The Sadguru returned to Sakori on 19 December and gave darshan for two days, during which he complained about a pain in his chest. Three days later, on 22 December, he left for Satana, where the construction of a temple in honor of his birth there was nearing completion. Pressing the workmen to finish the temple soon, he said enigmatically, "The sun is setting."
Upasni spent one restless night in Satana and the next day he called the contractor in charge of the temple project and told him, "My task is done. You have to take care of the rest. Now will you allow me to depart? Can you manage it in my absence?" The builder, ignorant of the irony of the Master's questions, bid him farewell. Maharaj arrived at Sakori in the evening of 23 December 1941.
Maharaj's usual custom whenever he returned from outside Sakori was to bow to the bamboo cage as soon as he stepped out of the automobile; but that day, he demanded to be driven directly to his hut. In the early morning of 24 December, Maharaj complained of a severe pain in his heart. Godavri, who was resting nearby, was awakened from her sleep by a voice calling, "Are you still asleep? The time has come when you are wanted." Startled, she awakened and found Maharaj in pain.
He, too, rebuked her for sleeping and requested a mustard plaster. Resting, he said, "I will be all right in fifteen minutes." He lay down and appeared to be asleep so those around him were afraid to disturb him. Then after two or three hours, when his devotees saw no physical movement, they grew worried and called a doctor who came and declared that Upasni had left the body.1 The burial ceremonies were performed in Sakori the next day according to Hindu custom. The funeral procession of devotees escorting his body took more than six hours.
The Song of the Singer was sung by the flames of his devotees' hearts. His body is enshrined at Sakori, but the light of his remembrance will burn brightly for eternity.
O Upasni Maharaj, your name will be revered for ages to come!
You brought down the Ancient One to wipe away the tears of Age!
Footnotes
- 1.The day Upasni dropped his body, 24 December, was Godavri's 27th birthday. Godavri Mai, as she came to be called, assumed responsibility for the Sakori ashram until her death in 1989.