In the Samvat year 1876, on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month of Margashirsh, Shreeji Maharaj was seated in the Darbar of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. He had put on all white garments. Saints and devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.
Then Shreeji Maharaj said. “I was going from Venkatadri to Setubandh Rameshwar. On the way I came across a recluse named Sevakram. He had studied Shreemad Bhagavat and other holy books. On the way he fell ill. And though he had goId coins worth one thousand rupees he had nobody to nurse him. So he began to cry. I told him not to worry and promised to nurse him. I took him to an orchard of bananas on the outskirts of the town. Though there was a banyan tree which was haunted by one thousand ghosts, I took him there as he was very sick. He was not able to walk, so my heart was filled with extreme pity. There I gathered banana leaves and prepared a bed one foot high for him. He was suffering from acute diarrhea. I washed him and nursed him. He asked me to bring sugar, ghee, food grains, etc. from his money. But he gave me only that much amount which was sufficient to satisfy his needs only. I brought these things and cooked and fed him. For my own needs I used to go to the town for alms, Sometimes I did not get anything and had to go on fast. But that recluse never told me that he had ample money and never asked me to cook for both of us and dine together. After nursing for two months he improved quite a little and was able to walk.
Then we started for Setubandh Reameshwar. He had a luggage weighing about one mound [20 kg.] which he made me to carry and himself used to walk free with only a rosary in
his hand though by now he was quite strong and was able to digest 1 lb. of ghee. As for my luggage I did not keep even a napkin of my own. I carried his luggage of about 20 kg, thinking him to be a recluse. He recovered by my nursing. But he did not give me even a spoonful of food.
Finally thinking him to be an ungrateful person I left his company. Thus any person who does not appreciate an obligation must be considered an ingrate. And any person, who calls another person a sinner though that person has expiated for his sins according to the rites prescribed by the Holy Scriptures, must also be considered a sinner like that ingrate.”
