Prior to this, on the 23rd, Eruch and Pendu had been sent to deliver a message from Baba to Swami Shivananda at Rishikesh, arranging a meeting with him.1 Accordingly, an appointment was made for Baba to meet Shivananda on 2 March.
Baba's message to Shivananda was: "Since eternity, Meher Baba has been bowing down to masts, sadhus and the poor because he is in everyone."
From Kurduwadi, Bal Natu was called to Dehra Dun, and on Sunday, 1 March 1953, at 2:00 P.M., Baba left for Rishikesh with him, Aloba, Baidul, Elcha, Eruch, Gustadji, Hellan, Kishan Singh, Kumar and Pendu. On the way, Baba decided that instead of the 2nd, he would meet Shivananda the same evening.
Reaching Rishikesh at 3:30 P.M., they went to Shanti Koti on the Kogal Ghat, where they were to stay. Baba dispatched Eruch and Kishan Singh to Shivananda's ashram to make the appointment for that evening at 5:30, but when they arrived they learned that Shivananda was indisposed. Still, the meeting was arranged. However, Shivananda's secretary (who had had Baba's darshan several years before) insisted that Baba meet the ashram inmates first. Baba wanted to see Shivananda directly, but was told this could not be agreed to, since such a great personage as Meher Baba must be properly welcomed.
Baba arrived at Shivananda's ashram at exactly 5:30 P.M., where he was received with great reverence. Baba had informed those in charge of the ashram that no ceremony should be performed; but according to their custom, it was done anyway. The secretary saluted Baba by bending down and touching his feet, and Baba returned the greeting in the same way. Touching Baba's feet was prohibited, as Eruch had clearly and emphatically pointed out beforehand, but Baba's instructions seemed to be observed more in breach than in compliance that day.
The secretary led Baba to a hall where bhajan singing was in progress. He garlanded Baba and his Jai! reverberated throughout the building. Baba was made to sit on a chair, but he immediately left it and sat on the floor.
Footnotes
- 1.In May 1942, during Baba's stay at Rishikesh, Chanji had been sent to Shivananda's ashram several times and presented him with a set of books about Meher Baba.