I APPROACHED HIM WITH JOY IN MY HEART

 
In 1963 I wanted to go and visit Baba but I did not have the necessary finances. Aga Baidul wrote me a letter asking about my income. I wrote to him in detail that I had an orchard and that most years ice and frost destroyed the crop and if this happened again I would not have the money to come and visit Baba.

Aga Baidul wrote on Baba's instructions that I should go and walk around the trees and tell them that it is thirty-five years that I have not seen Baba and that the frost should not be allowed to destroy the crop. This is exactly what I did. I walked around the trees and told them that after thirty-five years I wanted to go and see Baba and that the frost should not harm the crops.

The crops were not hit by the frost that year and I flew down to Bombay and immediately started out for Guruprasad, Poona. As soon as I reached Poona I saw crowds of people on the street. I was told that they had been to visit Baba and now they were returning. I was very upset because I realized that I had arrived one day late for the three days of darshan.

I met Aloba who told me that I could see Baba in the afternoon. For about half an hour I sat out in the hallway wondering whether I was really awake. All of a sudden I heard Aloba telling me, "No, you are not asleep, you are awake." Apparently, I had been talking aloud.

I waited for another hour. Aloba came and told me that Baba had come, but had asked me to wait a little longer so that some others could come. But Aloba, who was even less patient than I was, came and took me in. He picked up the dry fruits, sweets and honey that I had taken with me for Baba and placed them in front of Him. Baba gave a piece to each person present.

But here I was standing at the threshold wanting to go in and yet I kept asking myself how I would go into the presence of God with this gross and filthy body. At that moment, I saw Baba beckoning me with a beautiful and gentle smile on His lips. I approached Him with joy in my heart. In an instant I forgot the thirty-five years of separation from Him. I no longer knew the meaning of separation. I was relieved and happy.

I went to kiss Baba's feet, but He embraced me. I embraced Him gently in return. Aloba had told me that Baba's back hurt so I embraced Him very gently and He made me sit right there at His feet. That day Baba gave darshan for two hours and we all enjoyed it.

I also asked Baba how He was and how His leg was. He gestured "I am fine. I am very fine." Then suddenly I begat [sic] Baba is God and how can one ask about His health. I was in these thoughts when I saw Baba opening His mouth and moving His lips. I thought that Baba was going to break His silence.