It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan
mandir in Amdavad was silent, with nobody around. Babubhai Kothari,
the chief administrator, routinely closed his office to retire for
an afternoon nap. Oddly, he heard a low clanging and clanking sound
emerging from the room by the water tank. It seemed someone was washing
dishes. But who could it be in this heat of the afternoon ? Curiosity
made Babubhai inspect. The door was locked from the inside, yet from
a small slit in the wood he peered in. For a moment he was shocked
in amazement. Amidst a heap of dirty dishes, his Guru, Yogiji Maharaj
was bending over and scouring with great delight. He was rejoicing
for getting this opportunity to serve. Babubhai's affection could
not bear it. How could he watch Yogiji Maharaj, the Spiritual master
of hundreds of thousands, wash the dishes of his own disciples? He
shouted "swamiji! Please leave the dishes. You should not do such
menial things. It is our duty..." "No, do not say that ! After a long
time I've had this opportunity of service. Please allow me to perform
it. Others are tired and have retired to take rest, and I was fortunate
enough to find this 'seva'. Please do not say..." The master continued
to plead and wash at the same time. The disciple stood there, helpless
and heartbroken, watching his Guru engrossed in humble service. He
gave grand importance to the lowest of 'seva'. Even in his last years,
at the age of 78, bedridden during a spell of severe illness, Yogiji
once pleaded to his attendants, "Oh let me go to serve and wash dishes.
I wish to wash utensils." seva=service.
