The house of Shri Vaid Raj Sudhanva at 37, Lady Hardinge Road, New Delhi, turned into a temple of God even as Shri Nathji entered it. People began to throng to the house as soon as they learnt of Shri Nathji’s presence there. Shri Nathji’s divine light shone out as brilliantly as ever, flooding the hearts and souls of all genuine seekers after truth.
Shakuntala, who was very fond of music, invited a qawwaali singer of Delhi to her home. He was known as Raagi Nizaami. The man had six fingers in his left hand. He had just appeared on the scene during those days, but became a very famous qawwaali singer after he had sung before Shri Nathji. This always happened whenever any singer sang before Shri Nathji. The singer inevitably found fame following him. It was a measure of the divine benedictions that were always around Shri Nathji all the time that whoever came to him found worldly success following him.
One of Raagi Nizaami’s favourite qawaalis before Shri Nathji was:
“Ram teraa gorakh-dhandaa main kyaa jaanoon
O Lord what know I of Thy riddles!”
And there was the one in which he said:
“Main chalaa aayaa teri taraf
Kadam lagzeedaa lagzeedaa
I walked towards Thee,
But ever so slowly
Main dekhtaa hoon tujhko
Magar pausheedaa pausheedaa
I looked upon Thee
But ever so veiled!”
Whenever Shri Nathji sat before any singer and listened to his words, Shri Nathji’s countenance took on a benign smile and the radiant glow on his face became ever so much brighter. The singer was so affected by Shri Nathji that his singing and words took on a new meaning they had never taken before in his whole life. It was as if Shri Nathji had taken possession of his heart and soul and was singing through him. The effect of the singing became so profound that all who listened felt the divine grace of Shri Nathji go out towards them in the song.
Shri Nathji always said that to be a successful musician or artist a person had to be pure at heart.
There was the violinist who visited Shakuntala at one time and she asked him to play the violin before Shri Nathji and the children.
However, the man said rather curtly to her: “Main apne mood men naheen hoon! I am not in the mood to play!” Victor was so offended by the man’s arrogant attitude that he had to be controlled with difficulty. He said later: “I would have placed the hood of the violin on the man’s head to tell him that if he was not in his mood, he could at least be in his hood!” Indeed, perhaps it was just as well that he had not played the violin, for there could have been little music in the heart of one so full of ego.
Shri Nathji used to tell the children:
“People who don’t like music are said to be murderers. It is said that Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor, hated music and he had molten lead poured into the throats of singers.”