Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
1962Page 4,819 of 5,444
Baba's right leg was still very painful because of the injury from the second automobile accident. Whenever he was resting in bed, Bhau or one of the other mandali would massage him. Reluctantly, Baba agreed to have his leg treated with a slightly warm fomentation for ten minutes at a time.
Then he began suffering continual abdominal pains for several weeks at this time. His urine was sent to Booth Hospital for examination, and at 3:00 P.M. on 17 October 1962, Baba permitted Adi and Don to bring Dr. Pedersen, the Australian surgeon at Booth Hospital, to Meherazad to examine him.1 Nothing conclusive was diagnosed.
Baba explained to Dr. Pedersen (a Christian):
God is indivisibly in everyone and everything. The apparent separateness is due to ignorance. A drop in the ocean is one with the ocean, and as soon as a bubble forms over it, it becomes separate from the ocean. And when the bubble bursts, the drop is again one with the ocean.
In the same way the soul, when it is covered by the bubble of mind, energy and matter, becomes separate from God. But as soon as the bubble is burst (which is when the ego-self is annihilated through love for God), it finds that it is one with God.
When one comes down to normal consciousness on the human level after union with God, he attains Christ-Consciousness and suffers continually — spiritually, mentally and physically — for all humanity.
Baba agreed to allow Don to stay at Meherazad to help in his diagnosis and treatment. Don spent the next five nights at Meherazad to be near Baba. He began studying updated medical books all day long, but he could not figure out the cause of Baba's ailments. He and Goher tried several different medicines, but none of them helped to relieve the symptoms of Baba's strange affliction.
Despite his poor health, Baba would not rest from the current work; he remained active, carrying on his daily routine of instructions and correspondence.
The inception of the Ahmednagar Center in Khushru Quarters had occurred in 1959. With the growing number of devotees in Ahmednagar, the need developed for a larger facility, as the old building could only seat about 50 people. Sarosh headed the renovation committee, and two rooms at Khushru Quarters were joined to form a single large hall. Sunday, 21 October 1962, was fixed as the opening day and, despite not feeling well, Baba accepted Sarosh's invitation to attend the function and declare the Center open. Baba arrived at Khushru Quarters at 9:00 A.M. with Eruch, Bhau, Pendu, Don, Francis and Kaikobad. They traveled in the DeSoto, and in Sarosh's station wagon. About 500 people were present.
Footnotes
- 1.Dr. Pedersen had recently treated Gulmai and, for which, in appreciation, Baba had sent him a gift of apples.