I saw in the distance a number of dark figures like small men in frock coats sitting by the road. It was about 20 lamb-eating vultures with a wounded animal. Two of the vultures were fighting on the road over a piece of meat; we came zooming along, a bump, and the one vulture was run over and killed, while the other slumped over hurt. When we arrived in Jubbalpore Baba told us that at that very moment the bus with the others, which was about 20 miles ahead of us, had met a two-wheeled wagon pulled by a buffalo on a bridge over a river. The buffalo had reared and fallen over with the driver and wagon into the river. Because we had at the same moment, twenty miles away, driven over the vultures, Baba said, thus the life of the driver had been saved, he had been able to work himself and the buffalo and wagon out of the river! Such related happenings occur very often in Baba's presence.

In the morning on December 27 Baba, Hedi and I drove with a taxi to Madan-Mahal near Jubbalpore . This is an old palace of the Gond-Kings on a mountain. The whole landscape is filled everywhere with such round, giant rocks, in part balancing, as in Hyderabad. I photographed an unbelievable example. Monkeys are hopping and swinging on the rocks and trees. An old temple stands under a large tamarind tree alongside a still lake between the cliffs. The old palace is built on rock on top of the mountain. One has a wide view across the surrounding landscape of stone, across the outer belt of green and right up to the far-off city of Jubbalpore, which is dominated by the hills with the English garrison.

The trip on the day before yesterday, about 64 miles to Mandla, led us more and more through giant jungle landscape. This is a place of about 1,500 inhabitants, situated on the conflux of three rivers. Mainly the river landscape is large, peaceful and friendly. One sees many people with small spinning wheels sitting in front of their houses, then there are more smoking mounds of earth in which round pots of the simplest type are made. Even vegetable growing is undertaken on the banks of the river. The whole day people have to carry water for watering.

The plateau over the river is dominated by a wreath of decayed ruins of the old fort of the Kings. Between the ruins are old temples. On the banks of the river are steps and terraces with women who are fetching water or washing clothes. A man is leading horses to drink, on a rocky overhang of meadow monkeys are jumping around with their young, on the old ruins are sitting black and white vultures, and huge, old trees tower over the walls and towers.

Next to a group of old temples is a hollow tree, which consists only of roots in the air, upon which a young plant has sprouted up. Sculptures and relief-figures are set up; whenever there are prayers a bell sounds so that God will be sure to be awake and listen. The old keeper at the temple of the river goddess Nurbudda has a clear, happy face, and one is really taken by the harmony and unity - perceivable everywhere - of the river, temple, trees, animals, people and gods. Baba loves this place and says it is especially spiritual, for it is blessed by the three surrounding rivers. But a colony here could not be considered, since usually cholera breaks out when the mango harvest ripens, for the poor people drink water instead of milk along with the mango fruit, and at monsoon time there is malaria.

Now I will have been only five weeks with Baba and Hedi. Little for a trip to India, and much, a whole life, for inner development. I must learn to be satisfied, and a final talk with Baba is yet to come.

If I am successful in Europe at putting away my "ego" and letting the "Him ” in me act and think, then I will have grasped the meaning of this trip.

Letter IV - Arabian Sea, on board the "Corfu", Jan. 9, 1939

I am in the train. Have the feeling everything has come around full circle. Baba has given me clear directives for everything. And I have seen his universal power, his Love and wisdom. It is now up to me to do my part.

There is a dining car on the train (17-hour trip). Hot soup, warm plates, "real cooking" beer, dessert, coffee, cigarettes! Damn, I'm getting civilized again! And in Bombay "real bathing", haircut, room service in your room for breakfast. Clean, wide streets without dust, large really beautiful office buildings, automobiles with starters (in the country all the cars are started by hand or by pushing them down inclines). Beautiful stores, for example, the "India Art Museum",