Shri Nathji often narrated this parable of the beggar and the door of God. A beggar reached the door of God and discovered that a countless number of persons had gone before him and had taken everything that God had to give. The angels at the door asked the beggar to go away. However the beggar insisted, and therefore the angels went inside and told God. God asked his angels to look carefully in his treasure-house to see if anything was left for the beggar. They searched everywhere and reported to God: O Lord, nothing is left in thy treasure-house! Thou hast in Thy generosity given everything away to the people of the earth who came to Thee praying for various things!
And the angels went and asked the beggar to go away because nothing was left for him.
The beggar thereupon said: Nothing left for me in the house of God? Let God come Himself and tell me that His treasure-house has nothing for me!
The angels returned to God and related the words of the beggar. And God said to His angels with urgency:
“Go and look again! Surely there must be something left!”
The angels obeyed God and searched everywhere in heaven and then came back to God and said:
O Lord, there is nothing left!
Nothing? said God.
Nothing, O Lord! Kuchh naheen rahaa!”
Nothing? Not even me?––
“Kyaa main bhee naheen rahaa?
And saying this, God entered into the begging bowl of the beggar!!
The beggar could hardly contain his happiness. His begging bowl was glowing like a thousand radiant suns.
Look! he said to the people of the world, Look! God has given me Himself!
Amongst those who believed his words there were many who said: He has acquired only God! But we have gained the material things of the world! We are luckier than him! What will he do with God alone!
And even as they were saying this, they saw much to their astonishment, a new world come into existence, created by God solely for the beggar which contained greater wealth than ever seen on the entire face of the earth.”
Shri Nathji often used to say:
Jisse Bhagwan ne kuchh denaa naheen hotaa usse dwaar naheen dikhlaate,
Aur jisse dwaar dikhlaate hain usse phir khaali naheen bhejte!”
“If God has not to give anything to anyone He will never show Him His door,
And if He shows His door to anyone he will never send him away empty!
It was thus that Shri Nathji freed mankind of the fears of their prayers not being answered or being answered late.
Shri Nathji would also say laughingly:
If God were to listen to the prayers of every person on earth, the world would come to an end!
This must be so because every person has some foe and every man’s gain is another man’s loss!
Shri Nathji also said in Persian:
Kaan raa ke badaadand badaadand badaadand
Vaan raa ke na daadand na daadand na daadand
He whom He wishes to give, He gives and He goes on giving,
And he, whom He does not wish to give, He does not give, and He never gives!
Shri Nathji’s words went directly to the heart. There were many amongst his audiences who were beset upon by severe worries and problems they could not solve or rise above. Shri Nathji’s words would provide a soothing balm for them, and they would return home to lead happier lives.
It was not unusual for Shri Nathji to come across people who had heard him, but once, in their lifetime years ago.
Shri Nathji, a person would say, a long time ago you said something in your sermon, which relieved me of a long and lasting sorrow. I have been a different man ever since. I have no words with which I can thank you.
Public lectures were, by far, the exception. Shri Nathji usually met individuals and small groups at his home. In this way greater personal contact was established. There were no appointment hours. People would come to Shri Nathji from morning till night, and Shri Nathji would go on meeting them with untiring strength, neglecting even his meals and the personal affairs of his life. His lot was to immerse himself in the sorrows of mankind. His life was a constant sacrifice, a self-effacement.
Many years later in 1970, an old lady, Mrs. Chaudhri, of Delhi, was to say to him:
O Nathji! The God up there sent you down here. He does not speak, but you do!
With a beauty like yours, you could have become anything you liked in this world. Could there ever have been beauty which was greater than yours? And you have kept yourself hidden from the world, leading a life of such constant sacrifice and seclusion.
I became what I wanted to become, said Shri Nathji, the servant of the earth!