If you should suddenly cut yourself off completely from them, where would they be? What have they gained by these years of service and sacrifices; that is, that they can pass on to others? For themselves, perhaps a certain degree of spiritual liberation; but that's taking a selfish attitude. What can they do to help? What do they know that they didn't know before?
And our Western disciples: what about them? What could Malcolm and Jean take back to America? How could Elizabeth carry on your work — not knowing exactly what it is herself? Tom, sent back to London with no more letters from Baba, no more contact with Baba, what would he do? Do you think that they have all absorbed the things you have told them to a practical degree? Those little talks, so carefully noted down in shorthand, so meticulously typed — do you think they have been made a part of these people? I don't.
In the first place, they don't understand half of them. Neither do I. Ask Elizabeth what makes her wake up from sleep. She may say, 'My sanskaras. They demand to be spent.' " Ask her what she means by this and watch her fumble. Ask Norina to explain the difference between illusion and delusion, and with examples. She has it all typewritten down and tucked away in a nice notebook, but can she make it clear to someone who hasn't had you explain it to them? I'll bet she can't, and I can't either.
And yet we all sit around at your feet and listen and look wise, and walk away with our brows furrowed with thoughts of the Eternal Verities, without having the faintest idea what they are! But they have all given up their lives to be in India with you, and write long letters home filled with minute accounts of everything they are doing, and feel that they are helping in your work; or someday will help in your work. And not one of them has the remotest conception of what that work is or how they're going to do it.
If we were all going to be with you in Nasik for the rest of our lives, this would be very nice. Many of the Western group have passed middle life and find it comforting to feel that they are to be sheltered and looked after until they pass on.