Jalandhar Nath Made Gopichand Immortal

Because Jalandhar Nath had once been buried in horse dung, Kanifa Nath’s anger toward King Gopichand was intense. Though he felt like burning Gopichand to ashes immediately, he restrained himself. When Kanifa reached the border of the kingdom, he sent word for Gopichand to meet him. Seeing Kanifa’s majestic entourage, Gopichand was deeply impressed and thought that this Guru was even more suitable for him than Jalandhar Nath. He bowed at Kanifa’s feet with great respect. Kanifa softened slightly, though his anger had not yet cooled.

Kanifa said: *“King, you committed an unforgivable offence. Your mother’s merit and my Guru Jalandhar Nath’s compassion alone saved your life. Without it, you would have been reduced to ashes instantly.”* Terrified, the king begged for mercy: *“Please protect me and grant me your grace.”* Kanifa stayed in the palace as a guest. The next morning Gopichand again bowed before him, and Kanifa said: *“Show me the place where you buried my Guru.”* The king took him there. After inspection, Kanifa asked: *“Tell me—how shall we bring Guru out?”* The king replied humbly that he would obey whatever Kanifa instructed.

Kanifa said: *“I will save your life and free you from Guru’s wrath. First have five statues made—one each from gold, silver, copper, brass, and iron—each exactly resembling you.”* In ancient times, faith in saints was natural. People believed that if God becomes angry the Guru protects, but if the Guru becomes angry no god can save the disciple. Such was the situation here, for the wrath of Jalandhar Nath was beyond the restraint of any deity. Only Kanifa, his disciple, could intervene.

Terrified, the king gathered master craftsmen. They created flawless life-sized statues of the king in all five metals. At an auspicious time, Kanifa instructed the king to bring them to the pit.

Kanifa sat on the edge of the deep pit with Gopichand beside him and said: *“Place the gold statue at the rim and begin digging. When Guru asks, ‘Who strikes the pit?’ say, ‘I am Gopichand,’ then leap aside and push the statue in.”* Kanifa applied sacred ash charged with the Chiranjiva Mantra on Gopichand’s forehead.

As soon as the king struck the pit, a voice thundered: *“Who strikes the pit? What is your name?”* Gopichand replied as instructed and dropped the gold statue inside. Instantly, a burst of fiery energy rose and reduced the statue to ash. The king trembled, but Kanifa reassured him. One by one the silver, copper, brass, and iron statues were offered. Each time, Jalandhar Nath’s wrath burned them to ashes. Such was the unimaginable tapas-shakti of a Nath Siddha buried deep in horse dung yet powerful enough to vaporize metal with a single thought.

Finally Kanifa said: *“Now go again and dig.”* When Guru again asked: *“Who strikes the pit?”* Kanifa replied loudly: *“Guruji, it is your disciple Kanifa. King Gopichand digs to free you. Please show compassion.”* Hearing the beloved disciple’s voice, Jalandhar Nath’s anger dissolved.

He declared: *“If King Gopichand has survived until now, then he shall live forever. From today, he becomes immortal.”* He then ordered them to stop digging. Using the Shakra Astra mantra and invoking Vajra Astra, Jalandhar Nath loosened the earth. It parted naturally, and he emerged effortlessly.

When Gopichand had buried him years earlier, Jalandhar offered no resistance. But bringing him out required the king’s life to be risked repeatedly. Only because Kanifa stood behind him did the king survive. Thus, Jalandhar Nath not only forgave Gopichand but also granted him eternal life, completing a profound chapter of Nath Panth grace and Guru–disciple destiny.