Robert was immediately drawn to this quote and later recollected: "I read it and reread it, astounded that the 'purpose' of life could be summed up so concisely and yet so eloquently." He had seen a picture of Baba two weeks before, and when he entered Allan Cohen's office and saw the same photograph, he remarked, "Him again! Who is he?" Cohen told him about Baba and recommended he go to a library or to a bookstore and buy a few books to read.
Robert had been planning a trip to India for some years and now knew why — to see Meher Baba! He learned of the sahavas to be held in December 1965, but having neither the money nor the inclination to join Harry Kenmore's group charter flight, Dreyfuss flew to London on a one-way ticket on 1 September. He spent the next two and a half months hitchhiking across Europe, Turkey and Iran toward India. He was forced to take a boat and ride deck class from Kuwait for eight days, because the border between Pakistan and India was closed due to the war.
Dreyfuss arrived in Bombay on 14 November 1965. After spending one night in Bombay, sleeping on the floor in a Sikh temple, Dreyfuss hitchhiked to Poona. He was given a ride on a truck carrying furniture, on top of which was a big overstuffed armchair, on which he sat all the way to Poona. At the Meher Baba Poona Center, Ramakrishnan asked who he was and why he had come. When he learned Robert had come for the sahavas, Ramakrishnan was silent and then said, "Surely you must be joking! Don't you know that Meher Baba has canceled the sahavas?"
Dreyfuss replied, "No, I don't know."
"Baba canceled it on 4 September."
Robert had left America on 1 September and had not received any mail, as no one knew where he would be. His initial reaction was one of shock. "You mean I have traveled 12,000 miles and there is no sahavas?" he asked, incredulous. "Well, can I see Baba?"
"He is in strict seclusion and is not seeing anyone."
Robert recalled: "The world, for a moment, stopped turning."
Robert was told that Baba was at Meherazad, 75 miles away. He said that he must try to see him. Ramakrishnan replied, "Oh yes, you try, but I don't think you will be able to."
Robert was taken to Babajan's tomb and to meet Jalbhai, and early the next morning, 16 November, he proceeded to Ahmednagar, where he repeated the previous evening's conversation to Adi. Adi likewise was pessimistic of Robert's chances of seeing Baba, but he too thought he should at least try.