Baba directed eight of the boys to pull the rickshaw around the ashram, carrying his kamli coat in it.
In the evening at arti, Baba looked grief-stricken and fatigued. Seeing him like this, a boy named Tukaram Kamble burst out crying. When Baba asked him what he wanted, he replied, "I don't want anything except one thing. I want your suffering. I cannot bear to see you suffer. Give me your suffering or I won't leave!"
"How could I give you my suffering?" Baba gestured. "It cannot be given to anyone. It is destined only for me."
Tukaram cried that he could not endure seeing Baba in this ill condition. Baba comforted him by assuring him that within two days he would be all right.
The next day, Sunday, 16 September 1928, on the insistence of the Prem Ashram boys, Baba took a little milk. This relieved the boys' anxiety. Baba's father Bobo came to Toka that day with Padri, who had gone to Bombay four days before. After spending the night, Bobo left accompanied by Padri and Jalbhai.
A discussion was held on the 17th in the Prem Ashram after reading out a few passages by the inspirational author James Allen published in Ashoi (Righteousness) magazine.1 That night, Dastur and Ramjoo hotly debated the controversial powers granted to King George.
Baba commented: "King George is wise, and the Prince [Edward] of Wales is also very good. The best king of all is the King of Afghanistan [Amanullah Shah], who is noble, good-hearted, and clever. The only spiritually-minded king in the world today is the King of Nepal [Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah]."
On the morning of the 16th, the Patil of Toka Village had approached Baba and prayed to him to bring rain. He said, "All of the villagers have done their best in worshiping the gods and goddesses of our ancestors, but there is still no rain." Baba consoled him that he need not worry; rain would soon fall. Baba's blessings were immediately translated into action as a heavy shower began shortly after the Patil departed.
It rained heavily for four days without stopping and the river flooded. The ashram and women's quarters were inundated. Baba went to the women to help them bail out their residence. Standing at the entrance of their quarters, he picked up a little mud and made a small dam in the doorway, diverting the water.
Footnotes
- 1.James Allen (1864–1912) is the author of As A Man Thinketh, who urged a life of voluntary poverty, manual labor, ascetic self-discipline and self-improvement.