To the intellectuals, Shri Nathji was an intellectual; to children, Shri Nathji was a child; to saints and sages he was a World Teacher.
When Shri Nathji was in Gurdaspur before partition, an advocate met him and said: Sir, please give me some swift instruction! I can only spare a few minutes!
Shri Nathji said: A seed takes time to grow and education must take its time! However, I shall try to fulfil your desire. Consider everything as temporary in this world and let your relationship with everything be also temporary.
The advocate became sarcastic: All right, then, if a man commits a burglary, we shall merely look upon it as a temporary passing phase!
You may also look upon his going to jail as a temporary phase, then, said Shri Nathji.
But if everything in the world is temporary, why should we attach any importance to his action? said the advocate.
Shri Nathji said: We might also argue differently and say that if everything is temporary why should the man steal in the first place? If a man really considered everything temporary he would not steal. The act would be of no benefit to him. Besides, the temporary world is also governed by temporary laws, which demand our temporary respect. To say that everything is temporary does not imply disobedience of these laws.
The advocate found Shri Nathji’s arguments incontrovertible and enlightening. Shri Nathji was dearly loved by lawyers and judges for the sheer force of logic in his sermons. His arguments were so convincing and incontrovertible that all found themselves agreeing with them. Never was there an occasion in Shri Nathji’s life when he could not convince even the most discerning of intellects. It appeared as if Shri Nathji was perfect knowledge and perfect wisdom personified. It was a common sight to see some of the greatest intellectuals sitting before Shri Nathji, nodding their heads in agreement with every word that he said.