Shri K.H. Chati, the retired District Forest Officer at Nagpur, had prayed to Shri Nathji to utilise the energy bursting out within him for his work. And the opportunity came in 1974 when Shri Chati arrived at the residence of Shri Nathji at Delhi.
In the years that were to follow, Shri Chati alone, of all the Nagpur devotees, would have the unique opportunity of living with Shri Nathji for a period exceeding three years. During this period of time his faith in Shri Nathji’s divinity continued to grow. For him, Shri Nathji was the one and only God in the Universe. Despite the eccentricity of his habits, which occasionally annoyed people, Mr.Chati continued an unabated missionary work, spreading Shri Nathji’s name wherever he went.
Forget Rama, he told a friend of his, this is the age of Nath. He is Rama in another form!
Mr. Chati’s life of devotion to Shri Nathji was not to be an easy one. Shri Nathji had placed severe tests in his way, which other devotees had not to endure. His wife had absolutely no faith in his spiritual beliefs. Despite severe pressure from near and dear relations, Shri Chati refused to swerve from the path of devotion. He had two portraits with him which he worshipped all the time–that of Shri Nathji and Priya Nath.
Once, when he was with Shri Nathji in Delhi, Chati’s wife and his son, and other members of his family, came to take him home. But he remained firm, and sent them back. He would leave Shri Nathji only when his mission in life was over.
For Chati, Shri Nathji’s living presence was the greatest hope and solace of life. It was the one place he derived absolute peace of mind. In later days, after a stay of three years with Shri Nathji, he was to say: It appears as if only three days have passed.
Mr. Chati had always been a very sick person, but his health began to wear a new look, and his energy became so unbounded that he would virtually be willing to leap over the highest mountain or swim across the widest river, to perform the most unlikely of tasks for his Lord and Master.
It appeared that Chati had taken the place of the ghosts of the past, like Basant Singh, Sohan Singh, and Shyam Lal. Shri Nathji gave Chati the title of “dynamic devotee”.
Shri Nathji would say:
When you were earning money, your earnings went to your family. Now that you are earning spiritual wealth, these earnings will go to your family as well!
Chati’s married daughter had no son for years, but when Chati came to serve Shri Nathji, she had a son almost miraculously. Shri Nathji was so pleased that he sent one hundred rupees as prasaad to Chati’s daughter. Shri Nathji always took delight in the little successes that come to his devotees.
Many a visitor would complain to Shri Nathji of Chati’s somewhat stern and irksome mannerisms. Shri Nathji knew, that despite these, the man had a clean heart that knew neither rancour nor hatred.
And, then again, Chati was that anvil upon which the ego of seekers after truth was hammered out. It was a test placed by God on the path of His devotees to see how much they would be willing to endure for His sake.