While journeying through the hills near Jaora, Shahr-yar encountered an old man seated on a hill deeply immersed in meditation. After some time, the man opened his eyes and asked, "What do you want?"

Shahr-yar replied, "I do not want anything."

Hearing this, the old man was deeply pleased and said, "You are blessed."

In the midst of his travels during the past ten years although Shahr-yar encountered many sadhus, yogis, ascetics and saints in India, none of them could satisfy his inner quest, nor quiet his restlessness. He was destined to find peace in a different way.

DURING 1884, at the age of thirty-one, the ascetic Shahr-yar became increasingly despondent with his austere ways. Despair and desperation tore at his heart and mind. For the first time he began to doubt if his aim would ever really be achieved. He felt hopeless, as never before. He knew that with his formidable determination he could venture anywhere, yet he could not accomplish what he wanted – to realize God. Mentally, he was breaking down; his perseverance was turning into bitter frustration.

As a last resort, Shahr-yar wandered to an isolated forest in Gujarat where he decided to perform what is known as the chilla – the forty-day-and-night-fast within a secluded circle. The spiritual practice is also called chilla-nashini (nashini is the person who does the forty-day fast and remains seated in the circle of seclusion). Those who try it but do not succeed usually die or suffer madness.

Chilla-nashini is a severe penance. A circle is drawn on the ground by the penitent's own hand; for forty days and nights he must not step out of the circle, he must forgo food, water and sleep. He must face whatever comes.

There appeared to be no other solution or choice in Shahr-yar's mind. Altogether he had spent over eighteen years wandering in search of Truth. He had been chaste, he had lived on alms, he had always been honest and he had been brave, but everything he had done seemed in vain, for he had not found union with God. To return to the world and live in conformity with society was abhorrent to him. He had reached the point where it had to be either Realization of God or death!