the sun. We in our normal consciousness saw only the gleam of his reflection, yet the transformation in him was so apparent and beautiful that it made a response in our hearts. To be thus unhampered from the shackles of the mind was the sort of freedom that a wave must know as it tosses toward the sun! As soon as Baba withdrew, the light in the youth's eyes receded and he turned towards us as non-existent, but they would always leap with joy each time Baba returned.

"One of the 'God-mad' men, if spoken to, would repeat only a word of any sentence which might be asked him. For example if one asked, 'What is your name?' he would reply 'name.' 'What place do you come from,' he would reply 'place’.

"Another man smiled whenever Baba drew near, and when Baba moved away, tears would inevitably come to his eyes. Still another man never uttered a word but would be lost in a world of his own, except in response to Baba.

"Baba told us that these mad men had been sincere seekers with normal consciousness. Only, they had lost their way, or blundered on the Path; as would someone climbing an unfamiliar mountain without a 'Guide.' They needed re-finding of the 'Path,'—some by being put back temporarily and others by being advanced. While in most cases Baba would restore these 'God-mad' men to normal consciousness again, in some cases he would not, as his main purpose was their spiritual advancement. One man had already regained his normal state and Baba had sent him forth for further advancement in life.

“To see Baba playful and gay with these mad men, who recognize only him and to all other people and things in life were lethargic was to us a revealing sight. Baba was indeed Master with all types of souls.

"Pleader, who was in charge of the Ashram, assisted by three or four other disciples, told us that when the mad men arrived they were always restless and some wanted to leave. Only after Baba had given them a bath with his own hands, did they feel an inner peace and had no wish to go elsewhere. The effect on the individual was extraordinary and immediate. One can only think of baptism, with its inner spiritual meaning and the healing effect of laying on of hands, for any understanding of it.

"Mad men two thousand years ago were called 'Possessed of devils' and how much more do we know what is 'madness' this day?