Translated in English by Mohanlal Virjibhai Fatania
From "Sant Sarita", published during 7th Amrit Mohatsav, 1970, Nakuru, Kenya
Chindal Bhagat resided in a small village near Bhavnagar, about 400 years ago. He was a potter, made clayware and supported his livelihood this way, in hardship. God does not give wealth to his devotee so he/she can worship god and do bhajan/kirtan. This is nature's law as well. It is well known that whenever and wherever god gave darshan, his devotee was mostly poor. Only in rare cases were prabhu darshan given to the rich. In this way Chindal Bhagat did bhajan kirtan and devoted his time to god consciousness. He had such a high performance of honoring and receiving guests that most of the sadhu's passing through his town came to his house.
One day the king of Bhavnagar, Pipaji and his wife, Sitabai, who had given up his throne and on a pilgrimage, came to Chindal Bhagat's village. It was evening time and started to look for a home of a Prajapati where they can find all their conveniences such as new clay utensils, clean fresh water to cook, etc. The home of Prajapati means travelers lodge. With such ease of mind they arrived at Chindal Bhagat's house. Bhagat welcomed them with great love and hospitality. He gave them bedding in open ground and after receiving the guests, Bhagat went inside the house and told his wife that there are two guests sitting outside and we need to feed them prasadam. Bhagat's wife replied "Oh Bhagat, there is no grain or flour, so go and buy some so that we can feed them, and we can pride ourselves" Such was the happy disposition of Bhagat's wife towards Sadhus and guests. Bhagat said "We don't have money and if we fail, the guests will remain hungry, and that would be a poor reflection of our hospitality" Chindal Bhagat looked at her and reflectively looked at the clothes she was wearing. Bhagat said "Bhaktani, if you give me you clothes, I can get some food supplies, in exchange" Chindal Bhagat took her clothes and went to the shopkeeper, and gave the clothes as a bond for the food supplies. He came home and asked his wife to cook, and started bhajan with the guests on the other side. Inside the house the Bhagat's wife was wearing torn and tattered clothes and began cooking. A short while later "Bhagat, prasadam is ready, call the guests to honor it" Chindal Bhagat thought if my wife will serve prasadam in this condition then I will lose my reputation. So Bhagat came inside and told his wife "Bhaktani, we have no other alternative but to leave the prasadam for me to serve and you hide in that big jar of grain.
So in such a way his wife, took instructions from her husband and for the sake of honoring the guests, she hid her half-naked body inside the jar. Chindal Bhagat called the guests to come in and eat prasadam. Both the guest sat down and Bhakta Pipaji told Bhagat Chindal to take prasadam with them together with his wife. Bhagat replied that Bhaktani has gone out so you two go ahead and honor the prasadi. Bhakta Pipaji thought that Bhaktani was inside preparing the food and had not seen her going out and thinking that Bhakta Pipaji insisted that Bhagat if you do not eat with us we will not eat as well. We will only all eat together, but not by ourselves. Chindal Bhagat got worried and thought that if I do not tell them the truth, then sooner or later it will reveal itself. So he told Pipaji the circumstances and what course he had to take to provide hospitality and to maintain the honor of his guests.
Pipaji told Chindal Bhagat that you are so kind to do this kind of services to honor the guest, and upon hearing the story they had tear in their eyes. Both of them said "Oh dear, did they do this much for us?" Pipaji asked his wife to give her sari and he threw the sari in the jar and told Bhagat's wife to come out. Bhaktani wrapped the sari and came out and they all ate together. Everyone seemed very happy. By looking at this type of situation, Pipaji's heart softened and he thought he had to find a way to get some money for Bhagat Chindal. He told his wife that I have the Mridanga and you have the rattle so we will forget about our prestige and pride and we will chant and dance on the roadway and whatever money we collect will give it to Chindal Bhagat. So in such a way both the guests, who came to Chindal Bhagats house for one night, sang and danced from one village to another and one town to another.
They continued in this way until they collected enough money for 12 years of expenses and handed this amount to Chindal Bhagat. Chindal Bhagat refused to accept it, but after a long debate, he agreed.
Such was Chindal Bhagats hospitality to honor the guests he had to bond his wife's clothing in exchange for some cooking supplies, and, in order to preserve their honor, he had to hide his partially-clothed wife in a jar.
Bhagvan and Bhakta Chindal Bhagat ki Jai.