They left at 7:30 A.M. and reached Dambulla at 10:30 A.M. At Anuradhapura, they saw the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained God-realization.1
Baba came to the women's quarters at 5:30 A.M. on Monday, 25 November. He directed them to sing " Hari Paramatma" at 8:00 A.M. every morning and the " Tu Nirakar (You are Formless)" prayer every evening at 6:00 P.M.
Irene Billo's father, who had met Baba several times, had died at the end of October.
Discussing his death on 27 November, Baba informed her: "You should be happy. Your father was very lucky. He died like Vivekananda, without suffering. He is free. All relations of those who are with me, whether they know me or not, or even if they do not believe in me, get salvation. Krishna has said, 'Seventy-two generations of such lucky ones get liberation.'"
Baba added about present world conditions: "During this period half the world will die — perhaps even my mother."
Before proceeding to Ceylon, Baba had expressed a wish to obtain a quiet secluded place near Ahmednagar. Sarosh had shown Baba two or three properties on the way to Rahuri, but Baba did not approve of them. Pendu had also shown Baba a spot near Ahmednagar town, but that, too, he did not like.
One day during this period, Vishnu read in the newspaper that some acreage near Pimpalgaon Tank was to be auctioned. When the artificial lake was being constructed at the turn of the century to supply water to Ahmednagar, a cottage had been built for the British engineer and others working on the project. Baba went to see the place, approved of it and gave his permission to buy it when it was auctioned.
In 1927, Baba had visited Pimpalgaon Lake twice. At that time, there was no mention of Baba residing in the vicinity, and none of the mandali ever imagined that Baba would one day make it his permanent place of residence. He had not even hinted about it then.
He had only remarked, "This place is really very good, and the climate is good also."
The auction was held on 11 November 1940, when Baba was in Ceylon, and that morning, he repeatedly asked the mandali with him, "Will we get the rest house at the auction? If we get it, it will be good."
Adi Sr.'s father Kaikhushru Irani was a member of the Ahmednagar Municipality executive committee, and he intervened in making certain that Sarosh and Pendu won the bid. They were successful (with a bid of Rs.800), and on 28 November, sent this telegram to Baba: "Pimpalgaon bungalow bought."2
Footnotes
- 1.This tree in Ceylon is a sapling from the original Bodhi tree in India, under which Gautama "attained Enlightenment."
- 2.The actual sale deed between the Ahmednagar Borough Municipal Committee and Baba was not executed until 18 April 1944.