Shriji Maharaj was once, on peregrination in Kutch, travelling through Kutch, he came to Tera. He was accompanied by many saints where Santdasji was one of them. Santdasji was a great saint who cared for nothing except spiritual joy. He would not regain consciousness for days together when sat in meditation. And while in consciousness, he was so much engrossed in meditation of Shriji Maharaj that he was required to be helped for sitting and eating. Many a time Maharaj himself looked after him and fed him.

All the Satsangi-Vaishnavas of Tera were farmers. Sadhus encamped at farmer's houses. Maharaj stayed there for some days. He got the Bhagwata read and had religious discourse. The last night Maharaj said that he would leave that place early in the morning at three o'clock and go to Gujarat via Bhuj. All dispersed after deciding thus. Santdasji went to his residence and sat behind a pillar for meditation. He went into trance. Early in the morning at three o'clock, Maharaj started to go. All saints were with him. But nobody could remember Santdasji. Hari-bhaktas saw Maharaj off up to the outskirts of Tera. then all Vaishnavas thought, “What is the use of going to sleep now? we shall go to our fields, collect hay - forage and send it to our houses. Thinking thus, they went to their fields by carts. They began to store hay-forage in their houses after collecting them from their fields.The places where Maharaj and saints had encamped were full with hay-forage. Nobody could notice Santdasji in the darkness and filled that place with hay-forage. Thus Santdasji was covered under hay-forage. None knew it. Six months passed away.

Shriji Maharaj returned to Bhuj. The Hari Bhaktas to Tera came to Bhuj for the Dharshan of Maharaj. After Dharshan, they sweetly scolded Maharaj, “We had Dharshan neither yours nor of any saints. What a wonder!” Then Maharaj said “Oh! What do you say? I have already left one sadhu here”. All Vaishnavas were surprised. They said, “Maharaj! what do you say? We have never seen any sadhu!” Maharaj smiled and said, “Well, I am going to return to Tera after five days. Then I will show you the sadhu”. The devotees thought this mysterious and problematic. They did not understand any thing. All returned to Tera and waited for Maharaj in the hope of some miracle.

Maharaj arrived on the sixth day. Tera and Kali talav are villages quite near to each other. The vaishnavas of both the villages welcome Maharaj warmly. Maharaj talked about the greatness of God in the meeting.The vaishnavas (hari-bhaktas) said “Maharaj! you said at Bhuj that you had left behind a sadhu here. Please show us that sadhu”. “Let us go. I will show you” said Maharaj. Maharaj stood up and started to walk. All other vaisnavas followed him. Maharaj stopped at the cattle-shed, where all Sadhus had encamped six months ago. Hari-Bhaktas said “Maharaj, This place is already packed with (filled with) hay-forage”. “Remove the hay-forage. I also want to have Dharshan of the sadhu”, said Maharaj All the vaishnavas thought that the problem gradually has become complicated.

But all the vaishnavas began to remove hay-forage bundles as per Maharaj's order. When the grass was completely removed, they saw Santdasji in trance near a pillar. All were dumb-founded-stunned. Maharaj said, “All of you, start chanting the mantra. We want to wake up the sadhu”. The group chanting of the mantra of “Swaminarayan” began. Maharaj himself stood before Santdasji. Santdasji woke up from the trance. He opened his eyes. He saw before him Shriji Maharaj with delighted face. Santdasji got the fruit of trance at hand. This Mahayogi Santdasji is the same Swami Shatananda. Mahayogi as he was, he was equally a great scholar. He has written a commentary (BHASHYA) in sanskrit on the SHIKSHAPATRI. He has also written a volume on the life of Shriji Maharaj. This volume is named “SATSANGHI JEEVAN” It is a great religious volume of our sampradaya.

Many rivers meet the sea. Similarly. saints from different parts have come in the service of Shriji Maharaj. We get a glance of how inscrutable are the ways of god.