Twenty-four hours after Baba's statement, Nehru's death was announced over the radio. Eruch's brother Meherwan phoned the news to Guruprasad at 2:30 P.M. on 27 May. Only then did Bhau grasp how Nehru could "come" to Baba without an appointment.
Later that day Baba remarked to the mandali:
With the passing away of Panditji, India has lost its first Prime Minister who also ranked first in dedicated service to India that he loved so dearly. Jawaharlal Nehru was matchless as a statesman, and India will have to wait another 700 years to find another jewel like him.
He can be said to have been a true karma yogi.1 It would have been good if he had read at least some portion of God Speaks presented to him by Amar Singh Saigal.
Baba added, "Only when I come again, during my next advent on Earth, will there be another [leader of India] like Jawaharlal."
Lyn and Phyllis Ott, two artists from Woodstock, New York, heard of Meher Baba from their neighbor, Yvonne Riley. Yvonne had met Baba in Myrtle Beach in 1958 with her husband, Tom, who was an old acquaintance of Phyllis' when they were at college. On 26 May 1964, the Otts wrote to Baba:
Dear Meher Baba: We intend to come to India to see you. We come because for both of us in this life it is the only really important thing to do. We believe that you are the Messiah, the Avatar, the Redeemer. We desire your grace and yours alone, and we desire this alone. It is enough.
We have faith that through your grace we may serve your purpose. We have faith in the supreme importance of your purpose. And that is why our visit to you is of supreme importance to us. Until we see you, we remain your devoted lovers.
In reply, on 4 June 1964, Baba sent this telegram to the Otts: "Your letter made me happy. You can visit me next year in May, but not now. My love-blessing to you both."
As usual, food for Baba and the women mandali was cooked at Bindra House, and delivered to Guruprasad each day. Meals for the men mandali were arranged from Jal Dorabjee's guest house. Dorabjee's only daughter was married to Keki Billimoria of Bombay. On Sunday, 31 May 1964, the couple with their infant daughter and friends were on a boat outing to the Elephanta Caves (on an island near Bombay). On the way, the boat met with a serious accident, and Dorabjee's daughter and granddaughter were both thrown into the water and drowned. Baba made an exception to his ban on visitors, and he called Jal Dorabjee and his wife to Guruprasad after the tragedy, because they had lost their only daughter and granddaughter. Being in Baba's presence gave them great solace and strength.
Footnotes
- 1.In Vedanta, karma yoga means the path by which a man seeks and aspires to realize God through work without attachment.