The "mad Irani" became Naval's guru and thereafter he obeyed Meher Baba in every facet of his life.
Before leaving for Bombay, Soonamasi and her daughter Khorshed met with Baba in private. He inquired how Soonamasi liked it at Sakori, and she replied that she liked it very much. "Will you come and stay with me?" he asked.
"When?" asked Soonamasi.
"Not now, but later after I have arranged a place. I only wanted to know if you would."
"Surely!"
"Promise me," he said, and Soonamasi held out her hand in promise.
Khorshed was keenly interested in their conversation and thought: "Why is Meher Baba only asking Mother? He must ask me to come and stay with him, too!"
However, he only remarked to Khorshed, "Be good.
Think of me and we will meet again."
Baba was deliberately ignoring Khorshed so that she would become more eager to join him.
Baba and Gustadji remained in Sakori after the celebration, while the other men and women returned to Poona on 15 May. After four days of private meetings, Baba and Gustadji bowed to Upasni Maharaj before all the Sadguru's disciples. As they left by tonga for the train station on 19 May, someone inquired how long it would be before Merwan returned. Silently, Maharaj wept and did not answer.
Baba arrived in Poona that same evening and stayed at Sadashiv Patil's. Baba was anxious to finalize plans for the upcoming trip to Bombay. Only two days were left before the foot journey. Baba reviewed each man's commitment and took the signatures of those who were to go with him who had not yet signed the surrender agreement. Munshiji was meanwhile searching for a suitable bungalow to lease in Andheri (a Bombay suburb) for Baba and the group.
The activity around the hut on Fergusson Road and at Kasba Peth was intense. Behramji was busy selling his liquor stores and toddyshops (including the shop in which he was in partnership with Merwan) to raise enough money to support Baba and the other men in Bombay. Each man, in his own way, was in the final throes of unknotting family and business entanglements, freeing himself to start life anew with the Master in Bombay.
During this period, a rustic Persian farmer who had migrated to India from Jafrabad, Iran discovered his place in Meher Baba's circle. Rustom Beheram Irani, 32, was the co-owner of a teashop opposite Char Bawdi where Babajan would visit daily and drink several cups of tea. An intrepid individual, Rustom Jafrabadi (as he was known) had come to India several years before in search of gurus and saints.
Rustom's parents were poor, but very religious-minded. When he was only eight, he was sent to Bombay to study in a charitable school for Iranis. He was forced to leave school at ten to earn his livelihood at a café. At seventeen, he returned to Iran and became a farmer. A few years after his marriage at 22 to a local girl, he was made the Patil (headman) of his village. But Rustom felt restless. The Song was calling him, and he felt compelled to return alone to Bombay, much to the bewilderment of his friends and relatives.
Soon after he arrived in Bombay, he opened an Irani teashop in Parel. It wasn't a success, and in 1921 he shifted to Poona to try his luck in a new teashop venture there.
At the beginning of 1922, Behramji, a fellow Persian, came to Jafrabadi's teashop and told him about Baba. Although Jafrabadi was greatly taken by Behramji's description, something or the other prevented him from going to meet the Master. On 20 May, Behramji came to Jafrabadi's teashop again and informed him that Baba intended to leave Poona in a few days. The following day, Behramji took him to Sadashiv's house to meet the Irani Master.
When they arrived, a few men were gathered in the hall. Without introducing himself, Jafrabadi bowed down and paid obeisance to Adi Sr., mistaking him for the Master. Adi was taken aback and the other men burst out laughing at Jafrabadi's mistake. After a short while, Baba entered the room and enjoyed the humor of the incident. He welcomed Jafrabadi and talked with him at length.
"What do you want?" Baba asked.
"I want to be your disciple and stay with you."
"Why?"
"I am tired of worldly life."
Baba tempted him with an offer of a large sum of money, which he said if Jafrabadi invested wisely, he would become very wealthy. Jafrabadi refused saying, "With you I will undergo any hardship. I would rather suffer in a spiritual life than be happy and comfortable in a worldly life."
Baba told him, "I am leaving tomorrow for Bombay. If you come with me, I will get you a better job and also see to your spiritual advancement."
To the surprise of all, Jafrabadi was immediately resigned to dispose of his possessions and join the Master. He was shown all the conditions to be followed while in Bombay and he agreed to sign the paper then and there. Thus this husky seeker of truth was trapped in the net by the bait of material improvement and spiritual advancement. Later, he acquired the nickname Baidul .