*Guru Charitra* teaches many lessons through stories, but the analysis before the stories is equally important. In Chapter 21, it is explained that the human body is formed from the five elements — earth, water, fire, air, and space. Depending on the mixture of sattva, rajas, and tamas, a person’s nature is formed.
A person with dominant sattva becomes pure, calm, and divine-like. A person with dominant rajas becomes restless, desire-driven, and worldly. A person with dominant tamas becomes fearful, confused, angry, lazy, and trapped in ignorance.
Because of tamas, people become excessively attached — to family, relationships, pleasures, objects, fears, and desires. Such people see death as extremely terrifying. But death is an unavoidable part of life. Everyone will die according to their karmic destiny. Good karma brings a peaceful death; bad karma brings a painful one.
The only way to reduce fear, attachment, and suffering is to increase sattva and reduce rajas–tamas. But this inner transformation is only possible through Sadguru’s grace. Just like “a flower gives fragrance even to the soil around it,” a disciple constantly in the company and service of the Guru slowly transforms — without even realizing it.
In Chapter 21, it is also shown that: “By Guru’s grace, a dead person became alive again. Guru has authority even over life and death.” Even destiny can be changed by the Guru if it serves the soul’s spiritual progress. Every soul is on a long journey across many lifetimes. The Guru interferes only when it benefits the soul’s evolution.
One Guru Purnima, Vyankatnath Maharaj had to postpone the death of one disciple’s wife.
A grand Guru Purnima program was arranged in Nagpur. Hundreds of devotees were present. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, devotion, and eagerness to perform Guru’s ceremonial worship.
But then disturbing whispers began spreading. The wife of a senior disciple, Annasaheb Kolte, was critically ill. Doctors had warned the family that she could die any moment. If she passed away that day, the entire Guru Purnima program would collapse — it would have to be cancelled.
Devotees were emotionally disturbed. They pleaded with Maharaj: “Maharaj, please… not today. Let the program finish. Let her death be postponed for one day.” Every request was coming from attachment, not wisdom. Nobody was thinking of the suffering woman, her karma, or her family’s grief. Everyone was thinking only of the program.
Maharaj calmly said: “This matter belongs to the Kolte family. Their decision will decide everything.”
The Kolte family discussed and finally the eldest son approached Maharaj: “Maharaj, for everyone’s sake, please postpone her death. Let today’s Guru Purnima happen peacefully.”
Maharaj became silent for a moment. Then He said: “Very well. For your sake, a provision will be made.”
He gave the son a packet of sacred ash (vibhuti) and instructed: “Place this packet under her head. As long as this vibhuti remains under her head, she will not die.”
Everyone sighed with relief. The program went beautifully. There was joy, devotion, and complete peace.
A month passed. The woman was still alive — but in terrible suffering. Her condition was unbearable. She could not be cared for easily, and her pain was heartbreaking.
The family now approached Maharaj again: “Maharaj, what should we do now? She cannot live like this…”
Maharaj told them: “You all insisted she should not die at that time. So the vibhuti was given. As long as that packet remains under her head, death will not come. When you decide otherwise, remove it.”
But nobody had the courage to remove it. They were afraid: “If we remove it, and she dies — will we be responsible?”
Finally, they surrendered back to Maharaj. He instructed them to dispose of the vibhuti Himself, ending the postponement.
Soon after, the woman passed away peacefully.
This was a clear demonstration of the Nath yogic power over death — not to create miracles, but to teach a lesson.
Every Guru event carries hidden wisdom. But people focus only on the miracle and ignore the teaching.
Here the teaching was:
- Human desires are full of attachment. - We beg for things without thinking of the suffering involved. - Guru responds out of compassion, but we must learn to rise above ignorance. - Even death, the most feared event, is under divine law — and the Guru alone understands its timing.
Guru Charitra is not mythology; it is a living guide. The same divine principles operate even today through the Sadguru.