Though there were hundreds and thousands of people in the Punjab who knew of Shri Nathji at the time, before and after the years of partition in 1947, there were some Shri Nathji particularly mentioned in his sermons. Each of these had a unique history of association with Shri Nathji.
While Shri Nathji was in Lahore in the late 1930’s he had gone to Rawalpindi in the Punjab. So powerful had Shri Nathji’s impact been upon that city that his devotees would greet each other in the streets with: Jai Shri Nathji Ki. It was a variation of Jai Ramji Ki!
In the city, there was a certain Shri Ram Saran Das who was greatly devoted to Shri Nathji. Shri Nathji had stayed with him in Calcutta in 1937. He had a large general merchant’s shop in Rawalpindi. He would come every day to listen to Shri Nathji’s words and to take his darshan and Blessings.
One day he was in Shri Nathji’s darbaar. He had not gone to his shop because he was ill. He fretted that his servants would steal from the shop in his absence. But when he returned to the shop from Shri Nathji’s darbaar, he discovered that the sale had been twice as much as it normally was!
Shri Nathji would often say to those who came to him:
“When you leave your chores and come to me, then I have to attend to the chores which you have left behind!”
Shri Ram Saran Das’ magic formula for all ills was the name of Shri Nathji:
Hey Nath!
Shri Nathji was to deliver a lecture at a Jain school in the city. It was a rainy day. Shri Ram Saran Das held an umbrella over Shri Nathji’s head. He had an expensive pashmeena shawl of fine Kashmiri wool on his shoulders, and this fell to the ground as he walked along with Shri Nathji. He stopped and ran back to fetch the shawl even as Shri Nathji walked on, unaware of the incident. In the interval, Shri Nathji received a few drops of rain.
Two years later, Shri Nathji was at Pindi Point in Rawalpindi. Shri Ram Saran Das saw him and came running forward to touch his feet. There were tears in his eyes as he said:
Nathji! An incident occurred two years ago, which has been weighing heavily on my conscience. My heart does not forgive me. I was walking with you in the rain, umbrella in hand, when my shawl fell down. I ran after the expensive shawl leaving you to get wet in the rain. I have never forgiven myself since that time! I forsook my Master for the greed of the shawl.
Shri Nathji said: Ram Saran Dasji, I do not even recollect the incident. And you have kept it in your mind for over two years. Those were but a few drops of rain, I am sure I did not even get wet.
The drops of rain that fell upon you, Nathji, have been like sparks of fire on my heart these past two years, said Shri Ram Saran Das.
Ram Saran Dasji, Shri Nathji said, whenever my history is written, this incident shall go down in it.
Huzoor, it will only blacken my face before the public,” said Shri Ram Saran Das.
On the contrary, said Shri Nathji, it will go down in history as a glowing example of ideal devotion.
In 1947, the partition riots were taking place in the Punjab. The Ram Saran Das family was making bids to escape from Rawalpindi. Shri Ram Saran Das sent his daughters and his wife out of Rawalpindi by train, while he remained behind to wind up his shop.
The train carrying the women reached Lahore, where the riots were at their worst. Marauding gangs raided the train and began a vicious slaughter of the men, women and children within the train. They entered the compartment in which Shri Ram Saran Das’ wife and daughters were sitting, and they began slaughtering the inmates with knives and axes.
Nathji! Nathji! Shri Ram Saran Das’ wife and daughters cried out.
Suddenly, they found themselves underneath a pile of dead bodies heaped upon them. The marauders failed to notice them in the screaming that came from all directions.
News reached Rawalpindi that the train taking refugees to Amritsar had been held up at Lahore and all the passengers within it slaughtered.Shri Ram Saran Das wept loud tears:
Nathji, he prayed, you have forsaken us! We depended upon you!
Shri Nathji was in Delhi at the time, but news of the incident reached him.
Shri Ram Saran Das sought to escape from Rawalpindi himself. A military officer helped him board a crowded train, but much to his despair, Shri Ram Saran Das was pushed out of the train by frenzied refugees seeking to escape. He was left despairing and helpless at the railway station.
He returned to his shop only to find a Muslim trader there – who wished to purchase the shop for sixty thousand rupees! And this, when all the shops were being looted and burnt in the city.
Immediately after he had sold the shop, another miracle occurred. He was informed that a plane was waiting to take people out of Rawalpindi, and that he could get a seat on it. A few hours later, Shri Ram Saran Das was out of danger.
Shri Nathji had been with him spiritually all the time. He had been pushed back to sell the shop, and not leave Rawalpindi penniless as thousands were being forced to do. It was all part of a grand design which was for his betterment.
When he arrived in Amritsar, his joy knew no bounds as he found his wife and daughters waiting for him.
Shri Nathji’s umbrella of Divine Protection had been over them all.
Shri Ram Saran Das and his wife would relate these incidents to Shri Nathji over and over again whenever they met him in Delhi afterwards, and they would thank him for his infinite Kripa and Grace. Only God could come to his devotees’ aid like Shri Nathji did.
Shri Nathji was in Dehra Dun. He was going for a walk when he felt an overpowering sensation of weakness and exhaustion come over him suddenly.
He returned to his house, only to find a telegram waiting for him, in which there was news of Shri Ram Saran Das’ heart attack. Shri Ram Saran Das had been negotiating his daughter’s marriage with a particular man, who had encouraged the marriage proposal initially, but who had backed out later, suddenly. The shock had rendered him invalid.
Shri Nathji sent him a telegram not to worry. He followed it with a letter, that everything that was happening was for his betterment, and that the marriage proposal was probably not suitable to begin with.
Later, it was discovered that the prospective bridegroom, who had backed out, had certain serious disorders of personality and character. The Ram Saran Das family was happy that the marriage had not come about. A much better marriage proposal came their way and they were greatly thankful to Shri Nathji.
Shri Nathji, you protect us each and every minute of the day, Shri Ram Saran Das used to say.
Shri Nathji’s verse spoke well on the theme:
Tere aashik ghair ke deedaar ke taalib naheen
Goyaa yeh paimaanaye agyaar ke taalib naheen
thy lovers seek no one else but thee,
They drink from no other cup except thine
Out of all his devotees of the time, Shri Nathji had a very special relationship with his beloved Ram Saran Dasji, who remained alive in his sermons long after he had left the world and become a part of his history.