Baba was gradually taking more nourishment, about 900 calories a day, and his fluid intake and output was adequate. His main complaint was of a continuous pressure and dull ache in the upper part of his stomach (epigastrium region), which sometimes increased after eating. Baba had suffered nausea and vomiting, but that too was now less. It was noticed that both his feet were starting to swell. Goher had been giving him injections of 25 mg. of Durabolin on alternate days for the past twelve days, along with multivitamins and other tablets.
When Adi came to Meherazad that day, Baba was asleep in his room, snoring. He woke up after some time and said his entire body was hurting. Considering Baba's health, Adi asked about the three-day darshan at Meherazad in March.
Baba said to cancel it, stating, "I will give darshan to my Ahmednagar city and district lovers in July or August, after I return from Guruprasad."
Nariman and Arnavaz returned to Bombay that evening.
Baba told them, "Go back to Bombay, finish your work and come back as soon as you do."
At the time of leaving, the Dadachanjis never thought that this was to be their final embrace from the Beloved. Baba had been so weak he could hardly lift his hands. He could not sit up, and four or five of the mandali would have to help him sit up; even then he would suffer excruciating pains. Baba would sit up in bed for only fifteen or twenty minutes, and then the men would slowly help him lie down. So when Nariman and Arnavaz embraced Baba before leaving, they did so gently to avoid causing him the slightest pain. But surprisingly, Baba embraced them so tightly that for a moment they wondered from where he had summoned such strength. Although they were unaware of it, Baba knew that this embrace would be their last.
A similar incident happened to Rano a week later. She brought a watercolor of the "Mastery In Servitude" emblem that she had done for Adi Jr.1 She wanted Baba to touch it before she mailed it.
Baba did so and expressed that he was pleased, and then gestured, "Embrace me."
Footnotes
- 1."Mastery In Servitude" is the phrase inscribed on Baba's Tomb.