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

266 THE GOD-MANevident. He would stop every once in a while to be sure that all were close to him. We were reminded towatch our heads while entering low doorways, and not to stumble over piles of stones, or water-drains; andonce Baba ordered a boy to stand on a tree-stump in the middle of the road, so that we should not trip overit!At about six o'clock, Baba ordered us back to the men's ashram at Meherabad to wait for him, while hewent to visit the patients in a tuberculosis hospital nearby. When he returned, he gathered us about him inthe large hall and ordered each to take two tablets before retiring as a precaution against malaria. Then hegave us each what he said would have to be his last personal embrace, as from that time he would beunable to see us privately again.The following day, Sunday, there was another event. Baba had decided several days ago to give darshanto those of Ahmednagar and the neighbourhood who had not been able to be present at the big darshan, soa platform and a seat were erected in the patio of the Khushroo quarters, where Adi Irani lives and has hisoffice, and alongside of which the Sarosh Motor Works is placed. The party was expected to be present at3.30 p.m. They arrived to find crowds of men, women and children waiting outside the compound. Babaembraced each of us in turn despite what he had said the day before. Then he seated Ben Hayman, FrankHendrick the oldest of those from the West, and myself beside him on the platform.Soon a stream of women in van-coloured saris was flowing past at the rate of forty-five a minute, manyof them leading or carrying children. All castes, creeds and religions were represented, and all stages ofsocial circumstances. At various times Baba sat on the seat, on the platform, on the step leading to theplatform, and on the ground, and once he stood on the platform for a period. The women and children werefollowed by the men, middle-aged, and young. He spelled out on his board, 'No explanations or discoursescan compare with this personal contact. I feel that I am in all. It is Baba bowing down to Baba.' At onetime Baba motioned the Westerners to move out of the sun and sit near him in the shade. He would benddown, pick up a stone, and throw it to one of the Western group.At a quarter to six, the queue of waiting people was still long, and Sarosh tried to persuade Baba to stayanother quarter or half an hour, but Baba this time was adamant and left at six o'clock promptly,instructing us to return at once to Meherabad.Next morning Baba came unexpectedly when several of the group were not present. He said he did notwant to come as he had to deal