Once, Shri Prabhu was taking an afternoon nap at the very time that he had assured some of his devotees that he would visit their homes in Bidar. The time when he should normally have started on the journey had already come but no one had the courage to wake Shri Prabhu and remind him of the promise he had made to visit his devotees’ homes in Bidar. The time passed and very much later Shri Prabhu woke up from his sleep as if nothing had happened.

At the same time as he was asleep in Jharni, the people in Bidar were happy to have Shri Prabhu in their midst and they celebrated Shri Prabhu’s presence with great devotion and satisfaction. Even in Bidar, he was received in their homes by different devotees at chronologically the same time. When the news of his visit to Bidar came to Jharni, every one was surprised because they had seen with their own eyes that Shri Prabhu was in deep sleep in Jharni itself. How could he have gone to Bidar when he was in Jharni all the time?
People of little knowledge view every event from their own stand point. For them, Shri Prabhu was a physical, gross body. They were not aware that Yogis are known to have left their gross bodies and travelled in their astral, Sukshma bodies long distances in a short time. However, even though such miracles by the Guru enhance the power and influence even of the devotees, they seldom realise how difficult and strenuous it is for the Guru himself to undertake such unusual tasks.

In Jharni itself, when Shri Prabhu woke up from his afternoon nap, Venkamma saw him tired and perspiring profusely, as if he had travelled a long distance. When asked about the matter, he just smiled and kept quiet. True Yogis do not desire to exhibit their supernatural powers. If they sometimes use these powers, it is entirely out of love and compassion for their devotees.

It is a travesty of fate, however, that even the kindest of saints have an abundance of enemies. There are people who do not desire that the Sun should shine, so that they can continue with their nefarious activities. These forces of Darkness, Ignorance and Inertia, therefore, would do any thing to place impediments in the path of saints. Saints willingly go through these ordeals of fire only to come out shining like gold which has passed through fire. Sant Tukaram says that only because there are fallen people in the world does the Lord come as the redeemer of the fallen. If there were no ‘Patita’ (Downfallen) then the Lord would not have been called ‘Patita-Pavana’ (Redeemer of the Downfallen).

Some misguided Mullas, who could neither understand nor digest the popularity of Shri Prabhu in their blind orthodoxy, decided to counter the effect of Shri Prabhu’s message on the people, amongst whom many were also Muslims. When one loses discrimination, he tends to behave not only in an irrational manner but also foolishly. With a view to embarrass Shri Prabhu, they brought some plates covered with shawls, ostentatiously full of gifts. They wanted to embarrass him and make him look insignificant in the eyes of his devotees. They, therefore, surreptitiously brought beef in the plates instead of fruits etc. and offered the plates to Shri Prabhu with a false pretence of devotion. However, from a Yogi nothing is hidden and nothing can be hidden. He saw through their game and yet, graciously accepted their offerings by touching the plates. He then asked the contents to be distributed among the assembled people as Prasad. When the shawl was removed what every one found was fruits and sweetmeats.

The Prasad was distributed to all the assembled people. The miscreants were humbled and felt ashamed. They fell at the feet of Shri Prabhu and asked for his pardon. All that Shri Prabhu did was to bless them to have good thoughts and follow the noble path which the Koran has prescribed for them.

The area where Shri Prabhu spent much of his human life was ruled by a Muslim King and the population was also predominantly Muslim. Therefore, the above incident created a lasting impression on them and they considered Shri Prabhu to be an Avatar of Mahaboob Subhani, a Muslim Saint, which belief they even now hold. The Manik Prabhu Sampradaya also reciprocates this faith. In the festivities at Maniknagar both Hindus and Muslims take part with equal enthusiasm. This is indeed the unique example of Sakalamat Sampradaya, equality and universality of religions and faiths. A Yogi sees no difference between the various manifestations of the Lord and for him everything that is in the world is but the manifestation of the Lord.

Large followings need a focal point to gather together. Shri Prabhu felt the need to have such a spiritual centre. Till now he was wandering from place to place in his own state of constant awareness of the Supreme Bliss. The descent of the Lord is not only for the sake of destruction of evil but also for the establishment of righteousness. “For the protection of the good and destruction of the evil, for establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age” (Bhagavad Gita IV.8).

The decision for the selection of the place was left to the Will of the Lord. Shri Prabhu left Bidar for Kalyan. In those days, riding on horseback or in a Palkhi was the mode of travel. As the travellers approached the point where two rivers meet near Humnabad, they turned towards Gadvanti. The road was narrow and the people had to pass through trees and shrubs on both sides of the road. The Palkhi in which Shri Prabhu was sitting got stuck in the branches of some trees, making him alight from his seat.

Nearby they saw a temple of Shiva. Shri Prabhu sat there under two Bilva trees. While he was resting thereunder, the trees caught fire unexpectedly and were reduced to ashes in no time. The people around him were struck with wonder and were also worried about Shri Prabhu’s safety but Shri Prabhu was quiet. He told them not to worry. “Don’t panic. A good thing has happened today. The Brahmarakshasas who were imprisoned in these trees, are liberated”. Thereafter they came near the confluence of the two rivers. There as Shri Prabhu sat under the Audumbara tree in ecstatic meditation, the decision to establish the spiritual centre at that very place was taken.

The Audumbara tree is special to Sri Datta Sampradaya. It is the favourite tree of Sri Dattatreya and it is believed that he always dwells thereunder. It is the symbol of deliverance. Legend says that when Lord Narasimha killed the daemon, Hiranyakashipu, his fingers were burning with the venom of the Rakshasa. He had to dip his fingers in the fruits of Audumbara which Shri Lakshmi brought and the burning sensation was removed by the juice of Audumbara fruit. In Guru Charitra also it has been said,

In the daemon’s bosom,
there was the dark poison spot,
Like the raging forest fire,
fearsome was the clot.
While tearing apart
the daemon’s dreadful heart,
Lord’s fingers,
dipped in poisoned blood, became hot.

Since then, with the grace of Sri Narasimha, the Audumbara tree became the Kalpvrisksha, shedding illumination and wisdom. Therefore, it came to pass that one who does penance sitting thereunder is freed from the agony of the Samsara.

Shri Prabhu being an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya had a special affinity for the Audumbara tree. The incident of the Bilva trees and the ecstatic meditation that he experienced under the Audumbara tree both must have had a special symbolism for him that led him to choose that site as his permanent abode for the remaining years of his temporal life. Thus was established what is today known as the village of MANIKNAGAR.