What was the significance of the bundle Kashiram was carrying, and what happened to him after he was attacked?

The bundle Kashiram protected so fiercely did not contain treasure, but powdered sugar. Chapter 0 explains that this was very dear to him because a saint, Janakidas Baba, had advised him to feed sugar to ants. After being attacked and left for dead, Kashiram regained consciousness. Demonstrating his complete faith in Maharaj, he refused to go to a hospital and insisted on being taken to Shirdi. There, Madhavrao Deshpande treated him under Maharaj's instructions, and he recovered. For his bravery in the fight, the Bombay government later gifted him a sword.