Prabhuji left Jaspur and travelling ahead, He reached Ayodhya. On the banks of the river Saryu, He found an avadhutani weeping. Prabhuji asked her,”What makes you weep?”
Avadhutani- “I am bemoaning the sadhus.”
Prabhuji-“What harm have the sadhus done to you?”
Avadhutani-“I used to serve a grihasthi yogabhyasi; it was during the course of that period that I come across a vairagi sadhu who held the shaligram (the holy stone) over the eyes. I enquired of him how he had kept those stones over his eyes.”
The sadhu replied, “Do not call them stones; they are Shaligram.” I asked,”What is the purpose of keeping them over the eyes?” He replied,”This gives me darshan of the Lord Shaligram all the time.” I requested him to grant darshan to me also.” The sadhu asked me, “Without rendering any service?” I submitted that I would serve him. At this the sadhu said,” I will grant you darshan.”
The vairagi sadhu stayed there. I started serving him. After two or three months, I requested him to grace me with Shaligram’s darshan. The sadhu replied,”At the moment, you do not deserve but you will become deserving by rendering more and more service.” I served him for another three-four months. One day, I requested him once again,”Kindly grant me darshan of shaligram.” He said,”It cannot be had like this.” I enquired ,” How then can I have the darshan?” he directed me to bring the havan-samagree for conducting the Yagna started, the sadhu said,”Now bring a piece of silk-cloth soon for Shaligram and also invite those who want to have darshan.” I eagerly arranged for the silk-cloth and called a number of devotees also. At the conclusion of the Yagna, He directed me to chant Sita-Ram, Sita-Ram and then he opened a small packet which he always kept pressed under his armpit. On opening the packet, a box was found inside and in its fold, still another. It was only in the innermost box that a small stone wrapped in a piece of silk-cloth was found. I said,” Was I only to have the darshan of this place of stone?” The sadhu said,”I had tremendous difficulty in reaching Nepal and against all odds. I reach Muktinarayan. I had to go without food and water for several days. Only then I could have darshan of the Shaligram at the age of eighty and here it is you who is getting impatient just in one year!” The avadhutani said,”Such Shaligrams are found almost in every temple. I am interested in having the divine darshan of Lord Vishnu.” The mahatma said,”Our guru and the grand-guru were pleased to command me to have darshan of his very Shaligram whom you consider to be a piece of stone. Is it possible to have darshan of Lord Vishnu in Kaliyuga?”
Gloomy and disappointed as I was I left the mahatma and went in search of the old grihasthi yogabhyasi mahatma but in the meantime, I met a vedanti and made me his disciple. He read out the vedantic scriptures to me and taught me to utter Aham brahmsmi only. This also did not yield any divine experience to me and since then, I have been wasting my precious human life for nothing.”
On hearing her woeful tale, Prabhuji took pity on her. He confirmed that the stone, referred to above, was virtually shaligram but the sadhu was ignorant and incompetent to seek darshan of the Chaturbhuj Lord Vishnu for the shaligram. It was, however, quite possible to have darshan of Lord Vishnu through yogic devices leading to concentration of mind. The avadhutani nodded her head and recollected that the previous grihasthi yogabhyasi mahatma had also told her like that. She requested Prabhuji for teaching her some yogic devices if he knew any and also very humbly offered that she would devoutly serve him physically, mentally and financially. Prabhuji said that He did not need her services but she would be able to have divine darshan of Lord Vishnu if she strictly followed His instructions.
The Avadhutani expressed her earnest desire to practise yoga regularly. Prabhuji granted her initiation and blessed her with higher stages of yoga. And thereafter He proceeded ahead of Avadhpuri.