When dressed, Pratap again sat near him.
Baba asked him more questions and then spelled, "My nazar is on you. Abstain from smoking, drinking, and illicit sexual relations. Baba would not like it if you indulge in such things. I am telling you this as your elder brother. Will you obey these instructions?"
"I will," Pratap promised sincerely.
After being given some other general orders and being with Baba alone for about two hours, Pratap came out. The servant-companions were gathered outside.
Baba held Pratap close and commented, "I am very happy with this boy. I like him very much. He loves me."
Baba joked, "How many years have you all been with me? You are good-for-nothing! So many of you still can't read my board, whereas this boy just came this morning, and he already reads my board!"
At that, Nilu made Baba laugh by remarking to Pratap in Marathi, "Now Baba will prefer you, and you will deprive us of our daily bread!"
Pratap was served a good dinner, but when he saw what the companions were eating, he felt he should be given the same fare. The next day, Baba sent Pratap back to Poona with Padri. Pratap became a staunch lover of Baba. It was actually due to Gadekar's efforts as he had brought Pratap and many other true seekers to the Lord's feet.
In the happiest of moods, on Monday morning, 15 January 1951, Baba with Adi Sr., Eruch, Pendu and Baidul left Mahabaleshwar at 7:00 A.M. and headed south toward Hyderabad to contact masts. Adi drove them in his Chevrolet. Pappa Jessawala met them briefly at the Poona railway station with a packed lunch. They arrived in Sholapur that afternoon, where tremendous crowds had gathered because of the Hindu religious fair Siddheshwar Mela.
Although it took some time to pass through the throng of people, Baba was able to contact three masts. Baba continued his usual procedure of making certain the mast was in an amiable mood, then laying his head at the mast's feet and seeking his blessing, while Baidul uttered the invocation: "Pray that my elder brother may fulfill his spiritual objective."
A local Baba lover named Rustom Nagarwala happened to see them and requested that Baba visit his home (where Baba had given darshan in 1943). Baba agreed to stop the car briefly, and Nagarwala's family and others met him there.