Even in that state, Baba began plans for a long fast. Goher pleaded with him to drop the idea. She started weeping and so did Pukar.
Baba observed, "No doubt, my health is ruined, but if you people remain happy, it will be a help in my work. Let me see you in a cheerful mood, laughing and smiling to help me in my work. My work is hampered more by your weeping."
Baba added, "Yesterday, Mehera too wept so much that she could not even hear what I was saying and started trembling. I quieted her down with loving care."
Before starting his fast, Baba dictated this Life Circular , which Adi dispatched on 16 October 1958:
I declare that a unique and unprecedented occurrence will soon take place in the spiritual realm. But apart from this and irrespective of whatever may or may not happen after November end, I want you to put full trust in me until the very end. Are you prepared to do so? Reply directly to me in short and to the point only . Apart from this one short reply (not to exceed four lines), you must not correspond with me or Eruch before November end.
Baba began fasting on liquids from Friday, 17 October, and to please Goher and the women and men mandali, he would eat a little food once in 24 hours just to show he was ingesting something. The first day, Goher came to Baba in mandali hall with a cup of tea and a banana and then left for some work. Peeling off the skin, Baba put a little of the fruit in his mouth and gave the rest to Kumar and Pukar. Kumar joked, "Goher will have to be told not to leave the hall unless Baba has finished eating." When Baba was sipping his tea, Goher reappeared. So Baba gave the rest of the tea to her. Such was the way he would take "nourishment" during the 21 days of his fast.
As could be expected, Baba's health worsened.
On 23 October, he revealed, "My weakness has increased greatly. Today when I was doing my work with Kaikobad, my hands started shaking."
Baba extended his hands to show them and his hands were trembling. The next day, when going back to his room from the hall, Baba felt giddy and had to lean against the wall of the house, steadying himself. He was only able to climb the stairs to his room by firmly holding the bannister and pulling himself up. Bhau reported that Baba's condition that night had been worrisome.
Once, at midnight, Baba asked Bhau to give him soda water. Bhau opened a bottle, but accidentally a piece of glass along with the cap fell on the floor.
Upset, Baba scolded him, "I was about to call the women for five minutes, and what have you done? If I send for them now, the pieces of glass will hurt their feet!"
Bhau offered, "I will sweep it up in no time, Baba."
Baba asked him to do so forthwith. Bhau began sweeping and collecting it — there was only one tiny little piece. Baba, however, was not satisfied and made him sweep and wipe the room not once but several times.
Every corner was cleaned over and over again, and the whole time Baba was sitting up in bed, repeating, "I wanted to call Mehera for five minutes, but now you have ruined all that by your carelessness."
(Really speaking, Baba would never call Mehera and the other women so late at night. And even if he did, they always wore sandals while Bhau was barefoot!)