Then the Lord set off from there, taking two servants with him. From there he came to Kotharia, where the devotee Anandibai lived. In her heart there was great bliss, for she continually beheld the unbroken form of the Lord within; yet still there remained within her a longing to meet that manifest form directly. Having explained everything to her fully, the unconquerable one then set off, taking one attendant with him, going joyfully, the charming one.
From there he came to the village of Bhel, where he gave fine clothes to a Brahmin, and gave milk and sweets filling a full measure; then Hari set off again from there. Whoever he met along the way, the Lord gave them darshan. From there the beautiful dark one set off and came to Mali, the all-accomplishing one.
He stayed there a short while, then said, "We shall go across the desert-flat (Rann)." Coming into the midst of the Rann, the imperishable one said he was hungry and thirsty. There came an inscrutable man who asked for water; there was only a small measure of water with them, yet it was their principle to give even that.
Then the Lord spoke thus: "Come closer, if you wish to drink water." Paying no heed to his own suffering, no one but Hari would have spoken so — though his own life was in distress from thirst, he still did not speak a word of refusal. Then the water there itself turned sweet, delicious and clear.
He and his servant both drank; then the imperishable one set off again. The servant, walking behind, tasted the water there afterward, and found it had turned brackish again.
Performing such divine play, Murari then came to the edge of the desert. There, in a divine form, Ramanand Swami met him, and, bowing his head, he went along with him. They stayed that night in the wilderness, walking along the path as if in a state beyond ordinary consciousness. Then they came upon a pool of water, and both the servant and the compassionate one bathed there.
From there the complete Brahman himself set off, and it proved a great exertion; then he said to his servant, "Press my aching limbs, so we may reach the village." Then the compassionate one set off again, and they came upon a pool in the wilderness where two women sat, who fell into samadhi at the very sight of him, a blissful vision. He passed on from there at once; further along the path they saw two children, who said to each other, "Look, there goes the compassionate one."
From there they came to Adhoi, and he became dear to the hearts of many there; he stayed there two days, and the servant with him smiled to see this. "Now take up the state of a paramhansa — why continue to drift in this ocean of suffering?" So saying, he bestowed upon him the state of a muni, and himself resolved to go to Kutch.
He set off from Adhoi, the imperishable one, having made the devotees happy through his darshan; then he came to the city of Bhuj, and the people beheld the beautiful dark one. He stayed there many days, and summoned the munis there; the sadhus all gathered together, the new company of paramhansas.
They met him with great love, going out to greet him, and, being pleased, he granted them darshan; he kept them near him many days. Then the imperishable one spoke: "As my earlier companion accepted my word, know this other person here to be the same; just as through my word he became dispassionate, giving up all worldly comfort and wealth entirely — now, by my word, return home again, and sit at home singing Hari's praises."
Then the sadhus said, "Listen, Shyam, we shall not do such a thing now. Having first had us sit down and established us as sadhus, how can you now have us give it up? Having entrusted us with this fine and beautiful vocation, how can you now make us abandon it? Perhaps you feel there has been some fault in us — that is what you must think in your mind; otherwise you would not speak such a word — how could you throw us who have emerged, back into the well?
One bound by chains and shackles, one confined in a prison cell — even they are sometimes released one day; but one bound to worldly life is never so released. Having drawn us out, taking us by the hand, why now would you cast us back, O Lord?"
Then Bhagwan spoke: "Sadhus, do not understand it this way. There is much work to be done today — accept this for certain, O munis. You are true paramhansas; there is not the slightest trace of worldliness in you." Having thus explained fully in many ways, he then gave instruction to everyone. The Lord himself remained in Bhuj, and joyous celebrations took place there daily.
He would go to eat at devotees' homes, showing the grace of the enchanter of minds. There was one devotee, Jivram, whose mother was named Harbai; she had developed such a habit of love that she would feed him barfi, pedas, and sweets, and if the giver of life did not eat according to her wish, she would give up food for seven days.
Seeing such love from his devotees, he stayed in the city of Bhuj a long while. Each surpassing the other in devotion, they were deeply absorbed in the love of Hari, their minds ever alert to devotion, giving no ear to any other talk. Having given such devotees darshan, the Lord set off, taking sadhus with him.
He wandered through the land of Kutch, compassionately giving everyone darshan. Then the Lord came to Mandvi, and there summoned all the sadhus. Hearing that the Lord had called them, the munis came together from everywhere. They came and settled by the lakeside, chanting "Swaminarayan" with their lips.
The Beloved spoke of many things, and true exaltation arose in them; he also demonstrated renunciation and dispassion, for anything immature or weak did not please the Lord. As the Lord spoke, so did everyone absorb it fully in their hearts; and having his darshan regularly each day, their spiritual intoxication grew ever greater.
He gave darshan for many days, and everyone was filled with delight. Then Maharaj said, "Listen, all you munis — now all of you, the whole company, go and bring joy to Ahmedabad. Stay all outside the city, and hold discourse and sing kirtans there. Study true scripture among the sadhus, and all stay together there through the monsoon. A sacrifice will be held at Jetalpur, where many Brahmins will be fed. If they come to invite you, then go; otherwise remain seated singing Hari's praises."
So saying, he sent the sadhus off, and Shri Hari himself came into the city. The sadhus arrived at Ahmedabad, where daily discourse on Brahman took place. Some days passed thus, and then the sacrifice at Jetalpur took place.
Govind Muni took the lead, with one named Nanabhai assisting; countless Brahmins came to eat, and cries of victory rang out everywhere. The Brahmins ate with devotion, filling themselves with fine sweets; the sacrifice was then brought to completion, and men and women exclaimed, "Blessed, blessed!"
They were struck with wonder in their minds, at how it had all passed without any obstacle. Thus the sacrifice was completed, and he himself, the giver of life, whom none had invited, returned. The sadhus were then summoned there, and all the sadhus came to Jetalpur; they too had eaten at the sacrifice, by the command of Swami Sahajanand.