"This reminds me of Gandhiji. When I was on the ship to England, he was also on the same ship. I was in my cabin, and for three nights Gandhi came to see me with Mahadev Desai [his secretary]. I used to explain to him on the board, for two to three hours each time, about spirituality.
"On the night of his third and last visit, he told me in Gujarati, 'Now, Baba, enough of this persecution. Break your silence and let the world have your message.'
"I replied to him: 'Soon I will break my silence!' About 23 years have passed since that 'soon' was spelt on the board. But now when I say soon, it is really soon — really means really! Gandhiji was a jewel of a soul.
"I am the Ancient One from eternity and soon I shall speak, undergo humiliation, glorification and then violent death and dropping of the body."
Changing the topic, Baba added:
"How good it would be if the mandali, Andhra lovers, devotees and workers were to keep awake on the night of March 1. The meeting of the workers scheduled for March 2 could take place then.
"I too would not mind keeping awake if it is possible to arrange a qawaali program; otherwise, I will hear my own qawaali in a locked room."
(This meant that Baba would sit in seclusion alone.)
Meanwhile, Kala Venkata Rao, the host, was looking at Baba intently.
Baba spelled out to him, "I sometimes humor other people for better understanding of my work, but I am not joking when I tell you I really like you. I am happy."
Venkata introduced his family and relatives to Baba, who was pleased to meet them.
Francis Brabazon had been with the mandali continuously throughout the Andhra journey. Sometimes the local hosts would offer him something special, such as a different type of food, because he was a Westerner, but he would not accept it. He was content to be with the mandali and eat what they had. In fact, this was his initial training, as five years later he would come to India again to stay with Baba permanently [until 1969].
Baba retired for the night in the bank building, and the mandali were taken to the Kolluri Vari Street choultry (dharamshala) where they rested.