This is the highest of all spiritual gifts and only a Perfect Master can fill one's heart with this prasad.
During World War II: "Maharaj took great interest in the activities of the Allies and the Germans. He kept a large transistor radio with him, and every day a devotee would be asked to listen to the Berlin Review at eight o'clock, and the BBC report at nine-thirty. Then the devotee would prepare a detailed report for him. He wanted to know about all phases of the battle: on land, at sea, and in the air. He kept a map of Europe so that he could monitor the situation of the Allies, how far the Germans had come, and so forth.
"As the war continued, while soldiers were being wounded and dying, mysterious wounds would appear on the body of Sri Narayan Maharaj with no apparent cause-on his fingers, on his feet and on his torso. He had to be bandaged three or four times a day. He could not walk; he could not dine by his own hands. When questioned about the relationship between the spontaneous appearance of wounds on his body and the war in Europe, he refused to talk about it."1
In August 1945, Narayan's health begun to fade and he left Kedgaon and traveled first to Ooty in southern India, where the climate was more salubrious. When there was no improvement in his health, the Maharaja of Mysore convinced him to come to his palace in Bangalore. There, within the ramparts surrounding a deserted fort, preparations were made to perform different types of yagnas — ceremonies of burning sacrificial fires of sandalwood and oils. The religious ceremonies lasted for three weeks, and hundreds of devotees from distant parts of India came for the holy celebration. Thousands were fed each day on the festival grounds. Narayan led this festival and with his own hands distributed dakshina (prasad in the form of money) to hundreds of destitute people.2
No one knew at the time that Narayan was consummating his Universal work. As the Master radiated indescribable bliss, he was distributing the most potent Wine in his store. His devotees and pilgrims appeared to be going mad from the intoxicating effects of their share. But on the joyful completion of the yagnas, everyone's smile turned into tears, for on 3 September 1945, Narayan Maharaj dropped his physical body while sitting quietly in a chair in his room. The sorrow of his devotees was bitter but it contained the wine of their devotion. If such tears always flow in true remembrance, Narayan Maharaj's real form can never remain hidden.
The Sadguru's body was cremated in Bangalore. Half of his ashes were taken to his ashram in Kedgaon to be enshrined in the palace hall and the rest were taken to Benares to be absorbed by the waters of the Ganges.
O Narayan Maharaj! Our repeated salutations to you!
You garlanded the Ancient One with your grace!
Footnotes
- 1."The Servant King" by David Todd and Ty Koontz, online at beezone.com
- 2.Narayan Maharaj made his final journey from Kedgaon to Bangalore during August 1945, the same month that the atomic bombs were exploded at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.