The mandali enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, and Bhau Saheb sang for Baba.
The following day, Baba's seat was fixed in front of the principal's office in the Mess Quarters during school hours. (After 2:30 P.M. his gaadi was shifted to the mandali's quarters.) Chanji was appointed to assist Padri in teaching Gujarati to the fifth and sixth standard students. A library was added to the school premises, and Baba spent four hours personally arranging the selection of books, most of which had been donated by Rustom.
Adi Sr. and his father Khansaheb came to see Baba in the evening on 23 May, and brought a treat for the mandali — a large quantity of ice cream.
Ahmednagar District was experiencing a scarcity of water that summer, and many were afraid that the upcoming monsoon would be meager, as well. Many villagers came every day, seeking Baba's blessings for rain.
On 25 May, while discussing the critical situation, Baba commented, "If 100 Brahmins come to Meherabad and offer prayers to me, I promise abundant rainfall in Ahmednagar this year. All will be quite satisfied."
Some of the mandali felt that to call 100 Brahmins to Meherabad might be misinterpreted as an "advertising campaign." Others were of the opinion that it would be taken as an attempt to establish Baba's divine status among the public. Some took it as a challenge and thought it should be attempted.
Baba dictated in response:
My asking for 100 Brahmins to come here was not meant as an advertisement for publicity, much less as a challenge to anyone. A real Sadguru would never act like that. My sole object in calling them is to create in them divine love, faith, and longing for the spiritual path. Once they are convinced that a saint actually has command over Nature itself, a natural and inborn respect for spiritual beings will be created in them.
They will be induced to seek the holy contact of saints and Sadgurus and will be blessed and benefited by doing so.
Although the mandali had full confidence in Baba's words, some opined that the public would misunderstand the motive underlying Baba's unusual condition and misinterpret it as a publicity stunt. Baba decided to drop the idea.
Padri was usually taciturn by nature, but he desperately wanted rain due to the intense heat and dust storms. He suggested that the old dhuni be demolished and a new one built in its place, since in the past whenever a dhuni was lit, plentiful rains would fall.