Swamishri’s 59th birthday celebration was held in the city of Rajkot. A colorful procession was carried out through the city center and thousands of devotees gathered to honour him. A couple of days after the celebration, Swami was invited to the palace of Manoharsinh Jadeja, a scion to the former monarch of the State. A big car belonging to Malaviya Sheth was at his service. While returning after the home visit, the car ran out of petrol and it suddenly stalled on the main street. The driver became frantic and embarrassed.
‘Swamiji, please remain seated. I’ll be back in a moment with some petrol,’ he said.
Swami was scheduled to pay homage to the shrine of Krishnaji Ada and reach Gunatitnagar (Bhadra) by evening. Since Swamishri was in a hurry he told the driver not to worry.
‘We will go by rickshaw to Ada’s place and you can meet us there.’
‘But Swami, if you go by rickshaw it will not be fitting for you. Please wait for a little while.’
Swamishri called a rickshaw and with a sadhu went to Ada’s place. Bhanubhai Ghadia, a devotee, was waiting for Swamishri there. When he saw Swami stepping down from a rickshaw he was simply wonderstruck.
‘But Bapa, if you had told me I would have brought you in my car,’ he said.
Swami smiled and simply told him to give the rickshaw driver his fare!’
Two days previously he was the center of a grand and beautiful procession, yet he had no reservations in traveling by rickshaw to Ada’s place.