Shri Nathji returned to India in 1967 and continued to stay at Mussoorie and Delhi. Bhutt was in Madhya Pradesh, and began working again, accepting various appointments as judge in important commissions of enquiry.
However, over the years, Bhutt had lost his zest for life due to separation from Shri Nathji, and had fallen ill. Shri Bhutt Sahib sent word to Shri Nathji from a hospital in Bhopal in the month of May 1969 that he sought permission from Shri Nathji to leave his mortal frame, as his body was no longer fit for him to carry on with the service of the Lord.
Shri Nathji was in New Delhi at the time. The messenger, a certain Shri Tewari, carrying Shri Bhutt’s prayer reached Shri Nathji by plane at noon the next day.
No sooner had he placed the note in Shri Nathji’s hands when Bhutt Sahib left for his heavenly abode in the Hospital at Bhopal, at exactly the same hour, on the same day. At the very moment when Shri Nathji’s eyes fell upon the written message from Bhutt, Bhutt received permission from his Lord and Master to leave the world.
The vision of Shri Nathji came before Shri Bhutt’s eyes during the last moments of his life, and he left the world in peace. Shri Nathji’s verse echoed in his ears:
Nikal jaaye dam tere kadmon ke neeche
Yehi dil kee hasrat yehi aarzoo hai
May the last breath of life be spent at thy feet,
This is my only desire, the only wish of my heart.
The passing away of Mr. Bhutt did not in any way cause Mrs. Bhutt to grieve. On the contrary, she was pleased that her husband had gone to better regions, to a higher abode above; that he had attained salvation–mukti, and would never return to the earth, unless God came down in human form again.
She said to her relatives: “Why should I grieve? Would I have grieved if he had been granted a higher status in life? Bhutt Sahib has gone on a promotion!”
Later Mrs. Gangabai Bhutt had a vision in which she saw Bhutt Sahib in a beautiful heaven at the feet of his Divine Mother, Mateshwari.
Many years earlier in 1959, when Shri Nathji had visited Jabalpur, Bhutt Sahib had received him at the Railway Station. Amidst a gathering of High Court Judges and Lawyers, Chief Justice Bhutt had come bare-footed before Shri Nathji, and had prostrated himself at the feet of his Lord and Master on the railway platform.
It was that prostration which had found fulfillment in Death.
A man who prostrates once before God in humility, Shri Nathji had said, does not die. For him Death is not Death, but a willing surrender before the Will of God!
“Usske leeye mrityu mrityu naheen raihti balki ek saashtaang pranaam ban jaati hai!”
Shri Nathji often spoke of the ‘nitya mukt’ souls–ones that were ever free from bondage and who rested eternally in salvation. Such souls came down to earth of their own volition whenever God came down as the avatar. They came down to be part of the grand leela -play- of the Lord upon earth and to serve Him in human form. Such a soul was that of Shri Bhutt Sahib.
There was even a time when Bhutt had said to Shri Nathji:
“Prabhuji, do not give me salvation to such an extent that I may never come down to earth again. I wish to be born every time that you take an avatar upon earth so that I can serve you.
“Prabhuji, mujhe itnaa mukt naa kar denaa ke main dobaaraa janam naa le sakoon. Jab jab aap prithvi par avatar len tab tab mujhe bhee janam lene kaa avsar mile taaki main aapki sevaa kar sakoon!”
During the later years of Shri Nathji’s life, he would often say:
Sometimes I am led to think that Bhutt Sahib was the only genuine believer that I came across. He had surrendered himself totally before God.
Shri Nathji would frequently quote Nanak:
Naanak kotan men kou
O Naanak there is only one real believer amongst countless ones!
Bachchon ka naheen khel ye maidaane muhabbat
Aayen jo yahaan sar se kafan baandh kar aayen
This is not a game for children, this field of love,
Let those who come, wear their shrouds on their heads
Here, Shri Nathji meant that the spiritual path was not an easy one. Sacrifice was called for, as well as a spirit of total surrender before the Will of God.
After the going away of Bhutt Shri Nathji said to his devotees:
“Tell me, what did Bhutt take with him? His status? His family? His pension? His provident fund? Nothing. Shall I tell you what he took with him? My Blessings and the fruits of his sevaa!
“Where he has gone he was welcomed by the devis and devtaas–the angels, in heaven!”