ABSORBED IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE LITTLE ONES

 
For ten days and nights, from the fourth day of Ali's return [October 10, 1928], the Master did not even step out of the Prem Ashram boundary! From dawn till dusk, save the hours of 12 to two, throughout the dark cold nights, the Master was seen working with a vengeance for the Prem Ashram inmates, and at the same time continuing the fasting system that he had adopted since the tenth of September.

Thus, without taking food himself, Baba served out all meals to the inmates every day.

He did not like to discuss, even for a few minutes, subjects other than the Prem Ashram, as was evident whenever the different workers approached him for advice on some urgent question concerning other affairs of the colony. But he used to give lengthy discourses on love, on God, on the spiritual path for hours together to the Prem Ashram boys, twice, thrice and even four times a day.

Besides, he used to instruct them on various methods of meditation and concentration suitable to individual tendencies.

A God-realized personality never sleeps. There is nothing like sleep for him. But a Perfect Master takes rest all the same, that is, goes into the "resting state," which is a point just between the sixth and seventh spiritual planes. But during the period mentioned above, the Master seldom took rest. He would keep moving amongst the boys all throughout the night, seeing for himself how they followed the instructions, and helping them whenever necessary.

Again, when the boys engaged themselves in recreations or secular studies during the day, he would constantly remain in their presence and take an equally keen and lively interest in all their games and studies.

During the short intervals, the Master would make the boys sit around him and enjoy with them divine songs, through Urdu, Persian, Marathi and English records of famous singers on the gramophone.

In short, Baba used to remain all absorbed in the affairs of the little ones for every second of their time, and thus always gave his physical presence before one or the other or all of the Prem Ashram boys.