PACHMI PARKASH - Global Sikh Studies

One day all the cooks got together and went to Baba Ji, and with hands folded they
bowed down. Then Sri Maan the Chief cook put forward a suggestion to Baba Ji
saying, “Maharaj! The rice is being made with brown coloured sugar and the sweet
rice is coming out red, because the sugar is not completely clean which in turn we
have to clean. With your direction, what if on the days we don’t have any sugar we
clean the raw sugar cane rocks and use that in the sweet rice?”
Baba Ji, at first stayed quiet then after this pause, they said, “If the Indian sugar has to
be cleaned then I suggest you stop using sugar altogether in rice and use refined sugar
rocks which is completely clean.”
Now the cooks did not know what to say? As what they were trying to do had flipped
on them, whilst trying to save on expenditure, it was now going to be more expensive
as the refined sugar rocks were way more expensive, but who was to refuse Baba Ji’s
word, from which day refined sugar rocks were always used in the sweet rice.
After sometime had passed and the stock pile of refined sugar rocks had finished the
cooks thought that Baba Ji had forgotten about this whole episode, they thought it
might be ok to use the raw unrefined sugar cane rocks after cleaning it. Now everyday
Baba Ji’s food was taken out to them at their meditation hut. But on this occasion
when Sant Aaya Singh Ji took the food to them, Baba Ji on removing the cloth which
was covering the food, saw the colour of the rice and asked whether the rice was
bought in by devotees? Sant Aaya Singh Ji replied, “No Maharaj! It is from the
Guru’s kitchen.”
Baba Ji covered the food and sent it back and sent a couple of disciples to inform the
cooks that Baba Ji was on their way in person to the kitchens. The disciples ran back
to tell the cooks and informed Sri Maan and the rest of the cooks. Now Sri Maan and
cooks knew their mistake but did not know what to do? During which time Baba Ji
arrived at the kitchens with Sant Aaya Singh Ji. At this time devotees had also
gathered waiting for Baba Ji’s vision and seeing them began to come over and pay
their respects at their feet but Sant Aaya Singh Ji told them to go and wait as Baba Ji
was to exchange some harsh words with the cooks. Baba Ji called Sri Maan and the
rest of the cooks and on seeing Baba Ji’s mood they stood shivering in fear, only
quickly coming forth to bow at their feet and then standing at a distance with folded
hands.
Baba Ji asked, “So what’s the matter? When I had told you once that while I’m alive
no raw unrefined sugar cane rocks should be used in the food! Why today did you use
it? The cooks in loving fear replied, “Maharaj! The refined sugar rocks had finished
and we had forgotten to buy more, so since we had this left we thought we’d use it.”
Baba Ji said, “If there wasn’t any refined sugar rocks, then you shouldn’t have made
any sweet rice, but why did you resort to this unrefined raw sugar rock? Now come
and show me where the refined sugar rock is stored.”
Now before there was not even one piece of the refined sugar rock left, but when the
store room door was opened the cooks were amazed as the room was filled to the
ceiling with a mountain of refined sugar rocks. Baba Karam Singh Ji Maharaj said,
“Look how much there is here.”
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