Age recounted, "Baba's permanent women and men mandali were composed of people who dedicated their all to the Beloved. They were completely dependent upon him. They were with him to lead their lives according to his pleasure, without any desire of their own. That is why they could remain steadfast in their love and faith in him. One cannot conceive of the sacrifice and surrender of such close lovers. There were many who lived with Baba from time to time, but the connection of his closest mandali was quite different. His close ones who were with him were ground into dust, which they sacrificed at the altar of his feet!"
Jhipra Baba, a rare type of mast whom Baba had contacted in Nasirabad the year before, was brought by Babadas to Pimpalgaon on 18 April 1944. Baba worked with the mast in seclusion for only one day and sent him back to his village the same night.
The fifth-plane mast Ali Shah of Ahmednagar was brought to Pimpalgaon the same day, and Baba worked with him for a few days. Baidul would look after the mast in the room between the men and women's sides.1 Invariably, when Baba would go there in the evenings, the kerosene lantern would be out. One evening, Baba became upset with Baidul.
"How negligent you are! Why don't you look after this old man?"
Baidul insisted that he lit the lamp each evening.
That night, Baidul waited in the room itself. He was astounded when he saw the lamp do a complete flip and go out!
He became somewhat frightened and informed Baba, who confirmed, "Yes, there is a spirit, but it won't hurt anyone."
The next day, Ali Shah began abusing the ghost: "You always come and pester me. Get out!" He took a sheet and began driving away the invisible spirit, and chased it out of the room, apparently.
One night Baba sent Krishna to look in on Ali Shah. He found him in a vile temper, and saw him overturn his kerosene lantern. Krishna picked up the lantern, stood it up properly and went to inform Baba. Baba came to Ali Shah's room and sat with him for some time, until his usual serene composure returned.
The next day, Baba sent a telegram to Eruch in Poona telling him to come to Pimpalgaon. When he arrived, Baba instructed him to sleep close to him in his room. Eruch did not believe in ghosts, and although Baba had explained to him many times about disembodied spirits, he found the whole idea hard to swallow.
Footnotes
- 1.This room was later used by Bhau.