The circumstances that led to the performance of the Rudra Abhishek by Ram Lal were interesting. Shri Ram Lal had been amongst those who had initially opposed Shri Nathji. A change came over him when he saw Shri Nathji at Akola Railway Station. And the spiritual relation was later made permanent.
Shri Ram Lal had taken upon himself the duty of providing Shri Nathji with a car for the duration of his stay in Akola.
On one particular day, Shri Nathji had to deliver an important sermon at the Abhinav Bal Shala Hall.
Shri Ram Lal’s car failed to arrive, and, Shri Nathji went by Tonga, instead, refusing the cars offered by others present. Shri Ram Lal’s car was to be the only one he would use in Akola.
Later, that evening, after Shri Nathji’s sermon was over, he spotted Shri Ram Lalji hiding himself guiltily in the back of the crowd.
When Shri Nathji saw the remorse on the man’s face, he immediately called him to himself and said: Ram
Lalji! Aaj aapko sambandh de diyaa gayaa hai!
“A relationship has been established today!
No sooner did Shri Nathji touch Shri Ram Lal on his back than the man fell on the floor, weeping, his soul flooded with the light of the divine relationship Shri Nathji had given him.
Shri Nathji said to him:
Shri Ram Lalji, your name is pronounced ‘Lal’ read from either end! You are a ‘Lal’, a ruby of Rama – in both the phases, spiritual as well as material!
Shri Ram Lal was to become one of the staunchest of all of Shri Nathji’s devotees. From a businessman he turned into a songwriter and a poet.
He composed Bhajans on Shri Nathji’s name and declared openly that Shri Nathji was God incarnate. If anyone would sit before him and speak of saints, mahatmas and yogis, he would burst out:
“Kyaa saagar ke saamne baitth kar nadi naalon kaa zikar kar rahe ho!”
Do not speak of streams and rivulets, when you are sitting before the Ocean! Do not compare them with Shri Nathji!”
There was Shri Ram Lal’s verse on Shri Nathji:
Sadhu, sant, mahatma kahe koyi,
Anjaan hai insaan
Manushya inhen kaihna paap hai,
Hain ye pratyaksha men Bhagwaan!
He who calls him a saint or a sage,
Is an ignorant man
To call him a man is to sin,
For, of a certainty, he is God!
The above verse was contained in Ram Lal’s favourite bhajan composed on Shri Nathji, which he always sang during his lifetime and many sang after him:
Teraa pyaaraa hai naam
Teraa pyaaraa hai naam
Detaa dil ko aaraam
Poore kartaa sab kaam
Naheen lagte hain daam
What sweetness lies in this name of Thine,
It comforts this heart of mine,
It does all my works in a trice
And does not even ask for a price!
Shri Ram Lal welcomed Shri Nathji to his home with the words of his song echoing in his heart.
He spent thousands of rupees on illuminations, gas lamps, and tents for the reception of his Lord and Master.
Shri Bhutt Sahib was prompted to say:
What a waste! Surely he could have put it to better use for Shri Nathji’s work!
And Shri Nathji said:
Bhutt Saheb! Let him celebrate! One does not eat plain dal roti on festive occasions!
“Vivaah ke samai koyi daal roti thhorri khilaataa hai!”
Shri Ram Lal recited the following verse to welcome Shri Nathji:
Ham sewak thhe harshith man saare svaagat ko tumhaare
Ab aaye hain Nath hamaare ham jai jai kaar karenge
Ban ke dvaar ke shwaan tumhaare hum jai jai kaar karenge
We, thy devotees, have come together,
With hearts full of joy, to welcome Thee!
Our Nath has arrived! We shall cry out loud!
We, the sentinels of thy door, shall hail thy name.
He put a garland of white thread around Shri Nathji’s neck and became his, forever. Shri Nathji gave him a faith that lasted up to the last moments of his life.