A Well for the Farmers of Jalunda
Even if Sri Devpuriji no longer taught publicly, it would be wrong to assume that he lived in solitude with no concern for others. Just as the trees, rivers and rain serve all, so too the existence of a Saint benefits the entire world. Indeed, his presence is a blessing to the whole universe. A Saint is the most valuable and noble gift that can be given to humanity. His glory and mercy purify the earth and therefore he is the greatest blessing.
Once a group of villagers from Jalunda came to Sri Devpuriji to ask for his help. For some years there had been a drought and they explained there was no more drinking water. The well of the village provided only salty water, not suitable for drinking. The people and animals were suffering greatly.
Sri Devpuriji promised to help them and immediately set out for Jalunda accompanied by his dogs and snakes. On his arrival at the village, he sat down under a tree and the villagers hurried over to welcome him.
"O Divine Master, please accept our thanks for honouring us with your presence. We will do anything within our power to fulfil your desire."
"I thank you very much," Sri Devpuriji replied, "but I have everything I need. I have not come to make demands upon you, instead I have come to give and to help."
He then indicated to them the place where to dig a well. He also took up a shovel and began to dig, but this the farmers just could not accept.
"Gurudeva, please let us do it! Your mere presence is enough. Our efforts will bear fruit."
Despite these words they secretly doubted they would find water. But, full of determination and good will, they dug into the earth. The whole village community worked together in harmony, like one organism in which the activity of each part is indispensable to the other. This in itself was miraculous and was probably due to the beneficial influence of the Divine Master.
During the next day the villagers struck water. Pure, fresh, sweet water! Their relief and joy were indescribable. They were like fish that, suffering on dry land, finally attain their water element again.
We who live in a dry country are aware of the real value of water. During my visits to Europe, I often would hear people complain when it rained, "How ghastly! What terrible weather!" but I would think of the many people in my homeland who would give everything they possessed for drops of rain.
When the well water began to flow the villagers raised a loud and joyful song of "Sri Devapurisha Mahadeva Ki Jai!" — Victory to the Divine Master Sri Devpuriji!
Since this day the well has always yielded plenty of water for the whole village and this well is shown to all who visit Jalunda. Near the village entrance, a large banyan tree is planted by the well — an ever-green symbol of life in the desert.
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