Just then there was disturbing news from London which altered the entire programme of Shri Nathji for the future. The landlady of the house, a certain Mrs. Chabowski, where Pran Nath lived in London with Mr. H.S. Karai, sent a telegram to Shri Nathji that Pran Nath was very ill and that it was necessary that his mother come and look after him.
It transpired that Shri Pran Nath had not been happy with Mr. H. S. Karai with whom he was staying. Mr. Karai was a devotee of Shri Nathji, but his personal habits and style of living in London were difficult for Shri Pran Nath to accept. As a cause of the conflict that developed, Shri Pran Nath could not concentrate upon his studies, and began losing his health.
The landlady of the house, Mrs.Chabowski, a middle-aged Polish lady, became very fond of Shri Pran Nath, and tried to be a mother to him. She would admire his forthrightness of character, his charming manners and his vast general knowledge that enabled him to speak on all manner of subjects. She had no son of her own, and even wished to adopt Shri Pran Nath, though there was little encouragement from him. She called him “Suleeka”– a Polish name– out of affection.
Another person in Shri Pran Nath’s place might have tried to take advantage of the situation by insinuating himself into the landlady’s affections. But Shri Pran Nath was above worldly considerations. He would never consent to be adopted for material benefits.
Mrs. Chabowski was drawn into the conflict with Mr. H. S. Karai. She would deplore the man’s rudeness and side with Shri Pran Nath. She would often cook for Shri Pran Nath herself when he refused to eat food with Mr. Karai.
A new environment, a different climate, a hostile confrontation in the house, the pressure of neglected studies, all added up to a precarious situation. Shri Pran Nath became very ill. The doctors in London suggested that he have his mother to look after him and to attend to his comfort and diet, and therefore a telegram was sent to Shri Nathji and Mateshwari. It was essential for either of them to be in London.
Shri Nathji was in a quandary for a while. He could not send Mateshwari to London because she was not well herself, and he could think of no one else who would be willing to go to London and live with Pran Nath indefinitely.