Listen, all of good understanding, I tell what happened after that. Upon the face of the earth, great calamities began to occur. Exceedingly violent winds blew, their motion terrible and harsh; many trees fell, as did forts, temples, houses and towers. Sudden fires broke out, and rain fell swiftly from the sky; forests, buildings, many villages and towns were burned upon the earth. Stones fell upon the earth in great number from the sky; men and women became frightened, saying "We shall not escape destruction."
Harsh crashes sounded in the sky, and sharp lightning struck the earth; the abodes of the lesser deities were destroyed -- temples, mountains and villages. Such a rain of meteors occurred -- how can I describe that time? Rain fell in streams of blood, and seeing it all became afraid.
The minds of the sadhus became disturbed, and anguish arose in their hearts; the summer sun's brightness became dim, losing its peace. The devotees' bodies -- the men's left sides twitched inauspiciously; and the women devotees' right sides twitched. Also those who had dreams took them as ill omens. The very images of Dharma and Bhakti seemed to weep in grief. The very images of Radha-Krishna appeared as if without eyes; and covered their faces with white cloth, appearing to suffer in deep sorrow. It seemed as though the moon, sun and stars had fallen to the ground -- that too seemed ill-omened.
Seeing such immense calamities, everyone began to reflect, knowing that Bhagwan would now become invisible from this earth. Then Nath performed his daily rites, and gave much charity, including cows. Then, having plastered the ground well with cow-dung, he made a bed of kusha grass and sesame; he bathed in warm water, and wore washed white garments. He applied a tilak of sandal-paste to his forehead, and sat upon a vermilion-colored seat. He kept his gaze steady and unblinking, entirely within his own Self. He held meditation upon his own self, forgetting entirely the awareness of his own body. Nearby were Gopalanand and many others, Nityanand, Shukmuni, and all.
At that time they saw in the sky countless millions of vimanas without number; many of his own attendants came in great numbers to fetch Nath. They brought divine sandalwood and divine flowers, and other priceless divine offerings; with these they worshipped Bhagwan with love, then invited him and seated him in the vimana. With his own attendants, Nath departed for his own abode. Immortals came by the celestial path, offering praise and playing instruments. They brought garlands of sandalwood and flowers, and worshipped the Support of Life; they also sprinkled much sandal upon his body, and rained down flowers. That rain of flowers and sandal was seen by everyone upon the earth directly. Thus he departed to his own abode, having accomplished the work of countless souls.
In the year Samvat 1886, in the month of Jyeshtha, the tenth day of the bright fortnight, on a Tuesday, at midday, Maharaj departed, having accomplished the work of many.
Earlier, great sufferings had come, and by his mercy he had preserved his body then. In Samvat 1861, on the full moon of Posh, at Agtrai, a suffering related to a horse had come upon him; from that too he had preserved his body, showing mercy, the Life of the World. Then, in Samvat 1870, on the full moon of Ashadh, in the village of Jaliya, from an illness, he preserved his body by his own mercy. In Samvat 1877, on the twelfth of the bright fortnight of Vaishakh, he preserved his body from suffering at Gadhada, out of love for his devotees. Also, in Samvat 1878, on the eighth of the bright fortnight of Phalgun, at Dholka, he preserved his body from suffering, the Merciful One. Also, in Samvat 1879, on the ninth of the bright fortnight of Chaitra, a time of suffering -- on that day at Panchala, Maharaj himself preserved his body, for his devotees' sake.
Then, in Samvat 1886, on the second of the bright fortnight of Posh, Maharaj himself fell ill, to depart to his own abode. On the tenth of the bright fortnight of Jyeshtha, he departed, releasing his mercy, the Life of the World. As long as Nath had intended to remain, that long he remained upon the earth. One year short of fifty, one day and two months -- for that long he preserved his body, the Life of the World, out of love for his devotees.
