From the 21st, Baba began a period of daily seclusion work from 6:00 to 8:00 A.M. and from 11:30 to 1:00 P.M., eating only one meal a day and working with masts. He kept to this schedule for the next 30 days, indicating that the war would take a definite shape during this period. Baba continued to follow accounts of the war on the radio and in the newspapers.
“”After being shown an article in the newspaper on the 21st, he again remarked, "It will be a long war!"
The Eastern women mandali staying with Baba were leading such a secluded life, without seeing or hearing the name of any man, to the extent that when any Western woman read the newspapers to Baba in front of them, they were ordered not to speak the name of any male, young or old.
Naoroji had been in Bangalore for a few days, assisting in the planning of the center, and left on the 23rd. The next night, in a lighter vein, Baba remarked to the mandali:
“”Happiest is he who expects no happiness from others. Love delights and glorifies in giving, not receiving. So learn to love and give, and not to expect anything from others.
You should really feel and consider yourself as the happiest and most fortunate among men that you have renounced [maya] and surrendered to a Sadguru. You should now feel free from worries and quite at ease, like one who has his burden lifted off his head and feels light.
The great mistake you make is that you lift the burden from your head, but instead of placing it on the head of the One who willingly accepts it with all responsibility, you keep it hanging over you in the air, hesitating to give it lest you lose something "valuable"! Thus you neither bear the burden, nor allow it to rest on the head of the One who wants it to be transferred [Baba]. You keep it hanging between the two, and place both under suspense, thereby aggravating your suffering. Either keep it yourself or give it up entirely!
Throughout October, Baba followed the progress of world events over the radio kept in the Links. Baba would listen to news reports about the war a few times each day and occasionally comment on developments.
“”On 7 October 1939, Baba remarked about the different alliances now existing in the world between countries and ended by stating: "It is all an enigma, a series of complications that will drive all crazy. No one will know what to do and how to come out of it all. To the eager desire and cry of the world, I will respond — and speak !"
