THE JAPANESE MAN

 
My notes are sketchy at this point, but I remember well what happened next. In the midst of the music playing a card was brought in to Baba. It was from a young Japanese man outside, who was begging to see him, even for a moment. He had come to India in search of Baba. Baba said he could come in.

A very dramatic scene followed. As I wrote to my family, "The Japanese young man was beside himself with love and joy. He kneeled and melted into Baba's embrace. One more searching soul had found the Divine Beloved." Baba gave him grapefruit juice from his own cup and said, "You have come far, drink it all." I think we all felt very moved by this scene.

This was K. Hitakar, a young man from Tokyo who had heard about Baba years before from a Dr. Muir, the leader of a Theosophical group in Japan. He finally had the opportunity to come to India and make contact with Baba.

My notes record the conversation of Hitakar and Baba as follows:

Baba: "Why did you come such a long distance?"

Hitakar: "To see you."

Baba: "I am everywhere." (Hitakar then asked Baba to come to Japan.)

Baba: "After seven hundred years."

Baba told Hitakar to go right away to Calcutta to get an extension of his visa and then to come back in time for the 28th, in time for the big meeting.