It was Manohar's birthday and the couple was overjoyed. All of the Poona Center workers were present, and they promised Baba to work harmoniously together in his love and cooperate with each other in his service. Madhusudan and Subhadra sang a few songs, and in the presence of all, Ramakrishnan, the secretary of the Poona Center, declared his resolve to work tirelessly to spread Baba's message. Baba embraced the Sakhares, and then returned to Ganeshkhind, while everyone else (almost 100 persons) was served dinner.
Manohar was in the Indian Air Force, and when Baba returned to Meherazad, Manohar would sometimes fly over, circling seven times in salutation. At those times, Baba would stand outside raising his walking canes in greeting.
On another occasion, Baba held a meeting at Ganeshkhind of his Poona workers. He asked Digambar Gadekar to draw up a list and call everyone concerned. Pratap Ahir's name was somehow left out by mistake and he was not called.
When the meeting began Baba asked, "Where is Pratap?"
The list of those invited was checked and the discrepancy discovered. Baba immediately sent someone to Pratap's house to bring him, but deeply disappointed at not being called, Pratap had gone to the riverside, where he was wandering aimlessly. After some time he returned home and received Baba's message.
He hurried to Ganeshkhind, where Baba asked him, "Why didn't you come for the meeting?"
Pratap explained that he was not invited.
Baba inquired, "How was his name left out?"
No one replied.
"Who prepared the list?"
Someone said it was Digambar.
Baba remarked to Pratap, "Digambar is your best friend. You are both students together. How could he forget your name?"
Pratap was quiet for he was on the verge of tears.
Baba consoled him, "Now forget about this. Remember that all your companions in this world will be there for only a relatively few years, while I will be your companion until the end. I am your real companion."
Pratap wept on another occasion when the close Poona group was called to Ganeshkhind. As he approached Baba to take darshan, he began crying. Baba asked the reason and Pratap expained that Baba looked so pale and in such poor health.
Baba gestured, as if holding something over his head, "It is because the burden of the whole universe is on my head."
During this period, Bhau was on nightwatch near Baba from 3:00 to 11:00 P.M. and Savak was on duty from 11:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.
When Bhau went to Baba in the afternoon of 3 June 1957, Baba instructed him, "I am exhausted today and want to rest. So do not make the slightest noise, and don't make the slightest movement, either."
Baba insisted Bhau repeat this instruction ten times out loud, and then he retired. Bhau quietly sat on the chair in Baba's bedroom, but after a while he felt a tickle in his throat and wanted to cough. Suppressing it, he covered his mouth with both hands, but the harder he tried to subdue it, the more forcefully the urge came. So he took his handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it in his mouth. It did not help and finally the sound "ummh, umh, uumh," came from his throat.