There Baba made 113 contacts with sadhus and mahatmas who were members of the Udasi and the Nirmali sects.1 And although Baba complained that he had a backache from the constant bending down and back up, still he did not stop placing his head on the feet of every saint, sadhu and mahatma. Baba returned to Motichur in the afternoon, bringing the total contacts to date to 1,325 holy men.
Baba had not been feeling well for the past few days; he was exhausted and weak.2 The strain of his work affected his health, and he complained of a gritty, sandy feeling in the eyes.
On the 20th, Baba with Pendu went to Manjri Mafi by bus, arriving at one o'clock that afternoon. There he instructed Vishnu, Nilu, Goher and Kumar about their individual duties.
Describing the work he had been doing, he observed:
"At Motichur, all natural elements and other forces are against me. Strong winds blow continuously with cloudy skies, frequently bringing sharp showers of rain. The water arrangement at our place is very inconvenient, and there is no shade for protection against the elements. The tent pitched for the companions, and the hut for me, afford poor accommodation and shelter, and our daily diet — consisting of one meal a day of only dal and chapatis and tea twice, morning and afternoon — all these add up to difficulties for me. But I don't care about such inconveniences and hardships where my work is concerned."
Vishnu handed Baba the printed copies of the Three Plans sent by Adi Sr. from Ahmednagar. In the Old Life, Baba's instructions and messages were conveyed to his lovers through circulars. In the New Life, this practice continued with the sending out of "New Life Circulars." Thus, at regular intervals, on one pretext or another, Baba indirectly kept in touch with his disciples throughout the East and West, although, at the outset of the New Life, he had stated that all communication from him would cease. Recently he even instructed that Ghani's and Nilu's diaries of daily events of the New Life be published and distributed!
Baba handed Nilu a copy of the plans and circular, asking him to read through it quickly and see if anything had been omitted. Nilu reported, "Adi has not included any mention about Ghani's boja fund." Baba directed him to write to Adi to include this in the next circular.
Footnotes
- 1.Udasi means disappointed, and refers to the sect of worshipers who are "slaves of God;" das means slave. Nirmala is another name for Shiva, so the Nirmali sect may have been Shiva worshipers.
- 2.Baba's eye infection was later diagnosed as conjunctivitis.