Gustadji and Masaji were the only other men who were with Baba at this time. Most of the other mandali were either in Bombay, Lonavla or Poona. Behramji had been sent to Persia; and Baidul was still in Persia conducting a school, financed by Daulatmai, in Meher Baba's name.
During this one week of silence, Baba saw no one except Padri. Gustadji and Masaji were ordered to stay on the property but to keep aloof from him. Rustom came daily from Ahmednagar with the newspaper and the mail.1 If the need arose, Baba wrote small notes giving instructions about daily activities in Gujarati to Padri, and slipped them through the window. Padri would likewise write his replies and slip them inside.
On Friday, 21 November 1924, Baba wrote to Padri (in Gujarati):
Due to my weak health and great strain of the working since yesterday, a lot of vital fluid is flowing by and a great weakness has overcome me. Still there is nothing to worry about. On the seventh day, i.e., on Monday, we will know what the situation is regarding my health.
If this condition continues, then perhaps the working will have to be discontinued. If my health does not give more trouble, then the cart [Universal work] will proceed further. This will happen according to the orders of the Old Ones [Perfect Masters]. It is to be seen also what explosive message arrives.
If coming out [of seclusion] happens, I am thinking of going to Mahabaleshwar to improve my health. To eat once in two days is not difficult, but weakness is making the work difficult. Do not be frightened. After two or three days we will see.
The next day, Baba wrote, "Because of fever, extreme weakness has set in."
During the first week of December 1924, after his one-week seclusion and silence, Baba left Meherabad for Bombay by train with Padri, Masaji, Gustadji, Mehera, Daulatmai, Naja and Small Khorshed. He again rented the quarters at the Bharucha Building, where he had stayed during January 1924, before his trip to Persia.
Before the train left Ahmednagar station, Baba called Mehera to his compartment and told her to massage his feet.
She began doing so, and he suddenly said to her, "If you press my feet like this every day, I will make you like Babajan!"
But after this, during their stay in the Bharucha Building, there was no possibility of massaging Baba's feet, since he would often be fasting in seclusion, and no one but Gustadji was allowed to go near him.
Footnotes
- 1.Vishnu visited for the day on 19 November 1924.