Later in the 1930’s, when Istafa Khan saw the portrait in the showcase of Julian Rust’s shop he offered to buy it from Julian Rust, but the shopkeeper was loathe to part with it, as it was the main attraction of his shop.
Also, Julian Rust had developed a great attachment to it, and having to part with it was like losing a part of his own self. Such indeed was the love that Shri Nathji’s personality inspired in all the people of the world.
When Istafa Khan insisted, and Julian Rust saw the intensity of the man’s desire, he asked for five hundred rupees, which was a huge sum during those days. For a while, Istafa bargained with him saying: Well, I don’t need the portrait anyway, I have Shri Nathji with me!
However so enamoured was he of Shri Nathji’s portrait that he finally agreed to purchase the large-sized portrait from Julian Rust at whatever price the man demanded, and brought it to his spacious house on Camel’s Back Road.
People would come and stare at the portrait. It appeared to have come from another world.
Rays of light descending from the skies were shown falling on Shri Nathji’s face in the portrait, and the face contained a radiance and beauty that were altogether divine and not of this world.