On the morning of Wednesday, 2 November 1949, Baba said to the companions, "In this New Life you must be prepared to witness and see me being humiliated in all sorts of ways by you, outsiders, masts, saints or yogis. You must therefore help by not interfering unless I order you to do so."
He then stated, "If it does not rain on the 10th and 11th, I would like to walk six miles off of the main road — Don to choose the direction. Half the companions will accompany me on the walk on the 10th and half on the 11th."
Baba began playing the dholak and, with Adi's help, taught the companions to sing the New Life chorus. Because he always took part in such activities, from the very beginning the companions never felt that Baba was silent.
In the afternoon, again referring to begging, Baba further elaborated:
We are not to accept any living animal such as a cow, bullock or water buffalo, if given while living a begging life. This is possible, since Hindus very often give away animals such as cows to sadhus and yogis. And putting us in the same category, they may perhaps treat us that way. Fodder, rope and iron shoes for bullocks can be accepted if offered without being asked for. We have to ask only for food, for us and the animals.
Do not ask for anything else, but accept ready-made clothes, blankets and shawls if offered voluntarily. What we decide today stands [for] good. Animals offered voluntarily must be refused; but while thus refusing, you can say that if a white horse is given, you would accept it!
That evening a group of Theosophists from Belgaum who knew Dr. Ghani came for darshan.1 They were turned away after being informed that Meher Baba was not seeing anyone at this time. Baba indicated that it was proper that Ghani had not seen them, and in the future if any visitor came who happened to know one of the companions, that person should not see him in compliance with the condition that the companions were to have nothing to do with relatives, friends or acquaintances.
Kaka was dressed in a woolen sweater, grinding spices the next morning. As it was getting hot, Baba asked him to take it off. Kaka replied, "I'll remove it after I've finished the work."
Footnotes
- 1.Both Ghani and Gadekar had given several lectures at the Theosophy Society in Poona, prior to the New Life.