Lucknow was the city Shri Nathji had graced on many occasions during the 1930’s. It was a place that had witnessed many an interplay of the Lord with His Creation. Ram Rattan Khanna and Nawab Istafa Khan had been instrumental in bringing him to the city at that time. Shri Nathji’s name had become a household word in the entire city of Lucknow. The rich and the poor, the illiterate and the intellectuals, all thirsted for his darshan and blessings. However, Shri Nathji was guided by Mateshwari’s advice to remain incognito as much as possible and to not to expose himself to any stress or strain until he had fully recovered from the arm trouble.
Shri Nathji stayed at the house of Shri Ranjit Singh, who along with his father, Shri Vikramaditya Singh, were great devotees of Shri Nathji. While Shri Nathji was at Lucknow, his address there was C/o Shri Ranjit Singh, R.G. Cotton Mills, Lucknow, and in later days, 31A Cantonment Road. In Lucknow RR Khanna also served Shri Nathji. Numerous doctors and surgeons were consulted.
Shri Nathji ‘s younger brother Shri Prem Nath and his wife had been with Shri Nathji initially at Lucknow, in August 1942. However they left quietly without informing Shri Nathji and wrote to him only after they had reached Mussoorie and were staying there at Paris House. Apparently the hot weather of Lucknow had not suited them. The excuse that Prem Nath gave in a letter to Shri Nathji, for leaving Lucknow, was that he did not wish to become an obstacle in the way of devotees who were rendering valuable sevaa to Shri Nathji at Lucknow. He was referring to R.R. Khanna with whom he had failed to establish a rapport. Although Prem Nath had abject faith in the divinity of his brother, he had become more worldly-minded ever since his marriage and had lost a great measure of his spiritual lustre.
In Lucknow, finally, the services of a certain Dr. Bhatia, F.R.C.S., were engaged, who advised an operation. He was a private surgeon with a nursing home. The weather in August 1942 was hot and humid and unsuitable for an operation. Further, Dr. Bhatia had injured his own arm in an accident and was unfit to carry out the surgery. The operation was postponed till the winter.
As soon as Mahamateshwari came to know of this, she came down to Lucknow in the winter, as did the Kheras, and Sri Krishen Khanna, the brother of Mateshwari.
She stayed in the house of a certain devotee, Mahavir Hari, along with the others accompanying her. Though the man was polite and devoted at first, yet he stopped providing food to his guests when Shri Nathji was admitted in the hospital. Later Mahamateshwari left his home and resided elsewhere. The man was ever to pull his ears and repent for his behaviour at that time.
On the 31st of December l942, Shri Nathji was admitted to the Hospital Ward where injections of morphia were advised for the unbearable pain.
The operation was done in January 1943. Shri Nathji had gone into the operation theatre, humming Urdu verses he had composed.
The operation however was a dismal failure and caused much greater complications than had ever existed before. It was apparent that even though the doctor had carried out the surgery, he had made some terrible mistake.
Shri Nathji had complained of a severe pain in the arm after the operation, after the arm had been placed in plaster. The doctor ignored the pain, but when it became unremitting and relentless, the plaster was cut open and it was discovered that a metallic clip he had wrapped round the arm had eaten deep into the flesh, causing a dangerous septic wound.
Infection had set in, and the doctors gave up the case as hopeless, and advised amputation of the arm to prevent the infection from spreading into the entire body. Shri Nathji’s life was in danger. Mateshwari was distraught.
Shri Nathji decided to leave Lucknow and return to Mussoorie. Mussoorie was a place that always drew Shri Nathji to itself, no matter where Shri Nathji happened to be.
Shri Nathji used to say:
No matter how ill I may be feeling, the moment I go to Mussoorie I become well.
On the other hand, Mussoorie was a place where practically no medical aid was available, and the means of communication were scarce. Shri Nathji would be isolated in the Himalayas of Mussoorie, cut off from his devotees, all of whom were in the plains of India.