Then those who were present remembered his name; in that remembrance came weeping, and hearing it, everyone gathered. Seeing Nath, they lamented, overcome with great anguish within. At this time the people suffered greatly -- I cannot even describe it with my mouth. As if bound like prisoners, everyone's pulse and breath remained thus. At this time the Beloved exercised his great power, to the utmost. Had the Life of the World not done so, there would have been chaos, and many would have died -- those for whom, without their Beloved, not a moment or hour could pass, their bodies would have fallen. That their life-breath remained within their bodies was by Shri Maharaj's own will.
Then the two steadfast adopted sons, Avadhprasad and Raghuvir, performed the proper scriptural rites as was fitting. They anointed his body with sandal, bathed it, and dressed it in fine, priceless garments. They adorned it with garlands, festoons and bouquets of flowers, and then performed the arti at that time. With joined hands they all said: "Lord, why have you done this to us? It was well for you, Nath, what has befallen you, but do not forget us." Saying this they fell at his feet, and then seated him in a bier.
Singing and speaking, they came to the flower-garden, to the grove he loved; there they made a pyre of tulsi wood and sandalwood, and his body was placed upon it, anointed with ghee. Then the cremation rite was performed, and all present suffered greatly. His body was cremated with much ghee, and all the scriptural rites were performed there. Then, having bathed, they returned home; that day no one ate any food. The next day, having cooled the pyre, they made preparations for the funeral expenses. They invited Brahmins and satsangis, and many others too. They had sweets and various dishes prepared, and other items in abundance. With these they fed countless people, both satsangis and non-satsangis, men and women. They performed the eleventh-day and shraddha rites, and gave away many cows and much wealth there. They gave away food, wealth, clothes, and utensils, and gave beds, mattresses and seats. Having performed all these rites in this manner, the people then all returned to their homes.
Those devotees who remained there afterward always stayed near the Lord. The Lord performed such a play -- its mystery no one could fully grasp.
Just as a performer, by his own skill, climbs into the sky to fight a battle -- in that battle his body appears burned, and his wife appears to burn along with him in that same fight -- the whole assembly watching sees this as real; but then he descends, having only performed a trick. The woman too comes down again, though it appeared she had burned alongside her dead husband -- seeing this, all are astonished, yet none can grasp how it was done. In the same way, in the Lord's play, demonic-minded people become bewildered watching it. But it is not that he comes and goes like this -- his own devotees know this in their hearts. But to bewilder the demonic-minded, Maharaj performs such acts.
If this were not the true nature of things, consider and reflect in your own mind: he continues to come and do many deeds, fulfilling miracles for his devotees. For someone, he comes and eats food -- manifestly, truly, not in a dream. To someone he gives garlands and bouquets; for someone he intervenes in times of hardship. For someone he walks along the road together with them; to someone he comes to meet joyfully. To someone, riding with five or seven horsemen, he gives manifest darshan outside their home. He comes in the arti and joins the chanting; he calls out to someone with love. He comes to the assembly and listens to the discourse; thus he grants manifest presence to his devotees.
Such and many other deeds, Maharaj himself performs. Thus the Merciful One gives darshan, taking care of his own people. In some village he has a letter written, sitting before his devotee. With someone he drinks water lovingly, coming to give darshan, knowing them his devotee. To someone he gives a fine or coarse rosary, thus making his devotees happy. To someone he appears on the road, receiving their offering and touching their feet in blessing. Someone sees him lying in bed, and considers their life fulfilled by this. Whoever remembers him, at that moment, receives his darshan.
Thus, in many ways, even today, the Lord performs many such deeds. Nath is never far from his own devotees -- he is not gone, he remains always with them. But this the opposed do not accept -- those upon whose fate lies the full weight of sin. Listen, all, to this manner -- I have described this account.
Thus ends the one hundred and sixty-first chapter of the Bhaktachintamani, in which Shri Ji Maharaj, together with his countless attendants, departed to his own abode seated in a vimana.