THE FIRST MIRACLE

His father had hoped that Jalaram's attraction towards the sadhus will decrease in course of time, but it increased instead. For Jalaram, the life's sole aim was the service of the sadhus and the sannyasis. Virpur was on the way between Dwarika and Junagadh. So the sadhus and the sannyasis used to halt there for rest. Jalaram was delighted when he saw a sadhu. He would invite him for meals, or offer him food grains or other things from the shop.

His father was not a rich man. He advised the son that they could not afford such expenses, but the advice had no effect on Jalaram. He was therefore, separated from the family. Now Jalaram left his father's shop and looked after the shop of his uncle Valji.

One day about a dozen sadhus came to his shop. Jalaram gave them some yards of cloth from the roll. Then he gave them sufficient quantity of pulse, rice and flour. He tied these things into a bundle and went with them carrying that bundle himself. He also took with him a vessel filled with ghee.
A merchant in the neighbourhood saw this. He went to Valji and told him, "Stop this boy from doing such things, lest he will drag you in to debt."
Valji immediately ran after, Jalaram and the merchant followed him. They stopped him in the way and asked him, "what's there in this bundle?"
Jalararn said, "Nothing but dung cakes."
"Show me!" his uncle challenged. Jalaram untied the bundle. And lo! There were dung cakes in it!
"And what's there in the vessel?" asked his uncle.
"What else can there be but water?" saying this Jalaram turned the vessel upside down, and lo! water flowed out of it!
The merchant said, "Valji, this seems to be the effect of some black magic of the mendicants. Come on, I will show you the roll of cloth."
Jalaram's uncle measured the cloth but found it was not an inch less.
The merchant was abashed. Even the sannyasis were stunned.
Jalararn knew that this was God's doing. He was' convinced that to serve a sadhu was to serve God, Himself

Click to return back to Stories page