Meherwan lay down quickly to fulfill Baba's order and then ran to his father's bedside.He found Pappa breathing with difficulty and sweating profusely.Anxious about Pappa's condition, Meherwan went out to bring the doctor, but it was too late.Pappa's time had come.He died of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 74 with the word Baba on his lips.
Guruprasad was informed and Baba sent Nariman and Meherjee to Bindra House.According to Baba's instructions, Eruch stayed at Guruprasad.Pappa was merged forever in Baba's Ocean of Divinity.Meherwan was not upset over his demise — he was worried about his own disobedience to Baba's instruction.
Pappa Jessawala's body was removed that night to the Zoroastrian bangli (a place where corpses are bathed and kept temporarily for offering prayers).The next morning, Saturday, 30 May 1959, at 7:00 A.M., Baba went to Bindra House accompanied by Eruch and sat in Pappa's room.There, Baba put Pappa's hat on his head and gave Eruch Homi Damania's cap to wear.Baba asked for something to eat, and Roshan and Naja prepared food for him.He wanted bread with it, but there was no bread in the house.
On the pretext of bringing some bread from a nearby bakery, Baba again sat in the car with the mandali.On their way, they were driven past the bangli at the exact moment when Pappa's body was being taken in a procession to the Tower of Silence.Baba had the car stopped.
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After watching the procession for a few minutes, Baba remarked, "The work is completed."
He then asked Eruch, "What happens after you eat?"
Eruch said, "You digest your food and then defecate the waste."
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Baba explained, "The body is to the soul as the waste is to the food.The body eventually becomes the excreta of the soul.Death is the process by which the soul excretes the human body.How do you feel after you go to the toilet?"
"Relieved and happy."
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"The soul, too, feels happy and relieved to be free of the body.That is how one should feel about anyone's death."
Later, Baba remarked how fortunate Pappa was that, even at this final stage, Baba's glance had fallen on him.
Taking Pappa's hat with him, Baba returned to Bindra House for lunch with Eruch and his family, and then proceeded to Guruprasad.All at Bindra House were as calm as if nothing had happened.This was Baba's love-game and his gift to his lovers.They had faith in Baba's words that everything in the world is unreal and they remained unaffected.
with Pappa Jessawala, 1957
Adi Sr. came to Poona for Pappa's funeral, bringing Padri and the Kalchuris, who were accommodated in a hotel for four nights.Baba sent his car to bring them to Guruprasad every day.Gaya Prasad Khare and his family met Baba on 30 May 1959, along with a few others from Uttar Pradesh.
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