What can be understood in a flash by spiritual experience takes ages to grasp intellectually.
As regards my seclusion, I have 100 percent reasons of my own to retire from tomorrow for 40 days. This should not be looked upon as chilla-narsi [penance of remaining in a circle] or meditation and so forth. I am free in every way, but I am going to get myself bound voluntarily. I will also intensify my silence, and will not let even the least sound escape my lips.
Baba then asked Deshmukh to perform kirtan, which he did. Wrapping a turban round his head similar to a kirtankar (singer), he sang and spoke Baba's praises in verse and prose. Baba distributed prasad and the mandali returned to Meherabad at 11:00 A.M. Eruch went back to Poona, Ghani to Lonavla, Meherjee and Nariman to Bombay, and Deshmukh to Amraoti.1 Jal Kerawalla stayed in Meherazad.
On 22 June, Baba inspected the Blue Bus cabin, and gave detailed instructions for each man and woman at Meherazad during the period of his seclusion, and to Adi Sr., who came in the afternoon as usual. Adi was to continue to bring the mail every day at 3:00 P.M., but Baba would not meet him.2 A timetable was prepared, according to which Kaka was to bring water, food and other required items at specified times. Two men were to share the watch during the night; they were two servants from Pimpalgaon Village, Eknath and Ganpat Akkapa Dhale, 28, and one other man during the day. No one was to enter the seclusion compound except Kaka.
At 5:35 P.M., on the 22nd, Baba entered the Blue Bus to begin his 40-day seclusion. As Age recorded, "The Sun, who had been shining brightly in the hearts of his lovers, now hid his face; and what they thought was darkness engulfed them. But this darkness, or separation, served a useful purpose: the pain of his remembrance kept them awake throughout the night of separation, awaiting dawn's arrival!"
Baba was also to fast during the seclusion. For the first eight days he ate only one meal a day, drinking tea or coffee once.
As dictated by Baba, the daily schedule for these days was as follows:
Footnotes
- 1.Deshmukh returned on 30 June and stayed at Meherabad for some days, where he continued the writing work Baba had given him.
- 2.That day, as Adi Sr. was departing, Baba embraced him.