But with the present pain, which restricted his movements to the minimum, such sahavas was not possible. He therefore stated he would try two new sources of treatment: one from an ayurvedic doctor in Bombay, and if that did not help, then treatment from an American-trained chiropractor in Calcutta, whom Goher had contacted.
Baba said:
If the pain is relieved [after treatment] by November end, I will give a combined East-West sahavas in India in February for twelve days. If the pain remains as it is now, I will divide East and West, as the combined sahavas under the circumstances would be a great strain, and give sahavas only to the Easterners in February 1958. I will give the Western sahavas in Myrtle Beach in May 1958 to my lovers only. There will be no publicity and no "open-day" darshan, as in the past.
Baba indicated that he would not go to Europe or England (lovers from there should go to Myrtle Beach), but he would go to Australia.
After the meeting concluded, before everyone departed, a board game of Pachisi was played to an exciting draw.1
On 30 September 1957, 101 elders from Pimpalgaon villagers were brought to Meherazad. As he had done with the lepers and children before, Baba bowed down to each old man and woman and gave ten rupees and laddoos prepared by Chhagan as his prasad. Sarosh brought the D.S.P., Collector and Civil Surgeon to witness the proceedings, but they came late. Nevertheless, Baba spoke with them for a few minutes and gave each one laddoo as prasad.
Adi Sr. brought Gulmai at 2:30 P.M. on 1 October, after the completion of her 40-days of midnight prayers. Hoshang Bharucha visited the following day; Pankhraj on the 3rd (for a three-day stay at Meherazad); and Siganporia on the 4th. Adi was sent periodically to Sakori to convey Baba's messages to Godavri Mai and others there. He went on 6 October and reported to Baba at Meherazad the next day, bringing A. C. S. Chari with him.
Baba continued working with Kaikobad for half an hour every day. Kaikobad did not have the least idea what great work Baba was doing; he would simply keep repeating the seven names of God ("Ya Yezdan, Ahuramazda, Allah, Ishwar, Paramatma, God Almighty, Parvardigar!"), as Baba would lay his head on his feet after every name.
During this period, Savak Kotwal, one of the night watchmen, was allowed to go to Bombay for a week as his health was poor. Therefore, Bhau kept watch from 4:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. each day, and Gustadji kept watch for two hours, from 4:00 to 6:00 A.M. Since Gustadji was also observing silence, Baba and he would converse using hand signs, which Baba highly enjoyed.
Footnotes
- 1.Pachisi is similar to Parcheesi. It was played on a cloth board, with traditional seashells as dice. For his turn, Baba rolled the seashells himself. If the shell fell with the open side up, that was one move forward, and if the closed side came up, it meant zero or no moves. Only two people played at a time. Usually, Bhau moved Baba's pieces for him on the board.