Brynar had been drafted into the U. S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Unaware that Baba had changed his plans, he tried unsuccessfully for weeks to come to India in June.
He cabled his frustration to Baba, who replied, explaining: "It was through no fault of yours that you were not able to come. It was a test that you passed beautifully. When you do see me, it will more than be made up for."
Mehl had not planned on arriving early in India for the East-West Gathering. From Germany, he traveled to Paris for a few days to relax before his trip. But when he heard the news on the radio of the possibility of war because of the Cuban Missile Crisis, he feared he would be recalled to a military alert. On Anita Vieillard's advice, he took the next plane to India and landed two days before the darshan began. Mehl stayed at the Napier Hotel in Poona. The following morning, Francis Brabazon came and informed him that Baba wanted to see him that afternoon. Francis left, but soon returned to say that Baba wished to see Mehl immediately. Here is Brynar Mehl's description of his first meeting with Baba:
As the car drove closer to Guruprasad, I felt like somebody was pulling my brains out of my head! I could not think. I was being emptied out, literally. It was like having a vacuum tube stuck in my head, sucking my brains out. When we arrived, Francis pointed me toward the door, and I stumbled up. He told me to take off my shoes. I got to the door, and he said, "Go on in." I looked in, and to the front of me and to the right there was a horseshoe of men. I knew that Baba was on the left, but I could not look. I was absolutely frozen. I did not know what to do. Time stopped. My brain stopped. Everything stopped. Eruch said, "Baba says you may embrace him." That broke the spell, and I was able to look.
My first impression was that Baba was so tiny. He was like a little bird. I felt I could have picked him up in my hand, held him and stroked his feathers. And his overwhelming beauty! At that moment, I knew beauty. Baba was beaming at me, literally beaming. Smiling from ear to ear. Absolutely radiant.