REMINISCENCES, Part 9:

 
[From mid-October, 1949, to the end of January, 1952, Baba lived what he called his life of complete external renunciation. So far, no complete account has been written of it. The full story of the hardships and crises incident to this life of self-created helplessness remains known only to the companions Baba took with him in his New Life adventure. These were the handful of men and women who had chosen and were allowed to participate in the venture. They traveled with him from place to place in distant parts of India, mostly on foot, and under the most trying conditions, having no ready shelters, no money and no day-to-day provisions to draw upon.

Once referring to the "caravan" (built of an old motor van) which is also preserved at Meherazad, Baba said, — ed.]

At a later stage of the New Life, this was used as a ready shelter for the night for the women among my new life companions. The caravan was drawn by a pair of bullocks, which were the charge of the men. The men also had to take care of a camel, a horse, two donkeys and two cows, which we took with us for a period.

My companions suffered unimaginable hardships. At times we used to beg for food and for other day-to-day requirements.

The last period of over two months of the New Life was spent at Meherazad. During most of that time I did my man-o-nash (annihilation of the mind) work in seclusion, and it was then that the two cabins were removed from the (Seclusion) hill and added to the seclusion area adjoining the garden.

You who are here for my sahvas are indeed fortunate that I am with you at these various spots at Meherazad where I have done many of my internal and external works. Sixty years from now they will become world centers to which thousands will make pilgrimages, vying with each other to sacrifice their very lives in my name.

[At the completion of the man-o-nash period Baba traveled to Europe and the United States where the auto accident referred to above occurred. Arriving back in India in September, 1952, he again plunged into his mast work as well as into his "Fiery Life." Numerous mass darshan programs were held in many villages, towns and cities in different parts of India, drawing five to fifty thousand people at a time.

In one of the large darshan programs held at Ahmednagar in September, 1954, several score from Europe, America and Australia also participated.

Following the sahvas programs in November, 1955, Baba immediately began plans for a years' seclusion starting February 15, 1956, broken only by his mast work and a one month's flying trip around the world in the early fall of 1956 to greet his devoted followers on four continents. — ed.]