Whenever Shri Nathji would meet anyone, he would say:
This relationship between us is immortal. The time for our meeting was pre-destined from the beginning of Creation. You cannot forget me even if you try. The more you try to forget me, the more you will have to remember me.
“And if you have to remember me–in order to forget me–then how can you forget me?
“You were in the dark. I threw a light on your face. For a while you wondered where the light came from, but when your gaze fixed itself in the direction of the beam, I turned it upon my own face and you saw me!
When Shri Nathji had gone to Jabalpur in March 1959, a General of the Indian Army had come to see him at the residence of Chief Justice G.P. Bhutt. However the crowds that came to see Shri Nathji had been so great at the time that the General could not find admittance inside, and had to leave in disappointment. He had never forgotten Shri Nathji from the one glimpse he had had of him through the crowds.
He had found out that Shri Nathji was staying at Allahabad and he came to his residence at Cavendish Hotel. Shri Nathji met him in the main drawing room of the hotel. The General had come with Sardar Harbhajan Singh Chopra. There was a friend of the General with him who was also a General.
While speaking to the General, Shri Nathji said:
General, can you tell me what is in the room?
The General, assuming that Shri Nathji was referring to the objects around him, spelt out the names of a few pieces of furniture.
General Sahib, Shri Nathji said, isn’t there anything else–more important than all these things?
The General was puzzled and said: “Huzoor, it is your house and you would know better!”
And Shri Nathji continued: Havaa hai? Isn’t there air around you?”
The General said: “Yes, sir, havaa to hai!” said the General, “there is air in the room!”
And Shri Nathji said:
“You are alive today because of the air you breathe. It is the air which enables you to see everything, and yet it is that very air which you ignored when you counted everything else! Why didn’t you count it?”
“Jiske aadhaar par aap zindaa hain aur sab cheezon ko gin rahe hain, usko kyon naheen ginaa?”
The General said: “Huzoor vo nazar naheen aati thhee! Sire, it was not visible!”
And Shri Nathji added:
“Even as the air is around you all the time in an invisible form and even as it sustains your life, so will my blessings remain with you all the time. They are not visible, but they are there when you need them!
“Vo nazar naheen aate magar vakt par kaam aate hain!”
Even as Shri Nathji spoke, the General’s eyes closed and he went into a deep meditation, from which he awoke only minutes later. Tears were trickling down his face. Shri Nathji had entered his heart and soul.
General, Shri Nathji said, you can stand up to Atomic bombs and Hydrogen bombs, but you could not stand before a little Divine Touch!
“Aap Atom bombs aur Hydrogen bombs ke aage to kharre ho jaate hain, magar aaj ek zaraa se divine touch ke aage naheen kharre ho sake!”
The General had to leave by the eight-o-clock train. His friend reminded him of his schedule: General, the train might leave if we don’t hurry!
Can anything leave, now, said the General, when we are sitting before Shri Nathji! Ab bhee kuchh nikal saktaa hai!”
On parting, Shri Nathji gave the General a Seetaphal, a custard apple, with a hard outer skin, as prasaad. The General ate the Seetaphal, outer skin and all!
After all, it is the outer skin which has been made pure by the touch of Shri Nathji’s hands, he said, and it is that which must be eaten first.
As Shri Nathji took leave of the generals, he stood up from his chair and began to put on his shoes to go inside. The General saw him putting his shoes on and came running to Shri Nathji, saying: “Maharaj! Let me put your shoes on your feet! Allow me but this much of service! Mujhe itnee to sewaa kar lene den!”
When the General’s colleague saw the General bending down to help Shri Nathji put his shoes on, he came up to the General and said:
“General Sahib, sab kuchh aap hee ne loot lenaa hai? Tasmen to mujhe baandh lene do!
“General Sahib, are you going to usurp everything? At least give me the chance to tie the shoelaces!”
Shri Nathji always loved the men of the armed forces for their spirit of discipline and their devotion to duty.
They are ever-ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a principle, Shri Nathji would say, the lovers of God should take a lesson from them and be ever-prepared to give up their lives to God! Man should be prepared to stand by his spiritual principles right up to the last moments of his life!