Wednesday 24 April 2013

SHRI NATHJI THE MOST INNOCENT IN THE WORLD

From the Memoirs of my Father, Shri Bhola Nathji (1902-1992) The Founder of the World Prayer Day for Peace in the world.

Shri Nathji was the gentlest, kindest, humblest person in the world who called himself in all humility " Ghulam Rue Zameen" -The Servant of the Earth.

He bowed his head low before everyone, even before children and added the suffix of "jee' to their names, a term of respect. Indeed he was the living epitome of the best civilisations of the world, and even the western world were over-awed at his manners, politeness and height of civilisation.

Thus he always called me, his son, Priya, as "Priyajee" all his life.

His extreme goodness led many to take adantage of him, Many people imitated him, plagiarised his books, plagiarised even his 1932 Divine Love Society, Ishwar Prem Sabha, without his permission, and began a life of self-worship, drawing followers to themselves and wrongly telling people they were obeying his orders. They called themselves his closest disciples, even though they had not even visited him for over 60 years at his residence at Mussoorie. These people had begun with humble beginnings in life earning but small salaries, and soon found themselves in possession of untold wealth, name, fame and followers, and an empire of ashrams runnings into millions of rupees.

When Shri Nathji found out about their activities he told them to put a stop to it, as it was wrong for a person to allow self-worship of his own body.It was wrong for a preson to seek wealth, namd and fame in the name of God. It was wrong for a servant to imitate his Master and to tell the people that he was following his Master's orders. These people did not listen to a single order or wish of HH Shri Nathji and carried on with their pursuit of name, fame, followers, wealth and ashrams and buildings running into crores of rupees.

If these people fell ill the best hospitals in India opened up for them, if they travelled it was by air conditioned trains or in planes. But they were plagued by illnesses and dreadful suffering all their lives and prayed to Shri Nathji for forgiveness and a new life, which they instantly got from the ocean of forgveness and Love, Shri Nathji.

This was in sharp contrast to the humble life of Shri Nathji who lived in a small rented home with his family and a servant. Shri Nathji endured the privations of living in the rented homes in the houses of unscrupulous landlords. But these grandiose devotees who were engaged in collecting name fame and glory had no concern for him. They did not invite him to come and live with them in their mansions, nor would Shri Nathji have gone there. In fact he never did.

If Shri Nathjifell ill, Priya Nath was at hard ends merely to get a doctor for him. These grand devotees who claimed to be carrying his torch within them never even bothered to come and ask after him, far less care for him ot bring any doctors to attend upon him.

And thus while Shri nathji lived a life of hardship and sufferings these people who claimed to be his closest disciples and rarely showed their faces before him, continued to usurp his name to spread their own name and fame and glory and to amass wealth, despite Shri Nathji angrily stopping them. and telling them that this self worship was a sin in the eyes of God and would bring them to grief.

Later these people suffered horribly in life, despite their name and fame and wealth and followers and hospitals. The inevitable laws of Nature ruined their families and devastated their home,s gave them dreadful diseases-- but even up to the last these people did not give up their lust for name, fame and wealth, and followers and buildings, hoping to perpetutate their names upon earth even after they were gone.

They used the glorious personality of HH Shri Nathji as a stepping stone to success, usurping his written and spoken words and even his books. When people told Shri Nathji about these imitators he was amused and said:

"Imaitations really prove the existence of the real diamond!"

"These people who hanker after name, fame, and followers and wealth and buildings must ask themseves how many of these things will accompany them when they leave the world, and where will they go!"

"Will they really go to God after death or will they find themselves sent down into the endless cycle of births and deaths again - the bhav saagar!!"

"What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul!"

While these people lived like kings in ashrams and buildings running into hundreds of rooms Shri Nathji spent his life inone small rented house after another-- and eventually passed away in a rented home.

Here was the greatest personality upon earth, looked upon as God Incarnate, living in the humblest manner upon earth, and there were these imitators capiltalising on his name. Some even began calling themselves "Nathji" while others openly declared that they and Shri Nathji had become "one",they had merged into HH Shri Nathji!!

They would copy his literature and his words but there was one thing that they could never copy and that was his Living Personality, the Handsomest Being in the World filied with a Light that carried the Glory of God. The Purest Being upon Earth with no worldy guile in him.

Although they lost no opportunity of placing their worldly faces in large portraits next to the portraits of HH Shri Nathji, which none of the genuine devotees of HH Shri Nathji had ever done, yet they could see the difference between the Pristine Glory and Purity of the face of HH Shri Nathji in contrast to their own worldly faces filled with the desires of the world.

Yes, Shri Nathji carried his mission of love and peace in the world alone by himself in contrast to societies and organations. But he had something none of these imitators had or will ever have -- he had TRUTH with Himself, and the Glory of God. He had no desire for name, fame or wealth or followers. He even declared once:

"I have no desire even to have my name written down in history! Write down the names of all those who have such desires in their hearts! I am too large for the pages of history to contain!"

"In any case, what care have I for history when neither the world nor its history is going to remain!"

"I came into this world, lived as mortal amongst mortals, sufffered with them and shared their lives with them. I reieved them of their ills and sorrows and spread Love and Peace everywhere. I came to do my work, not to secure recognition. There were many who listened to my words, there were many who went astray..but I continued to do my work.. like the sun which shines its light upon all regardless of whether these eyes are opened or closed..."

Wednesday 3 April 2013

THE RESURRECTION OF LORD CHRIST- EASTER


Today is Easter. The Indian Government, which has a secular constitution and does not pertain to any one faith, declares a public holiday for every faith in the world. Thus Easter is as much a government Holiday as is Janamashti, the Birthday of Lord Krishna, Rama Nami, The Birthday of Lord Rama, and similarly for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Lord Buddha, Guru Nanak of the Sikhs, etc.

I suppose this facet of the Constitution of India is perhaps unique in the world.

But the fact is that many of these birthdays and religious functions are now rapidly becoming "world days' celebrated everywhere in the world. And ritghtly so.

I have always believed that these world saviours are meant for all the people in the world, just like the sun is meant for everyone, the air is meant for everyone, and water is meant for everyone, and love is meant for everyone.

Resurrections of Saviours has always been a hallmark of many faiths in the world. Although to me what is more important are their teachings of Universal Love, which mankind must follow.

Around 5000 BC Lord Rama of The Hindus is said to have risen to the heavens before the eyes of the townsfolk. Not only that, he took many of the people assembled there in their bodies along with himself to the heavens.

In 3000 BC Lord Krishna was said to have risen on the next day after his death and ascended to the heavens.

Jesus Christ was crucified and rose from the dead on the 3rd day which is the day we celebrate today, as Easter.

Guru Nanak of the Sikhs rose from the dead so that only the sheet that covered him and the flowers on it remained the next day.

I am not a Christian, but I have complete respect for all the faiths in the world, while having my own faith in my Father HH Shri Bhola Nathji, who to me carried all the Saviours of the world within himself in his heart.

I studied in Christian schools for 14 years and there was this particular hymn which I grew very fond of, and which I have tried to sing here-- only the first few lines- as a tribute to Jesus Christ and Easter, as I remember it from my school days.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!