When Shri Nathji was in Akola, he was surprised one evening to find a plate full of pakoraas, made of onions, placed before him. The man who had prepared the dish was a high-caste Brahmin, who did not normally touch onions.
Shri Nathji said to him: You do not even touch these things, how is it you have cooked them for me?
And the Brahmin replied:
We found out from your attendant Shyam Lal that you were fond of onion pakoraas, so we made them. Until you came, we followed the spiritual disciplines of a past age, but now, whatever you say shall become our spiritual discipline, our order and way of life–our maryaadaa!
The mind of man can only comprehend God when He is in human form. No one can see the electric current, but it stands amply revealed in a light bulb.
Only he can recognise His spiritual radiance, who has been granted this insight. Another may try, with all the faculties he possesses, and yet fail.
It is difficult enough to understand the Universe that God has created. How much more difficult it would be to understand God himself! He, can, however, convey an understanding of Himself to whoever he chooses.
No matter how sharp a man’s eyesight may be, he cannot see the Sun until the Sun reveals itself. The sun can only be seen with the light of the sun. God can only be understood through God.
What is theism? God appearing. And atheism? God disappearing.
Shri Nathji would explain all this, and more, with the Persian verse;
Gadaa sultaan shavad gar zaan ke sultan
Nishaaned bar sareere khud gadaaraa
A beggar can become king only if the king
Brings him to his throne himself!
Those who discount the existence of the avatar on the basis of reason alone, fail to understand that the Unlimited Power, which resides within the body of the Universe, can also reside within a finite, limited body, appearing on earth for the sake of its devotees, to grant them Eternal Happiness.
All glory, all praise, all worship must go to that Unlimited Power, which comes to earth and acts unseen through the medium of a body of its choice.
In order to walk with the finite, the infinite must become finite. Its strength is not, thus, limited, for it remains finite and infinite, both, at the same time.
The Rudra-Abhishek function was being held by Shri Ram Lal as his homage to the eternal Rudra-Shiva that he saw in Shri Nathji.
On that particular day, Shri Ram Lal and his brother said to the pandits gathered there:
We are worshipping God today. If there are any doubts in your mind, then you need not perform the Rudra-Abhishek. We shall do it ourselves. He has revealed Himself to us. Our denial has been converted to an affirmation by Him.
The pandits were quick to reply to Shri Ram Lal: If Shri Nathji has granted you this revelation, then surely we can beg for such grace from him as well! The pooja will take place, and we shall perform it!
And the worship began. The pandits began their chanting. Shri Nathji and Mateshwari sat in the middle of a raised platform while Pran Nath and Priya Nath sat on either side of them.
Shri Nathji was dressed in a blue woollen achkan, and white woollen chooridars. He had woollen socks on his feet, and an orange head bandanna-rumaal-the head kerchief wrapped around his head, which stood out like an Imperial Crown.