How did other recognized saints and holy men react to Maharaj when they encountered him?

Several revered saints recognized Maharaj's exceptional spiritual stature. Chapter 0 provides a couple of key examples. When Gangagir Baba first saw Maharaj carrying water, he immediately declared to the villagers, "This is purely a gem. His worth is very great. The village is very lucky that you got this gem." Similarly, Anandnath Maharaj of Akkalkot, a disciple of the famous Swami of Akkalkot, made a special trip to Shirdi and offered a similar assessment. He told the local people, "This is a diamond. You don't know its true value." These accounts show that other holy men saw his profound spiritual value before the general populace did.