Justice M. N. Shukla of the Allahabad High Court had heard Shri Nathji’s sermons when he was a young man, years ago at the Rialto Theatre in Mussoorie in the 1930’s.
Shri Nathji is one of the greatest speakers of our times, he would say, nay, he is one of the greatest speakers of all times!
“Some of the greatest intellectuals of the day, lawyers of eminence and famed judges, would come to Mussoorie to listen to Shri Nathji whenever he spoke, and they would all go away with the words ‘Kamaal! Kamaal!’ on their lips! Fantastic! Superb! Excellent!’”
Shri Nathji had said to Justice Shukla at the time:
Do you know what the word, ‘Kamaal’ really means? It says: ‘Come-All!’ God is All, and when He comes within, a person gains everything in life!
“Kamaal kaa matlab Come –All!”
Justice M.N. Shukla had come for Shri Nathji’s darshan to Delhi in 1976 from Allahabad. After procuring Shri Nathji’s address with great difficulty, he discovered much to his consternation and despair that he could not find the piece of paper on which he had written the address. Delhi was a large place, and Shri Nathji seldom made his address public. Justice Shukla rummaged through his baggage and then through his briefcase. He examined notebooks and files and slips of paper. But the address was nowhere to be found. Alas! His spiritual quest appeared to be doomed to failure.
Shri Nathji would describe the situation with the following verse whenever he recalled the incident:
Maanaa tumhaari deed ke kaabil naheen hoon main
Tu meraa shauk dekh, meraa intazaar dekh
Granted that I am not worthy to catch a glimpse of Thee,
But look thou upon my craving and my yearning for Thee!
As the clouds of hopelessness gathered around him, suddenly Shri Nathji’s address appeared on a slip of paper on top of all the papers he had just examined! It was a miracle.
God can make the impossible possible, when man has a genuine desire within him to reach God! Shri Nathji had often said.
Once inside Shri Nathji’s house at Sarvodya Enclave, Justice Shukla was confronted by the large life-size painting of Shri Nathji cut on wood.
Maharaj! he said loudly as he bowed before the painting.
He had mistaken it for Shri Nathji. Indeed, this had been the experience of many who came to see Shri Nathji at his New Delhi residence.
Priya Nath heard the voice and said to Shri Nathji It looks like he has addressed your painting in the room.
The moment Shri Nathji came out into the drawing room and set eyes on Justice M.N. Shukla he embraced the judge. It was a marvellous reunion that brought back memories of old.
I had been searching for you since years, said Justice Shukla, I had no idea where you had gone! Finding you now is like coming to an oasis in the desert of life!
He said to Priya Nath: I feel myself perfectly at home here!
God was the ultimate goal, the ultimate refuge and the real home of all people on earth. Justice Shukla was giving voice to the eternal quest of man.
Shri Nathji recounted one of his verses, one which he had composed as a young child:
Sozish hai ik dam ki aur raahate davaami
Parvaane kaa yeh mushkil kuchh imtahaan naheen hai
The burning is for a moment only, and the life, eternal!
It is no difficult test, this for the moth
Much before Shri Nathji could finish the verse, the learned judge burst out into acclamations of delight.
Wah! Wah! Kyaa baat! Kyaa baat! he said again and again. Shri Nathji’s words went directly to his heart and soul. Tears had come into the eyes of the judge.
Justice Shukla doted over Shri Nathji’s written words. Your books alone can give salvation to mankind, he would say. The book: “Mrityu Kaa Rahasya”, in Hindi-“The Secret of Death”, was one that the judge extolled as beyond compare. It struck a chord in his soul.
A lasting relation had been renewed on the earthly plane. Justice Shukla departed after taking Shri Nathji’s blessings. He was to attend a conference on religions in Africa. He went surcharged with the living force of Shri Nathji. His speech at the conference astonished everyone. In later years he wrote:
My Dear Priya Nathji,
My insatiable hobby has been reading books, particularly dealing with religion, philosophy and spiritualism. By far the best I have read on the subject in my life is Shri Bhola Nathji’s monumental work: ‘Mrityu Kaa Rahasya.’
I have the book in Hindi and as I read it in the presence of my Muslim friends they go into raptures over it and admit that there is hardly any book in Urdu or Persian or Arabic comparable to it. I am anxious that his profound and inspiring message should be disseminated as widely as possible .
In February 1976, I had the unique privilege of the Darshan of Shri Maharaj ji at Delhi, when I was on my way to attend the IIIrd International Geeta Conference held at Monrovia (West Africa). I again visited Delhi in February 1977, and went to his residence, but was informed that he was at Mussoorie. The copy of the book I possess was presented to me along with many other books, by Shri Maharajji himself when I met him.
Venerable Maharajji, July 3, 1978
It is a long time since I received Priya Nath’s letter dated June 12, 1978. I was awaiting the arrival of the fascinating books promised therein. The much-awaited packet reached me today. It was like a shower of ambrosial rain on parched earth. Believe me, your books are rare gems. As Milton said, A good bank is the precious life-blood of a Master Spirit. Your writings completely illustrate the truth of this dictum. As for me, they are the solace of my life and in future would become my guiding star.
It is my fervent belief that anyone who intelligently reads and assimilates these books is bound to discover the secret of eternal happiness. My humble prayer to you is to favour me with a gradual supply of all your works, as and when possible, and thereby make it possible for your humble devotee to achieve liberation through your benevolent grace.
For several weeks I have been constantly remembering your Holiness. As I read and re-read the pages of your book: ‘Mrityu kaa Rahasya’ in the company of my venerable, old Muslim friend who is impatient for your Darshan, your majestic form rises before my mind’s eye and fills me with benediction…
Every line that we read here intensifies our burning desire to have your Darshan. I do not know when that wish will be fulfilled. In February last I was in Delhi for a day and visited your residence, but it was locked, and on enquiry from the neighbours I was told that you were at Mussoorie. I was greatly disappointed as that was hardly the season when we could expect you to be in Mussoorie…. please keep me apprised of your address from time to time so that I may be able to continue my blissful contact with your holy self.
Yours Obediently,
Justice M.N. Shukla