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In the Gujarat state of Bhal, there is a small town named Sodhi. Bhal is like a desert region which is very dry and as a result, very few plants or trees grow there. A bibdi or Muslim woman lived here. The only garden in the whole town was at her house. In her garden was a babul tree. Short branches from the babul tree are known as datan, which was what people in villages used to brush their teeth. When ever people in the town asked her for a datan, she would always reply, "These sticks are meant only for God."
Once Shriji Maharaj was travelling through the villages in Bhal and arrived at the outskirts of bibdi’s village, Sodhi. He wanted to have a bath, |
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but needed to brush His teeth first. So, He asked Sura Khachar to find Him a datan. Sura Khachar replied that it would be impossible to find a tree in such a dry region. Maharaj was very persistent and told him to go and have a look in the village. Not wanting to displease Maharaj, Sura Khachar set off to find a datan.
As he walked through the village, he passed by the bibdi’s house. To his surprise, he saw a babul tree growing in her beautiful garden. He immediately asked her to give him a datan or a short stick from her babul tree. The bibdi refused and replied, "Datan from this babul tree are meant only for God." Sura Khachar then told her that the datan was not forhim but for Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Surprised at this, the bibdi said that if this were true, then she would come herself to give it to Maharaj. Saying this, she went with Sura Khachar to give the datan to Maharaj. When she saw Maharaj, she was speechless. She stopped in her tracks and immediately gave the stick to Him. She said to Maharaj, "Oh God, please come to redeem me when my life comes to an end." Maharaj agreed to her wish.
Sure enough, upon her deathbed, Maharaj came to redeem her, holding the very same datan stick that she had given Him. The bibdi became very happy. She immediately went into a divine trance and Maharaj took her to Akshardham for eternal happiness.
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