Towards evening, Shri Nathji was hungry and had a craving for sandwiches. Priya Nath was reluctant to take Shri Nathji out with him into the streets of New York at night in search of a cafeteria. At the same time he had no inclination to leave Shri Nathji behind in the hotel room and bring food from outside. He was still deliberating over the problem when the door-bell rang.
It was a friend of Priya Nath, a certain Mr. Benjamin Mandel, a middle-aged American who had grown to love Priya Nath as his own son. Priya Nath had telephoned him a day before from Rhode Island about Shri Nathji’s proposed visit to New York City, and given him the address of the hotel where he would be staying with Shri Nathji.
Mr. Mandel was delighted to meet Shri Nathji and embraced him again and again. It was as if he had found a long lost friend.
I was going to come over tomorrow morning, he said, but I was passing by so close that I decided to drop in and say hello! On the way I purchased these vegetarian sandwiches for you. I trust you will like them!
Just a while before Shri Nathji had wished for sandwiches!
Priya Nath had often thought to himself that if things could appear and disappear as and when Shri Nathji willed, why was it that he did not remove the difficulties that surrounded him at London? But the only answer he could get was that it was Shri Nathji’s will. One could not question it. One had only to accept it.
Why did Christ allow himself to be crucified when he had the power of miracles? Why did Lord Rama suffer in the forests when he was All Powerful? There was only one answer: that it was all a Divine Plan, which had to find fulfilment through the suffering of these Great Souls. Their lives showed to the world how to pass through sufferings with a smile.
Shri Nathji would alleviate the ills and sorrows of mankind and give peace and happiness to thousands and yet would remain in numerous travails and difficulties himself.
He had often said:
“A candle remains in fire itself but it gives light to others.”
He had also said:
“Christ was crucified for a few hours only, but I have been on the cross all my life!”
However it was a crucifixion that he had imposed upon himself, as part of his Leela, his drama, upon earth, which mortals scarce could understand.