Devotee Lalaji was born in a prosperous merchant family in the Sindhawadar village of Saurashtra province on the ninth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Chaitra month in the year 1856 of the Hindu calendar. It is believed that he was an incarnation of Saint Narasingh Mehta. He was deeply inclined towards devotion to God and selfless service to the saintly people since his early childhood. His father’s name was Balawant Shah and mother’s Virubai. As he grew up, his father put him into the textile-business. One winter morning, Lalaji was sitting in the shop; when some sadhus reeling under the biting cold came to him and asked for some blankets. Overcome by compassion, Lalaji gave away a blanket to every sadhu. A neighbour shopkeeper narrated the whole story to Lalaji’s father. When his father counted the blankets, he was surprised to find one more than the original stock! He, along with his neighbour, went to the sadhus and politely enquired about the facts; and they all praised Lalaji for his charity and generosity. His father felt blessed to have such a devotee son.

With the growing fame of Lalaji, a good number of devotees joined his entourage. Once he was invited along with his followers to the residence of Thakur Madarsingh in the Sayala village. Thakur was afflicted with a big problem. Whenever he sat down to have his food, he could see only meat and blood placed on the dish; however the source of his income was absolutely pious. Thakur doubted that some evil force must be defiling his food or exerting its ill-influence thereon. Devotee Lalaji taught him that food should be taken only after offering the same to God. The group of devotees had their food after offering it to God, and Thakur too had his food joyfully. By the grace of the saint, even Thakur was able to see his food as blessed Prasada of the Lord; and he too became devoted to him. By obeying the commands of a saint one is relieved of the problems of life effortlessly and also life becomes happy, joyful and devoted to God.

Once, Lalaji and his followers were singing devotional songs and kirtana with deep love. Overcome by spiritual sentiments he would cry at times and laugh at others; and at the end of the devotional chanting he would distribute Prasada with his own hands. Once a fowler having two dead birds in his bag said: “I won’t receive the Prasada, until you tell me what there is in my bag.” The Supreme Devotee replied with all humility and simplicity: “Two living birds are there.” The fowler said: “Despite being a devotee of God you are speaking untruth! Both the birds have been shot dead by my gun this morning.” As the fowler opened his bag, both the birds were found to be alive and they flew into the open sky. He immediately smeared the pious dust of Devotee Lalaji’s holy feet on his forehead, while the atmosphere reverberated with slogans of victory to the Supreme Devotee.