"I have already warned you of the dark cloud which I clearly see hovering over me. I have been referring to it in one way or another for many years. In fact, only the shape of things changes every time I come, and that is why I say the same things again and again in different ways. At the time of Jesus, I uttered many warnings, yet none could grasp in advance about my crucifixion.

"The dark cloud is very, very near to bursting and I have to take the whole force of it upon myself. You can have no idea of what that will mean for me—it will be like hell itself bursting upon me on earth. Be resolved to hold fast to my daaman* even when this cloud bursts; you will thereby share in my work.

“Let me tell you the tale of the Mast and the Mullah. The Mast, his consciousness focused upon the intimate nearness of his Beloved God, was virtually oblivious to everything else. The Mullah, since he could not understand this state, would pester the Mast with learned parrotry, and eventually became so exasperated that one day he cursed the Mast, saying that he would go to hell. The Mast happened to hear and understand what had been said and retorted that the Mullah's heaven contained everything except God; but that since God was everywhere, he would be quite happy in hell, where he might share his Beloved's sufferings.

"Look at the weapons of destruction science has evolved. Nation accuses nation of preparations for war, and world catastrophe might come without warning at any moment. World events reflect the results of my inner working. At the time of the Flood (Noah's Flood), hell was let loose in the world. Scientists and statesmen now solemnly declare that if total war comes, the whole world may perish. They are just echoing me—but the whole world cannot perish because I have to come down again after 700 years.

“During my recent short stay in Poona I was happy to let the Poona bhajan Mandali sing before me. I also paid visits to the homes of some of my men and allowed a few to call on me; but it was in connection with the continual pain in my injured hip-joint that I went to Poona and also paid a flying visit to Bombay.

"The hip-joint is now said to be so nearly healed that full weight-bearing and almost normal use are advised by the best available consultants. But the fact remains that I still have intense and continual pain, even at rest. Those

* Hem of the Master’s Garment