In Sarangpur, Bapa was trying to draw the attention of some young men standing some distance away. Naturally the young men were reluctant. “But Bapji! We are Harijans,’’ they responded.
Swamishri responded, "We also are the jans (people) of Hari (God)! We all have to become Harijans! Make your life pure and addiction-free." He called the youths near and individually blessed them all.
Once Swamishri was presiding over an assembly in a village. Meanwhile a poor-looking man came there, seeming somewhat reluctant to approach further. Swamishri's eyes alighted on him. He called him with love, "Come brother! Here, take this flower. It has been sanctified by God. Here, come near."
Swamishri's compassionate eyes coaxed him to approach the stage. With bowed head, as if deeply ashamed, he came near the saint who has no reservations in his heart. The poor man bowed his head at Swamishri's feet. His head received a gentle, loving touch with a hand – shattering the age-old taboo of untouchability! Bapa's mere touch was enough to bathe him in love, enough to penetrate the depths of his spirit.
"Oh! How cool," he said.
Until now, anyone who had bothered speaking to him had done so out of hatred or spite. Anyone who had cared to look at him had done so with contempt. Anyone who had touched him had done so with the intent of hurting him. But today it was not so. The sadhus next to Swamishri took the garland from the man's hands and gave it to Swamishri, who placed it around the man's neck. For the first time in his life, this poor old man experienced a sense of fulfillment.
The social and moral advancement of the tribals has been an ongoing activity for the last thirty years. The work is going on in places like Selvas, Dadra-Nagar-Haveli, Dangs, Sabarkantha, Panchmahal and Saputara. On the morning of 16 December, 1999, a tribal convention was held on the occasion of Swamishri's 79th birthday in Valsad. Over 25,000 tribals from various districts of Gujarat gathered for the convention. Through the efforts of Swamishri, thousands of tribals have renounced their vices and addictions and have adopted the values of satsang in life.