Umadutta Shukla belonged to the first batch of devotees who visited us. These devotees differed from each other in the nature of their association with Babaji and in their understanding of him, but they were all helpful with regard to my understanding and devotion to Babaji at a time when I lacked both.

It is a clear indication that his grace was coming to me from the very beginning that, through them, Babaji linked me to the mainstream of joy and solace from which they were constantly drawing.

The nature and variety of the experiences Shukla derived form his long association with Babaji were different than those of many of the other devotees.

Many persons have felt that Babaji's methods of making and remaking the lives of his devotees were often very hard and sometimes appeared to lack mercy.

This, of course, was not true. The whole basis of his work was nothing but mercy—kripa for the helpless and forsaken one. He knows where, when, and how much mercy is to be used in the job.

A murti may be made from clay, wood or stone. The work of the clay modeler is done with soft and delicate touches of his hand. When it comes to the sculptor working with stone, he has to take up the chisel and hammer. They are both merciful in their jobs, but the mercy has to work in different ways.

Babaji knew this very well; we can see it in his work at different places and with different materials.

Emptying and cleaning are considered essential in the making of a vessel suitable for holding sacred water. The processes differ from one another according to the state of the vessel.

Many persons had heard that Babaji was a great saint and so were interested and enthusiastic to meet him.

There were certain things that were very striking about Babaji and some people were disappointed when they saw him acting like a common householder.

He would go on talking with all and sundry about family and work or business - only worldly things - not of God or prayer or worship. They felt that a sadhu who was busy with common man's talk, with-out the saint's hallmark of saffron clothes, matted locks and all that, could not be a real sadhu.

Babaji was fully aware of this and told me several times that many persons came to test him, not out of devotion for a saint. He did this deliberately to keep away curious sightseers.

"There was something unique about him which was not displayed like the robe worn by a sadhu. One who came with patience and an open mind - without any set ideas about sadhus or saints might catch a glimpse of it, but that depended on Babaji.

One morning Babaji was in his small room in Kainchi. A sadhu with a half-dozen of his disciples came for Baba's darshan. I took them to his room. After they had taken their seat, Babaji said, "This is Mahant Digvijaynath, a great saint. Bow at his feet." When another person came, Babaji made him bow as well. Babaji smiled and asked people to bow low to the saint instead of touching his own feet. But when the third one came and Babaji repeated his words, the Mahant stood up and clasping Babaji's feet, with tears in his eyes, said, "Baba, you are the saint of saints sitting before us, and you are making people touch my feet, taking me to be a saint."

His goodness to his devotees also expressed itself in the way he would fulfill their fond expectations, trying to save them from disappointment. This was revealed during the opening ceremony of the temple in Panki, Kanpur.

Babaji was at Allahabad for his winter stay. Devotees coming from Kanpur requested him to bless the occasion by his presence, which he did not agree to do.

They went back feeling disappointed and sad that all their efforts had failed.On the day of the inauguration, Babaji finished his toilet, and changing his clothes early, went back to his room.