Almost all who saw him wanted to know who he was and insisted upon being told, though the mandali could not reveal much and had to be careful of what they said.
Among those impressed by the sight of Baba was a Christian missionary, who asked for and was given literature about Baba. A young man proceeding to Oxford for study was particular to pay his respects to Baba whenever they passed. The ship's Italian stewards, sailors, purser and other officers especially seemed to "scent" Baba's presence, and they were all deferential toward him. They vied with one another to render assistance and tried to approach Baba on one pretense or another whenever an opportunity arose. As the voyage continued, in spite of trying to keep Baba's identity a secret, he became known to most of the passengers, officers and crew, who looked at him with a sort of reverence that perhaps they themselves hardly understood or could explain.
Baba told the mandali that because Eileen was not suitable for his work, he would have to change his plans.
About his orders, he emphasized, "Be prepared to do anything willingly, unhesitatingly, and unquestioningly."
At sea, on Tuesday, 29 March 1932, after giving some instructions to the mandali, during the course of general conversation, Baba explained some of the aspects of his teachings and workings:
I wish to establish a new school of thought suitable to both the East and the West. If you review my past activities, teachings and workings, you will find that they contain the elements of all religions in one way or another. They combine the teachings of all the great Prophets of the past — Jesus, Zoroaster, Buddha, Krishna, Moses and Muhammad.
You will find in my teachings and activities both renunciation and involvement in the world and its affairs — sports and asceticism, vegetarianism and at times not, the wearing of modern and Western clothes in the West and the garb of the sanyasi [ascetic] in the East. Materialism and spirituality are both combined. I give the freedom to put on stylish Western clothes, and even allow mixing with women, but with the strict order not to touch them, under penalty of death, without asking [me] and so forth.
I can influence both the East and West. Look at the recent rush and outburst of devotion in Navsari to see and be near me. The same sort of devotion and enthusiasm exists in the West to see me.