stopped near the magnolia tree in the shade. An upholstered chair was brought out and Baba was seated. Already they felt sad because this was good-bye, although we should see Baba on the morrow and the day after. The atmosphere gradually became more and more surcharged with the sweetness of His love.

Baba told the men to fan out so that they might catch the candy he would throw to each. Eruch held a bowl and Baba told him to stand at his side. Baba began tossing in his usual way, i.e. looking in one direction and throwing in another. When the candy was not caught it was returned to Eruch, as Baba said it was not to be retained as prasad. Baba explained: "This is not a game." It was a link between himself and each lover, for the future. After everyone had caught his prasad, and some had a rough time doing it, the group gathered in front of Baba, and he began to explain the significance of prasad: "It is the gift of God to man. If you eat with the feeling that it is that, you benefit: but if you eat it as mere candy, it has no meaning. Don't give the candy to someone else." It is to be eaten immediately by the recipient.

The boys naturally felt at home with Baba and proceeded to play the catching game with a bit too much zeal, so that Baba had to tell three of them to stand by him, which they did like good soldiers. Never was it clearer that Baba is the supreme example of his saying "Real happiness lies in making others happy," than when he is with children. This, of course, was the theme of the sahavas, God's Divine Love being received with love by his lovers.

Baba said that Krishna was the first Avatar to institute the custom of prasad. Once he was in the company of four companions or lovers and a Rishi who lived in the mountain fastnesses came for Krishna's prasad. He was so long in meditation that his eyelashes grew downwards and ants made their home on his body. Krishna replied that prasad was for his lovers and none else. This consisted of ladhu or Indian sweetmeat balls. At last the Rishi, who was very intelligent, begged Krishna's favorite disciple, Pindu*, [sic] who was a cripple, to ask Krishna for him. This Krishna permitted (because He was the slave of his lovers) and as a result the Rishi gained illumination (not realization).

Baba had said there would be no more embraces after the second prasad, that we should each kiss his hand, leaving immediately afterwards. The next

*"Pendya" correction taken from ERRATA printed in Volume 6 No. 1 page 35 - webmaster 2008 JK