Swami Sadhanananda Giri - A short biography
The city of Haridwar, December, 1970.
A young sadhaka arrives late in one of the numerous ‘chhatra’ – place for free distribution of food (chapatti & daal) arranged by local businessmen. He had continued his japa & meditation till late evening that day. Hence the delay. Persons in the ‘chhatra’ had called it a day already. Now the advent of this brahmachari made them very much angry. They hurled few unacceptable words to him for being late.
A sense of loss of self-dignity immediately propelled the brahmin to declare in public – “I won’t ask for food henceforth, I won’t tell anyone that I am hungry. Let The Almighty take my entire responsibility.” Such a stern rebuff was unexpected from the men at service in the ‘chhatra’. They now started imploring the brahmachari to accept their service. But he had already made up his mind. Being a bramhin by birth, he had no right to dishonour his own uttered words!
A thin blanket was all he had to save himself from the cold rushing down the mountains of the Himalayas. He retired to the bank of the river Ganga – flowing with high currents. Sitting by the brahmakunda, he revisited what happened in the immediate past. Death was imminent – as he could no longer ask for food - unless it was offered by God Himself. Starvation would surely take his life – he thought.