Sriguru had given his Darshan to Sayamdeo at Vasarbrahmeshwar. From that moment itself Sayamdeo became a great devotee of Sriguru. During that time a Muslim King had called him to the royal court to slay him but due of the kind grace of Sriguru, he started writhing in pain and instead, was forced to bid farewell to Sayamdeo with full honours. At that time, Sayamdeo had thought of dedicating his entire life in rendering service to Sriguru, but Sriguru did not agree to his proposal, and instead promised to give him Darshan after fifteen years. From that day on, Sayamdeo had become a true devotee of Sriguru. He would worship Sriguru everyday and would anxiously wait for the 15-year wait to end.

During those days he would collect news, listen to the Divine plays of Sriguru and become anxious for his ‘Darshan’. Around the end of the 15-year waiting period, he left his home and went to Ganagapur for Sriguru’s Darshan. No sooner he got Sriguru’s ‘Darshan’, he prostrated at the lotus feet of Sriguru. Seeing his devotion of the highest order, Sriguru was fully pleased. He said, “You are my true devotee. In your family this tradition of rendering devotional service to Lord Dattatreya will continue throughout. Now immediately go to the ‘Sangam’, take bath and return here for taking afternoon meals”.

Accordingly, Sayamdeo went to the ‘Sangam’, took bath, and returned. Then, Sriguru asked him to get seated next to him and enquired about his well-being. Sayamdeo replied, “I am staying in Uttarkanchi. By your grace, I am very happy and there is no scarcity of anything. My brother and sons look after the family business. Now I am free from household duties and hence I wish to utilise rest of my life by rendering service at your lotus feet”. To this Sriguru replied, “To render your service to me is a difficult task. I don’t reside at one fixed place. Under such situation, can you render service to me? If you desire to do so I have no objection”. Sayamdeo repeated his firm decision and from that moment itself, started rendering service to Sriguru. He would render service to Sriguru starting early in the morning till Sriguru slept at night.

This way, three months passed. Sriguru decided to test Sayamdeo. He took Sayamdeo to the confluence of Bhima and Amarja rivers and explained to him the secrets of the path of devotion to God. By then there was nightfall. All of a sudden wind started blowing with great speed. A cloud of dust started rising up in the sky. Trees started getting uprooted and falling. Lightening started flashing. Very soon, the sky became cloudy and torrential rainfall started. To protect Sriguru from this torrential rain, Sayamdeo stood there near Sriguru in the shape of an umbrella. Due to the heavy rains and wind gusts Sayamdeo started suffering from extreme cold. Then Sriguru said “Go and bring wood and fire from the Muth⁹⁰ to light fire. In this severe cold let us warm ourselves. Keep in mind that you walk in a line. Do not look sideways or turn back”.

Taking the orders of Sriguru, Sayamdeo started walking with great pleasure. It was completely dark everywhere. He was not able to see anything in the darkness. It was also raining heavily. In between there would be lightening. It was only in this flash of the lightening that he was able to proceed. This way by intermittently running and stumbling all the way he finally reached the ’Muth’. From the ‘Muth’ he collected some fuel wood, dry cow-dung cakes, and fire and started his return journey. By that time, the rain had stopped. On the way, he saw the same uprooted trees. Suddenly, he remembered Sriguru’s command to not turn around and look. Unfortunately at the same instant, he also got a strong desire to turn around and have a quick look and so he did. When he looked back, he saw a large cobra following him. Fear gripped him and he took a long jump and looked back again. Once again he saw a similar type of large cobra following him. He started running and went astray in the forest. Then he started praying to Sriguru. Suddenly he saw that there was no trace of any heavy rainfall. There was no trace of either any uprooted trees or any dirt. He saw Sriguru sitting comfortably under that Peepal tree at the confluence of Bhima-Amarja Rivers.

Finally Sayamdeo ran towards the tree and laid himself down at the lotus feet of Sriguru and paid his obeisance. Sriguru said, “Why did you look back, disobeying my command? It was only for your protection that I had sent those two cobras behind you”. By that time, those two cobras came near the lotus feet of Sriguru, offered their obeisance with bent hoods, and returned. Then Sriguru spoke to him “True devotion to one’s Guru is an extremely difficult task. One who serves his Guru with full devotion need not be afraid of anything”. Then Sriguru narrated a mythological story regarding the extent to which a Guru would test his disciple and once fully satisfied then the extent to which a Guru bestows his grace for the welfare of that disciple.

Sriguru then spoke to Sayamdeo “You are my faithful and true devotee. You are blessed. Go home and bring your family for my blessings”. Taking the orders, Sayamdeo returned to his native place Uttarkanchi and brought his family to Ganagapur. Sriguru placed his bountiful hand on the head of Nagnath, the eldest son, blessed him fully, and said, “He will become a great devotee of mine. Your family will become prosperous with Goddess of Wealth would dwell in your house. Stay here with your wife and render your devotional service”.

Seeing the Sayamdeo’s devotion, Sriguru narrated to him about Anant Vrat ^[1] and asked him to observe the same. Sayamdeo worshipped the Infinite. Sayamdeo fed the Brahmins and the devotees with sumptuous meals and then ordered his son Nagnath to observe Anant Vrat. Sayamdeo remained at Ganagapur with his wife to render devotional service and his family returned to Uttarkanchi.