“”We visited twelve cities in ten days, and I bathed seventeen masts. During this tour, we spent every night in the train, and lived like the very poorest, eating baked chickpeas, apples and ganthia.1 We traveled by third class, and the compartment meant for 30 people contained 60. I thought that no one would recognize me, but on alighting at the first station in Kathiawar, a Hindu came and took my darshan. So, [from there on] I had to keep my face covered at every stop. But the one who most amused me during this journey was Fatty [Kaka]. We all had colds, but Fatty completely lost his voice! He could only whisper, which he did without stopping. I was silent, and so was the other one [Gustadji]; only one of us could speak [Savak], but he was occupied with looking after the luggage, purchasing tickets and seeing to other things. So, with the two maunis [silent recluses], a third was there, Fatty, and I thought it very funny.
Seventeen masts were contacted during these ten days. One was of a very high order. He was quite naked, and had been sitting in one place for the last 40 years. He was covered with billions of flies, as if clothed by them. But he was very robust and strong. His name was Bapu [also known as Makkhiwala Baba].
Then, commenting on the war, Baba spelled out:
“”All are killing one another now. From March onwards, it will increase. Besides killing, there will be floods, earthquakes, fires, famine and diseases — all of which will take a great toll. Nature killing them, and themselves killing each other. And God does all this. Why?
The root of the evil is so deep-rooted that unless drastic and worldwide remedies are applied, it cannot be uprooted. It has to be knocked from every side, and then [only] can it be exterminated. Then, real peace and happiness will be permanent. It will be automatically established. People will then learn to love one another, to help one another.
[How is it possible for] the greatest sinners to become saints? Because their penance is so drastic and complete. The transmutation is real and full.
The world is miserable. And India, too, is miserable, though it is not directly involved in the war.
Baba again asked the women on Sunday, 26 January 1941 to sign a written promise to obey the list of orders, until August of that year, with renewed zeal. He then observed:
