Others, too, were not well. Mani's mastoid became infected and, on 23 March she was admitted to the Holdsworth Memorial "Mission Hospital" at Mandi Mohalla, where she was operated on three days later by an English surgeon named Dr. Robinson. Naja, who was doing the cooking in Mysore, was appointed to be by Mani's side in the hospital, so Khorshed took over the cooking duty. But she too came down with fever. Walu also fell ill, and it seemed that one difficulty after another began plaguing them. Mehera remained healthy and was occupied with Baba's personal needs, and Indu helped in the kitchen. Nevertheless, things were unsettled in the bungalow due to all these complications.
Among the men, Chhagan, whose duty was to keep nightwatch near Baba, also became indisposed. Another problem was that some local ruffians began throwing rocks at the bungalow during the night, and then cut holes in the bamboo matting surrounding the house to see what was going on inside.1
Before all the illness struck, Soonamasi had been keeping watch outside the bungalow during the day; but since she was appointed to cook for Mani, there was no one to take her place. Since none of the men mandali was allowed to go to the women's side, Baba himself began keeping watch, and when Soonamasi was done cooking she would relieve him.
"It is all Mysorian Maya," Baba stated, "working with all its might, creating complications on all sides!"
Baba went to see Mani at the hospital two or three times a day, carrying soup or some other liquid for her. He would send Chanji constantly to the doctor to make certain Mani was treated well. The nurses at the all-women facility were greatly drawn to Baba, even though his identity was not disclosed.
On 28 March 1936, Baba commented:
A thing in which I cannot put my "mind" has to be worked out by external means. As Vivekananda has said, "The true Teacher is he who comes down to the level of his student." I have to come down to the level of the external [gross] world, work, feel and suffer as you ordinary human beings do. For instance, in the case of Mani: I cannot apply my mind, so I work through all external means, feel and suffer as an ordinary being. Maya always works in opposition and her force is greatest where I cannot put my mind.
Footnotes
- 1.The bamboo matting served as a fence for the women's privacy.