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
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