As we have seen in the previous chapter, Siddhamuni told Namdharak about the visit of Guru Nath to the VaiduriNagar at the pleading of the Nawab. Guru Nath was accorded a most regal welcome by the Nawab and was received with overwhelming devotion by all the sections of people of the city. Following the visit, Guru Nath's name and fame spread far and wide, and many Muslim people also started pouring into Gangapur for Guru Nath's Darshan and for redress of their difficulties. With the constant influx, the serene atmosphere was getting disturbed. Guru Nath had already been hinting to His devotees for some time past, that he would be leaving for the Kadali Van at Srisaila Parvat before long.

One day he called all His devotees and the people of Gangapur to the Math. He announced that he was bidding goodbye to Gangapur and was setting out on his pilgrimage to SriSailam. All started sobbing. What would be Gangapur without Guru Nath? Guru Nath was it's sole life and light. Seeing how grief stricken all were, Guru Nath announced that although they would not be able to see his physical form at Gangapur, yet he would be abiding there for ever, in His invisible form (in his grace body). He would continue to answer all prayers, and would continue to shower His grace on all supplicants. He further said that wherever He be, he would continue to be visiting Sangam in the mornings everyday for his bath, and by midday he would be visiting the Math unfailingly, though He would not be visible to the fleshy, human eyes. He said that he would be having His Nirguna Padukas in the Math and that they would be a reservoir and repository of all spiritual power and that worship offered to the Aswatha Tree was worship unto the Kalpavriksha. The Aswatha Tree would fulfill all the desires of the supplicants. Comforting and assuring the people thus, he set out from Gangapur. He asked His disciples, except four of them, to go out on pilgrimage, and assured them that He would be ever with them.

All the people of Gangapur were following Him. Guru Nath told them that they should return to their homes. He again assured them, that His presence would continue to be felt at the Math, by all devotees, by mere remembrance or recalling His name.

The people had to retrace their steps with a heavy heart, homewards. They were feeling that their life-breath had ebbed out of them. The void caused in their life by Guru Nath's leaving from Gangapur could never be filled up and would remain so forever. Their hearts sand down in despair and gloom.

At the Math they all stopped, their feet refusing to move from there. "Why not we all end our lives here?" that was their thought at the moment.

Lo! there was a flash of light in the Math. Guru Nath revealed Himself before their eyes, smiling and holding out His Abhaya Hastha. (The upraised palm indicating assurance and benediction). The people were enlivened. Their gloom had melted away; and with faith enriched in the Omnipresence of Guru Nath, they slowly returned to their homes.

Guru Nath along with his four chosen disciples, reached the Kadali-Van (banana grove) on the banks of Patala Ganga at the foot of the Srisaila Parvat. Thereafter, Guru Nath asked His disciples to prepare a float with banana trunks and leaves. The float was prepared. It was bedecked with flowers. Guru Nath asked them to place the float in the waters of the river. He stepped into the float and seated Himself on it. The disciples offered their obeisance and worship to Him, while their hearts were bursting with grief at the impending separation for their beloved Lord. Guru Nath cheered them up and told them "My dear children, I am fully aware of the anguish of your hearts at the thought that I am leaving you. But, I assure You again, I will be with you forever and especially at Gangapur. I will be showering my full grace there on all supplicants, who are sincere, earnest and faithful. Only to make myself inaccessible to agnostics, atheists and the faithless, I am taking this Prasthan. But even so everyday I will be present at the Amaraja Sangam for my morning bath, and will be visiting the Gangapur Math for receiving the 'Bhiksha'. Be sure about this, and do not give place for any doubt. I will never be leaving Gangapur. I will be accepting all worship that will be offered at the Math. Convey the following advice of mine, which I am giving to you now, to all....'

"All pilgrims to Gangapur should first take a dip in the Holy waters of the Bhima-Amaraja Sangam. If they bathe in all the Ashta Teerthas, the merit will be even far more and will be several fold. The Aswatha Tree which is near the Sangam, is as Holy as the KalpaVrisksha itself. They should make Pradakshina around the Aswatha Tree. They should offer worship to the Nirguna Padukas at the Math. All three times of the day, they should do Aarti to the Padukas. Whoever offers worship to the Chintamani Ganapati Deity there, will earn fulfillment of all his desires. Believe me, I will be residing in the house of every devotee, ever serving them and showering all grace on them. I will be like the Kamadhenu in the front yard of their house and like the KalpaVriksha in the backyard of the house and like Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati residing inside the house. With mere remembrance of me, I respond to everyone".
"Remember also how fond of music I am. Therefore, during Devatarchana time, (during the worship-time) you should invariably also do Bhajan. There is nothing like Bhajan to bind me down in your homes and hearts. In whichever house my name is chanted, there is no scope for poverty or diseases to come anywhere near there. Poverty and disease, all quickly take flight from there. The inmates of the house will be blessed with longevity: that house will be ever prosperous and aplenty. The house will be ever happy and joyous with healthy joyous and playing children and will never be in want of anything".

"Further, let me also tell you about the supreme merit one will earn by listening to or reading my Charitra (Guru Charitra). It will be the panacea for all ills. In the Kali age, it will be like the Kalpalatika, the ever wish fulfilling celestial creeper. It will be like Chintamani, 'the celestial diamond', bestower of all prosperity. Now I bid you adieu, you stay back. I will be sending flowers as my prasad to you, no sooner than I reach my Destination. The prasad will confer on you immense good." Saying thus, he disappeared out of their sight.

It was Bahudhayana year, Uttarayana, Bahula Padyani, Friday. The Nakshatra was Pushyami and was especially an auspicious time, Brihaspati entering the Kanya Rasi. Such was the time of the Mahaprasthana of Guru Nath.

The disciples stayed there only, unable to decide what to do and, so to say, immobilised. Their minds were blank. At this juncture, a boat came towards there. The boatmen told them they had a message for them from a Yatri Sanyasi who gave his name as Sri Narasimha Saraswati. They said that they saw on the waters a Yati, golden splendoured in body, holding a 'danda' and a 'kamandal', and wearing golden padukas. He was speeding fast on a flower chariot. He told them, (the boatmen) that they should give this message to his disciples. "Tell them it is the ardent wish of the Guru, 'Sri Narasimha Saraswati', that they should soon get back to Gangapur and that he will be sending them Prasad-Pushpa as a token of his blessings". No sooner did the boatmen say thus, than four bog flowers of celestial beauty came floating against the current. The boatmen picked up the flowers and gave the disciples one flower each. The four disciples were Sayamdeo, Kavishwar Nandi, Narhari-Kavi and Siddha himself.

Siddhamuni said to Namdharak "As you have been born in the line of Sayamdeo, you won the merit of listening to this glorious Guru Charitra. In narrating this to you, I feel greatly blessed by Guru Nath and feel supremely happy".

Thus ends the Fifty-first chapter of Guru Charitra.

Glory to the All merciful, the Omnipresent and the ever-responsive Guru Nath!

Mad-Bhaktah Yatra Gayanti, Tatra Thisthami Narada.

Oh Narada! My true abode is where people sing my Name with devotion...