It was a hot and sunny day. All you could hear was ‘Beep-beep! Beep-beep!’

Swamishri was on vicharan in the busy city of Amdavad. Sitting in a rickshaw, he was on his way to a devotee’s house. Yes, that’s right. Swamishri was sitting in a rickshaw. Only recently because of his old age has he begun to travel by a Car. Otherwise before that Swamishri would travel by rickshaw, bullock-cart or even by walking! Can you imagine that? Swamishri walking to your house for a padhramni (home-visit).

This rickshaw on the other hand was very slow. It might have been quicker to walk! It also made a lot of noise. Occasionally the exhaust would spit and splutter - 'Bang-bang!' Letting out a huge puff of black smoke.

As the rickshaw slugged along, a 5-6 year old balak named Anup was standing on the roadside. From the corner of his eye he noticed that it was Swamishri in the rickshaw. His eyes popped out! He couldn’t believe it. At the top of his breath he shouted, “that was Swamibapa!!” Straight away he ran after the rickshaw. It didn’t take him long to catch up because the rickshaw was going so slow. He was running alongside the rickshaw when Swamishri noticed him. He felt sorry for the young balak, who was huffing and puffing trying his best to keep up. So he told the driver to stop. The rickshaw driver immediately slammed on the brakes. Screeeeeeeech!!!! It made such a loud noise that people could hear miles away. To Anups astonishment Swamishri called him near and told him to jump in. He couldn’t believe his luck. But where would he sit? There was practically no space. There was Swamishri, his attendant sadhus and Thakorji. Somehow they managed to squeeze him in, but it was jam packed.
“Bapa, will you not come and visit my house?”, asked Anup innocently.
Swamishri understood the balaks inner-wish and replied, “Why not? Let’s go right now.”
Young Anup was thrilled.

As the rickshaw pulled-up outside Anup’s small house, he leaped out, grabbed hold of Swamishri’s finger and led him in. After finishing the padramani, Swamishri told Anup, “Come to the mandir tomorrow to collect prasad.” Would you say no to that kind of offer? Never. So sure enough, the next day Anup went to the mandir. There he met Swamishri who lovingly fed prasad to Anup. What a lucky boy!

Swamishri went out of his way to please a young balak. He didn’t have to tell the rickshaw driver to stop. He could have let him carry on. But no. It’s because Swamishri cares. He cares for all the devotees, whether young or old. He's willing to go out of his way to please others. Swamishri is the ideal of sacrifice.