This was, according to us, a very significant parting of Meher Baba from Babajan. This was the second phase of Baba's work, the first being his stay in Sadashiv Patel's house and the zhopdi. The personal communion with Babajan as normally apprehended seemed to have ended and so all the devotees gathered there were made to give a parting obeisance to Hazrat Babajan. I could hardly realize then the import of such a parting, until later I saw that all Baba's inner universal working had an expression in his outer movements, the 'outer' depending on the 'inner' for gravity, change, urgency or immediacy. Contact with Upasni Maharaj had ended and now had also ceased with Babajan.

In the very early morning, all the devotees gathered near Baba at Sadashiv's house, and before beginning the journey, Baba decided to give them a small breakfast. He chose Dr. Ghani and me to go to a small restaurant nearby and bring a plate of cream and bread and a cup of tea for each one. When the man in the restaurant began to prepare this, I felt hungry and enticed to eat but dared not do it on my own initiative. I asked Ghani and he gave his assent. When we reached Sadashiv's house with the consignment carried by servants, we were late and Baba at once asked us the cause for the delay. I admitted to have taken the breakfast myself first, but on Ghani's consent. Ghani said that I did it on my own. Baba became 'furious' and this was the first lesson I got from him. With a violent impact of his hand, I was shaken to the depth of my ego. The mind, though convinced of the cause justifying the rap I received, revolted, but the heart was too full with his love and at once silenced the mind. The number of blows I have had in my life at his chastising hands ever cherished in me a sweet reforming memory of my weaknesses. It would take any intellectual a fund of experience and contact with the Perfect Master to realize that every act of his is a blessing in experience and not a fantasy. This was brought home to me in a short time in a most natural manner. No amount of reading, meditation or prayer could have instilled this understanding in me. The only natural inhibition I felt was depression of mind for some time with the consequent effect of the bond of love and obedience becoming firm and strong.

 THREE INCIDENTS

Baba used to say, "The value of My and your living together will not be known now, but afterwards". I will relate three incidents that illustrate this:

••• Once a Minister sent his messenger to me to convey the news that he had worries. He requested that this news should be sent to Baba. That was the period when Baba was in seclusion. I, in course of writing a letter to Brother Eruch, casually added this point in the end. Beloved Baba asked Eruch whether there was any news. Then Eruch informed Baba about this. Baba asked to inform the Minister not to worry and to love him whole-heartedly. When the Minister was informed about this, he requested me to tell him how to love Baba. I told him to love Baba as he loved his wife and children. I said, "If you love your boy very much, and if he is ill, you divert all your attention on him to the exclusion of all other things. Likewise you love Beloved Baba whole-heartedly". After 15 days, I received a message from him that everything was alright.