Being a fakir by nature, Merwan had few physical needs. But Age knew that Merwan Seth possessed the greatest treasure of all — love — and all in Kasba Peth were mad to seek his presence and receive more treasure from him.
One day while Merwan Seth was distributing prasad in the temple, a fifteen-year-old boy came forward and held out his hands to receive the sweets. Merwan Seth asked his name and the boy replied, "Vishnu Narayan Deorukhkar."
"What do you do?" Merwan Seth inquired.
"I go to school," the boy replied.
"Where is your father?"
"He is dead," Vishnu said.
Merwan Seth looked into the boy's eyes with compassion and said, "From now on I am your father."
"What do you mean, Merwan Seth?" asked the boy. "I don't understand."
Merwan Seth smiled, handed him some prasad and rubbed his head. The boy then scampered off.
Vishnu's house was across the street from the toddyshop, and soon after this encounter Merwan Seth decided to visit the boy's family. Vishnu's mother, a devout Hindu named Saraswati, received Merwan Seth reverently, addressing him as he entered the house as Deva (God). He in turn would always call her Kakubai , meaning his paternal aunt.
Merwan Seth inquired about her welfare and asked, "Would you cook dal and rice for me in the afternoons?"
She replied, "With great pleasure, Deva."
From that day on, Merwan Seth would go to her house every day for lunch.
After a few days, he started coming at any odd time saying, "I am hungry, Kakubai. Can you prepare something for me?"
The woman accepted Merwan Seth's request and felt it a privilege to be allowed to serve him. So Kakubai made it a point to always have something ready in case Merwan Seth came unexpectedly. Merwan Seth would give her money as his prasad to buy essentials, and although she did not want to accept it, he prevailed on her to do so and she could not refuse her Deva's prasad.
One day Kakubai complained to Merwan, "Deva, Vishnu goes to the movies every day. I am afraid that he is associating with a bad group of boys. Please talk to him and set him straight before he gets into trouble. He will not listen to me." Merwan immediately went to the local movie theater and caught hold of Vishnu, who was about to enter with some other boys.