Explaining, he stated:
The literal carrying out of the conditions will start after October 15. I am trying my best to help you as much as I can, so that all of you may be able to stick to me until the end. There is absolutely no question of any tests or trials. What is there left to test after all the years you have been with me? It is a fact that the New Life is going to be very difficult, hard, exacting and in certain respects disastrous.
It will be foolish for anyone to presume that I will purposely create situations that will compel anyone to leave me. Why should I do that? For example, I could easily have asked Don to go to the West and do a particular duty there for me, and he would have had no reason to be dissatisfied in doing that.
Once we start on the New Life, everyone will have to bear the consequences of his weaknesses, if they are not checked and controlled in the way these are expected to be checked and controlled, according to the conditions. Although I have already made it absolutely clear that I will bear no responsibility of any kind for anyone, still I desire that those who have said "Yes" remain with me to the end, and by way of helping them concretely, I have decided to look upon the first two-and-a-half months' stay at Belgaum as for the purpose of the preliminary training of the companions for the ultimate way of life of complete renunciation.
When the point of Kaka Baria carrying some money with him was discussed, Baba clarified:
We will have to make a provision for the dumb animals that will be in the party, and therefore after the 1st of January 1950, no one should expect a single pie [cent] to be spent by Kaka on anyone under any circumstances, except for fodder for the animals and absolutely unavoidable repairs to the caravan.
Even in this serious atmosphere, Baba remained his usual genial self, enjoying listening to jokes and stories and playing indoor games and seven tiles during suitable intervals.
At one point, smiling at some joke, Baba mused, "Thank God we can still laugh!"
Throughout the month of September, discussions continued and plans were finalized. Baba often went to Meherabad to dictate further instructions for winding up everything, and for the Yeswalas' future lives.