For long now it had been Priya Nath’s desire to write a small introductory booklet on Shri Nathji in which he could fully express the concept of Shri Nathji’s avatarhood. The occasion came in Nagpur. He wrote the small booklet, which was printed and brought before the devotees on the 15th of March 1978 in a brief but exhilarating ceremony. Shri Nathji was elated at the manner in which Priya Nath had explained the mode of living of the Avatar in the world.
The booklet is reproduced below:
THE ADVENT OF THE AVATAR
“It was evening. The sun had just begun to sink. Its orange glow fell upon the people gathered there, and, in particular, upon the figure in the chair. The orange turban was like another sun, and the figure that wore it, like the very essence of Light itself.
Jab kabhi chalti hai baade intazaare raihbari
Seenaye dariyaaye Haq kartaa hai ik soorat ayaan
Whenever the winds of expectancy sweep the earth for the coming of a Great Soul,
That Everlasting Ocean of Truth produces from its bosom such a Personality.
And the particles of Nature are vibrant with the sound of rejoicing as they say:
Mubaarik ho makeene laamakaan aayen hain duniyaan men
Zameen kaa charkh se paayaa dobaalaa hone vaalaa hai
Good tidings be to all! He the Infinite, without a dwelling, has come upon Earth,
The Glory of the earth shall soar higher than the Heavens now!
For 76 years now he has been upon this earth. And though his countenance bears some signs of age, his Light shines as bright as ever, and his voice as vibrant as in the days of his youth. He is, even now, at his age, one of the handsomest personalities of his time, his beauty being of another world and his radiance being that of the Divine.
He speaks to the people. His voice reaches out, soft and melodious, slow and soothing. It reaches a crescendo, it becomes a volcano, a thunderous command. His listeners are swept away into a sea of self-forgetfulness, an intoxication, a bliss that defies explanation. It is a strange meditation, this, without an effort. A direct communication with the Divine. His voice touches the heart, it over-rules the intellect and the mind, it rings out with a logic that is irrefutable, a love that is all-pervading and Divine, that pours out through each and every word. It is a heavenly melody, this flow of words. It is the VOICE OF GOD.
In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with GOD and the WORD WAS GOD….
Men, women and children listen with awe, with an amazed wonder. It carries a special feeling with it, this voice. Even those who do not understand the language, understand this feeling. Even the children are swept away by this flood of Divine Intoxication. A hush descends upon the earth. Each and every particle is listening.
Truly the world has never seen such an Orator before. The greatest Speaker of all times, one who has the words and the feelings that go with them perfectly at his command. But oration is not all. There is an element of eternity in the voice that calls out to the human soul in every frame.
And then, again, there is that all-pervading feeling of Love Divine. If God is Love, then he is God. If God is beauty, then he is God. If God is Bliss, then he is God. And since he is all this and more, he must be God. He must be the AVATAR.
No being more handsome than he, no being as full of Divine Beauty as he, ever walked upon the earth before. No being as full of Divine Love as he, no being radiating as much bliss as he, ever walked upon this earth before. Peace is what he has to offer–a lasting peace that transcends the boundaries of the flesh and the world.
And what of miracles?
This is what he has to say:
Speak not to me of miracles for I have left miracles behind. One does not need the aid of trite miracles to prove the existence of God. God can only be seen with the light of God. Is not the Universe itself a great miracle? What further miracles does one desire?
And yet, though he disowns miracles, miracles dance attendance upon him. Those who come to him find themselves in an aura of divine protection. Either they are cured of their sufferings, or else they are given a monumental strength to bear them.
The question arises: How do we know that he is the avatar? Are there not a multitude of persons these days who call themselves avatars? How can we choose between the real and the unreal?
Firstly, he does not call himself an avatar. People who come to him feel that instinctively. And it is their feeling, their voice. Secondly, his very face–from childhood, to youth, to this day–is a clear revelation of his being the avatar. For His is the Face of God.
Surely the Highest Being must have the highest beauty in human form: Satyam Shivam Sundaram.
Such a beauty is Real. It is divine and spiritual. And it radiates Love. Is not beauty a form of God? Are not the powers of evil portrayed as ugly and dark? Must not God choose a frame that would be most attractive to the world–a frame that would portray his Majesty in human form?
The nightingale loves the rose. The moth loves the flame. And this love comes from a spontaneous recognition. It is an instinct. Similarly, deep down within the depths of the human soul must lie that Instinct which shall give the soul a spontaneous recognition of the Highest Form of Beauty–Divine Beauty.
