Someone mentioned the name of Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha State who came to Simla every year in the summer and had his own palace there, known as Nabha House. The Maharaja was said to be a very righteous and God fearing person.
He was also a spiritually advanced soul and could see into the future and solve the problems of many around him through his spiritual insight.
His generosity was so great that at times of famine, when people were in need of money, he would give them jobs, which consisted in building certain structures. As soon as the labourers had finished constructing these structures he would order them to be demolished – and then start all over again. He did this so that he could keep the labourers employed continuously for long periods of time.
When Shri Babaji Maharaj heard of Maharaja Nabha his heart went out towards him. He decided to go and meet him. Shri Babaji Maharaj and his devotees went to Nabha House and found the Maharaja in his garden. Shri Babaji Maharaj was dressed in the clothes of an ordinary worldly person and had no spiritual trappings about him. Yet the Divine Light on his face was so great that the Maharaja was overwhelmed and his heart appeared to say with joy:
Phir baade bahaar aayi, Iqbal ghazalkhwaan ho
Guncha hai agar, gul ho, gul hai to gulshan ho
The Breeze of Spring blows again,
O Iqbal, sing thou a song of joy!
If thou be a bud, become a flower,
And if a flower, then become a garden now.
Since there was truth in the Maharaja he recognised the truth in Shri Babaji Maharaj. He was a man with a pure heart and therefore he beheld the God within Shri Babaji Maharaj.
The Maharaja obtained a unique peace and happiness from Shri Babaji Maharaj at first sight, which he had never experienced before in his life.
Shri Babaji Maharaj narrated the events that had brought him to Nabha House, and the Maharaja said: It shall be my good fortune if any part of my resources can be of any use in your work! Please order me and I shall see that the shop is filled with as much cloth as you wish!
Shri Babaji Maharaj said: “Maharaja Nabha! I have decided not to open the shop! I was merely demonstrating to these devotees how God can fulfil in one moment even the most impossible of wishes. My aim was to prove a spiritual axiom and I have done that. I have no further use for the shop. And as for your resources, you may distribute them wherever you may want to.
The Maharaja became a great devotee and friend of Shri Babaji Maharaj. He saw in Shri Babaji Maharaj the holiest of the holy. He developed a great love for Shri Babaji’s children. The young Shri Nathji, who was only eight years old at the time, was welcomed by the Maharaja to Nabha House. Shri Nathji was wearing a beautiful orange turban and spotlessly white clothes, looking like the sweetest little angel upon earth. Shri Babaji Maharaj was with him.
The offspring of a Guru must be a Guru as well, said the Maharaja, Nathji, give me spiritual solace, Koi updesh karo.
Shri Nathji was about to speak, when the Maharaja stopped him: Please forgive me, I forgot this offering, bhentaa, of worship! And, saying this, he placed a gold coin at Shri Nathji’s feet.
The Maharaja had been disturbed by a vexing problem at the time, and what Shri Nathji said brought instant peace to him. Shri Nathji quoted the verse of Shri Babaji Maharaj, which took man above the sorrows and joys of the world:
Dile daaram ke darvai gham na gunjad
Che jaaye gham ke shaadi ham na gunjad
I have a heart in which there is no place for sorrow.
Nay, it contains no place in it for joy as well.
Maharaja Nabha urged Shri Babaji Maharaj to come and stay with him at Nabha House in Simla, and Shri Babaji Maharaj was so moved by his devotion that he did so. Later, he persuaded Shri Babaji Maharaj to come and live with him at Nabha State for a while, and Shri Babaji Maharaj agreed. The Maharaja placed a full independent bungalow at the disposal of Shri Babaji Maharaj, which was known as Malbe Vaali Kothi.