As they came out of Wheler Club, Shri Nathji met a certain gentlemen who was at the gate and asked him about the hotels in Meerut.
The man was an Army Officer, Colonel Rai, by name. He tried to answer Shri Nathji’s queries as best as he could and then asked him what the problem was.
When Shri Nathji told him that he wished to stay at Wheler Club but that the rooms were not available at the time, Colonel Rai said:
“Sir, if I may be permitted to invite you to my house I shall feel greatly honoured! You can stay there till the rooms are available at Wheler Club!”
It was a very difficult proposition for Shri Nathji. He did not know the man at all, and he was with Mateshwari and the boys. How could all of them become the guests of a man they did not even know?
But when Shri Nathji saw the sincerity of the Colonel, he was overwhelmed and agreed to stay at the man’s house. This was also in part due to the reason that Shri Nathji had an extreme affinity for the men of the armed forces, whom he placed on a higher category than those who walked on the spiritual path.
Shri Nathji had often said:
“The men of the armed forces have two qualities which spiritual men should try and emulate. These are discipline and obedience. They are prepared to die for the sake of their duties–without expecting any reward in return. This is the highest form of sacrifice. People on the spiritual path waver and falter when sufferings come their way, and many times when they are faced with death they simply run away!”
“The men of the armed forces always keep death before them. Ek fauji ke saamne maut har vakt raihti hai!”