By choosing a human frame that was radiant with Divine Beauty, God only made the task of recognising Him easier for man. He could have come as a thorn. But he chose the form of a Rose. He could have come as darkness, but He chose to come as Light. He could have come as hatred and strife, but He chose to come as Love and Peace.
Nigaahe naaz se uski hazaaron masto bekhud hain
Nashe ki ek duniyaa hai muhabbat chashme jaanaa ki
The Glory of His Sight has made people forget themselves in bliss,
It is a world of intoxication, the love from the eyes of the Beloved
One has only to gather together paintings, portraits, and pictures, past or present, of all the avatars, self-proclaimed or proclaimed by the world as such, and compare them. Surely there must be divine radiance on the face of the avatar. This should be indication enough. A Face that radiates Divine Love, Peace and Bliss, even in the form of a portrait, painting or picture, must be the Face of the avatar. Such, indeed, is the Face of Shri Nathji.
It makes little difference whether he is recognised by vast multitudes or a select few. As a matter of fact only a select few can have this insight and this privilege. To recognise him is not to do a favour on him, but rather on oneself. The select few have to be souls that are prepared, souls that have been waiting in readiness for the advent of the avatar. Crowds do not gather in a jeweller’s shop. Only very few scholars obtain the highest scholastic degrees. The lower grades in school are packed with students. Crowds are no indication of an avatar’s genuineness. Rama was recognised by very few. Krishna, too, remained relatively unknown during his time.
Few eyes possess the sight that can understand the reality of the avatar–who is like the Sun, amongst a glittering conglomeration of smaller lights, lamps and stars.
The Highest Being must have qualities that exist in the superlative degree. As an avatar he must be the humblest of men.
And he calls himself: Nath, Ghulam Rue Zameen, The Servant of the Earth. That is his only claim.
I am not that Light which falls only on your heads, he says, I am that light which rests on your feet as well.
Can ever humility be greater?
His Love, which is a Love Divine, is sensed by all who come to him. Even those who do not understand his divinity understand his love, for it captures their heart, and fills it with an indefinable joy.
In India, an avatar has, in the past, been born in the North. He has belonged to a royal family. He has been of Kshatriya blood. He has never been a recluse or a Yogi or a Maharishi in an Ashram. He has lived in the world as a mortal. He has never isolated himself from mankind, but rather has moved around in its midst like an ordinary mortal, taking part in all its activities. He has spread Truth and he has vanquished Evil.
Shri Nathji’s Life fits these attributes beautifully. There is one difference, however. His method of vanquishing evil is not to destroy the evil-doer as was done in the past by Rama and Krishna. His method of vanquishing evil is reform–to root out sin, destroy sin rather than destroy the sinner. Rama destroyed Ravana, but evil came up again as Kansa and Duryodhana. Krishna destroyed Kansa and Duryodhana, but evil reared its ugly head again. The avatar of this age seeks to destroy sin and to preserve the sinner and to convert him.
He brings with him the Sword of Love.
For he is Nishkalank Premavatar–the Kalki Avatar.
And his message is only this:
I have no mission except Love in this world. My mission is Love and my work is Love.
To merely set eyes upon the avatar is to attain salvation for oneself. An avatar can give in a brief moment that which cannot be attained by man in thousands of years.
Shri Nathji’s Divine personality, his divine face, his divinely attractive dress–the orange turban, the graceful sherwaani and the chooridars–are all so expressive that people cannot help but notice him.
Who is he? is the thought that crosses the minds of those who set eyes upon him for the first time in their lives. Little do they realise that in that one glance which they cast at him they attained salvation! All of a sudden salvation becomes so easy!
Mahatmas can merely point out the way. But an avatar takes one to the final destination in one single glance. Which is why the Advent of the Avatar becomes so important. Humanity is passing through a golden age.
The Advent of the Avatar has occurred after thousands of years. Fortunate are the ones who have come to know him. It is up to mankind now to avail itself of this opportunity. He does not ask anything of anybody. He has come only to give. Let all come forward and partake of this flowing nectar of Eternal Life.
Zamaanaa aayaa hai be-hijaabi kaa,
aam deedaare yaar ab hogaa
Sakoot thhaa pardaa daar jiskaa vo raaz aashkar ab hogaa
The age of revelations has dawned,
all shall see the Eternal Friend
The Secret concealed in veils of silence will stand revealed today
There is one outward physical sign by which the avatar can be recognised immediately. This is an orange coloured growth in the right eye–the sign of Shiva. Shri Nathji has this sign in his right eye.