: "Babu, I shall perform that duty. You better go to Shridi."....

"Will you offer worship to Baba as I have been doing? Will you offer candy to him and later eat part of it as prasaadh?" The father gave promise to carry on the worship during his absence. The mother and her son left for Shridi.

The father performed the worship in the manner of the son for a few days. Offering a candy to Baba, he took a part of it after the forship before taking his meal. On a Thursday, Tharkad had some urgent business in the court and left the house in a hurry after performing puuja (worship). Returning for his meal, he asked the cook to bring the prasaadh. The cook informed him that he had not offered any offering of candy that day. Tharkad was sorry that he had failed to make the offering to Baba.

At Shridi, when the mother and the son went to see Baba on the following Friday, Baba told the son: "Babu, yesterday I had been to Bangra, but no one gave me any food. Even the candy which you use to offer daily was not available. I have come back very hungry. Will you give me something to eat?" The boy was shocked on listening the Baba's words. He wept in his mother's lap. "I cannot stay here any longer. I must adhere to my daily routine." At that time, Baba sent a chit to the boy through one dog. In his message, Baba said: "There is no need for you to go now. Your father failed to keep his word, but you have not failed in your duty. You have all my Grace. You can stay here as long as you wish."

Source:
(Excerpts from details of short compilation: Sathya Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. 29. Chapter 21)