The following day, 5 January, Baba revealed to the mandali the roots of Zoroastrianism:
The Shahnameh [Persian historical epic poem] is almost total fiction. Zoroastrianism is very, very old — almost 6,000 years. The reigns of the famous kings, Jal, Rustom and Jamshed, were before Zoroaster — almost 100,000 years ago! Who could authentically document such ancient history?
Religion as the Parsis practice it today has nothing in it. All the original teachings of Zoroaster were burned and destroyed; hence, what they have is an afterthought and quite different from what Zoroaster actually said and taught. It is a pity, but true.
Rustom arrived that day and Baba spoke with him about the cinema and other affairs. K. J. Dastur arrived the following night.
Preparations were being made for another journey to Persia, which was kept secret. Chanji was sent to Bombay on the 6th night to obtain passports and visas for himself, Baba, Raosaheb, Buasaheb, Gustadji, and Aga Ali. Except for these five (and Pudumjee, who was assisting Chanji), no one else knew of the intended trip. Aga Ali was staying with his father in Bombay. Haji's consent was sought to allow Ali to accompany Baba to Persia and Haji consented.
Baba went from Meherabad to Nasik on Friday, 9 January 1931, followed the next night by the entire mandali and Chanji. Soon after, some persons from Kolhapur came to see Baba and related the details of a murder trial there. A relative of one person in the group was involved in the case and had been sentenced to death. Baba advised the person to appeal to the Privy Council on his relative's behalf, but the person said that he lacked the funds for such an appeal.
Baba directed him, "If you go to the Privy Council, my inner help will be there for you."
Later it was discovered that the person had lied to Baba because he had, in fact, considerable wealth. He did not listen to Baba's advice and the accused relative was executed.
This news was reported to Baba on Tuesday, 13 January 1931. Baba explained to the mandali about what happens to the consciousness of a person who is executed:
If anyone is executed by the government, he enters a state of samadhi. It is temporary. For instance, when a person is being hanged, there is a clash during the execution between the functioning of inhalation and exhalation; becoming lifeless, the person enters a samadhi state.