To which the men chanted, "Amen." In obeisance, Baba remained lying on his stomach stretched out full length, until all the prayers were recited. The same prayer was also offered on the verandah of the shrine and the crowd outside also joined in by saying, "Amen!" Baba thereafter offered the Muslim caretaker prasad and gave four annas to each of the poor collected outside. While heading back to Dehra Dun, Baba expressed how highly pleased he was with the work in Roorkee.
Since adopting silence in 1925, Baba had completely stopped touching money, except for handling money when giving it to the masts, saints and poor, and would only do so on these occasions.
In the car while going to and returning from Roorkee, Kishan Singh's singing and Elcha Mistry's humorous conversation kept Baba in a good mood. To add zest to his tales, Elcha would exaggerate them to any extent and make them "spicy." After his return, Baba bestowed a befitting title on Elcha, and gave him the "degree" of Elcha, B.D.L. — Bundle Licentiate.1
Back in Dehra Dun, on Thursday, 25 June 1953, Baba reminded Kumar, "Don't forget to do the work I've given you."
Baba would go on repeating the same thing so often during the course of the day that once Kumar started laughing.
Baba remarked, "Whether it is a good habit or a bad one, I am given to repeating things. After meeting Babajan, repeating things increased a great deal in me. Why do I do it?"
"Possibly to create firmness in one to carry out the duty you give," Eruch opined.
Baba answered:
It is not so. Mehera, too, I am often reminding to give milk to the colt Sheba, and Goher to see that all the mangoes are picked from the trees. It is hard to believe they have no trust in me, and need things repeated to make them do the work.
The reason is that inwardly I feel greatly fed up — disgusted. I wish to be relieved of the responsibility of looking after such small things. For that, I am bothered inwardly, and the shadow of this inner botheration has fallen on both [the men and women] mandalis.
Honest to God, I tell you I am absolutely, infinitely fed up! I am looking forward to breaking my silence, and when the time comes, this feeling will disappear. Although no bother "exists" for me, I feel so much disgusted that occasionally I wonder when I will be free of this silence, and when the world will be free, too.
Footnotes
- 1.Bundle is a Gujarati term for someone who not only exaggerates but also makes up or adds fictitious content to stories.