Hiralal of Nauranga had been standing ready to touch Baba's feet, but hearing these words, discarded the idea and stood aside. A few quietly shed tears.
Baba embraced each man and cracked jokes in between embraces.
He teased Pukar, "Oh, you haven't shaved! ... How many puris did you eat last night?"
Pukar answered in kind, "Because I had a cold, Baba, I could hardly eat fifteen!"
Baba laughed, "Only fifteen? But you didn't tell me you had a cold! Now that you have embraced me, I will catch it, too!"
To Raisaheb Ramashankar, Baba remarked, "You are as roly-poly as ever!"
Dr. Daulat Singh was weeping copiously, and Baba kept the doctor's head on his lap.
Baba asked Gauri Shankar Vaidya (a doctor) to feel his pulse. "It is normal, Baba," he said.
"But I become indisposed in five minutes," Baba replied, "and become all right within the next five minutes. In five minutes I am old, and in five minutes turn young. You may mark how my countenance can undergo a change from bright and happy to old and haggard within a few minutes, and vice versa. What sort of disposition do I have?"
Baba then stated, "Now don't garland me daily; it is quite enough on this first day."
To Gustadji's brother, Homi Hansotia, he remarked, "The body that is being garlanded is of the Five Sadgurus. They have departed but left this body for all to garland!"
After 40 minutes, all the garlands under which Baba was buried were removed. From head to foot Baba was covered with flowers, like a much-worshiped statue.
Then, inquiring of all if they had read the Directions on the bulletin board, Baba stated:
Just remain here like one family; be in my proximity and derive benefit from my company [sahavas]. Be absolutely free and comfortable and think that you are in your own homes. Forget all your troubles and household atmosphere and be mindful only of your presence here. If you go on thinking of your wife and children, then you will be in the sahavas of your family and not of Baba. If you fold your hands before me mechanically but go on thinking of your ailing wife at home, you will be folding your hands to her and not to me. Eat, drink, sleep, remain happy and cheerful, and taste as much of my love as you can.