Baba is also treated like a lion by his lovers. There is love, there is admiration, there is an intense desire to see Baba comfortable and happy, and Baba is also frequently fed by the love of his lovers. But all this is done keeping Baba segregated from one's own self. What is wanted is that the lovers should open the "cage" and, through intense love for their Baba, throw themselves inside it to become food for the Lion of Love. The lover should permit himself to be totally consumed through his love for the Beloved.
Baba informed Navle that there would be a public darshan on the afternoon of the 25th between 3 and 5:00 P.M., and he could bring anyone he pleased.
The Sholapur lovers wanted a statue of Baba.
Baba asked them to talk it over with Gadekar and one another, adding, "After I return from America, I will not stir out anywhere."
Bhau's nephew, Virendra Singh Kalchuri, had come with his wife, Pushpa, but according to Baba's orders, Bhau had not spoken with them. Sending for him, Baba asked about it. Bhau replied, "It is your order that I not speak with any of my relatives, and so I did not talk to them."
Baba lamented, "I have never seen anyone as foolish as you! Are Virendra and Pushpa your relatives, or my sahavas guests? Go and talk with them."
After a while, Baba directed him, "But don't talk with Rama. She, too, is a sahavas guest, but don't even look at her! Did you meet Mehernath and Sheela?"
"How could I meet them, it was against your order?" Bhau asked, and Baba was pleased.
Baba then called D. Y. Nafde and his family from Bhopal, Y. L. Muniraj's family from Jabalpur, and Bal Kisan and Meher Kanta from Dehra Dun. These families were in Baba's close contact, but their love was silent, and Baba expressed his happiness with them. Nafde had first met Baba through Nana Kher in Nagpur in 1952, and his children were full of love for Baba. Muniraj had first heard of Baba through Thade and had met Baba in the September 1954 meeting.
At about 2:10 P.M. on 17 February 1958, Baba held a meeting of his workers in Meherabad Hall. Workers from India, Pakistan, Ceylon and Kashmir were present. In fact, Baba was to have met with different workers and their group heads separately, but he turned the meeting into a combined meeting in which almost all those attending the sahavas, including the women, took part.