THE GOD-MAN The Life, Journeys and Work of Meher Baba with an ...

THE FINAL DECLARATION 253and a half feet so that he could not lie down. He died in a room shown to the party. On a stone over thedoorway to the room there is engraved Maharaj's will. The room contained the couch on which he died.Baba paid homage, and one after another did the same under Baba's guidance, kneeling down and kissingthe stone.The mandali and others were given food in a lower room where Baba sat with them for a few minutes,but we were taken to an upper room and given refreshments at small tables. The food was tasty anddaintily served. Baba in a playful mood threw fruit from his table to be caught by various people: this wasprasad. He merely touched his own food. He appeared strained and suffering, as he did throughout the visit.A hymn was sung in his praise. At the end he said, 'To find me, you have to lose yourself. But these arejust words when spoken and heard. Losing oneself and finding oneself is for very few lovers who carrytheir lives in their sleeves.'Baba visited a sick girl and fed her rose petals. He took the group to the ladies' dormitory and sat in ajhula, or swing, and a girl sang the song Baba composed for Maharaj. The buildings were visited again,and he sat with the party in the temple and showed them Sai Baba's stick and pipe kept in silver cases. Ithad been intended that we should visit Sai Baba's shrine at Shirdi, but there was no time.We left after a memorable day's experience. On the way back, Baba stopped and got out of his car toinquire about Fred Marks, who had hit his head on a low doorway and had been bound up by Baba. Baba'sattention was drawn by Dana Field to the danger of his wearing his scarf in his car, as it was flowing out ofthe window; Baba immediately removed it. He had lost his look of suffering. He also sent the members ofthe mandali to collect booklets and other literature presented to us at the ashram, insisting that everythingshould be given up.The following day, Tuesday, Baba arrived at 10.15 and said he would stay longer that day.Having inquired from each about his health, he said that he himself was tired; he had not slept for threenights. He felt the burden of the universe. 'I promised to teach you how to play marbles', he said. 'I amabove promises, but I have been reminded, and will do so.' He explained that there are two types of game,showed us what they were and played with us. We went into the lounge, and although the couch had beenprepared with a rug and flowers, he did not sit on it but took a chair in the corner of the room. He said hewould first explain about Sakori, where he took us yesterday, and would talk as the thoughts came to him,not necessarily consecutively: