Once Gordhanbhai was on his way to a pond to wash his clothes. He always kept his mind focused on Maharaj. He was not aware of anything else. So instead of taking his clothes, he lifted his little sleeping son and started walking to the pond. On the way to the pond, he was constantly chanting, “Swaminarayan, Swaminarayan”. When he was passing through the market, the boy started crying. But Gordhanbhai was lost in his own spiritual world so he did not hear him.

Then someone said, “Gordhan! Have you gone mad? You are holding your child on your shoulder with his head upside down. Can’t you hear him crying? Put him down on the ground.”

Gordhanbhai realised his mistake. He put his son on the ground and said, “I thought I was carrying my clothes.” So strong and deep was Gordhanbhai’s devotion that he was not aware of anything except Shriji Maharaj.

Once Shriji Maharaj was speaking to a holy assembly in Gordhanbhai’s house. Then a devotee came and fell at Maharaj’s feet and gave Him a plate of pendãs. Shriji Maharaj looked at Gordhanbhai and said, “Serve Me.” Instead of giving the pendãs to Maharaj, the Sheth began eating the sweets himself. He finished all the pendãs very quickly. One of the devotees thought: ‘It is strange. The pendãs were given to Maharaj. Why did
Gordhanbhai eat them?’
Shriji Maharaj then said, “Gordhanbhai was thinking only of Me while eating. So, it is as if I have eaten the sweets. Durvãsã Rishi had eaten sixteen thousand, one hundred and eight dishes of the gopis while thinking only about God. That is why he was said to be constantly fasting. In the same way, this Sheth understands his ãtmã as being brahmarup and worships Me in all three states.

To him both sugar and salt are the same.” That is why Shriji Maharaj has said that his true devotees were Gordhanbhai and Parvatbhai.