Shri Swami Samarth being the great soul he was reached the places there was a problem to teach the problem creators a lesson and help the needy and common man. In Rameshwaram there is a lake called Kotitirtha and a similar situation like in Lake Narayan happened there. The priest did not allow people to have a bath unless they paid hefty sum money. Swamiji was also prevented from taking bath here and Swamiji refused to pay money to have bath. The priests were arrogance personified and refused to listen to Swamiji’s plea. Swamiji argued that he was a sanyasi and he doesn’t have any money with him.
A Lesson for the Greedy
Swamiji left the place saying “the thing for which a bath was desirable in this lake is no longer there”. The water in the lake was full of worms and it developed foul odour. Because of the stench and worms people stopped bathing in this lake and the priests who were greedy learned a lesson. They tried doing different kinds of poojas and different mantras but the water remained the same. The priest after getting confused went to Sringeri to meet Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya went intomeditation and found out that a sanyasi was illtreated and that the sanyasi was not a ordinary man but an avatar.
Shankaracharya advised the priests to pray the sanyasi and they started behaving in a better way to the public. As they changed the water in the lake also changed for good. The priest saw Swamiji in Rameshwaram one day and gathered around Him. Swamiji asked them how their trip Sringeri was and whether they met Shankaracharya. The priests were stunned to hear this and surrendered and Swamiji advised them to follow Shankaracharya’s advice. Swamiji after blessing and refining many people in Rameshwaram left the place and proceeded towards Rajur in Beed district.
Behave
In Rajur Swamiji revived an old and dilapidated Mutt and initiated many disciples. There was one Lalbharati among the disciples. Swamiji arranged for an annual grant from the government of oen thousand rupees and this was used for the running of the Mutt. Swamiji never stayed in one place for long and it happened in Rajur also. He left Rajur one day and was seen walking on the waters of river Vhandrabhaga in Pandharpur. Later Swamiji left Pandharpur and proceeded to Mangalwedhe. In the meanwhile the grant for the Mutt was stopped by the Nizam when Swamii left Rajur. Lalbharati came in search of Swamiji and finally found Him in Akkalkot. Swamiji helped them revive the grant and warned Lalbharati to behave well with the pilgrims.
