"From 11th to 13th July, Baba made me, Meherjee and
Nariman read passages from Upanishads, Dasateer and
works on Christian Mysticism respectively concerning God
as the only Reality and about the identity of the soul with
God. On the last day, Baba's own 'Divine Theme' was
read to him by me as desired by him....
"On the 14th, word was received from Eruch in Poona that
with the help of Sarosh a bungalow was arranged for Baba
on the Mahabaleshwar road.... At about 7:30 A.M. on the
16th, a few minutes before Baba's departure, Adi took the
car near Baba's cabin-enclosure. All of us then went into
our rooms and closed the doors as per previous
instructions so that Baba might not be seen by us. We then
heard the car moving away. When it had crossed the
bridge near the gate, Adi sounded the parting horn; and we
came out of our rooms. Last evening, Kaka had brought
Baba's message for us that Maya was tricky and powerful,
and we must be very watchful in his absence. This naturally
kept us all on the alert anxiously awaiting his return....
"At last 24th July has dawned. It is now about 10 A.M.
and we expect Baba within a few hours.... It was 6:30
P.M. but there was no sign of any car. As it was getting
late, I was feeling uneasy when at 8 minutes to 7 we heard
the first sound of Adi's car; and we all rushed into our
rooms and closed the doors....
"The fourth period of the seclusion which was intended for
relaxation proved really one of intensive activities at
Poona; and the details are collected in an interesting
account written by Dr. Ghani, whom Baba had specially
allowed to be near him during the Poona phase of partial
seclusion, partial work and partial relaxation. Most of the
details are beautifully described by William Donkin in his
new book The Work of Meher Baba with Advanced
Souls, Sadhus, the Mad and the Poor.
"The last period of Baba's seclusion from 25th onwards
was notable for the re-intensification of his fast and
seclusion on the 30th when on that day Baba passed
complete ten hours all by himself and even Kaka was not
allowed to approach him. On the 31st, even the servants
had to observe silence.
"I conclude the account after giving some of my own
experiences during these most happy days of my life.
Although I did not see Baba, he seemed to be always with
me. Problems and questions arising in my mind used to get
themselves solved in such a manner that I never seemed to
have had such experience to such an extent before. Above
all, Baba seemed to have kindled some spark of his love
somewhere in me; and many times I felt an ecstasy difficult
to describe. One day when I returned from evening walk
and sat with Nariman and Meherjee, this feeling took such
a hold of me that I could not repress a visible smile looking
at the hills on the horizon. Nariman remarked, 'He is
becoming Mast and has gone off his head.' I put him off by
giving some plausible explanation and ended his curiosity.
When I think of my being totally unworthy of Baba's pure
love, the following lines come to my mind: 'On an unworthy
person like this, thou hast bestowed thy grace out of thy
infinite kindness. My eyes get full of tears of love at the
idea.'(1)
"It was ten years ago that I had the privilege of spending
some months in Baba's company at Bangalore. During
these years of work in different places and under different
and trying circumstances, I happened to spoil my health
and it was in March last that one morning I thought of
taking some leave and to spend some time with Baba if
possible. To my surprise, a few hours later I got a telegram
from Baba enquiring how I was feeling. Needless to say, I
replied what I felt and he desired me to take the leave. In
spite of the difficulties involved in getting leave at short
notice, I could get it and enjoyed it, and now I am going
back to join my work soon with a refreshed and
rejuvenated mind and heart with a prayer to dear Baba:
'May thou grant out of thy pleasure the eternal devotion —
Bhakti — of thy feet and the contact of thy true devotees.'
(1) And further may that spark of love for thee which thou
hast kindled out of thy grace and kindness unto this heart
continue to shine and gather strength with each breath of
this life and the hereafter.
"As I wrote the last word of the last line above and placed
the pen on the table sitting alone in my room, I
simultaneously heard Baba's bell as he pressed the button,
apparently to call Kaka, at the moment when I completed
my prayer."
