Agni-Narayana Bears Witness

Agni is the embodiment of cosmic fire and divine radiance. The Vedas describe Agni as *the mouth of the gods*, the medium through which all offerings reach the deities. When Agni is pleased, He appears in the sacrificial fire through various colors, each one holding a specific Vedic meaning. Yajneshwar Shastri Kasture often remarked that for nearly three hundred years, no one had witnessed divine forms or colored flames emerging from a yajna-kunda, though ancient scriptures record such events. In the time of King Dasharatha, Lord Narayana Himself appeared in the sacrificial fire. A similar divine episode unfolded in Kotgir during a planned ritual for the revered Advaita Acharya Nagnath Shastri.

Many learned Vedic scholars were invited. On the previous day, Shrikant Shastri and several boys from Akola arrived to help. Nagnath Shastri had already built a perfect Vedic fire-pit behind the Vitthala temple, but Shrikant, who had long worked with Narendra Nath Maharaj, felt the location was unsuitable. He warned, “This space will not be acceptable to Maharaj.” Nagnath Shastri disagreed. When priests began arranging the ritual seats, a dog suddenly stole a cloth and ran away—an ominous sign. Shastri considered this divine interference and moved the preparations to the dharmashala. Shrikant insisted that Maharaj had instructed everything be arranged inside the house, but Shastri argued that the Brahmasthana could not host fire rituals due to vastu rules. Preparations shifted repeatedly.

In the evening, Maharaj arrived, inspected the dharmashala setup, and declared, “This location is not suitable. We will perform the ritual inside the house.” This unsettled Nagnath Shastri, though he remained silent, having promised to follow Maharaj’s way. Meanwhile, his orthodox son-in-law criticized the entire arrangement as “un-Vedic.” Their strained relationship made Shastri anxious. Maharaj simply smiled and said, “Tomorrow, he will sit for the ritual.” Shastri thought this impossible.

At midnight, Shastri awoke screaming from a dream of blood flowing from the fire-pit. Maharaj calmed him: “Anna, look again. Your Kuladevata Narasimha and the presiding deities await the offerings. Nothing inauspicious will occur.” The next morning, Shastri accidentally struck his head and began bleeding, increasing his fear.

During deity installation, the son-in-law unexpectedly arrived and took his seat for the ritual. Shastri was shocked, fearing the young Vedic boys might falter under his scrutiny. But as the flawless recitations began and the divine atmosphere deepened, the son-in-law grew silent, amazed, and humbled. His rigid skepticism dissolved completely.

On the second day, during Agni-sthapana, the impossible occurred: Agni displayed every color described in the Vedas. The scholars were stunned—they had studied these colors theoretically but never witnessed them.

Then came the greatest revelation: In the rising flames, Agni-Narayana revealed the sacred ‘ॐ’ symbol upon Maharaj’s heart. Moments later, the form of Lord Ganesha appeared in the fire.

Even writing ‘ॐ’ is complex; manifesting it through living fire is an unfathomable yogic feat. Maharaj looked at Nagnath Shastri and asked gently, “Do any doubts remain now?” All scholars fell prostrate.

This scene echoed the moment when Dnyaneshwar Maharaj silenced the greatest scholars of his era through divine demonstration.

In Kali Yuga, such potency exists only in the Nath Panth, where the Guru can manifest any deity, at any time, in any place. People suffering from illness, obstacles, or difficulties came to Maharaj. He simply gave them vibhuti, saying, “Go. Everything will happen automatically.” Miracles followed; impossible tasks were resolved effortlessly. Nagnath Shastri, who had spent heavily on rituals without results, watched ordinary people receive blessings instantly through Maharaj.

After the homa, both Nagnath Shastri and his son-in-law offered an hour-long praise of Maharaj in Telugu. The son-in-law then invited Maharaj to his Yajurveda teaching center. He said, “I have long awaited the darshan of Hanuman or the serpent deity. With your presence, I believe I shall receive it.”

Halfway there, their car became stuck. Many suggested returning, but Maharaj insisted they continue on foot. At the shrine, the son-in-law performed padapuja. As they circumambulated the sacred spot, before completing even one circuit, a large black serpent descended from a banyan tree, raised its hood, and revealed its divine presence. The son-in-law was overjoyed; his transformation was complete. Shortly after, Maharaj took all the students to Basar and prayed to Goddess Saraswati for their learning. They later attained exceptional success.