illustrates Sain's devotion to saints and the estimation in which he was held for his piety. When going one day to perform his usual ministrations for king Raja Ram, he met some holy men on the way. He thought it was his first duty to attend to them. He took them with him, and began to render them the customary services. With the greatest mental satisfaction to himself he gave them consecrated and secular food to relieve their souls and bodies. In thus acting Sain disregarded his duty to the king and braved his displeasure.
The legend states that a holy man, by God's favour, in order to avert the king's wrath and save Sain from punishment, assumed his appearance, and having gone and performed the customary duties for the king, took his departure. Soon after Sain arrived and began to apologize for his delay. The king said, 'Thou hast only just gone after the usual services to me ; why apologize ?' Sain replied, 'I have not been here. Perhaps thy Majesty sayest so to excuse my absence.' The Raja then knew that a special providence had intervened and performed for him the usual tonsorial duties. He was at once converted, fell at Sain's feet, worshipped him as his guru, and thus sought an asylum in God. It had at any rate at the time of the composition of the Bhagat Mai become an established custom that the successive kings of the house of Bandhavgarh should always be disciples of the descendants of Sain. They are now said to be followers of Kabir.[1]
The following hymn of Sain in the Dhanasari measure is found in the Granth Sahib :—
Having made an oblation of incense, lamps, and clarified butter,
I go to offer them to Thee, O God.[2]
