The Mahamateshwari Temple in Akola was beckoning, calling to Shri Nathji and Priya Nath. Amongst other reasons, here was the main reason that had brought Shri Nathji to Akola–the call from Mahamateshwari’s Temple.
The Temple was on the roof of Shri Marathe’s house. Shri Nathji went up four flights of stairs, carried in a chair by his devotees.
Above the temple door a plaque had been fixed: Mahamateshwari Savitri Devi Mandir.
A strange spiritual glow emanated from the image of Mahamateshwari inside. A divine radiance spread outwards, and a smile appeared on her lips as she saw Shri Nathji, Priya Nath and Priya Vari. The three of them bowed before the idol of Mahamateshwari.
For Shri Nathji it was a meeting after 12 years. Mahamateshwari had left for her Divine Abode in 1967. The temple had been built by Shri S.V. Marathe in 1975.
Shri Nathji shut his eyes and went into a deep meditation. He began speaking slowly and haltingly to Mahamateshwari:
This physical union comes after a long separation…. your son Priya Nath is here …he has brought your bahu-raani, your daughter-in-law to you…bless them…
Tears came into Shri Nathji’s eyes. Priyavari fell to her knees and wept uncontrollably before the image of the Divine Mother.
Shri Nathji’s voice continued:
“Bless your children, bless these, your devotees, I seek your blessings for myself as well, to help me to carry on my Divine Task in this world.”
And then, Shri Nathji ended his brief address to Mahamateshwari with three very loud incantations:
Mahamateshwari ki Jai!
Mahamateshwari ki Jai!
Mahamateshwari ki Jai!
Shri Nathji’s words on the terrace of the beautifully illuminated temple echoed out to the whole of Akola.
The sons of Shri S.V. Marathe–the youthful Srinath Marathe, and his brother, Trimbak Marathe, stood on the terrace and listened with awe to Shri Nathji’s words. These innocent young men of the new generation and their wives, Bageshwari and Shakuntala, would carry on the work of their father.
Smt. Shakuntala tended to Mahamateshwari twice a day–offering flowers and lighting a deepak. A glow had come upon her features. When she would not be present, the task would be taken over by Smt. Bageshwari the wife of Srinath Marathe. And thus, for as long as the temple existed, the Marathe family and its future descendants would care for Mahamateshwari residing within the temple on their house.
The Marathe Typing Institute became famous in Akola–and the youthful Srinath Marathe, the younger son of Shri S. V. Marathe, a prosperous and enterprising principal, became renowned for his teaching ability and classes. He would remain the only man on earth to bear the name of ‘Shri Nathji’. He had been named, ‘Shri Nathji’ by his father in honour of Shri Nathji. His father Shri S.V. Marathe had passed away in the arms of his dear son, Shrinath, who bore the name of Shri Nathji.
The elder brother of Srinath Marathe, Shri Trimbak Marathe and his wife Smt. Shakuntala had no child for thirteen years. It was said that they conceived shortly after taking Shri Nathji’s blessings and his ‘prasaad’ of cardamoms, on Shri Nathji’s visit to Akola. It was an unparalleled miracle–which Shri Nathji did not even care to narrate to anyone.
Shri Nathji was given the honour reserved for the highest dignitaries visiting the city–a reception at the famed Pramila Tai Hall of the city.
The Pramila Tai Hall of Akola saw a scene the likes of which it had never seen before. The intelligentsia of the entire city had turned out to listen to Shri Nathji’s words that night.
Shri Nathji said in a powerful voice, sending an electric thrill through the hearts and souls of all present:
MAIN SATYA HOON! I AM TRUTH!
The voice was thunder from Heaven. There were tears in hundreds of eyes that evening; the souls of the people gathered there had experienced a direct touch of the Divine. Shri Nathji’s voice had become altogether transformed–like a voice raining down from the skies. Shri Nathji’s divine radiance was at its peak. He was a living proof of the existence of God. Only God could be His own proof!
Here was a different Nathji from the one the people of Akola had experienced in 1951. Shri Nathji’s words were no longer intellectual digressions, they were divine commandments of the highest order. With the passage of time Shri Nathji’s divinity had taken on a new hue. It was no longer confined to a mere winning of the hearts, it was full of a divine authority hitherto unseen.