OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS - Prasang 1

 Shining Character

Sagram Vaghri of Limli village was a genuine devotee of Shriji Maharaj. Though he was low-born, by character he was noble and towering. The severe famine of VC 1869 (1813 CE) had spread its tentacles of suffering and death on the land of Kathiawad. Many migrated to souther Gujarat to survive and eke out a livelihood.

Sagram Vaghri and his wife, too, were heading optimistically towards the town of Surat. On the way Sagram’s eyes fell on a shiny ornament. It was an expensive silver anklet that someone had lost. Despite his poverty, Sagram had no desire to take it. But he thought of his wife who was a few furlongs behind him. Being a woman she would be enticed to take it, and it would amount to a transgression of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s words. So thinking, Sagram covered the anklet with mud.

After a while when his wife caught up with him, she asked, “What were you doing sitting down a little while back?” Sagram revealed to her about the silver anklet and added, “To prevent you from seeing it, I covered it with mud.”

“why did you cover mud upon mud? I see another’s possession as mud!” Sagram’s wife nobly responded. Sagram was surprised and fascinated by his wife’s resolve.

Even in spite of hard times, Sagram remained steadfast to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s instruction of not talking a thing lying on the wayside. And his wife perceived another’s belonging as mud!

The strength of one’s character is reflected in hard times.