Santbal A Saint with a Difference

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir

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infatuated by her bewitching beauty, to proper senses, and saved him from falling a pray to his carnal desires.
Diwaliben was reminded of this story and was asked to choose the path she liked. She was assured that if she chose the path of worldly affairs she would carry his blessings as a brother. Her preference was for the worldly affairs. So Shivlal blessed her and gifted her with a Saree as a token of his brotherly love.
Diwaliben's parents and their caste leaders who were also called for the occasion also permitted Shivlal to join the saintly order.
One incident which completely reveals the inner character of Shivlal requires to be noticed at this stage. The incident is revealed by one Amritlalbhai, a childhood friend of Shivlal. As young children when both of them were playing, each one of them was insisting that his skull was stronger than the other. They wanted to test their claims and decided to hit each other's skull with a small earthen bowl and to see whose skull was strong enough to break the earthen bowl. Amritlal was elder in age and so, in fairness he gave the first chance to Shivlal to hit. Shivlal aimed the blow and hardly hit his friend's skull with an earthen bowl, but instead of bowl being broken Amritlal's skull appeared to have been broken with profuse bleeding. Shivlal was horrified at the result of his childish prank. At once some earth from a potters wheel was obtained and applied to the wound. By the passage of time Amritlal was all right and this childhood incident was forgotten by all except Shivlal. Now when Shivlal was to leave all worldly affairs he wrote to Amritlal that he wanted to see him. Amritlal had heard that the attitude of Shivlal was completely changed and that he was passing through some mental turmoil. He, therefore, thought that remembering their old friendship, Shivlal must be desirous of seeking his advise. When both the friends met, they affectionately embraced each other and
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