From the memoirs of
my Father, HH Shri Bhola Nathji, (1902-1992) the Founder of the World Prayer
Day for Peace.
There was a time when
Shri Nathji was in Calcutta for a few days in the winter of 1940.
For the people of
Calcutta it was a sudden surprise to see such a suave, polished, immacuately
dressed, handsome being walking amidst them, whose face was aglow with a light
that was not of this earth, a radiance that could not be anything but divine.
It was as if a being from another world had stepped down into their midst.
They were further
surprised when they discovered that despite his royal bearing and the regal
dress, and the radiance on his face, he was the humblest person on the planet
earth. His charming manners disarmed the most civilised of ciivilisations.
There was an
indefinable aura of Divine Love around him all the time, no matter who he met
and no matter where he went. It was like a Rose carrying its fragrance wih
itself.
He had this habit of
moving about amidst humanity anonymously to intermingle with them, unlike other
spiritual folk who had an entourage of followers surrounding them wherever they
went.
Though Shri Nathjii
was far removed from material things, yet he gave worth to the works that man
had done on earth and he respected their trades and callings in life. If he
purchased anything from a shop it was only to give business to the shopkeeper
as well as his divine blessings.
A Jeweller's shop
caught his eye and he entered therein. He wished to buy a ring or two for his
wife Smt. Savitri Devi, who had remained behind in the flat.
Mr. Khera, a devoteee
of HH Shri Nathji was with him. As HH Shri Nathj entered the jeweller's shop
the jeweller thought his good fortune had begun to shine on him because at last
a Maharaja had entered his shop! He asssumed Shri Nathji was a Maharaja judging
from his royal dress.
He began to show a
variety of rings to Shri Nathji, worth about a 100 to 200 rupees. While Shri
Nathji was examining the rings the jewelller took Shri Nathji's companion, My.
Khera, aside, and asked him in a whisper:
"To which State
does the Maharaja belong?"
Khera responded by
saying: "He Belongs to that State where you must go after death!"
The jeweller
understood. All at once he was filled with reverence for HH Shri Nathji as a
holy personality.
Shri Nathji had
chosen two rings in the meanwhile and asked the jeweller their cost.
The jewelller however
said: "For you, Sire, the cost is nothing! They are free!"
But Shri Nathji said:
"At that price they would be too expensive! I cannot accept them free of
charge!"
The jeweller
said:" All right, Sir, then I will charge you only my cost price!"
The jeweller gave the
rings to HH Shri Nathji at 10 rupees and 20 rupees instead of the 100 and 200
rupees he had originally asked .
Shri Nathji
laughed:"If this was the cost price then the retail prince must have been
exhorbitantly inflated!!"
Shri Nathji returned
to his flat that evening. The next day there was a knock on his door. It was
the jeweller standing with a bouquet of flowers in his hands!!
"Pardon me for
disturbing you Sire! But I know now why you came to my shop!! It was to save me
from great distress. I had been on the verge of bankruptcy and may have had to
shut my shop down-- but immediately after you entered my shop, the richest man
in India, The Nizam of Hyderabad entered my shop and made a huge purchase which
was beyond my wildest dreams!!
"YOu Sir, are a
Divine Being! Whatever action you perform is for the betterment of mankind. You
were not looking for rings. You were looking for an excuse to shower your
divine grace and blessings on someone -- and I happened to be that lucky someone!"
Indeed this was Shri
Nathji's mode of interaction with humanity, it was to give of his blessings,
give of his divine grace, and give of his divine love, it was to relieve
mankind of their sufferings, to bring their hearts to a higher world where they
experienced the Love of God and Peace!
HH Shri Nathjji had
written this poem in Urdu which I am translating here into English:
"I too have
opened a shop, but a shop that is of Love,
Ah, that a lover of
Love come my way!!"
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