The swami started to say something but hesitated. Baba asked him to speak up. The swami said, "I do not have sufficient money for the fare."
Baba ordered that a few rupees be given to him in addition to what money he had thrown down. He directed him not to worry, but just to accept what he had said and act accordingly, with faith and determination and without the slightest hesitation.
"Take this money. Use it for your train fare. All other instructions are the same as already given. Go to Rameshwaram and come back here by the date I told you."
"But Master, I just came from Rameshwaram," the swami said.
"It will now be a new Rameshwaram for you," Baba explained. "There will be many who will try to discourage and dissuade you from this, saying, 'What are you doing? ... Why are you wasting your time? ... Where are you going?' and so on. But just listen to it with one ear and let it out the other. Bless them all and go on your own way. Persevere and fear not. I will always be with you. You will feel my presence and help."
Bhabananda, giving a reverential bow and uttering, "Om," left the room and began his pilgrimage.
From 30 December, Baba stopped giving darshan since he was planning to leave Bangalore on another mast tour.
On the morning of Tuesday, 2 January 1940, while with the mandali, Baba remarked, "1940 is going to be the worst year the world has ever seen since the creation!
"1941 will be 50-50 — half good and half bad.
"1942 — the best the world has ever seen."
(The disastrous year actually began earlier with an earthquake in Turkey on the 27th of December. But the real beginning was on the morning of the 25th, exactly at the time Baba had a sudden "heart cramp." Then, he indicated to the mandali to mark the time, 9:25 A.M., and his pain lasted for three minutes. According to Baba, the first tremors of this earthquake in Turkey actually started then and eventually erupted two days later.)
Baba continued explaining, "Even this disastrous earthquake that took a toll of 30,000 lives, besides [affecting] several thousands more dependent upon the dead, and causing a loss of millions, et cetera, will be nothing in comparison with what is still to come."