Adi Sr. had arrived that day with Kaka Baria, along with Adi's niece Naggu and her fiancé Ravi Mehta.1 Baba approved the match and had the couple embrace in front of him.
In mid-May 1959, Baba began hinting more often that his universal burden was increasing greatly and "the time" was drawing near. From 14 May, he began a special period of 56 days, during which time he asked all concerned to fully resign to his every wish and not give him the least cause for irritation. He added:
If all goes well as I wish, my work will be done 100 percent successfully with glorious results. If you do your utmost, I will help you to help me.
These days maya is in full force and tries to oppose my work. Therefore, particularly those who live near me must remain very watchful. Knowing my love for you, maya awaits the opportunity to use your weaknesses. The moment you neglect my instructions, maya's purpose is served. I have to put up a big fight with maya — not to destroy it, but to make you aware of its nothingness. The moment you fail to obey me implicitly, it tightens its grip over you and you fail to carry out the duties assigned to you. This adds to my present suffering.
In God there is no such thing as confusion: God is infinite bliss and honesty. In illusion there is misery, confusion, chaos. As the Eternal Redeemer of humanity, I am ever at the junction of Reality and illusion, simultaneously experiencing the infinite bliss of Reality and the suffering of illusion. With Reality on the one hand and illusion on the other, I constantly experience, as it were, a pull from each side. This is my crucifixion. I do not ever let go of my hold on Reality. Imagine for instance that the pull of illusion becomes too great. What would happen? My "arm" would be pulled out of its socket, but I remain what I am!
Bhaskara Raju and his dramatic troupe arrived in Poona on 16 May 1959, and they met Baba that afternoon. Jim Mistry had brought mango ice cream to celebrate the birthday of his son Merwan. Baba tasted it and distributed it to all as prasad. For fun, he flicked a few spoonfuls of the ice cream into the open mouths of a few of those gathered.
Footnotes
- 1.Aloba was sent to Meherazad while Kaka Baria was away.