Santbal A Saint with a Difference

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

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retorted that allowing the youth of the village to gamble was worse than not trying to extinguish fire because it not only spoils the moral of the new generation, but also results in disharmony in the village people. He cited an incident which occurred a few months ago in the village when a person who had lost in gambling could not pay to the winner as a result of which the winner forcibly robbed him of his bullock. It was the sowing season and with the loss of one of his bullocks the person who had lost in gambling was not in a position to cultivate his fleld. A serious and violent dispute was averted by the intervention of other village people. Faljibhai emphasised that such incidents were bound to increase if the evil of gambling was not stopped. He expressed his distress at the apathy showed by the village elders who bore the moral responsibility to keep proper check on the misguided village youth. People who had gathered at the temple silently heard all this, but gave no immediate response. So Faljibhai declared that he was already on fast on account of Janmashtami and would continue to remain on fast till gambling was not totally stopped in the village. So saying he left the place.
Next morning, when he was busy with ihs morning duties a few young men of the village approached him, and assured him that they had resolved not to gamble and requested him to give up his fasts. Faljibhai wanted such assurances from the whole village before giving up his fasts. After a while many village elders and young persons went to him to give the required assurance. He asked them to organise a supervising team for every locality to see that the gambling was totally stopped. This was done and the gambling was totally stopped in that village.
Incidents of Theft in a Villlage :
Santbalji was passing his Chaturmas at a village. Once a widow from a nearby village went to him weeping and complaining about a theft in her house. She was living in her
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