BABA CONSOLED ME THROUGH A VISION

 
In 1969 I was living at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, but that January I had been traveling up north. From Benares I went to Calcutta where A. C. S. Chari told me that Baba had passed away on the 31st of January and showed me a telegram to that effect sent to him by Adi K. Irani. This was completely unexpected news and I could not bear the shock. I left Calcutta immediately for my home.

When I reached Visakhapatnam, I learnt that earlier about 15 Baba lovers had hired three taxis and left for Meherabad to have Baba's darshan before His body was interred. As soon as I realized that I had missed my chance to go to Meherabad I became very upset. I couldn't help brooding over my lost opportunity, and I was restless and weeping all the time.

On the afternoon of the 13th of February I was sitting in a chair outside my home when I heard the sound of a car approaching. My house was situated in a garden of about two and a half acres, surrounded by shrubs, bushes and trees and isolated from the town itself. It was not common for cars to come this way and, as it was late afternoon, it was past the time when most people would visit.

I assumed that it must be a relative of mine, who had a car, coming to invite me to some festive occasion But it was not my relative's car which came up to my gate and stopped. To my astonishment, I saw Baba open the door and walk quickly to the verandah where I was sitting.

There was a vacant chair beside me and Baba sat on it and looked at me. Being the Silent Master, Baba did not say a word or gesture to me. I was so amazed to see Baba that I could not speak a word myself. I was dumbfounded and I think I must have been in a sort of trance at the time. After a couple of minutes, Baba walked back to His car and drove away.

Soon after, I came to myself and began to weep that I had missed this opportunity to embrace Baba, to speak to Him or to express my happiness at His visiting. Still weeping, I went to my bedroom and, like a child, threw myself down on my cot, sobbing out my heart.

My crying must have been truly from my heart for after ten minutes or so, Baba appeared again. He came inside my house and lifted my grandson who was around six or seven months old and blessed him. Then He came to my cot and sat by my side while I was still lying there.

This time I didn't want to miss the opportunity to offer my respects. I called out to my wife that Baba had come and she should bring the camphor and other necessities to perform arti to Baba. Baba gestured to me not to worry about such things and then instructed me that I should go to Poona for the darshan program He had scheduled there on May 13, 1969. Baba told me that all would go well for me and then left, before my wife arrived.

When she did come, we performed arti to Baba's photo. After that I recovered my composure, and was no longer so depressed. I am of the opinion that Beloved Baba was kind enough to give me His darshan in order to console me and to relieve me of the agony which His passing away caused me. Since then my heart and soul are entirely dedicated to Him, the Eternal One.