From now on, you and your family should not have any connection with me, nor any contact or communication with me or my companions.
Strangely, this was Baba's method of pure love. The more he minimized his outward connection with Harjiwan Lal, the closer and tighter he drew the family into his net!
After the partition of India, Moradabad had become a hotbed of conflict between the Hindus and Mohammedans. To prevent trouble, the place where they were staying, Ram Leela, had been declared out-of-bounds to Muslims.1 Aloba, who at that time was still called Ali Akbar, had to fetch water from the well along with the other companions, and one day someone heard his name being called and accused him of being a Muslim. Baba therefore changed his name to Aloba and Ghani's to Ghanoba . Although "Ghanoba" lasted only until they left Moradabad, the new name Aloba stuck with Ali Akbar.
Monday, 26 December 1949, was celebrated as Mehera's birthday that year. Since it still was the "vacuum period," delicious food was served. In fact, Baba had relaxed restrictions so much that meals were ordered from restaurants according to each one's taste — vegetarian and meat dishes notwithstanding. In the garden of Ram Leela, Ram himself was enacting his leela (divine game), playing the role of a wandering pilgrim, but none were aware of his presence and caravan staying there.
On the 27 th , Baidul brought a mast in a tonga. The mast embraced Gustadji and Baba. Baba gave him chikki and tea, and bowed to him three times. The next day Baba went in a tonga with Baidul and contacted four masts.
Baba fed one of the masts chikki with his own hands, and commented, "There is a world of difference between my two actions towards masts: i.e., when I give food, bidis or a cigarette to a mast and when I feed a mast with my own hands or light a cigarette for him."
Pendu, Don and Sadashiv arrived in Moradabad on 29 December with the caravan, cart and animals. That day, Gustadji expressed his unwillingness to carry out any of Baba's orders that were beyond his capacity.
Baba said, "I forgive Gustadji on the grounds of his age, his long association with me, his 20 years of silence and my word given to Upasni Maharaj that I would look after him. But the rest of you should not dare emulate Gustadji. You do so at your own risk after the 1 st of January!"
The next day, Baba chalked out the individual duties of each of the companions from 1-12 January:
Baidul: to look after and feed the two horses, maintain the tongas and drive one tonga. Baidul's tonga to carry Kaka, Murli and the cooking luggage. [After stopping] Baidul to feed the horses and inquire about masts. Adi Sr.: to drive one tonga, which should carry Ghani, Babadas and the horses' fodder. Both tongas with their above-mentioned parties, to go ahead in advance. Adi to select a landing or camping ground or shelter. Kaka and Murli to cook and keep ready the previous day's bhiksha. Ghani and Babadas: to beg at the village or town of stoppage for the next day's grub. Pendu: to drive the caravan. Vishnu: to drive the cart. Sadashiv: to help Pendu and Vishnu on the way. Pendu and Sadashiv to feed the bullocks and donkeys. Donkin: to help Baidul, Pendu and Sadashiv regarding the animals only. Aloba: to supply water and cleanse utensils. Nilu: to load and unload the carts and caravan, and help Aloba in water supply. Eruch: to see to the caravan management and to Baba's and ladies' work. Anna 104: to do nightwatch. Gustadji: to be all-round major[-domo].
On Saturday morning, 31 December, Baba asked the companions to wash their hands and face and stand before him to hear the following prayer. Baba sent for a mug of hot water and then poured a little over each companion's hands. Ghani read out the prayer, first in English and then in Hindi:
Today is the last day of the two and a half months' period of promised help. I ask the most merciful God for forgiveness for myself and my companions for any conscious or unconscious, big or small mistakes committed by me and my companions toward each other or toward the spirit of the conditions of the New Life and the oath pertaining thereto during these two and a half months.
I forgive my companions wholeheartedly for any misbehavior toward me and ask my companions to wholeheartedly pardon me for any ill treatment that I might have given to them.
I ask the all-powerful God to give us strength to live 100 percent according to the conditions and the oaths, the New Life that begins from tomorrow the 1st of January 1950.
Baba then observed:
After full consideration and keeping the conditions of the New Life and our oaths perfectly in sight, I have decided that without promising anything, I will try to overlook unconscious mistakes — small or large. But I will never condone any small or large mistakes consciously committed.
I will not forgive any mistake that radically goes against the spirit of the conditions, and under no circumstances will there be any compromise.
I will be brother and friend in every respect, except in absolute obedience to my orders. We, who stick to the conditions 100 percent, sink or swim together!
Footnotes
- 1.During the New Life travels one of the men was in charge of carrying a loaded pistol to prevent any intruder from harming the women.